‘Karen Munday would never know her son was dead.’ As Karen Munday and her son, Daniel, both meet their untimely end in very different circumstances, the small ferry port of Newhaven is rife with speculation about the circumstances surrounding their deaths. With its eclectic mixture of glass-balconied apartments which contrast with the areas filled with a decrepit pub and breeze-block lock-ups, is this the perfect place for a murder or two, or does a simple answer lie beneath the waves? The deaths of Karen and Daniel Munday are not the only secrets that Newhaven is trying to bury at the bottom of the ocean. Toni, a detective with a chequered past that seems to want to come back to haunt her, is tasked with the investigation of the murders. Despite her deep-rooted hatred of the murder victim, Toni knows that there is no backing down. She is determined to solve the mystery. However, when the clues lead a little too close to home, Will Toni’s integrity be called in to question? This is the setting for our next book review titled ‘Death of a Mermaid by Lesley Thomson published by Head of Zeus. Keep on reading if you are keen to know what happens next…
Accept, forgive, disappoint,
Who needs to know?
I had an inheritance from my father
And I said no.
What I thought of the book
Crime or thrillers are not my usual genre as I’m a stickler for a happy ending. However, if you’re looking for something that will ease you into suspense and intrigue, then this book is definitely worth your time. I have to admit, I had to skip back to the beginning of the book briefly a few times just to get my head around who the characters were and how they were linked to each other, but isn’t this what any good detective would do when piecing together the clues?
The narrative has you following Freddy back to her home of Newhaven after leaving under a cloud years earlier. I definitely didn’t get my usual feel-good kick as the complex and brooding character of her brother Ricky, her kleptomaniac police officer of a ‘friend’, Toni and the elusive Mags, confuse, betray and disregard Freddy in quick succession. However, what I did get is a narrative that hooks you in with its clues and red herrings- pardon the pun I couldn’t resist-and characters that evoke a range of emotions as you read. I detested and pitied Karen Munday in equal measure and throughout the narrative, you realise that her quest for control and power is shown through her intense desire to be a mermaid. What Karen doesn’t know is that, while mermaids can be enchanting and mesmerising, Freddy is made acutely aware that they can be linked to perilous events and betrayal often comes where you least expect it.
The narrative is written from a third-person point of view which means that you are able to dip into the lives of the different characters without the associated emotion. This adds to the suspense as some of the characters are tricky customers to work out! Death of a Mermaid is the perfect size for a thriller with 401 pages: enough to hold your attention but not too many that it makes you want to skip to the end to find out who is responsible. If you enjoy a smackerel of intrigue and tension and you like your characters complicated and mysterious, this is definitely a book you’ll want to reel in!
How much is the book and how can you buy it?
You can purchase the standalone thriller in either ebook format for £4.99 or paperback for £8.99 here.
About the Author
Lesley Thomson grew up in west London. Her first novel, A Kind of Vanishing, won the People’s Book Prize in 2010. Her second novel, The Detective’s Daughter, was a #1 bestseller and the series has sold over 750,000 copies. Visit her website at lesleythomson.co.uk.
About the Book
Author: Lesley Thomson
Publisher: Head of Zeus Ltd
ISBN: 9781788549714
Pages: 401
Review by: Row Jukes
You may also want to read this:
Book Review: Art and Soul by Claire Huston
Book Review: A Messy Affair written by Elizabeth Mundy
Book Review: 20 West by Steve Ford, published by 20 West
* Disclaimer: We were given a copy of the book in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.
20 comments
This book sounds great, I was hoping to read so much more during lockdown than I’ve achieved so far!
You still have time! I try to read for at least an hour before bedtime now
Oo this sounds like my kind of book – I love reading a book with a bit of suspense in it 🙂
How wonderful! Hope you get a copy of the book
This sounds like a really interesting book with the two interweaving deaths going on and being told from a third perspective. I think I’ll have to check it out.
If you love crime thrillers, this is the book for you
This sounds like a great book to read, the only problem I have with books with suspence in, is that I can not put them down
I have to agree, a good book such as this is hard to put down
This book sounds right up my street – the synopsis is intriguing and crime and thrillers are my favourite genre. I might just have to give this a read!
Hope you do Rebecca, it is a fab book
Sounds like an interesting book, I enjoy books that challenge me and make me think
How wonderful to hear that Kara
Sounds like a really interesting read! I’m always looking for new suggestions. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
You are welcome Catherine
Thrillers are not my usual pick either, but this book sounds right up my Mom’s fence lol. I’ll let her see your review!
Thank you so much!
I would love to pick this up as soon as i am done with my current read! The book seems very interesting…Thanks for the review.
You are welcome Chad, worth checking it out
Thank you so much for the recommendation! I love suspense and intrigue so I’ll definitely read this book!
Fantastic, and good luck with the read