One Child Alive is a crime thriller featuring an ensemble cast and is the third book in the Rockwell & Decker series by Ellery Kane. Released 23rd June 2021, it's 358 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.
This is a fast paced and tension filled crime novel with an immediate start and multiple murders from the first chapter. The descriptions are direct and whilst not pruriently gruesome, they are often brutal. The opening murder victims are a family of 5 with only the youngest child surviving. None of the narrative is particularly over the top and fans of crime thriller fiction likely won't be bothered. Readers of cozy village mysteries should proceed with caution.
The writing is capably rendered, with well fleshed out characters who are believable and engaging. The tension arc is controlled and the disparate plot threads are woven together cleverly, moving to a satisfying denouement and resolution.
This is the third book in the series and I was unfamiliar with the characters or background going into the read. I found it quite difficult to keep the characters and their interrelationships straight in my mind; there's very little background related by the author to get readers up to speed. As such, I think it's definitely a worthwhile read, but I wouldn't suggest it to readers as an entry point to the series. It doesn't work very well as a standalone.
Definitely one for fans of thrillers.
Four stars. (Three and a half for me personally - I'm a certified cookie baking village cozy reading knitter but sometimes it's good to push your reading boundaries).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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