This is Belinda Bauer's debut novel, before which she worked as a journalist and screenwriter.
The novel is about a 12 year old boy who has grown up in the shadow of his Uncle Billy, murdered at the same age he is now, buried in the Blacklands and never found.
The child, Stephen Lamb sets out writing to Arnold Avery the paedophile serial killer, to find out where the body of his murdered uncle resides. This sets into motion a game of cat and mouse between the two correspondents.
It is not until Avery works out that Lamb is only a child that the book takes a chilling turn for the worst.
As Stephen relentlessly tries to gain approval from all those around him, he endures constant knock-backs and criticism, but he battles on bravely.
Second best to his mother, and resented by his sour grandmother Stephen has little in the way of family life, all of which he believes he can fix if only he could find the remains of his uncle, allowing his family the closure they crave. I felt so much sympathy for Stephen's character showing how well written the book was to allow the reader to feel so much pity for Stephen and so much repulsion for Avery.
A brave and harsh debut novel, I look forward to her next work.
8/10
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