Sharp Objects by
Gillian Flynn
hbk out December 06
Published by Weidenfeld
at £12.99
Camille Preaker, a journalist at Chicago's Daily Post is sent back to her small home
town of Wind Gap to cover the story of two young girls who have been abducted and
killed. It's not a journey Camille wants to make: she is estranged from her
manipulative mother whose wealth still gives her great sway in the town; and home
holds the memories of a childhood tragedy, the death of her sick sister, that still
deeply troubles Camille. Under her rebellious exterior, Camille herself is a damaged
woman and her mental health is fragile. She finds herself trapped in the stifling
atmosphere of Wind Gap, unnerved by her spiteful half-sister and relying heavily on
drink to get her through the day. Here, old feuds remain fresh and girls enact the
same cruel rites as their mothers before them. The pressure leads Camille to act
with great recklessness at times. The police investigation seems to be making little
progress but Camille's efforts lead her back into her own family history and some
appalling revelations.
Flynn uses punchy prose and a spiky intelligence to catalogue the creepy
manoeuvrings among the inhabitants of the southern town and her very believable
protagonist is an intriguing narrator. With writing to savour and a compulsive story
laden with foreboding, Sharp Objects signals the arrival of a gifted writer.
(
Cath Staincliffe
author of the popular Sal Kilkenny mysteries and the series creator of TV Blue Murder)
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Sharp Objects by
Gillian Flynn
