Returning to his home town of Coventry to escape the difficulties of his professional life, Paul Storey decides to take things one day at a time. But when he meets an attractive young woman who has a habit of manipulating everyone she comes into contact with, he starts to wonder what he’s getting into. Is she just playing silly games, or is there a more sinister reason behind her behaviour? Certainly, the low-life rogues she hangs around with aren’t what Storey had in mind for a social life – in fact, they’re exactly the sort of people he’s been trying to avoid.
This is my first taste of this author’s work and I’m very happy to say it won’t be the last. The novel begins quietly, sliding its characters into your mind, planting the seeds of what’s to come. There’s no hit-hard, smack-em-over-the-head opening, but rather a slow-burning fuse that sizzles away, gathering momentum, building to a thrilling climax. Keith Dixon’s writing appears deceptively simple, the text easy on the eye, the language ordinary and straightforward. Except – it isn’t. The author’s skill is in avoiding the obvious, painting a picture we can’t quite see as he introduces his characters, each subtly different, beautifully drawn and wryly observed. This is a highly intelligent, witty and well-plotted thriller that’ll keep you guessing til the end.
Colin Garrow 
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