The Treatment

Starred review from October 29, 2001
This sequel to Hayder's 1999 debut Birdman
is as raw as a predawn autopsy, and promises to please fans of her beleaguered protagonist DI Jack Caffery and his weary crew of London cops and coroners. The book
trades its predecessor's taboo (necrophilia) for pedophilia, with Hayder delving deeper into the nitty-gritty of police work than many of her American counterparts dare. Called in when a young couple are discovered handcuffed and half-dead in their home, Caffery's infamous Area Metropolitan Investigation Team ("The murder squad, you mean?") combs a seedy park in a gentrifying slum looking for the couple's missing eight-year-old son. Caffery leaves no stone unturned, bringing in helicopters and human remains dogs ("You do know that if we find him the dogs might, uh, destroy some evidence, don't you?") and broods over the resemblance of the case to his own brother's childhood disappearance. With the discovery of the boy's mutilated corpse, Caffery and his boss, the affable DCI Danniella Souness, turn South London upside down hunting the sadistic killer. Meanwhile, the author introduces potential suspects in a parallel narrative, their hidden vices described with stomach-churning clarity. Hayder handles procedural detail ("All prisons in London insist on being informed about any helicopter that passes. It keeps them calm"), dialogue ("I'm not a shagging Yank
you know") and volatile subject matter with powerful dexterity, crafting another deliciously chilling thriller. (Dec. 26)Forecast:This was a bestseller in England and should significantly build Hayder's fan base in the U.S.

Damien Goodman wrings every ounce of shock and terror out of Mo Hayder's novel, a story as fascinating as it is terrifying. British police detective Jack Caffrey, who still carries the weight of his own baby brother's unsolved abduction, must live through the horror again when a 7-year-old boy is kidnapped by a sexual predator. Goodman leads the listener down a path where evil lurks in unexpected places and the heart of man is more evil than ÒThe TrollÓ local children believe lives in the haunted woods. It's a British book, so Americans may need to google words like ÒnonceÓ (sexual predator) and ÒstoneÓ (about 14 pounds); most can be inferred from their context. It's an audiobook you won't be able to turn off. M.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine


Count on this British performer to keep a stiff upper lip as Hayder conveys a realistic look at a world most people don't even want to think about. When a 9-year-old boy goes missing, his parents are found bound and gagged in their home--almost starved to death. Detective Inspector Jack Caffrey begins a relentless search for a pedophile, hoping it's not too late. Damien Goodwin's narration is slick and straightforward, and his portrayal of the child molester is chilling. While this title is not for the timid, those who listen will find it memorable. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine