For me just reading the description of the book made me want to read more, such a great premise for a novel and so expertly told. Great characters and a plot that is not rushed so that every possible drop of tension is squeezed out. Another great read. After 2.5 years later, remaining an unresolved mystery, the relatives of the residents decide to hire David Raker, a detective famous for finding missing people. Bumblebee leaks oil in a manner that is analogous to either blood or bodily waste. The Constructicons find said oil delicious.

The Spielmans, looking for an escape from their past, move into a century-old mansion. Rawlingswood is rumored to be haunted but the price is right. Tim Weaver is a legend, if you have read 1 of his previous 9 David Raker books then you will know this to be true! Having read and reviewed so many of Raker books it is hard to come up with new words to describe the excellent characters that Weaver writes. Raker is certainly one of my few favourite UK characters these days and remains very good. The other characters are well worked in the main - you even get a reasonable feel for some of the people who are missing.

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What makes this novel so spectacular is the inspiration behind the novel and the author's impeccable research. If you have read her previous books, you know she knows her way around history and architecture. She is a pro! I've been a bit harsh on this book, it's generally readable but I also think that it's one you could put down in the middle and forget about entirely. Too ambitious and not enough substance. This brilliantly crafted story was inspired by the century homes of Shaker Heights, OH, and two real murders, and a rumor, plus a vacant home she toured in 2008. You will be Googling! The author also includes some fascinating research at the end of the book and even floor plans. Her writing is some of the BEST. No matter the generation, each family had its own set of problems. They are running from something. The author cleverly unravels each character's past at just the precise moment. Each one handles their grief in different ways. These characters will remain with you long after the book ends. I am hoping we see more of these characters in the future. Have you ever had a mystery break your heart? Sode recently performed at the Southbank Centre as part of the Africa Utopia festival and he is an active member of the spoken word scene, where he performs as GREEdS (Generating Rhymes To Engage The EnlighteneD Soul). He can be followed here.

Anyway, despite the few quibbles about the ending, the book and this series as a whole is well worth reading. As I've said before, these books are a guaranteed good time and will remain on my must-read list till the end of the line. I actually didn't think anything could surpass my previous experience here but this managed to surpass it and then some, I am super impressed. There's a general similarity between this episode and the movie Home Alone. Sari quotes Macaulay Culkin's character Kevin (see above), Scrapper acts as dumb as Daniel Stern's character Marv, and Mixmaster has always sounded like Joe Pesci... Summary: An intriguing story about an entire village vanishing, but one which ultimately has a long, drawn out plot. I felt like Weaver strayed from excitement in to down-right depressing on more than one occasion. When I had almost finished the book, I wasn't waiting with baited breath, I was exhausted. I think this was essentially a really good idea for a plot because it's different and it's really ambitious but for me it fell short. It didn't feel conclusive enough either, which I understand on one hand because it's a series but on the other it was just generally frustrating. I also got to the twist miles before Raker did, while Weaver was taking Raker on a massive detour on his way to the point.Although sirens go off when the Constructicons break into the base, the Autobots don't seem to have a way to detect that their base has been broken into unless they're actually present at the base. They have also stopped by the time Sari takes off her headphones, making the point of self-dismissing sirens unclear. For about half of the episode, we see that Bumblebee is leaking oil out of his left arm. Bulkhead thinks it's annoying and makes a big deal out of it. Yet even after the battle is over, nobody even bothers to fix the (now-patched) leak. Since, there are 9 missing people, there are many other side characters involved related to them. Before you know it, the story gets very complex, and you lose yourself in it trying to make sense of it. Fans of this compelling series know all about Colm/Bryan but for the uninitiated, former Met murder detective Healy faked his own death, Raker helped him do it, and if their deception is ever discovered they’ll both end up in jail.