This book is full of twists and kept me on edge. Loved it.

'Volta' by Nikki Dudley (Aurora Metro Books, May 2021) is a gripping page-turner. The novel is told through three perspectives: Briony - who confesses to killing her boyfriend; Mari - Briony's doctor and the person Briony confesses to; and SJ - the lawyer assigned to Briony's case. As if the opening set-up isn't enough to whet your appetite, things are about to get a lot more complicated. The short chapters keep the pace up and I read one third of 'Volta' in a single sitting. This is an extremely clever narrative which - even if you work it out, you'll deny it - will keep you guessing right to the very end.

I found Volta a very intriguing novel, full of twists, turns, and surprises. Set in London, the story centres on Briony Campbell, who when we first meet is covered in blood, declaring she has just killed her boyfriend and is desperate to see her therapist, Mari. However, Mari’s receptionist calls the police, and Briony has a lot of questions to answer. One of the detectives on the case is Aris Demetriou, Mari’s brother, who is very protective of his sister. Her defence lawyer, known as SJ (Stanley Jon Robin), appointed for Briony is the best friend of Aris too. Briony is suffering from memory loss and cannot remember how she came to ‘kill’ her boyfriend Ed. Her backstory is gradually revealed and we discover a childhood trauma that she also has no memory of. Hmm! Briony’s behaviour becomes more and more deranged as she notices a developing romantic relationship between Mari (her therapist) and SJ (her lawyer). I found it difficult to get to grips with the character of Briony as she is a thoroughly unlikeable character and a manipulator. I appreciate she is a very damaged person and I wanted to at least feel a little sorry for her, if not actually like her, but I just couldn’t. The book is well-written and flows smoothly. It makes an interesting read for someone who enjoys psychological drama with so much suspense weaved into the twisted plot.