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The Wrecker’s Girl
The first in a brand new crime thriller series from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author, that will transport you to the rugged Cornish coast, and keep you on the edge of your seat.An unexplained death
In stormy West Cornwall, a woman lies dead at the bottom of a waterfall.
A house full of secrets
A year later, her children are possessed by strange and disturbing visions.
A family with everything to hide
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray agrees to help. Someone knows the truth about what happened to Natalie Tyack. But the more Karenza investigates, the deeper she steps into a mystery, or a haunting. Or worse.
Will any of them escape sane, and unscathed?
In stormy West Cornwall, a woman lies dead at the bottom of a waterfall.
A house full of secrets
A year later, her children are possessed by strange and disturbing visions.
A family with everything to hide
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray agrees to help. Someone knows the truth about what happened to Natalie Tyack. But the more Karenza investigates, the deeper she steps into a mystery, or a haunting. Or worse.
Will any of them escape sane, and unscathed?
379 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
15 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 5, 2026
Very spooky and atmospheric, with interesting forensic psychiatry sprinkled throughout.
September 18, 2025
Alkoi kiehtovastl, mutta jotenkin lopussa tuntui että lässähti..
September 25, 2025
3,5 ⭐
Helmet-lukuhaaste 2025: 20. Kirjasta tulisi mielestäsi hyvä elokuva tai sarja
Sopii myös Helmet-lukuhaasteen kohtiin 3, 4, 9, 17, 24, 39, 45, 47-48 (Malcolm / Rakkaushypoteesi)
Helmet-lukuhaaste 2025: 20. Kirjasta tulisi mielestäsi hyvä elokuva tai sarja
Sopii myös Helmet-lukuhaasteen kohtiin 3, 4, 9, 17, 24, 39, 45, 47-48 (Malcolm / Rakkaushypoteesi)
March 1, 2026
Damn the old house
Karenza, until recently a forensic psychiatrist, now a private practitioner at the stage of recruiting a client base, receives a tip from her ex-husband (many break up in a civilized manner) - children who have lost their mother need help in experiencing trauma. A young woman, Natalie Tyak, tragically died, orphaning a ten-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy. Tyaki from Baldu House: landowners, thousand-year-old family tree, old money. What is encouraging is that the mortgage after investing your share of the family home in the purchase of this apartment from Karenza is small, but you need to pay regularly.
Baldu House, which looks more like a medieval castle, inspires a strange feeling, a mixture of anxiety with the feeling that she has been here before. In fact, the days when the Tyaks were local kings, owners of the mines where her great-grandmother worked - those days are long gone, the mines are exhausted, and the main source of income is a seafood restaurant run by Malcolm's widower. He says he understands that this is not the best place to raise children, but it is their duty to stay here, and you cannot sell the old house. A pleasant man, but over the years of her previous work, Karenza had seen psychopaths and murderers who made quite an impression, and she did not intend to succumb to his charm.
Beautiful children: sarcastic, slightly arrogant Grace and pretty as an angel, freckled Solomon - it doesn't seem that it will be easy with them, but no one expects that. She'll find a common language, bring out their deep fears, teach them how to lick a mental wound, that's all... Just what's wrong with this house! The oppressive feeling of anxiety develops into anxiety, fear, and horror on the verge of panic. And what's wrong with the mirror left over from the mother, which the children are afraid of, but do not part with it? An antique silver-framed trinket, the kind that sells for a lot at auctions, where did the orphanage orphan Natalie was from before she met Malcolm?
S.K. Tremaine creates suspense of such a level of tension that when my daughter came up to me, listening to a book with headphones, to ask if I needed anything from the store, I jumped and screamed. Just to make it clearer what kind of atmosphere of dark secrets and vague threats you will have to immerse yourself in with the book. And at the same time, this is a story where the paranormal is not suspended in the air, with the "There is, friend Horatio" accepted in modern literature, when the reader is asked to choose between accepting on faith that there really was something like that and the option of an unreliable narrator (madness with hallucinations, drug exposure, he/she dreamed).
In the novel, the supernatural receives a scientific (though rather pseudoscientific) explanation along the lines of the early Gothic "Castle of Otranto" and "Consuelo", where a woman in white glided noiselessly over stone slabs because the halves of a felt hat were tied to the soles of her shoes - and today such certainty, without the psychedelic turbidity, is perceived as an island of stability. in a world that has lost its stability. However, the classics of the Gothic novel are not the only thing that you will remember.
"Ghosts of Water" will wink at the sophisticated reader with references to "Jamaica Inn" with "Rebecca" by Du Maurier, and "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James. And everyone, without exception, will be presented with a story that you can't break away from.
Проклятый старый дом
Каренза, до недавнего времени судебный психиатр, ныне частнопрактикующий терапевт на этапе набора клиентской базы, получает от бывшего мужа (многие расстаются цивилизованно) наводку - потерявшим мать детям нужна помощь в переживании травмы. Молодая женщина Натали Тьяк трагически погибла, осиротив девочку десяти и мальчика семи лет. Тьяки из Балду-хауса: землевладельцы, тысячелетняя родословная, старые деньги. Что обнадеживает - ипотека после вложения своей доли семейного дома в покупку этой квартиры у Карензы небольшая, но платить надо регулярно.
Балду-хаус, больше похожий на средневековый замок, внушает странное чувство, смесь тревоги с ощущением, что она уже здесь бывала. На деле, времена когда Тьяки были местными королями, владельцами рудников, где ее прабабушка работала - эти времена давно в прошлом, шахты выработаны, а главный источник доходов, ресторан морепродуктов, которым управляет вдовец Малкольм. Говорит, что понимает, это не лучшее место, чтобы растить детей, но оставаться здесь их долг, да и не продашь старый дом. Приятный мужчина, но за годы прежней работы Каренза повидала психопатов и убийц, производивших вполне себе впечатление, и его очарованию поддаваться не намерена.
Красивые дети: саркастичная, чуть высокомерная Грейс и хорошенький как ангелочек, веснушчатый Соломон - не кажется, что с ними будет легко, но никто того и не ждет. Она найдет общий язык, вытащит наружу их глубинные страхи, научит как зализать душевную рану, вот только... Только что не в порядке с этим домом! Давящее чувство беспокойства перерастает в тревожность, страх, ужас на грани паники. И что не так с зеркалом, оставшимся от матери, которого дети боятся, но не расстаются с ним? Старинная безделушка в серебряной оправе, из тех, что задорого продаются на аукционах, откуда оно у приютской сироты, которой была Натали до встречи с Малкольмом?
