My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Beverley Jones is a first-time author for me and I had no idea what to expect other than that blurb which was terribly exciting. Psychological thrillers are dime a dozen nowadays and even though most of them manage to raise the bar in the genre, there’s a common factor in all of them, that of the reveal and truth being known by everyone around in the climax. The author has used a markedly different technique in this story and I didn’t know how happy I was with that ending. Huh, what does that say about me and my moral code? 🤔 🤔 🤔
Grace Jensen has reinvented her life in the small oceanside town of Look Out beach in Oregon. Growing up with tales of pirates and princesses in the small village of Gwyn Mawr on the Welsh coast, she has come a long way in erasing her past and recreating Lolly as Grace, the epitome of ‘good’; good mother, good wife, good friend and woman extraordinaire, designing an eco-friendly beach house that has caught the notice of the press and the community alike.
The readers are made aware of a past coming calling from the first chapter itself and the truth is revealed piecemeal by piecemeal as we grapple with the dilemma of catastrophe that has destroyed Lolly’s young life. The intensity of lurking danger is comparatively milder in the book but what ups the ante is the stunning description of the place. The atmospheric ambiance creates a feeling of claustrophobia as Grace decides to face her darkest fears. The author provides a detailed look into the surroundings and the background of the ocean provides a larger than real feel to the story. There’s also the connection to Grace’s friends and neighbors MK and Belle, whose secrets are also revealed saying much about the hidden depths a person could have behind a cheerful face.
Intriguing 4.5 stars 💦 💦 💦 💦 💧
Highly recommended to fans of psychological thrillers.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
The perfect place to hide. Or so she thought . . .
When Grace Jensen returns to her home in the ocean-front town of Lookout Beach one day, she finds a body in a pool of blood and a menacing gift left for her: a knife, a coil of rope and handcuffs.
The community of Lookout Beach are shocked by such a brutal intrusion in their safe, close-knit community – particularly to a family as successful and well-liked as the Jensens – and a police investigation begins to find the trespasser.
But Grace knows who’s after her. She might have changed her name and moved across the world, deciding to hide on the Oregon coast, but she’s been waiting seventeen years for what happened in the small Welsh town where she grew up to catch-up with her.
Grace might seem like the model neighbour and mother, but nobody in Lookout Beach – not even her devoted husband Elias – knows the real her. Or how much blood is on her hands.
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