Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham

 Michael Robotham is one of my favorite authors. I absolutely love his Joe O'Loughlin series. So when he came out with a new series in 2019 centered around a new main character, I was excited to give it a try. Three years later, I finally got around to it. 

Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist living in Nottingham. He's been asked to evaluate a teen-age patient named Evie Cormac. Evie has a complicated past. She was discovered hiding in a secret room in the home of a man who had been tortured and murdered; half-starved, she wouldn't tell anyone her real name or age. Now, six years later, she's petitioning the court to be released from Langford Hall, a high-security children's home. Cyrus finds her to be manipulative, clever, guarded, fatalistic, defiant, and utterly fascinating. But he doesn't think she's ready to face the real world on her own.

He's also been asked to help investigate the shocking murder of a local high-school figure skater, Jodie Sheehan. She's talented, pretty and popular, but she had secrets she was hiding from everyone around her. Cyrus believes one of those secrets got her killed, but proving it is another matter. Then Evie unexpectedly stumbles onto another of Jodie's secrets, and things get even more interesting and intense.

What can I say about this book? The plot is engrossing, the characters captivating. I liked Cyrus Haven immediately, and feisty Evie quickly won me over as well. And the mystery involving Jodie's murder was equally compelling. This thriller is the perfect summer read. I'd give it 5 stars. I can't wait to check out the next book in this series. 

Happy Reading!

Another favorite Robotham read:  Say You're Sorry

From the R Shelf...

Author:  Michael Robotham

Title:  Say You're Sorry

How it begins:  "My name is Piper Hadley and I went missing on the last Saturday of the summer holidays three years ago. I didn't disappear completely and I didn't run away, which is what a lot of people thought ... I didn't disappear alone. My best friend Tash was with me. I wish she were here now.

The main players:  The two missing girls, Piper Hadley and Natasha McBain; clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin who's been asked by the Oxford police to consult on a related case; ex-cop Vincent Ruiz who helps Joe with his investigation; and the man who took the girls, a man they call George.

My thoughts:  Talk about a serendipitous find from the R shelf! I loved this book. It's suspenseful; it's got memorable characters; it's very well-written; and it kept me guessing until the very end, which every good mystery should. The chapters alternate between Piper and Joe as Robotham skillfully weaves together the past and the present. It was in the hopes of stumbling upon amazing novels like Say You're Sorry and even more amazing authors like Michael Robotham that made me start Reading the Alphabet in the first place. I can't wait to read Robotham's other psychological thrillers. I understand Joe O'Loughlin is the main recurring character, which makes me glad because I like him. In fact, I liked everything about this book.

Happy Reading!

Similar reads:

The Edge of Normal by Carla Norton

The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi

In the Woods by Tana French