A suburban supernatural mystery with a medium-paced but intense build-up, and truly unsettling and creepy elements of horror. I loved the atmosphere that Kingfisher created in this story, and was surprised by how well it was balanced with humour—though I suppose I shouldn't be, as Kingfisher is particularly gifted in this vein. The character development felt natural across all key characters, and I felt a great deal of kinship with the protagonist, Samantha, who I share so many attributes with: we’re both sceptical, academic-leaning, childfree, fat women who would move heaven and earth to ensure their mothers are safe and happy, and we’re very proud of it, thank you very much. A truly captivating read, and my favourite Kingfisher horror so far.