Book Review: Poppet

Four years ago, a patient at a secure psychiatric facility was discovered dead, following rumors of a ghost that was tormenting her. AJ, the senior nursing coordinator at the facility, remembers how difficult it was to quiet the rumor... but now it's happening again. Patients talk of the ghost walking through the hallways, invading their rooms, sitting on their chests. Two patients are driven to gruesome episodes of self-harm, and one soon dies under questionable circumstances. AJ starts to doubt his own judgments - did he see someone lurking outside the window? Can he trust Melanie, the facility director, who seems anxious to cover up the incidents? Should he go to the police, and jeopardize the relationship he's just started with Melanie? But the police have problems of their own. Detective Jack Caffery has been haunted by an unsolved case, and he must convince the person he's been covering for to finally come forward.

Poppet is the latest novel by award-winning mystery author Mo Hayder. The sixth title to feature Jack Caffery, it's an easy introduction for anyone new to the series. Hayder's novels are known for their twists - things are rarely as straightforward as they seem. But she is also a master of character psychology, both the disturbing minds of the criminals, and those of the investigators, who are often not much less disturbed. - Michelle (Sunset)