The Shut Eye by Belinda Bauer

From Goodreads

Five footprints are the only sign that Daniel Buck was ever here.

And now they are all his mother has left.

Every day, Anna Buck guards the little prints in the cement. Polishing them to a shine. Keeping them safe. Spiralling towards insanity.

When a psychic offers hope, Anna grasps it. Who wouldn't? Maybe he can tell her what happened to her son...

But is this man what he claims to be? Is he a visionary? A shut eye? Or a cruel fake, preying on the vulnerable?

Or is he something far, far worse? 

My thoughts

7/10 or 3.5 stars.

This was a relatively quick easy read. Whilst it's essentially a thriller, it's not all about the crime and is very character lead. Belinda Bauer engrosses the reader in the lives of the characters and the crime side of it almost seems secondary to the story.

There have been several disappearances are they linked or not? Predominantly the disappearance of the young child Daniel Buck takes centre stage and while his disappearance is being investigated, DCI Marvel is in charge of the investigation. As avenues are being followed by the Police, Anna Buck becomes involved with a psychic called Richard Latham, however she is very sceptical and unsure as to whether he is as good as he portrays himself. In a weird turn of events she herself starts having strange visions, is this for real or is she experiencing some form of mental exhaustion due to all the stress she is under? Marvel has had run ins with Latham before and is very sceptical of this 'Shut Eye' or wannabe 'Shut Eye'. A Shut Eye being the name given to a person who genuinely sees things that have happened.

This story is most definitely well worth a read, but don't expect it all to be crime driven as you'll be disappointed if you do.