Review: Someone Else's Skin by Sarah Hilary-

**** 4 Stars

I love discovering new crime authors so I was very happy to receive an ARC from Headline via Bookbridgr for Sarah Hilary's debut novel. With it's eye catching cover and the tagline Some secrets will keep you safe, others will destroy you I knew that it was going to be my kind of book. 

The Blurb

Some secrets keep you safe, others will destroy you...

Detective Inspector Marnie Rome. Dependable; fierce; brilliant at her job; a rising star in the ranks. Everyone knows how Marnie fought to come back from the murder of her parents, but very few know what is going on below the surface. Because Marnie has secrets she won't share with anyone.

But then so does everyone. Certainly those in the women's shelter Marnie and Detective Sergeant Noah Jake visit on that fateful day. The day when they arrive to interview a resident, only to find one of the women's husbands, who shouldn't have been there, lying stabbed on the floor.

As Marnie and Noah investigate the crime further, events begin to spiral and the violence escalates. Everyone is keeping secrets, some for survival and some, they suspect, to disguise who they really are under their skin.

Now, if Marnie is going to find the truth she will have to face her own demons head on. Because the time has come for secrets to be revealed...

My Thoughts

This is Sarah Hilary's debut novel and the first in a new crime series featuring DI Marnie Rome and her colleague, DS Noah Jake. The book starts five years previously with an excellent opening scene which sets up the background for Marnie Rome. Five years later she is still recovering from the murder of her parents and she is totally committed and focussed on her work.

Back in the present, DI Rome and DS Jake, are visiting a women's refuge to interview a witness about the possibility of her speaking out against her husband who is wanted in connection with a violent crime. Upon arriving at the refuge they walk into total chaos, a man is lying stabbed and his wife is the most likely suspect. Rome and Jake now find themselves in the middle of a high profile and very complex investigation.

From here on, Hilary, cleverly weaves different story lines together, all whilst Rome's back story plays out. Rome is very much still haunted by her parent's deaths and yet she is still visiting the person who was responsible and is trying hard to face her demons.

She won't talk about how much she loved them, what a hole he carved in her life. If she gave him that, he'd take it back to his cell to feast on, or fret over. He's had enough of their lives. She won't give him anymore.

The book is well written and Hilary has a way of making her characters come to life. I don't normally read UK based crime as it always makes it feel too close so this was a real change for me especially with a lot of the book being set in areas I recognised and have passed through. 

The book featured lots of twists and turns, with the biggest one coming as a total shock to me. I was left stunned. This really was an impressive debut and Sarah Hilary, will definitely be going on my one to watch list. Marnie Rome, is a fantastic protagonist and I am really looking forward to seeing her character grow and seeing if there is a future for her & Ed.