Down Cemetery Road

One quiet evening in Oxford, a house near Sarah Tucker's explodes. The reported cause is a gas leak, but when a little girl disappears in the aftermath, Sarah—a young married woman, bored with her life—becomes obsessed with finding her.

Mick Herron was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and was educated there and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he took a degree in English literature. Since graduating he made Oxford his home and lives there still, although he now commutes into London. Down Cemetery Road is his first novel, and he has since authored The Last Voice You Hear and Why We Die.

When Sarah Tucker witnesses the fire bombing of a neighbor's house, she becomes obsessed with finding the lone survivor, a young girl. Mick Herron skillfully weaves a complex story with interesting snippets of current events, such as the war in Iraq. Narrator Anna Bentinck ably presents the bizarre characters, narrative, and dialogue. She incorporates an appropriate blend of humor and irony as drunks, druggies, police, and ex-military personnel converge to reveal a frightening glimpse of the sometimes gap between appearance and reality. This is the perfect choice for those who like to analyze many layers and false starts as a story unfolds. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine