Ready to discover another great book for this 2020? Take a look…

The Coral Bride by Roxanne Bouchard

Genre: Mystery
Source: Random Things Tours
Rating: 4/5
Publisher: Orenda Books
Amazon, Hive

About The Book

When an abandoned lobster trawler is found adrift off the coast of Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, DS Joaquin Moralès begins a straightforward search for the boat ’s missing captain, Angel Roberts – a woman in a male-dominated
world. But Moralès finds himself blocked at every turn – by his police colleagues, by fisheries bureaucrats, and by his grown-up son, who has turned up at his door with a host of his own personal problems.
When Angel’s body is finally discovered, it ’s clear something very sinister is afoot, and Moralès and son are pulled into murky, dangerous waters, where old resentments run deep…
An exquisitely written, evocative and poetic thriller, The Coral Bride powerfully conjures the might of the sea and the communities who depend on it, the never-ending struggle between the generations, and an extraordinary mystery at the heart of both.

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My Thoughts

Is this a fairy tale or a crime book?
The sea always gives but at the same time it takes too…
This is the story of Angel, she left on her ship one night and appeared dead in the sea wearing a wedding dress. The case is ruled as a suicide, but Detective Moralès will start investigating this case, showing the reader how the fishing world is a closed community still reigned by men and distrusting the foreigners.
This had been a quite special read, with a beautiful prose and a very well plotted story. It will keep the reader turning pages to discover the truth of what happened to Angel and discover a little bit more of Moralès’ past.
I liked how the author, Roxanne Bouchard, shows the reader how difficult is for a woman to enter in a men’s world, it doesn’t matter the strengthen or the intelligence, they always make you feel like an outsider. And how closed is this fisherman community, it’s more important for them to keep their secrets hidden than to help solving a murder, sad but true.
This is the second book of the series Enquêteur Moralès, you can read it as standalone, but they are really good so, follow my advice and start from the first of the series!
I’ll have to admit that it was quite weird for me reading the surname “Moralès” with an accent. It’s a typical Spanish surname, Morales, but the accent doesn’t exist in Spanish but it’s used in Catalan, so totally a mix-up!
If you are looking for an intriguing read with a lyrical prose, this is the only book you need. Ready to discover “The Coral Bride”?

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About The Author

Over ten years ago, Roxanne Bouchard decided it was time she found her sea legs. So she learned to sail, first on the St Lawrence River, before taking to the open waters off the Gaspé Peninsula. The local fishermen soon invited her aboard to reel in their lobster nets, and Roxanne saw for herself that the sunrise over Bonaventure never lies. Her fifth novel (first translated into English) We Were the Salt of the Sea was published in 2018 to resounding critical acclaim, sure to be followed by its sequel, The Coral Bride. She lives in Quebec.