When he left the UK, Mark Wilkinson also left behind his name and entered the US as Joe Novak. By now, he is known as Mr Jones and selling apartments in Las Vegas. But something from his past is haunting him, he has episodes, hears voices or better: one voice: the one of Bethany, his girl-friend when he was still a teenager and living in England. He is thirty now and Bethany has been dead for thirteen years. He had wanted to leave their sad hometown together with her, to build a life together in New York, but then, she was murdered. After an incident with a client, he returns to England, now to find out the truth about Bethany’s death. I was eager to read the novel due to the high praise I could read everywhere. After having finished, I am somewhere between disappointed and deeply confused. Either I didn’t get it at all or it absolutely didn’t work for me. First of all, I had the impression that the first and the second half of the novel didn’t work together at all. It’s like having completely different characters and two independent stories told. In the beginning, we get a lot of clichés about men who are by far too rich and who think they own the world. It might be quite realistic, but not very interesting and ultimately, it leads to nothing for me. The second part, when Mark tries to figure out what happened to Bethany made a lot more sense, even though he hears her ghost talking constantly. I was waiting for the stunning moment when the circumstances of Bethany’s death are revealed, I expected something unusual, unforeseen and really surprising. Yet, this didn’t come. Actually, I didn’t even understand why he had to change his name all the time and what he was running from after all.

I have to admit I’m not entirely sure what to make of this novel. It is well crafted, and beautifully written. I enjoyed the slow reveal and the slightly menacing atmosphere hanging over the main character. But, I was left feeling a little empty at the end. It is a little troubling as to why. Perhaps it is the lack of empathy I felt towards Mark, or Joe, or Mr Jones, depending on when and where he is. Maybe it’s because I anticipated a twist that never came. It certainly is not because this is a bad book, it isn’t at all, I just didn’t get that buzz of excitement about it. The story is split into a then of small-town England 1990, and now of present day America. In the now, Joe is a strangely detached realtor for a disturbing development called Valhalla, where the clients every fantasy is fulfilled. If you’re a man that is; it is a sleazy brothel as far as I could make out. Joe is struggling to hold it together, as his turbulent past pushes its way through his mental barriers. His teenage-love Bethany calls to him across the chasm of time and space separating them. Once, New York had been their dream, their escape. Now America is suffocating Joe. He snaps and returns to his hometown, and real identity as Mark. Back home he seems more normal, although his dad thinks he’s always been an odd fish. He traces Bethany’s story as best he can, and her voice speaks directly to us. In her telling of the tale Mark is not at all creepy, but we learn some vital information from Mark’s dad that again throws all that into question. So, it is an interesting premise, and it is skilfully told. I wouldn’t let my ambivalence put you off that’s for sure. It’s a book I’d like to read for book group actually, a good discussion would help me work through my hesitations. Anyone up for a chat?