Mosaic

by Caro Ramsay

From the acclaimed author of the Anderson & Costello series, a compelling standalone psychological thriller.

Megan Melvick has returned home after a three-year absence to visit her dying sister, Melissa, for the last time. As she approaches the grand Scottish country estate where she grew up, the memories come flooding back. Just what did happen on the night of Melissa's wedding five years before? Where has Megan and Melissa's mother disappeared to? And why does Melissa whisper that solitary word before she finally slips away: Sorry.

In order to overcome her demons, Megan must confront her painful recollections of that terrible night, the night of Melissa's wedding. The night somebody died. But can she really trust her memories? And who is it who's determined that she should forget ...?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Scotland, Thriller, Suspense

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2019

About the author

Caro Ramsay was born and educated in Glasgow. She has been writing stories since she was five years old, developing a keen interest in crime fiction and a passion for the genre that lead her to write Absolution, her first novel.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The brilliant Caro Ramsay writes a standalone dark and disturbing psychological thriller that centres on the deaf Megan Melvick returning to her family home on the Brenbrae estate to see her dying favoured sister, Melissa. The Melvick family may be upper class and wealthy, but its history suggests that it is afflicted with a curse worse than the Kennedys. The malevolent Italian House drips poison, with the Melvicks held tightly in death's grip, with its alarming faerie pools and hanging tree in the grounds. 5 years ago at Melissa and Jago's wedding a tragedy occurred that Megan finds herself revisiting as the same people return to the house as funeral preparations are made. What exactly happened back then? Megan's mother left soon after the wedding, taking a few items, apparently running off with another man, and hasn't been heard of since. Will she make an appearance for the funeral? The narrative is related from the perspective of Megan and her only friend, the feral and in your face Carla, both outsiders drawn to each other, one locked in, the other locked out, with Megan refusing to give up Carla despite her family's efforts to dissuade her, citing her unsuitability.

Megan is not happy to return to her toxic home, aware that this time it is for good, she is, after all, the only surviving heir. She is not close to Melissa, puzzled by her last word to her, 'sorry', but sorry for what exactly? Carla may well have been a persona non grata, but as far as Megan is concerned, she had a direct honesty, unlike the Melvick stiff upper lip duplicity. She feels she owes it to Carla to find out what happened to her, and is it possible that Carla was not the target at the wedding? It doesn't take long before Megan begins to unravel, finding herself sleepwalking and plagued with unreliable memories, begging the question just how far can she be trusted. As she looks back in time, she has blackouts in her memories and is unaware at what point in her life she became deaf. What she does know is that the psychiatric doctor employed by her father, Dr Scobie, has made no improvements in her health, in fact, the drugs make things worse. In a narrative of dark secrets and class, where Carla's perspective is so revelatory, is it possible that the recent woes of the Melvick family are not a curse, but all too human in origin?

Ramsay writes a mosaic of a disturbing and unsettling murder mystery that is pieced together in a shocker of a conclusion by the local police officer in true Agatha Christie style with a gathering together of all the suspects. This is a fantastic read, atmospheric with a great sense of location, with great twists. The characterisations of the two main characters, Megan and Carla, along with the supporting cast is done with expertise and style, you cannot help but get your attention snagged by them. I love Caro Ramsay's Glasgow based crime series, and this is a brilliant standalone addition to her writing canon which I think so many crime and thriller readers will adore. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Severn House for an ARC.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan's sister is dying. Megan hasn't been home for 3 years and this will be the last time she's able to see her sister.

As she approaches the estate, memories start flowing through her mind. Her mother walked out on them and no one has seen or heard from her since. Rumor has it she ran away with a lover. Five years ago, her sister got married. That was the night that Megan's best friend was killed.

Megan is deaf..at least severely hard of hearing. She seems to hear when she wants to, but she greatly prefers the silence. It is well known that mental illness runs in the family ... leading to suicides, murder, disappearances,up to and including anorexia, sleep walking and blackouts.

