The author's books are great for many reasons, but one that particular comes to mind are characters. They aren't Mary Sues and Gary Stus - these people are really screwed up, and none so more than my favourite, Lena Adams. This novel takes us out of Grant County where Lena is suspect of a brutal murder. And she's flown the coop. This is a woman who doesn't want to be saved, yet seemingly doesn't want to save herself, either. And the people populating her hometown...yep, they're screwed up, too. They keep family secrets, they're big on drugs, and skinheads unfortunately abound. But what's most surprising about this novel? The final page. Don't spoil it for yourself, readers. All I'm saying is that there better be another book in this series, because I need closure! Another author I'll be seeing at the Melbourne Writers' Festival this year.