Book info

• Title A Map of Nowhere
• Author Martin Bannister
• Year 2013
• Genre Contemporary

David Price always wished life would blow up in his face. And then it did. His mother died. The urge to paint left him. Then Sarah came his way, followed by Pete, a psychiatric outpatient. Now David spends his time worrying about Sarah’s eating habits, visiting her terminally ill sister and working as Pete’s carer. When Pete’s odd behaviour starts to leave David fearing for his own safety, he is shocked to discover that Sarah knows the reason why but will not disclose it. What is about to happen will change everything.

Thoughts

This was an interesting one. An artist / support worker finds himself caught up in family drama, surrounded by death and searching for the truth. The story winds its way along, with a mix of fast-paced drama and then slow tick-tock waiting. It keeps you interested but I’m not sure I’m totally convinced.

Some of the dialogue doesn’t ring totally true, although we’re dealing with mental patients here, which makes the far-fetched slightly more normal. The end is signposted so not really a twist, but it left me feeling unsettled and a little unsatisfied.

It’s well written, a good read, but it doesn’t quite come together - one way or the other.

Rating: 3 / 5