12 June 2023

I have wanted to read this book forever. I was so excited when I received a copy of this one for Mother’s Day – it jumped straight to the top of my TBR. Oh my word, what a brilliant read. I enjoyed every second of this book. As soon as I opened this one, I found myself squeezing some extra reading time into my day.

This book is a book within a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, it’s creative and I have no doubt, if you enjoy thrillers, you will love this book.

This is my first encounter with Catherine Ryan Howard, and halfway through this book, I added all her other books to my online wish list. It’s a good thing I have a birthday coming up because I cannot wait to read more of her work. In this book, the author adds extracts from a book featured in the story to tell half the story while the rest of your time is spent with the ‘Nothing Man” where his feelings about the book which is about him are revealed. This book is clever and creative and guaranteed to keep you hooked right to the end.

Eighteen years ago, a stranger broke into Eve Black’s house and murdered her mother, father and little sister Anna. Eve, twelve years old at the time has no idea why she was left alive. She has spent her life hiding away, scared that one day The Nothing Man will return for her. But now Eve is tired of hiding and she wants to find this monster, she wants him punished for what he has done. Eve Black writes a book as a survivor of The Nothing Man – he attacked five families in two years and she is determined to have the case brought back into the spotlight.

When the book is published, Jim is eager to see what Eve has to say – how much did she remember? As he reads the book his old crimes resurface stirring unexpected emotions. The more Jim reads, the more determined he becomes to commit one last crime – to protect his family, but also to protect himself.

I was completely consumed by this book. I loved the book in a book idea and enjoyed the inclusion of the author’s process in writing while sharing Jim’s emotions as he read the book. This was not just a clever idea, this was beautifully put together delivering a gripping read.

Eve Black suffered an unthinkable loss when she was only twelve years old. It is impossible to imagine what this young girl felt. She spent her life hiding away so the courage she shows when she places herself in the spotlight is amazing. You must love this young woman. The author did a fantastic job with this character. At the same time – despite being the bad guy – you are left in awe of Jim. His planning was amazing – while he is a terrible person – the author manages to leave you feeling amazed by what he did – even if you are appalled by his actions.

I have not been very generous with five-star ratings this year, but this book deserved it. This is a fantastic read and I happily give this one five stars. The Nothing Man has slipped into my top ten for the year.

If you are keen on a thriller that will keep you glued to your seat as you experience the story from the victim and the criminal’s perspective – then you do not want to miss this book. Go ahead, if you haven’t yet, add this title to your TBR – I cannot recommend this book highly enough.