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The Shark
Every monster has a weakness.
At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer dubbed The Shark stalks a beachside suburb, targeting young female swimmers whose bodies are later found on the shoreline.
Disempowered and angry at the failures of the police to protect them, two young women are hell-bent on revenge. Raych has lost someone and will go to any length to discover what happened to her, while Carmen suspects her own disturbing connection to the killer.
Together they form an uneasy alliance and, in a moment that changes the trajectory of their lives, Carmen and Raych abduct and imprison the prime suspect. Do they think they can save the day, or are their intentions darker? Can they trust one another's agenda? And when another young woman goes missing, what stops them from going to the police?
A dark and voice-led serial killer thriller that subverts the tropes of crime fiction at every turn, The Shark is an unforgettably propulsive novel about victimhood, power and autonomy.
At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer dubbed The Shark stalks a beachside suburb, targeting young female swimmers whose bodies are later found on the shoreline.
Disempowered and angry at the failures of the police to protect them, two young women are hell-bent on revenge. Raych has lost someone and will go to any length to discover what happened to her, while Carmen suspects her own disturbing connection to the killer.
Together they form an uneasy alliance and, in a moment that changes the trajectory of their lives, Carmen and Raych abduct and imprison the prime suspect. Do they think they can save the day, or are their intentions darker? Can they trust one another's agenda? And when another young woman goes missing, what stops them from going to the police?
A dark and voice-led serial killer thriller that subverts the tropes of crime fiction at every turn, The Shark is an unforgettably propulsive novel about victimhood, power and autonomy.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2026
About the author
Emma Styles
2 books42 followersEmma Styles writes contemporary Australian noir about young women taking on the patriarchy. She grew up on Whadjuk Noongar Country in Perth, Western Australia and now lives in London where she was born. Emma loves a road trip and once sat out a cyclone on the north west coast of WA in a LandCruiser Troop Carrier. She is less afraid of great white sharks than she should be, and hopeless at surfing.
Emma has an MA in crime fiction from the University of East Anglia. Her debut novel, No Country for Girls, won the Little, Brown UEA Crime Fiction Award in 2020 and will be published by Sphere in the UK in July 2022, and by Hachette in Australia and New Zealand in September.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
March 15, 2026
EXCERPT: I turned north towards home. I was thinking about the coming night, yet another Sunday, about the pattern of girls disappearing, and what I was going to do.
I can't think about him too hard or I lose my nerve. His MO. What condition the bodies have been in when they've been found each time by an unlucky beachgoer. Only once was it a dog walker, so it's not always the way they show it in the movies.
The Polaris task force has never released details, not one whisper of a leak to the media, but there's always someone with a smartphone on the scene these days. The first time, they thought the girl, Christine Taylor-Watkins, was a genuine shark fatality. That is, until other evidence came to light.
ABOUT 'THE SHARK': Every monster has a weakness.
At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer dubbed The Shark stalks a beachside suburb, targeting young female swimmers whose bodies are later found on the shoreline.
Disempowered and angry at the failures of the police to protect them, two young women are hell-bent on revenge. Raych has lost someone and will go to any length to discover what happened to her, while Carmen suspects a disturbing connection to the killer.
Together they form an uneasy alliance and, in a moment that changes the trajectory of their lives, Carmen and Raych abduct and imprison the prime suspect. Do they think they can save the day, or are their intentions darker? Can they trust one another's agenda? And when another young woman goes missing, what stops them from going to the police?
MY THOUGHTS: I wanted to love The Shark but I found it disjointed and impossible to like either of the main characters, Raych and Carmen. Sometimes I love to hate a character, but I couldn't even ramp up that much emotion for either of them. Both these negatives made it impossible for me to become fully invested in The Shark and I struggled to read to the end.
In all fairness, the final portion of the book ramped up the tension and flowed better, but by then I was unable to overcome my disappointment and really didn't care.
⭐⭐.2
#TheShark #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: EMMA STYLES writes contemporary Australian noir about young women taking on the patriarchy. She grew up on Whadjuk Noongar Country in Perth, Western Australia and now lives in London where she was born. Emma loves a road trip and once sat out a cyclone on the north west coast of WA in a LandCruiser Troop Carrier. She is less afraid of great white sharks than she should be, and hopeless at surfing.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Australia and New Zealand via NetGalley for providing a DRC of >i>The Shark by Emma Styles for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
I can't think about him too hard or I lose my nerve. His MO. What condition the bodies have been in when they've been found each time by an unlucky beachgoer. Only once was it a dog walker, so it's not always the way they show it in the movies.
The Polaris task force has never released details, not one whisper of a leak to the media, but there's always someone with a smartphone on the scene these days. The first time, they thought the girl, Christine Taylor-Watkins, was a genuine shark fatality. That is, until other evidence came to light.
ABOUT 'THE SHARK': Every monster has a weakness.
At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer dubbed The Shark stalks a beachside suburb, targeting young female swimmers whose bodies are later found on the shoreline.
Disempowered and angry at the failures of the police to protect them, two young women are hell-bent on revenge. Raych has lost someone and will go to any length to discover what happened to her, while Carmen suspects a disturbing connection to the killer.
Together they form an uneasy alliance and, in a moment that changes the trajectory of their lives, Carmen and Raych abduct and imprison the prime suspect. Do they think they can save the day, or are their intentions darker? Can they trust one another's agenda? And when another young woman goes missing, what stops them from going to the police?
MY THOUGHTS: I wanted to love The Shark but I found it disjointed and impossible to like either of the main characters, Raych and Carmen. Sometimes I love to hate a character, but I couldn't even ramp up that much emotion for either of them. Both these negatives made it impossible for me to become fully invested in The Shark and I struggled to read to the end.
In all fairness, the final portion of the book ramped up the tension and flowed better, but by then I was unable to overcome my disappointment and really didn't care.
⭐⭐.2
#TheShark #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: EMMA STYLES writes contemporary Australian noir about young women taking on the patriarchy. She grew up on Whadjuk Noongar Country in Perth, Western Australia and now lives in London where she was born. Emma loves a road trip and once sat out a cyclone on the north west coast of WA in a LandCruiser Troop Carrier. She is less afraid of great white sharks than she should be, and hopeless at surfing.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Australia and New Zealand via NetGalley for providing a DRC of >i>The Shark by Emma Styles for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Shark is a deeply disturbing and dark thriller set in the coats of Western Australia. Both main characters are broken women and not easy to like at all but you do feel for them both and what they have suffered in their lives. It is an emotional story, unsettling and graphic in parts. Not the easiest read, and based on the real life Claremont Stalker.
Carmen and Raych are sick of violence against women in their town. Both have hard upbringings and don’t like each much to begin with, but they are united in their quest to stop the serial killer stalking women in their area, known as The Shark. They will stop at nothing to get him, even using themselves as a trap. They are angry women, with their own reasons for putting themselves in such dangerous situations.
This is a revenge story, one with quite an emotional underpinned story
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia for/NZ for my advanced copy to read. Out in the world on March 10th.