So what happened that night when her friend died? The police at the rime ruled it an accident ... but a new cop is now investigating.

With her sister's last breath, she said ... Sorry. But sorry for what or who?

This is a well written psychological thriller full of suspense and a few twists and turns that you may not see coming. Every other chapter or so is the voice of the dead friend. She so wants someone to find who killed her. She also does not want to leave her friend....they've always needed each other and that hasn't changed.

Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this dark and disturbing tale. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Fictionophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan Melvick is returning home to say goodbye to her dying sister. At only 28 years of age, her sister Melissa is dying of anorexia. She arrives just in time…

Next thing you know the family is planning Melissa’s funeral – five years almost to the day from the day Melissa was married… It was a magical wedding on the estate’s grounds. Patriarch Ivan Melvick gifted his daughter with a carousel. All was fantastic until an unthinkable tragedy marred the proceedings…

Melissa was always the beautiful sister, an actress, spoiled and headstrong. Megan on the other hand was always the little sister very much in Melissa’s shadow. It compounded matters that Megan was deaf… Then, three years ago, the girl’s mother, Beth Melvick left the estate – never to be heard from again. But surely, everyone thinks… Beth will return home again to attend her daughter Melissa’s funeral.

The Melvick family are plagued with depression and ironically there is a hanging tree on the grounds – complete with rope. This was last used by Megan’s grandfather on Megan’s fourth birthday.

“The house had a habit of pulling back those that had been born there, driving them to insanity, or suicide by inherited melancholy.”

Now that Megan is back home, she is tortured by memories. It doesn’t help that her father now has a new woman on the scene.

Megan’s most traumatic memories are of her best friend, Carla, who was the daughter of the ‘help’. Not of Megan’s social class, yet the girls had much in common. Both always felt they were ‘outsiders’.

“This was a house of many beautiful views. Weird that none of them are happy.”

Megan has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. That in tandem with her deafness has made her vulnerable.

Now… a policeman in investigating the disappearance of Beth Melvick, the girl’s mother.

MY THOUGHTS

There is always one pivotal feature of any book that most attracts certain readers. For me it was the setting of “Mosaic”. Set in Stirlingshire, Scotland on an island…. how much more atmospheric can you get?

Factor in a wealthy family in a centuries old manor house, lots of family tragedy, family secrets, and the ever present class divide and you’ve got yourself an enjoyable read.

Also, although Megan’s friend Carla died five years ago, part of the narrative was in her voice. Curious? You should be.

The author creates suspicion in the mind of the reader. Red herrings lead you astray. I really enjoyed the read – yet… something fell short. Perhaps the story wasn’t resolved quite to my liking? Yet, despite my personal feelings, I must recommend this novel. Others might find it very fulfilling. I did enjoy it enough to rank it four stars.

I received a complimentary digital copy of “Mosaic” from Severn House Publishers via NetGalley. This is no way influenced by rating or my enjoyment of the novel.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid and engrossing psychological thriller that kept me guessing until the end! Megan has come home as her older sister is dying but when she utters, "Sorry" in her last breath, Megan isn't sure what to think. This family has plenty of secrets surrounding the past (and the present). Where is Megan's mother who walked out years ago? Who killed fellow bridesmaid and best friend of Megan's? Why is Megan deaf and what caused it? All will be answered in this multi-layered plot that is character-driven and alternates between past and present. Think you can follow the clues? I didn't see any of this coming so I raced through it! Won't be my last book by Ramsay for sure!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never know what to expect with Severn, usually average at best, but this time a pleasant surprise. A mystery novel from a new to me author that was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Not cheap, not cheese. In fact it had an almost old timey Agatha Christie ambiance to it and was adorably aware of it. Toward the end when everyone’s gathered in a grand suite to find out the truth…that was just such a lovely pastiche. But before you get to that, first you have to meet the Melvick family, wealthy Scots in a stately manor, who have money, good looks and genetic propensity for suicide. When the most recent one occurs, their eldest daughter starves herself to death (what a way to go), the youngest daughter comes back and soon all the ugly memories are dredged up and new dangers are encountered. So what was up with the mysterious explosion at the wedding a few years prior? Where did the lady of the manor disappear to? Why is Megan sleepwalking? Read and find out. If it sounds corny, rest assured, it really isn’t. It’s a well written, character driven, slow boiling suspense mystery that reads very enjoyably and not just owning to its classic structure and premise. Plus it also works nicely with the upstairs/downstairs premise, utilizing social divides and status differences for tragic outcomes the way Downton Abbey (can you believe they’re making a movie of it now?) does for happy ones. So yeah, a very entertaining mystery, read slower than page count might have suggested, but worth the time. Thanks Netgalley.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

I read the Kindle edition.

This book is told in two voices. Megan in the present day and Carla's, a close friend of Megan's. The two are very different young girls and as they age their voices become more mature.

There are strange things going on at the Melvick family home in Scotland.

Megan Melvick returns home reluctantly at the imminent death of her elder sister Melissa. She does not want to go back after her three year absence for there are too many bad memories there. Some people say the family is cursed and past events sure seem to bear this out. Suicides, abandonments, murder and mental illness are just some of the things that befall the unlucky family. But all is not as it seems in this stately mansion. There are things boiling beneath the surface about which none of the Melvick's are aware.

There was the suicide of Megan's grandfather, the tragedy that closed Melissa and her husband Jago's marriage party five years earlier, the disappearance of Beth, Megan and Melissa’s mother three years ago and the introduction of Carla, Megan's friend into the family. Along with a host of other characters, these people inhabit the novel as if they were all present and vying for attention.

I stayed up way too late reading this engrossing story. It surely kept me guessing as to what was going on. Was the Melvick family really cursed, or is there a more human source of their troubles?

After a bit of a confusing start, this novel took off. I really enjoyed it. It is extremely well written and plotted. The reader learns about Megan and Carla's friendship, but not quite enough to give out the answers! (That comes at the end.) This book has great character development and I found most of them to be likable. I was suspicious of some of them - some rightly and some wrongly. I can't believe that I missed reading Caro Ramsay before, but I will surely correct that now.

I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your favoured reading material is a novel with heavy emphasis on wealth, atmosphere, toxicity, secrets, duplicity, traumatic memories and lack of trust, then feel free to read Caro Ramsay’s latest offering - Mosaic.

The novel was told from the perspectives of Megan and her friend, the rebel Carla and events were happening in the present day, though these characters were complicated and compromised by their pasts.

The setting of Mosaic, a centuries-old, well worn manor house on an island in Stirlingshire, Scotland, really helped to make this a first-class read for me. I fully appreciated Caro Ramsay’s colourful and remarkable descriptions of the setting, from the atmospheric scenes; the huge estate bordering the woods; the worrying and dangerous fairy pools and the hanging tree in the grounds.

With a whole cast of characters bursting with fascinating back-stories that I wanted to see more of and even though parts of the novel were slow moving, I was never bored but instead, was lured deeper and deeper into this rather strange, yet wonderful tale. The writing was extremely powerful and the plotting, characterisations and depictions of the upper and lower classes were all beautifully crafted.

Mosaic was a masterful psychological thriller that had me totally riveted in the details of a wealthy family living a luxurious if somewhat morose, desolate and wretched life. Although I made a pretty valiant attempt, I did not manage to figure out the ending.

I haven’t read any other of Caro Ramsay’s novels but after reading this evocative tale l will be looking out for her next one, for sure!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Severn House via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Allen Pasternak · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cliched and trite, this novel is overwhelmed by sentimental melodrama making it more soap opera than mystery. After a rather pleasant, second half, the book is dominated by its Agatha Christie conclusion. The wealthy characters are bland, and the working class ones are far more interesting. An added touch of moralizing was enough to finish it off for me.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Mosaic is a standalone crime thriller set in Scotland and expertly written by Caro Ramsay. Released 1st Oct 2019 by Severn House, it's 256 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.

