The novel received positive reviews from critics, although some critics felt that it was overwritten. In The Independent, Stuart Evers felt that the use of "convoluted similes" were "minor faults in an impressive, well-plotted and intelligentcrime drama." Kirkus Reviews wrote that "Locke expertly etches a portrait of her anxiety-ridden protagonist, and she animates the complex plot with the assurance of a practiced screenwriter." Publishers Weekly wrote that Locke "steers a gritty drama to a satisfying end, though a sluggish subplot involving labor union issues undermines the novels grander ambitions."