Carmen and Raych are sick of violence against women in their town. Both have hard upbringings and don’t like each much to begin with, but they are united in their quest to stop the serial killer stalking women in their area, known as The Shark. They will stop at nothing to get him, even using themselves as a trap. They are angry women, with their own reasons for putting themselves in such dangerous situations.
This is a revenge story, one with quite an emotional underpinned story
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia for/NZ for my advanced copy to read. Out in the world on March 10th.
May 3, 2026
A serial killer hunts his prey like a shark, leaving grisly remains and a murder weapon as elusive as an icicle.
A random thoughts style review to come, opposed to the usual formatted one:
-appealing title (shark + serial killer = a must have)
-set in Perth in the Cottesloe area
-Cottesloe is known for shark attacks, Perth for the real life serial killer that was at large for too long, this book capitalises on both
-several Jaws references
-largely a non-police investigation angle
-two protagonists are seeming to get to the bottom of the matter, but from different angles, yin and yang, though both moody and secretive
-I lacked the patience for the perpetual, “can I trust you?” vibe mixed with the, “I have a secret agenda” trope
-the killer(s) (see no spoilers…the opening line was just for show) was/were original enough (and no, I didn’t get it right…)
-the method of murder: glad it wasn’t me i.e. a 10 on the fear and pain scale
-gore level: actually quite low, like a 3 (no bodily damage description I can recall)
-the implicated: hmm, didn’t buy all of it but fair enough I guess
-the mystery/clues: they were there-ish, since this was a non-police investigation, and without access to the forensics, it’s no wonder they bumbled their way through it. I loved the reveal about how and why the victims met their bitter end, especially the how
-the cons: the melodrama between the protagonists had me skipping dialogue but it was still fine
-# pages could have been snipped by 50 pages
A random thoughts style review to come, opposed to the usual formatted one:
-appealing title (shark + serial killer = a must have)
-set in Perth in the Cottesloe area
-Cottesloe is known for shark attacks, Perth for the real life serial killer that was at large for too long, this book capitalises on both
-several Jaws references
-largely a non-police investigation angle
-two protagonists are seeming to get to the bottom of the matter, but from different angles, yin and yang, though both moody and secretive
-I lacked the patience for the perpetual, “can I trust you?” vibe mixed with the, “I have a secret agenda” trope
-the killer(s) (see no spoilers…the opening line was just for show) was/were original enough (and no, I didn’t get it right…)
-the method of murder: glad it wasn’t me i.e. a 10 on the fear and pain scale
-gore level: actually quite low, like a 3 (no bodily damage description I can recall)
-the implicated: hmm, didn’t buy all of it but fair enough I guess
-the mystery/clues: they were there-ish, since this was a non-police investigation, and without access to the forensics, it’s no wonder they bumbled their way through it. I loved the reveal about how and why the victims met their bitter end, especially the how
-the cons: the melodrama between the protagonists had me skipping dialogue but it was still fine
-# pages could have been snipped by 50 pages
March 21, 2026
4.5★s
The Shark is the second novel by award-winning Australian author, Emma Styles. When he regains consciousness, the young man’s wrists and ankles are cable-tied. He realises he’s on the back seat of his own car, the captive of two teenage girls…
Over the last eighteen months, a serial killer is taking young women from the Perth suburb of Cottesloe Beach. All of them, four so far, excel at watersports; all wash up on nearby beaches looking like victims of a shark attack. The police have set up the Polaris task force, but locals are frustrated at their lack of progress. Police have singled out one man for interrogation and search, but no arrest has been made.
Neil Fraser Lock has stated on TV that he drives the streets at night to keep young women safe, but for many, he’s the prime suspect. Her FIFO father frequently absent, eighteen-year-old and motherless, Raych Valenti, resorts to what looks like very risky behaviour: presenting herself as a target for the man who has been dubbed The Shark. It’s the only way, she is convinced, that she can find out what he did with her girlfriend, Piper, almost a year ago.
Carmen Chase has been watching them both with increasing exasperation: she has her own reasons for the covert surveillance. She can’t remember what happened on that night, before she was stuck in the psych ward for attacking her foster-sister, but she knows Lock was there, she recognised his voice, and needs him to tell her. Is there a connection with the women he’s taken…?
Despite very different agendas, the two somehow find themselves taking Lock captive. But in trying to find out what they want to know, they encounter multiple hurdles.
Apart from the prologue, Styles employs two narrators to deliver the story, and it’s soon clear that Carmen’s narrative is not a reliable one. She dissociates under stress, and has blackouts where she can’t remember what she has done, or how she got there. Several characters are less than honest so it’s often not apparent what the real facts are. The action ramps up to a nail-biting climax, and even the most astute reader will be surprised by the reveal. Definitely a page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Australia.
The Shark is the second novel by award-winning Australian author, Emma Styles. When he regains consciousness, the young man’s wrists and ankles are cable-tied. He realises he’s on the back seat of his own car, the captive of two teenage girls…
Over the last eighteen months, a serial killer is taking young women from the Perth suburb of Cottesloe Beach. All of them, four so far, excel at watersports; all wash up on nearby beaches looking like victims of a shark attack. The police have set up the Polaris task force, but locals are frustrated at their lack of progress. Police have singled out one man for interrogation and search, but no arrest has been made.
Neil Fraser Lock has stated on TV that he drives the streets at night to keep young women safe, but for many, he’s the prime suspect. Her FIFO father frequently absent, eighteen-year-old and motherless, Raych Valenti, resorts to what looks like very risky behaviour: presenting herself as a target for the man who has been dubbed The Shark. It’s the only way, she is convinced, that she can find out what he did with her girlfriend, Piper, almost a year ago.
Carmen Chase has been watching them both with increasing exasperation: she has her own reasons for the covert surveillance. She can’t remember what happened on that night, before she was stuck in the psych ward for attacking her foster-sister, but she knows Lock was there, she recognised his voice, and needs him to tell her. Is there a connection with the women he’s taken…?
Despite very different agendas, the two somehow find themselves taking Lock captive. But in trying to find out what they want to know, they encounter multiple hurdles.
Apart from the prologue, Styles employs two narrators to deliver the story, and it’s soon clear that Carmen’s narrative is not a reliable one. She dissociates under stress, and has blackouts where she can’t remember what she has done, or how she got there. Several characters are less than honest so it’s often not apparent what the real facts are. The action ramps up to a nail-biting climax, and even the most astute reader will be surprised by the reveal. Definitely a page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Australia.
June 7, 2026
The Shark is a deeply disturbing psychological thriller about two young women who meet briefly while committed to a psychiatric facility. They meet up again quite by chance when they each, for quite different reasons, are trying to find a serial killer dubbed The Shark. This is a true psychological thriller because what each girl has gone through has definitely affected their psyches in ways you could never imagine. The details of Carmen’s dissociation and blackouts and what they led her to believe were fascinating.
July 24, 2026
Decent storyline, very interesting at the end. I enjoyed watching the two women, both with major flaws themselves, try to do better for other women since the police cannot stop this serial killer.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Emma Styles, and Dreamscape media for my copy of this audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Emma Styles, and Dreamscape media for my copy of this audiobook.
