The Dark Lake is the debut novel of Melbourne-based author, Sarah Bailey, and it delivered on intrigue and pathos, and the harsh realities of grief.

Local teacher, Rosalind Ryan, is found murdered, her body floating in a lake. Local Detective Sergeant, Gemma Woodstock, is assigned the case despite having attended high school with the victim, and the case is an interesting blend of personal and impersonal for her as she tries to unravel who killed Rosalind and why.

The majority of the story is told from Gemma’s perspective - with small minor character interludes that, while not strictly necessary, did provide additional insight and clues into the case - and she is an interesting woman: a dedicated - to the point of obsession - police officer, a mother, a partner, vulnerable and ambitious, and consistently stuck between decisions she doesn’t want to make and the reality of her past. There are times when she is quite unlikeable - which works perfectly for the story being told, because all of her decisions are based on her own self-interests and are very telling of who she is and where she is currently at in both her personal and professional lives.

Set in Summer, The Dark Lake has the same hot, claustrophobic feel about it, especially as the town approaches Christmas with the unsolved murder hanging over it. There’s internal and external pressures exuding forces of Gemma to solve the case to the point where it begins to take over her life and we, as readers, begin to question her objectivity.

This was a solid debut novel and a great crime book, with a victim who is so complex and mysterious that I began to question if she was actually the victim at all.

Gemma has become lead investigator of the Homicide division in her small town of Smithson through sheer grit and hard work. Being a woman detective has never been easy and earning her stripes was hard. She is determined to do the best she is capable of and she is capable of doing much. Her boss knows and trusts her with this latest assignment.

A young teacher, much liked by students and peers is found murdered and her body floats on the nearby lake. Surrounded by red roses the find is a macabre one for this town where incidents of minor robberies or a domestic violence issue is the most that the cops have to face. Is it a random killing or something more. The whole town is on edge and the Chief wants it done and dusted asap.

Nothing is what it seems like and delving into the history of the girl's family unearths a complicated background which had been hidden until now. The teacher herself though popular, is someone whom no one actually knew very well and her personal history alone is skimpy with no apparent clues as to how she lived, who her friends were and what her future plans were.

Unraveling the mystery among Gemma's own personal turmoil of partner, son and lover all clashing in the midst of an investigation was going to be an upheaval of its own. Balancing the personal with her career Gemma has to come to a decision on her personal life as well.

The story with its surprising twists and turns was told in a time line day by day which heightened the tension of the story. One knew a climax of some sort was coming which added to the interest of the story.

The setting of a small town four hours away from the nearest big city of Sydney was also descriptive and I did like how the weather in this area affected the tone of the day to day happenings in the town. That was unusual in itself.

Goodreads review up on 18/6/2017. Review on my blog up as well. Amazon is not accepting reviews as yet though customer review link is open.

Last night I started The Dark Lake by Sarah Bailey and whoa! It’s dark and creepy and exactly what you want in a thriller/suspense. I’m not all that far into it but I am looking forward to sitting down with this book later and getting a little more into it.

To those writers who can craft a novel that is full of suspense, I salute you, it’s not an easy task. And to those readers who like a gritty crime novel, put this one on your To-Read list immediately!

Here’s what you need to know:

The lead homicide investigator in a rural town, Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock is deeply unnerved when a high school classmate is found strangled, her body floating in a lake. And not just any classmate, but Rosalind Ryan, whose beauty and inscrutability exerted a magnetic pull on Smithson High School, first during Rosalind’s student years and then again when she returned to teach drama.

As much as Rosalind’s life was a mystery to Gemma when they were students together, her death presents even more of a puzzle. What made Rosalind quit her teaching job in Sydney and return to her hometown? Why did she live in a small, run-down apartment when her father was one of the town’s richest men? And despite her many admirers, did anyone in the town truly know her?

Rosalind’s enigmas frustrate and obsess Gemma, who has her own dangerous secrets–an affair with her colleague and past tragedies that may not stay in the past.

Excellent! If this is the first in a new series, I'm looking forward to learning more about the protag and supporting characters

I love to read, and I particularly love finding new writers. The Dark Lake is a debut novel by Sarah Bailey, and I hope she continues along this road. THe Dark Lake is about a murder in a small town in Australia. The victim (Rose) is an old school mate of one of the two detectives investigating the case. The detective (Gemma) is a very interesting character as written, dogged and morally ambiguous. Her character was well-developed as she dealt with her own past relationship with the victim, her relationship with her father and her son, and her relationship with her home partner and work partner. She is a complex character, and the author did an excellent job of bringing her to life. The mystery is a good one, with only a handful of plausible suspects and virtually no evidence to help the detectives. I thought I had it figured out at about the halfway point, but I wasn't sure until the final few pages. I would highly recommend The Dark Lake to all my friends who enjoy a good mystery. I hope a follow-up novel with Gemma is already in the works.

