Having very much enjoyed her debut novel 'The Lamplighters' I was keen to read this, the latest book by Emma Stonex, published this week. And a promising title and interesting cover, I thought.

It was a very good read, though not as sunny as the title might suggest. This is a thriller - a man accused of murdering the narrator's sister is being released from prison.

The story is of Birdie, a wife and mother, whose half-sister Providence was murdered 18 years previously by Jim Maguire.

Maguire is due to be released and Birdie leaves her husband and children in order to exact revenge. She has a gun and she intends to use it.

Birdie follows Maguire when he's picked up from prison and we follow both their thought processes in the subsequent hours and days. Will Birdie kill Maguire? Will Maguire ever admit to his crime? What really happened all those years ago?

It's a compelling story of loyalty and betrayal, guilt and revenge, truth and lies. What's more, the author says in her notes that she based her prison on a real place where a particular rehabilitation programme has been adopted. This adds another layer to a very interesting and thought-provoking thriller.