Published by Faber & Faber
It can be hard to make any real impact with a first novel, but Kate Hamer’s powerful thriller The Girl In The Red Coat will certainly cement her name in the literature world.
The Pembrokeshire-born author’s story switches between the narratives of eight-year-old Carmel and her mother, Beth.
From the very start, Hamer builds the suspense that something terrible is about to happen. Then, when Carmel is suddenly bundled into a car and taken by a man claiming to be her grandfather, the reader is left racing to the end of every page to find out what happens to her.
The fact that Carmel’s kidnapping is told through her own innocent and childish eyes makes it all the more chilling.
Plus, in a similar manner to John Fowles’ The Collector, ‘Gramps’ as he is only ever known, is gradually revealed to be a complex character who isn’t entirely evil.
Bringing every parent’s worst nightmare to life, the tale is worryingly plausible.
The descriptions can be overly wordy at times, but the themes of fanatical religion, grief and family relationships, make it far more sensitive and interesting than the average thriller. Just be prepared to put the rest of your life on hold.