Rattle by Fiona Cummins

Rattle
By Fiona Cummins
Published by Macmillan (26 January 2017)
ISBN: 978-1509812264

Publisher's description

A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.

He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum.

Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.

Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.

What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.

My verdict
I loved Rattle and can't praise it highly enough - the writing is brilliant, the plot is brilliant... in fact, everything about it is brilliant. There aren't many serial killer books around at present, so it's certainly very different to other crime novels too.

The plot is chilling - children are going missing and it seems that there is a serial killer on the loose. He's evil, creepy and certainly someone to avoid - but that's not easy when you have something he wants and he'll do anything to get it.

Fiona Cummins writes atmospheric chilling prose - vivid descriptions of people and places that made my skin tingle - and has created a gripping plot filled with action, intrigue and believable characters. I held my breath for many of the final chapters. The book has clearly been well researched and I found the medical background fascinating (possibly because of my own interests in health and medicine). This is a crime thriller with unbelievable depth.

Rattle is stunning. I couldn't put it down - yet didn't want it to end. Just as well there's a sequel in the pipeline!

I received an Advance Reader Copy.