Normal by Graeme Cameron

                        

Description from Goodreads:

"He lives on your street, in a nice house with a tidy garden.

He shops at your local supermarket. He drives beside you, waving to let you into the lane ahead of him.

He also has an elaborate cage in a secret basement under his garage.

The food he’s carefully shopping for is to feed a young woman he’s holding there against her will – one in a string of many, unaware of the fate that awaits her.

This is how it’s been for a long time. It’s normal…and it works. Perfectly.

But this time it’s different…"

Publish dates:  Hardcover - 31st March 2015 / Paperback & Kindle - 9th April 2015

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This book messed with my head!

The story is written from the point of view of a serial killer and takes the reader on a chilling journey. Not being a serial killer myself, I am not sure how accurate the narration is but it seemed to be quite believable to me - it is cold, devoid of empathy or guilt and terrifying in its detachment from the horror that he is inflicting.

The main character remains nameless throughout - there isn't even a good enough description where you can envisage what he looks like. I found this quite disconcerting as my thoughts on what he looked like changed throughout the story depending on what was happening at the time but I still didn't have a clear picture by the end. I have a sneaky suspicion that this was intentional by the author. There were also times when you start to feel something for the guy (not quite sympathy but hope possibly?) but then he does or thinks something that makes you remember what he is and what he has done and those feelings go out the window. I suspect though that this was the author’s objective. History has shown us that serial killers can go about their normal lives and have normal relationships whilst carrying out the most unspeakable acts against fellow human beings … you just have to look at Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy for example. This is how serial killers become serial killers - they are skilful at outwardly appearing “normal”.

I didn't expect the killer to behave normally - how could you when he is what he is - but I was surprised by some of the other characters. I can’t go into much detail as I don’t want to give anything away but what the hell happened to Erica? For those who have read this book, you will know what I mean, for those who haven’t … be prepared she doesn't react as you expect. The police are portrayed as totally inept however, again, history has shown us that the art of being a serial killer is manipulation and the ability to evade capture; they hide in plain sight and sometimes it is just a gut feeling and determination from the police that ends in their capture.

I liked the pace of the book and writing style and I particularly enjoyed the snippets of dark humour that made me laugh out loud at times. However, I do think that to make this a 5 star book there needed to me more about why he did what he did and what made him become what he became. You get glimpses of his past but nothing which explains or sheds much light on this but as I type, I am left wondering if again this was the author’s intention? Could the ending point to another book which could explore this more? Hmmm … I wonder … if that is the case, then I would very much like to read it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Harlequin (UK) Ltd., for sending me an e-book advance copy in return for an honest review.