С.К. Тремейн создает саспенс такого уровня напряженности, что когда ко мне, слушавшей книгу в наушниках, подошла дочь спросить, не нужно ли что из магазина, я подпрыгнула и вскрикнула. Просто, чтобы было понятнее в какую атмосферу мрачных тайн и смутной угрозы предстоит погрузиться с книгой. И одновременно это история, где паранормальное не подвешено в воздухе, с принятым в современной литературе "Есть, друг Горацио", когда читателю предлагается выбирать между принятием на веру, что впрямь было что-то такое и вариантом ненадежного рассказчика (сумасшествие с галлюцинациями, воздействие препаратов, ему/ей приснилось).
В романе сверхъестественное получает научное (хотя скорее псевдонаучное) объяснение по типу принятых в ранней готике"Замка Отранто" и "Консуэло", где женщина в белом бесшумно скользила по каменным плитам потому, что к подошвам ее башмачков были привязаны половинки фетровой шляпки - и сегодня такая определенность, без психоделической мути, воспринимается островком стабильности в потерявшем устойчивость мире. Однако классика готического романа не единственное, что вы вспомните.
"Призраки воды" подмигнут искушенному читателю отсылками к "Трактиру "Ямайка" с "Ребеккой" Дюморье, и "Повороту винта" Генри Джеймса. А всем без исключения подарят историю, от которой не оторваться.
Karenza, until recently a forensic psychiatrist, now a private practitioner at the stage of recruiting a client base, receives a tip from her ex-husband (many break up in a civilized manner) - children who have lost their mother need help in experiencing trauma. A young woman, Natalie Tyak, tragically died, orphaning a ten-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy. Tyaki from Baldu House: landowners, thousand-year-old family tree, old money. What is encouraging is that the mortgage after investing your share of the family home in the purchase of this apartment from Karenza is small, but you need to pay regularly.
Baldu House, which looks more like a medieval castle, inspires a strange feeling, a mixture of anxiety with the feeling that she has been here before. In fact, the days when the Tyaks were local kings, owners of the mines where her great-grandmother worked - those days are long gone, the mines are exhausted, and the main source of income is a seafood restaurant run by Malcolm's widower. He says he understands that this is not the best place to raise children, but it is their duty to stay here, and you cannot sell the old house. A pleasant man, but over the years of her previous work, Karenza had seen psychopaths and murderers who made quite an impression, and she did not intend to succumb to his charm.
Beautiful children: sarcastic, slightly arrogant Grace and pretty as an angel, freckled Solomon - it doesn't seem that it will be easy with them, but no one expects that. She'll find a common language, bring out their deep fears, teach them how to lick a mental wound, that's all... Just what's wrong with this house! The oppressive feeling of anxiety develops into anxiety, fear, and horror on the verge of panic. And what's wrong with the mirror left over from the mother, which the children are afraid of, but do not part with it? An antique silver-framed trinket, the kind that sells for a lot at auctions, where did the orphanage orphan Natalie was from before she met Malcolm?
S.K. Tremaine creates suspense of such a level of tension that when my daughter came up to me, listening to a book with headphones, to ask if I needed anything from the store, I jumped and screamed. Just to make it clearer what kind of atmosphere of dark secrets and vague threats you will have to immerse yourself in with the book. And at the same time, this is a story where the paranormal is not suspended in the air, with the "There is, friend Horatio" accepted in modern literature, when the reader is asked to choose between accepting on faith that there really was something like that and the option of an unreliable narrator (madness with hallucinations, drug exposure, he/she dreamed).
In the novel, the supernatural receives a scientific (though rather pseudoscientific) explanation along the lines of the early Gothic "Castle of Otranto" and "Consuelo", where a woman in white glided noiselessly over stone slabs because the halves of a felt hat were tied to the soles of her shoes - and today such certainty, without the psychedelic turbidity, is perceived as an island of stability. in a world that has lost its stability. However, the classics of the Gothic novel are not the only thing that you will remember.
"Ghosts of Water" will wink at the sophisticated reader with references to "Jamaica Inn" with "Rebecca" by Du Maurier, and "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James. And everyone, without exception, will be presented with a story that you can't break away from.
Проклятый старый дом
Каренза, до недавнего времени судебный психиатр, ныне частнопрактикующий терапевт на этапе набора клиентской базы, получает от бывшего мужа (многие расстаются цивилизованно) наводку - потерявшим мать детям нужна помощь в переживании травмы. Молодая женщина Натали Тьяк трагически погибла, осиротив девочку десяти и мальчика семи лет. Тьяки из Балду-хауса: землевладельцы, тысячелетняя родословная, старые деньги. Что обнадеживает - ипотека после вложения своей доли семейного дома в покупку этой квартиры у Карензы небольшая, но платить надо регулярно.
Балду-хаус, больше похожий на средневековый замок, внушает странное чувство, смесь тревоги с ощущением, что она уже здесь бывала. На деле, времена когда Тьяки были местными королями, владельцами рудников, где ее прабабушка работала - эти времена давно в прошлом, шахты выработаны, а главный источник доходов, ресторан морепродуктов, которым управляет вдовец Малкольм. Говорит, что понимает, это не лучшее место, чтобы растить детей, но оставаться здесь их долг, да и не продашь старый дом. Приятный мужчина, но за годы прежней работы Каренза повидала психопатов и убийц, производивших вполне себе впечатление, и его очарованию поддаваться не намерена.
Красивые дети: саркастичная, чуть высокомерная Грейс и хорошенький как ангелочек, веснушчатый Соломон - не кажется, что с ними будет легко, но никто того и не ждет. Она найдет общий язык, вытащит наружу их глубинные страхи, научит как зализать душевную рану, вот только... Только что не в порядке с этим домом! Давящее чувство беспокойства перерастает в тревожность, страх, ужас на грани паники. И что не так с зеркалом, оставшимся от матери, которого дети боятся, но не расстаются с ним? Старинная безделушка в серебряной оправе, из тех, что задорого продаются на аукционах, откуда оно у приютской сироты, которой была Натали до встречи с Малкольмом?
