Bad Memory I’ll happily revisit again and again

I have a sort of sick fascination with American prisoners on death row.

I’ve read countless articles about their crimes and the number of documentaries I’ve lost myself to would make anyone worry about my internet search history.

Bad Memory by Lisa Gray is a story that feeds into my death row obsession – and then some.

You might have heard Gray’s name before. This is the second book in her Jessica Shaw series – her debut Thin Air reached No1 in the Amazon Kindle charts in the UK, US and Australia.

Thin Air was an addictive read and Bad Memory is that and so much more.

The story begins with Jessica Shaw, a private investigator who has been on the move for two years since the death of her father Tony in New York.

Jessica ended up in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, in Thin Air and for Bad Memory she takes a job at a private investigator agency in Hundred Acres, a California desert town with the odd infidelity or small-time shoplifting case to keep her busy.

That is until Rose Dalton offers her $25,000 to free her sister Rue Hunter from death row. Her execution is in 10 days. Rue is accused of stabbing to death her boyfriend Lucas and best friend Megan at a popular make-out spot called Devil’s Drop when they were in their teens in the 80s.

Excited to have something gritty to get her teeth into, Jessica doesn’t hang about. The next day, she travels to Chowchilla to visit Rue in prison and begin her hunt for answers.

It’s not plain sailing, unfortunately. Rue thinks she remembers killing Lucas and

Megan but she’s not 100 per cent sure. And now with 10 days to go, it matters more than ever if she really did what she thinks she did.

We’re joined again by LAPD detective Jason Pryce, who featured in Thin Air. After a meeting with Jessica, we realise his ex-partner Charlie Holton investigated Rue’s case all those years ago but was murdered soon after. As Jessica starts digging, she soon realises that quiet towns really do keep big secrets.

Bad Memory works seamlessly with Thin Air but even if you hadn’t read the earlier book, you would still find it easy to follow.

Thanks to Gray’s expert writing, you’re transported to Hundred Acres and easily become one of its residents. You’re constantly on Jessica’s side and know that no one is to be trusted. You think you know people but in fact, everyone has a secret. For some, it eats them up inside, for others it’s all about making someone else’s secret benefit you in one way or another.

Jessica draws you in and you feel like you’re in the passenger seat of her truck as she travels along every highway in search of the truth.

She’s the strong type who never minces her words, isn’t afraid to tell you what’s what and, more importantly, she isn’t afraid to uncover the truth.

I couldn’t put Bad Memory down. I finished the book in three sittings and wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up for a second read. It’s that good.

I really don’t want Jessica’s story to be over. There must be more gruesome murders across the US that need her inquisitive streak and New York flair.

And if there is, I’ll be at the front of the line ready to dive back into the passenger seat of Jessica’s truck.