One bleak night in November a heavily pregnant Jane arrives in Berlin to live with her glamorous partner Petra, who lives and works there. Petra is living in an apartment in Mitte, a trendy area but the apartment is more like a show home than a welcoming love nest. Jane does not know anyone in Berlin, apart from Petra’s brother and his partner. Her German is not the best and Petra is out at work so Jane starts to feel isolated and alone.

As she is pregnant Jane is not sleeping well. She starts to hear arguments at night, a male voice shouting whore and a child crying. The next morning Jane sees a young girl crossing the church yard wearing lots of make up only to disappear. Later she meets her neighbours Dr Alban Mann and his daughter Anna, the source of the voices.

Jane starts to observe her neighbours more and learns from other neighbours that Dr Mann’s wife had just vanished one day. She is concerned that he might be abusing his daugher Anna and the more she watches certain she becomes.  Strange things keep happening in the apartment and Jane becomes convinced someone is entering without her knowledge. Is she just imagining things due to loneliness or is something more sinister going on?

This is a dark tense thriller, set in the background of Berlin it also starts to feel like a ghost story. Jane is determined to find the truth and will not be swayed from that task, despite her partner trying to stop her. This leads to arguments and Jane taking more and more risks. The tension builds and you are kept turning the pages to find out what happens at the end. I really enjoyed this book, although it does leave a sense of unease while you are reading. You feel as if you are walking the dark streets with Jane trying to find the answer.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of the book to review but was not told what to write and my opinions are my own.

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Vampire State of Mind by Jane Lovering

Twelve by Jasper Kent