Nameless Acts of Cruelty

Returning from vacation to London with his family, Jeremy, or Jez, Horton sees from the plane a figure running in a field. Without knowing why, he’s suddenly in the grip of a panic attack, certain that it’s a girl being pursued and she’s in terrible danger. Back home, he remains obsessed with the strange sighting and what could have happened to the girl, stressing himself and his wife as he retreats further into dark thoughts. His slide into an abyss of fear accelerates when he visits his dying mother, a cruel woman who’s treated him terribly, especially since his young sister’s death. As he returns to the family home that he’s now inherited, a place he hasn’t been since the tragedy, murky memories and renewed contact with boyhood friends force Jez to confront his past and deal with odd, dangerous characters who are all too present. Cameron masterfully develops those around Jez even as we are stuck in his increasingly frantic thoughts and actions. Her depiction of a tired, scared mind grasping for childhood memories is immersive and affecting, with the psychological suspense matched by a continuous ramping up of real-life drama. Fans of Helen Monks Takhar’s Precious You should add this to their TBR stash.