The Blue Alley
Formats: E-Book, Paperback, Hardback
An accidental sleuth. A web of organised crime. A fast-paced thriller in the world of modern-day slavery.
Karen Hamm is a bold researcher who has been investigating corruption in Africa. Returning home, she observes a priest passing a bribe at passport control. He is accompanying two children on a flight to Amsterdam.
Karen has seen the man before and knows he’s not a priest. Suspecting the children are being abducted, she secretly takes photos.
Safely back in the UK, Karen reports her suspicions to the Dutch police but when no CCTV is found of the priest and kids arriving in Amsterdam, she suspects a cover-up. Compelled to do something herself, she decides to find the children and bring the traffickers to justice.
It is a reckless decision that draws her into the dangerous world of organised crime. And as her feelings of vengeance spiral out of control, she is forced to examine her motives behind the obsession to find the kids.
Reviews
The Blue Alley is the second book featuring researcher Karen Hamm, the first being Fly Catcher, which I intend to read very soon! Cubitt's writing is superb and her research into the dark underbelly of society and people trafficking is well executed and quite a thought provoking read. She managed to make me feel incredibly uneasy and increasingly angry. Hamm is a fantastic character and one I immediately became invested in. A strong female protagonist with motive and mission! Gripping, suspenseful and extremely enjoyable.
Tackling the abduction and trafficking of children, this book centres around Karen Hamm, a PhD researcher who had been working in West Africa, who tries to bring down and to account those responsible. Karen spots and photographs two children at Schiphol airport who she suspects are being trafficked. Taking on the Dutch police and working with an agency, she is determined to find the children, despite the danger this poses for her. I was hooked on this book from the Prologue alone. This is a difficult but important story and message, shining a light on trafficking and organised crime but also the work of agencies such as Eva Taal’s helping people escape slavery. For a significant character to remain nameless for the majority of a book speaks volumes. It found this very powerful. Overall this is a raw, real, relevant book for today and I highly recommend it.
