So much promise… 

This books is one that I would only recommend to someone who doesn’t mind a long and drawn out story. I have heard many times that the story and anything that happens should be walking (moving the plot) and not talking (just filling space) and this story is too much talking. 

The story - 

Q wants to go rogue and get revenge on Colin after he stole her innocence and herself from her. 

Max wants to be popular and ask Alex out but he doesn’t feel that he is good enough. 

Charlotte wants to keep her relationship with Seb and make the most out of being young choreographer. 

The execution - 

This book is nearly 500 pages and has 17 chapters. However every chapter swaps POV multiple times and has to much filler content that is is repetitive and boring. I would say that it would be easy to cut a good 4 or 5 chapters and about 150 pages of just filler content. 

Max and Charlotte’s POV is redundant until the last 40% of the book and makes it very difficult to get through. As you spend so much time not with Q is it hard to sympathise with her until she really breaks down and shares her story with someone. 

My thoughts - 

I wanted to DNF this and honestly had to keep fighting myself to make it through because I felt that it was an important enough message that I had to. 

I love how realistic Q is and how raw the emotions are but it just isn’t enough for me to bump my rating from 2.5 stars. 

When three friends travel to Loch Aven, El doesn’t expect her unknown pst to come to light or to learn the truth of the secret haunting the town. 

This book is an easy ready that is both tense and predictable at points. The characters are all developed enough that you can empathise with them while being frustrated with them. I loved the twists and turns. It was both emotive and intriguing while leaving you questioning what happened right until the very end. 

The mental health representation in this was the first time that I could understand a characters experiences the same as my own. “Now it feels like my anxiety, once pushed down to a deep dark cave in my chest, is back and in overdrive.” 

This was a cozy but tense mystery with plenty of thrill which I absolutely loved.

<Spoiler> When an Englishman is found dead following a disturbing breakdown at a party in Biddista, Jimmy Perez and Roy Taylor are left to investigate the secrets that the small community hold to find out who the killer is. 

While all of this is happening, Jimmy’s relationship with Fran Hunter is starting to develop but an incomer who plays a role in Jimmy’s case may bring that to a halt.  <spoiler/>

This is an interesting tale that leaves you wondering who to trust and what will haven next. It shows just how small and close a community can be. 

Ultimately I loved this book and the story. The characters are interesting and you end up feeling as though you are there with them.

I am always a lover of Ann Cleeves books but it is easy to tell that this book is from an earlier series as the story is not as detailed as the newer works. That aside however this is a genuinely engaging story that keeps you wondering who did it until the end. 

Each of the characters in the book have their own voice and it is easy to tell who is who throughout 

I have never given a book a one star review but it is all that I can give this book. I should have DNF’d this read but I forced my way through because I wanted to get to the end and read the next in the series. I will not be. 

The problems 

The main character in this book is Detective Dan Riley who is grieving the loss of his ex-girlfriend which is all well and good but all you hear about is “Rachel this… Rachel that…” and it is repetitive and in the end building. 

Another issue is the fact that the author uses as many mental health issues as a reason for the crimes that the murderer uses. It is extremely disrespectful and misleading. 

Thirdly the fact that the Detective gets to wrong around breaking the rules and living in his own fantasy is extremely unbelievable. There are no consequences for any of his actions. 

Lastly, the main character Dan’s chapters are in the first person POV and there is a detailed scene of him pleasuring himself which is completely unnecessary for the story. <spoiler/>

Ultimately this story made me gag