book review afterwards by rosamund lupton AWESOME

Following a catastrophic fire at the school where she works as a teaching assistant, 17-year-old Jenny Covey is given a slim chance of survival. Her mother Grace lies in a coma in the same hospital, with the prospect of never regaining consciousness after sustaining head injuries while trying to rescue Jenny. When the police conclude that the fire was started deliberately, an investigation to find the culprit is led by Grace’s sister-in-law Sarah, a detective sergeant. So far, so Midsomer Murders.

But what turns this sinuous thriller into something extraordinary is the fact that it is narrated by Grace, a supernatural presence detached from her inert body, free to follow each step of the investigation as it unfolds – and she is joined by her daughter, who is similarly unfettered. Unseen by all those in the physical world, the pair gradually piece together the terrible truth, unable to communicate it to Sarah, but determined that the person responsible should be held to account. And in what is literally a heart-stopping ending, Grace contrives a way to ensure that justice is done. Rosamund Lupton’s thrilling debut novel Sister was one of last year’s bestsellers, and this ingenious follow-up confirms her as a compelling storyteller.