March 24, 2026
2,5 stars
This thriller set on the coast of Western Australia has a strong premise, especially with its nod to the real-life Claremont case and the unsettling idea of a serial killer dubbed The Shark targeting young swimmers. It’s dark and the two main characters are messy, damaged young women. The dual POVs felt disjointed—Carmen’s especially, with the blurred line between reality and her own mind making the story harder to follow. The pacing is slow, the unreliable narration added confusion rather than suspense. I also struggled to connect with the characters or believe some of their actions. The level of independence given to two 18-year-olds in such dangerous circumstances felt unrealistic, and the absentee or underdeveloped parental figures didn’t help ground the story. Several plot elements—like the ex-police officer—felt underexplored and left more questions than answers. Overall, the book had potential, but the uneven structure and confusing storytelling made it a tough read for me.
This thriller set on the coast of Western Australia has a strong premise, especially with its nod to the real-life Claremont case and the unsettling idea of a serial killer dubbed The Shark targeting young swimmers. It’s dark and the two main characters are messy, damaged young women. The dual POVs felt disjointed—Carmen’s especially, with the blurred line between reality and her own mind making the story harder to follow. The pacing is slow, the unreliable narration added confusion rather than suspense. I also struggled to connect with the characters or believe some of their actions. The level of independence given to two 18-year-olds in such dangerous circumstances felt unrealistic, and the absentee or underdeveloped parental figures didn’t help ground the story. Several plot elements—like the ex-police officer—felt underexplored and left more questions than answers. Overall, the book had potential, but the uneven structure and confusing storytelling made it a tough read for me.
March 14, 2026
A serial killer nicknamed The Shark has been causing chaos as his victim toll rises. Each girl he targets is a swimmer, found washed up on the beach with evidence of having been victim of a shark attack.
Nearly a year after her girlfriend disappeared Raych is spending her time watching the man the police believe could be linked to the attacks. She finds herself circling a young woman, Carmen, who seems to know a lot more about events than she perhaps ought to.
This thriller sounded intriguing, but it really wasn’t what I expected.
The two female characters were damaged women, desperate to put an end to the violence that surrounds them and prepared to go to any lengths in order to achieve this. There were parts of this story that were confusing, and the ending rather came out of nowhere.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
Nearly a year after her girlfriend disappeared Raych is spending her time watching the man the police believe could be linked to the attacks. She finds herself circling a young woman, Carmen, who seems to know a lot more about events than she perhaps ought to.
This thriller sounded intriguing, but it really wasn’t what I expected.
The two female characters were damaged women, desperate to put an end to the violence that surrounds them and prepared to go to any lengths in order to achieve this. There were parts of this story that were confusing, and the ending rather came out of nowhere.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
June 13, 2026
* thanks to Dreamscape Media for the NetGalley review copy (pub date: June 1, 2026)
(( audiobook ))
Despite what sounded like an excellent premise, this was a slog and a half to get through even when I skipped a whole bunch of chapters and cranked it up to 2.5x speed to just get it over with. There definitely should have been two narrators because I often couldn't tell which girl was which (even at my initally normal listening speed). Everything was super repetitious, and I hated Carmen's whole character setup with her blank spots in her memory about "THAT NIGHT" and blah blah and OMG the ending was beyond absurd. I don't think I will be reading future books by this author.
(( audiobook ))
Despite what sounded like an excellent premise, this was a slog and a half to get through even when I skipped a whole bunch of chapters and cranked it up to 2.5x speed to just get it over with. There definitely should have been two narrators because I often couldn't tell which girl was which (even at my initally normal listening speed). Everything was super repetitious, and I hated Carmen's whole character setup with her blank spots in her memory about "THAT NIGHT" and blah blah and OMG the ending was beyond absurd. I don't think I will be reading future books by this author.
Did Not Finish
March 13, 2026I really loved the sound of this — it wasn’t what I was expecting at all, and unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
I couldn’t get on board with the writing style whatsoever.
The writing was very descriptive, and I personally prefer books that dive into the action quickly.
I think some people will love this, but it wasn’t for me!
I couldn’t get on board with the writing style whatsoever.
The writing was very descriptive, and I personally prefer books that dive into the action quickly.
I think some people will love this, but it wasn’t for me!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Shark is a tension filled read from start to finish with a prologue that certainly got my attention.
Set in the Cottesloe area of Perth, a number of women have gone missing, with their bodies washing up on local beaches.
Raych's friend Piper disappeared in an instant one night never to be seen again. Carmen, who found the body of the first victim, feels drawn to the killer. When these two girls pair up to do what they feel the police aren't doing, the tension really starts.
With a slightly disjointed feel to it, this story was sometimes hard to follow, and with Carmen in particular not trusting her own recollections I found that I was not sure if I was understanding all that was happening.
The last quarter ramped up and it was very nail-biting indeed. An interesting story and a different take on the different aspects of a crime and the people involved.
Set in the Cottesloe area of Perth, a number of women have gone missing, with their bodies washing up on local beaches.
Raych's friend Piper disappeared in an instant one night never to be seen again. Carmen, who found the body of the first victim, feels drawn to the killer. When these two girls pair up to do what they feel the police aren't doing, the tension really starts.
With a slightly disjointed feel to it, this story was sometimes hard to follow, and with Carmen in particular not trusting her own recollections I found that I was not sure if I was understanding all that was happening.
The last quarter ramped up and it was very nail-biting indeed. An interesting story and a different take on the different aspects of a crime and the people involved.
April 6, 2026
All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com
A serial killer is terrorising Cottesloe, a coastal suburb in Western Australia. Young women are disappearing, only to be found dead a few days later. The press has dubbed the killer ‘The Shark’. Raych firmly believes her best friend, Piper, was a victim of The Shark, despite there being no body. Piper has been missing for nearly one year, having vanished without a trace on a night out. Raych is furious, heartbroken and absolutely fed up with the local police for taking no real action. They have a suspect who they’re monitoring, but without solid evidence, they can’t arrest him. So girls keep vanishing. Carmen, who unbeknownst to anyone, found the first victim on the beach, feels she has her own dark connection to The Shark. When a new victim is taken by the killer, Carmen and Raych join unlikely forces. Taking matters into their own hands, they kidnap the prime suspect. Playing with fire, and in well over their heads, how far will they go to catch a serial murderer….
The Shark is a tense, dark, taut thriller full of furious female rage, which I was 100% there for. Raych has always loved her best friend, Piper. She just didn’t know how deeply Piper’s feelings ran until the night she disappeared. Now, Raych would do anything to find her. Including putting herself up as bait, hoping the killer will choose her next. Raych is a strong, determined young woman seeking answers, full of anger towards the local authorities and the killer himself. Prepared to pay the ultimate price and sacrifice herself in order to know the truth. She’s not very likeable, but I found myself very much on her side. I wanted her to discover the truth, no matter how difficult it was to hear. More importantly though, I wanted her to survive the ordeal. Even if that wasn’t what she wanted for herself. Carmen is a very different character to Raych. There’s a darkness there which I found highly intriguing. I couldn’t work her out, but that only drew me in all the more.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Shark is a compelling, intricate, character-driven thriller with two utterly fascinating, strong female leads. They’re damaged and unstoppable in their mission. I thoroughly enjoyed every dark second of this book. It’s multi-layered and beautifully paced. The characters are glorious (in a flawed, edgy way) and blur the lines between victim and monster. Do you have to become a monster to trap a monster? The ending convinced me this book should be made into a movie. Thrilling, full of menace and with bucketloads of fear. The danger and the peril are written so well. I was there in the moment with the characters, holding my breath. Just fabulous. All in all, The Shark is a compulsive, character-driven thriller. Something a bit different to everything else out there, and I loved it. Recommended.
