"Buried family secrets are unearthed in gripping style in a thriller that sees a 17-year-old girl discover why she and her mom have spent their lives on the run."
We really rated Rebecca Barrow’s Bad Things Happen Here thriller, and it’s fair to say that in And Don't Look Back she’s crafted another gripping novel that’ll enthral fans of twisting, emotion-laden YA fiction.
With another new school, and another new name, 17-year-old Harlow is playing a part. This time she’s Meredith Bloom, and “Meredith Bloom is definitely not a lesbian. Meredith Bloom is not on the run. Meredith Bloom is a nice, normal girl with a nice, normal family”. Except that couldn’t be further from the truth: “As f*cking if,” Harlow scoffs to herself.
The truth is, Harlow and her mom Cora live on the run. Tragically, on their latest night-time flit, a truck smashes into their car. As she lies dying, Cora tells Harlow how to access a safety deposit box after her death. Once opened, a Pandora’s box of secrets is unleashed when Harlow discovers the deeds to a mystery house, and sees Cora pictured with two people she assumes are her mom’s sisters.
Setting out to find the family she never knew existed, Harlow winds up at a “weird house in the woods”, as locals call it — her mom’s childhood home, which she’s inherited, where she decides to stay. After meeting one of her aunts, she still needs to uncover why her mom upped and left the family home.
The writing style has smoothly addictive beat, with an interspersed “Before” narrative enhancing the mystery, suspicion and paranoia. Add to that a totally unexpected ending, And Don't Look Back amounts to a top-notch thriller.
| Primary Genre | Young Adult Fiction |
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