This last read, Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge, should be a favorite; it has all the elements I normally love about a story.  There are twists, suspense, a little gore and drama, but for some reason it was tough for me to get through.  End of summer timing with back to school and work prep may have been a big factor in messing up my normal reading pace.

Anyway, the story revolves around a crazy murder case in which two people are abducted and then imprisoned without food or water.  A gun and the instruction that once one is killed the other will be set free is their only way out.  Desperation, starvation and extreme thirst take their toll until eventually a murder takes place.  The “survivors” then have their own demons to face in the aftermath of such horror.  The case is all the more odd because it is a woman who is responsible.

The detective on the case is another strong, focused woman, Grace.  She begins to notice that each pair of abductees has some connection to her own life.  Her secret past and the demons she hides come to light as the story draws to close.  Through the investigation there are side plots involving corruption within the squad too.

Ultimately, Grace is able to figure out the case, but not until the lives of many people are horribly changed or finished.