С.К. Тремейн создает саспенс такого уровня напряженности, что когда ко мне, слушавшей книгу в наушниках, подошла дочь спросить, не нужно ли что из магазина, я подпрыгнула и вскрикнула. Просто, чтобы было понятнее в какую атмосферу мрачных тайн и смутной угрозы предстоит погрузиться с книгой. И одновременно это история, где паранормальное не подвешено в воздухе, с принятым в современной литературе "Есть, друг Горацио", когда читателю предлагается выбирать между принятием на веру, что впрямь было что-то такое и вариантом ненадежного рассказчика (сумасшествие с галлюцинациями, воздействие препаратов, ему/ей приснилось).
В романе сверхъестественное получает научное (хотя скорее псевдонаучное) объяснение по типу принятых в ранней готике"Замка Отранто" и "Консуэло", где женщина в белом бесшумно скользила по каменным плитам потому, что к подошвам ее башмачков были привязаны половинки фетровой шляпки - и сегодня такая определенность, без психоделической мути, воспринимается островком стабильности в потерявшем устойчивость мире. Однако классика готического романа не единственное, что вы вспомните.
"Призраки воды" подмигнут искушенному читателю отсылками к "Трактиру "Ямайка" с "Ребеккой" Дюморье, и "Повороту винта" Генри Джеймса. А всем без исключения подарят историю, от которой не оторваться.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5* Despite a slightly slow, dull and boring start, this turned out to be an excellent, if sad, tale.
This is a book whose blurb doesn't do it justice, nor does the creepy prologue. Emma doesn't appear in the tale beyond the prologue and you don't find out about the history of the corpse in the prologue with the child's shoe until maybe 85% of the tale. It's a sad history that caused an even sadder tragedy, a history that wouldn't have made anyone bat an eyelid in 2025. But, it provided an excellent storyline to the tale, and boy were Karenza's forensics skills and sleuthing good.
This tale is that of Karenza, who's trying to help 2 troubled bereaved children, the Tyacks. She lost her daughter Maggie, aged 10, who sleepwalked out of their house the one night Karenza and her husband didn't lock there front door, following which her marriage broke up. She feels empathy with both kids who are clearly troubled, not just by their loss, but by guilt, feelings of resentment of each other, and because of the strange house they live in. A house that the Tyack family cannot ever sell because of its history and how people made their money, and more. A house that has no effect on the daughter but seems to haunt the son and his father, and uncle, and more, as we learn.
Cornish lore and history aid this tale, and Karenza has her work cut out. The house scares her. The adult Tyack male scares her for a different reason. The cellar scares her. The terrified cleaner is scared by both the house and inhabitants. Maybe even the kids scare her at times. Is the house haunted? Are the Tyacks cursed? Maybe, and if so, sadly for good reason. But, there's no perfect solution, although Karenza solves the mystery of Natalie Tyack's...death? Suicide? Tragic accident? There's a lot, but it's revealed in manageable and believable drips and drabs. When Karenza's connection to the Tyacks is revealed, she begins to understand what the 'haunting' could be, and why it's affecting only certain family members. She sleuths, comes to a couple of right-but-also-wrong/ish conclusions before the truth outs and she nearly meets the same fate as Natalie Tyack.
There's a lot more to the tale, not of it all original, but even if bits are borrowed, they're well dovetailed. The ending is sad-sweet for Karenza in a way I hadn't imagined, but, I think, also healing. And it made me think that death isn't the end we think it is. This is a really good book, so persist.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, for my reading pleasure.
This is a book whose blurb doesn't do it justice, nor does the creepy prologue. Emma doesn't appear in the tale beyond the prologue and you don't find out about the history of the corpse in the prologue with the child's shoe until maybe 85% of the tale. It's a sad history that caused an even sadder tragedy, a history that wouldn't have made anyone bat an eyelid in 2025. But, it provided an excellent storyline to the tale, and boy were Karenza's forensics skills and sleuthing good.
This tale is that of Karenza, who's trying to help 2 troubled bereaved children, the Tyacks. She lost her daughter Maggie, aged 10, who sleepwalked out of their house the one night Karenza and her husband didn't lock there front door, following which her marriage broke up. She feels empathy with both kids who are clearly troubled, not just by their loss, but by guilt, feelings of resentment of each other, and because of the strange house they live in. A house that the Tyack family cannot ever sell because of its history and how people made their money, and more. A house that has no effect on the daughter but seems to haunt the son and his father, and uncle, and more, as we learn.
Cornish lore and history aid this tale, and Karenza has her work cut out. The house scares her. The adult Tyack male scares her for a different reason. The cellar scares her. The terrified cleaner is scared by both the house and inhabitants. Maybe even the kids scare her at times. Is the house haunted? Are the Tyacks cursed? Maybe, and if so, sadly for good reason. But, there's no perfect solution, although Karenza solves the mystery of Natalie Tyack's...death? Suicide? Tragic accident? There's a lot, but it's revealed in manageable and believable drips and drabs. When Karenza's connection to the Tyacks is revealed, she begins to understand what the 'haunting' could be, and why it's affecting only certain family members. She sleuths, comes to a couple of right-but-also-wrong/ish conclusions before the truth outs and she nearly meets the same fate as Natalie Tyack.
There's a lot more to the tale, not of it all original, but even if bits are borrowed, they're well dovetailed. The ending is sad-sweet for Karenza in a way I hadn't imagined, but, I think, also healing. And it made me think that death isn't the end we think it is. This is a really good book, so persist.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, for my reading pleasure.
November 23, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.
I’ve read a few of S K Tremayne’s books before, and always enjoyed them, but this was an absolute WOW for me! And an outstanding start to what is set to be a paranormal/psychological thriller series, following neurodivergent forensic psychologist Karenza Bray.
In The Wrecker’s Girl, Karenza, who has retired from working with the worst criminals in prisons and turned freelance psychologist, is asked to help the two small children of a rich family.
As soon as Karenza arrives at the creepy, isolated Baldhu House, where the family has lived for hundreds of years, things feel very wrong. The mother, Natalie, was found dead by the waterfall on the property a year ago and since then, the young children have been terrified in the house, seeing dark figures and flapping birds and hearing unexplained noises from the cellar.
Karenza is determined to find a reason firmly rooted in science and logic. But having lost her own young daughter in a tragic accident, Karenza begins to wonder if something is going on at the castle that science cannot explain.
I loved the haunting, dramatic Cornish coastal setting, with the wild descriptions of nature and the constant feeling of the house and area being otherworldly and distinct.
Meanwhile the allusions to the ‘truth’ about Baldhu house, and the fact that the family could never contemplate selling it, add to the mystery of what is haunting the family.
My favourite aspect of the book was how Karenza used science and psychology to try to explain the apparent haunting of the family in the ancient house. It made it fascinating and really original.
It was also extremely creepy and, at times, genuinely scary! There were some brilliant and unexpected twists too. I can’t wait to get back into Karenza Bray’s world with the next book!
I’ve read a few of S K Tremayne’s books before, and always enjoyed them, but this was an absolute WOW for me! And an outstanding start to what is set to be a paranormal/psychological thriller series, following neurodivergent forensic psychologist Karenza Bray.
In The Wrecker’s Girl, Karenza, who has retired from working with the worst criminals in prisons and turned freelance psychologist, is asked to help the two small children of a rich family.
As soon as Karenza arrives at the creepy, isolated Baldhu House, where the family has lived for hundreds of years, things feel very wrong. The mother, Natalie, was found dead by the waterfall on the property a year ago and since then, the young children have been terrified in the house, seeing dark figures and flapping birds and hearing unexplained noises from the cellar.
Karenza is determined to find a reason firmly rooted in science and logic. But having lost her own young daughter in a tragic accident, Karenza begins to wonder if something is going on at the castle that science cannot explain.
I loved the haunting, dramatic Cornish coastal setting, with the wild descriptions of nature and the constant feeling of the house and area being otherworldly and distinct.
Meanwhile the allusions to the ‘truth’ about Baldhu house, and the fact that the family could never contemplate selling it, add to the mystery of what is haunting the family.
My favourite aspect of the book was how Karenza used science and psychology to try to explain the apparent haunting of the family in the ancient house. It made it fascinating and really original.
It was also extremely creepy and, at times, genuinely scary! There were some brilliant and unexpected twists too. I can’t wait to get back into Karenza Bray’s world with the next book!
March 7, 2026
Karenza is a forensic psychiatrist and has decided to leave the rat race and start her own business. This decision was not easy but her ex husband gives her the name of a family who need help and she is pleased with the recommendation. She gets in touch with the father and organises to visit the home which is in the middle of nowhere. She meets the children whose mother had passed away, suicide or not. Things are very strange in the household, the children, especially the 7 year old boy sees things that are not there and the little girl seems too aloof for a child of her age. Karenza is not sure about continuing with the family but their dad, Malcolm, is so keen to find the answer to the childrens strange behaviour he is offering a good rate and as Karenza is hoping to buy her own home, she continues trying to help the family. A mirror comes into play and this seems to be the root cause of the anxiety in the home and Karenza needs to find out why. Is there a paranormal happening in the house or is it just that the mirror reminds them so much about their mom. Karenza gets closer and closer to the children she, herself lost her daughter which she obviously has never come to terms with. She cannot leave them without all the help she can give. Malcolm, the dad, runs restaurants and is not around as much as he would like to be. As the time passes many strange things happen including Karenza being trapped in a cellar. How, why. The story is strange in parts and exciting in others and Karenza deals with the drama is a lovely way. There are several characters in the book which seem odd but seem to fit in with the narrative. Eventually she does deal with the children and their anxieties and it was a very pleasant book to read
November 23, 2025
S. K. Tremayne’s The Wrecker’s Girl is the haunting first installment in a brand-new crime thriller series, set against the wild, storm-lashed beauty of Cornwall. It begins with an unexplained death: Natalie Tyack found at the bottom of a waterfall. A year later, her children are plagued by strange visions, sleepwalking into the sea, and speaking of dark spectres.
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray arrives to help, only to find herself drawn into the secrets of a grand ancestral home where nothing feels quite right. A centuries-old mirror shows impossible things, and every member of the household seems to be hiding something. Tremayne masterfully layers gothic atmosphere with psychological suspense, creating a story that feels both eerie and deeply human.
The novel’s strength lies in its blend of setting and character. The Cornish coast is vividly alive—rugged, beautiful, and dangerous—while the family at the heart of the mystery is fractured, secretive, and compelling. As Karenza digs deeper, the line between haunting and reality blurs, leaving the reader questioning what is true and what is imagined.
The Wrecker’s Girl is unsettling, immersive, and elegantly written. It promises not only a gripping mystery but the beginning of a series that will explore the shadows of family, memory, and the landscapes that shape us.
With thanks to SK Tremayne, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray arrives to help, only to find herself drawn into the secrets of a grand ancestral home where nothing feels quite right. A centuries-old mirror shows impossible things, and every member of the household seems to be hiding something. Tremayne masterfully layers gothic atmosphere with psychological suspense, creating a story that feels both eerie and deeply human.
The novel’s strength lies in its blend of setting and character. The Cornish coast is vividly alive—rugged, beautiful, and dangerous—while the family at the heart of the mystery is fractured, secretive, and compelling. As Karenza digs deeper, the line between haunting and reality blurs, leaving the reader questioning what is true and what is imagined.
The Wrecker’s Girl is unsettling, immersive, and elegantly written. It promises not only a gripping mystery but the beginning of a series that will explore the shadows of family, memory, and the landscapes that shape us.
With thanks to SK Tremayne, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Cornwall, with its beautiful, hypnotic coastline, heavy weather, rich history, and big mysterious houses—what’s not to like? It’s the perfect setting for a gripping thriller with a forensic psychologist. If only there were more forensics, more psychology, and, frankly, any real sense of thrill in the story.
The plot focuses on a wealthy old Cornish family reeling from a tragic loss. The victim’s children are struggling to cope and begin acting out, and Karenza, our protagonist, is brought in to help. She’s presented as a highly experienced forensic psychologist, yet she spends a surprising amount of time reminding herself who she is, what her job is, and why she’s even staying in this enormous house. It feels oddly repetitive and undermines the idea that she’s a confident professional. Surely professionalism doesn’t need to be constantly announced?
At one point, Karenza discovers something shocking and life-changing—something that directly affects her—and yet her reaction is bafflingly subdued. Instead of raising the stakes, it’s met with an almost casual “oh, okay, carry on then,” which drains the moment of its impact.
There are good moments, and the setting does a lot of the heavy lifting, but overall the story feels more tedious than thrilling and, at times, a little pretentious. It’s a book with all the right ingredients for a compelling psychological thriller, but it never quite comes together into something truly satisfying.
The plot focuses on a wealthy old Cornish family reeling from a tragic loss. The victim’s children are struggling to cope and begin acting out, and Karenza, our protagonist, is brought in to help. She’s presented as a highly experienced forensic psychologist, yet she spends a surprising amount of time reminding herself who she is, what her job is, and why she’s even staying in this enormous house. It feels oddly repetitive and undermines the idea that she’s a confident professional. Surely professionalism doesn’t need to be constantly announced?