This one has a wonderfully gothic + golden age Christie-esque feel. There is even a manor house (on an island!) and a wealthy upper-class family with a tragic history. The narrative itself is written in alternating points of view, but the characters are so well delineated that it's never a problem keeping them straight whilst reading. The plot is full of tension and red herrings and I read the whole thing in awe of the author's control of plotting, drama, atmosphere. This is a technically scintillating book as well as being entertaining and a good read.

I have read so many thriller/crime books lately which had absolutely been written with film adaptation in mind. The scenes were set up and written as staged and directed for film. This book, refreshingly, was written as a book. The scenes and dialogue were not film sequences.

Really well written, dramatic tension and plot arc work well, characters are interesting and varied, setting is wonderful, the author (in my opinion) bobbled the denouement a bit, but overall the book is superb.

Four and a half stars, rounded up for the writing. One of my best reads for the year.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Lance Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I’ve read from this author and I enjoyed reading it and will be reading others it had a storyline that kept me interested I recommend this book 📕

[Wendy H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is somewhat different than The authors books, I’m fact it is billed as a stand alone, but it still a fabulous book in its own right. Whilst it is a brilliantly written crime book, it is character driven, so much so that the characters take centre and every other part of the stage. The story uses multiple points of view with the three main characters being, Megan, her sister Mellissa and her friend Carla, both historically and contemporary. It is testament to Ramsay’s skill as a writer that, this works extremely well and the reader is not confused. With characters that lift of the page and a plot that entices and excites, this is a must read for all fans of Scottish Crime Fiction. I look forward to the next one already.

[Cyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve put off writing this review so that the book could resonate with me. What I liked most about this was the atmosphere and descriptions of the English country manor setting, which had a gothic and other-worldly feel to it. The whole mosaic thing really worked on multiple levels. I did find at times that the plot had a few too many very serious and complex things happening that it was a bit too much. There was definitely an air of suspense throughout but I found the conclusion to be predictable and a little underwhelming. I was not shocked by anything and I felt that certain questions were left unanswered. Overall, definitely worth the read but mixed feelings for me on this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Severn House Publishers and Caro Ramsay for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
I'm a big fan of this author's Anderson & Costello series of Police Procedural books so I was quite intrigued to see how she would do with a stand-alone psychological thriller. And I wasn't disappointed.
Megan returns home to say goodbye to her sister Melissa who is at death's door. She's pretty much estranged and it's been three years since she visited. She has her reasons. Just before she dies, Melissa whispers something to Megan, something she can't quite understand the reasons behind. What is she sorry for? Soon, the memories of growing up on the big Scottish estate where she is now staying start to flood back - alarmingly so - especially those of Melissa's wedding some five years since, and Megan starts to worry that her past is coming back to haunt her, especially regarding best friend Carla and what happened to her on that day. It was also soon after the wedding that their mother upped and left, there was talk of an affair but nothing solid and she has not been seen or heard of since, apart from one message soon after leaving. There's a lot more that goes on in this book but it is so convoluted and interconnected that pretty much everything else I could say might include spoilers.
Suffice to say that this book held me rapt throughout my time reading it. I was, along with Megan, pretty much confused for the majority but, instead of feeling uncomfortable, I revelled in this feeling as it brought me closer to Megan as a character in a quite claustrophobic, but satisfying, way. As others have said, it is a bit Agatha Christie in style - the big country house, one policeman investigating and a similar style of reveal - but it's not a copycat by any means. The story and characters stand up themselves very well.
It's a story about secrets and control. There are various family issues throughout, some more influential than others, some really rather shocking too. Sibling rivalry is a bit front and centre too as Melissa is the golden child to Megan's black sheep! And there's a fair slice of manipulation to be found too - all elements that, if done well, can make a book of this genre. And they are!
All in all, an interesting change for an already enjoyed author, more of the same please! My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Alyson Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers Severn House and net galley for sending me an advance E-ARC of Mosaic by an author new to me, Caro Ramsay, who I can totally now recommend as I was gripped by this thriller.
It is set in Scotland, on a huge estate bordering the Brenbrae and the Tentor Woods, owned by the Melvick family and the narrative is told in two girls’ voices:- Megan Melvick in the present day who has returned to the family home, after a three year absence, to bid farewell to her dying sister, Melissa (the family’s golden girl) and by Carla, Megan’s close teenage friend, a rebel and a tough cookie. There is much to be surprised about in Carla’s narrative, so I won’t give away any spoilers. But nothing here is what it seems.
The Melvick family have many secrets, both in their past and currently. They are a family haunted by tragedy- suicides, a maternal disappearance, Megan’s unexplained deafness, which is key to the plot, Melissa’s anorexia, rampant infidelity, lies, child abuse, an explosion and a death at Melissa’s wedding which was never fully investigated. This is one messed up family and Megan isn’t the most reliable of narrators either, only hearing so much, prone to blackouts/amnesia and guessing at what she doesn’t know.
But can we trust Carla? How reliable is she? Ivan Melvick, Lord Lt has problems and exploits his power, his household staff hover and haunt the big old house, each with their own agenda. There is some gas lighting and manipulation going on. A tame psychiatrist hovers over the household. Is Megan safe at home or merely trapped like a fly in a deadly web?
The revelations come thick and fast towards the end, with an Agatha Christie homage style ending, where all the suspects are gathered in the drawing room for the truth to be revealed by the young keeny weeny police officer who’s been hanging around for most of the story.
This is suspense filled, gripping, entertaining, people driven, psychological thriller where family, class, power, money, bereavement, murder and loss are all dissected.
Highly recommended.

