The Throwback: A West Coast Mystery

by C.S. Cowan

How far would you go to protect the life you deserved?

A skull unearthed from a forgotten gravel pit. A decades-old disappearance. A killer determined to keep the past buried.
When author Skye Whelan returns to British Columbia's Sunshine Coast to rebuild her life after a painful divorce, she expects peace and solitude. Instead, the discovery of human remains shocks the close-knit community she thought she knew.
As investigator Noah Rimes reopens the cold case, long buried secrets emerge. He needs Skye's help but can he trust her? She may even be a murderer! Skye soon finds herself pulled into a web of lies, betrayals, and hidden relationships stretching back more than twenty years. Someone has spent years carefully protecting the truth. And they'll do anything to keep it hidden.
When Skye's cottage is ransacked, threatening messages appear, and a key witness disappears, it becomes clear that the past isn't finished with anyone. The closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous the investigation becomes.
With a determined detective hunting a killer and a community built on secrets starting to crack, Skye must uncover what really happened before she becomes the next victim.

Perfect for fans of atmospheric coastal mysteries, cold cases, small-town secrets, buried family truths, shocking twists, and relentless suspense.
The Throwback is a gripping West Coast mystery where old loyalties collide with deadly obsessions, and the truth refuses to stay buried.

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2025

About the author

Hey Dear Readers,
How far would you go to protect the life you deserved?
Just published my second mystery suspense thriller.Set again on the Sunshine Coast but a standalone this time. If you like dark secrets, atmospheric mysteries and twisty endings there's a good chance you will like The Throwback. If you do, I would love for you to leave a rating or review. Feedback is always appreciated!

A little about me...
I was born and bred on the Pacific West Coast of Canada. I love the mountains, the beaches and yes...the rain! Makes for wonderful backdrops for my writing.
As a kid, I couldn't believe my local library gave you books for free( still the best deal in town! ) so I got an early start to becoming a lifelong reader.
I've read many of the classics throughout my life, but now I love to read literary fiction with some sort of mystery to it, suspense and thrillers.
No surprise really that I worked as a high school counsellor and English teacher before I got down to the business of writing. I have a graduate degree in psychology which sure helps with those plot twists! Human behaviour and motivation is endlessly fascinating . Don't think I will ever run out of ideas !
If you read my first book, I hope you enjoyed it.
And now there is another one to read! Ebook, paperback or audiobook. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Happy Reading!

Reviews

[Karen Siddall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex and compelling, a riveting mystery of murder, betrayal, and revenge.

The Throwback is the second book by author C.S. Cowan in her riveting West Coast Mystery series, a series tied together by its Canadian Sunshine Coast setting rather than recurring characters, so it works perfectly as a standalone. This entry features a mystery writer, Skylar "Skye" Whelan, who returns to her small coastal hometown of Sechelt after her financial advisor husband is revealed as a conman who's bilked his senior citizen clients out of their retirement funds. Skye plans to focus on her next novel and keep a low profile, but finds herself drawn into a decade-old disappearance that someone doesn't want her meddling in.

Skye Whelan is a wounded soul after her husband betrays his clients, and the victims and the public find it hard to believe she wasn't in on his scheme. She dropped her married name and returned to Sechelt, hoping to fade from the limelight and the public's memory. Still, her notoriety keeps following her. The discovery of bones at a local construction site brings her to the attention of the new RCMP supervising detective, Staff Sergeant Noah Rimes, who replaced her father in that position on his retirement from the service. There is an immediate connection between her and Noah, but her unfortunate past colors their budding relationship.

Noah has a complicated and tragic past as well. His career move from Vancouver to this small coastal outpost is an attempt at a second chance at life. He's settling in but is concerned about whether he will fit into the slower pace of his new jurisdiction. However, he is soon facing a baffling rash of petty break-ins and incidents of vandalism, when he really needs to focus on the newly uncovered murder.

Along with strong characters, the story is complex, featuring twists and turns everywhere and some seemingly unconnected subplots. There is a storyline involving two inept young criminals that is particularly absorbing, and their unexpected relevance to the bigger picture really had me fooled. However, while the narrative included understandable, easy-to-follow flashbacks, a couple of scenes in the present-day timeline seemed out of order. While these instances made me question what I had previously read, they didn't affect the plot's trajectory. For example, an injured pet is rushed to the vet, only to reappear next, frolicking on the beach with a neighbor's dog, with no mention of the medical emergency. A chapter or so later, the emergency incident comes back up, and the dog is recuperating, not yet up to any frolicking. Still, the story returned to page-turner status, keeping me reading and engaged until the final reveal.

I recommend THE THROWBACK to readers of mystery, suspense, and thrillers, especially those craving an intriguing West Coast Canadian setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

[Donald Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying mystery.