(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

The morning it all started, newspaper reporter David Harwood had plenty to worry about. A single parent with no job, forced to return with his young son to the small town of Promise Falls to live with his parents, the future wasn't looking too rosy. So when his mother asked him to look in on his cousin Marla, who was still not quite right after losing her baby, it was almost a relief to put the disaster his own life had become to one side.
The relief wouldn't last long.
When he gets to Marla's house he's disturbed to find a smear of blood on the front door. He's even more disturbed to find Marla nursing a baby, a baby she claims was delivered to her 'by an angel.' And when, soon after, a woman's body is discovered across town, stabbed to death, with her own baby missing, it looks as if Marla has done something truly terrible.
But while the evidence seems overwhelming, David just can't believe that his cousin is a murderer. In which case, who did kill Rosemary Gaynor? And why did they then take her baby and give it to Marla? With the police convinced they have an open and shut case, it's up to David to find out what really happened, but he soon discovers that the truth could be even more disturbing...

I don't really like to start a review with "Just as I expected..." but, in this case, it is totally appropriate...

Linwood Barclay has set a bar for his thrillers which, I have to admit, I thought he would find hard to match on a consistent basis. Not only has he been consistent, he keeps raising the bar...

This is the first of a new trilogy, set in the fictional town of Promise Falls. Told from a number of POV's (which I don't really like), this story twists and turns its way through a number of crimes and suspects, laying down surprise after surprise - as always, we get a well-written mystery/thriller from Barclay.

What I really appreciated with this book, however, was that the author didn't just leave things dangling for a sequel - I felt there was enough closure in that story, while allowing for more story to follow, that makes the second book actually worth looking forward to...if that makes any sense...

No hesitation in recommending this book to any mystery / thriller / suspense novel fan. I doubt you will be disappointed.


Paul
ARH