Good girl, bad girl by Michael Robotham

Cyrus Haven book 1. Hachette Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9780733638053.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery, Thriller, Murder, Child abuse, Forensic psychologists, Truth. A riveting psychological thriller, Good girl, bad girl will keep the reader engrossed for all 405 pages of secrets, lies, murder and investigation. Two plots intertwine with twists and surprises, keeping the reader guessing to the end. A little girl has been found in a secret room. Unidentified, she will give no name or age and is put into care. She is given a name Evie Cormac and when she wants to be declared an adult, Cyrus Haven is brought in to access whether she should go free. Does she have the ability to tell if someone is lying? Meanwhile, Cyrus is also involved in the case of the murder of Jodie Sheehan, a champion figure skater, who appears to be popular and open. As the investigation continues secrets begin to emerge and danger stalks both Cyrus and Evie.
Robotham is a master at writing suspense novels with enough surprises for even the most experienced mystery aficionado who is kept asking questions about both Evie and Jodie's murder right until the end of the book. His characters are fascinating. Cyrus has had an awful experience in his childhood and Evie's dark experiences as a child link them together, and the reader will be fascinated, continually wondering why she is silent about the reason for being in the secret room. Lenny, the detective in charge of Jodie's murder, is also a character that the reader will want to see more of in future books.
It is easy to see why Robotham is a bestselling author. His complex and clever narratives flow quickly, his characters are flawed and dark and the suspense is incredible. Readers will be happy to see future books starring Cyrus Haven and may hope to see Evie and Lenny as well.
Pat Pledger