Good Me Bad Me

Wow, this one hit the psycho spot. In the opening chapters, Annie informs the police of her mother's activities as a child serial killer. She is immediately taken away and placed with foster parents under conditions similar to witness protection and Annie becomes Millie. Millie's new life doesn't go so well when she starts being bullied by her foster sister, Phoebe. She has a good relationship with her foster father, Mike, who also acts as a therapist to her, and a strange, almost controlling relationship with Saskia, her foster mother.

With Millie narrating, we read of her innermost feelings and thoughts and learn a little of the ghastly treatment at the hands of her mother. Millie is almost totally consumed by the overpowering presence and voice of her mother who is now in prison awaiting trial. She's learned a lot from her mother, she reads people well and uses her experiences to manipulate those around her. Millie is a complex character, in fact all the characters are complex – they all have issues and secrets surrounding their lives and this all adds to the disquieting and manipulative way they all interact with each other.

The writing style took a little getting used to. It's sometimes minimal, a little bit staccato, sentences short and abrupt. Once you get used to this style, accept it as detached thoughts, it becomes a quick compelling read, never pleasant, often chilling and shocking.

https://us.macmillan.com/author/aliland/

#PsychologicalThriller #FiveStars