Over a decade ago, Heidi was the victim of a brutal attack that left her hospitalised, her younger sister missing, and her best friend dead. But Heidi doesn’t remember any of that. She’s lived her life since then with little memory of her friends and family and no recollection of the crime.
Now, it’s all starting to come back.
As Heidi begins retracing the events that lead to the assault, she is forced to confront the pain and guilt she’s long kept buried. But Heidi isn’t the only one digging up the past, and the closer she gets to remembering the truth, the more danger she’s in.
When the truth is worse than fiction, is the past worth reliving?
An addictive thriller about a case gone cold and the dangers lurking on our doorsteps, Monstrous Souls will have you gripped to the very end.
Monstrous Souls by Rebecca Kelly was published digitally Agora Books on 25 June 2020. The paperback will be released on 23 July. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review and who invited me to take part on this Blog Tour.
Monstrous Souls is Rebecca Kelly's debut novel, it is also one of the most beautifully written novels that I've come across for a long time. Whilst this may be her first book, there is no doubt that Kelly is an extremely talented writer. She writes with an empathy and delicacy whilst dealing with the darkest and most distressing topic. Her exploration of the human mind, and how the brain can prevent more hurt is so well handled.
When Heidi was just thirteen-years-old she was the victim of a brutal attack. She was left with physical scars, but it is the long-term effect on her mental health that has affected her the most. Her best friend Nina didn't survive the attack, and her younger sister Anna hasn't been seen since the day it happened. Yet Heidi doesn't remember anything about that day. She doesn't know why they were attacked, or by who. She can't recall why they were in the disused bunker that they'd made into their den. Over ten years have past and whist Heidi has tried to create a life for herself, these events have overshadowed everything.
Denise is a policewoman who worked on the original case. The fact that Anna was never found and the attacker never caught has haunted her ever since. The case is to be re-opened, and Heidi is starting to have tiny flashbacks .... the memory of a red shoe is the beginning of a slow and often painful process for both her and Denise.
The author cleverly tells this story in the now (2016), and also takes the reader back to 2001. As Heidi recalls, little by little, more about herself and Nina, the reader takes that journey too. It's incredibly well handled with an air of impending terror as more and more is revealed. Despite the atrocious and disturbing nature of what is revealed, not once does this author lose her sensitive touch.There's no explicit explanations here, and it's the fact that the actual things that happened to these girls are never actually described that, for me, makes this story so outstanding.
Monstrous Souls is an unsettling read, it is also unforgettable. Heidi's story has haunted me since the moment I turned the final page. An absorbing and tense read, wonderfully written and highly recommended by me.
When she's not burning food and finding strategies for avoiding housework, she can be found writing.
You can follow Rebecca on Twitter @RKellyAuthor1
You can follow Rebecca on Twitter @RKellyAuthor1
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