A serial killer is terrorising Cottesloe, a coastal suburb in Western Australia. Young women are disappearing, only to be found dead a few days later. The press has dubbed the killer ‘The Shark’. Raych firmly believes her best friend, Piper, was a victim of The Shark, despite there being no body. Piper has been missing for nearly one year, having vanished without a trace on a night out. Raych is furious, heartbroken and absolutely fed up with the local police for taking no real action. They have a suspect who they’re monitoring, but without solid evidence, they can’t arrest him. So girls keep vanishing. Carmen, who unbeknownst to anyone, found the first victim on the beach, feels she has her own dark connection to The Shark. When a new victim is taken by the killer, Carmen and Raych join unlikely forces. Taking matters into their own hands, they kidnap the prime suspect. Playing with fire, and in well over their heads, how far will they go to catch a serial murderer….
The Shark is a tense, dark, taut thriller full of furious female rage, which I was 100% there for. Raych has always loved her best friend, Piper. She just didn’t know how deeply Piper’s feelings ran until the night she disappeared. Now, Raych would do anything to find her. Including putting herself up as bait, hoping the killer will choose her next. Raych is a strong, determined young woman seeking answers, full of anger towards the local authorities and the killer himself. Prepared to pay the ultimate price and sacrifice herself in order to know the truth. She’s not very likeable, but I found myself very much on her side. I wanted her to discover the truth, no matter how difficult it was to hear. More importantly though, I wanted her to survive the ordeal. Even if that wasn’t what she wanted for herself. Carmen is a very different character to Raych. There’s a darkness there which I found highly intriguing. I couldn’t work her out, but that only drew me in all the more.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Shark is a compelling, intricate, character-driven thriller with two utterly fascinating, strong female leads. They’re damaged and unstoppable in their mission. I thoroughly enjoyed every dark second of this book. It’s multi-layered and beautifully paced. The characters are glorious (in a flawed, edgy way) and blur the lines between victim and monster. Do you have to become a monster to trap a monster? The ending convinced me this book should be made into a movie. Thrilling, full of menace and with bucketloads of fear. The danger and the peril are written so well. I was there in the moment with the characters, holding my breath. Just fabulous. All in all, The Shark is a compulsive, character-driven thriller. Something a bit different to everything else out there, and I loved it. Recommended.
June 19, 2026
I think my degree in marine biology added at least a little to my enjoyment of The Shark. The marine references woven throughout the story were some of my favourite parts of the book, and the recurring Jaws nods were always something I enjoyed coming across.
At its core, this is a story of women taking vengeance into their own hands. The two FMCs, Raych and Carmen, are messy, flawed and driven by grief, trauma and obsession. They make plenty of questionable decisions along the way, but I found myself invested in both of their journeys and what had pushed them to this point.
This ended up being a much more character-driven thriller than I expected. The mystery surrounding The Shark often felt secondary to the exploration of female rage, revenge and what happens when people feel justice has failed them. While I appreciated those themes, I did find the pacing quite slow through large sections of the novel and found myself wanting a little more urgency.
What kept me reading was knowing everything was building towards something, and for me the payoff was worth it. The final act is electric. The tension ramps up dramatically, the danger finally feels immediate, and I flew through the last part of the book. Considering how cinematic parts of the story already felt, particularly the darker serial killer storyline and Raych and Carmen’s pursuit of justice, I could easily see this working as a movie or limited TV series.
Overall, I enjoyed the marine biology elements, the darker themes and following Raych and Carmen’s journey. The pacing held it back from being a higher rating for me, but I’m glad I picked it up.
At its core, this is a story of women taking vengeance into their own hands. The two FMCs, Raych and Carmen, are messy, flawed and driven by grief, trauma and obsession. They make plenty of questionable decisions along the way, but I found myself invested in both of their journeys and what had pushed them to this point.
This ended up being a much more character-driven thriller than I expected. The mystery surrounding The Shark often felt secondary to the exploration of female rage, revenge and what happens when people feel justice has failed them. While I appreciated those themes, I did find the pacing quite slow through large sections of the novel and found myself wanting a little more urgency.
What kept me reading was knowing everything was building towards something, and for me the payoff was worth it. The final act is electric. The tension ramps up dramatically, the danger finally feels immediate, and I flew through the last part of the book. Considering how cinematic parts of the story already felt, particularly the darker serial killer storyline and Raych and Carmen’s pursuit of justice, I could easily see this working as a movie or limited TV series.
Overall, I enjoyed the marine biology elements, the darker themes and following Raych and Carmen’s journey. The pacing held it back from being a higher rating for me, but I’m glad I picked it up.
Did Not Finish
June 10, 2026When a young female swimmer goes missing on Cottesloe beach, at first everyone thinks it's a shark. But when it happens again, and again, it is clear it's the work of The Shark, a serial killer stalking the Perth suburbs. A great setup, and I was intrigued by the unique perspective - told from the point of view of two teenage girls who are set on solving the case themselves.
Unfortunately, these two characters did not work for me at all and I found the novel frustrating. I tend to dislike the trope of teens saving the world from incompetent adults. I also found their actions and perspectives completely unrealistic and unrelatable. They have absolutely no self-interest at all and their behaviours make no sense. I get that they are supposed to be nihilistic because of mental illness and troubled circumstances, but I didn't believe it. I also found the two girls interchangable and indistinguishable. It might have helped if there were two different narrators in the audiobook. The audio performer did an excellent job though.
I hate to give such a negative review. This book has a lot of fans and it may just be me feeling impatient and in a bad mood.
Thanks netgalley for the chance to listen to this ALC.
Unfortunately, these two characters did not work for me at all and I found the novel frustrating. I tend to dislike the trope of teens saving the world from incompetent adults. I also found their actions and perspectives completely unrealistic and unrelatable. They have absolutely no self-interest at all and their behaviours make no sense. I get that they are supposed to be nihilistic because of mental illness and troubled circumstances, but I didn't believe it. I also found the two girls interchangable and indistinguishable. It might have helped if there were two different narrators in the audiobook. The audio performer did an excellent job though.
I hate to give such a negative review. This book has a lot of fans and it may just be me feeling impatient and in a bad mood.
Thanks netgalley for the chance to listen to this ALC.
June 9, 2026
The Shark by Emma Styles was such an intense, gripping read! This twisty thriller follows two broken young women as they find themselves facing off against a true apex predator, and the tension never lets up.
