Light Reading — Aliya Whiteley

Prudence Green is a troubled woman. Stifled by her existence as an RAF wife, she's dying for a bit of excitement. When one of the other women on the base commits suicide, having discovered that her husband is having an affair with a male comrade in Iraq, Pru and her best friend Lena are prompted to set off on a memorably surreal journey -- a criminal investigation, a search for love, and an exploration of Pru's own dark past. The discontented pair escape the base and arrive in a blighted seaside town, Allcombe, determined to find out the truth behind the supposed suicide of one-time TV star Crystal Tynee. But as they explore the lawless town, Pru and Lena find that Allcombe hides more than one hideous secret. Light Reading is a wickedly clever detective story and a pitch-black mystery, seething with grotesque and unforgettable characters, and concluding with a twist that will leave you breathless.