Kind of cruel, Sophie Hannah (Hodder and Stoughton, £12.99) (From York Press)

Kind of cruel, Sophie Hannah (Hodder and Stoughton, £12.99)

10:20am Wednesday 25th April 2012 in Books By Bill Spence

AMBER Hewerdine visits a hypnotherapist to help cure her insomnia, though she is sceptical of the results.

Asked what she remembers from her past she says the words ‘Kind, Cruel, Kind of Cruel’ but does not know where the words come from or even what they mean. She has seen them somewhere but cannot recall the memory.

As a result of uttering those words, two hours later she is arrested by the police on suspicion of the murder of Katherine Allen, a woman she has never heard of. As this becomes connected to her best friend’s death in a fire, Amber is desperate to know the truth of what the words mean, but memories are deeply hidden. Can she retrieve them to help the police find a killer?

This is an exciting psychological thriller that is a real page turner, though I did find it a little difficult to start with.

Nevertheless, it is worth persevering as it is a good story based on the issue of duty to the family versus personal happiness.

The characters are well depicted and we support Amber in her endeavours to recall what she can’t remember.

The truth leaves us surprised and wondering what secrets our own families and friends keep to themselves.