Book Review: Acid Row (Minette Walters)

This book has become one of my favourites since I first read it a couple of years ago. Since then I’ve read most of Minette Walters’ books and she now ranks as one of my favourite authors. I have just finished reading the book a second time and it is still as captivating as the first time I read it.

The book appears to have been influenced by the 2000 Paulsgrove (Portsmouth) riot occuring when a paedophile was named as part of the News of the World newspaper “Name and Shame” campaign.

The book follows two story lines, one of a riot and related activities inside the paedophile’s house, and the other the disappearance of a young girl. The story is action packed and keeps you on edge as the plots evolve. Police bulletins are printed at the end of most chapters to summarise some of the key issues, which reinforces the suspense. I found some of the characters to be a little hard to believe, and the end was a bit unrealistic, but the story worked well so it was easy to ignore those small gripes.

The book tackles a nuber of issues: Should paedophiles be publically named? Are all paedophiles a danger, should they all be treated the same? It also questions some of your own stereotypes.

If you enjoy a thriller and want to read something that makes you think and question your own opinions then you can’t go far wrong with this book.