The cover and the setting are what attracted me to this particular novel. Also, it was set during the Christmas season, so for me it was a seasonal read. I had never read anything by this author, so didn’t know exactly what to expect…

The setting didn’t disappoint, a spectacularly renovated old house near the sea in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

The police presence in the novel were appealing characters. diminutive DCI Jane Owen, her team, and her paraplegic sister, Meg were all interesting to read about.  The other characters, Sara, Bette, and Mike were all highly unlikable and what’s more… highly unreliable. I personally found the volatile Bette to be particularly grating. Sara, though she was quiet and self-effacing, was simultaneously devious and cunning.

Several themes run through this thriller. Parental guilt, missing persons, and foremost… revenge.

With a twisty plot and unreliable characters this novel was – on the surface at least – just what I like in a thriller. The underlying meat of the novel fell short of my expectations however. Though I can’t really put my finger on the reasons, this novel just wasn’t wholly to my taste.

 I read this title via my Kindle Unlimited subscription. All opinions are my own. Publisher: Bloodhound Books – ASIN:  ‎ B09C6PBGWC – 228 pages

One of the first British female singer-songwriters, Florrie’s songs have been recorded by many, including Agnetha Faltskog – the blonde from Abba – Manfred Mann, Mike Rutherford of Genesis, Elaine Paige and Sheena Easton. Her biggest hits were recorded by Sheena Easton, who secured the number one spot in America for six weeks with 9-5 (Morning Train) resulting in a platinum record followed by a number 12 with When He Shines.

In 1994, Florrie wrote a comic novel based on her experiences in the music business called Never Final Till it’s Vinyl.

The Decoy was her first venture into crime fiction. Her second crime novel is Cliff Edge. Having lived in various English counties, as well as the South of France and Italy, Florrie Palmer now lives in Cambridge.

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