George Dawes Green - Ravens

It has been 14 long years since we were gripped by George Dawes Green’s best-selling novel The Juror, so this follow-up has plenty to live up to. Thankfully, Ravens delivers – and then some. Set in the deathly quiet US town of Brunswick, it tells the tale of the lottery-winning Boatwright family, whose happiness quickly turns to horror as they undergo a terrifying ordeal as a result of their financial success.

Weighty and complex characters are cleverly depicted – tough girl Tara and the twisted Shaw McBride perhaps provoking the most intrigue – and the writing is pithy and no-frills, which makes for a compelling read immediately. Most interestingly however, is Dawes Green’s ability to conjure up a nagging sense of foreboding and tension throughout the work, with some parts of the story genuinely chilling.

Dark, unconventional and smart, Ravens is far from your average thriller and is subsequently a must for fans of the genre and the uninitiated alike.

(Sphere)