Book Description:
Appearances can be deceptive…
Arnold Eastwood is thrilled when social services allocate him a flat all of his own. Independence hasn’t come easily to a young man with Downs Syndrome but now he has the chance to live free from his mum’s nagging, find a girlfriend, watch endless movies and make new friends.
Meanwhile a London drug gang is setting up a supply line in Arnold’s town. They’re looking for someone to deliver drugs for them and somewhere to set up a base of operations.
Soon Arnold and his flat are in the drug gang’s sights. Drawn into the dark underworld of crack cocaine and modern slavery, Arnold soon discovers that friends can in fact be deadly enemies.
The question is: can he break free?
My Thoughts:
What an eye opener this book is!
I feel like I’ve been living with my head under a stone as I really had no clue that things that happen in this novel go on in the real world. Cuckooing and County Lines I think are the correct terms, is something I hadn’t really heard of so knowing that drug dealers prey on vulnerable victims to help them in their mission to distribute illegal drugs, shocked and appalled me.
Arnold is just the sweetest of characters. His mum and sister are concerned when he is allocated his own flat in a run down area so he can live independently. To begin with we see Arnold coming into his own, proving everyone wrong and even landing himself a job. His world is such an innocent and simple one and I so wanted to grab a hold of the people that were about to change that.
The story alternates between different characters so we get to see different view points. It was again an eye opener as well as heart breaking to see not only Arnold become a victim but to see how someone who is dependent on drugs is affected as well as people that do the running for the dealers. It made me think how quick we are to judge these people without really knowing their circumstances as well as how the dealers are good at manipulating them all.
Who’s There? is a compelling read where the author uses her vast knowledge to raise awareness of a side of the drug world, that some of us are completely oblivious to. Well sad to say, I was anyway. This is a crime thriller with a heart and will have you feeling empathy for characters that like me, you may have judged to quickly. I applaud the author for writing this book and making the reader aware as well changing their mindset.
Who’s There? is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an Amazon affiliate link).
Kerena Swan trained as a Social Worker and worked for Social Services for over 25 years. For the past 14 years she has owned and managed an ‘outstanding’ rated agency for children with disabilities. Following serious illnesses she decided to fulfil her long-held ambition of writing a book and getting it published. ‘Dying to See You’, published by Bloodhound Books, was her debut novel.
After many years of writing professionally in the course of her work, Kerena has discovered the exhilaration and deep joy of writing fiction and can be found at all hours in front of her computer. Her second novel ‘Scared to Breathe’ is now available and her third book, ‘Who’s There?’ will be released on December 13th 2019.
Kerena lives with her family in a small village in Bedfordshire, UK and her books are set in the surrounding areas.
Drawing on her extensive knowledge and experience of the problematic world of social work and social studies, Kerena adds a unique angle to the domestic noir and crime genre.
If you would like to hear more about new releases, read Kerena’s blogs and download a free short-story – the prequel to Dying to See You – then visit www.kerenaswan.co.uk and join her mailing list.
Facebook – Facebook.com/kerenaswan
Twitter- @kerenaswan
Instagram – kerenaswan
Goodreads link – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48763828-who-s-there
bytheletterbookreviews 
I had to Google Cuckooing and County Lines, I had no idea either.
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Yeah it really is quite shocking what goes on but sadly doesn’t surprise me. x
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It really is x
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Fab review! Somehow a drugs angle in a thriller always fascinates me and this story definitely sounds right up my alley.
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