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A rural community rocked by a dark murder mystery and a detective with an even darker secret threatens to turn Detective Gemma Woodstock's life upside down.
When local beauty, Rosalind Ryan is found face down surrounded by roses in a lake, Gemma, a former classmate of Rosalind's and now a member of the police force is called in to lead the investigation.
The Dark Lake is layered with complexity through protagonist Gemma as she steadily unravels the mystery surrounding the murder while simultaneo ...more
When local beauty, Rosalind Ryan is found face down surrounded by roses in a lake, Gemma, a former classmate of Rosalind's and now a member of the police force is called in to lead the investigation.
The Dark Lake is layered with complexity through protagonist Gemma as she steadily unravels the mystery surrounding the murder while simultaneo ...more
So many brilliant contemporary crime novels being published in Austalia right now! It’s like a new Golden Age of detective novels. And like the Golden Age of the 30s in Great Britain, many of the writers of this new great Australian flowering are women. In recent months I’ve read and loved books by Jane Harper, Dervla McTiernan, and Emma Viskic, and now I need to add debut author Sarah Bailey to the list. The Dark Lake really is bloody brilliant!
Set in a small rundown Australian town, the story ...more
Set in a small rundown Australian town, the story ...more
Sep 10, 2017
Terri
added it
Ugh, tricked into reading my least favourite genre by a misleading blurb. Crime fiction at its plodding worst.
I like to find somewhat unknown authors, (hence the amount of debut novels I read) and when I saw a review for this one on Twitter, I instantly ordered a copy.
A very atmospheric novel with a very engaging storyline, and some very relatable characters thrown in for good measure.
With recent international hype about the (very good) debut novel "The Dry" by Jane Harper, I'm surprised Aussie mystery/thriller/crime fiction isn't getting more attention. It should be, and this one should be right up the ...more
A very atmospheric novel with a very engaging storyline, and some very relatable characters thrown in for good measure.
With recent international hype about the (very good) debut novel "The Dry" by Jane Harper, I'm surprised Aussie mystery/thriller/crime fiction isn't getting more attention. It should be, and this one should be right up the ...more
The Dark Lake was Bailey's debut novel, and what a cracker!
The narrator, Gemma, is terribly flawed, but in a very realistic way. Mother to a young boy, she's trying to balance being a police detective - an all-consuming round-the-clock job - with the pressures of parenthood and being in a relationship. I especially felt the moment when she was running late to get her son from childcare - we've all been there! And when she realises how detached she is from her mothers group, the pressure just get ...more
The narrator, Gemma, is terribly flawed, but in a very realistic way. Mother to a young boy, she's trying to balance being a police detective - an all-consuming round-the-clock job - with the pressures of parenthood and being in a relationship. I especially felt the moment when she was running late to get her son from childcare - we've all been there! And when she realises how detached she is from her mothers group, the pressure just get ...more
Gemma Woodstock is a police officer with a lot of baggage and is struggling to live in the now. She is having an affair with her partner, is trying to make it as a woman in a man's world and now an old school friend and drama school teacher has been found dead. Everyone wants an answer and Gemma is trying to walk a very fine line.
For a debut novel it is a corker. Bailey has captured the incessant hear of Australia, the difficulties of working and living in a town where everyone knows your busin ...more
For a debut novel it is a corker. Bailey has captured the incessant hear of Australia, the difficulties of working and living in a town where everyone knows your busin ...more
Hugely disappointing after having read The Dry. I found the main character really annoying and selfish - it was all about her and the case dragged on interminably. I got halfway and nothing much had happened. I hoped the second half would be better but no. By the time there's a "solve" it's an anti-climax and I really didn't give a toss. I was by then completely bored. I just wanted the book to be over finally.
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3.5*
A well-written, atmospheric debut, set in a small NSW town. The ending was somewhat inconclusive, & the bushfires seemed an unnecessary addition, but the story was generally good & I'll try the next in the series.
Gemma Woodstock is an unlikeable character & too much time was spent on her self-destructive actions, but I suppose the trauma she experienced on p.4 of the book would have played havoc with her psyche whether she was somewhat relieved or not. The victim was also an unlikeable & man ...more
A well-written, atmospheric debut, set in a small NSW town. The ending was somewhat inconclusive, & the bushfires seemed an unnecessary addition, but the story was generally good & I'll try the next in the series.
Gemma Woodstock is an unlikeable character & too much time was spent on her self-destructive actions, but I suppose the trauma she experienced on p.4 of the book would have played havoc with her psyche whether she was somewhat relieved or not. The victim was also an unlikeable & man ...more
Gemma Woodstock is a homicide detective in a small Australian country town, Smithsonian. Rosalind Ryan a teacher at the local high school is found dead down by the lake. Gemma went to school with Rosalind, also called Rose, and she was in awe of her, she was beautiful, but also a bit mysterious. Gemma is investigating Rose’s death with her colleague, Felix, who she is also having an affair with. Her life is a mess, she is not really happy with Scott, her partner and father of her son, Ben. This
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Jan 24, 2017
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