I’m delighted today to be joining the blog tour for the latest book from Louise Douglas, The Sea House, and sharing my review: published on 5th November by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an e-book (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback and as an audiobook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to publishers Boldwood for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
Louise has been one of my favourite authors for a considerable time now – you’ll find all the reviews if you pop her name into my search bar – and her writing since joining Boldwood has just got better with every book. Her last standalone book, The Secret of Villa Alba, was one of my 2023 Books of the Year, with its wonderful sense of place, perfect storytelling, drama and intrigue, and powerful emotional impact (you’ll find my full review here). The previous year she introduced us to Mila and Carter with The Last Notebook – a compelling murder mystery balanced by the strong emotional content she always does so wonderfully well (you’ll find my full review here). And that wasn’t the last we heard about the work of the Toussaints detective agency, or Mila’s unfolding personal story – earlier this year we were back in Morranez for a return visit with The Summer of Lies, another intriguing mystery laced with family secrets and with a real emotional depth that I equally enjoyed (you’ll find my review of that one here). And I was delighted to see that her latest book was to be another addition to that series – let’s take a closer look…
A mysterious bequest and the legacy of a tragic love – only one person can unravel the hidden secrets of the past before it’s too late…
When Elisabeth Quemener dies she leaves a small parcel with the instructions that it must only be opened by Astrid Oake. The trouble is, no one knows who Astrid Oake is…
Elisabeth’s family turn to Toussaints detective agency for help but, when Mila Shepherd and Carter Jackson try to track Astrid down, their frustration soon mounts. Their only clue is a photo of two young women holding the hands of a tiny child. The women are smiling but Mila is haunted by the sadness in their eyes. Is this Astrid and Elisabeth and if so, who is the child? And why are there signs everywhere in Elisabeth’s home that the old woman was frightened despite her living a quiet life with no known enemies?
As Elisabeth and Astrid’s story slowly unfolds, Mila feels the walls of her home The Sea House closing in. And as the secrets finally begin to reveal themselves, she is ever more determined to carry out Elisabeth’s final wishes. Because what is inside that unprepossessing parcel might just save a life…
Louise Douglas is back in the Brittany seaside town of Morranez with a heart-stopping, heart-breaking, brilliantly written and utterly compelling mystery. Perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Eve Chase and Lucinda Riley.
This is a series I really love – the characters, the settings, the relationships, the mysteries at the centre of each book, the running background story, the tension, the many shocks and surprises, just wonderful. The tense prologue to this latest book immediately hooked me in – a mother and child fleeing from a sinister and unknown threat – before the story kicked in with Mila in an off-season Morranez, taking on a new and intriguing case for the Toussaints Detective Agency. Elisabeth Quemener has left a bequest, a small package to be opened only by its intended recipient, Astrid Oake – and, with scant information, they need to track her down. And, while looking for leads, it appears that Elisabeth had secrets of her own – a life lived in fear, an unusual degree of security in her home, and a number of unanswered questions.
As always, the whole investigation is totally engrossing – taking Mila back to the UK, building steadily in tension and suspense before a stunning climax with a particularly unexpected (and ingenious) outcome, edge-of-the-seat writing at its very best. But alongside, we have the unfolding story of her own life – the investigation into the death of her sister and her husband taking a wholly unexpected turn, as she continues to care for their teenage daughter Ani. Their relationship is just so beautifully drawn – Mila has put her own life on hold, driven by her love for her niece and need to be there for her, always questioning whether what she’s doing is right or enough. Ani herself is living the life of a typical teenager, particularly challenging at times – but needing Mila’s fierce protection as uncomfortable truths begin to emerge about her family. And, through it all, Mila is still trying to sustain a relationship with fiancé Luke at home in Bristol – and to keep an eye on her mother, bitter after the end of her marriage, and often struggling.
The different threads of the story are so perfectly entwined – the mounting suspense of the investigation as it steadily unfolds, the emotional impact of some of the discoveries, set against the minutiae of everyday lives – with that wonderfully drawn wintery Breton backdrop, but also moving into more unfamiliar and chilling territory. The storytelling is just superb – left field twists and turns, developments that were disturbing and distinctly uncomfortable at times, but with moments of laughter and lightness too and the perfect emotional touch, everything so perfectly balanced.
Don’t be put off if you haven’t read any of the earlier books – there’s enough background to allow you to hit the ground running, and I do hope you’ll want to read more of this wonderful series. While the mystery of the bequest reaches a wholly satisfying end, I especially liked the fact that a few of the ongoing issues were left open – and I can’t wait to see those storylines developed further. A superb and entirely compelling read, and one I really couldn’t recommend more highly.
About the author
Louise Douglas is the bestselling and brilliantly reviewed author of novels including The Love of my Life and Missing You – a RNA award winner. The Secrets Between Us was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. She lives in the West Country. Louise’s first book for Boldwood, The House by the Sea was published in March 2020, has sold more than a quarter of a million copies, and was the winner of the RNA Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller award.
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Really looking forward to reading this – it’s just arrived on my Kindle.
Loved this too and can confirm it’s absolutely readable without having read the earlier books. Great review Anne!