I was about ten pages into ODD CHILD OUT before I had any idea what was going on, and then swiftly had no idea once again. This is the 2nd in the series [DI Jim Clemo], and though it's touted as a stand-alone, I'd argue against that. The case from the first novel - which I haven't read - haunts Jim and has shaped so much of his professional identity that I really wish I had taken the first book journey.

Once I came to accept that I was going to be missing a big piece of this dude, I was quickly enraptured by the main mystery. ODD CHILD OUT is crafted artfully - although there were moments it flirted with stereotyping that frustrated me - and the resolution is worth the journey.

If you're a fan of suspense, I'd actually go back and pick up the first one to begin [WHAT SHE KNEW] and really let the author build her world. From all accounts, that investment will be worth it.