A book that is hard to place - is it a psychological thriller, family saga or literary fiction? Perhaps some combination of the above, though this means I would struggle to know who to recommend it to. Some intriguing moments but no real hook. The version I read needed significant editing which hampered my enjoyment somewhat.

What a mash-up of a novel! The beginning is slow and I didn't find Jones's prose as stellar as I have in the past. It takes a while for the plot to get going and even the characterization is somehow a bit blurry in comparison with Jones's usual scalpel-like precision. Then it all suddenly takes off with the corrupting influence of money and dysfunctional family: the nest of snakes in the attic is both entirely apposite and yet a bit crude in its obviousness. Then a death... and a final 15% or so that is nail-biting in its tension - but also a surprising departure for Jones.

Jones is so versatile thinking back across her books - for me this doesn't have the delicate emotional subtlety of The Outcast or Small Wars (my favourite), but may open up a new audience of literary thriller readers: 3.5 stars.

I do not know how to review this without giving anything away. I did not have any expectations as to what genre it belonged to and only scanned the blurb briefly. Suffice it to say that I was very surprised and impressed by the quality of the writing and the way the plot unfolded, keeping me gripped throughout. I would recommend others to read it blind as I did.