At one point, Karenza discovers something shocking and life-changing—something that directly affects her—and yet her reaction is bafflingly subdued. Instead of raising the stakes, it’s met with an almost casual “oh, okay, carry on then,” which drains the moment of its impact.
There are good moments, and the setting does a lot of the heavy lifting, but overall the story feels more tedious than thrilling and, at times, a little pretentious. It’s a book with all the right ingredients for a compelling psychological thriller, but it never quite comes together into something truly satisfying.
February 16, 2026
The Wrecker's Girl by S. K. Tremayne turned out to be a far more atmospheric and unsettling read than I expected. I’ve previously read The Ice Twins by the same author, so I was anticipating something dark and psychological, but The Wrecker's Girl leans even further into brooding coastal gothic territory.
Set against the wild Cornish coastline, the novel creates an almost claustrophobic sense of isolation with the sea, the cliffs, and the ever-present storms. Tremayne has a real talent for building tension slowly, layering unease page by page until you start to question everything alongside the protagonist. I found myself completely drawn into that cold, windswept world.
What surprised me most was the strength of the paranormal element. I hadn’t anticipated quite so much of it, and I’ll admit that supernatural themes aren’t usually my cup of tea. I tend to prefer psychological explanations over ghostly ones. That said, the eerie undertones were handled in a way that complemented the emotional core of the story rather than overpowering it. Even when events edged into the uncanny, the atmosphere remained gripping rather than over-the-top.
Overall, I found it to be an engaging and immersive read, dark, moody, and compulsively readable. While the paranormal aspect pushed me slightly out of my usual comfort zone, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. If anything, it added an extra layer of intrigue that kept me turning the pages.
Set against the wild Cornish coastline, the novel creates an almost claustrophobic sense of isolation with the sea, the cliffs, and the ever-present storms. Tremayne has a real talent for building tension slowly, layering unease page by page until you start to question everything alongside the protagonist. I found myself completely drawn into that cold, windswept world.
What surprised me most was the strength of the paranormal element. I hadn’t anticipated quite so much of it, and I’ll admit that supernatural themes aren’t usually my cup of tea. I tend to prefer psychological explanations over ghostly ones. That said, the eerie undertones were handled in a way that complemented the emotional core of the story rather than overpowering it. Even when events edged into the uncanny, the atmosphere remained gripping rather than over-the-top.
Overall, I found it to be an engaging and immersive read, dark, moody, and compulsively readable. While the paranormal aspect pushed me slightly out of my usual comfort zone, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. If anything, it added an extra layer of intrigue that kept me turning the pages.
December 31, 2025
Luetut kirjat 92/2025: S. K. Tremayne: Hylynryöstäjän tytär, Otava 2025 🎃🎃🎃 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐.
Kääntäjä: Ilkka Rekiaro.
Julkaisupäivä: 21.08.2025.
07.09.-15.10.2025 sähkökirjana. Alkuteos: The Wrecker's Girl. Roselandin mysteerit
On vanha, kaunis miltei raunioitunut kartano, on kielletty huone, kellari. Ollaan Cornwallissa, hylkyryöstäjien maalla. Ja merellä. On ehkä kummitustalo, on traumaa, on shokkia. On trooppeja, on Rebekan ja Kotiopettajattaren romaanin kalustoa. Päähenkilönä nuori, eronnut traumaattinen nainen, psykokogi joka palkattu tutkimaan perheen omituisia lapsia, jotka näkevät olemattomia. On perheenisä josta ei tiedä, onko murhaaja vai hurmaaja. On perheen äiti joka on hukkunut. On goottilainen tarina. On kirottu esine. On antiikkia, antiikkia. On aukinaisia kaivoskuiluja. On perintöriitoja.
On salaliittoteoreihin hurahtanut sukulainen, jolta saa raikasta, tosin järjetöntä kulmaa kimutantteihin asioihin. Mukavaa, että päähenkilöllä on sekä kissa että lisko lemmikkinä.
Päähenkilö Karenza on korni siis cornwallilainen. Myös sukukartano on korni.
#Hylynryöstäjäntytär #kartano #sukukartano
#SKTremayne #Roselandinmysteerit #psykologinentrilleri #kauhu #kauhuromanttinen #goottilainen #gothic #kauhuromanttiikka #mysteeri #dekkari #Cornwall #kirjavuoteni2025 #kirjavuoReni2025 #kirjavuosi2025 #lukeminenkannattaaaina #lukeminen
Kääntäjä: Ilkka Rekiaro.
Julkaisupäivä: 21.08.2025.
07.09.-15.10.2025 sähkökirjana. Alkuteos: The Wrecker's Girl. Roselandin mysteerit
On vanha, kaunis miltei raunioitunut kartano, on kielletty huone, kellari. Ollaan Cornwallissa, hylkyryöstäjien maalla. Ja merellä. On ehkä kummitustalo, on traumaa, on shokkia. On trooppeja, on Rebekan ja Kotiopettajattaren romaanin kalustoa. Päähenkilönä nuori, eronnut traumaattinen nainen, psykokogi joka palkattu tutkimaan perheen omituisia lapsia, jotka näkevät olemattomia. On perheenisä josta ei tiedä, onko murhaaja vai hurmaaja. On perheen äiti joka on hukkunut. On goottilainen tarina. On kirottu esine. On antiikkia, antiikkia. On aukinaisia kaivoskuiluja. On perintöriitoja.
On salaliittoteoreihin hurahtanut sukulainen, jolta saa raikasta, tosin järjetöntä kulmaa kimutantteihin asioihin. Mukavaa, että päähenkilöllä on sekä kissa että lisko lemmikkinä.
Päähenkilö Karenza on korni siis cornwallilainen. Myös sukukartano on korni.
#Hylynryöstäjäntytär #kartano #sukukartano
#SKTremayne #Roselandinmysteerit #psykologinentrilleri #kauhu #kauhuromanttinen #goottilainen #gothic #kauhuromanttiikka #mysteeri #dekkari #Cornwall #kirjavuoteni2025 #kirjavuoReni2025 #kirjavuosi2025 #lukeminenkannattaaaina #lukeminen
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As with all S.K. Tremayne books, I throughly enjoyed this one.
Kraenza Bray, Forensic Psychologist who is stepping out of her normal work area of working with addicts and inmates in the judiciary system after a tragic incident and breakup of her marriage.
