When a psychiatrist returns to Dublin from New Zealand to nurse her dying mother, her daughter Mary comes too. Soon afterwards 20-year-old Mary disappears. Her mother, Margaret, is anxious. McLoughlin has heard it all before. A week later her body, horribly violated and mutilated, is discovered. For Margaret, it's the beginning of a never-ending nightmare - the only comfort she can hope for is to bring the killer to justice and confront her pain. For McLoughlin, the policeman, this is a routine case which turns into much more. Eventually the killer is apprehended and charged with murder. It is then that a startling new element enters the story. Sadness permeates this haunting psychological thriller, a well-written, gripping novel of terrible revenge and retribution. Readers are warned, however, that there are disturbing descriptions of rape, torture and abuse. An impressive debut from this Irish writer. (Kirkus UK)