[Elite Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

On my list of “most favourite reads for 2019”

The book opens with Megan Melvick remembering her fourth birthday in 1994. Her sister Melissa is allowed to light the birthday candles as she’s eleven. Before she has a chance to open her presents, her parents suddenly rush out of the room. Wanting to know what is more important than staying with her while she opens her presents, Megan follows and all that Megan can remember after that is seeing her grandfather swinging from a rope over the faerie pond. This memory comes to Megan as she starts her journey back to her home on the Benbrae Estate.

She’s been summoned to return as Melissa is dying from anorexia and her father has pleaded with her to return to bid her farewell. As she drives up to this magnificent home called “the Italian House” memories not only of this disastrous birthday accompany her, but also her friendship with Carla who was tragically killed on Melissa’s wedding day.

Once home Megan can’t help but keep going back to the memory of her best friend Carla’s murder. Nor can she stop thinking about her mother who simply walked out of the home the year Megan turned seventeen.

Megan is deaf and supposedly also suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder. But besides being deaf can this DID be real?

Carla’s sudden death seems to have caused her spirit to linger and with Megan home, Carla can once again “come to life” telling us her story alongside Megan’s.

Caro Ramsay is one of my favourite authors. This book is totally different to her previous novels and in my opinion, has one of the most brilliant storylines with unique, very much alive characters who will not leave you long after you reach the final page.

Bravo Caro, you’ve absolutely won my “novel of the year”. Thank you for allowing us to meet characters like Megan, Carla, Drew and Melissa.

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

[RMazin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mosaic” is a fascinating mystery focusing on elements of murder, madness, and manipulation. Add into that a fabulous estate in Scotland complete with formal gardens, wild areas, and a well-worn but patrician Melvick Italianate mansion. The action takes place in today’s world but the characters are complicated and compromised by their pasts. The three main characters are Megan, her best friend Carla and Melissa, Megan’s sister. Megan is on her way home to spend her time with Melissa, who is dying after a prolonged illness. A sense of dread, as ominous as Melissa’s pending death, immediately permeates the opening pages. Megan is not welcoming her own return. Her reasons are complicated by her feelings about Melissa and the rest of her family.

The story unfolds through two different viewpoints. Megan alternately sees her return to the Italian House as a return to safety, threat and imprisonment. She is not sure what to believe. Carla is the voice who speaks about the present and the past from a unique vantage point (no spoilers here). Think of the atmosphere of DuMaurier’s “Rebecca” meets “The Lovely Bones.”

