However, it is only by comparison that Abbott's work can fall down in any way and even then, it's only a pace or two behind one of the greats of the genre. What Abbott has given us, and this seems even more impressive considering it's a debut novel, is a tantalising glimpse into a world we can never hope to know but, like Lora King, cannot resist delving into to find out more, regardless of the cost to ourselves. In my case, this cost was a couple of nights without sleep; what will it cost you?
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag. We also have a review of [[The End of Everything by Megan Abbott]].
For more fiction set in the nineteen fifties, we can recommend [[Christine Falls by Benjamin Black]] which is set in Dublin or [[The Outcast by Sadie Jones]] for a quintessentially English setting. We also enjoyed [[Cold Hearts by Gunnar Staalesen]].