Within the Walls

This book I just couldn't put down, just a fantastic read

This is a stunning debut novel. Dark and morally ambiguous, the writing is scalpel-sharp, compulsive and hypnotic with a killer twist. The evocation of the small, walled border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed is pitch perfect. Northumberland has served as a backdrop to the Vera novels by Ann Cleeves (and the TV series) and the George Gently TV series (although the novels by Alan Hunter are set elsewhere). Geoff Aird has captured the raw essence of Berwick and its people in a tense and scarily intimate way. The characters, most of them misfits, are revealed layer by layer, and the often toxic relationships are all too believable. A novel not to be missed.

I really enjoyed how well the setting was described. It made me feel like I was right there with the characters. The book uses multiple perspectives and voices which helps the reader get to know each of the characters. The characters themselves are an interesting mix - some very relatable and others kind of cliched. It's a good story once it hits its stride and would be a great choice for a holiday read.