Book Review - Blacklands by Belinda Bauer

A new author on me and what a good one! Blacklands is gripping, haunting and unputdownable. Twelve year old Steven wants to heal the hurt of his family. His Nan lost her eleven year old son to a child serial killer but still waits by the window for him to come home. His mother is sharp with him and he reminds her of her dead brother. There have been a succession of uncles but Steven's favourite is Jude who seems to make the family happier but as the story begins Jude is no longer living with them. His little brother Davey is too young but is mother's favourite. And then there are the 'hoodies', always after him.

To mend the family Steven takes it upon himself to search Exmoor for his dead uncle, digging every day after school as that's where the other bodies were buried. His friend Lewis sometimes joins him but doesn't really understand Steven's obsession. Steven begins to research the child killer, Arnold Avery and decides to write to him in prison to ask him where he buried his uncle. He writes  I am looking for WP. Can you help me? WP is William Peters (uncle Billy).

And so starts coded letters between the killer and Steven. The story is also told through the eyes of Arnold Avery which is both disturbing and compelling. And Steven really has no idea how dangerous a game he is playing. When Avery breaks out of prison there is only one place he is going and one life he wants.

This is such a loaded book. I was so taken up with the story I read it in a few days. From the first page it had me. I wanted to hug Steven so much as his life was so unhappy and I was yelling for him at the end. Go read it.