READING IDEAS FOR THE WEEK 7/10

The Nesting, CJ Cooke, Harpercollins, £12.99

Reading is a perfect form of escape but for in this book, a literal escape from reality is what catapults the main protagonist deep into the throes of a haunting mystery.

After hitting rock bottom Lexi has nothing to lose when she decides to steal the identity of a stranger and accept a job as a nanny in Norway. A fresh start is just what she needs but she discovers the job is more than she bargained for. Following his wife’s tragic death, Lexi’s new boss, Tom, is determined to finish building their environmentally-friendly dream house no matter the cost. Lexi finds caring for his daughters isn’t too challenging but living in their house is a different matter. There are secrets the house can no longer hide...

Whilst the premise of the story is intriguing, the execution of is stilted at times. The main issue is how the story is constructed. It is very rushed, with a lot of serious developments crammed frenziedly into the first few chapters. The speed at which the story gets underway also means there are numerous plot holes which require the reader to suspend belief, no matter how glaringly obvious they are. Fortunately, once the main story gets underway, there is more time spent on building tension, which displays Cooke’s writing skills in a more flattering light - although it is hard to completely forget the earlier discrepancies.

Despite its faults, the mystery at the heart of the story is gripping enough to keep the reader invested. It doesn’t rely on overused cliches for its unexpected twists and turns, but rather delivers unique, suspenseful surprises.

The Nesting references Nordic folklore, the influences of which are threaded through the novel and without doubt, the main strength and appeal of the book lies in how atmospheric it is. Cooke builds up great tension which is helped in part by the supernatural elements of the plot. There are plenty of eerie moments which are sure to get the reader’s adrenaline flowing. With more than just a hint of gothic horror, it will likely draw parallels to classic gothic fiction such as Rebecca, and rightly so, as it possesses similarly sinister tones and levels of suspense.

While it may not be perfect in its entirety, The Nesting has enough promise to keep you turning its pages until the small hours of the morning, although you would be well advised to keep the lights on.