First two lines in the book: It was Graham Greene who said that a story has no beginning or end. The author simply chooses a moment, an arbitrary point, and looks either forward or back.
A year ago, Detective Constable Alisha Barba worked with the Diplomatic Protection Group at the London Metropolitan Police and helped solve a kidnapping. One of the kidnappers dropped her onto a wall, crushing her spine. After numerous operations and months of physiotherapy, she is fit again, but is still on medical leave from the Metropolitan Police because they do not know what to do with her.
One October morning, she receives a letter that says
Dear Ali, I'm in trouble. I must see you. Please come to the reunion. Love, CateCate was her best friend and they have not spoken for eight years. Cate is eight months pregnant and in trouble. On the night they arrange to meet, Cate is mown down by a car that kills her husband instantly. As paramedics fight to save Cate's life, they uncover that she was never pregnant.
Why? Why would Cate deceive and lie to her family and even Alisha about the baby? Cate's last words to Alisha was "They want to take my baby. They can't. You have to stop them..." Who does she mean? But there was never any baby because strapped to Cate's midriff is a large piece of upholstery foam, trimmed to fit over her stomach. Undeterred, Alisha is determined to uncover the first in a series of sinister deceptions and to understand why.
A gripping psychological thriller, The Night Ferry, published 2007, is a heart-wrenching read, intelligently written and comes very highly recommended.
Robotham talks about The Night Ferry and how characterization is the most important part of the writing process:
Rating: 5/5
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