There is so much I really enjoyed about this book. So, so much. From the storm itself, being reminded of all the things I love back in 87 I was 10 years of age then and Thundercats, and plugging in and shooting aliens was totally my life! I love this kid.

But, it soon turns really nasty and his parents are murdered. The storm itself is horriffic. The descriptions and emotions evoked through this are very real, and disturbing. This then does throw Matthew into the next years of his life as the damaged soul he is.

The writing and research that the author has done to get so deep into the psychological problems of such trauma is sheer amazing. From experience and my own pain, there was nothing here that struck out to me as being ‘wrong’ I could clearly identify with both Matthew and Tammy.

Tammy is as much as Matthew a very disturbed woman with a past almost as worrying. Almost killing her daughter, and drinking far too much for her own health. She’s supposed to be Matthews carer, but she’s hurt and suffers with illness as well. Not too sure that’s a combination that would be allowed. With my mental illness I was refused to go into the caring community job wise. A blessing in disguise I’m sure, for what they actually see.

So, yes, this book/narration is very real, very deep and hauntingly disturbing. And actually quite triggering, but don’t worry. It was good and good to see someone put so much effort both into the narration and the story.

This is the first British narrator I’ve actually listened to, and I did find that although Rob had a lovely tone for his characters, his actual narration could bring me out of the story just a few times. But, enough that I needed to mention. I do think that together both the author and narrator make a great team, the husky voice of Rob and the smooth flow… to the upward climb of tension towards the novel’s climax. Excellent working AudioBook.

If you regularly love horror, thriller and disturbing stories, then this is right up your street.