"In a suspense thriller to rival Paula Hawkins and Tana French"

Nope, stop right there.
The Tana French reference as part of the blurb really set this one up for failure, because Tana French is incredible with character development. Therefore, I had high expectations for the protagonist (Gemma) that did not measure up. I never felt like I knew her, I just knew things about her which is decidedly different from French's novels. I get it, Gemma loves her son and is having an affair. Beyond that, I didn't get the best sense of who she is as a person. Additionally, Rosalind never gets developed at all which I guess is the point; she's supposed to be ambiguous. Finally, I found the climax to be anti-climactic as well.

I know these are a lot of criticisms but I did enjoy the slow build-up of the book, the atmospheric gossip-y small town setting, and the writing itself. I'm comfortably giving it 3 stars for "I liked it" but it wasn't anything that will stand out for me in terms of excellence.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!

This is just an "OK" book. The search for the killer of a beautiful former classmate of the lead (female) married-with-kids investigator SHOULD have been the focus of the novel, as the case was interesting and the woman's death is surrounded by intrigue. Unfortunately, the author spent an inordinate -- and boring -- amount of time detailing the stupid affair between the detective and her also married-with-kids partner. I ended up skipping through lengthy paragraphs describing how they can't (or won't) keep their hands off each other, and ultimately found that sub-story slightly offensive and, worse still, of little interest. The author should have stuck to the plot and dispensed with the gratuitous and off-putting sex... which scenes are VERY easy to write (I've done it myself). Those paragraphs (of which there were MANY) served as nothing but filler to puff up the number of pages. An otherwise good story suffered death throes from it. Not recommended.

A debut novel by Sarah Bailey, The Dark Lake provides a compelling psychological drama.

DS Gemma Woodstock is a complex and not always entirely likable character. Her mother's death when she was thirteen and her boyfriend's suicide a few years later cast a pall on several aspects of her life. Her job is extremely important to her; she likes the details of investigation and is respected and valued by her boss. On the other hand, Gemma often seems insensitive, callous, or needy, and the decisions in her private life are often questionable.

The discovery of the body of Roselind Ryan, an enigmatic young teacher, shocks the community. Rose and Gemma were high school classmates, but not friends. Rose was the kind of person who charmed and intrigued others: beautiful, elusive, very private.

Gemma and her partner Felix are beset with a litany of questions, but few answers. Who would want to hurt Rose Ryan? What brought Rose back to her hometown? Is there anyone at all who had a close relationship, a more than superficial knowledge of Rose? Certainly not her family or her colleagues.

Rose's murder and the subsequent investigation have an emotional effect on Gemma, reviving memories of the past. The puzzle of Rose Ryan consumes her, but Gemma has some secrets of her own, past and present, that she is keeping.

An impressive first novel--a gripping psychological police procedural. Well-written and deftly plotted. Recommended. :)

Read in June; blog post scheduled for Sept. 14

NetGalley/Grand Central Press

Psychological/Police Procedural. Oct. 3, 2017. Print length: 400 pages.

This was a great read. A mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Great storylines with lots of plot twists. Highly recommend.

This haunting and suspenseful crime novel held my attention from beginning to end. This is a fresh and original novel that is going to be quite the fit for this debut author. I am now anxiously awaiting more releases from Sarah Bailey!

** Full review to be posted during release week **

I really loved The Dark Lake – One of those brilliantly layered human drama’s that are within the psychological thriller genre. Sarah Bailey has created some memorable and relatable characters who will stay with me – especially the victim Rosalind who even after resolution will linger in your head and make you wonder.

Gemma as a main protagonist is, to be fair, divisive. Haunted by memories of a past she can’t fix, living in a family situation she is not sure of and involved in a slightly obsessive affair, when the beautiful Rosalind is found dead it throws up some difficult challenges for her that may be beyond her ability to cope with. I felt sorry for her and at random times annoyed with her – she is certainly prone to human error both in her working and personal life. This really worked for me I was with her all the way even on the occasions I wanted to slap her.

The mystery element is clever, haunting and unpredictable – I loved the setting, descriptively speaking the author puts you right there and the surroundings added to the slightly melancholy feeling the narrative gave, that emotional core that I love to find in a book.

Overall The Dark Lake is one of the good ones – addictive and intelligent with a heavy dose of drama and a twisted mystery that may well have you guessing right up until the end. Nothing not to love here.

Yep. I’m a fan. Highly Recommended.

**Review also posted pre-release to Goodreads, Amazon upon Publication**

A lot of chaff amongst the wheat- that's this The Dark Lake. A lot should have IMO been edited out if only to keep the reader from despising some of the characters.