Struggling to build up her new business, she accepts to work with a troubled family after the two children’s mother death one year prior. Baldu House where they reside, an imposing and gloomy house in an isolated pear of Cornwell and on 1st impression Karenza has a sense of Deja Vu.
The children are quite withdrawn and very self sufficient, with little Solomon experiencing things that others can’t see. Dark, gloomy, atmospheric, unexplained noises and visions, this has a tendency to drive into the supernatural which I found fascinating. I found Karenza’s self explanations to these events very interesting and enjoyed her way of stepping through these but it seems she is not immune to the affects of the house.
I found this to be a very satisfying story, it had a great sense of time and place and I could imagine the setting quite well. Happy to hear that this may become a series and will look forward to the next instalment.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Kraenza Bray, Forensic Psychologist who is stepping out of her normal work area of working with addicts and inmates in the judiciary system after a tragic incident and breakup of her marriage.
Struggling to build up her new business, she accepts to work with a troubled family after the two children’s mother death one year prior. Baldu House where they reside, an imposing and gloomy house in an isolated pear of Cornwell and on 1st impression Karenza has a sense of Deja Vu.
The children are quite withdrawn and very self sufficient, with little Solomon experiencing things that others can’t see. Dark, gloomy, atmospheric, unexplained noises and visions, this has a tendency to drive into the supernatural which I found fascinating. I found Karenza’s self explanations to these events very interesting and enjoyed her way of stepping through these but it seems she is not immune to the affects of the house.
I found this to be a very satisfying story, it had a great sense of time and place and I could imagine the setting quite well. Happy to hear that this may become a series and will look forward to the next instalment.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In a stormy West Cornwall, a woman lies dead at the bottom of a waterfall.
A house full of secrets.
A year later, her children are possessed by strange and disturbing visions.
A family with everything to hide.
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray agrees to help. Someone knows the truth about what happened to Natalie Tyack. But the more Karenza investates, the deeper she steps into a mystery, or a haunting, or worse.
Will any of them escape sane, and unscathed?
The story starts off slowly. the prologue is creepy. Its set in beautiful Cornwall.
This is the start of a new paranormal thriller series that introduces us to forensic psychologist Karenza Bray. Natalie Tyack was found at the bottom of a waterfall. Now, a year later, her children are possessed by strange and disturbing visions. Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray tries to help, but she quickly gets pulled into the secrets of the grand ancestral home. This is an intriguing read.
Published 12th February 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #SKTremayne for my ARC of #TheWreckersGirl in exchange for an honest review.
A house full of secrets.
A year later, her children are possessed by strange and disturbing visions.
A family with everything to hide.
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray agrees to help. Someone knows the truth about what happened to Natalie Tyack. But the more Karenza investates, the deeper she steps into a mystery, or a haunting, or worse.
Will any of them escape sane, and unscathed?
The story starts off slowly. the prologue is creepy. Its set in beautiful Cornwall.
This is the start of a new paranormal thriller series that introduces us to forensic psychologist Karenza Bray. Natalie Tyack was found at the bottom of a waterfall. Now, a year later, her children are possessed by strange and disturbing visions. Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray tries to help, but she quickly gets pulled into the secrets of the grand ancestral home. This is an intriguing read.
Published 12th February 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #SKTremayne for my ARC of #TheWreckersGirl in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A woman lies mysteriously dead at the bottom of a waterfall in Cornwall and a year later her children are possessed by strange visions. Forensic psychologist Karenza agrees to help. Someone must know the truth about what happened. But as she steps deeper into the mystery haunting, will any one of them escape sane?
I have previously read The Assistant by this author and enjoyed it at the time. This one was very different to that one and much more of a slow burn mystery rather than a thriller. I enjoyed the setting within this story and the author did a great job at describing the rich, eerie atmosphere, bringing the environment to life and making it easy to imagine. I enjoyed the psychological elements within the book, however there was also a paranormal edge, which I don’t usually like as much, although I respect that it was blended in well.
I found that I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I hoped and found the overall story slow, which meant that I struggled to get into the story. Even so, I appreciate this was a well written mystery and I would pick up more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
I have previously read The Assistant by this author and enjoyed it at the time. This one was very different to that one and much more of a slow burn mystery rather than a thriller. I enjoyed the setting within this story and the author did a great job at describing the rich, eerie atmosphere, bringing the environment to life and making it easy to imagine. I enjoyed the psychological elements within the book, however there was also a paranormal edge, which I don’t usually like as much, although I respect that it was blended in well.
I found that I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I hoped and found the overall story slow, which meant that I struggled to get into the story. Even so, I appreciate this was a well written mystery and I would pick up more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
March 20, 2026
I always look forward to picking up a new S. K. Tremayne novel, and The Wrecker’s Girl is exactly why. Set against the wild, windswept backdrop of West Cornwall, the story begins with the unexplained death of Natalie Tyack, found at the bottom of a waterfall. A year later, her children begin experiencing disturbing visions, and what first seems like grief turns into something far more unsettling. When forensic psychologist Karenza Bray agrees to help, she finds herself drawn into a web of secrets where it’s never quite clear whether the truth lies in psychology, something darker, or something no one wants to admit.
The pace is slower than you might expect, but it really works here. It allows the tension to build gradually and draws you fully into the eerie landscape and the emotional strain running through the family. There’s a persistent sense of unease, with the mystery unfolding in a way that keeps you questioning everything.
Tremayne has a real talent for atmosphere and psychological tension, and this is another immersive, quietly gripping read. As always, a page-turner in its own way, and one that didn’t disappoint.
The pace is slower than you might expect, but it really works here. It allows the tension to build gradually and draws you fully into the eerie landscape and the emotional strain running through the family. There’s a persistent sense of unease, with the mystery unfolding in a way that keeps you questioning everything.
Tremayne has a real talent for atmosphere and psychological tension, and this is another immersive, quietly gripping read. As always, a page-turner in its own way, and one that didn’t disappoint.
March 8, 2026
This is a very dark and atmospheric novel, and S. K. Tremayne does a great job of building a tense, unsettling mood throughout the story. The setting feels brooding and eerie, which works well for the type of thriller this is.
Unfortunately, I found the plot quite frustrating at times. There were a number of gaps in the narrative and several elements that felt underdeveloped or simply left unanswered, which made the ending feel less satisfying than it might have been.
