Blink by Andrea Badenoch was an intense, dark mystery set in a depressed coal mining village near Newcastle on Tyne. The time is the very early 1960’s and the story unfolds through the main character, Kathleen, a twelve year old girl. Kathleen is on her way to visit her friend when she stumbles upon the body of her own young aunt, floating in a sludgy pond. Kathleen comes from a strange family, her aunt Gloria was the village hairdresser and had a reputation for being flashy and too fast. While the rest of the village wants to dismiss this as a suicide, Kathleen, and eventually the police, are sure this is murder.

This book was however, so much more than just a mystery story. The author excelled at creating atmosphere and giving us vivid descriptions of the social, political and sexual mores of the day. In a book filled with mostly unlikeable characters, Kathleen’s youth, hopes, and dreams make her a true heroine to root for. A clever girl, she eventually unmasks the murderer and reveals long held secrets.

Sadly this book was written as the author was at the beginning of her losing battle with breast cancer, and perhaps that explains why this book is so dark. Although the book dragged a bit in the middle, over all I enjoyed this story very much. I found it to be beautifully written and with enough twists and turns to keep me interested in the final outcome. Andrea Badenoch produced one more book after Blink before she passed away in 2004, a loss of a fine writer just reaching her stride. ( )