Scar Tissue’s arresting cover and the fascinating themes of child trafficking and the situation of discrimination towards the Dalit caste in India certainly grabbed my interest.
This book begins promisingly; Rachel receives a call telling her that the husband she thought was at a conference in Newcastle has been found dead in India. Thus begins a journey of discovery about the man with a history she knew nothing about – and his involvement in organised crime, which is later revealed to be a front for rescuing his own abducted daughter who Rachel had no idea existed.
The plot races along and is very engaging, but the author needs to further hone his style. The characters and situation are not plausible enough. It stretched credulity that Tom had no idea of the village his partner came from, and that he would be willing to join a trafficking gang and procure customers for brothels simply on the advice of a trusted policeman.
Scar Tissue has the makings of a great story, maybe even a screenplay, but it’s not ready yet.
CAROLINE NEWBOLD is chaplain of Lady Margaret School and associate minister of St Stephen’s Church, Ealing