This story is graphic, unsettling, and definitely not for the faint of heart, but it completely held my attention from beginning to end. Just when I thought I knew where things were heading, another twist would pull me right back in. The atmosphere was dark and suspenseful, and I found myself flying through the pages to see how it would all unfold.
If you enjoy thrillers that are gritty, disturbing, and packed with tension, this one is well worth picking up. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and couldn’t put it down.
This story is graphic, unsettling, and definitely not for the faint of heart, but it completely held my attention from beginning to end. Just when I thought I knew where things were heading, another twist would pull me right back in. The atmosphere was dark and suspenseful, and I found myself flying through the pages to see how it would all unfold.
If you enjoy thrillers that are gritty, disturbing, and packed with tension, this one is well worth picking up. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and couldn’t put it down.
March 13, 2026
I was immediately drawn into the world of Carmen and Raych and this dark and disturbing story. Told in the first person by these two young women. Both had tough upbringings and both not massively likeable. They met briefly in a psychiatric ward, and somehow come together trying to trap 'The Shark' a brutal serial killer preying on the young women of Cottesloe near Perth in Australia.
Their methods are questionable at best, but the story is utterly gripping. I found I couldnt turn the pages fast enough, especially when it came to the last quarter.
Im not sure ive read anything quite like this before, this tense and dark, but i loved it.
Their methods are questionable at best, but the story is utterly gripping. I found I couldnt turn the pages fast enough, especially when it came to the last quarter.
Im not sure ive read anything quite like this before, this tense and dark, but i loved it.
June 18, 2026
Very dark novel
May 27, 2026
This thriller had such a promising premise. Sharks AND a serial killer? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the concept for me. As an audiobook especially, it really needed two narrators, one for each main character. Raych and Carmen felt so similar that the only reliable way to tell them apart was through the POV style, and because the narrator used nearly identical voices for both, I found myself constantly confused about who was who. The plot also becomes pretty tangled with all the double-crossing and shifting loyalties, which added to the overall muddled feeling. The ending was stronger, and I appreciated that the sharks finally played a bigger role, but by then it felt a little too late to fully win me back over.
May 30, 2026
4.5★s
The Shark is the second novel by award-winning Australian author, Emma Styles. The audio version is narrated by Nicolette Chin. When he regains consciousness, the young man’s wrists and ankles are cable-tied. He realises he’s on the back seat of his own car, the captive of two teenage girls…
Over the last eighteen months, a serial killer is taking young women from the Perth suburb of Cottesloe Beach. All of them, four so far, excel at watersports; all wash up on nearby beaches looking like victims of a shark attack. The police have set up the Polaris task force, but locals are frustrated at their lack of progress. Police have singled out one man for interrogation and search, but no arrest has been made.
Neil Fraser Lock has stated on TV that he drives the streets at night to keep young women safe, but for many, he’s the prime suspect. Her FIFO father frequently absent, eighteen-year-old and motherless, Raych Valenti, resorts to what looks like very risky behaviour: presenting herself as a target for the man who has been dubbed The Shark. It’s the only way, she is convinced, that she can find out what he did with her girlfriend, Piper, almost a year ago.
Carmen Chase has been watching them both with increasing exasperation: she has her own reasons for the covert surveillance. She can’t remember what happened on that night, before she was stuck in the psych ward for attacking her foster-sister, but she knows Lock was there, she recognised his voice, and needs him to tell her. Is there a connection with the women he’s taken…?
Despite very different agendas, the two somehow find themselves taking Lock captive. But in trying to find out what they want to know, they encounter multiple hurdles.
Apart from the prologue, Styles employs two narrators to deliver the story, and it’s soon clear that Carmen’s narrative is not a reliable one. She dissociates under stress, and has blackouts where she can’t remember what she has done, or how she got there. Several characters are less than honest so it’s often not apparent what the real facts are. The action ramps up to a nail-biting climax, and even the most astute reader will be surprised by the reveal. Definitely a page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Dreamscape media
The Shark is the second novel by award-winning Australian author, Emma Styles. The audio version is narrated by Nicolette Chin. When he regains consciousness, the young man’s wrists and ankles are cable-tied. He realises he’s on the back seat of his own car, the captive of two teenage girls…
Over the last eighteen months, a serial killer is taking young women from the Perth suburb of Cottesloe Beach. All of them, four so far, excel at watersports; all wash up on nearby beaches looking like victims of a shark attack. The police have set up the Polaris task force, but locals are frustrated at their lack of progress. Police have singled out one man for interrogation and search, but no arrest has been made.
Neil Fraser Lock has stated on TV that he drives the streets at night to keep young women safe, but for many, he’s the prime suspect. Her FIFO father frequently absent, eighteen-year-old and motherless, Raych Valenti, resorts to what looks like very risky behaviour: presenting herself as a target for the man who has been dubbed The Shark. It’s the only way, she is convinced, that she can find out what he did with her girlfriend, Piper, almost a year ago.
Carmen Chase has been watching them both with increasing exasperation: she has her own reasons for the covert surveillance. She can’t remember what happened on that night, before she was stuck in the psych ward for attacking her foster-sister, but she knows Lock was there, she recognised his voice, and needs him to tell her. Is there a connection with the women he’s taken…?
Despite very different agendas, the two somehow find themselves taking Lock captive. But in trying to find out what they want to know, they encounter multiple hurdles.
Apart from the prologue, Styles employs two narrators to deliver the story, and it’s soon clear that Carmen’s narrative is not a reliable one. She dissociates under stress, and has blackouts where she can’t remember what she has done, or how she got there. Several characters are less than honest so it’s often not apparent what the real facts are. The action ramps up to a nail-biting climax, and even the most astute reader will be surprised by the reveal. Definitely a page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Dreamscape media
March 20, 2026
The Shark follows Raych and Carmen, who form an uneasy alliance when the police fail to protect them from a serial killer known as The Shark. So when another girl vanishes, Raych and Carmen take matters into their own hands - by kidnapping the prime suspect. But as their interrogation spirals, horrifying truths surface on both sides of the table. The clock is ticking to save the missing girl. And in their quest for justice, they must face the darkest question of all: have they caught a monster - or become one?
The Shark is an incredibly written serial killer thriller that had me completely hooked. The premise alone was enough to grab my attention, and the prologue immediately set the tone for a tense, dark, and gripping story.
The narrative is told through the dual perspectives of Raych and Carmen, two complex and often unreliable characters. Neither of them are particularly loveable, yet their motives and questionable decisions did make them feel human and is a testament to how well they were written.
I loved the Australian setting, especially the clever, chilling play on sharks. This element heightened the sense of danger and amplified the fear surrounding ‘The Shark’, creating a visceral and psychologically tormenting atmosphere.
The plot is unsettling, revenge-driven, and packed with suspense from start to finish. It’s morally complex, constantly challenging you to decipher who the true monster is, yet that keeps the tension sharp throughout. This unease brought depth to an already intricate, twisty story, leaving me second-guessing the characters, the narrative, and myself. Then, everything builds to a dark, harrowing ending that I personally loved.
Thank you so much to Hannah and The Crime Vault for sending me this copy to read and review. My opinions are my own.
