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Jennifer Dorey Mystery #2
Dark Sky Island
An inspector and journalist join forces to uncover long-buried secrets, simmering resentments, and a chilling murder in a tiny, remote island in the English Channel.
The tiny island of Sark lies isolated in the dark waters of the Channel Islands. No cars are allowed. No streetlamps light its paths. It is the world’s only Dark Sky Island. This breathtaking patch of land seems the picture of tranquility—but at its heart lies a web of murder, deceit, and hidden danger.
When bones are discovered on Derrible Bay and an elderly resident is violently murdered, DCI Michael Gilbert from the nearby island of Guernsey is called in to tackle the case. With his department under fire, he needs to find the killer—and fast. Joining him is newspaper reporter Jennifer Dorey, whose father died in a mysterious drowning off the island. As Michael struggles to crack the case and Jennifer launches her own investigation, the island’s residents are left reeling and soon, their dark secrets begin to unravel threatening everything.
On an island steeped in superstition, where tales of hauntings and devil craft abound, Michael and Jenny race to discover the truth in Dark Sky Island, the second tantalizing installment of Lara Dearman’s Jennifer Dorey mysteries.
The tiny island of Sark lies isolated in the dark waters of the Channel Islands. No cars are allowed. No streetlamps light its paths. It is the world’s only Dark Sky Island. This breathtaking patch of land seems the picture of tranquility—but at its heart lies a web of murder, deceit, and hidden danger.
When bones are discovered on Derrible Bay and an elderly resident is violently murdered, DCI Michael Gilbert from the nearby island of Guernsey is called in to tackle the case. With his department under fire, he needs to find the killer—and fast. Joining him is newspaper reporter Jennifer Dorey, whose father died in a mysterious drowning off the island. As Michael struggles to crack the case and Jennifer launches her own investigation, the island’s residents are left reeling and soon, their dark secrets begin to unravel threatening everything.
On an island steeped in superstition, where tales of hauntings and devil craft abound, Michael and Jenny race to discover the truth in Dark Sky Island, the second tantalizing installment of Lara Dearman’s Jennifer Dorey mysteries.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 11, 2018
20 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
August 22, 2018
Lara Dearman has written a wonderful second addition to the anxious journalist, Jennifer Dorey series, working for The Guernsey News, troubled by the apparently accidental death of her beloved father, Charlie, in circumstances that she believes do not make sense, off the coast of Sark. Sark is known as the Dark Sky Island, with no streetlights or cars, with a history of smuggling and pirates, where superstitions are rife, with its myths and legends of beasts and curses, it is the land that time forgot. In a cave on Derrible Bay, the bones of a long dead woman are discovered and DCI Michael Gilbert returns to lead the inquiry, and he is not best pleased when Dorey turns up on the scene. Then a young boy, Arthur, finds the murdered body of Reg Carre in his home, and the police suspect the traumatised boy may have seen the perpetrator.
Dorey has fallen into a tenuous relationship with her colleague, Elliot, and her past exclusives have made her unpopular with others on her paper. This situation is exacerbated when the notoriously reticient billionaire living on Sark, Corey Monroe, wants to be interviewed by Dorey. Monroe's presence has got the backs up of the locals and their protests against him have been vociferous but make little sense to him as the economic opportunities he offers are rebuffed. Gilbert has to put up with the irritating and boastful presence of the ambitious DS Richard Fallaize on his team, and he feels guilty about not being open about the police files on Charlie Dorey's death with Jenny. The concerned mother of Arthur, Tanya La Page, is reluctant to let the police interview her vulnerable son, Arthur, but Michael is determined. The Sark islanders have been less than helpful, and leads in what turns up to be connected cases are scarce. Sark lives up to its name as the dark sky island, harbouring deception, lies, murder and more, posing grave dangers to both Michael and Jenny.
I really have become attached to the marvellous locations of the Channel Islands that are brought vibrantly alive by Lara Dearman, and the central characters of Jenny and Michael. It is the inclusion of the culture and wide range of local characters shaped by the insularity of island living and closed communities, and their hostility to outsiders that proved to be a major highlight of this novel for me. I am not sure if Dearman is going to continue with the series with Jenny finally have got to the bottom of what happened to her father and Michael's thoughts of the future. I hope she does continue with this series, it has grown on me, it is so atmospheric and gripping. A brilliant read that captured my interest with ease. Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for an ARC.
Dorey has fallen into a tenuous relationship with her colleague, Elliot, and her past exclusives have made her unpopular with others on her paper. This situation is exacerbated when the notoriously reticient billionaire living on Sark, Corey Monroe, wants to be interviewed by Dorey. Monroe's presence has got the backs up of the locals and their protests against him have been vociferous but make little sense to him as the economic opportunities he offers are rebuffed. Gilbert has to put up with the irritating and boastful presence of the ambitious DS Richard Fallaize on his team, and he feels guilty about not being open about the police files on Charlie Dorey's death with Jenny. The concerned mother of Arthur, Tanya La Page, is reluctant to let the police interview her vulnerable son, Arthur, but Michael is determined. The Sark islanders have been less than helpful, and leads in what turns up to be connected cases are scarce. Sark lives up to its name as the dark sky island, harbouring deception, lies, murder and more, posing grave dangers to both Michael and Jenny.
I really have become attached to the marvellous locations of the Channel Islands that are brought vibrantly alive by Lara Dearman, and the central characters of Jenny and Michael. It is the inclusion of the culture and wide range of local characters shaped by the insularity of island living and closed communities, and their hostility to outsiders that proved to be a major highlight of this novel for me. I am not sure if Dearman is going to continue with the series with Jenny finally have got to the bottom of what happened to her father and Michael's thoughts of the future. I hope she does continue with this series, it has grown on me, it is so atmospheric and gripping. A brilliant read that captured my interest with ease. Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for an ARC.
September 3, 2018
This is the second in the Jennifer Dorey series. This time the action moves to Sark, a small island near Guernsey that shares the same police force.
Told from multiple POV, this alternates between Michael Gilbert, the DI, and Jennifer Dorey, the reporter. We also hear from a woman named Rachel in 1978, who ended up leaving the island under questionable circumstances. All the characters are well drawn and fully fleshed out.
In addition to the discovery of a pile of bones in a cave on the island, Dorey is coming to grips with the mysterious drowning of her father two years previously and Gilbert is dealing with an investigation into his police force by Scotland Yard.
Sark is known as a dark sky island due to the lack of street lights and motorized vehicles. Dearman does a great job of making the Channel Islands as much characters as the people involved.
The Sarkees are an odd, insular community and not prone to opening up. It makes it difficult for both Jennifer and Michael to do their jobs. I enjoyed the tension that’s created here. While it took a bit to get going, once it did, I was fully vested.
My thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.
January 25, 2019
This book is the second in the Jennifer Dorey mystery series and was even better than the first.
I loved the setting, on a tiny island off the coast of Guernsey, Sark, population 450. Jennifer and DCI Michael Gilbert are drawn to the island to investigate a skeleton which was found in a cave. Jennifer is a news reporter on Guernsey and has reason to believe her father's death 2 years before may not have been an accident.
This was a very well-written book and I enjoyed it very much. The setting of Sark (Dark Sky Island) was so intriguing for this spooky story, which had a lot going on.
I recommend this to all who love a good mystery.
I loved the setting, on a tiny island off the coast of Guernsey, Sark, population 450. Jennifer and DCI Michael Gilbert are drawn to the island to investigate a skeleton which was found in a cave. Jennifer is a news reporter on Guernsey and has reason to believe her father's death 2 years before may not have been an accident.
This was a very well-written book and I enjoyed it very much. The setting of Sark (Dark Sky Island) was so intriguing for this spooky story, which had a lot going on.
I recommend this to all who love a good mystery.
October 6, 2018
Dark Sky Island is the second book in the Jennifer Dorey series. Jennifer is a reporter for a newspaper in Guernsey. In this new story, skeletal remains are discovered on nearby Sark Island. Sark is only about 9 miles from Guernsey, but it's a very different place. It's what they call a "Dark Island'' -- the only one in the world in fact. No streetlights. No cars. No airport. No light pollution. Tourists who visit there can have a view of the night sky like no other. DCI Michael Gilbert, a love interest of Jennifer's mother, is also on the island. He's reported from Guernsey to investigate the remains because Sark doesn't have a police force of its own. Turns out the skeletal woman was murdered. The case turns out to be much more complex than just a decades old skeleton, pulling in the death of Jennifer's own father and a long-ago disappearance.
This story had me engrossed from start to finish. I love how the author wove in local island superstitions like the Beast Man and the Tchico black dog along with the more modern dangers like drug traffickers. The story moved along at a fast pace with plenty of twists and suspects. I enjoyed the characters. Jennifer is a strong woman and a great reporter, but has her faults which she is trying to deal with. Michael Gilbert is an aging cop dealing with job stress, a budding relationship and his friendship with a reporter who won't stop nosing into his cases. I have not read the first book, The Devil's Claw, in this series yet, but I enjoyed this second book enough to back-track and read it.
The setting for this story reminded me a lot of the small town I grew up in. Same politics. Same attitude towards strangers. And the same resistance to modernization. There are only 450 residents on Sark Island. They resent outsiders and resist change. Superstitions, old legends and island gossip can hide many things....but also cause local issues to blow up into much bigger problems. This local atmosphere, plus discovery of human remains and other criminal elements at work on the island made for a suspenseful, thrilling story. I'm definitely looking forward to more by this author!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
This story had me engrossed from start to finish. I love how the author wove in local island superstitions like the Beast Man and the Tchico black dog along with the more modern dangers like drug traffickers. The story moved along at a fast pace with plenty of twists and suspects. I enjoyed the characters. Jennifer is a strong woman and a great reporter, but has her faults which she is trying to deal with. Michael Gilbert is an aging cop dealing with job stress, a budding relationship and his friendship with a reporter who won't stop nosing into his cases. I have not read the first book, The Devil's Claw, in this series yet, but I enjoyed this second book enough to back-track and read it.
