Blacklands: a novel by Belinda Bauer

Within the pages of this small, just over 200 pages, novel is the chilling story of 12-year old Steven Lamb, who is determined to unearth the grave of his Uncle Billy, missing for 18 years and presumed murdered by child serial killer Arnold Avery. Steven lives with his downtrodden mother Lettie, his 5-year old brother Davey and his grandmother Nan in Shipcolt, Somerset. Steven’s grandmother anxiously awaits the return of her missing 11 year-old son by keeping vigil by the window and has been unable to move forward with her life since that horrible day.

The police believe that convicted serial child killer Avery is responsible for Billy’s murder having found Billy’s Nike’s in the killer’s van, but not his body. Steven is convinced that if Uncle Billy’s remains can be found his family can move on with their lives, so Steven has been relentlessly digging holes in the English moor were Avery’s other victims have been found in hopes of finding his uncle’s remains and win the affection of his mother and grandmother. Nearly defeated in his lack of progress in the moor Steven writes a cryptic letter to Avery in hopes that he can trick the killer into revealing his uncle’s grave. Avery, who is in prison and serving a life sentence for his crimes, responds with his own cryptic message and a game of cat and mouse is started that will have dire consequences for one of the players.

With the naïveté of a lonely and desperate boy, Steven is convinced he can win this game; however, he is no match for the cunning villain. When Steven unknowingly sends a photograph of himself to Avery, revealing that he is of the age and type that the killer prefers, Avery’s only thought is of escape and making Steven his next victim. What follows is somewhat far fetched, but none the less exciting. Bauer is at her best with the superb characterization of the sociopathic child killer and the desperate young boy. Bauer writes a fast-paced and suspenseful drama that will keep the reader engaged from start to finish.



Belinda Bauer grew up in South Africa and England and now resides in Wales. Blacklands is the former journalist and screenwriter’s debut novel.