Book Review no: 7 Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford

Wow, this book really packs a punch! It kept me engrossed from start to finish (and like a couple of the other reviewers I was up until the early hours because I just couldn't put it down).

Livia Prescott is an average single mother living and working in suburban Newscastle, when one night she is attacked while walking to her car in a dark, multi-storey carpark. Fortunately she has the strength and courage to fight back, and while shaken, she walks away relatively unscathed. Her friends and workmates praise her quick thinking and she vows to get on with her life.

Then the notes start arriving. Short and jarring they taunt her, asking if she is "scared yet?" Now Livia realises that far from being a random, opportunistic attack, she was actually specifically targeted and is now being stalked.

The suspense in this book is amazing, as each chapter builds it further, adding a new dynamic to the web of possibilities. You can literally feel each rattle of the door and jump at each passing shadow, as Livia does her best to keep herself safe as well as her precious son.

Added to these elements, Livia has the added stress of a nasty divorce, a business on the brink of going under and her father is terminally ill in a hospice. She is literally at breaking point and you know that any little thing could tip her over the edge.

I really enjoyed the setting (good to see a book set outside the major cities) and thought that it captured all the Australian elements (dialogue, brands, lifestyle etc) really well. The characters are also really well drawn and you get just enough insight into each one to wonder if they may be capable of the crime.

It definitely kept me guessing right until the end - and had me checking my doors and windows before going to sleep! An amazing book.