My biggest issue, however, was the geography. As someone who lives in West Cornwall, the setting didn’t feel particularly authentic and there were several inaccuracies that were quite noticeable. I’m used to reading books where the author clearly knows the area and captures it well, so this was distracting and occasionally pulled me out of the story.
Overall, an atmospheric read with a strong sense of place in theory, but the plot holes and geographical inaccuracies stopped it from being a more convincing thriller for me.
Unfortunately, I found the plot quite frustrating at times. There were a number of gaps in the narrative and several elements that felt underdeveloped or simply left unanswered, which made the ending feel less satisfying than it might have been.
My biggest issue, however, was the geography. As someone who lives in West Cornwall, the setting didn’t feel particularly authentic and there were several inaccuracies that were quite noticeable. I’m used to reading books where the author clearly knows the area and captures it well, so this was distracting and occasionally pulled me out of the story.
Overall, an atmospheric read with a strong sense of place in theory, but the plot holes and geographical inaccuracies stopped it from being a more convincing thriller for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Atmospheric, claustrophobic and disturbing, this psychological suspense draws you in from its inception and keeps you turning the pages. Karenza Bray is a forensic psychologist with a tragic past. She receives a referral from her ex-husband to a troubled family in a historic Cornish house. The story has a gothic echo, but real-life danger both to Karenza and her young clients. It is an absorbing mix of paranormal and psychological insights. It's addictive reading, as you invest in the characters and the protagonist, hoping for a positive resolution but not sure if it's likely. Cleverly woven into this poignant tale are the bonds of Cornish heritage and folklore, which make it impactful and resonant. I like the Cornish setting, the characterisation, and the underlying sense of menace that pervades.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars. I really liked this Cornish set, mystery murder thriller, with possible ghosts and a good bit of science woven in. Karenza Bray is a Forensic psychologist, recovering from her own family tragedy. She is asked to help a Cornish family, the children are acting out in strange ways. In accepting the case Karenza finds her own past is more closely entwined than she could imagine. Fortunately she has a cat and a chameleon to help her see her through the stresses she finds within the dark history of a wrecker family’s mansion. Sometimes I enjoy a book but find the winding up ending to be unsatisfying. Not the case here, Karenza seems to have a fulfilling future ahead of her. So more books to come I hope. Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
February 27, 2026
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Fiction for the opportunity to read this.
Forensic Psychiatrist Karenza Bray is called in to help a family dealing with the trauma of a death the previous year. The children are haunted by the loss and the family needs help. Karenza soon begins to wonder just what happened to the mother but can the truth be found.
This was a very dark and at times quite creepy. It has a bit of a supernatural, haunted feel to it. The descriptions really paint this story well. It feels so desolate and spooky. The plot was interesting and built to a dramatic and yet touching end. I liked how it all came together. Karenza is an interesting lead and has her own trauma to deal with. Everyone else is a bit hard to judge but it fits the story. It took some time for me to get into it but I enjoyed it in the end. A dark spooky thriller.
Forensic Psychiatrist Karenza Bray is called in to help a family dealing with the trauma of a death the previous year. The children are haunted by the loss and the family needs help. Karenza soon begins to wonder just what happened to the mother but can the truth be found.
This was a very dark and at times quite creepy. It has a bit of a supernatural, haunted feel to it. The descriptions really paint this story well. It feels so desolate and spooky. The plot was interesting and built to a dramatic and yet touching end. I liked how it all came together. Karenza is an interesting lead and has her own trauma to deal with. Everyone else is a bit hard to judge but it fits the story. It took some time for me to get into it but I enjoyed it in the end. A dark spooky thriller.
September 29, 2025
Cornwallin jylhiin ja pahaenteisiin maisemiin sijoittuva kirja,jossa
30-v oikeuspsykologi Karenza Bay ottaa vastaan tehtävän auttaa Solomonia ja Gracea, joiden äiti on kuollut epämääräisissä olosuhteissa. Lapset ovat käyttäytyneet oudosti, ja heidän arvoitukselliset lausuntonsa viittaavat siihen, että he saattavat tietää jotain äitinsä kuolemasta. Poliisi ei ole innostunut tutkimaan tapausta vaan pitää sitä onnettomuutena.
Karenza asettuu perheen vanhaan kartanoon Länsi-Cornwallin syrjäiseen kolkkaan. Hän huomaa, että tapaus on paljon monimutkaisempi ja vaarallisempi kuin hän on osannut odottaa. Kirja on fekkariksi/ jännityskirjaksi aika hidastempoinen, mutta romantiiksn ja perhedraaman ystävänä pidin sen tunteellisuudesta. Myös kirjan hahmot ja heidän välinen kemia on rakennettu hyvin.
30-v oikeuspsykologi Karenza Bay ottaa vastaan tehtävän auttaa Solomonia ja Gracea, joiden äiti on kuollut epämääräisissä olosuhteissa. Lapset ovat käyttäytyneet oudosti, ja heidän arvoitukselliset lausuntonsa viittaavat siihen, että he saattavat tietää jotain äitinsä kuolemasta. Poliisi ei ole innostunut tutkimaan tapausta vaan pitää sitä onnettomuutena.
Karenza asettuu perheen vanhaan kartanoon Länsi-Cornwallin syrjäiseen kolkkaan. Hän huomaa, että tapaus on paljon monimutkaisempi ja vaarallisempi kuin hän on osannut odottaa. Kirja on fekkariksi/ jännityskirjaksi aika hidastempoinen, mutta romantiiksn ja perhedraaman ystävänä pidin sen tunteellisuudesta. Myös kirjan hahmot ja heidän välinen kemia on rakennettu hyvin.
December 18, 2025
The spectacular Cornish coastline was the setting for this novel, its rugged beauty the backdrop for the Tyack families ancestral home the scene of a tragic death a year ago when two children lost their mother Natalie Tyack
Following disturbing incidents involving the children their father asked freelance psychologist Karenza to meet the children and the deeper she explores the more disturbing the novel became.
The scene setting and atmosphere gripped me from the opening pages. A well written thriller with good characters, dark secrets and a chilling storyline that held me in its grasp right through to its tense conclusion.
My thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions are my own.
Following disturbing incidents involving the children their father asked freelance psychologist Karenza to meet the children and the deeper she explores the more disturbing the novel became.
The scene setting and atmosphere gripped me from the opening pages. A well written thriller with good characters, dark secrets and a chilling storyline that held me in its grasp right through to its tense conclusion.
My thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a great mystery thriller.
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray is asked to help two troubled children who recently lost their mother.
