Dark Sky Island by Lara Dearman

Genre: Crime
Source: Compulsive Readers
Rating: 4/5
Amazon

About The Book

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 Thoughts

Dark Island, an Island without streetlight, a paradise to enjoy the night and the stars, unless there’s been a murder and everyone is a suspect, the nightmare to any small village in which your neighbour could be the killer!
This is the second book of the Jennifer Dorey series, but you can read it as standalone, you’ll not feel lost. But after reading this book, I am intrigued to read a new adventure of the curious journalist Jenny Dorey!
When a body and some bones appear, Jenny can not say away to start investigate; everything will feel more personal when she discovers that one of the victims knew his father, it will be the perfect moment to ask some questions about his death too.
The story is dark and intriguing, but what I liked most is that the island is like a character too, with its past and secrets, rumours kept hidden and some villagers not ready to let the truth go out.
The story is told between Jennifer; how she is investigating the case, she wants to know the answers to all her questions no matter if she has to risk her life searching for them! We will have the point of view of the DCI Michael Gilbert, and this investigation will not be easy, everyone keeps their thoughts to themselves and is not really eager to help. But there’s another voice in the story too, from the past, Rachel, from 1980…
I know that none of these characters seem to have anything in common, but when you’ll start reading you’ll not be able to stop, the dark will haunt your thoughts untill you’ll discover the truth!
Be prepared for a slow-paced story, with twists and intriguing characters, which will be a delight to any crime reader!
Ready for a trip to the Dark Island?

About The Author

Lara was born and raised on the Channel Island of Guernsey. She moved to the UK to study International Relations and French at the University of Sussex, after which she endured a brief career in finance before giving it up to be a stay at home mum to her three children. A short course in Creative Writing at Richmond Adult Community College led to Lara studying for a Masters in Creative Writing at St Mary’s University, London. She graduated in 2016 with a distinction. Having moved from Guernsey to Brighton to London to Paris to Singapore and back to London over the last fifteen years, she has now settled in Westchester, New York, with her family.