Ramsay’s descriptions makes the reader want to roam the Italian House estate, but do so with great caution. There are many mysteries to solve here. Her plotting, characterizations and depictions of the upper and lower classes will appeal to many. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for opportunity to read this title.

[George1st · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caro Ramsey's latest book is a dark psychological family drama that had me thinking of Poe's gothic masterpiece "The Fall of the House of Usher" as both include themes of madness, family, and isolation. Set on a west coast Scottish Island near the Clyde Estuary the story is told via two corresponding first person narratives. The first narrator is Megan Melvick who returns to the family estate after a three year absence to be at the bedside of her dying sister Melissa. The past haunts the Melvick family who's history has been permeated by tragedy and an inordinate amount of suicides. Indeed a terrible tragedy occurred on the night of Melissa's wedding which will form a central part of the plot.

Adding to the list of Melvick woes is the recent disappearance without trace of Megan's mother. The second narration is from Carla. I will not say too much about Carla for fear of spoiling the readers enjoyment but just to add that the use of Carla to tell her story gives the plot an added depth and dimension that leaves some interesting questions at the end. The page turning tension builds up to a drawing room/library setting revelation of the culprit resonant of Agatha Christie. This is a well written and crafted work with interesting characters that for me had that unputdownable quality that I think will satisfy readers who like mystery and crime.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Megan Melvick has come home after three years because her sister, Melissa, is dying. She's uneasy about it, her growing up with the family had been uneasy, to say the least. Her sister seemed to be the favorite and her feelings and memories of the way she was treated by Melissa are conflicted. She's deaf and prefers to be cloistered in her room, left alone with her dog, her books and her thoughts. Her best and only friend of her youth was killed in a fire before she left home and she misses her terribly, constantly thinking of the comfort she felt in her company.
This is a fantastic psychological thriller, I love all of Caro Ramsay's books and this one is right up there with the best. It's hard for me to say more about the story, I don't want to give anything away! But believe me, it's a corker, unputdownable! The ending was so good, finally explaining all the mysteries that kept me reading furiously late into the night. Highly recommended, 5+ stars.

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was partially right, this book was not as good as the last I read, BUT it was good in its own right. I almost dropped it because the beginning was so boring and slow, but I read some other reviews and found others said this but that it does get better. So I continued on. While I can’t say I’m glad I did, I’m not upset my my decision to keep reading.

Overall the book was engaging and well written, except the beginning that is. I enjoyed the character development and the story from both Megan and Carla’s perspectives. The big reveal was a big reveal and not one I saw coming, though I actively try to not guess as I find it fun to be surprised.

The story wraps up nicely and doesn’t leave you questioning a lot of things, a few, but in a good way. Overall I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. Great character development and a fun big reveal.

Special thanks to @netgalley and the publisher, Canongate, for early access to this ebook.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan Melvick returns home after three years away, just in time for the death of her sister, Melissa. While there, the past comes flooding back, but can Megan really trust her memories?

I recently got sent this book; it was one I may not have chosen otherwise so I'm glad I received it!

This is a chilling, dark mystery told in two voices, by Megan and Carla. Unsettling and disturbing at times, this is a fantastic, character-driven novel set in an atmospheric location of Scotland. It features a multilayered plot, with lots of twists and turns I did not see coming, with plenty of red herrings dropped in along the way.

The novel was extremely well written and plotted, and the characters developed well; I think I liked them all at some stage, before secrets were revealed!

