Narrows

Set in the early 1970s, The Narrows is the second novel in Mark Zvonkovic's The Raymond Hatcher Stories series, after A Lion In The Grass, although, as Hatcher himself doesn't make an appearance in the book, I think that the two novels could be read in either order without too much in the way of spoilers. The Narrows takes place over a period of just ten days which does make for a fairly tense scenario. There is plenty of intellectual discussion however so I would recommend this novel for readers who prefer slow-burn thrillers with their emphasis on atmosphere and characterisation.

Larry narrates The Narrows from a first person point of view and I was impressed with how successfully Zvonkovic managed to impart Larry's thoughts and motivations. This man is definitely not the typical thriller hero, yet seeing events unfold through his eyes worked really well for me. I also loved the wealth of 1970s historical detail which I felt gave the story great depth without overwhelming it in minutiae. It was interesting to understand Larry's relationship with his cousin, Bradley, through their childhood friendship which we see in flashbacks and memories. I could recognise how Larry the child became Larry the man complete with all the insecurities that he has not yet managed to shake off. The Narrows is a thoughtful philosophical thriller with a strong sense of place and I thoroughly enjoyed this story