Lily's baby daughter was asleep in the garden when her husband came home and it was so peaceful that they allowed her to sleep on a little longer, but when they went to bring her in she was covered in blood. It seemed to be coming from her mouth - but when they got her to hospital there was no injury and it was apparently a practical joke. But that evening a message was left on Inspector Konrad Sejer's mat: Hell begins now. It was the first in a series of such incidents. They weren't planned to cause physical harm but they left the victims shaken, feeling harassed and worried.
| The Caller by Karin Fossum | |
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| Category: Crime | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: It's not a thriller but an exploration of the disturbed mind of an abused and neglected teenager. Highly readable. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 304 | Date: July 2012 |
| Publisher: Vintage | |
| ISBN: 978-0099548775 | |
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We know who is behind the pranks from very early on. His name is Johnny Beskow and he's in his late teens. He lives with his mother who has a close relationship with a vodka bottle, but he does have a strong relationship with his grandfather whom he visits on a regular basis. And this is where you see Fossum's skill. You're going to do the unthinkable: you're going to sympathise with Johnny Beskow, understand why he does what he does and wish that there could be a better life for him. It doesn't lessen your concern for his victims, but you're going to empathise with both sides of the story.
Then, of course, something happens to Johnny - something cruel, violent and purposely directed at him and he is pushed over an invisible edge where everything is different. And then it spirals out of control.
It's a great exploration of the human mind, an attempt to understand motives and the effects on victims who are not physically harmed. If you're wanting a thriller then this is really not the book for you, but if you enjoy a book which draws you in - exploits your feelings and then simply refuses to let you go until the final page then you'll enjoy this book. And there are a couple of twists at the end of the book which simply took my breath away.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
If this book appeals to you then you'll almost certainly enjoy The Saint Zita Society by Ruth Rendell.
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