I’ve made no secret of the fact that I like layered narratives. I like the way different parts of the story unfold depending on who’s at the centre of the action, and I like getting to know different characters and having the opportunity to see other characters through their eyes. The tricky thing, though, is managing to maintain several characters without either forgetting about one along the way, or without having them all show up at the same party just so they can meet. The connections between the characters in Alligator are so believable that nothing seems convenient so much as natural, and the rising tension that comes at the end is thrilling because you both know and can’t quite believe what is happening. In that sense, I’m glad it took me so long to get to Alligator, because it’s a book that will keep you up all night and, like the life for Moore’s characters, not necessarily give you the exact ending you thought you were heading towards.

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