Changes

If the above sounds at all familiar, it’s because stories like the above are printed in the press on a regular basis. There is no denying that gap years can be a wonderful idea for people to explore new cultures, to gain a sense of independence, and to have one last big hurrah before settling down to either university or work. But, horror stories of kidnap and murder on gap years show up in the press on a fairly regular basis – so it is more than a ripe subject for novelist Cath Staincliffe to have a go at. Hugely prolific, Staincliffe has written twenty-two books, all crime based and mainly set around Manchester. This is the first in which she really goes further afield, and the majority of the story is set in China. Thankfully, this works in Staincliffe’s favour. The China in ''Half the World Away'' is evocative and vivid, but also a confusing, dark world full of unknowns and dangers.

For further reading – I know most will have read this already, but [[Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn]] is definitely the best thriller of recent years. Chilling, thrilling, and unputdownable.