When she arrives at their home she feels uneasy but talks herself into meeting the family.
The father, Malcom, seems off at first but softens when he realises that Karenza really wants to help Solomon and Grace.
Solomon is an energetic talkative child who experiences some unexplained incidents in the house. Grace is very quiet and seems much older than she is, and seems to be holding onto some bad memories.
I really liked how the story developed and enjoyed getting to know Karenza, her family and her pets.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read this book.
Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray is asked to help two troubled children who recently lost their mother.
When she arrives at their home she feels uneasy but talks herself into meeting the family.
The father, Malcom, seems off at first but softens when he realises that Karenza really wants to help Solomon and Grace.
Solomon is an energetic talkative child who experiences some unexplained incidents in the house. Grace is very quiet and seems much older than she is, and seems to be holding onto some bad memories.
I really liked how the story developed and enjoyed getting to know Karenza, her family and her pets.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Karenza Bray is a forensic psychologist who is retained to help a family where the mother died. She investigates the family as she tries to help them with their problems. This is an emotive, evocative piece of fiction. Although it is primarily a crime story, it has paranormal elements which make for an effective horror story. It is compelling and you go from feeling there are no redeeming features amongst the family to becoming very fond of them. The characters in this book vary between eccentric and sad. With a touch of black humour this is a fabulous story which I highly recommend. With thanks to the author, Harper Collins UK/Hemlock Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
February 26, 2026
Wreathed in mystery. It seems that all of the characters in this book are haunted in one way or another. Do they all see ghosts or is that just part of their trauma? The person called in to help with the children’s mental health discovers that everyone in the house is haunted in some way. What has happened to cause this mental anguish?
She eventually discovers she’s as haunted by ghosts and nightmares as the rest of this household and that she has to solve these problems before she loses her sanity or even, her life. Trouble is, she’s not sure now who she can trust!
This is a super read. It’s dark and mysterious and just a little bit scary. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it; particularly to those who enjoy a ghostly story in an eerie setting.
She eventually discovers she’s as haunted by ghosts and nightmares as the rest of this household and that she has to solve these problems before she loses her sanity or even, her life. Trouble is, she’s not sure now who she can trust!
This is a super read. It’s dark and mysterious and just a little bit scary. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it; particularly to those who enjoy a ghostly story in an eerie setting.
February 26, 2026
If you are a fan of Daphne Du Maurier’s Cornish classics like Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel then this book is a must read. How can a house and a place be a character? But they are in this story. The almost gothic house harbouring generational dark secrets which seep out of its walls and rise up from a dark dank locked cellar set the scene for ghostly thumps and visitations which haunt a family after the death of a mother and wife. Tied into this the Forensic Psychologist who is tasked with healing the trauma but who themselves have suffered trauma after the loss of her child to the sea opens up yet more mystery and unexplained occurances. The land- Cornwall- the deep history, the brooding house, the countless secrets and tragic deaths beautifully haunt this story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An unexplained death in stormy West Cornwall, a woman lies dead at the bottom of a waterfall. A year later, her children are possessed by strange and disturbing visions. Forensic psychologist Karenza Bray agrees to help. Someone knows the truth about what happened to Natalie Tyack. But the more Karenza investigates, the deeper she steps into a mystery, or a haunting. Or worse.
A new series & a new author to me. I found the book slow & hard to get in to, to begin with but the more I read the more I became engrossed. Definitely not a cosy read but disturbing, haunting & Chilling. I liked Karneza but didn’t love her but would like to read more books so I could get to know her better. A well written psychological thriller
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
A new series & a new author to me. I found the book slow & hard to get in to, to begin with but the more I read the more I became engrossed. Definitely not a cosy read but disturbing, haunting & Chilling. I liked Karneza but didn’t love her but would like to read more books so I could get to know her better. A well written psychological thriller
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After reading The Ice Twins and The Fire Child by this author I was happy to be given the chance to read this book. I loved it.
The first in a brand new crime thriller series Karenza Bray is a Forensic psychologist, separated from her husband after their own personal tragedy , she agrees to talk to and try to help two young children who twelve months previously lost their mother. The children are acting very strangely and Karenza has to try really hard to get them to talk to her.
The Wreckers Girl is a spooky story and will grab you from the first page. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The first in a brand new crime thriller series Karenza Bray is a Forensic psychologist, separated from her husband after their own personal tragedy , she agrees to talk to and try to help two young children who twelve months previously lost their mother. The children are acting very strangely and Karenza has to try really hard to get them to talk to her.
The Wreckers Girl is a spooky story and will grab you from the first page. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 13, 2026
Felt a little slow to start, but I guess that was background information.
From about halfway through, it became compelling - a recent death, was it suicide or murder, why? As Karenza investigates at the request of the father, Malcolm, there are strange happenings at Baldhu, a house on the south coast of Cornwall between Penzance and Lands End - a home that has been in the family for centuries. People are seeing things that aren’t there, is it haunted or are they playing games with her.
Lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed it. It was engaging, the writing style suited me and I will read more of their work.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
From about halfway through, it became compelling - a recent death, was it suicide or murder, why? As Karenza investigates at the request of the father, Malcolm, there are strange happenings at Baldhu, a house on the south coast of Cornwall between Penzance and Lands End - a home that has been in the family for centuries. People are seeing things that aren’t there, is it haunted or are they playing games with her.
Lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed it. It was engaging, the writing style suited me and I will read more of their work.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
March 18, 2026
A story from Cornwall. For me it had a bit of everything, history, suspense, plot twists and atmosphere. It was a little bit scary and mysterious. Karenza, the protagonist, is a forensic psychologist with issues of her own, a broken marriage and the death of her only child.. She sets out to help two disturbed children whose mother had recently died in suspicious circumstances. I was never sure how this story would pan out, with so many avenues it could go down but that to me made it a good book and one I enjoyed very much. In some ways the setting was perfect, the rugged West Cornwall coast.
I look forward to more books by this author.
I look forward to more books by this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a very atmospheric story set in Cornwall. Karenza is a forensic psychologist and she is tasked with helping a family who are experiencing strange haunting events at their home. This has been happening since the death of the mother. The story is linked to the past and to several old Cornish families. It also concerns the practice of wrecking. There are several unexplained events and Karenza is trying to find the scientific reason for what is happening. There are a number of secrets that are discovered and also family connections. It was a good read and I’m always happy when justice is served. I enjoyed the descriptions of the countryside and especially liked the character of Karenza’s Nan. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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