The Shark is an incredibly written serial killer thriller that had me completely hooked. The premise alone was enough to grab my attention, and the prologue immediately set the tone for a tense, dark, and gripping story.
The narrative is told through the dual perspectives of Raych and Carmen, two complex and often unreliable characters. Neither of them are particularly loveable, yet their motives and questionable decisions did make them feel human and is a testament to how well they were written.
I loved the Australian setting, especially the clever, chilling play on sharks. This element heightened the sense of danger and amplified the fear surrounding ‘The Shark’, creating a visceral and psychologically tormenting atmosphere.
The plot is unsettling, revenge-driven, and packed with suspense from start to finish. It’s morally complex, constantly challenging you to decipher who the true monster is, yet that keeps the tension sharp throughout. This unease brought depth to an already intricate, twisty story, leaving me second-guessing the characters, the narrative, and myself. Then, everything builds to a dark, harrowing ending that I personally loved.
Thank you so much to Hannah and The Crime Vault for sending me this copy to read and review. My opinions are my own.
March 26, 2026
(3.5 stars)
I picked up The Shark because I enjoyed No Country for Girls. Like that book, The Shark, has a pair of female protagonists: Carmen and Raych. I found it a bit hard to distinguish between for the first half of the book, though by the end the author had built up their distinct characters: "Carmen's not like me. She's cautious, not impulsive. So I turned myself way down, like a Bunsen burner on the lowest flame before it snuffs itself out."
The premise of the book relies upon you believing the young women’s actions relating to a serial killer operating in the Cottesloe Beach area of Western Australia. While I liked Nao’s and Charlie’s fierce characters in the first book, I wasn’t as convinced by Carmen and Raych stalking and torturing a man they identified as a serial killer. Even Raych seemed aware their actions were way beyond what a normal person would do: "But events were overtaking me so fast I had whiplash, and normal was back down the road someplace."
What I did like was the way the book centralised an event that changed the people close to it. In this case it was "the bull shark attack on Roman Smith at North Fremantle". I also like the way it worked with the problematic nature of memory with a person who has complex trauma: "Carmen has felt connected to the murders. Some days she's even thought she must be doing them and not remembering it. Because her brain doesn't remember things in a joined up way like a story".
I picked up The Shark because I enjoyed No Country for Girls. Like that book, The Shark, has a pair of female protagonists: Carmen and Raych. I found it a bit hard to distinguish between for the first half of the book, though by the end the author had built up their distinct characters: "Carmen's not like me. She's cautious, not impulsive. So I turned myself way down, like a Bunsen burner on the lowest flame before it snuffs itself out."
The premise of the book relies upon you believing the young women’s actions relating to a serial killer operating in the Cottesloe Beach area of Western Australia. While I liked Nao’s and Charlie’s fierce characters in the first book, I wasn’t as convinced by Carmen and Raych stalking and torturing a man they identified as a serial killer. Even Raych seemed aware their actions were way beyond what a normal person would do: "But events were overtaking me so fast I had whiplash, and normal was back down the road someplace."
What I did like was the way the book centralised an event that changed the people close to it. In this case it was "the bull shark attack on Roman Smith at North Fremantle". I also like the way it worked with the problematic nature of memory with a person who has complex trauma: "Carmen has felt connected to the murders. Some days she's even thought she must be doing them and not remembering it. Because her brain doesn't remember things in a joined up way like a story".
March 24, 2026
‘The Shark’ is utterly superb!!! Emma Styles has written an electrifying story that rips right through the ‘serial killer’ genre and makes it into something breathtakingly new and original. Gripping, immersive, unflinching, heart-pumping. From chapter to chapter, through the alternating voices of Raych and Carmen, we follow their mission to ensnare the killer targeting their neighbourhood. But both characters are keeping secrets from each other, and as my allegiances switched back and forth, I found myself cheering on Raych or Carmen, or quaking at their actions, Everything that happens in the book, each truth or lie, each revelation, is rooted in the characters and their world, their families, their past histories. I really enjoyed piecing together the layers, and the thrill of those sudden moments of acceleration where the story took a new turn. The writing is glorious, from the razor-sharp dialogue, to the emotionally charged moments of introspection, to the vividly evocative setting on the coast of Western Australia. The author calibrates each story beat with such precision, and I was kept in suspense right through to the very end. I had to actively stop myself inhaling the book in one sitting, as I wanted to relish every word, and I was totally enthralled by Raych and Carmen, and intoxicated by their sass, their hellbent convictions, their full-throttle courage. Wow. I loved every page. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!!!
April 5, 2026
Time taken to read - 3 days
Pages - 311
Publisher - Sphere
Source - ARC
Blurb from Goodreads
At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer dubbed The Shark stalks a beachside suburb, targeting young female swimmers whose bodies are later found on the shoreline.
Disempowered and angry at the failures of the police to protect them, two young women are hell-bent on revenge. Raych has lost someone and will go to any length to discover what happened to her, while Carmen suspects her own disturbing connection to the killer.
Together they form an uneasy alliance and, in a moment that changes the trajectory of their lives, Carmen and Raych abduct and imprison the prime suspect. Do they think they can save the day, or are there intentions darker? Can they trust one another's agenda? And when another young woman goes missing, what stops them from going to the police?
A dark and voice-led serial killer thriller that subverts the tropes of crime fiction at every turn, The Shark is an unforgettably propulsive novel about victimhood, power and autonomy from Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize-winner Emma Styles.
My Review
I loved the idea of this one, anything with sharks for me is a win let alone flinging a serial killer into the mix. The book chapters, so the first and opening is a male kidnapped by two females and then the chapters are split and alternate between Raych and Carmen. Raych talks about how it starts with her and Carmen and how they "met" not counting the three days they spent together in a mental health facility. They have both been stalking the same guy, the killer, Raych lost someone she loved, her bestie and the police have let them down, all of the victims. Carmen has her own reasons for wanting him and together they both fall together and end up unlikely allies.
So the book really took me a bit to settle to, both the girls have their own issues, mental health, home life but they have the same goal. Finding the person responsible for the deaths of local girls who are star swimmers, the girls have the same goal.
It is chaotic, choppy, disorganised and I think it adds weight to how troubled both girls are for different reasons but it did make things a struggle for me. There is a lot of ground covered in the book, we flip flop about to what they girls experienced, their time together in a mental health care facility, their issues. For Raych her sexuality and her encounter with her bestie right before she disappeared so there is a lot of emotion and unresolved questions let alone what actually happened to her. Is the killer stashing her somewhere. The plan is simple, kidnap the bad guy and do what is needed to get the answers they seek whilst avoiding the cops and if able, find and save Raych's best friend Piper.
The first three quarters was a bit of a rough ride for me. I did want to know more about the girls, why is Carmen's sister such a horror. What did happen to Piper, will Raych find her friend, will the killer admit to everything? I also was expecting there to be more sharks but I always want more when it comes to sharks lol. It was just a bit all over the place for me until the last quarter and then I really felt it came into itself, evened out and got a grip on what was happening. This was my first time reading this author, I would read her again but hoping the narrators are a wee bit more reliable, 3/5 for me.
