Helena lives a quiet country life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Even her husband and two young daughters don’t know her true past: she’s the daughter of the infamous ‘Marsh King’.
Helena’s mother was abducted at the age of 14 and taken to a remote cabin. Helena was born in the swamp and was raised there, until the two women escaped when Helena was an adolescent. Years later, it’s now Helena’s father who has escaped – from prison. As law enforcement chases its tail while attempting to hunt the renowned tracker and survivalist, Helena realises she may be the only one who can find her father, using the very skills he taught her.
This fairytale-inspired thriller has been touted as a breakthrough for Karen Dionne, who has five previous books (including two TV show tie-ins) on her resume. Interspersed with snatches of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale of the same name, The Marsh King’s Daughter is told largely in flashback, detailing Helena’s memories of her isolated upbringing. As Helena hunts her father in the present and reminisces about her past, Dionne superbly captures Helena’s mixed emotions – the love and hate. She keeps the pages whirring through a creeping sense of unease bubbling beneath day-to-day life. The scenes of hunting and basic life in the wild are particularly evocative, and overall this is an exquisitely crafted tale that builds to a thrilling denouement.
Reviewed by Craig Sisterson
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