** spoiler alert ** I've read a lot of books lately that have made me glad that I have a son rather than a daughter. The subtext of this book is parents worry about their daughters all the time. When I think of trying to teach a daughter how to make her way in the world, I envision it as not only trying to have a hand in her behavior, but the behavior of every man she ever meets - hoping that he's not a rapist or a jerk or a serial killer. Which is, of course, totally impossible. When I think of trying to teach my son how to make his way in the world, it seems like I'm only having to have a hand in his behavior - as long as I can raise him to not be a rapist or a jerk or a serial killer (here's hoping!), I think that I won't have to worry about him every second of the day when he's an adult and not in my presence. I may be wrong about that, though.

Anyway, about this book - some terrible things happen to some women. The story is pretty well told & I like Jackson as a character, so I'll continue reading about him. Some plot points at the end seem to have been wrapped up with an unnecessary twist - for example, Sylvia was the one who killed Olivia? That seems unnecessary. And Michelle didn't actually kill her husband, even though it was powerfully suggested & all but spelled out that she did so in the beginning? Seems like cheating to me. And when oh when can some detective/former cop/sleuthing guy ever have a happy relationship? I think of Luther, McNulty, Jackson, Harry Hole, Charlie Parker - the list goes on & on, of men who investigate crimes and are divorced & have terrible ex-wives who yell at them & won't let them see their kids ever.