Kate Rhodes' second collection is powerful and varied. She writes about personal concerns such as family, loss and love in a style which Don Paterson has described as 'pared to the bone, elegant and precise'. The collection includes a diverse range of subjects, from a wry portrait poem of Tony Blair to The Alice Trap series, which charts the end of a painful love affair. In recent years Rhodes has been shortlisted for both the Forward and Bridport prizes, and this collection finds her at the height of her powers. Her voice throughout this striking collection is engaging and direct.