Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from the author, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own
When each secret could be deadly and no one is truly safe...
Synopsis:
A brutal murder disrupts the serene waters of Swansea Marina. The discovery of university student Emily Hughes' lifeless body shatters the illusion of coastal tranquillity.
Detective Inspector Caren Waits is thrust into a treacherous investigation filled with deceit. As she navigates the tangled lives of a tormented ex-boyfriend, a predatory lecturer, and a friend entwined in the local drug scene, she must also confront the shadows of her late husband’s secret life.
As the body count rises, so do the stakes. With time running out and danger lurking in every corner, Caren must unravel the chilling conspiracy before it's too late. Can she expose the truth or will the depths of the marina consume her?
If you love fast-paced crime thrillers with a determined female detective, The Swansea Marina Murders will keep you hooked until the final page.
Review:
This book picks up after the events in book 2 (The Tenby Harbor Murders) in fact, it's what I love about the series- there are no long gaps-each book starts a couple of weeks later, so the reader feels like they are involved in the lives of the characters more. Caren is feeling more at ease with her squad and her boss, and starting to have a non-work life with new friends for her and her young sun. When another murder occurs, she is wondering if she's bringing the bad karma with her from her previous squad, LOL. But soon she realizes there is much more going on in the area than she realizes, and secrets from the underlying drug scene, are starting to cause more and more problems for the local cops. This homicide leads the squad back and forth with changing suspects and evidence, making for an interesting read, and a roller coaster end.
My only quibble with the series is the issues with her deceased husband, which get brought up in the beginning of the book, then a cliff hanger is dropped at the end of the book. This has happened in all 3 books, and honestly, I guessed what it was going to be at the end of book 1, and in real life, I feel like it ALL would have come out at that stage, not be dragged out for months as in the books. The trope is overdone, and I hope this is the last book in the series with it, and the author lets it evolve like it should in book 4, as the rest of the series is easily ready for a realistic TV adaptation.
About the Author:
Stephen Puleston is a writer of mysteries and thrillers, specializing in police procedural detective series. His first series features Inspector Drake, set in North Wales, with the debut novel published in 2013. He also writes a series centered around Inspector John Marco, based in Cardiff. In June 2025, he will be launching a third series featuring Inspector Caren Waits.
For many years, Stephen worked as a lawyer in a small practice, representing clients in criminal courts and handling divorce cases—an experience that has provided valuable raw material for his novels. He continues to live and work in North Wales, where the Inspector Drake novels are set.
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