About the book:
(blurb from Jonathan Ball Publishers)
Twelve-year-old Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, move to London from Massachusetts where they meet the charismatic Matty Melgren, who quickly becomes an intrinsic part of their lives. But as the relationship between the two adults fractures, a serial killer begins targeting young women with a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose.
When Matty is eventually sent down for multiple murder, questions remain as to his guilt – questions which ultimately destroy both women. Nearly twenty years later, Sophie receives a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet. It looks like Sophie might finally get the answers she craves. But will the truth set her free – or bury her deeper?
My Thoughts
As a true crime documentary and podcast fan, I’ve often wondered whether an alleged serial killer’s family ever suspected anything? How was it living with such a person? And how did they deal with the fall-out and publicity? And, even more importantly, was the person actually guilty?
This book provides that exact perspective. Thus, I realized that I also read and experienced “Truly, Darkly, Deeply” as a work of non-fiction. The book is interspersed with newspaper articles, reports, and blog entries, which made it an even more riveting read.
Sophie’s stepfather, Matty, shows stark similarities to the deadly charming Ted Bundy. The story is told from Sophie’s point-of-view, from the moment when, as a 12-year-old, Matty enters her, and her mother’s lives.
Then we jump between timelines to Sophie in the current day. So, it answered all/most of my questions above! With gripping and intense storytelling, I could not turn the pages fast enough. This is indeed a fresh and unique take on the serial killer thriller genre.
- Page turner
- True Crime Feels
- Engrossing
- Dark suspense
- Spine-chilling
Due to the nature of the story, do check trigger warnings as needed.
RRR (Roelia Reads Rating) 4/5
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.
The details:
Category: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
On sale: August 2022
Format: Paperback
About the author:
Victoria Selman http://www.victoriaselmanauthor.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@roelia_reads/video/7164081512407698694?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7112798763933222405