Pages - 311
Publisher - Sphere
Source - ARC
Blurb from Goodreads
At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer dubbed The Shark stalks a beachside suburb, targeting young female swimmers whose bodies are later found on the shoreline.
Disempowered and angry at the failures of the police to protect them, two young women are hell-bent on revenge. Raych has lost someone and will go to any length to discover what happened to her, while Carmen suspects her own disturbing connection to the killer.
Together they form an uneasy alliance and, in a moment that changes the trajectory of their lives, Carmen and Raych abduct and imprison the prime suspect. Do they think they can save the day, or are there intentions darker? Can they trust one another's agenda? And when another young woman goes missing, what stops them from going to the police?
A dark and voice-led serial killer thriller that subverts the tropes of crime fiction at every turn, The Shark is an unforgettably propulsive novel about victimhood, power and autonomy from Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize-winner Emma Styles.
My Review
I loved the idea of this one, anything with sharks for me is a win let alone flinging a serial killer into the mix. The book chapters, so the first and opening is a male kidnapped by two females and then the chapters are split and alternate between Raych and Carmen. Raych talks about how it starts with her and Carmen and how they "met" not counting the three days they spent together in a mental health facility. They have both been stalking the same guy, the killer, Raych lost someone she loved, her bestie and the police have let them down, all of the victims. Carmen has her own reasons for wanting him and together they both fall together and end up unlikely allies.
So the book really took me a bit to settle to, both the girls have their own issues, mental health, home life but they have the same goal. Finding the person responsible for the deaths of local girls who are star swimmers, the girls have the same goal.
It is chaotic, choppy, disorganised and I think it adds weight to how troubled both girls are for different reasons but it did make things a struggle for me. There is a lot of ground covered in the book, we flip flop about to what they girls experienced, their time together in a mental health care facility, their issues. For Raych her sexuality and her encounter with her bestie right before she disappeared so there is a lot of emotion and unresolved questions let alone what actually happened to her. Is the killer stashing her somewhere. The plan is simple, kidnap the bad guy and do what is needed to get the answers they seek whilst avoiding the cops and if able, find and save Raych's best friend Piper.
The first three quarters was a bit of a rough ride for me. I did want to know more about the girls, why is Carmen's sister such a horror. What did happen to Piper, will Raych find her friend, will the killer admit to everything? I also was expecting there to be more sharks but I always want more when it comes to sharks lol. It was just a bit all over the place for me until the last quarter and then I really felt it came into itself, evened out and got a grip on what was happening. This was my first time reading this author, I would read her again but hoping the narrators are a wee bit more reliable, 3/5 for me.
April 13, 2026
A very skilfully rendered mixing of Things That Happened (a serial killer, shark attacks, swimming to Rottnest) in Perth, WA in the late 1900s, early 2000s, with a lot of fiction and imagination thrown in. Having spent a lot of time in and around the areas the book is centred, I did find that added to the enjoyment, but the descriptions will put you there in any case - the overly hot summer days, the storm threatening but not delivering, the endless blue skies.
Carmen’s, adopted into a family she doesn’t quite fit, and Rachel’s, on the verge of having to leave all she knows to follow her dad’s work in the Pilbara (far, far north) worlds collide when they believe they know the serial killer stalking the affluent western suburbs of Perth. Events unfold, and he is their captive, but what happens with their prisoner, and the events with the police investigation, and family intervention, means they’re in much more danger than they’d have anticipated, and now have to fight for their actual lives, and the lives of loved ones, against a force they hadn’t reckoned with.
(Hard to write a review without sounding clunky, but there were so many twists and back stories, anything more would have me click the ‘spoilers’ tab)
Carmen’s, adopted into a family she doesn’t quite fit, and Rachel’s, on the verge of having to leave all she knows to follow her dad’s work in the Pilbara (far, far north) worlds collide when they believe they know the serial killer stalking the affluent western suburbs of Perth. Events unfold, and he is their captive, but what happens with their prisoner, and the events with the police investigation, and family intervention, means they’re in much more danger than they’d have anticipated, and now have to fight for their actual lives, and the lives of loved ones, against a force they hadn’t reckoned with.
(Hard to write a review without sounding clunky, but there were so many twists and back stories, anything more would have me click the ‘spoilers’ tab)
March 22, 2026
★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
The Shark by Emma Styles had a genuinely compelling premise—an Australian thriller centred around a serial killer staging shark attacks—which immediately drew me in. It’s a unique and interesting concept, and there were definitely moments where that originality came through.
However, I found the execution quite uneven. The novel felt disjointed, particularly in the beginning, with a slow and often confusing start that made it feel like a bit of a slog to get through. The chapters are quite long, which didn’t help the pacing, and the use of two unreliable narrators added to the confusion rather than building tension. Instead of feeling intrigued, I often felt like I was trying to piece together what was going on.
One of my biggest issues was with the characters. I struggled to connect with any of them, and many of their actions and behaviours didn’t feel believable for their age or circumstances. The idea that two 18-year-olds could operate with so much independence—while dealing with such serious situations—without raising more concern from the adults around them felt unrealistic. The absentee parenting, particularly with Rachel’s father working FIFO, also didn’t ring true for me. There’s very little exploration of how that arrangement actually functions—no clear sense of timing, no support systems in place, and no mention of supervision, extended family, or even basic logistics like transport. As someone who has worked in schools for years, I found this difficult to believe, especially given the level of risk the girls were exposed to.
Similarly, the dynamic with Carmen’s adoptive parents felt underdeveloped. There’s a sense of neglect or disinterest, but not enough explanation or backstory to make that feel grounded. The same can be said for Carmen’s relationship with Alexis—while there are hints of jealousy and tension, some of Alexis’s behaviour feels extreme without enough buildup to support it.
There were also several character and plot elements that didn’t feel fully thought through. The inclusion of the ex-police officer, for example, raised more questions than it answered. The hinted backstory (including possible PTSD) didn’t add much to the narrative, and the relationship between her and Rachel wasn’t clearly established. It left me wondering why this character was there at all beyond providing a convenient connection.
On a smaller scale, there were moments that pulled me out of the story entirely—whether it was dialogue that didn’t feel authentic, or procedural details that didn’t quite add up. Even things like bringing in a team from Sydney, or certain language choices, felt off and disrupted my immersion.
Thematically, the novel sets itself up as a story about young women taking on the patriarchy, but this didn’t really come through in a meaningful way. Instead, much of the behaviour came across as chaotic and impulsive rather than empowering, which made the theme feel underdeveloped and, at times, a bit misplaced.
That said, the pacing did improve significantly towards the end. The final section was much more action-packed and engaging, and I found myself more interested in how things would play out. There were some strong ideas here—particularly the central concept of using shark attacks as a cover for something more sinister—but I don’t think they were fully realised.
Overall, The Shark had a lot of potential and an original premise, but for me it was let down by uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of narrative cohesion.
Thank you to Emma Styles, Hachette Australia & New Zealand, and NetGalley for the ARC.
The Shark by Emma Styles had a genuinely compelling premise—an Australian thriller centred around a serial killer staging shark attacks—which immediately drew me in. It’s a unique and interesting concept, and there were definitely moments where that originality came through.
