Book Review: Even Steven

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

Even Steven     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
John Gilstrap
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
Michael joseph, 2000, £9.99, pp. 358

Bobby and Susan Martin desperately want a child, but they never expect one to appear during a camping trip in the mountains. Filthy and frightened, he is swiftly followed by his violent kidnappers. In the ensuing melee, the Martins are drawn into a shocking crime - the murder of a police officer.

As they struggle to stay ahead of a crime ring and the police, emotions over the failed pregnancies surface and they try to work out if they can ever escape from the nightmare scenario. Things do not look good.

John Gilstrap's main talent lies in his accuracy in recreating human emotions on the page. His portrayal of Bobby and Susan as events progress feels accurate and they seem real. His bad guys are also interesting, particularly Samuel, since he sets himself a hard task there, but develops the character easily. He also shows us various points of view to continue the plot as much as possible and there are a few surprising twists thrown in.

He does not explain a lot about the ending, leaving it open to the reader's interpretation. Some readers will like this; others will prefer the closure that a tied-up ending gives. The pace is reasonably fast, since the events all take place over a period of a couple of days. Overall, an enjoyable thriller.

Luke Croll - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

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