sundeviljewels's review
3.0
More 3.5. Lots of build up, didn’t guess whodunit. After the reveal, there were only 10 more pages left in the book. The main character is a hot mess, but I do like a female detective
bobmccatface's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
starlightreader2000's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I absolutely love stories that are full of adventure, mystery, and complexity. Unlike many stories, the protagonist and the victim in this one are not the innocent and good person. Every character has their own secrets and bad intentions. Surprisingly, the victim of the story has more sins and cynical motives than anyone else. Meanwhile, the main character, who is the detective, has a past that has caught up with her. The story makes you question everything and leaves you feeling a bit confused about which side to take. Despite the unsatisfying ending, I still felt a sense of satisfaction.
annieb123's review
5.0
Review published originally on my reading blog Nonstop Reader.
This is a standalone mystery thriller by Sarah Bailey on Hatchette's Grand Central imprint. It's set around the Christmas holidays in Australia. Detective Gemma Woods, who grew up in the small town where she still lives, has to investigate the sensational murder of the local drama and English teacher, who had recently moved back to the area. The case is complicated by the fact that Gemma had a lot of unhappy past history with the beautiful victim, as well as trying to work through the massive train-wreck of her personal life. That the train-wreck is largely of her own making doesn't help matters and she tries to work through her past trauma and not let her current situation negatively impact her work. Gemma is imperfect and it really works for the narrative that the author doesn't shy away from that.
Really beautifully written with palpable tension. The interplay between the spectacularly imperfect Gemma and the people around her is so deftly handled. The dialogue is perfectly written and never forced or wooden. I can't remember the last time I read a debut novel which was so polished and finished and enjoyably readable. I am a mystery thriller fanatic and really enjoyed the denouement and wrap-up. The clues and info are all there, and the payoff is well written and exciting.
The setting (a small rural town in Australia called Smithson) is well written and integral to the plotting. The fact that it's in the southern hemisphere means that they're heading into the hottest weather of the year, so there's also a danger of wildfires. The descriptions are so well written, it's easy to set yourself into the scenery.
The book is a hefty 440 pages (Kindle edition) but moves along at a good pace and didn't drag for me. I never lost my engagement with the book and finished it over the course of a few evenings. It's very unusual for me to read one book exclusively during my reading time (commute, during breaks during the day, pre-bedtime reading etc), and this one definitely captivated my attention during my spare time.
Definitely an author and series to watch.
Five stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
This is a standalone mystery thriller by Sarah Bailey on Hatchette's Grand Central imprint. It's set around the Christmas holidays in Australia. Detective Gemma Woods, who grew up in the small town where she still lives, has to investigate the sensational murder of the local drama and English teacher, who had recently moved back to the area. The case is complicated by the fact that Gemma had a lot of unhappy past history with the beautiful victim, as well as trying to work through the massive train-wreck of her personal life. That the train-wreck is largely of her own making doesn't help matters and she tries to work through her past trauma and not let her current situation negatively impact her work. Gemma is imperfect and it really works for the narrative that the author doesn't shy away from that.
Really beautifully written with palpable tension. The interplay between the spectacularly imperfect Gemma and the people around her is so deftly handled. The dialogue is perfectly written and never forced or wooden. I can't remember the last time I read a debut novel which was so polished and finished and enjoyably readable. I am a mystery thriller fanatic and really enjoyed the denouement and wrap-up. The clues and info are all there, and the payoff is well written and exciting.
The setting (a small rural town in Australia called Smithson) is well written and integral to the plotting. The fact that it's in the southern hemisphere means that they're heading into the hottest weather of the year, so there's also a danger of wildfires. The descriptions are so well written, it's easy to set yourself into the scenery.
The book is a hefty 440 pages (Kindle edition) but moves along at a good pace and didn't drag for me. I never lost my engagement with the book and finished it over the course of a few evenings. It's very unusual for me to read one book exclusively during my reading time (commute, during breaks during the day, pre-bedtime reading etc), and this one definitely captivated my attention during my spare time.
Definitely an author and series to watch.
Five stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
elle_loves_reading's review
4.0
I enjoyed this murder mystery from Sarah Bailey. The story was told in alternating timelines, the past and the present, eventually meeting at the explosive end. The main character didn't come across as very likeable to me, but I was intrigued by her past and how much it had to do with the present. Will come back for more in The Dark Lake series
tface's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
vperkins13mk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
_franreads's review
4.0
very entertaining and suspenseful, love characters were not supposed to love.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
A stunning debut by Sarah Bailey set in Smithson, Australia, The Dark Lake is an absolutely riveting police procedural starring the deeply flawed but sympathetic Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock.
