The Dark Lake
Sarah Bailey
Gemma is a young Australian detective working to solve the
murder of a high school classmate – the beautiful and mysterious Rosalyn Ryan.
Gemma’s own secrets and earlier traumas are woven into Rose’s life and death in
surprising ways. But Gemma and Rose
aren’t the only ones with secrets. It seems that nearly everyone who comes into
contact with them carries the burden of hidden pasts and secrets that are
begging to be revealed. Of course that could be characteristic of any small
town where multiple generations continue to live (and die) in a confined space.
A well-written debut by Sarah Bailey is a great read for
fans of Tana French, Claire Mackintosh, and also The Dry by Jane Harper.
In addition to juggling her own mixed feelings about Rose,
Gemma is also working through romantic issues with her older partner, dealing
with her romantic partner (no, not her husband as she repeatedly states), and
her ambivalent feelings toward motherhood. All these issues are set against a
hot December in Australia.
Secrets come out, the past is dealt with (or at least
reconciled with) and Gemma finds a clearer path in her career and personal
life.
Thanks to publisher Allen & Unwin and to NetGalley for
the free copy in return for an honest review.
Why this book?
I was excited to read/review my first book for NetGalley. It
was fun to read something thoughtfully and think about whether I would
recommend it to someone else or if it was just meh. Once I got into the story,
I forgot about the review and just enjoyed it for what it is – a tightly woven
mystery set in an unfamiliar-to-me environment. In this case, I’d definitely
recommend the book to readers of Tana French, Claire Mackintosh, Jane Harper. It’s
really for anyone who likes the British/Irish/Australian style native to these
writers.
I also enjoy reading books by women dealing with the challenges
faced by female (and in some cases, male) detectives and police officers. Of
course I don’t read a lot of male authors (not sure why). The style is
different from American police procedurals/crime fiction and I definitely find
it more enjoyable.
More about the author
This is Sarah Bailey’s first novel. Based on her website,
she has years of experience in writing and advertising. She definitely is a
skilled write and is able to create a real sense of place and feeling through
her description and characters. Similar to Jane Harper’s The Dry, she deals
with oppressive heat during an Australian summer and the heat/environment nearly
becomes another character in the book. I
look forward to future offerings from this engaging author.
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