I rarely read thrillers and when I do I’m consistently surprised by their ability to do just that: thrill, catch you, make you turn the pages. I’m a total sucker for bohemian artistic families so I came for that but stayed for Kelly’s unerring ability to keep you hooked with questions that evolve chapter on chapter.
The premise is pleasing: an artist famous for an arcane treasure-hunt picture book that has spawned a community of fanatical enthusiasts, so fanatical they’ll even attack his daughter Nell in some mistaken idea that she holds the treasure in her bones. Years later, the daughter an adult recluse, they mark the anniversary of the publication with a fresh mystery as an anniversary – but the launch descends into robbery and murder. Can Nell fix the mystery / heal her wounds / keep her foster daughter, &c, &c.
This is a well-crafted entertaining thriller in an interesting world, perfect for those who don’t enjoy classic police / high-crime settings. While by no means the best book I read last year, it was probably the most addictive.
Room of Joy 