The Novel is set in ‘Bad Munstereifel’, a small town where everybody knows everybody. The novel is well written, but a very slow wind up to the conclusion. Pia is the main character and it follows her as she tries to solve the mysteries of children disappearing. Pia is only ten at the time along with her friend ‘Stink’ Steffan.

The first line, “My life might have been so different had I not been known as the girl whose Grandmother had exploded”, adds effect to the start of the novel and also comic effect.  As it makes you want to read on to find out what had happened to Pia’s grandmother. There are also other lines in the book that want to tease you into reading more.

The best part of the novel by far is the climax; it took me by surprise as I know it did too many others. Linden has written it very well giving little sentences that make you want to read on through an otherwise fairly slow paced middle section of the novel. The end is quite a contrast to the middle which I also think gives to the graspingness of the novel’s end and Linden is very clever as it builds to the story as it comes to the climax. She is so descriptive,

“Thump. Thump-thump.  My body cringed at every muffled sound as if it were a blow.”

This shows how descriptively she writes and it is brilliant.  If the book had been like this for the whole length then the novel would have been one of the best I have ever read, but maybe if it had been like that then the ending might not have been so good. I have to commend Linden on her characters, they were superb and they were so believable unlike many of the other novels I have read on the list. Linden is a fantastic writer and this shows at the end as she really does improve the novel by making it more gripping.

Overall the novel was the best I have read so far.