The Suspect by Fiona Barton

The Suspect is book 3 in a series about  investigative reporter Kate Waters. It’s part police procedural and part investigative reporting. I didn’t know this was the third book or I would not of started it, however I enjoyed it very much and plan to get the first two books in the series.

Two 18 year women disappear during a trip to Thailand causing their parents to, naturally, panic and call the police.  The girls are from England, in their gap year, about to plan their college years and courses.  This break was meant to be filled with educational travel and a jam packed itinerary to experience a new culture and visit temples for Alex and her best friend Mags.

Alex is a serious girl and very reliable. Mags cancels on her due to money concerns but another girl, Rosie, new at the school and a casual acquaintance, asks Alex if she can go along instead.  She has the money to pay her way and Alex is thrilled to be able to take this well planned trip. Unfortunately Rosie, unbeknownst to Alex, is a party girl.

Kate Waters has an interest not only as an investigative journalist but as a mother.  Her son Jake went to Thailand and rarely calls in the two years he’s been gone.  While Kate suspects Jake is not working where he says there isn’t any way to entice him home after the big blow up about him leaving college two tears prior.

These three families, the missing girls and the Waters families, converge during this investigation.  The Thai police are zero help and it appears there were crimes covered up. It’s  a better plot than I explained it and I liked the suspense, too many spoilers to explain more.

Author Fiona Barton  is from Cambridge England and was a former editor and journalist for The Daily Telegraph and The Mail.  Her website is HERE.

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