A twisty thriller, with unreliable characters who are slowly revealed to have shadows in their past that have led to dead bodies in the present: this is an addictive story to get lost in from the first page.

Middle-aged, unloveable Miriam lives on a narrowboat. As a permanent resident, she keeps an eye on things and is irritated when a young man, Daniel Sutherland, living in a shabby boat next to hers, overstays his mooring. She goes to have a word – and is shocked to find his dead body, throat slashed, lying inside.

Daniel’s death draws Miriam into his world. His aunt Carla and uncle Theo, divorced but bound together by past tragedy, are still reeling from his alcoholic mother Angela’s lonely death a few months earlier. Angela’s neighbour Irene, often dismissed as a doddering old woman, sees and hears more than people realise. Irene has also befriended troubled, hot-tempered Laura, who may have been the last person to see Daniel alive and was witnessed near the scene covered in blood.

The characters have all been damaged by past trauma and its destructive nature is slowly revealed as hidden secrets and lies are uncovered. The past is a slow fire that has not been put out but has smouldered ever since, and it holds the key to who killed Daniel. From the author of The Girl on the Train comes another gripping and intriguing read.

Reviewed by Melinda Woledge