Title: The Split by Sharon Bolton
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Tense, gripping and with a twist you won’t see coming, The Split is an explosive new stand-alone thriller from Sharon Bolton about a woman on the run.
No matter how far you run, some secrets will always catch up with you…
The remote Antarctic island of South Georgia is about to send off its last boat of the summer – which signifies safety to resident glaciologist Felicity Lloyd.
Felicity lives in fear – fear that her ex-husband Freddie will find her, even out here. She took a job on this isolated island to hide from him, but now that he’s out of prison, having served a term for murder, she knows he won’t give up until he finds her.
But a doctor delving into the background of Felicity and Freddie’s relationship, back in Cambridge, learns that Felicity has been on the edge for a long time. Heading to South Georgia himself to try and get to her first is the only way he can think of to help her.
Review:
The Split by Sharon Bolton is a diabolically clever mystery.
In the present, glaciologist Felicity Lloyd is working on South Georgia, a remote Antarctic Island.Since there are few people on the island, she feels safe after being stalked for months in Cambridge. But when she discovers her stalker knows where she is, she keeps watch when ships are expected to land. Frantically putting a plan in action when her worst fears come to fruition, Felicity undertakes a dangerous journey in order to protect herself from danger.
In the months leading up to her departure from Cambridge, Felicity is troubled by recent events in which she believes someone has been inside her home. She is also certain someone is following her. After a recent incident, she seeks help from a local therapist who is also dealing with a few problems of his own. Although Felicity eventually has a breakthrough, she has no interest in pursuing the details uncovered during her sessions.
In the midst of Felicity troubles, someone is possibly murdering homeless people in Cambridge. Her therapist works among the city’s most vulnerable citizens and he recently encountered trouble with someone he was treating. Despite evidence to the contrary, could this person be responsible for the recent murder? Could this person be involved with some of the eerie incidents at both his and Felicity’s homes?
A local detective is determined find the person responsible for the deaths and she unearths evidence that might help solve the crimes. CCTV footage is invaluable in possibly identifying the murderer, but is there more to the cases than meets the eye?
The Split is a riveting mystery with a intriguing plot and well-developed characters. Felicity is a sympathetic protagonist with an unexpectedly tragic past. The isolated island adds an extra layer of tension as Felicity flees for her life. While savvy readers might guess some aspects of the storyline, Sharon Bolton brings this compelling mystery to an action-filled and somewhat surprising conclusion. A suspenseful mystery that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.
