annieb123
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Wreck Bay is the 5th mystery thriller featuring Amanda Doucette by Barbara Fradkin. Released 21st Feb 2023 by Dundurn Press, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a well written and suspenseful adventure thriller with an interesting and strong protagonist. The scene setting and descriptions of the wildness of the northwest Pacific coast are stunning and raw. The author takes a number of liberties with the way (most?) nonprofit organizations work, which is a linchpin of the plot, but overall, it's an engaging and entertaining read. Despite being the 5th book, it works well as a standalone, and readers won't have any trouble following along or keeping the characters straight if this is their introduction to the series.
It's not derivative at all, but fans of Louise Penny, Elly Griffiths, and Ann Cleeves will find a lot to like here. It's oddly and unevenly paced, but not egregiously so. With 5 books extant in the series, it would be a good candidate for a binge or buddy read. For sensitive readers, there are frank descriptions of PTSD, mental illness, and drug use.
Three and a half stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.