Seven years ago, two ten-year-old boys got into trouble at sea. When only one returns to shore, a shadow is cast upon the village-style Sandbank.
On the anniversary of the accident the surviving boy, now seventeen, disappears without trace. As the police are involved, tensions run high along The Sandbank. No one is above suspicion, neighbours and lifelong friends alike.
As secrets surface and desperation heightens the link between the two incidents becomes undeniable, but how exactly are the two connected and who has been less than truthful?
When I saw Clarke’s new offering available for request on NetGalley I downloaded it to my Kindle at once. Having thoroughly enjoyed all her other works I couldn’t wait to get started.
The story started equally as mysteriously as its predecessors, opening with the main event and twisting its way back through a plot that had me second guessing until the last page. This book was full of the delicious descriptions that Clarke has become renowned for - the smells, sounds and sights of this coastal destination are all as tangible as though you were staying on The Sandbank yourself.
However, I found myself easily distracted and unable to fully get lost within the pages like usual. The characters became irritating rather than intriguing and I didn’t feel I had any empathy for either Isla or Sarah’s situations. The story itself was still first-rate but perhaps not as strong as some of the others by this author.
** Thank you to HarperCollins UK, via NetGalley, for this ARC **