It feels like such a long time but I am finally reunited with Manon!
Manon is now pregnant by a sperm donor and taking a more ‘desk-job’ style role in preparation.
Until… a man is found dead in the local park and the worse nightmare possible commences. Fly; Manon’s adopted son, is accused of stabbing the man.
Manon needs to clear Fly’s name and find out the true killer… and quickly!
What I found remarkable about this book, was the fact I felt like I was being reacquainted with an old friend… but yet, I’ve only met her before in one story. It’s crazy how familiar I feel with this series, even though we’re only on book two – great work Steiner!
The story is told from multiple perspectives – from Davy (police side), Manon (family side… with her detective hat on), and some key characters that make this plot so much more complex and exciting!
I’ve been loving my psychological thrillers but to get stuck back into a crime thriller – gosh it was so unbelievably juicy! I think I had momentarily forgotten how different the two genres can be and, the different aspects they bring to the table! My favourite aspect of a crime thriller, is being able to see it from the police’s perspective. I love seeing the physical evidence and the facts that begin to build up to create a case – so satisfying!
The writing style that Steiner has got down ‘to a T’, makes the words flow off the pages and completely absorb you.
I don’t think I’ve ever met a family quite like Manon’s – it’s a very unique household, and this in itself will make you curious to read on, just to see how the family will end up in perfect harmony… or not!
Davey is another character that brings so much to this story; his inner thoughts are laced with humour, vulnerability and intuition. I loved watching him grow in confidence and wrestle with his conscience through this case.
If you’re the kind of person that loves knowing a bit more about the home/personal life of the characters rather than just focusing on just the crime – you will love this. When I posted my thoughts on Missing, Presumed, I had commented about this topic, saying it was too focused on the detectives’ lives rather than the case, but this time around, I feel Steiner nailed it – the balance was right for me.
Overall: gripping from the get go, packed full of sass, cracking characters and a challenging race against the clock to discover the true killer.
Final thought: Where is book three!!!!!!!
Persons Unknown is out now in paperback and eBook versions by Borough Press.
Until next time, Chloé x
Reviews by Chloé 