The setting for this story reminded me a lot of the small town I grew up in. Same politics. Same attitude towards strangers. And the same resistance to modernization. There are only 450 residents on Sark Island. They resent outsiders and resist change. Superstitions, old legends and island gossip can hide many things....but also cause local issues to blow up into much bigger problems. This local atmosphere, plus discovery of human remains and other criminal elements at work on the island made for a suspenseful, thrilling story. I'm definitely looking forward to more by this author!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
July 1, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance copy of this intriguing mystery. I love a story that takes me to a new location and a different way of life. The setting is the tiny island of Sark located about an hour by ferry from Guernsey. It has been designated a Dark Sky Island due to the absence of street lights. It is about 3 square miles in area and population is about 450 people. No automobiles are permitted. It was the last place in Europe to do away with the feudal system when democracy was established ten years ago, but some preferred the old way and some of their former customs still remain.
The story begins when Detective Michael Gilbert is called from headquarters in Guernsey to go to Sark when bones are found in a cave. He is near retirement age. Jenny Dorey is a young journalist working for the Guernsey newspaper. She follows Michael to Sark determined to get a story but also to investigate the death of her father who drowned off the coast of Sark two years earlier. Her father was an experienced boatsman and falling off his boat never made sense to her.
Shortly after they arrive at Sark an elderly man is found murdered. In separate investigations Jenny and Michael try to solve both deaths, and speculate whether there might be a connection between the current killing and the decades old remains found in the cave. The small community thrives on rumors and secrets. They are not forthcoming to the police or the reporter about evidence they might be withholding. Some of the citizens appear hostile to interference by outsiders.
The setting is rugged and beautiful, but something sinister seems present. There is a conspiracy of crimes, silence and deceit. The story starts out slowly, and is told from three viewpoints. There are chapters involving Jenny’s interviews with townspeople alternating with that of Michael’s police investigation. This gives a chance to get to know some of the characters essential to the plot, and not everyone is what they seem. There are also sections featuring a woman named Rachel in the 1980s. The story proceeds at a leisurely pace but towards the end becomes tension filled and exciting with unforeseen surprises. Jenny and Michael are both in mortal danger.
An interesting, twisty mystery enhanced by a unique setting and descriptive sense of place. I now plan to read the first book in the series. 3.5 stars
The story begins when Detective Michael Gilbert is called from headquarters in Guernsey to go to Sark when bones are found in a cave. He is near retirement age. Jenny Dorey is a young journalist working for the Guernsey newspaper. She follows Michael to Sark determined to get a story but also to investigate the death of her father who drowned off the coast of Sark two years earlier. Her father was an experienced boatsman and falling off his boat never made sense to her.
Shortly after they arrive at Sark an elderly man is found murdered. In separate investigations Jenny and Michael try to solve both deaths, and speculate whether there might be a connection between the current killing and the decades old remains found in the cave. The small community thrives on rumors and secrets. They are not forthcoming to the police or the reporter about evidence they might be withholding. Some of the citizens appear hostile to interference by outsiders.
The setting is rugged and beautiful, but something sinister seems present. There is a conspiracy of crimes, silence and deceit. The story starts out slowly, and is told from three viewpoints. There are chapters involving Jenny’s interviews with townspeople alternating with that of Michael’s police investigation. This gives a chance to get to know some of the characters essential to the plot, and not everyone is what they seem. There are also sections featuring a woman named Rachel in the 1980s. The story proceeds at a leisurely pace but towards the end becomes tension filled and exciting with unforeseen surprises. Jenny and Michael are both in mortal danger.
An interesting, twisty mystery enhanced by a unique setting and descriptive sense of place. I now plan to read the first book in the series. 3.5 stars
April 19, 2019
I was a huge fan of the first book in this series and I’m just as impressed by the second outing – Dark Sky Island is tense, hugely atmospheric and beautifully written.
The sense of place is incredibly immersive and the mystery element is clever, engaging and unpredictable. I love the two central characters and this is an intriguing story of the secrets within a small island community.
Overall this is a wonderful read, a page turner, quality crime fiction just the way I like it
Highly Recommended.
The sense of place is incredibly immersive and the mystery element is clever, engaging and unpredictable. I love the two central characters and this is an intriguing story of the secrets within a small island community.
Overall this is a wonderful read, a page turner, quality crime fiction just the way I like it
Highly Recommended.
November 23, 2018
For me was this book a bit of an upswing from the first one. Don't take wrong, I liked the first book. Loved that the story took place on Guernsey and I quite liked DCI Michael Gilbert and journalist Jenny Dorey. Storywise is this book superior. I found myself quite hooked and breezed through the book.
There is just something very special about a small island and brutal crimes. Closed communities with secrets and resentment against outsiders. And, on the island of Sark has boon been found and that will be the start of a very dark story. Whose bones is it? DCI Michael Gilbert and Jenny Dorey will both be on the island working. And, there are some really strange things going on there...
I especially liked that this book also brought up the death of Jenny's father. The suspicious death that Jenny has been working on. She has felt that there was just something wrong about it. How could Charlie have drowned? He was such so experiences when it came to boats. Perhaps this book will give Jenny closure...
DARK SKY ISLAND is a really, really good book and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
There is just something very special about a small island and brutal crimes. Closed communities with secrets and resentment against outsiders. And, on the island of Sark has boon been found and that will be the start of a very dark story. Whose bones is it? DCI Michael Gilbert and Jenny Dorey will both be on the island working. And, there are some really strange things going on there...
I especially liked that this book also brought up the death of Jenny's father. The suspicious death that Jenny has been working on. She has felt that there was just something wrong about it. How could Charlie have drowned? He was such so experiences when it came to boats. Perhaps this book will give Jenny closure...
DARK SKY ISLAND is a really, really good book and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
November 25, 2019
Dark Sky Island is a thrilling, absorbing crime novel with a wonderful female detective as the main character.
It was great to read more about Jennifer again, especially as she pairs up with DCI Michael Gilbert again to try and solve the murders as I’ve always loved that partnership. This time Jennifer is actually conducting two investigations, the murders and a more personal investigation which allows the reader to learn more about her. I found this really interesting as she comes across as a bit of a closed book normally so this enabled me to understand her much better. The two investigations are very intriguing and makes the book hard to put down, especially when they finally join up in a very dramatic plot twist.
The channel Islands are again beautiful described so that the reader can fully imagine them in their mind. Their remoteness is used to help add a bit of tension and darkness to the story as it gave me the impression anything could be hiding there. It also means that there aren’t many people who could be the murderer, though there were quite a few shady characters to choose from. I had lots of theories all of which proved to be wrong and the final twist took me completely by surprise which I always really enjoy!
This was a fast paced, absorbing book that I flew through as I was really enjoying it. It is very atmospheric and gripping which makes for an easy read as there is always lots going on. I hope this isn’t the last we hear of Jennifer as I like reading about her and have grown quite fond of her.
Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Trapeze books for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you’re looking for a fantastic new crime series then you need to read this book!
It was great to read more about Jennifer again, especially as she pairs up with DCI Michael Gilbert again to try and solve the murders as I’ve always loved that partnership. This time Jennifer is actually conducting two investigations, the murders and a more personal investigation which allows the reader to learn more about her. I found this really interesting as she comes across as a bit of a closed book normally so this enabled me to understand her much better. The two investigations are very intriguing and makes the book hard to put down, especially when they finally join up in a very dramatic plot twist.
The channel Islands are again beautiful described so that the reader can fully imagine them in their mind. Their remoteness is used to help add a bit of tension and darkness to the story as it gave me the impression anything could be hiding there. It also means that there aren’t many people who could be the murderer, though there were quite a few shady characters to choose from. I had lots of theories all of which proved to be wrong and the final twist took me completely by surprise which I always really enjoy!
This was a fast paced, absorbing book that I flew through as I was really enjoying it. It is very atmospheric and gripping which makes for an easy read as there is always lots going on. I hope this isn’t the last we hear of Jennifer as I like reading about her and have grown quite fond of her.
Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Trapeze books for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you’re looking for a fantastic new crime series then you need to read this book!
April 23, 2019
Dark Sky Island is the second book in Lara Dearman’s ‘Jennifer Dorey Mysteries’ series. As someone who’s not read the first book, The Devil’s Claw,I can assure readers Dark Sky Island works perfectly well as a standalone. However, there are references to events in the first book making me wish I had been able to read The Devil’s Claw first. Having said that, the author clearly left a few plot elements unresolved at the end of The Devil’s Claw so that new readers don’t feel they’ve lost out and readers of the series can (finally) have their curiosity satisfied. Very clever.
I really enjoyed the unusual setting of the book – the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Sark. There’s loads of convincing sounding local detail and information about the history of Sark, in particular. I loved the way the author used the contrast between the seemingly idyllic island of Sark with its bicycles and horse-drawn carts, unspoilt natural landscape and rocky coastline and the brutal reality of murder. There’s an undercurrent of tension too between the locals and more recent arrivals, between old customs and modern developments. Given the only way on and off Sark is by boat, it gives a feeling of a locked room mystery. That sense of claustrophobia is enhanced by the island’s small population, made up of families who have lived there for generations and where pretty much everyone knows everyone else. Plenty of opportunity too for past feuds, long-held grievances and secrets in what Jenny refers to at one point as ‘this twisted paradise, with its shadowy figures and their veiled threats‘.
Through the alternating narratives of Jenny and Michael, as well as a few other characters whose part in the story is not immediately obvious, the reader follows the course of the police investigation into the identity of remains found hidden in a cave and the murder of a local man. In addition, Jenny has a very personal mystery she needs answers to. Are they connected? You’ll have to read Dark Sky Island to find out but what I can say is that as the book progresses the revelations comes thick and fast. There were also a few ‘I wouldn’t do that, Jenny/Michael, if I were you’ moments to get the pulse racing as the story builds to its dramatic conclusion. And you never can tell, can you, who’s a goodie and who’s a baddie?
I really enjoyed Dark Sky Island and as the author definitely seems to have left a few loose threads at the end of the book, I’m hopeful this isn’t the last story featuring Jennifer.
I really enjoyed the unusual setting of the book – the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Sark. There’s loads of convincing sounding local detail and information about the history of Sark, in particular. I loved the way the author used the contrast between the seemingly idyllic island of Sark with its bicycles and horse-drawn carts, unspoilt natural landscape and rocky coastline and the brutal reality of murder. There’s an undercurrent of tension too between the locals and more recent arrivals, between old customs and modern developments. Given the only way on and off Sark is by boat, it gives a feeling of a locked room mystery. That sense of claustrophobia is enhanced by the island’s small population, made up of families who have lived there for generations and where pretty much everyone knows everyone else. Plenty of opportunity too for past feuds, long-held grievances and secrets in what Jenny refers to at one point as ‘this twisted paradise, with its shadowy figures and their veiled threats‘.
Through the alternating narratives of Jenny and Michael, as well as a few other characters whose part in the story is not immediately obvious, the reader follows the course of the police investigation into the identity of remains found hidden in a cave and the murder of a local man. In addition, Jenny has a very personal mystery she needs answers to. Are they connected? You’ll have to read Dark Sky Island to find out but what I can say is that as the book progresses the revelations comes thick and fast. There were also a few ‘I wouldn’t do that, Jenny/Michael, if I were you’ moments to get the pulse racing as the story builds to its dramatic conclusion. And you never can tell, can you, who’s a goodie and who’s a baddie?
I really enjoyed Dark Sky Island and as the author definitely seems to have left a few loose threads at the end of the book, I’m hopeful this isn’t the last story featuring Jennifer.
April 28, 2019
I’ve not read book one of this series but I’ll definitely wanna go back and read it as I really enjoyed this story.
This story is based on an island called Sark, a dark island where there are no street lights or cars.
Detective Michael Gilbert and journalist Jennifer Dorey find themselves on Sark with Micheal investigating a skeleton been found and Jennifer getting the story.
I’ve got to admit I was fascinated about this island and actually googled it. Yes it’s a real place. Am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Although I thought this was slow to start with I found this to be a well written murder mystery.
This story is based on an island called Sark, a dark island where there are no street lights or cars.
Detective Michael Gilbert and journalist Jennifer Dorey find themselves on Sark with Micheal investigating a skeleton been found and Jennifer getting the story.
I’ve got to admit I was fascinated about this island and actually googled it. Yes it’s a real place. Am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Although I thought this was slow to start with I found this to be a well written murder mystery.
January 8, 2026
Enjoyed this, although I might be biased seeing as I stay on Sark every year!
July 30, 2018
You're missing out if you're not reading Lara Dearman. She's from the island originally and evokes it with style and an acute sense of place that only a native could really know. She lives and breathes the island and even though this is a cracking mystery with plenty of island hopping, it's also a very good guide to the islands themselves.
This is a very well-written mystery with style and atmosphere. A very complex mystery which goes back years and builds and builds to a very intriguing ending. The police duo develop and grow in this novel and you find out more about their personal lives, their working relationship and their reaction to the closed room style of investigating such a small island community.
Early review but I love this book so much I had to shout about it!
This is a very well-written mystery with style and atmosphere. A very complex mystery which goes back years and builds and builds to a very intriguing ending. The police duo develop and grow in this novel and you find out more about their personal lives, their working relationship and their reaction to the closed room style of investigating such a small island community.
Early review but I love this book so much I had to shout about it!
March 26, 2019
It’s been brilliant to catch up with journalist Jennifer Dorey and DCI Michael Gilbert again in the latest book from Lara Dearman, Dark Sky Island. I’ve enjoyed both books in this series, and I’m really hoping that Lara is going to write more novels featuring the characters, it will be interesting to see where she takes them next after the events which took place in the finale.
There is a real emotional core to the plot which touches Jenny and really sparks her intrigue. Two years ago her father disappeared on the Island of Sark, which is located a short distance away from Guernsey and has a handful of residents. With the discovery of human remains on the Island, Jenny heads there in the hope of finding out what has happened to her father. But while the police investigate how these remains came to be there, which could potentially have been lying undiscovered for decades, another man is murdered and dark secrets about what has been happening on the island come to light.
I really like the chemistry that there is between Jennifer and Michael, although you think it’s a relationship that couldn’t work there is definitely a spark between them and this comes across well in Lara’s writing. There’s an exciting mystery to follow here with the discovery of the bones in the cave on the island and the murder of a man. At the heart of all of this, there is a group of people on the island who appear to be harbouring many secrets, including a mystery figure, a multi-millionaire who bought a smaller island and built a colossal mansion which includes its own pub and needless to say there are many rumours flying around about him.
There is a strong sense of place in Lara’s writing, particularly as she describes the island which gives the place a chilling and mysterious feeling. There is a real sense here that they are cut off from the mainland and that anything could happen. I felt I could never make my mind up about any of the residents, and I was kept gripped as I tried to work out which of them had been involved in the crimes which had been uncovered. Lara certainly doesn’t make it easy for the reader to work out what it is that has gone on, and I was fascinated by how everything was unravelled towards the end which was done in a really clever way.
Again Lara touches on the myth and legends that many people talk about in Guernsey and Sark, which I remember being absolutely fascinated by in her last book and they really help in bringing the location and the people to life.
This is another exciting read from Lara Dearman. If you love atmospheric crime fiction, then you should definitely pick this book up and the first book as well which is just as brilliant.
There is a real emotional core to the plot which touches Jenny and really sparks her intrigue. Two years ago her father disappeared on the Island of Sark, which is located a short distance away from Guernsey and has a handful of residents. With the discovery of human remains on the Island, Jenny heads there in the hope of finding out what has happened to her father. But while the police investigate how these remains came to be there, which could potentially have been lying undiscovered for decades, another man is murdered and dark secrets about what has been happening on the island come to light.
I really like the chemistry that there is between Jennifer and Michael, although you think it’s a relationship that couldn’t work there is definitely a spark between them and this comes across well in Lara’s writing. There’s an exciting mystery to follow here with the discovery of the bones in the cave on the island and the murder of a man. At the heart of all of this, there is a group of people on the island who appear to be harbouring many secrets, including a mystery figure, a multi-millionaire who bought a smaller island and built a colossal mansion which includes its own pub and needless to say there are many rumours flying around about him.
There is a strong sense of place in Lara’s writing, particularly as she describes the island which gives the place a chilling and mysterious feeling. There is a real sense here that they are cut off from the mainland and that anything could happen. I felt I could never make my mind up about any of the residents, and I was kept gripped as I tried to work out which of them had been involved in the crimes which had been uncovered. Lara certainly doesn’t make it easy for the reader to work out what it is that has gone on, and I was fascinated by how everything was unravelled towards the end which was done in a really clever way.
Again Lara touches on the myth and legends that many people talk about in Guernsey and Sark, which I remember being absolutely fascinated by in her last book and they really help in bringing the location and the people to life.
This is another exciting read from Lara Dearman. If you love atmospheric crime fiction, then you should definitely pick this book up and the first book as well which is just as brilliant.
March 12, 2019
*Book gifted by author in return for unbiased review*
When you love the first book so much, there’s always some trepidation when a sequel comes out. I really shouldn’t have been worried and I can, hand on heart, say that it is just as good as the first. Dearman manages to keep the beauty of my beloved Channel Islands, even when the murky spectre of murder lurks around every corner. It’s obvious she knows and loves the place, it’s almost as though I can follow the words on the page like a map in my head. The veiled reference to the Barclay Brothers wasn’t lost on me and I laughed out loud at the ‘Feral Ferrets’ mention - possibly my favourite Guernsey Press headline of all time. I can only hope the third instalment will be out soon! À la perchoine.
When you love the first book so much, there’s always some trepidation when a sequel comes out. I really shouldn’t have been worried and I can, hand on heart, say that it is just as good as the first. Dearman manages to keep the beauty of my beloved Channel Islands, even when the murky spectre of murder lurks around every corner. It’s obvious she knows and loves the place, it’s almost as though I can follow the words on the page like a map in my head. The veiled reference to the Barclay Brothers wasn’t lost on me and I laughed out loud at the ‘Feral Ferrets’ mention - possibly my favourite Guernsey Press headline of all time. I can only hope the third instalment will be out soon! À la perchoine.
September 3, 2018
This is the second in series and, although the main story is self-contained, please do try and squeeze The Devil's Claw in first. If nothing else, it will give you a better background to Jenny's character and the connection between her and Gilbert.
The action in this book takes place on the small island of Sark where cars are banned and there is no light pollution (the Dark Sky status of the title) so the nights are proper dark, and a bit scary. Bones found in a cave are anonymously reported, causing a visit by Guernsey's DCI Gilbert to investigate. Tipped off, journalist Jenny joins him on the tiny island, desperate for a front page scoop. She has history with the island as it was a place she visited regularly with her father before his recent death at sea. But just as they are beginning to investigate the bones, an elderly man is found dead, and not from natural causes. But, as the duo start their separate investigations, things start to get a bit weird. Is it just the superstitious ambience of the island that is spooking them or is there something much darker going on?
Ooo, I do love a good isolated island murder mystery and this was a doozy! Sark is steeped in history, both good and bad. Smugglers, pirates and more than its fair share of myths, legends, and foul beasts all play their part in the intrigue surrounding the bones and the old man's murder in this book. As with all books of the genre, we have twists and turns aplenty, as well as a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. We follow the investigations both from the police point of view with Gilbert and also, hand in hand, Jenny's investigations as a journalist. The two meander around each other, sharing some but not all along the way, until we eventually get to the bottom of things at the end. Where exactly Jenny's father comes into things is another story completely; or is it?
One of the things I especially loved about this, and indeed the first in series too, was the setting. In book one, I learned quite a bit about Guernsey, here similarly with Sark. The old feudal system giving way to democracy and incomers rocking the boat with the tight knit small community of residents. Having visited and loved Jersey last year, I now kick myself that I didn't take the opportunity to visit Sark on a day trip, something I do hope to rectify in the future. Here, in this series, the settings are almost to be considered as characters in their own rights, being as integral to the plot as they are.
With how this book ended I wonder how the author will carry things on. I have a few ideas and am quite eager to see if I'm right. Either way, I do hope she does carry it on, in one way or another, as I am really starting to enjoy this series. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
The action in this book takes place on the small island of Sark where cars are banned and there is no light pollution (the Dark Sky status of the title) so the nights are proper dark, and a bit scary. Bones found in a cave are anonymously reported, causing a visit by Guernsey's DCI Gilbert to investigate. Tipped off, journalist Jenny joins him on the tiny island, desperate for a front page scoop. She has history with the island as it was a place she visited regularly with her father before his recent death at sea. But just as they are beginning to investigate the bones, an elderly man is found dead, and not from natural causes. But, as the duo start their separate investigations, things start to get a bit weird. Is it just the superstitious ambience of the island that is spooking them or is there something much darker going on?
Ooo, I do love a good isolated island murder mystery and this was a doozy! Sark is steeped in history, both good and bad. Smugglers, pirates and more than its fair share of myths, legends, and foul beasts all play their part in the intrigue surrounding the bones and the old man's murder in this book. As with all books of the genre, we have twists and turns aplenty, as well as a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. We follow the investigations both from the police point of view with Gilbert and also, hand in hand, Jenny's investigations as a journalist. The two meander around each other, sharing some but not all along the way, until we eventually get to the bottom of things at the end. Where exactly Jenny's father comes into things is another story completely; or is it?
One of the things I especially loved about this, and indeed the first in series too, was the setting. In book one, I learned quite a bit about Guernsey, here similarly with Sark. The old feudal system giving way to democracy and incomers rocking the boat with the tight knit small community of residents. Having visited and loved Jersey last year, I now kick myself that I didn't take the opportunity to visit Sark on a day trip, something I do hope to rectify in the future. Here, in this series, the settings are almost to be considered as characters in their own rights, being as integral to the plot as they are.
With how this book ended I wonder how the author will carry things on. I have a few ideas and am quite eager to see if I'm right. Either way, I do hope she does carry it on, in one way or another, as I am really starting to enjoy this series. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
September 17, 2018
Somehow I managed to miss the first mystery in this series but, as soon as I can, I will be reading it. I love the Channel Islands and to find a mystery set on Sark was one I couldn't pass up. Sark is a small island, 3 miles by about one mile in size with about 500 residents. That number swells during the tourist season and day trippers keep the local ferry full. The island became part of England back in 1066 and kept its feudal way of life up until about ten years ago. Until then 40 families held control over every part of island life. The island of Little Sark is privately owned and has a major part in this mystery. Because there are only horse drawn carriages and tractors on the island, along with one street light, Sark has the honor of being the first official Dark Sky Island - no residential lights at night to spoil the star gazing. Boy, does that add to the atmosphere - things really can, and do, go bump in the night.
I don't normally enjoy stories told from multiple voices but, in this case, I'm glad I made an exception. There is no confusion between the voices of Jenny, the reporter, Michael, the DCI investigating the murder (and who is also dating Jenny's mother and investigating Jenny's father's death). The third voice is Rachel, in 1979. All of the threads come together seamlessly.
Sark has only one police officer, on a volunteer basis and depends upon the police force of Guernsey to investigate crimes. When a skeleton is reported to be in one of the "pirate" caves, Michael is sent to investigate. Jenny, who has spent a fair amount of time on Sark and who's late father had many friendships on the island, is sent over to get the story. It gives her even more reason to continue trying to find out what really happened to her father.
Soon there is a fresh death to investigate when one of her father's friends is found with his throat slashed. Found by a little boy with a very protective mother who works very hard to keep him out of the investigation. The big question is - are the past death and the present deaths in any way connected? Given that the residents of Sark are good at keeping silent when the police are around, it's a hard investigation to conduct.
All of the characters are well developed and Sark is front and center. After reading Dark Sky Island, I came away with a strong feeling for the island and its residents. The pacing starts out slowly, like the reader is being properly introduced to the island and to its secrets. As the mystery progresses, the tension builds and builds, each pice, each clue laid out bit by bit. When it all comes together in the final chapters I knew I was going to be staying up past my bedtime to finish it. This is one series I will put on my "not to be missed" reading list.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I don't normally enjoy stories told from multiple voices but, in this case, I'm glad I made an exception. There is no confusion between the voices of Jenny, the reporter, Michael, the DCI investigating the murder (and who is also dating Jenny's mother and investigating Jenny's father's death). The third voice is Rachel, in 1979. All of the threads come together seamlessly.
Sark has only one police officer, on a volunteer basis and depends upon the police force of Guernsey to investigate crimes. When a skeleton is reported to be in one of the "pirate" caves, Michael is sent to investigate. Jenny, who has spent a fair amount of time on Sark and who's late father had many friendships on the island, is sent over to get the story. It gives her even more reason to continue trying to find out what really happened to her father.
Soon there is a fresh death to investigate when one of her father's friends is found with his throat slashed. Found by a little boy with a very protective mother who works very hard to keep him out of the investigation. The big question is - are the past death and the present deaths in any way connected? Given that the residents of Sark are good at keeping silent when the police are around, it's a hard investigation to conduct.
All of the characters are well developed and Sark is front and center. After reading Dark Sky Island, I came away with a strong feeling for the island and its residents. The pacing starts out slowly, like the reader is being properly introduced to the island and to its secrets. As the mystery progresses, the tension builds and builds, each pice, each clue laid out bit by bit. When it all comes together in the final chapters I knew I was going to be staying up past my bedtime to finish it. This is one series I will put on my "not to be missed" reading list.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 11, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of Dark Sky Island, the second novel to feature reporter Jenny Dorey and DCI Michael Gilbert, set on the islands of Guernsey and Sark.
DCI Gilbert receives an anonymous tip about bones hidden on Sark and hurries over to investigate but while he is there an elderly resident, Reg Carré, is brutally murdered. Are the two incidents related? Nobody can say but it causes uneasiness on the island. Reporter Jenny Dorey hotfoots it over to Sark as soon as she hears about the bones, not just for the story but to try and learn more about the death of her father, an experienced sailor who apparently fell overboard and drowned while returning from Sark.
I thoroughly enjoyed Dark Sky Island which, once it gets going, is an exciting read with plenty of twists and action. Despite the early excitement of finding the bones and the murder the novel is slow to develop further in the first half but stick with it because it's all go in the second half with several unexpected twists and both Michael and Jenny facing danger. The first half does a lot of scene setting both geographically and culturally. The island sounds lovely and interesting with its old fashioned customs but Ms Dearman doesn't do the islanders any favours, describing a closed, insular society with well hidden secrets.
The novel has a shifting perspective and timeline with the narrative switching mainly between Jenny and Michael with chapters from a character called Rachel's past on Sark. It's not my favourite format as I find the constant change of viewpoint distracting as it prevents total immersion in the novel. I think all the switching about adds to the slowness of the first half as the author has to introduce the reader to three different characters and backgrounds. The second half, as the reader becomes accustomed to all the chopping and changes, is tense and action packed and full of "I didn't see that coming" moments.
I like Jenny and Michael as characters. They are both flawed in a human, not a bad way. She is an anxious person with, if you want to be unkind, daddy issues, or more realistically an obsessive need to understand what happened to her father. Michael is older with a lifetime of mistakes behind him and as he is no Supercop he's determined to investigate thoroughly on Sark.
Dark Sky Island is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
DCI Gilbert receives an anonymous tip about bones hidden on Sark and hurries over to investigate but while he is there an elderly resident, Reg Carré, is brutally murdered. Are the two incidents related? Nobody can say but it causes uneasiness on the island. Reporter Jenny Dorey hotfoots it over to Sark as soon as she hears about the bones, not just for the story but to try and learn more about the death of her father, an experienced sailor who apparently fell overboard and drowned while returning from Sark.
I thoroughly enjoyed Dark Sky Island which, once it gets going, is an exciting read with plenty of twists and action. Despite the early excitement of finding the bones and the murder the novel is slow to develop further in the first half but stick with it because it's all go in the second half with several unexpected twists and both Michael and Jenny facing danger. The first half does a lot of scene setting both geographically and culturally. The island sounds lovely and interesting with its old fashioned customs but Ms Dearman doesn't do the islanders any favours, describing a closed, insular society with well hidden secrets.
The novel has a shifting perspective and timeline with the narrative switching mainly between Jenny and Michael with chapters from a character called Rachel's past on Sark. It's not my favourite format as I find the constant change of viewpoint distracting as it prevents total immersion in the novel. I think all the switching about adds to the slowness of the first half as the author has to introduce the reader to three different characters and backgrounds. The second half, as the reader becomes accustomed to all the chopping and changes, is tense and action packed and full of "I didn't see that coming" moments.
I like Jenny and Michael as characters. They are both flawed in a human, not a bad way. She is an anxious person with, if you want to be unkind, daddy issues, or more realistically an obsessive need to understand what happened to her father. Michael is older with a lifetime of mistakes behind him and as he is no Supercop he's determined to investigate thoroughly on Sark.
