The Girls Across The Bay (The Knox and Shepphard Mysteries, Book 1) by Emerald O’Brien – Review by Ashleigh Whitwell
The Girls Across The Bay by Emerald O’Brien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Girls Across the Bay is the first of the instalment of the Knox and Sheppard series. It’s a mystery/thriller that follows the lives of two foster sisters, their careers and how they are merged together under some tragic circumstances. This was a detailed read and I loved how much we were thrown into the characters and their world. Although a longer read, I found I couldn’t put this down and finished it in one Sunday-afternoon sitting. If you love a good mystery and strong family ties, this is definitely the book for you!
This is one of those books that had me hooked from the moment I read the blurb. Not only was it creepy, it also mentioned two of my favourite careers to read about: detective and journalist. Don’t ask me why, but I just love characters in these lines of work; I find them so interesting and fun to read! With Grace and Madigan also being family, I knew this was going to be a book I would enjoy. And the story did not disappoint. While it took me a while to get my head around the logistics and connections of the plot, I can’t deny that I was hooked on the story from the very beginning. The elusiveness of Grace and Madigan’s past is enough to keep you interested but throw in a murder, some romance and colleague rivalry, and you have the makings for a really entertaining read. Seeing Grace and Madigan battle with their colleagues was one of my favourite parts of this book, even if it was a little frustrating at times!
The murder of a local women is the heart of the story and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good murder mystery? The investigation of the crime was actually really well paced and well written. It didn’t drag on for too long, nor did it feel rushed and unnatural, which can often be the case with mysteries when they are too romance heavy. I liked the twist of having Madigan’s journalist career involved in the investigation, too, as this offered a different perspective to things.
If you can’t already tell, I really enjoyed this book. After being in a bit of a reading slump, this has definitely peaked my interests and got me back into a reading mood, especially for mysteries. This was a fab start to a new series and I know I will be buying the rest of the books. Thanks to the author for such a great read!
Review by @ashleighw
