Raise your hand if you're all about the mystery and suspense books for October. That's right, it's time to hide your face under the covers and sleep with the lights on and Shutter is here to help.

Oh, Day. Sweet, sweet Day. Our resident Veronica Mars comes face to face with suspected murderer turned escaped convict, Julian, and unlike the rest of us sane people, his intriguing stare invites her to look further into his case. Day spends most of the novel unraveling Julian's past, which is sweet albeit slightly dangerous. Much to the reader's dismay, she typically ignores conventional safety precautions and I found myself constantly worrying for her safety. Then there's our jailbird who's nested in Day's barn (and heart). Julian has clearly been through some stuff but does that excuse his dodgy reasons and inaccurate recollections? Time will tell.

Laurie Faria Stolarz explores some tough subjects, starting with the murder (or murder-suicide?) of Julian's parents, going through intense child abuse and neglect situations, and landing with Day's dismay over her parent's recent separation. There's no sheltering the reader from the realities of both of their lives, from their feelings to their reactions and everything in between.

I enjoyed the novel's variety of storytelling, from the investigative nature that Day uses to the simple way the story unfolds from beginning to resolution. There's a bit of an unreliable narrator that keeps you guessing how the Roman family came to be a family of one.