A new internet "game" is inducing minors to commit suicide. Known as the BLACK SQUID, play involves completing 20 tasks that culminate in a suicide act. The game is especially designed to appeal to troubled children in fragile circumstances. One such girl is Kimberley Williams who leaps to her death from a cliff top.
The death of Kimberley and the news about BLACK SQUID are brought to DI Anna Gwynne and her team at Avon and Somerset Constabulary's cold case unit because of her relationship to convicted killer Hector Shaw. Hector's 13-year-old daughter was believed to have committed suicide, but now there's evidence that she was a victim of the BLACK SQUID. Will Anna have to interact again with Hector in order to get more information about those administering the game? Indeed. NO SPOILERS.
This third book in the series brings back Anna, her new boyfriend Dr. Ben Hawley, and DCs Justin Holder and Ryia Khosa. In addition, a new man from Major Cimes, DS Phil Dawes, is brought over to liaise with the squad as the case becomes much more complex. And complicated it is with a new focus on Ryegrove Hospital, a secure unit for those needing mental health services -- especially the criminally insane who are sectioned and housed within.Two bodies are discovered buried right outside the fence of the hospital. Anna is sure that one of the victims must surely have been involved with the BLACK SQUID, but no one has any idea why or how the other one got there. There must be some connection between the institution and the suicide game...
The investigation moves slowly because of the many characters involved and the scope of the linked cases. I read this quickly because I was quite desperate to get to the end and find some answers. There are still some loose ends that I expect will be tied up in the next book -- of course I can hardly wait. I really like this series and the character of Anna though I feel she is more on the spectrum than simply a bit of INTJ psychometric. (I can say that because that is also my profile.) Yes she's focused, cynical and definitely antisocial but she sure gets the job done and seems to be able to have good relationships with her team and her boyfriend. Oh, and the dog. I like the writing and the excellent descriptions of the area that Anna and her team work around. Good crime drama and police procedural detail as well.
Can't wait for the next book but I do think it's a good idea to have read this series of three (so far) from the beginning as there is a lot of backstory to understand. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
This book is part of a series and is #3.
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