Don’t Let Go: Michel Bussi’s thriller is something you wouldn’t want to let go of

Author Michel Bussi’s Don’t Let Go mixes a fast-moving plot, vivid scenic descriptions, cleverly blended cultural history and social make up, racial tensions and complexities.

When Liane goes missing, the questionable crime scene makes her husband the prime suspect for a premeditated murder. And then, he flees with their six-year-old daughter, leaving behind a trail of unexplained dead bodies. A frantic manhunt is launched by the police with helicopters scanning the tropical island of Réunion, surrounded by the Indian Ocean. The chase is seen from Bussi’s trademark multiple point of views: the police, the fugitive, the little girl who is yearning for her mother, and the local inhabitants who are unwillingly caught in the whirlpool of events.

The cover of the book.

Bussi keeps the reader involved in an intricate fast-moving plot, vivid scenic descriptions, cleverly blended cultural history and social make up, racial tensions and complexities that run beneath the surface of what’s apparent.There are many factors that differentiate this novel from your usual whodunit thrillers. Use of local phrases add flavour to the story — a translation of the original Ne lâche pas ma main in French. A blend of the third-person narrative with a childlike first-person perspective of the couple’s daughter brings a strong intimacy in the narrative, while giving an insight into the father-daughter relationship. And the ticking-clock technique used by Bussi in each chapter builds up the tension.

All in all, the author has scripted a tightly drawn thriller that keeps the readers questioning every motive, suspecting every character, till they reach a shockingly unexpected conclusion. A must read.