A contemporary Patricia Highsmith

Fossum writes humane thrillers which perturb and chill

Fossum's intelligence compassion...is not often found in the pages of crime fiction

A superb writer of psychological suspense

There’s always something dark hovering on the edge of the page, something about getting what you wish for and the crushing irony when that gift proves your undoing

Superb... less a police procedural than a portrait of a society in crisis... the slow, deliberate revelation of the story behind the crime is dramatic and heartbreaking

Fossum traces the parallels between the mothers and sons so patiently, precisely, and compassionately that even fans who know all too well what's bound to happen when their paths converge will be shocked into fresh grief themselves

One of Karin Fossum’s best crime stories... Fossum expertly captures the nuances of everyday life and the way in which people struggle to make sense of life... Karin Fossum is in a class of her own as a crime writer

The opening scene showcases Fossum at her best – the dank camper van, the heat and the brutal murders. The detailed, subdued tone; the grotesque in the middle of the everyday

High-quality crime of the best, international standard. She has now focused her attention on a novel which, in my opinion, has to be one of her very best... So disturbing, riveting and painful that you can’t help but be drawn in

[A] global conspiracy thriller involving French philosopher Roland Barthes and a deadly new language.

The writing is subtly done and the pages are turning and the intrigue grows. As does the smile – the language is entertaining

A rollicking crime caper about the death of Roland Barthes. It had me rolling on the floor of the Paris Metro when I read it.

Admirably ambitious romp of a thing that reads like a thinking-man's Da Vinci Code, if such a thing were ever conceivable… This is hugely entertaining, laugh-out-loud stuff

It’s a rollicking ride, with Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Julia Kristeva and a preening Bernard Henri-Lévy popping up to have their say… I dare you to read it and not hum the Pink Panther theme throughout

Yes, structuralism and semiotics feature prominently, but never in an alienating way – if anything, it’s a playful introduction to critical theory. And it’s great to see behemoths of the French philosophical establishment like Foucault and Lacan taken down a peg or two in some downright feral cameos

Laurent Binet’s The 7th Function of Language…was the most outrageously entertaining novel of the year, a defamatory fantasy about the supposed secret lives of eminent post-structuralists. A joy

A conspiracy thriller about the death of the French literary theorist, Roland Barthes, that draws on the work of Jacques Derrida and Dan Brown with tongue firmly in cheek—to hilarious effect.

A hoot from start to finish.

Fast paced and awe inspiring... [with] a thunderous ending'

The lines between right and wring, moral and immoral were blurred and I never knew what the characters would do next ... Clever and shocking, a fantastic psychological thriller.

A compelling read ... an excellent novel and the plotting is top-notch.

Very different from every other psychological thriller I have read ... the perfect book for a book club

Full of tension, questions, secrets and lies... a spectacular finish with fireworks and an unbelievable turn

A gripping and meaty book ... a must read for anyone who loves a domestic psychological thriller.

A terrific book - compelling and exquisitely told by an author with exceptional talent

A great read with an astonishing twist

Goes straight on the shelf marked 'unputdownable'... scenes of great beauty and moments of great drama ... a splendid debut.

A great thing to read

A fast-paced mystery thriller ... Thanks to Cotterell's convincing characters, you'll find yourself questioning right and wrong, and how far a woman should go to protect her family.

All I can say is WOW! If you are a fan of the psychological thriller genre, then this needs to go on your 'must get' list... Excellent.