Where the Dead Go

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       August 9, 2019

 

Author  Sarah Bailey

Distributor:      Allen and Unwin
ISBN:                 9781760529321
Publisher:         Allen and Unwin
Release Date:   August 2019  

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As with her two previous books, Sarah Bailey has written a tightly woven murder mystery in Where The Dead Go. There are many twists and turns in this story, with the complexities of the case slowly unravelling. The characters are well rounded and believable, while Gemma, the Inspector in charge of the case, still has her demons. She often thinks of an earlier case and how things are similar and hopes for a different outcome. The tension in this story is created by the unique storytelling of the author and doesn’t need gratuitous violence or description to carry the plot.

Inspector Gemma Woodstock has just lost a loved friend. He was the father of her child Ben. To help them both overcome the sadness of the time, the Inspector accepts a job in a small country town. Her reputation has preceded her, and she is not accepted by her co- workers. Along with a difficult murder, Gemma needs to look after her son and cope with her own demons.

A teenager has gone missing, and her boyfriend is found violently murdered the next day. As in previous stories, the author has the reader wondering how the two issues are linked. There could be many scenarios for the unravelling of the truth, and Gemma and her team need to follow each thread until they find the answers to the puzzle. The father of the missing girl is a violent, sadistic man who has terrorised his family for many years. The issues of drugs are raised, to complicate matters.

It is always refreshing to read a story set in Australia. This mystery takes place in a small country town south of Byron Bay. The climate is integrated into the story, and of course, the sea is used as a refreshing break by all. The Inspector’s son, Ben, is cared for by a local while she investigates the crime, and she also uncovers a cold case murder that took place over twenty years ago. Could they be linked?

Enjoy the uncertainty!