The Chameleon’s Shadow – Minette Walters

Description

The Chameleon’s Shadow by Minette Walters is a dark, unsettling psychological thriller that probes the complexities of trauma, identity, and human aggression. The story follows Lieutenant Charles Acland, a British soldier seriously injured in Iraq and left disfigured, both physically and emotionally. As he struggles with debilitating migraines and volatile mood swings, particularly towards women, Acland begins to isolate himself from his former life, cutting ties with his fiancée and career to sink into anonymity on the streets of London.

When a violent outburst in a Bermondsey pub puts him on the police radar, Acland finds himself suspected in a series of savage murders targeting gay men. His only unexpected ally comes in the form of Jackson, a formidable female weightlifter, who intervenes in his moment of crisis. As suspicion mounts, Walters weaves a tense, character-driven mystery questioning how much of our behaviour is shaped by trauma, how well we know ourselves, and whether redemption is possible in the darkest circumstances.

A gripping and thought-provoking read for fans of layered, character-driven crime fiction with a psychological edge.