The mythical, lyrical prose of this novel tilts reality, echoing the paranoia and underlying threat that Alex, Lauren and Nancy experience daily. Though in contrasting circumstances, all three women are trapped in manipulative, abusive relationships and haunted by the river and the sinister creature they sense there. This is a cloying, claustrophobic story that sits uneasily from the word go, the poison and the power will stay with you.
She cuts open the top of a black bag and beams - it's a good bag!
It doesn't look good to me. She's so weird. And this is my favourite bit- opening the bags - it's always such a surprise - a bit like a tombola! The clothes and shoes are squirming in the bin liner. I step back, shocked - there is a woman in the bag,
Dee pulls out a baby-blue jumper. She holds it up, turning it from side to side in the light, then pushes a hanger up through the neck and hooks it on the rail. The woman looks like she's trapped in the soft wool - staring out at us, caught, motionless. Lovely! It only needs a quick steam that one - I'll show you in a minute, don't worry about it for now.
Dee doesn't seem to notice - just goes back to the bag. The thin plastic splits down the seam as Dee rummages around - sandals, scarves and skirts spilling out - creeping, floating, filling the room with their lives, women suddenly wrapping my face, suffocating. My lungs squeeze - what's happening to me.
