There are very few certainties in life, but one, for me, is opening a new Marnie Rome novel by Sarah Hilary and knowing that I am in for a literary treat.
Come And Find Me begins with a brutal prison riot in which a prisoner escapes and others lie injured in hospital, two in the mortuary. The thoughts of one of these, written in the first person, are interspersed throughout the investigation in which DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake are trying to find Michael Vokey, the dangerous and manipulative escaped prisoner who may try and contact the two women who have been writing to him in prison… Or the young single mother who survived his last attack.
The investigation is complicated by the fact that Marnie’s adopted brother who had murdered her parents is one of the injured in hospital and Noah’s parents are not talking to him as their younger Sol is on remand. Noah had arrested and charged him for importing class C drugs. But prison was the last place he needed to be. The back stories of Marnie and Noah are expertly interwoven into the narrative which is fast paced with many heart-in-mouth moments.
As usual Sarah Hilary writes with precision and emotional intelligence. No word is superfluous. The characterisation and plotting are faultless. The narrative totally compelling.
Come And Find Me is the fifth in Sarah Hilary’s police procedurals set in London. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, I’d recommend starting with the first book, Someone Else’s Skin and progress through this fascinating and absorbing series.
I received an advance reading copy from the publisher.
Published by Headline, the hardback and Kindle editions are released on 22 March, paperback 4 October, 2018.