The Shut Eye
Belinda Bauer
Random House UK, Transworld Publishers
Bantam Press
ISBN: 9780593072875
Description:
Bauer’s great gift is her ability to surprise the reader’ Sunday Telegraph
Five footprints are the only sign that Daniel Buck was ever here.
And now they are all his mother has left.
Every day, Anna Buck guards the little prints in the cement. Polishing them to a shine. Keeping them safe. Spiralling towards insanity.
When a psychic offers hope, Anna grasps it. Who wouldn’t? Maybe he can tell her what happened to her son…
But is this man what he claims to be? Is he a visionary? A shut eye? Or a cruel fake, preying on the vulnerable?
Or is he something far, far worse?
My View:
Brilliant. Amazing. Incredible. Delightful. Haunting. Evocative. Engaging. Surprising.
Have you got the hint? I loved this book! Superb writing, wonderful complex narrative, a hint of dark humour, exceptionally moving characters… psychics, love, death and a mania of blue and circles I could feel and see myself!! This must be one of the most outstanding reads I have come across. The last thing I will say about this read is don’t just take my word for it – read this yourself – YOU MUST READ IT.
Reading, Writing and Riesling 
Wow Carol I can feel your excitement! This will go on my to read list!
I loved it- but wanted it written in blue!
I get the feeling you rather liked this, Carol? 😉 – In all seriousness, I’m quite glad you did. I think Bauer is really talented (Must spotlight one of her novels!), so I’m not surprised you enjoyed this one. Still, it’s very good to hear that you did.
Liked it…just a but Margot:) It was fantastic – the ability to have the reader caught up in the mania, in the grief, in the sadness…brilliant.
I might have to check this out Carol 🙂
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did Tracey
Haha! I’m guessing you liked this then?
(You really should be able to make it blue – if you click on Edit at the bottom of your post, then select Visual at the top of the editor, then click on the last icon which is called Toggle Toolbar or something, you’ll then get an icon with a little selection of colours that you can use – the icon looks like a capital A with a dropdown box beside it…)
I really did!! This great writing feed my imagination….now to try and make it blue
( what a challenge)
Let me know how you get on… 🙂
found toggle tool bar but when I click – nothing – must be missing something
Hmm… I’ll e-mail you with a different way to do it if you like? But if you’re fed up trying that’s OK… 🙂
found it! Thanks 🙂
I’m waiting…
See it?
Woohoo! Beautiful!! 😀
Thank you so much Tech Support 🙂 Now I have to go back and read your review again – or did I put yours off until I read the book? Maybe…
My pleasure! It’s about the only techie thing I’ve mastered… 😉
FYI – I just got the book Defence thanks to your brilliant review – just need time to read it now. Any other recommendations?
I’ve read a couple of goodies recently – A Good Way to Go by Peter Helton, which is just a straight police procedural. I’m not sure whether it would be your kind of thing, though – it doesn’t really make any kind of social statement or anything. And the other that I really enjoyed was Donna Leon’s Falling in Love – not a romance, crime set in Venice. Have you read any of that series? Last time I looked both were still available on NG, though I don’t know whether that’s just for the UK.
Haven’t read or heard of these before but will keep an look out for. Have had a few busy weeks and am getting behind don my reading…do you see Michael Rowbotham has a new one out in August – my hand is up already for this one.
Oh, I hadn’t spotted that! Hopefully it’ll turn up on NG – the last few have…
Found this on NG Carol, so it’s on the list to read sooner rather than later based on your review! You have reviewed some great sounding books lately Carol, my list is growing again 😳
I loved this one – read it in big chunks so you can immerse yourself in the narrative Janine. I hope that you enjoy this too.,
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