The Reading Life - Waiting for a Monsoon to end!

Link to review of RED RIBBONS by Mel Ulm of The Reading Life

"Normally I read several books at one time.   Yesterday I took Louise Phillips' novel Red Ribbons with me to our community pool, thinking I will start it after my swim.   I sat down briefly in a pool side cabana and a monsoon rain began.  I could not get back in the club house without being drenched so I started reading. Three hours of rain went but I was so drawn into the incredibly well done powerfully absorbing crime story, set in Dublin, that I barely noticed the time and rain.   It is compulsive reading. 

The plot action begins when a young girl is found murdered. The killer put red ribbons in her hair. We also meet a woman, Ellie, who was placed in a mental hospital 15 years ago for burning down her trailer with her 12 year old daughter inside. This begins as a seemingly separate subplot and a lot of the fun of the novel is in wondering how this is connected to the murders.  Soon another girl is killed and a massive hunt for the killer begins. It was fascinating to be an insider on this and to get to know a profiler and some detectives.   We know early who the killer is and we see the events also through his eyes. 

There are lots of exciting plot twists and I never could have predicted the very satisfying close of this marvelous novel.   The level of the prose is very high.  I completely endorse Red Ribbons to anyone one who likes well written suspense and crime novels.   I am really looking forward to reading her second novel, drawing rave reviews, The Doll's House."