Dark Sky Island is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
April 15, 2019
I loved the first book set in Guernsey by Lara Dearman so I was excited to win a signed copy of that book (The Devils Claw) in the TBC charity auction last year especially when it came with an early proof of Dark Sky Island! I read it straight away as I was dying to know what happened next to Jennifer Dorey and I wasn’t disappointed. When I got the invite to this blog tour it was the perfect excuse to refresh my memory and read it again, and I’m happy to report that it was just as fabulous the second time around. I loved it as much, if not more, than The Devils Claw as not only is there a serious crime for Jennifer to report on but she also manages to do a little bit of personal investigation as well. This meant that there were two threads to intrigue the reader and when they collided there were some rather shocking plot twists that I hadn’t been expecting.
It was great to see Jennifer back with her partner in crime DCI Michael Gilbert and when they hear about a set of human bones found in a remote bay on the island of Sark both are determined to find out the full story behind them. The island is only accessible by boat so Jennifer has no choice but to sail over the island and if you’ve read The Devils Claw you’ll know what a big deal that is for her. Whilst she’s there, another death occurs but surely it can’t be related to the historic discovery that has just been made? As the book flashes back to the past lives of the islands residents, Jennifer begins to realise that those events of the past are linked but more importantly to her they may help her to make sense of what happened in the death of her father. Unfortunately, her investigation then puts both herself and Michael in danger.
It was wonderful to return to the Channel Islands once again. Visiting Guernsey is on my bucket list and every time I visit it in one of Lara’s books I become even more determined to go there myself one day. She brings the island to life with her vividly evocative and descriptive prose which always makes me feel as though I am actually there (wishful thinking!) and the same can be said this time for the island of Sark. There were a surprising amount of very dodgy characters lurking around for such a small island so we were kept guessing as to who the bad guys were and who the bones belonged to for quite some time. That didn’t stop me feeling smugly convinced that I knew EXACTLY what was going on…and I was completely wrong!! I think the answers that Jennifer and Michael turn up will surprise pretty much everyone who reads this book!
Lara Dearman has written an engrossing and intelligent crime novel with an authentic and atmospheric setting and an intriguing protagonist that you will take to immediately. Jennifer can be a bit of a closed book at times and is pretty rubbish at telling people exactly how she really feels but I love her! This series will appeal to readers of LJ Ross or Ann Cleeves as you really get a sense of place throughout the narrative. It’s a series that I hope will keep on giving as I’m sure Jennifer Dorey has plenty more to say!
Highly recommended by me.
It was great to see Jennifer back with her partner in crime DCI Michael Gilbert and when they hear about a set of human bones found in a remote bay on the island of Sark both are determined to find out the full story behind them. The island is only accessible by boat so Jennifer has no choice but to sail over the island and if you’ve read The Devils Claw you’ll know what a big deal that is for her. Whilst she’s there, another death occurs but surely it can’t be related to the historic discovery that has just been made? As the book flashes back to the past lives of the islands residents, Jennifer begins to realise that those events of the past are linked but more importantly to her they may help her to make sense of what happened in the death of her father. Unfortunately, her investigation then puts both herself and Michael in danger.
It was wonderful to return to the Channel Islands once again. Visiting Guernsey is on my bucket list and every time I visit it in one of Lara’s books I become even more determined to go there myself one day. She brings the island to life with her vividly evocative and descriptive prose which always makes me feel as though I am actually there (wishful thinking!) and the same can be said this time for the island of Sark. There were a surprising amount of very dodgy characters lurking around for such a small island so we were kept guessing as to who the bad guys were and who the bones belonged to for quite some time. That didn’t stop me feeling smugly convinced that I knew EXACTLY what was going on…and I was completely wrong!! I think the answers that Jennifer and Michael turn up will surprise pretty much everyone who reads this book!
Lara Dearman has written an engrossing and intelligent crime novel with an authentic and atmospheric setting and an intriguing protagonist that you will take to immediately. Jennifer can be a bit of a closed book at times and is pretty rubbish at telling people exactly how she really feels but I love her! This series will appeal to readers of LJ Ross or Ann Cleeves as you really get a sense of place throughout the narrative. It’s a series that I hope will keep on giving as I’m sure Jennifer Dorey has plenty more to say!
Highly recommended by me.
April 25, 2019
A confession-I had literally no idea about the Channel Islands before starting reading this book, the hook of the thriller reeled me in and then I found myself reading about all these little islands and not a clue!
So I did a bit of research and found that the title refers to Sark ,the island location of the book,being named the world's first Dark Sky Island, the obesrvatory built there and just how small and insular it is.
This really added to the atmosphere which Lara Dearman stunningly creates in this, her second novel set in her home of the Channel Islands. Beginning with quite literally, a cliff hanger opening, she manages to a) make you forget the unamed character she has put in such peril and b) introduces her cast of characters who are central to the novel.
What a feat! To put a person in mortal danger then manage to misdirect the reader...I was chapters deep before thinking 'What happened to the person at the start!!;
The idea of an island to escape to is an intriguing one-so many of us hold it as an idyll but once you get there, what if you cannot escape? If you live somewhere so small that cars are outlawed and is so safe that rarely are there locked doors, how does a murder affect that community?
By giving us the story of Jen, the investigative reporter who is the principle narrator with a back story linked to Book 1, Lara gives us eyes and ears on the ground as readers, she is an outsider as are we yet also a native insider providing balance to what she is seeing.
The investigation in to the human remians found in a cave comes courtesy of a tip off-but what was the aim of this and who did it? And whilst recovering the bones, an islander is found brutally murdered. The story then goes back in time to the 1970's ,and a woman named Rachel, leaving the reader dangling by their fingertips but this time, we are storing the relevant details and placing the facts in storage for future use.
Added to this, there is a billionaire who has bought an island off the coast to make it his personal retreat and is squeezing the island dry in an attempt to take it over.The old and the new are unwelcome bedfellows, the traditions and tales of the island versus the ability to buy Waitrose stock, the tourists that they rely on versus the 'toast rack' tractor pulled transport that serves the island.
The atmosphere is stunning, the characters relatable and the story keeps you on tenterhooks!
I absolutely loved the way that the threads were pulled together towards a climactic finale that leaves you both reeling, and wanting more. If you need me I'll be listening to the album Enya wrote based on Sark and the poems of writer and collaborator Roma Ryan
So I did a bit of research and found that the title refers to Sark ,the island location of the book,being named the world's first Dark Sky Island, the obesrvatory built there and just how small and insular it is.
This really added to the atmosphere which Lara Dearman stunningly creates in this, her second novel set in her home of the Channel Islands. Beginning with quite literally, a cliff hanger opening, she manages to a) make you forget the unamed character she has put in such peril and b) introduces her cast of characters who are central to the novel.
What a feat! To put a person in mortal danger then manage to misdirect the reader...I was chapters deep before thinking 'What happened to the person at the start!!;
The idea of an island to escape to is an intriguing one-so many of us hold it as an idyll but once you get there, what if you cannot escape? If you live somewhere so small that cars are outlawed and is so safe that rarely are there locked doors, how does a murder affect that community?
By giving us the story of Jen, the investigative reporter who is the principle narrator with a back story linked to Book 1, Lara gives us eyes and ears on the ground as readers, she is an outsider as are we yet also a native insider providing balance to what she is seeing.
The investigation in to the human remians found in a cave comes courtesy of a tip off-but what was the aim of this and who did it? And whilst recovering the bones, an islander is found brutally murdered. The story then goes back in time to the 1970's ,and a woman named Rachel, leaving the reader dangling by their fingertips but this time, we are storing the relevant details and placing the facts in storage for future use.
Added to this, there is a billionaire who has bought an island off the coast to make it his personal retreat and is squeezing the island dry in an attempt to take it over.The old and the new are unwelcome bedfellows, the traditions and tales of the island versus the ability to buy Waitrose stock, the tourists that they rely on versus the 'toast rack' tractor pulled transport that serves the island.
The atmosphere is stunning, the characters relatable and the story keeps you on tenterhooks!
I absolutely loved the way that the threads were pulled together towards a climactic finale that leaves you both reeling, and wanting more. If you need me I'll be listening to the album Enya wrote based on Sark and the poems of writer and collaborator Roma Ryan
April 20, 2019
Dark Sky Island is the second in the series set in the Channel Islands featuring DCI Michael Gilbert and journalist Jennifer Dorey following Deep Dark Water (previously published as The Devil’s Claw). Dark Sky Island can be read as a stand alone as there are plenty of references to previous key events to bring new readers to the series on board.
When Jenny is given the heads up from Michael that human remains have been found in a cave in Sark, it doesn’t take Jenny long to hope on a boat from Guernsey to be first on the scene. Shortly after a body is discovered which is unheard of from this close-knit community where literally every one knows each other and front doors are left unlocked. What is even more chilling is that there is a murderer amongst them as it’s not so easy to come and go as the islanders soon notice new people. Whilst Jenny is first and foremost pursuing a story, she is also keen to go to Sark to try and find out what happened to her father 3 years ago when he tragically lost his life off the coast.
I think that Sark was the perfect location for this story; it has no street lights so as not to pollute the night sky (Sark was designated as the World’s First Dark Sky Island in 2011, hence the books title!), there are no motor vehicles and the island is only 3 miles by 1 mile. What results is a very claustrophobic setting when it’s evident that there is a murder amongst you. Any night time jaunts to the pub, or something more sinister, is done in the pitch black!
Lara Dearman has written a clever murder mystery which is set both in the present and the past through the voice of one of the residents, alongside this there is small-island politics between the born and bred Sarkees and the rich man who has made Sark his home. The narrative itself is unpredictable because the islanders are clearly keeping secrets however it’s not clear whether its in conjunction with the murder, the past or just more generally as those asking the questions are outsiders.
There are some interesting characters in this book and I particularly liked the relationship between Michael and Jenny, whilst keeping a professional distance to maintain police integrity, Michael isn’t averse to giving Jenny titbits of information! However, Michael is keeping something from Jenny himself which adds to their dynamic….
