When she was a child Sophie's mother Amelia-Rose packed up their lives and moved them from Massachusetts in the United States of America, all the way to London in the United Kingdom. Saying it was a shock is an understatement, and not just because of the culture shock - their new lives are very different to the one they had living in the home of Sophie's grandparents. Determined to do it alone after her parents forced her out, Amelia-Rose starts a new life with Sophie, encouraging her to embrace her new life. Doing it alone is tough, but then Amelia-Rose meets Matty Melgren and she is suddenly not so alone. Matty seems to appear at the perfect time, for both Sophie and Amelia-Rose, but then the murders start to happen. Women are being murdered in the area where they live, women who look a lot like Amelia-Rose and Sophie is terrified that her mother might be next despite confident denials from both Matty and her mother. It is a tense time for everyone, most of all a sensitive young girl coping with an unsettled home life on top of everything else.
Twenty years later Sophie is quietly going about her life when a letter arrives from Battlemouth Prison stating that Matty would like to see her. It is a letter she would rather avoid, along with all the memories of what happened when Matty was arrested for the murders. After years of therapy Sophie has reached a certain kind of peace, but meeting with Matty may be the final piece of the puzzle. Matty has always professed his innocence, and there are plenty of other people who agree, not to mention all the true crime and justice blogs, podcasts and websites that support his claims of innocence. None of those people were there though, they didn't have to live through the terror of the murders, or the fall out for the 'daughter' of the man convicted of the murders. Sophie has to decide if she will meet with Matty, it will be the first time she faces him, and they are both holding onto the past. His conviction was the start of a downward spiral in her life and sometimes forgiveness is something you can't afford to give.
Truly darkly deeply is an interesting and engaging read where you are never quite sure where things are going until the end - partly because of the writers style which includes the present day, the past, and sprinklings of news reports and other bits and pieces. It also really challenging to review as the best parts of the story are revealed throughout the book and I don't want to risk spoilers that aren't covered by the blurb! It could have been a trainwreck of trying to jam too many things together, but Selman has managed to pull it off in a way that is thoroughly readable and allows you to connect with Sophie on many levels. In some ways Truly darkly deeply is a murder mystery, and in some ways it is a coming-of-age story - although not a coming of age many of us would endure by choice. Highly recommended, especially if you like an intelligent read that spreads clues throughout the story rather than leading you by the nose.
If you like this book then try:
- Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
- The better sister by Alafair Burke
- The puppet show by M.W. Craven
- Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
- When darkness calls by Mark Griffin
- A killer's mind by Mike Omer
- Look what you made me do by Elaine Murphy
- Good me bad me by Ali Land
- Look what you made me do by Elaine Murphy
- When you are mine by Michael Robotham
- Every last fear by Alex Finlay
- A flicker in the dark by Stacy Willingham
Reviewed by Brilla
No comments:
Post a Comment