Life Ruins by Danuta Kot
In a small northern town, girls are disappearing.
You won’t see it in the papers and the police aren’t taking any notice, but the clues are there if you know where to look.
Becca sees that something is wrong, but she’s been labelled ‘difficult’ thanks to her troubled past. So when a girl is so savagely beaten she can’t be identified, and Becca claims she knows who she is, no one will believe her.
With the police refusing to listen, Becca digs for evidence that will prove what she is saying. But her search for justice will put herself and those closest to her in danger – and once she finds the truth, will anyone even listen?
About the author
Danuta Kot (who also writes as Danuta Reah and as Carla Banks) grew up with stories. Her Irish mother and her Polish father kept their own cultures alive with traditional tales they shared with their children. For many years, she worked with young people in Yorkshire who were growing up in the aftermath of sudden industrial decline. She uses this background in her books to explore some of the issues that confront modern, urban society: poverty, alienation and social breakdown, using the contexts of the modern crime novel. She now works as a senior education consultant, work that involves travel to establish education and training in other parts of the world. She is a regular academic speaker at conferences and literary festivals and has appeared on radio and television.
Follow her at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danutareah.crimefiction
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danutajr
Website : https://danutakot.com/
Review
Set on the East Coast of Yorkshire, ‘Life Ruins’ is a blistering look at how vulnerable young people can slip through the net. It was dark, taut and a nerve-wracking read that kept me gripped from start. I actually grew up in Scarborough and spent many a day in Whitby and Bridlington and it made this book pop for me as I found it extremely easy to visualise what was going on.
The characters of Becca and Jared I found to be refreshing as they were people with real-world problems and experiences. People who just didn't always think things through and their consequences - much like most of us. Their reactions and feelings I found to be very real and honest. Yes, Becca came across as a bit whiney but I think after her experiences it was okay.
The scenes I found to be the most riveting but yet uncomfortable were those to do with the caving and tunnel exploration. I don't even like going on the subway let alone willingly through myself into highly dangerous situations. The claustrophobic feel in the descriptions of these scenes definitely got me spooked.
I really enjoyed this book and certainly recommend it. After, I finished I wanted more which is a good thing as I'm reviewing the next in the series next week as part of the blog tour! I have been listening to it on audible as well.
Let me know if you pick this one up.
