It is an easy to read book with short chapters, which makes it easy to get through it.

Unfortunately it's not one of Suzanne's best works. The story is very simple and predictable and, for me, misses a bit of background and information on the killer's way of thinking.

It's a nice read if your looking for a quick read with a decent story line to pass some time, but if you're looking for a fast-paced detail thriller, this is not for you. ( )

The Kolwijn family--father Hans, mother Petra, and son Niels--decide to take a different kind of vacation from their usual. Instead of a resort hotel, they decide to go to a large campground in Italy that has a wide range of activities, as well as accommodations ranging from tents to bungalows. They hsettle on a mobile home, and head off to enjoy themselves.

It's a fateful choice, and as fretful as the somewhat over-protective Hans is over letting the ten-year-old Niels roam the campgrounds taking part in activities with his new friends, Thijs and Mats, his worst fears don't encompass what will happen.

Thijs's family is staying in the mobile home across from the Kolwijns' and when on the boys' third night attending the evening events together, Niels doesn't return with Thijs, they are naturally alarmed. All four of the parents set out to search, and it's Hans who finds his terrified son and his friend Mats--who is dead.

The major part of the book takes us through Niels' trauma, the strain on Hans and Petra as they struggle to do the right things for him, and the police search for the killer--hampered by the fact that Niels will not say anything at all about that night. When another young boy is killed in nearly identical circumstances, the pressures on everyone explode, and the Kolwijns have to return to Italy.

The Kolwijns are real and complicated, loving, mutually supportive, trying to protect each other so much they are not able to gain strength from each other. They can't see everything that's happening with their son, but they do listen when others tell them what they see. This family in crisis is described beautifully, in spare and convincing language.

It's a compelling and ultimately satisfying story.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. ( )

Hans en Petra besluiten met hun elfjarige zoon Niels te gaan kamperen aan het Gardameer in Italië. Niels maakt er snel vrienden en trekt veel met hen op. Totdat hij op een avond niet op de afgesproken tijd terug is. Hans gaat ongerust op zoek en doet een verschrikkelijke ontdekking. In de bosjes vindt hij het lichaam van een jongen. Niels zit er vlakbij, in shock. Omdat de vermoedelijke dader na een achtervolging door Hans in het Gardameer verdronken is, beschouwt de politie de zaak snel als afgerond. Thuisgekomen gaan ze met Niels naar een psychologe, omdat hij nog steeds niet over de gebeurtenissen kan praten. Wat is er die avond toch gebeurd? Een paar maanden later horen ze dat er in hetzelfde gebied weer een moord is gepleegd. Ze worden gevraagd om voor het politieonderzoek naar Italië te komen. Dat hadden ze beter niet kunnen doen…

As did one other reviewer, I wondered why this particular cover was chosen for this book. The story involves a family on vacation at and Italian campground, where the son is with another you g boy who turns up dead. How did the boy die? Who is responsible? The son has difficulty with all this and, to make matters worse, won’t talk to the police about what happened. When I first looked at the book, I thought it would involve some young woman, but the story did not. Thus, why this particular cover for this book? Just doesn’t fit. The story is well executed, as we are taken right into the trauma this boy’s death causes the vacationing family, especially the son who witnessed it. This is story about the crisis the vacationing Kolwijns family is thrust into by this act. The crisis is handled and described quite well by the author, making this a satisfying and enthralling story. I enjoyed the way the author brought everything and everyone to life, making the reader part of this family’s crisis, with all the good and bad aspects. I have read other of the author’s books, and this one ranks right up there along the others. I think anyone who enjoys a good heartwarming mystery and story about one family’s struggles to get through the crisis will enjoy the story. I received this from NetGalley to read and review. ( )

Speelde zich zowel in Italie als in Nederland af. Positief aan het boek de psychologie en het trauma van Niels boeiden me erg. Negatief aan het boek de terugkeer naar Italie en de gebeurtenissen waren erg onrealistisch. Uitdiepen van alle karakters (ook die van de moordenaar) hadden dit boek zeker beter gemaakt *** ( )