I really enjoyed this book and, having visited Guernsey a number of times (was our family holiday destination for years!) I loved recognising places and past times that are referenced throughout this book. A quality murder mystery with bags of tension…a brilliant read!
When Jenny is given the heads up from Michael that human remains have been found in a cave in Sark, it doesn’t take Jenny long to hope on a boat from Guernsey to be first on the scene. Shortly after a body is discovered which is unheard of from this close-knit community where literally every one knows each other and front doors are left unlocked. What is even more chilling is that there is a murderer amongst them as it’s not so easy to come and go as the islanders soon notice new people. Whilst Jenny is first and foremost pursuing a story, she is also keen to go to Sark to try and find out what happened to her father 3 years ago when he tragically lost his life off the coast.
I think that Sark was the perfect location for this story; it has no street lights so as not to pollute the night sky (Sark was designated as the World’s First Dark Sky Island in 2011, hence the books title!), there are no motor vehicles and the island is only 3 miles by 1 mile. What results is a very claustrophobic setting when it’s evident that there is a murder amongst you. Any night time jaunts to the pub, or something more sinister, is done in the pitch black!
Lara Dearman has written a clever murder mystery which is set both in the present and the past through the voice of one of the residents, alongside this there is small-island politics between the born and bred Sarkees and the rich man who has made Sark his home. The narrative itself is unpredictable because the islanders are clearly keeping secrets however it’s not clear whether its in conjunction with the murder, the past or just more generally as those asking the questions are outsiders.
There are some interesting characters in this book and I particularly liked the relationship between Michael and Jenny, whilst keeping a professional distance to maintain police integrity, Michael isn’t averse to giving Jenny titbits of information! However, Michael is keeping something from Jenny himself which adds to their dynamic….
I really enjoyed this book and, having visited Guernsey a number of times (was our family holiday destination for years!) I loved recognising places and past times that are referenced throughout this book. A quality murder mystery with bags of tension…a brilliant read!
September 13, 2018
Dark Sky Island by Lara Dearman is a very atmospheric mystery. This second installment in the Jennifer Dorey Mystery series can easily be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the first novel as well.
Detective Chief Inspector Michael Gilbert and Detective Constable Stephen Marquis are called to Sark island to investigate the discovery of bones in a cave. Local newspaper reporter Jennifer "Jenny" Dorey is tipped off about the case so she, too, makes her way from Guernsey to Sark. Not long after the three arrive, one of the islander is brutally murdered. Both Gilbert and Dorey believe the two cases are related but will they find the connection before it is too late?
Michael has a theory about the identity of the person that was found in the caves but the current murder takes priority. Sark is an insular community and no one is exactly forthcoming when questioned about the dead man. There are plenty of seething resentments and unsubstantiated rumors swirling about and Michael is quickly frustrated by his lack of progress.
Luckily, Jenny is making headway as she begins researching her stories. People easily open up to her and she gleans a few interesting tidbits that she shares with Michael. The best source of information is the young lad who discovered the murder victim but his mother, Tanya LePage, is extremely protective of her son. Jenny gains the boy's trust and he provides her with intriguing details about what he witnessed but will this clue lead Michael to the killer?
Jenny also has a personal reason for heading to Sark. She has unearthed information that her father Charlie's death two years earlier has a link to Sark island. Unbeknownst to Jenny, DCI Gilbert has been keeping secrets that prove her theory that Charlie's death might not have an accident. Could it possible his death and the events in the present are connected?
Interspersed with the events in the present, flashbacks to the late 1970s through the late 1980s from a woman called Rachel detail her arrival and subsequent life on Sark. Her marriage to an islander is not a happy one but the birth of a son proves to be quite joyous. However, Rachel begins receiving a series of letters that become more ominous over time. The significance of these passages will finally become clear as the story wends its way to its conclusion.
Dark Sky Island is an perplexing mystery with an absolutely enthralling setting. Between the foggy weather, lack of modern amenities and secretive islanders, Sark Island is a very atmospheric location. Jenny is not afraid to push for answers as she interviews members of the community. Her quest for the truth sometimes leads to risky choices that put Jenny in dangerous situations. Michael's investigation takes an unexpectedly perilous turn that leaves him in a very precarious position. With surprising twists and breathtaking turns, Lara Dearman brings this fascinating mystery to a stunning finale. Old and new fans of the Jennifer Dorey Mystery series do not want to miss this exciting adventure.
Detective Chief Inspector Michael Gilbert and Detective Constable Stephen Marquis are called to Sark island to investigate the discovery of bones in a cave. Local newspaper reporter Jennifer "Jenny" Dorey is tipped off about the case so she, too, makes her way from Guernsey to Sark. Not long after the three arrive, one of the islander is brutally murdered. Both Gilbert and Dorey believe the two cases are related but will they find the connection before it is too late?
Michael has a theory about the identity of the person that was found in the caves but the current murder takes priority. Sark is an insular community and no one is exactly forthcoming when questioned about the dead man. There are plenty of seething resentments and unsubstantiated rumors swirling about and Michael is quickly frustrated by his lack of progress.
Luckily, Jenny is making headway as she begins researching her stories. People easily open up to her and she gleans a few interesting tidbits that she shares with Michael. The best source of information is the young lad who discovered the murder victim but his mother, Tanya LePage, is extremely protective of her son. Jenny gains the boy's trust and he provides her with intriguing details about what he witnessed but will this clue lead Michael to the killer?
Jenny also has a personal reason for heading to Sark. She has unearthed information that her father Charlie's death two years earlier has a link to Sark island. Unbeknownst to Jenny, DCI Gilbert has been keeping secrets that prove her theory that Charlie's death might not have an accident. Could it possible his death and the events in the present are connected?
Interspersed with the events in the present, flashbacks to the late 1970s through the late 1980s from a woman called Rachel detail her arrival and subsequent life on Sark. Her marriage to an islander is not a happy one but the birth of a son proves to be quite joyous. However, Rachel begins receiving a series of letters that become more ominous over time. The significance of these passages will finally become clear as the story wends its way to its conclusion.
Dark Sky Island is an perplexing mystery with an absolutely enthralling setting. Between the foggy weather, lack of modern amenities and secretive islanders, Sark Island is a very atmospheric location. Jenny is not afraid to push for answers as she interviews members of the community. Her quest for the truth sometimes leads to risky choices that put Jenny in dangerous situations. Michael's investigation takes an unexpectedly perilous turn that leaves him in a very precarious position. With surprising twists and breathtaking turns, Lara Dearman brings this fascinating mystery to a stunning finale. Old and new fans of the Jennifer Dorey Mystery series do not want to miss this exciting adventure.
April 17, 2025
In her first novel, Guernsey born author Lara Dearman introduced us to reporter Jenny Dorey and her home island community on Guernsey. Now Dorey returns, working with the police to solve a new mystery. This time, we travel to the smaller, neighboring island of Sark, where motor vehicles are limited to tractors, and the pace of life is trapped in a earlier era. When unidentified bodies are discovered in a cave on Sark, the police begin an investigation, and Jenny joins them to report on the story. But things get more intense when a long-time resident of Sark is found murdered in his home later that day. And as they try to unravel the mystery, it becomes clear that the people of Sark seem to know more than they are willing to say, and with every clue Jenny and the police uncover, the more danger she appears to be in.
This mystery is well paced, and full of wonderful details about life on Sark and the people who live there. It is enough to make me want to visit some day.
This mystery is well paced, and full of wonderful details about life on Sark and the people who live there. It is enough to make me want to visit some day.
May 13, 2021
I didn't know this was book two when I got it but as with most mysteries it wasn't much of an issue. Jennifer is a journalist on a Channel Islands newspaper and in part that was the appeal for me. I know little about the Channel Islands so it and was fun to explore them this way.
Jennifer is friends with an older detective who is now dating her mother and Sark island holds memories for her. She used to go there as a child and it is also the last place her father visited before his fatal 'boating accident' that she doesn't think was an accident. So when bones turn up in a cave on the coast, she wants to cover the case.
The Dark Sky refers to its status as a no-light pollution spot for astronomical study of the sky. Sark doesn't allow cars etc. But before long another fresher murder has happened and the more Jennifer digs, the more danger she's in.
I liked the characters. I liked the setting and I liked the mystery. It's told in multiple points of view (all listed at the top of each chapter so it's not confusing). I would like to read more in this series.
Jennifer is friends with an older detective who is now dating her mother and Sark island holds memories for her. She used to go there as a child and it is also the last place her father visited before his fatal 'boating accident' that she doesn't think was an accident. So when bones turn up in a cave on the coast, she wants to cover the case.
The Dark Sky refers to its status as a no-light pollution spot for astronomical study of the sky. Sark doesn't allow cars etc. But before long another fresher murder has happened and the more Jennifer digs, the more danger she's in.
I liked the characters. I liked the setting and I liked the mystery. It's told in multiple points of view (all listed at the top of each chapter so it's not confusing). I would like to read more in this series.
January 13, 2019
Sark a small island where everyone new everyone else and nobody’s business was private. DCI Michael Gilbert came to Sark when bones were found in a cave but this would lead to more intrigue and murder. Who is keeping secrets on Sark and who knows. A fast paced mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep you page turning to the end.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2018
N’ayant pas lu La Griffe du Diable au préalable, je partais sans attente excessive, ni déception antérieure, que ce soit sur la plume de Lara Dearman, ou le duo Jenny/Michael.
Et dès les premières pages, j’ai été happée par l’histoire.
Ce second opus ne nécessite pas impérativement la lecture du premier, même si cela permet sans doute d’être plus au fait des antécédents de chacun des protagonistes.
Mais comme l’auteure prend la peine de revenir rapidement sur les grandes lignes de son premier roman, je ne me suis, à aucun moment, sentie perdue face à certaines révélations ou évolutions des personnages dans L’Île au Ciel Noir.
