I thought this was an amazing book. The main protagonist was a teenager called Grace, who was never certain what to do in any circumstances. This is very different to all the other heroines that I have read about - they are always certain, clever and confident. In contrast Grace is nervous, clumsy, tense, paranoid and completely lacking in self-assurance. On page nine of the book, Grace thinks:
"My life is a never-ending conversation of the things that people do not say."
From the earliest pages I was drawn into the book because I wanted to find out what had caused Grace to be in the shocked state that she seems to exist in. Her mother has died three years before the start of the story and Grace is still very shocked, shaken and traumatised by the fact that she witnessed her mother's death. She has always believed that she saw her mother murdered but everyone else insists it was an accident and Grace is convinced that they all think she is mad!
This book is a very interesting contrast between the glamorous setting of Embassy Row in a fictional European capital city and Grace's chaotic mental state. As the story unfolds Grace continually embarrasses her grandfather, the American Ambassador, as she remains convinced that the mysterious Scarred Man will kill again.
This is the second book by Ally Carter that I have read. I really like her style of writing and I find it interesting to read books by an American author since most of the books I've read are by British authors. I recommend this story to anyone who likes fast-paced adventure stories.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
Want to tell the world about a book you've read? Join the site and send us your review!