Love the Agatha Christie-style conclusion! Highly recommend it.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is the Melvick family cursed? Megan isn't sure about much of anything these days, three years after her sister Melissa's wedding to Jago, a wedding that resulted in tragedy and loss. She's come back home because her sister is dying- and when Melissa's last words to her are Sorry, sorry, she starts to think more about what happened. Told alternately by Megan and her friend Carla, a bridesmaid at the wedding, this is about a family with many secrets. When did Megan become deaf, and how? How reliable is she as a narrator? There are many threads (or mosaic tiles, as it were) to this complex story but they all pull together in the end. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A well done mystery/thriller.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incidentally, this is one of those books that sounds EXTREMELY appealing from the get-go, enough pull off the new shelf and take home (as, to tell you the truth, one of my and my sister's infant cockatiels was also named Mosaic, and there was confusion which also led to another baby chick named Oliver - only one has survived, who is calling from downstairs now, although, to be honest, I'm actually not 100% sure which after so much driving about...)

The first time I scanned this novel, I couldn't keep Megan and Melissa straight, which is a Bad Sign. It took me an inordinately long time trying to keep them mentally discrete entities.

But all was not lost! There is still promise with what happens with Carla and Drew.

[Rhona139 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably good book from Caro Ramsey ! A family drama set in the beautiful setting of The Italian House in the west of Scotland. A pretty big cast of characters and at first I got some of them muddled but you soon sort out who is who. Megan is deaf (or is she) and Melissa is anorexic, the mother is missing and poor Carla is blown up at a wedding reception- and this is just the straightforward stuff !

I loved the Agatha Christieesque tone of the book, complete with approachable and quite dishy policeman and all the details of a wealthy family living a luxurious if wretched life. I did not work out the “who done it”

Miss this be at your peril

[Julie Manthey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mosaic is a very deliberately paced murder mystery that takes place in a grand Scottish manor on a somewhat remote island. The story is narrated by two different protagonists - one a woman who grew up in the manor and stands to inherit it and the other is her childhood friend who had a much less aristocratic upbringing. The story switches back and forth as the story edges along and the final plot comes together in the last few chapters, where all of the pieces of the story are pieced together. Fans of 'The Girl on the Train' will probably enjoy this book, as it has a similar vibe in a few ways. Overall a good mystery with a few unexpected twists and turns at the end.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of this author and enjoyed reading eleven of her books featuring Anderson and Costello and her two books featuring Christine Caplan. The story is told through the eyes of two women, Megan and Carla, with their stories being printed in different typefaces. It soon becomes clear that not all is as it seems as Carla is dead! Megan is a young woman with a hearing disability who returns to her ancestral home as her older sister is dying. She wonders if her mother who disappeared a few years earlier will return for her sister's funeral. It does not seem much of a story but I found it a compelling read which I read in one sitting. I was certainly surprised by the final reveal.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happened at Megan's sister Melissa's wedding ? Someone was killed. Now after 3 years away, Megan has returned to her family estate in Scotland to attend Melissa's funeral. Will the mystery of the death finally be solved and where is Megan's mother. Surely she will return for her eldest daughters funeral.
This story unfolds, told through the voice of Megan and alternates with the voice of Carla telling her story. There are many secrets exposed and unanswered questions addressed. This story moved along at a fast pace and was an enjoyable read.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read, but not as strong as her detective procedurals. Megan is returning home to the estate she grew up on to say goodbye to her dying sister. Megan's family has a very sad past, and Megan herself isn't quite right - she's a somewhat unreliable narrator, though it's tough to put a finger on quite why. By the end of the novel, we've gotten to the root of Megan's problems, and the whodunit is definitely a surprise.

This was kind of dark, and moved a little slow for me. But once you got into it, the story was good.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally love Caro Ramsay but this one did not do anything for me.(Sorry )
It seemed like a soap at times with a melodramatic Agatha Christie ending which didn't work.
I was skipping pages,never a good sign.
The writing is good,but it got a bit complicated for me.
I couldn't even like the characters. Shame as i had high hopes. Just not for me.

[Zubeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark psychological family drama. It's compelling and atmospheric. It draws you in and is very character driven. It's a departure from the authors usual work but is as well written and suspenseful as ever.

[Cathy Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mesmerizing dark and disturbing physiological thriller filled with shocking secrets ! A must read ! I highly recommend ! Thanks to #Netgalley and #SevernHousePublishers for the opportunity to read and review this book !
#Mosaic