Looking ahead again: Just Before I Died, S K Tremayne

I resented every interruption to my reading of this book and felt shattered when I’d finished it.

Kath lives on Dartmoor with her handsome husband Adam, a ranger, and their much-loved and possibly autistic daughter, Lyla. Kath knows that she had an accident; drove her car into a reservoir and suffered concussion. As a result, she has blanks in her memory. When she desperately tries to remember what really happened, various people tell her that her memory is wrong and that she actually tried to kill herself. She refuses to believe it and starts to distrust everyone. Is her husband lying to her; is her brother Dan also lying? And does strange, fey Lyla know more than she lets on? Why are ancient witchcraft symbols appearing around her and what is Lyla so frightened of? This is an absolutely gripping story, with an ever-present sense of threat. Dartmoor, with its grim weather, ancient superstitions and strange beauty, is as much a character as any of the humans. I raced to the end, which was worse than I could have imagined. A real page turner.

I read this thanks to NetGalley and it’s out on 9th August. I’d previously read The Fire Child, which I also found gripping. I think Just Before I Died is even better.