Say You're Sorry by Michael Robotham

First Sentence:  My name is Piper Hadley and I went missing on the last Saturday of the summer holidays three years ago.

      

Two girls went missing.  After three years, the body of one of the girls is found, frozen and mutilated.  Is the other girl still alive?  A family has been murdered in a farm house and the house torched.  A young man is accused, but psychologist Joe O’Loughlin believes he is innocent and that the murder and the girls are connected.

      

The book starts off very well with a compelling opening of the situation from the perspective of a 15-year-old girl.  Robotham captures the voices and personalities of his characters.  He does have a compelling voice filled with wry humor and pragmatism.

      

Joe is an interesting character; very human with his own shortcomings and insecurities.  Robotham does a good job of bringing readers, new and old, up to date on Joe’s life. 

      

The story is about two cases; one which began in the past, one in the present.  The threads are joined together very well and with a good building of suspense.

      

Where the story falls down is in its predictability.  Because of its structure, you can guess the outcome, although not the villain, very early on.

      

“Say You’re Sorry” is not Robotham’s best work, which is sad.  He is a very good writer who has written some wonderful books.  Unfortunately, this is not one of them.  

SAY YOU’RE SORRY (Lic Invest/Psychologist-Joe O’Loughlin-England-Contemp) – Okay

Robotham, Michael – 6^th in series

Mulholland Books (LB&Co), 2012