A police detective in the same small town she grew up in, Gemma is used to sometimes knowing victims of crimes she investigates. However, she is shocked to learn the murder victim in her newest case is Rosalind Ryan, a former classmate of hers. Gemma and her partner Detective Sergeant Felix McKinnon are soon stymied by the lack of evidence at the scene. Equally frustrating is their inability to get a sense of who the victim was prior to her death. Seemingly loved by all who knew her, there is scant information about her life and her relationships. Then there is Gemma's puzzling personal history with the victim which is slowly revealed as she hunts for Rosalind's killer.
Gemma is a brilliant detective but her personal life is a mess. She lives with her partner Scott and their young son Ben, but she is definitely not firmly committed to her relationship since she is currently embroiled in a passionate affair. Although Gemma loves her son, she is not overly maternal and she is more dedicated to her job than she is to either Scott or Ben. As the bits and pieces of her somewhat tragic past are revealed, the reasons for her fear of commitment become clear. Gemma is a sympathetic character but it is easy to become impatient with her lack of honesty in both her personal and professional lives.
The investigation into Rosalind's murder is virtually at a standstill from the start. Despite her family's wealth, she lived a seemingly quiet life with no friends or romantic entanglements. Most everyone at the high school has nothing but kind things to say about her, but the discovery of possible trouble at her previous job raises some very intriguing questions. An unsubstantiated rumor about Rosalind's involvement with one of her students is just one of the avenues of inquiry that Gemma and Felix explore as they try to unearth a possible suspect or even a motive for the murder.
The Dark Lake seamlessly weaves back and forth between events from Gemma's past and the murder investigation in the present. The search for Rosalind's killer often takes a backseat to Gemma's unsettled personal life, but these glimpses into Gemma's past and present are absolutely fascinating. Sarah Bailey does a bang up job of keeping the killer's identity and motive for the crime carefully underwraps until the novel's adrenaline laced and action packed conclusion. An outstanding beginning to the Gemma Woodstock series that will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next installment.
A stunning debut by Sarah Bailey set in Smithson, Australia, The Dark Lake is an absolutely riveting police procedural starring the deeply flawed but sympathetic Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock.
A police detective in the same small town she grew up in, Gemma is used to sometimes knowing victims of crimes she investigates. However, she is shocked to learn the murder victim in her newest case is Rosalind Ryan, a former classmate of hers. Gemma and her partner Detective Sergeant Felix McKinnon are soon stymied by the lack of evidence at the scene. Equally frustrating is their inability to get a sense of who the victim was prior to her death. Seemingly loved by all who knew her, there is scant information about her life and her relationships. Then there is Gemma's puzzling personal history with the victim which is slowly revealed as she hunts for Rosalind's killer.
Gemma is a brilliant detective but her personal life is a mess. She lives with her partner Scott and their young son Ben, but she is definitely not firmly committed to her relationship since she is currently embroiled in a passionate affair. Although Gemma loves her son, she is not overly maternal and she is more dedicated to her job than she is to either Scott or Ben. As the bits and pieces of her somewhat tragic past are revealed, the reasons for her fear of commitment become clear. Gemma is a sympathetic character but it is easy to become impatient with her lack of honesty in both her personal and professional lives.
The investigation into Rosalind's murder is virtually at a standstill from the start. Despite her family's wealth, she lived a seemingly quiet life with no friends or romantic entanglements. Most everyone at the high school has nothing but kind things to say about her, but the discovery of possible trouble at her previous job raises some very intriguing questions. An unsubstantiated rumor about Rosalind's involvement with one of her students is just one of the avenues of inquiry that Gemma and Felix explore as they try to unearth a possible suspect or even a motive for the murder.
The Dark Lake seamlessly weaves back and forth between events from Gemma's past and the murder investigation in the present. The search for Rosalind's killer often takes a backseat to Gemma's unsettled personal life, but these glimpses into Gemma's past and present are absolutely fascinating. Sarah Bailey does a bang up job of keeping the killer's identity and motive for the crime carefully underwraps until the novel's adrenaline laced and action packed conclusion. An outstanding beginning to the Gemma Woodstock series that will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next installment.