However, I found the execution quite uneven. The novel felt disjointed, particularly in the beginning, with a slow and often confusing start that made it feel like a bit of a slog to get through. The chapters are quite long, which didn’t help the pacing, and the use of two unreliable narrators added to the confusion rather than building tension. Instead of feeling intrigued, I often felt like I was trying to piece together what was going on.
One of my biggest issues was with the characters. I struggled to connect with any of them, and many of their actions and behaviours didn’t feel believable for their age or circumstances. The idea that two 18-year-olds could operate with so much independence—while dealing with such serious situations—without raising more concern from the adults around them felt unrealistic. The absentee parenting, particularly with Rachel’s father working FIFO, also didn’t ring true for me. There’s very little exploration of how that arrangement actually functions—no clear sense of timing, no support systems in place, and no mention of supervision, extended family, or even basic logistics like transport. As someone who has worked in schools for years, I found this difficult to believe, especially given the level of risk the girls were exposed to.
Similarly, the dynamic with Carmen’s adoptive parents felt underdeveloped. There’s a sense of neglect or disinterest, but not enough explanation or backstory to make that feel grounded. The same can be said for Carmen’s relationship with Alexis—while there are hints of jealousy and tension, some of Alexis’s behaviour feels extreme without enough buildup to support it.
There were also several character and plot elements that didn’t feel fully thought through. The inclusion of the ex-police officer, for example, raised more questions than it answered. The hinted backstory (including possible PTSD) didn’t add much to the narrative, and the relationship between her and Rachel wasn’t clearly established. It left me wondering why this character was there at all beyond providing a convenient connection.
On a smaller scale, there were moments that pulled me out of the story entirely—whether it was dialogue that didn’t feel authentic, or procedural details that didn’t quite add up. Even things like bringing in a team from Sydney, or certain language choices, felt off and disrupted my immersion.
Thematically, the novel sets itself up as a story about young women taking on the patriarchy, but this didn’t really come through in a meaningful way. Instead, much of the behaviour came across as chaotic and impulsive rather than empowering, which made the theme feel underdeveloped and, at times, a bit misplaced.
That said, the pacing did improve significantly towards the end. The final section was much more action-packed and engaging, and I found myself more interested in how things would play out. There were some strong ideas here—particularly the central concept of using shark attacks as a cover for something more sinister—but I don’t think they were fully realised.
Overall, The Shark had a lot of potential and an original premise, but for me it was let down by uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of narrative cohesion.
Thank you to Emma Styles, Hachette Australia & New Zealand, and NetGalley for the ARC.
March 17, 2026
This book is set in Perth, Australia, and it follows two young women, Raych and Carmen.
The two women couldn’t have been different: Raych is from an affluent background, whereas Carmen was adopted as a baby.
There is a serial killer on the loose, known as The Shark, preying on young female swimmers. The media recently revealed that a man called Neil Fraser Lock has been questioned in relation to the murders.
Both women stalk Neil and they end up kidnapping him.
He claims his innocence but is he telling the truth?
I really enjoyed this tense psychological thriller!
As characters, Raych and Carmen were multilayered; both had reasons to follow Lock, and these layers were slowly revealed as the book progressed.
The women kidnapped Lock by chance, it wasn’t a planned attack. They were out of their depth to start with, but they quickly adapted. The author vividly portrays how quickly the line between a victim and a predator changes.
I wasn’t sure who to trust, and at one point, I couldn’t really trust Carmen anymore.
This is a tale of revenge, which I definitely recommend.
The two women couldn’t have been different: Raych is from an affluent background, whereas Carmen was adopted as a baby.
There is a serial killer on the loose, known as The Shark, preying on young female swimmers. The media recently revealed that a man called Neil Fraser Lock has been questioned in relation to the murders.
Both women stalk Neil and they end up kidnapping him.
He claims his innocence but is he telling the truth?
I really enjoyed this tense psychological thriller!
As characters, Raych and Carmen were multilayered; both had reasons to follow Lock, and these layers were slowly revealed as the book progressed.
The women kidnapped Lock by chance, it wasn’t a planned attack. They were out of their depth to start with, but they quickly adapted. The author vividly portrays how quickly the line between a victim and a predator changes.
I wasn’t sure who to trust, and at one point, I couldn’t really trust Carmen anymore.
This is a tale of revenge, which I definitely recommend.
June 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audio!
I was complete.y confused by the characters in this book until about 40% through. This was nearly a DNF for me on that basis. I couldn't keep all the characters straight and didn't know who was who. It felt super dis-jointed and confusing. In the book's defense, the last 30% was completely different and engaging. So I'm giving a generous 3 stars based purely on the fact that it got so much better at the end portion of the book. It just felt like it was waffling for the first half of the book, which makes it super hard to stick with a read. I was so excited about this unique premise - sharks AND a serial killer - two things I love, but it felt greatly short of my expectations.
I was complete.y confused by the characters in this book until about 40% through. This was nearly a DNF for me on that basis. I couldn't keep all the characters straight and didn't know who was who. It felt super dis-jointed and confusing. In the book's defense, the last 30% was completely different and engaging. So I'm giving a generous 3 stars based purely on the fact that it got so much better at the end portion of the book. It just felt like it was waffling for the first half of the book, which makes it super hard to stick with a read. I was so excited about this unique premise - sharks AND a serial killer - two things I love, but it felt greatly short of my expectations.
June 5, 2026
2.5 stars.
I usually love a murder mystery set in a coastal Aussie town but this was underwhelming. Despite the narrators best efforts, it was difficult for me to tell the difference between the two main characters. Both girls blended together, with their similar back stories and mannerisms. The first 50% was a slow burn build up that barely held my interest, but there was enough there to keep me going. There was some excitement in the middle but it was quickly extinguished. And the ending had me asking 'Who?'
Netgalley audio ARC from Dreamscape Media.
I usually love a murder mystery set in a coastal Aussie town but this was underwhelming. Despite the narrators best efforts, it was difficult for me to tell the difference between the two main characters. Both girls blended together, with their similar back stories and mannerisms. The first 50% was a slow burn build up that barely held my interest, but there was enough there to keep me going. There was some excitement in the middle but it was quickly extinguished. And the ending had me asking 'Who?'
Netgalley audio ARC from Dreamscape Media.
June 1, 2026
I love a good murder mystery and had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t quite work for me. Listening to the audiobook, I found it difficult to distinguish between the two main female characters and it took me a while to realize there were actually two separate perspectives. The story had some decent twists that kept me interested, but I found the characters overly angsty and hard to connect with. Overall, it was an entertaining enough read, but it lacked the momentum and character development I was hoping for.
Thank you @Netgalley and @DreamscapeMedia for providing me with the advanced copy of “The Shark” in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheShark
Thank you @Netgalley and @DreamscapeMedia for providing me with the advanced copy of “The Shark” in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheShark
May 30, 2026
Serial killer and sharks? Count me in. I loved this one. Kept me guessing and on edge until the end.
Narration was great as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Narration was great as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
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