Matt Langley used to be somebody. Back in the late ’90s his star shone bright. Thanks to his debut novel, the shocking The Devil’s Debt, he was at the forefront of the Bright Young Things. He was on chat shows and culture shows. He was the man of the moment. And then it all stopped, because there was no second book. Now, with his marriage to Naz on the rocks, they’re trying to start over. They’ve sold the house that The Devil’s Debt built and moved to a farmhouse deep in the wilds of Northumbria, where no one knows them, and for a while their new life is fragile but good. Furthermore, Matt’s leading a writing group at the library and is even thinking about writing again. Marlin is part of that writing group. He’s a quiet young man who has survived things no kid should ever have to. On meeting Matt he shows him his battered copy of The Devil’s Debt. The book is filled with underlinings and notes and, he soon discovers, messages from the young man’s dead mother. That book serves as the basis for a bond between the two. Matt feels like they have a kinship, and wants to help the young writer. So, when he and Naz find him sleeping rough they invite him into their house for a week or so, until Marlin is back on his feet. But Marlin is a malevolent cuckoo they’ve brought into their home. And that was their first big mistake…
In a moment of true bookseller serendipity, I spotted Step Inside My Soul in the delivery at work. Drawn like a magpie to its eye-catching yellow cover, and having read the synopsis, it was quickly purchased and ferried back to the raven’s nest. Knowing full well that I will shortly be needing the skills of a sherpa to ascend my to-be-read mountain, I paid no heed to all the books reaching out for my attention, and having promised myself a quick read of the first couple of pages, then proceeded to spend my entire day off reading it. Yes. I was hooked from the beginning, and here’s why…
Set in and around the wilds of Northumbria and referencing Newcastle too, this is a real slow burn of a thriller, with a wonderfully creeping sense of unease as the story progresses. However, unlike most crime novels relying on the build up of psychological tension, I think it’s fair to say that this one has a lot more meat on its bones as you begin to really engage with the central protagonist Matt, and Curran opens the narrative out in interesting directions. Anyone drawn to the idea of writing, whether at an amateur level or as a budding professional will enjoy the tangential exploration of the craft of writing, as Matt struggles to tackle that difficult second book after the extraordinary success of his first many years previously. As Matt seeks out opportunities to engage with writing and reading groups, there are some superb references to the craft of writing woven into the narrative, through the exercises he sets, and as he becomes more entangled in the life of a troubled young man Marlin, who he encounters at one of these meetings. As Matt begins to regain the confidence to tackle the second book, which proves less than a straightforward cathartic experience, this underlying theme of the creative act provides an interesting diversion to the central plot, whilst in no way disrupting the building tension. Similarly on the theme of creativity, there are a host of music references dropped into the plot throughout, which I always personally enjoy.
Essentially this a dark exploration of the ‘cuckoo in the nest’ motif as Matt and his wife Naz, with Matt to a greater degree, becoming more involved with Marlin, who keeps a copy of Matt’s first book as a talisman of remembrance to his mother, and is looking to develop his own skills as writer. There’s a fascinating symbiosis at the heart of the book driving the narrative as these three characters begin to intertwine with each other on a more personal level. Matt and Naz have relocated to the North East following her short lived infidelity, looking to rebuild their relationship, and start afresh. Moving from the coast to the raw and wild beauty of Northumbria is a sea change for them both, but how far has Matt really forgiven her betrayal? Being in a state of denial as to the how, what and why of his wife’s infidelity, Matt begins to address his pent up anger and sense of betrayal in his new writing project, where the words he commits to the manuscript, return to haunt him in the most horribly unimaginable way.
The themes of trust and betrayal loom large throughout the book for all the characters, and Curran also weaves in astute observations on the very real social issues of migration and homelessness too. This is what leads me to recommend this book as not only an extremely tense and compelling crime story, but also one that goes beyond the simplistic nature of most psychological thrillers. There are brilliant catch your breath moments with perfectly placed dark visceral interludes throughout. Interestingly too, the book firmly immerses you in the lives of these incredibly well realised characters, but also in their frailties, and morally grey areas, playing with the reader’s empathy as the truth finally emerges and events play out to a truly unexpected conclusion…
Having found out that Curran has written a previous book, I have chastised myself for not discovering this author before. Step Inside My Soul is undoubtedly one of the best books I have read for some time. It has the precisely measured and brilliantly tense unfolding of a psychological thriller, with some really clever reveals, that it’s been so hard not to spoil by mentioning here. It also incorporates other layers of interest in its setting, ruminations on the craft of writing, whilst weaving in the migrant and homeless experience through Matt’s wife Naz, and the mercurial and troubled Marlin. I always like my crime thrillers to go beyond the linear, and have a bit more meat on their bones, and this one ticks all the boxes. Highly recommended.
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Nick Curran grew up in Surrey and studied political science, specialising in criminology and psychology in Newcastle. Once graduating, Nick accidentally emigrated to Sweden in 1997, where he lives now with his wife and their feisty little Wheaten terrier, Buster. After a decade as an itinerant teacher in and around Stockholm, he became a full time writer in 2006. Since then, under various pen names, he has written for a number of popular television shows, roleplaying game and comic book franchises, and one very well known computer game. He has won a number of awards for his science fiction and fantasy work, including The International Association of Media Writers Award, and has been nominated for the prestigious People’s Book Prize.
(I bought this copy of Step Inside My Soul published by Constable)
Buying Links:
Raven Crime Reads 
You know I’m going to have to buy this now, right?
You totally should! 😉