Dans ce thriller, l’action est clairement au rendez-vous.
On ne s’ennuie pas une seconde, alternant d’un point de vue à l’autre, et d’une époque à l’autre.
Pour autant, même s’il y a de l’action, l’auteure met en place toute une atmosphère, particulière, presque palpable, et aussi délétère que captivante.
On sent très rapidement que la clé de tout se trouve dans des secrets enfouis, certains depuis plusieurs dizaines d’années et d’autres plus récents, et que chaque personnage, chaque lieu et chaque époque détient un des éléments de réponses.
Et si on a au départ l’impression de suivre plusieurs enquêtes distinctes, on comprend rapidement que tout est lié, de près ou de loin.
Mais par qui, par quoi et comment, ça on est bien incapable de le saisir, Lara Dearman ayant pris grand soin de semer des petits cailloux qui, même s’ils sont nombreux, ne nous donnent pas de vue d’ensemble avant la toute fin de son livre.
J’ai trouvé la construction du roman particulièrement fine et bien faite.
Les personnages sont également très intéressants, et les sentiments d’attachement ou d’agacement envers eux ne font que renforcer notre envie d’avancer toujours plus vite et plus loin dans cette lecture.
L’île de Sercq est elle-même un personnage à part entière dans ce polar. Ensoleillée et chaleureuse en journée, elle se révèle sombre et inquiétante dès que les lumières la quittent.
Là encore, la qualité d’écriture de l’auteure est remarquable par sa capacité à nous faire ressentir cette dualité.
Un thriller captivant et addictif, à découvrir sans hésitation.
Et dès les premières pages, j’ai été happée par l’histoire.
Ce second opus ne nécessite pas impérativement la lecture du premier, même si cela permet sans doute d’être plus au fait des antécédents de chacun des protagonistes.
Mais comme l’auteure prend la peine de revenir rapidement sur les grandes lignes de son premier roman, je ne me suis, à aucun moment, sentie perdue face à certaines révélations ou évolutions des personnages dans L’Île au Ciel Noir.
Dans ce thriller, l’action est clairement au rendez-vous.
On ne s’ennuie pas une seconde, alternant d’un point de vue à l’autre, et d’une époque à l’autre.
Pour autant, même s’il y a de l’action, l’auteure met en place toute une atmosphère, particulière, presque palpable, et aussi délétère que captivante.
On sent très rapidement que la clé de tout se trouve dans des secrets enfouis, certains depuis plusieurs dizaines d’années et d’autres plus récents, et que chaque personnage, chaque lieu et chaque époque détient un des éléments de réponses.
Et si on a au départ l’impression de suivre plusieurs enquêtes distinctes, on comprend rapidement que tout est lié, de près ou de loin.
Mais par qui, par quoi et comment, ça on est bien incapable de le saisir, Lara Dearman ayant pris grand soin de semer des petits cailloux qui, même s’ils sont nombreux, ne nous donnent pas de vue d’ensemble avant la toute fin de son livre.
J’ai trouvé la construction du roman particulièrement fine et bien faite.
Les personnages sont également très intéressants, et les sentiments d’attachement ou d’agacement envers eux ne font que renforcer notre envie d’avancer toujours plus vite et plus loin dans cette lecture.
L’île de Sercq est elle-même un personnage à part entière dans ce polar. Ensoleillée et chaleureuse en journée, elle se révèle sombre et inquiétante dès que les lumières la quittent.
Là encore, la qualité d’écriture de l’auteure est remarquable par sa capacité à nous faire ressentir cette dualité.
Un thriller captivant et addictif, à découvrir sans hésitation.
November 26, 2018
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec L'Île au Ciel Noir ?
"J'avais beaucoup aimé le cadre et l'ambiance du premier tome, sur l'île de Guernesey. J'avais moins accroché aux personnages mais je voulais persévérer malgré tout dans cette série qui a indéniablement des atouts."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Des ossements humains viennent d'être retrouvés sur la plage de Sercq et toute l'île ne parle plus que de ça. Mais alors que tous se pressent pour voir ça de plus près, un vieil homme est assassiné..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Comme la première fois, je suis séduite par le cadre. L'isolement de ces îles et le comportement des habitants nous plongent directement dans le bon état d'esprit pour avoir envie de déterrer quelques secrets. J'ai commencé à m'attacher aux personnages et à plus les apprécier même si leur vie personnelle reste un peu sous-exploité il me semble. L'enquête, quant à elle, même si elle est interessante, m'a parue assez similaire à la précédente et si je commence déjà à me lasser du procédé dès le deuxième tome, j'espère vraiment que l'auteur saura trouver un nouvel angle et quelques ficelles plus originales pour la suite. En revanche, je lui suis extrêmement reconnaissante de nous avoir donné les réponses que nous attendions sur la mort du père de l'héroïne sans avoir fait traîner cela sur une dizaine de tomes comme un bien trop grand nombre d'auteurs auraient fait."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Ce n'est pas parfait mais on a malgré tout bien du mal à quitter ces îles envoûtantes, il y a donc fort à parier que je continuerai la lecture de cette série."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"J'avais beaucoup aimé le cadre et l'ambiance du premier tome, sur l'île de Guernesey. J'avais moins accroché aux personnages mais je voulais persévérer malgré tout dans cette série qui a indéniablement des atouts."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Des ossements humains viennent d'être retrouvés sur la plage de Sercq et toute l'île ne parle plus que de ça. Mais alors que tous se pressent pour voir ça de plus près, un vieil homme est assassiné..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Comme la première fois, je suis séduite par le cadre. L'isolement de ces îles et le comportement des habitants nous plongent directement dans le bon état d'esprit pour avoir envie de déterrer quelques secrets. J'ai commencé à m'attacher aux personnages et à plus les apprécier même si leur vie personnelle reste un peu sous-exploité il me semble. L'enquête, quant à elle, même si elle est interessante, m'a parue assez similaire à la précédente et si je commence déjà à me lasser du procédé dès le deuxième tome, j'espère vraiment que l'auteur saura trouver un nouvel angle et quelques ficelles plus originales pour la suite. En revanche, je lui suis extrêmement reconnaissante de nous avoir donné les réponses que nous attendions sur la mort du père de l'héroïne sans avoir fait traîner cela sur une dizaine de tomes comme un bien trop grand nombre d'auteurs auraient fait."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Ce n'est pas parfait mais on a malgré tout bien du mal à quitter ces îles envoûtantes, il y a donc fort à parier que je continuerai la lecture de cette série."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
January 16, 2021
Good read with a few twists and turns and multiple mysteries
April 17, 2019
I loved Lara Dearman’s first Jennifer Dorey book, The Devil’s Claw and so was very keen to read the second in the series, which can happily be read perfectly well as a stand-alone novel.
This time, most of the action takes place on the small island of Sark, the titular Dark Sky Island, so named because it has little light pollution (the island has one lamppost) and the constellations can be seen so clearly in the night sky.
Jenny, a journalist on the Guernsey News, is one of three voices we hear from in this book. The others are DCI Michael Gilbert, who is dating Jenny’s mum and a woman named Rachel, whose viewpoint comes to us from the late 1970’s.
Dearman was always going to be off to a running start by picking Sark on which to set the majority of the action. Sark is part of the Channel Islands. It is a royal fief, which forms part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, with its own set of laws based on Norman law and its own parliament. With a population of around 500, Sark is one of the few remaining places in the world where cars are banned from roads and only tractors and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed.
What a location for a murder and a series of mysteries. Deeply atmospheric and quite, quite beautiful, Sark is the central character here, her wild and dangerous beauty luring others to their deaths.
Law enforcement isn’t really much required on an island where the ferry I the only means of getting on and off the island, unless you are a boat owner, or in the case of the millionaire owner of Little Sark, you have your own helicopter. So there is one volunteer P.C. and if required, the Guernsey police will look after anything serious.
For Jenny, brought to the island when she receives a tip off that human remains have been found in one of the Sark caves, this is a bittersweet return to Sark. Sark is where her father drowned, in a death ruled accidental. But Jenny knows he was much too careful a fisherman to have drowned in an accident and she is determined to get to the truth. She’s hopeful that she can speak to people on Sark and find out a little more about what her dad was to when he died.
But while the police investigate how these remains came to be there, which could potentially have been lying undiscovered for decades, another man is murdered and dark secrets about what has been happening on the island come to light.
She’s hardly begun to investigate the human remains when, after a disturbing conversation with one of her father’s friends, he is subsequently found dead, with his throat slashed.
Are the finding of human remains and the terrible murder connected? While there is no evidence to suggest so, the islanders are staying particularly tight lipped and it is soon clear that the answers to all the mysteries, historic and current, are buried deep on the island.
Dearman offers up a dotted graph of a trail which will finally enable the reader to join the dots; but not until the very end of the book.
Dearman’s characters are vivid and personable; her descriptive powers are such that you can visualise these people and even the annoying or unpleasant ones reinforce your pleasure in being immersed in this novel. The pace is excellent and Dearman ensures that the path to solving her mysteries will twist and turn before you see where you are going.
Verdict: Another captivating, immersive read in this Channel Islands series. I really hope there will be more.
This time, most of the action takes place on the small island of Sark, the titular Dark Sky Island, so named because it has little light pollution (the island has one lamppost) and the constellations can be seen so clearly in the night sky.
Jenny, a journalist on the Guernsey News, is one of three voices we hear from in this book. The others are DCI Michael Gilbert, who is dating Jenny’s mum and a woman named Rachel, whose viewpoint comes to us from the late 1970’s.
Dearman was always going to be off to a running start by picking Sark on which to set the majority of the action. Sark is part of the Channel Islands. It is a royal fief, which forms part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, with its own set of laws based on Norman law and its own parliament. With a population of around 500, Sark is one of the few remaining places in the world where cars are banned from roads and only tractors and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed.
