Truly, Darkly, Deeply by Victoria Selman

I must admit to not knowing Victoria Selman's books, but being a regular listener to the Crime Time FM  podcast, I was intrigued to read one, and I'm so glad I did.

Truly, Darkly, Deeply is a compelling and chilling read and one written from a very different perspective in the crime genre.  We're used to seeing things from the Detective POV, and more frequently, the criminal POV and victims are also getting more space on the page in terms of backstory rather than being simply someone who dies on page 1. However, in this book, the story is told from the POV of Sophie, who is growing up in the company of a potential serial killer.

Sophie and her mother move to London, and her mother meets a new charismatic boyfriend, Matt. However, as the tale unravels, suspicion grows in relation to whether Matt has been involved in the murder of several local women and also a child in Ireland. Sophie's story is told over several years, and the reader is caught in the did he/didn't he scenario along with Sophie's own wavering views. On the one hand, he has been a kind and loving father figure to her (something that's missing from her life). And on the other hand, there are some questions that can't be answered. 

This is a very fast read. I was drawn quickly into the story and wanted to find out the outcome. I didn't see what was coming at the end when the author throws in a final twist.

It's a dark and disturbing read and a book I'm still thinking about several days after finishing it.

I'd definitely read more by this author.