Dancers in the Wind (Hannah Weybridge)

by Anne Coates

[zooloo1983]

I was not sure what I was going to get when I picked this book up, I was not expecting short snappy chapters that kept me hooked throughout the book nor was I expecting to have read over half the book in one sitting. I feel like this book blew me away in such an unexpected way.

I never quite knew who was good, who was bad and who was in the middle. I was kept completely on my toes which is something I find so thrilling. The answers were so obvious and in your face when you look back but with Coates writing, she deflects the obvious and leads you down another train of thought instead. I suspected everyone, I mean who gained from killings.

I grew to love Caroline aka Princess, she is such a naive little girl, living completely in the wrong world. Hannah tries to take her under her wing, but she struggles as she does not want to tarnish her baby girl in this dark seedy world. And where the hell does the handsome DI Tom Jordan fit into it all, especially when his missing ring turns up in the hands in the last person you expect it too.

I found this a thrilling ride, taken into a dark world with the pimps, trade and the ladies of the night and contrasting this to Hannah’s home life of an innocent gorgeous baby girl, shielding her in every way you can imagine, especially when it is a life or death situation. The relationship between Hannah and Princess takes the centre stage, both keeping secrets from each other but both wanting to trust the other, it was bittersweet.

There was one thread of the storyline I did not expect to happen and I found that I got a bit choked up. I did not foresee this event happening, and I think that even though it makes complete sense for it to happen, I am angry that it was allowed to happen. That the actions of people all around lead this to a heartbreaking and catastrophic showdown.

The scary thing with this story, it shows you how far corruption can run up the ladder, corrupt cops, politicians, well-respected men in power…corrupt doesn’t that ring true! How far the cover-ups go, how to quiet the press, how to intimidate everyone into keeping quiet.

Coates has written such a dark, gritty, brutal British thriller. It is absorbing tale of the underworld, one that rings oh so true in this day. You find yourself caring about the characters, shouting at the book and questioning the motive of everyone you are surrounded by. The characters are realistic and fleshed out and the story spans over a couple of months, throwing in extra punches to how everything escalates so quickly.

I loved this book so much I have already got the second book burning a hole on my Kindle. This is one that should be on everyone’s to-read list because there is a book that should not be missed.