What a location for a murder and a series of mysteries. Deeply atmospheric and quite, quite beautiful, Sark is the central character here, her wild and dangerous beauty luring others to their deaths.
Law enforcement isn’t really much required on an island where the ferry I the only means of getting on and off the island, unless you are a boat owner, or in the case of the millionaire owner of Little Sark, you have your own helicopter. So there is one volunteer P.C. and if required, the Guernsey police will look after anything serious.
For Jenny, brought to the island when she receives a tip off that human remains have been found in one of the Sark caves, this is a bittersweet return to Sark. Sark is where her father drowned, in a death ruled accidental. But Jenny knows he was much too careful a fisherman to have drowned in an accident and she is determined to get to the truth. She’s hopeful that she can speak to people on Sark and find out a little more about what her dad was to when he died.
But while the police investigate how these remains came to be there, which could potentially have been lying undiscovered for decades, another man is murdered and dark secrets about what has been happening on the island come to light.
She’s hardly begun to investigate the human remains when, after a disturbing conversation with one of her father’s friends, he is subsequently found dead, with his throat slashed.
Are the finding of human remains and the terrible murder connected? While there is no evidence to suggest so, the islanders are staying particularly tight lipped and it is soon clear that the answers to all the mysteries, historic and current, are buried deep on the island.
Dearman offers up a dotted graph of a trail which will finally enable the reader to join the dots; but not until the very end of the book.
Dearman’s characters are vivid and personable; her descriptive powers are such that you can visualise these people and even the annoying or unpleasant ones reinforce your pleasure in being immersed in this novel. The pace is excellent and Dearman ensures that the path to solving her mysteries will twist and turn before you see where you are going.
Verdict: Another captivating, immersive read in this Channel Islands series. I really hope there will be more.
March 16, 2019
Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days
Pages - 304
Publisher - Orion
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
An inspector and journalist join forces to uncover long-buried secrets, simmering resentments, and a chilling murder in a tiny, remote island in the English Channel.
The tiny island of Sark lies isolated in the dark waters of the Channel Islands. No cars are allowed. No streetlamps light its paths. It is the world’s only Dark Sky Island. This breathtaking patch of land seems the picture of tranquility—but at its heart lies a web of murder, deceit, and hidden danger.
When bones are discovered on Derrible Bay and an elderly resident is violently murdered, DCI Michael Gilbert from the nearby island of Guernsey is called in to tackle the case. With his department under fire, he needs to find the killer—and fast. Joining him is newspaper reporter Jennifer Dorey, whose father died in a mysterious drowning off the island. As Michael struggles to crack the case and Jennifer launches her own investigation, the island’s residents are left reeling and soon, their dark secrets begin to unravel threatening everything.
On an island steeped in superstition, where tales of hauntings and devil craft abound, Michael and Jenny race to discover the truth in Dark Sky Island, the second tantalizing installment of Lara Dearman’s Jennifer Dorey mysteries.
My Review
Jennifer Dorey is a journalist who has a recent run of being on the other side of the story. Now she is heading back to the island, Sark, to cover a story - the discovery of bones in a cave. Really she is going back for personal reasons, the death of her father, Jenny has never believed it was an accident and now she has a reason for being back and doing a bit of digging. When an islander is brutally murdered Jenny will find she has maybe bitten off a bit more than she can chew as she finds the some things should remain in the past.
This story has a whole host of things going on, small island doesn't want outsiders, one of their own is murdered, unresolved family issues, secrets, lies, death looming around the corner. The reader goes on the journey with Jenny, slowly unravelling the secrets of the island and uncovering bigger issues.
The setting for the story, the authors creative flow, you can visualize it with ease and I so want to go visit, excluding all the issues and bad stuff obviously. There is a lot of history with this book and despite this being my first dance with this author and this being book two, I don't think I missed anything by starting with this one. I will be checking out the first story as I would like more history on the main character but got into the rhythm of this one no bother. It goes at a good pace and has a few layers to the story, atmospheric and keeps the reader on their toes as you may think you have it figured only to have another curve ball chucked at you. Enjoyed reading this author and will be looking out for their other offerings, 4/5 for me this time.
Pages - 304
Publisher - Orion
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
An inspector and journalist join forces to uncover long-buried secrets, simmering resentments, and a chilling murder in a tiny, remote island in the English Channel.
The tiny island of Sark lies isolated in the dark waters of the Channel Islands. No cars are allowed. No streetlamps light its paths. It is the world’s only Dark Sky Island. This breathtaking patch of land seems the picture of tranquility—but at its heart lies a web of murder, deceit, and hidden danger.
When bones are discovered on Derrible Bay and an elderly resident is violently murdered, DCI Michael Gilbert from the nearby island of Guernsey is called in to tackle the case. With his department under fire, he needs to find the killer—and fast. Joining him is newspaper reporter Jennifer Dorey, whose father died in a mysterious drowning off the island. As Michael struggles to crack the case and Jennifer launches her own investigation, the island’s residents are left reeling and soon, their dark secrets begin to unravel threatening everything.
On an island steeped in superstition, where tales of hauntings and devil craft abound, Michael and Jenny race to discover the truth in Dark Sky Island, the second tantalizing installment of Lara Dearman’s Jennifer Dorey mysteries.
My Review
Jennifer Dorey is a journalist who has a recent run of being on the other side of the story. Now she is heading back to the island, Sark, to cover a story - the discovery of bones in a cave. Really she is going back for personal reasons, the death of her father, Jenny has never believed it was an accident and now she has a reason for being back and doing a bit of digging. When an islander is brutally murdered Jenny will find she has maybe bitten off a bit more than she can chew as she finds the some things should remain in the past.
This story has a whole host of things going on, small island doesn't want outsiders, one of their own is murdered, unresolved family issues, secrets, lies, death looming around the corner. The reader goes on the journey with Jenny, slowly unravelling the secrets of the island and uncovering bigger issues.
The setting for the story, the authors creative flow, you can visualize it with ease and I so want to go visit, excluding all the issues and bad stuff obviously. There is a lot of history with this book and despite this being my first dance with this author and this being book two, I don't think I missed anything by starting with this one. I will be checking out the first story as I would like more history on the main character but got into the rhythm of this one no bother. It goes at a good pace and has a few layers to the story, atmospheric and keeps the reader on their toes as you may think you have it figured only to have another curve ball chucked at you. Enjoyed reading this author and will be looking out for their other offerings, 4/5 for me this time.
May 12, 2019
Sark is a tiny island that lies isolated in the dark waters of the Channel Islands. No cars are allowed. No streetlamps light its paths. It is the world’s only Dark Sky Island. This breathtaking patch of land seems the picture of tranquility―but at its heart lies a web of murder, deceit, and hidden danger.
When bones are discovered on Derrible Bay and an elderly resident is violently murdered, DCI Michael Gilbert from the nearby island of Guernsey is called in to tackle the case. With his department under fire, he needs to find the killer―and fast. Joining him is newspaper reporter Jennifer Dorey, whose father died in a mysterious drowning off the island. As Michael struggles to crack the case and Jennifer launches her own investigation, the island’s residents are left reeling and soon, their dark secrets begin to unravel threatening everything.
On an island steeped in superstition, where tales of hauntings and devil craft abound, Michael and Jenny race to discover the truth in Dark Sky Island, the second tantalizing installment of Lara Dearman’s Jennifer Dorey mysteries.
I really enjoyed this book, full of mystery and suspense with a real dark atmospheric setting where I could feel the winds howling at times in my mind. This story also raised my heartbeat on more than one occasion. Set in Sark which is off the coast of Guernsey and with only a population of 450, which is somewhere I wouldn't mind living with such a small population. We also follow Jennifer's search for the truth into her father's accidental death with circumstances that she doesn't believe are true, are these deaths connected and will she find out the truth??
Dark Sky Island is Lara Dearman’s follow-up to the first Jennifer Dorey mystery, The Devils Claw. I didn't realise that this was the second book in the series but can be read without reading the first one, although there were a few references to the first book so I will definitely go back and read the first in the series and I'm hoping that this isn't the last we hear from Jennifer and Michael.
Dark Sky Island is definitely going to find fans in readers of Susie Steiner and Sharon Bolton. If you've watched certain TV series like The Bay, Unforgotten and Broadchurch you will certainly love this series too.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
When bones are discovered on Derrible Bay and an elderly resident is violently murdered, DCI Michael Gilbert from the nearby island of Guernsey is called in to tackle the case. With his department under fire, he needs to find the killer―and fast. Joining him is newspaper reporter Jennifer Dorey, whose father died in a mysterious drowning off the island. As Michael struggles to crack the case and Jennifer launches her own investigation, the island’s residents are left reeling and soon, their dark secrets begin to unravel threatening everything.
On an island steeped in superstition, where tales of hauntings and devil craft abound, Michael and Jenny race to discover the truth in Dark Sky Island, the second tantalizing installment of Lara Dearman’s Jennifer Dorey mysteries.
I really enjoyed this book, full of mystery and suspense with a real dark atmospheric setting where I could feel the winds howling at times in my mind. This story also raised my heartbeat on more than one occasion. Set in Sark which is off the coast of Guernsey and with only a population of 450, which is somewhere I wouldn't mind living with such a small population. We also follow Jennifer's search for the truth into her father's accidental death with circumstances that she doesn't believe are true, are these deaths connected and will she find out the truth??
Dark Sky Island is Lara Dearman’s follow-up to the first Jennifer Dorey mystery, The Devils Claw. I didn't realise that this was the second book in the series but can be read without reading the first one, although there were a few references to the first book so I will definitely go back and read the first in the series and I'm hoping that this isn't the last we hear from Jennifer and Michael.
Dark Sky Island is definitely going to find fans in readers of Susie Steiner and Sharon Bolton. If you've watched certain TV series like The Bay, Unforgotten and Broadchurch you will certainly love this series too.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews