Title: When She Was Good by Michael Robotham
Cyrus Haven Series Book Two
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 349 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
From the bestselling author of The Secrets She Keeps and Good Girl, Bad Girl comes a new thriller featuring the brilliant forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven as he becomes embroiled in an explosive murder case with disturbing origins.
Criminal psychologist Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac return in this mesmerizing new thriller from internationally bestselling author Michael Robotham, a writer Stephen King calls “an absolute master…with heart and soul.”
Who is Evie, the girl with no past, running from? She was discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime. Her ability to tell when someone is lying helped Cyrus crack an impenetrable case in Good Girl, Bad Girl. Now, the closer Cyrus gets to uncovering answers about Evie’s dark history, the more he exposes Evie to danger, giving her no choice but to run. Ultimately, both will have to decide if some secrets are better left buried and some monsters should never be named…
Review:
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham is a spellbinding and somewhat dark mystery. This second installment in the Cyrus Haven series can be read as a standalone, but I HIGHLY recommend reading the series in order.
Despite pleas to the contrary, forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven continues trying to find out as much as possible about what happened to Evie Cormac aka “Angel Face” seven year earlier. In order to get a more complete picture of what happened during and after her rescue, Cyrus has finally tracked down former special constable Sacha Hopewell. Sacha’s rescue of Evie from a house where Terry Boland was murdered and tortured captured the media’s attention. Relentlessly pursued, Sacha finally leaving London in order to find anonymity. Cyrus is hoping she has more information about Evie than what is in the official file.
Just as Cyrus is beginning to uncover more information about Evie, his longtime friend Detective Lenny Parvel calls him to the scene of the possible suicide of recently retired Detective Superintendent Hamish Whitmore. Cyrus picks up on subtle clues that Hamish was murdered. In the course of this investigation, Cyrus is shocked by the realization that Evie might be connected to an old case that Hamish was looking into.
Evie is currently a ward of the court and her identity is protected. She lives in a high security group home where she does not exactly remain under the radar. Evie still refuses to reveal the circumstances surrounding her time with Terry. She also will not discuss who she is or tell anyone about her family. Evie’s position in the group home is precarious and she is terrified when it appears her past might have caught up with her.
Both Evie and Cyrus are haunted by the traumatic events from their respective childhoods. Cyrus still suffers nightmares and once a month, he faces his past in person. Evie’s reasons for keeping quiet about what happened to her are complex and she is wracked by memories of her experiences. As present day circumstances force her to reveal her secrets, Cyrus is staggered by her revelations. Finally hoping for justice for Evie, Cyrus puts in motion a plan that endangers his and Evie’s lives as those involved desperately try to keep their secrets from being uncovered.
When She Was Good is a compelling mystery that exposes the seamy underbelly of authority and power. The characters are richly developed and multi-faceted. The storyline is engrossing and immediately grabs readers’ attention and never lets go. With edge of the seat action, Michael Robotham brings this meticulously plotted mystery to an absolutely jaw-dropping conclusion. Both of the novels in the Cyrus Haven series are superbly written and I hope we will see more of Cryrus and Evie in future installments.
