A Madness of Sunshine

"Everyone has hidden corners of their life, even the people we think we know inside out." FINAL DECISION: A thriller/suspense story about the secrets that rest in small towns where everyone thinks they know everyone but where there are dangerous secrets. I found this book compelling and it kept me turning page after page wanting to see the secrets being revealed. THE STORY: Anahera Rawiri returns to her hometown in New Zealand. A hometown that she is reluctant to return to and yet is drawn back. There are dark secrets in this town and even more secrets among the people who live there. Will Gallagher is the new cop in town who was sent there after an incident in Christchurch. It was a way of putting him on ice. The town of Golden Cove seemingly is a dead end job without any need for Will's detective skills until a young woman disappears. Then the dark secrets of the town begin to be revealed. OPINION: Nicely centered in the community relationships and characters (which is an area that Singh excels in her romances), the story kept me guessing throughout. As varying stories are slowly revealed, there is no doubt that everyone is deeper than what is known at the outset. Nicely, that is also true of the two main characters in the story. As readers, we know some of the pasts of these characters, but their story is slowly unwound even as the mystery unfolds as well. Although not overly creepy, there is something unsettling about the town and its surroundings. The overwhelming feeling that everyone has secrets and some of those secrets are dangerous makes this book compelling. I liked both Anahera and Will. Both out of sync with the town...Will an outsider and Anahera a local who has spent a decade away and thus straddles the line between being a part of the town and being a stranger. This gives them a nice connection as they are the "outsiders" doing the investigation while both have one foot in the town. I enjoyed this story because I kept changing my mind about what was going on and how it was connected with the past. I kept reading page after page because I wanted to know more about Will and Anahera -- not just the mystery. That nice balance made this a really good read. WORTH MENTIONING: This is not a romance. Please don't read it looking for a Singh romance and then complain that it isn't a romance. It is also not a paranormal, fantasy or sci-fi book. The book does have romantic elements, but romance is definitely not the focus here. There is sex but it is pretty much all off screen. CONNECTED BOOKS: A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE is a standalone. STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars. NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

I read everything Nalini Singh has published and love most of her books but when writing about werewolves and archangels and vampire the rules allow for improbable love connections. In A Madness of Sunshine, the author has written a basic thriller/romance in the same style as many of the Nora Roberts books, and she needs to up her game. The excellent parts of the story involve the South Island of New Zealand, and the language and customs of the Maori people who live there. There are haunting descriptions of the birds, the forests, and the effect of the Pacific on a small island. But her story does not quite work. First, there are too many suspects, but, unlike a skilled mystery writer, she does not allow the reader to guess who the murderer is. She lays out reasons for everyone to be a murderer, and then more or less tells us who it likely is, but keeps us guessing until he confesses. It turns out there are several murderers and we more or less have to accept in this tiny, idyllic Maori community, everyone is dysfunctional, and murderers run amok. This tends to negate the community's charm. Then she introduces a bitter, broken hearted woman with an abusive childhood and a tragic secret who happens to be a world famous pianist, and a bitter cop who has lost confidence in himself because of the death of a child he was protecting. Both have come to this small town to lick their wounds, and by golly, within three days of meeting they are in bed together, and pretty cozy for a couple of life's victims. This is not a believable boy meets girl etc. scenario. I applaud Ms Singh's desire to spread her writing wings, but she only gets a C+ for this first attempt.

Set in a stark and hauntingly beautiful landscape, Golden Cove is situated in the Wild West of New Zealand. The town serves as the backdrop for a mystery thriller that has all the secrets, both good and bad, of a small and secluded town. A popular, beautiful young woman disappears so the only local detective, Will Gallagher, investigates what looks like foul play. Will was farmed out to this far-flung village after some traumatic events in his work life. The other major occurrence happening involves Anahera Spenser-Ashby, formally Rawiri, returning to the place she grew up after life’s vagaries have brought her low. Will and Anahera form an alliance working together to figure out who might have taken a deadly interest in Mariama; the girl whom everyone seemed to love and some even to covert for their own. Will and Anahera are people wounded by life, both struggling to make it each day and not be caught in the undertow from some devastating personal events. Several interesting characters populate Golden Cove, some rather quirky, many of whom Will has gotten to know in this remote town. As he peels back the layers of secrets, deceits, and mysteries with Ana’s help since she knows all the players, Will finds what could be a connection to three missing hikers from eight years ago. Anahera left home to seek a better life as do many restless young people, away from her hometown with its painful memories. She found fame and fortune, but it all turned to grief. After losing a husband who turned out to be someone other than she thought, Ana comes back to this place that was once home in hopes of finding herself again. She is quite at sea about what to do now that her life has so drastically changed. The Maori culture adds a rich component lending language and traditions interwoven throughout the story. The rough yet beautiful landscape and unforgiving ocean provide a thrilling and sometimes chilling environment for this story that has all the elements of a good tale well told. Fans of Nalini Singh’s other books will be glad to know there is some romantic suspense element to this story. Ms. Singh is well known for her romance and paranormal stories; however, this book proves her skills at weaving a compelling, page turning tale in whatever genre she chooses.

Being a devourer of crime, and NZ crime writing in particular, I was keen to read this new venture from Nalini Singh, moving out of her normal genre. I have read none of those so my moments of disappointment were not that Singh had changed direction in this novel, rather, I expected more from her obvious experience as a writer. The plot premise held my attention to start with; young, ambitious, talented local girl, Miriama) goes missing in an area were young girls had gone missing years before. There's a relatively new local cop, Will, with a past, and the unexpected return of a local woman, Anahera) from her high-flying European lifestyle and, initially they are wary of each other (but you can guess what happens between them). So far, very good. The search for Miriama begins and the author has done her research on how searches are conducted. Then things start to slow down. There are a number (maybe a few too many) characters, all with back story, some more interesting that others ( like Nikau and Kyle) and as backstories were revealed it began to feel as though each character or couple were designed to showcase some level of human dysfunction. There does seem to be a surfeit of pyschopaths, sociopaths and general misfits in this town, (which may be the norm, of course). Singh is an accomplished writer and there are elements of this crime novel that work extremely well. The twist at the end had such potential but was let down by over explanation. I found it almost impossible to imagine a rugged, isolated west coast, small town being called 'Golden', let alone a 'Grove'. Funny how something so unimportant in the greater scheme of the story can jar so much. And perhaps a tighter edit would have raised the tension and made this story more gripping.

I don't often read thrillers, but I love Nalini Singh so much that I preordered this one - and it turned out to be dark and powerful and utterly compelling. The setting - a tiny, isolated town in New Zealand - is gorgeously vivid and evocative, and the characters feel very real. I loved the two PoV characters, their strength and their twin commitments to justice for others even through their own pain. There IS a lot of pain in this book - the heroine and hero both have painful pasts, and various types of child and domestic abuse are issues for characters throughout the book. The central murder is a hard and sad one - and in the past, I've actually sworn off all books about hot young women getting killed because they're so overdone and can feel so sleazy/vicarious in their descriptions (especially in those thrillers that include tons of passages from the killer giving gory details with a sick thrill). However, this book worked really well for me because there is no such treatment of the victim here - only a very powerful rage at the way some powerful/angry men treat women, again and again over time, and that rage is echoed through multiple storylines. The victim's death is treated as the tragedy it is - and as a microcosm of those big structural social inequities that have caused so much pain for so many of the families in this book (and the world at large). It's not done simplistically, either - again and again, different women struggle (or are shown) with complicity at various levels. There are a lot of very real shades of grey, which makes it all even more compelling. However, what really made me love this book was the way various women are able to fight for empowerment and strength by the end - and I cheered for the angry, complicated central heroine all the way, as well as for the very good (and also complicated, with big mistakes as well as traumas in his past) cop who becomes her love interest. Their romance isn't the biggest plotline, but it's a very satisfying one.

I own every book by Nalini Singh and bought this one as soon as it was out based on that alone. Unfortunately the author decided to try a completely different genre - instead of fantasy she jumped into a simple boring murder mystery. Or at least that's what it looked like when I finally gave up at 20% of the book. It was incredibly boring with no back story to help figure out what is going on. Frankly, the description of the book did not mention anything about such a drastic change of genre. Please go back to writing fantasy! There are already way too many murder mysteries out there! Definitely returning this book and will not trust next books by the author like I did in the past.

I normally really like her books, but this one was very slow moving and at times quite tedious reading. All the language references were hard to follow and so distracting. Poor flow, lack of suspense, and unlikable characters, made this book easy to put down and hard to pick back up. So disappointing. No with paying hardback prices for this low level book.

So beautifully written. Just amazing. When you make a living writing, you have to be able to make every word sing to readers exactly like that. Wow! Loved this haunting mystery so much. Loved the main characters; Anahera and Will, "The fallen hero." Anahare saw the two of them as "two broken people who ran into each other." The highlights for me was when they couldn't help having something special going on while working together to solve a case of "a beautiful young woman disappears without a trace". Loved that they healed each other and become less broken in the end. This wasn't a kind of heart-pounding, fast paced thriller. But felt more like being carried away by slow moving currents filled with hidden danger. Still more danger lurked behind friendly and attractive surroundings. I swore I could hear scary music playing the entire time while reading! I was thankful that the author didn't go into brutal details, whether about the acts of murders or the acts of raising/creating serial killers. And yes, my hair still stood up, just thinking about it all. The villain(s) looked so obvious. So I felt no urgency. But, it turned out I picked the wrong present day villain! The interwoven of the main case and the subplot of three cold cases were masterfully done! I enjoyed being misled and deceived. The stark beauty of the West Coast of NZ, specifically, Golden Cove, would haunt me for a long long time. Why? It acted as a perfect natural accessory to murders! I'm looking forward to Nalini Singh's next mystery! From one of her interviews, the location will change to another part of beautiful New Zealand!

I happen to enjoy a good crime mystery book. This one delivers a couple of twists. While there is a developing relationship between two of the characters it is not the main focus. I know it is impossible to totaly give background on all the characters in one book, however I do feel like there need to be a bit more especially on the main characters. I enjoyed the book, but I am not impatiently waiting for the next one.

What makes a woman who writes paranormal romances switch genre’s and try her hand at a mystery? I really don’t know but I was curious enough to pick up her novel and take a look at the back cover. There were a couple of things that jumped out and made it sound interesting. The mystery takes place in New Zealand and the synopsis made it sound different than other novels I’d read lately. As I started reading I found myself amazed that this was the same author who I’d read in the past. The pace was slow and deliberate, and whereas the two main characters were a man and a woman, this was not a love story. After the sudden death of her husband, Anahera moves back to her hometown and a childhood friend, Miriama, immediately goes missing. As she gets to know her old friends again she starts to wonder if the long ago case of some missing hikers is connected to her friends disappearance. As police officer, Will and Ana investigate they uncover secrets that had been buried for years and Ana realizes that someone she knows may be a killer. Lately, my tastes have run towards reading mysteries. More of a whodunnit kind of reader, A Madness of Sunshine was right up my alley. I enjoyed getting a feel for a country I don’t really know that much about, and loved the atmospheric outback feeling the character’s names and scenery provided. Despite the slow pace it held my interest and I couldn’t help but like the two very flawed main protagonists and the mystery they were solving. Is this the start of a new series by Nalini Singh? I don’t want her to quit writing romances but I hope so, or at least I hope that she’s found a genre she enjoys writing and can continue to throw me a bone every year or two. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

"Everyone has hidden corners of their life, even the people we think we know inside out." FINAL DECISION: A thriller/suspense story about the secrets that rest in small towns where everyone thinks they know everyone but where there are dangerous secrets. I found this book compelling and it kept me turning page after page wanting to see the secrets being revealed. THE STORY: Anahera Rawiri returns to her hometown in New Zealand. A hometown that she is reluctant to return to and yet is drawn back. There are dark secrets in this town and even more secrets among the people who live there. Will Gallagher is the new cop in town who was sent there after an incident in Christchurch. It was a way of putting him on ice. The town of Golden Cove seemingly is a dead end job without any need for Will's detective skills until a young woman disappears. Then the dark secrets of the town begin to be revealed. OPINION: Nicely centered in the community relationships and characters (which is an area that Singh excels in her romances), the story kept me guessing throughout. As varying stories are slowly revealed, there is no doubt that everyone is deeper than what is known at the outset. Nicely, that is also true of the two main characters in the story. As readers, we know some of the pasts of these characters, but their story is slowly unwound even as the mystery unfolds as well. Although not overly creepy, there is something unsettling about the town and its surroundings. The overwhelming feeling that everyone has secrets and some of those secrets are dangerous makes this book compelling. I liked both Anahera and Will. Both out of sync with the town...Will an outsider and Anahera a local who has spent a decade away and thus straddles the line between being a part of the town and being a stranger. This gives them a nice connection as they are the "outsiders" doing the investigation while both have one foot in the town. I enjoyed this story because I kept changing my mind about what was going on and how it was connected with the past. I kept reading page after page because I wanted to know more about Will and Anahera -- not just the mystery. That nice balance made this a really good read. WORTH MENTIONING: This is not a romance. Please don't read it looking for a Singh romance and then complain that it isn't a romance. It is also not a paranormal, fantasy or sci-fi book. The book does have romantic elements, but romance is definitely not the focus here. There is sex but it is pretty much all off screen. CONNECTED BOOKS: A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE is a standalone. STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars. NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

I read everything Nalini Singh has published and love most of her books but when writing about werewolves and archangels and vampire the rules allow for improbable love connections. In A Madness of Sunshine, the author has written a basic thriller/romance in the same style as many of the Nora Roberts books, and she needs to up her game. The excellent parts of the story involve the South Island of New Zealand, and the language and customs of the Maori people who live there. There are haunting descriptions of the birds, the forests, and the effect of the Pacific on a small island. But her story does not quite work. First, there are too many suspects, but, unlike a skilled mystery writer, she does not allow the reader to guess who the murderer is. She lays out reasons for everyone to be a murderer, and then more or less tells us who it likely is, but keeps us guessing until he confesses. It turns out there are several murderers and we more or less have to accept in this tiny, idyllic Maori community, everyone is dysfunctional, and murderers run amok. This tends to negate the community's charm. Then she introduces a bitter, broken hearted woman with an abusive childhood and a tragic secret who happens to be a world famous pianist, and a bitter cop who has lost confidence in himself because of the death of a child he was protecting. Both have come to this small town to lick their wounds, and by golly, within three days of meeting they are in bed together, and pretty cozy for a couple of life's victims. This is not a believable boy meets girl etc. scenario. I applaud Ms Singh's desire to spread her writing wings, but she only gets a C+ for this first attempt.

Set in a stark and hauntingly beautiful landscape, Golden Cove is situated in the Wild West of New Zealand. The town serves as the backdrop for a mystery thriller that has all the secrets, both good and bad, of a small and secluded town. A popular, beautiful young woman disappears so the only local detective, Will Gallagher, investigates what looks like foul play. Will was farmed out to this far-flung village after some traumatic events in his work life. The other major occurrence happening involves Anahera Spenser-Ashby, formally Rawiri, returning to the place she grew up after life’s vagaries have brought her low. Will and Anahera form an alliance working together to figure out who might have taken a deadly interest in Mariama; the girl whom everyone seemed to love and some even to covert for their own. Will and Anahera are people wounded by life, both struggling to make it each day and not be caught in the undertow from some devastating personal events. Several interesting characters populate Golden Cove, some rather quirky, many of whom Will has gotten to know in this remote town. As he peels back the layers of secrets, deceits, and mysteries with Ana’s help since she knows all the players, Will finds what could be a connection to three missing hikers from eight years ago. Anahera left home to seek a better life as do many restless young people, away from her hometown with its painful memories. She found fame and fortune, but it all turned to grief. After losing a husband who turned out to be someone other than she thought, Ana comes back to this place that was once home in hopes of finding herself again. She is quite at sea about what to do now that her life has so drastically changed. The Maori culture adds a rich component lending language and traditions interwoven throughout the story. The rough yet beautiful landscape and unforgiving ocean provide a thrilling and sometimes chilling environment for this story that has all the elements of a good tale well told. Fans of Nalini Singh’s other books will be glad to know there is some romantic suspense element to this story. Ms. Singh is well known for her romance and paranormal stories; however, this book proves her skills at weaving a compelling, page turning tale in whatever genre she chooses.

Being a devourer of crime, and NZ crime writing in particular, I was keen to read this new venture from Nalini Singh, moving out of her normal genre. I have read none of those so my moments of disappointment were not that Singh had changed direction in this novel, rather, I expected more from her obvious experience as a writer. The plot premise held my attention to start with; young, ambitious, talented local girl, Miriama) goes missing in an area were young girls had gone missing years before. There's a relatively new local cop, Will, with a past, and the unexpected return of a local woman, Anahera) from her high-flying European lifestyle and, initially they are wary of each other (but you can guess what happens between them). So far, very good. The search for Miriama begins and the author has done her research on how searches are conducted. Then things start to slow down. There are a number (maybe a few too many) characters, all with back story, some more interesting that others ( like Nikau and Kyle) and as backstories were revealed it began to feel as though each character or couple were designed to showcase some level of human dysfunction. There does seem to be a surfeit of pyschopaths, sociopaths and general misfits in this town, (which may be the norm, of course). Singh is an accomplished writer and there are elements of this crime novel that work extremely well. The twist at the end had such potential but was let down by over explanation. I found it almost impossible to imagine a rugged, isolated west coast, small town being called 'Golden', let alone a 'Grove'. Funny how something so unimportant in the greater scheme of the story can jar so much. And perhaps a tighter edit would have raised the tension and made this story more gripping.

I don't often read thrillers, but I love Nalini Singh so much that I preordered this one - and it turned out to be dark and powerful and utterly compelling. The setting - a tiny, isolated town in New Zealand - is gorgeously vivid and evocative, and the characters feel very real. I loved the two PoV characters, their strength and their twin commitments to justice for others even through their own pain. There IS a lot of pain in this book - the heroine and hero both have painful pasts, and various types of child and domestic abuse are issues for characters throughout the book. The central murder is a hard and sad one - and in the past, I've actually sworn off all books about hot young women getting killed because they're so overdone and can feel so sleazy/vicarious in their descriptions (especially in those thrillers that include tons of passages from the killer giving gory details with a sick thrill). However, this book worked really well for me because there is no such treatment of the victim here - only a very powerful rage at the way some powerful/angry men treat women, again and again over time, and that rage is echoed through multiple storylines. The victim's death is treated as the tragedy it is - and as a microcosm of those big structural social inequities that have caused so much pain for so many of the families in this book (and the world at large). It's not done simplistically, either - again and again, different women struggle (or are shown) with complicity at various levels. There are a lot of very real shades of grey, which makes it all even more compelling. However, what really made me love this book was the way various women are able to fight for empowerment and strength by the end - and I cheered for the angry, complicated central heroine all the way, as well as for the very good (and also complicated, with big mistakes as well as traumas in his past) cop who becomes her love interest. Their romance isn't the biggest plotline, but it's a very satisfying one.

I own every book by Nalini Singh and bought this one as soon as it was out based on that alone. Unfortunately the author decided to try a completely different genre - instead of fantasy she jumped into a simple boring murder mystery. Or at least that's what it looked like when I finally gave up at 20% of the book. It was incredibly boring with no back story to help figure out what is going on. Frankly, the description of the book did not mention anything about such a drastic change of genre. Please go back to writing fantasy! There are already way too many murder mysteries out there! Definitely returning this book and will not trust next books by the author like I did in the past.

I normally really like her books, but this one was very slow moving and at times quite tedious reading. All the language references were hard to follow and so distracting. Poor flow, lack of suspense, and unlikable characters, made this book easy to put down and hard to pick back up. So disappointing. No with paying hardback prices for this low level book.

So beautifully written. Just amazing. When you make a living writing, you have to be able to make every word sing to readers exactly like that. Wow! Loved this haunting mystery so much. Loved the main characters; Anahera and Will, "The fallen hero." Anahare saw the two of them as "two broken people who ran into each other." The highlights for me was when they couldn't help having something special going on while working together to solve a case of "a beautiful young woman disappears without a trace". Loved that they healed each other and become less broken in the end. This wasn't a kind of heart-pounding, fast paced thriller. But felt more like being carried away by slow moving currents filled with hidden danger. Still more danger lurked behind friendly and attractive surroundings. I swore I could hear scary music playing the entire time while reading! I was thankful that the author didn't go into brutal details, whether about the acts of murders or the acts of raising/creating serial killers. And yes, my hair still stood up, just thinking about it all. The villain(s) looked so obvious. So I felt no urgency. But, it turned out I picked the wrong present day villain! The interwoven of the main case and the subplot of three cold cases were masterfully done! I enjoyed being misled and deceived. The stark beauty of the West Coast of NZ, specifically, Golden Cove, would haunt me for a long long time. Why? It acted as a perfect natural accessory to murders! I'm looking forward to Nalini Singh's next mystery! From one of her interviews, the location will change to another part of beautiful New Zealand!

I happen to enjoy a good crime mystery book. This one delivers a couple of twists. While there is a developing relationship between two of the characters it is not the main focus. I know it is impossible to totaly give background on all the characters in one book, however I do feel like there need to be a bit more especially on the main characters. I enjoyed the book, but I am not impatiently waiting for the next one.

What makes a woman who writes paranormal romances switch genre’s and try her hand at a mystery? I really don’t know but I was curious enough to pick up her novel and take a look at the back cover. There were a couple of things that jumped out and made it sound interesting. The mystery takes place in New Zealand and the synopsis made it sound different than other novels I’d read lately. As I started reading I found myself amazed that this was the same author who I’d read in the past. The pace was slow and deliberate, and whereas the two main characters were a man and a woman, this was not a love story. After the sudden death of her husband, Anahera moves back to her hometown and a childhood friend, Miriama, immediately goes missing. As she gets to know her old friends again she starts to wonder if the long ago case of some missing hikers is connected to her friends disappearance. As police officer, Will and Ana investigate they uncover secrets that had been buried for years and Ana realizes that someone she knows may be a killer. Lately, my tastes have run towards reading mysteries. More of a whodunnit kind of reader, A Madness of Sunshine was right up my alley. I enjoyed getting a feel for a country I don’t really know that much about, and loved the atmospheric outback feeling the character’s names and scenery provided. Despite the slow pace it held my interest and I couldn’t help but like the two very flawed main protagonists and the mystery they were solving. Is this the start of a new series by Nalini Singh? I don’t want her to quit writing romances but I hope so, or at least I hope that she’s found a genre she enjoys writing and can continue to throw me a bone every year or two. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I like Singh’s changeling series very much. This is a new direction for her. She is a good writer, her stories flow and her characters are often complex and interesting. I have somewhat mixed feelings about this book, maybe because I read a lot of suspense novels and this just seemed like one more, better than some but not really distinctive. I think there were a few too many characters and the pacing kind of stalled in some parts. There were some plot points that didn’t really make sense, people doing things that were not necessary or logical. However there were many good things. I enjoyed a glimpse of New Zealand, the geography and culture. I appreciated the meatier plot, relying less on romance and sex than her other books. The characters were mostly believable, the overall plot engaging, and the writing smooth and intelligent. I think for an established author trying out a new genre, it’s a good start. I look forward to her next book in this genre, but I hope she continues writing the changeling series as well, I really like the world building and overarching sci-fi story in that series.

I must say I was, at first, a bit disappointed that this release was not from the Psy-Changeling series, but that lasted until the first sentence of “Madness of Sunshine”. “She returned home two hundred and seventeen days after burying her husband while his pregnant mistress sobbed so hard that she made herself sick.” A very different story arch from her usual paranormal genre, but holds the same depth of description that grabs the reader by the throat with first sentence. “A Madness and Sunshine” is about a crime committed in a small town in a remote part of the world where two people, Will, a detective of police and Anahera, a pianist, emotionally ravaged by tragic incidents in their life, were taking refuge. The crime inadvertently open up a whole can of worms where people’s secrets were exposed and almost every character u come across is suspect. The twists and turns in solving the case is juxtaposition with Will and Anahera finding love and absolution in a harsh and emotionally painful environment. Once again Ms Singh has managed to craft and capture emotional pain and devastation, justice, absolution and love with words so riveting your hungry eyes seek every word on every page. Her poetic description of the place where the story takes place is also amazing. Her description of the nuances of small town living is so on point that anyone who has experienced small town living can relate. You will fall in love with the victim; you will be heart-broken over their death; you will want to know “who donnit”; you are curious to explore the characters sordid secrets; and last, but not least you will care deeply for the protagonists, Will and Anahera and want to see them happy. I absolutely enjoyed this mystery story that took me in a remote part of the world (New Zealand) and sparked my interest in the Maori people as well as an absolute interest in looking at this county’s history and ecology.

Unlike her other series, Ms Singh tries her hand at a missing person/murder mystery. I liked the pacing of this tale, and could surely see the lonely coastal town of her setting by her description of the wilds of New Zealand. Lots of mysteries in this story, some explained and others not, but not all needed to be closely examined. A very small town still has its secrets, as well as the residents, and in a place this remote those people hold tightly to those secrets and very reluctantly give them up for a missing young woman who apparently brought sunshine into many of those neighbors lives. As I said I liked the pacing, the remote area is just as much a character as the residents. Watching Will and Ana figure out what has and is happening in this place was realistic, perhaps we'll see them again in another story.

I was a little hesitant about reading this book, but I love the way Ms. Sing writes and I was not disappointed. The characters were awesome, well-rounded but with the usual suspects, ie, the town gossip, the happy families, the wild and woolly outsiders; just like in a small town or village. And she kept me guessing about the murderer until the end, and I was not expecting that character to be the one who committed the murder. The scenery of that remote part of New Zealand was so well written it made me want to go - in the summer!

“Everyone has hidden corners of their life, even the people we think we know inside out.” A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh 3.5 stars. First time for this fave author of mine to venture into romantic suspense. And it’s ok. I didn’t want to put it down. But it’s not that unique or something that I’ll remember or at this point, will reread again. Not like her other series which I love and follow and reread. A beautiful young woman disappears one day in the small small town of Golden Cove. She’s a local and it’s not tourist season so...where is she? Anahera, our female lead (such an interesting name), is back in town after the death of her husband. Prickly and wary, she becomes a rather reluctant partner to the new town deputy, Will. Again, I like this book. Maybe I’m biased because I love Nalini Singh’s work. Looking forward to her next efforts in this genre.

I was in two minds with this book, though overall really enjoyed it. Firstly though, as a New Zealander I kept being put off by the American dialect and spelling which meant the great characters saying words they would never have used. This is disappointing as there are so few NZ books for us to read compared to American and British available. Having said that Nahili Singh certainly was able to capture the character of the West Coast New Zealanders and the rugged rain forest. I loved that she incorporated some Te Reo (Maori language) into the book and that there were many Maori characters involved in the story. The women were very strong characters led by Anahera one of the lead characters. I found myself looking forward to when I could pick the book up again and continue the unfolding story - hence the 4 stars.

Horrible. I quit after 6% through and deleted the item from my account. I have never done that before, and I paid for this trash. I wish I had taken a look inside before buying this travesty of a book, but I went on the reviews. Never again! The writing is puerile, the characters are from the outset completely stereotypical and unsympathetic, the author seemed unsure about her genre and was perhaps attempting to produce an historical romance complete with virile men and ravishing women who initially hated each other and ended up blissfully in lust, and the book is filled with incomplete sentences. Does nobody know what a verb is anymore? Do not buy this garbage!

What a gem of a story! A chilling and brilliantly written whodunnit of mystery, vanishings, murders, redemption and a psychopath to give the chills. An enthralling story set on New Zealand’s rugged west coast, rich in evocative description of the stunning landscape and the people inhabiting a fictional small coastal town. The townspeople are vividly drawn in their confined, but wild setting. The two main characters are nuanced and believable and worth cheering on as they sift through their wounded lives while searching for their missing neighbour. The first pages pull you in and take you on a thriller of a ride, the suspense building, leading to a very satisfying conclusion. The epilogue answers questions about the two protagonists, and raises, maybe, the possibility of other thrillers (hopefully with them in it) by this talented author. Jaclyn Rosamond, author.

I read this a couple of days ago, and couldn't decide how I felt about it. Nalini Singh's excellent writing and the details of the wild country of New Zealand were extraordinary in their descriptive phrases and the energy of the area and the people who live there. She must love her Country very much, and it showed in her writing. The book was a mystery, but didn't have a lot of suspense until the end. I agree with one of the reviewers that it seemed to lag in the middle, but overall a very enjoyable read. It seems that whatever genre she touches with her writing is a smashing success.

I loved this book! This is different to Nalini’s other genres being a mystery/murder and set in a contemporary setting. From the start Nalini builts an evocative atmosphere, which is dark, oppressive, and hangs heavy with menace. She had such a great descriptive way of describing the surroundings, which makes you a voyeur to the story. I could see it happening and felt I was transported to New Zealand seeing the story unfold around me. As a reader you follow the journey of the heroine who returns home, and without giving anything away follow the police through the journey of solving the murders. I Found the book gripping, personally I resented putting the book aside to get on with life as it left me in a perpetual state of wonder and desperation to see what came next. I am seriously recommending this book.

This is a new genre for this author, but her wealth of experience in writing stories with depth, texture, and nuance has carried her through here. I was captivated from page one, totally invested in the lives of these people. I couldn't put it down, and all through it I kept scurrying from character to character trying to decide which one was guilty. As it happens, I was right, but only because I suspected pretty much every character in the book at one point or another. This was a day well spent.

This story had me hooked from the first line! It’s has a vivid storyline and strong believable characters. Set in a small (fictional) coastal NZ community. A story of homecoming. A story of revelations. A story about renewal. It’s thrilling. Gritty. Deals with some serious subject matter. And done in such a way you’ll struggle to put it down until you’ve read the final outcome! Peter Jackson should be looking at making a 3 or 4 part mini series. It’d make great viewing! Loved it!

This is a prime example of why I will always read anything Nalini Singh writes. This story is a brilliant mystery filled with intrigue and with a touch of magic that sucks you in and doesn't let go until the last page. The characters are everything, and combined with Nalini's writing style this novel is a mysterious adventure. I loved Nalini's dip into this new genre which was dark and beautiful.

A well written, touching mystery that brought up tears with tenderness. Set in New Zealand, a place a lot of us dream of visiting, a bright spot of sunshine goes missing in a small town with a touch of dark history. Neighbors, childhood friends, and awful truths are exposed as the recent missing girl is tied in with past missing hikers by a cop with a dark past. I have only read MS Singh's sci-fi novels before and this was excellent.

I'm a fan of Ms. Singh's changling series and her guild books, but after reading one of her contemporary novels I was unhappy with the volume of sexual content thinly disguised as romance. I'm not sure what compelled me to buy this book, but I'm glad I did. It is excellent. The characters are likeable, and the plot well developed. It was a pleasant surprise.

1. Who did not know how those would end up with each other? 2. Serial killers can’t be defined quite as neatly and cleanly as this. Sexual abuse plus an overbearing fathering plus wealth doesn’t make you a serial murderer. 3. I was disappointed in the red herrings, the obvious clues, and the feeling I was being played as a sucker for a romance novel masquerading as a murder mystery.

I am a fan of this author in paranormal genres, not so much the romantic fiction. But I truly enjoyed this book! An interesting mystery set in a country not often the base of mainstream fiction. I found the switch in POV between characters seamless and the story kept me guessing. Will definitely be interested in more material in the mystery genre from Nalini Singh.

Great storyline. I enjoyed the setting, the beauty of the country came alive for me. The characters are wonderfully developed and realistic. I am hoping for more books like this. I have been a fan of Nalini Singh since I read my first book by her and I am continually delighted and amazed by her art of story telling.

I read the feedbacks and ratings on this books but it was varied... some are 5 stars some are not. I should have followed the ones with low ratings and negative feedbacks. I have all of ms. Singh books... I love all of them and kept on re-reading her books. This book is so so slow that I was scanning the pages just to get to the end. She didn't write how Anahera's husband died. I was so very disappointed with this book.

It was a really good mystery, great characters, good twists, beautiful narrative and landscape descriptions, and everyone was an interesting suspect. I felt like I could smell the sea and the cold. This book was very different of course to her paranormal series, and yet so Nalini. I hope she writes more mysteries in New Zealand.

Going back to the small isolated town that she had escaped from years ago, people and most things seemed the same. Small town life everyone has their secrets. After the death of her husband she had her secrets too. Pretty good story. A tiny romance, an amazing description of New Zealand in the wild.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is well written and thought out. I loved the fact that the tension and suspense was built up slowly and because there were so many red herrings, you really did not know who had actually done the killings until the end of the book. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading a really good mystery.

This is a great story of hope and redemption, by many of the characters, not just the main ones. Once again Nalini brought us to reside in her story, right along with her characters and their lives. I was immediately drawn into this mystery that had me guessing almost until the end. I hope Nalini continues to write mysteries, as well as her other series that I adore. Great job and beginning into the mystery venue. Great read.

I love her Changeling-Psy series which are auto-buys for me. So I automatically bought this one, not knowing that it was a novel of a different genre. It was well-written since This author writes well, but I really couldn't get into the characters or felt connected to anyone. Maybe I read too many thrillers, but I found the plot and ending predictable. It's not a keeper for me.

I didn't know 'whodunnit' until Nalini decided to tell us, and I dislike knowing too early in the story. I enjoyed this story, but it is very different to her other books, which makes sense as it is a murder mystery. I look forward to many more Nalini stories.

I have been reading NS since she was published and available in the US. This mystery is a complex change of pace from the G Hunters, Psy/Changling/Humans and the Hard series. I love a good mystery and this had what I love about this author. A deep respect and empathy for her characters, a thorough world build and a great plot. This mystery had a slow build and a long trail and ended with a deep feeling for the circumstances she had developed. Will be reading it again to make sure I caught all the detail and because it is a great read!

Even though I’ve loved every book I’ve read from Nalini so far, I was hesitant to read this book because it’s not in the typical genre I read. Nalini is an amazing author and this story did not disappoint. Somehow, I felt like I intimately knew the town, the people, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Fantastic read!

This is my favorite of Nalini Singh’s novels, and I do believe I’ve read them all. This stand-alone is set in Golden Cove in New Zealand, and is a combination of romantic suspense, thriller, police procedural, and murder in a tiny town where everyone knows everyone. Well worth reading.

This author can write any story and I would read it. This is a murder mystery novel, well written and characters are all describe to a tee. I couldn't guess who was the one who did the murder, too many suspects.... Good Job

I didn't know what to expect from this book. Nalini Singh is one of my favorite authors and I should have expected her world building to be amazing. This thriller was so damn good! She never fails to grab my imagination.

An engrossing murder mystery set in a small town is kind of suspense reader catnip, and Singh is an excellent writer of each genre in which she chooses to exercise her craft. I would love to read more like this.

This was a very good book. Some other reviewers said that they felt like it took the author too long to get into the action. If you read it, make sure you keep up with all of the characters. The title seems a bit off. I can't really say it is a good indicator of the book.

Not a bad story, but dull in places. Did not wow me as her other books have done. Still prefer her PSY books.

Nalini Singh's first foray into mystery and I loved it! I'm a big fan of her other series (all of them), so I was excited to see how she would do with a genre outside of her comfort zone. It was well done!

This was a very well crafted thriller with high tension and lots of threads - and yet written in a way where I could actually keep the characters straight in my head, which is rare! The resolution put it in the category of thrillers that are less to my taste, but that's a personal preference - the important thing is it kept me invested right to the end.

Wow, you can never be wrong picking a Nalini Singh book. This was a great novel. I couldn’t put it down, therefore I’m behind at work!! Haha. Fantastic!!!! Trust me, you will enjoy it!

It seemed out of the wheel house of her paranormal norms, so I was skeptical at first. But the twists and turns keep me glued to the pages, it was a great read! I don’t know why there was ever a doubt she never disappoints!

I couldn’t put this book down. The story like kept me guessing and I finished it in a few days. Well written story with great twists! I will read more of her books in the future.

A heartbroken pianist goes home to heal. A disgraced police officer finds a town to rebuild his confidence come together in a town of secrets and relationships. The story is well written. It will keep you guessing almost to the end. I truly enjoyed the backdrop of a small hamlet in New Zealand. Excellent storytelling.

Good book, easy to read and some really nice writing. But could have been much shorter with fewer characters, would still have offered the same suspense and imagery. Love the New Zealand aspect but fewer mentions of the wild waters and dense foliage would not have bothered me. Overall it kept you guessing and had just enough romance in it.

A new psychological thriller from Nalini Singh. This story grips from the first page and doesn't let go. I was very excited to read a book by Nalini Singh that was a departure from her book series.

I'm a fan of Nalini Singh but I don't typically read thrillers. What a compelling story! Ana and the rest... I had to stay up late just to finish because I couldn't put it down.

I've loved all of Nalini Singh's stories, paranormal and contemporary, from the beginning and this foray into the mystery/suspense genre did not disappoint either! So many different threads were wonderfully woven into a story that pulls you in until the very end! Pulled an all-nighter to finish it but worth the lack-of-sleep hangover the next day. :-)

I have read almost ALL of Nalini Singh's work, and have zero complaints....none.....nada....zilch.....I LOVE her works.....they should be art.....

I liked the New Zealand setting, it was refreshingly different. The mystery was good and Anahera a different kind of heroine.

The author's use of back stories to help define the characters and events that all led to the way things are in the small town today gives you an insight into all the players though it leads to some false trails at times it is intriguing and spellbinding as you try to figure out the who done it in this wonderfully written book.

I did like this book; but it was, to me, a departure from her usual books. I liked the characters and the growth of the relationship between them.

I really love her books. New style of story for this 1. Was a lot of fun to read. Always a lot of fun to have a little bit of culture I have no exposure to in the United States.

This was a wonderful read. Could relate to area and type of persons in book. That happens in small towns in New Zealand.

Enjoyed the book, nice pace and I found it hard to put down so effectively read it straight through. All of the characters intrigued, although the storyline was predictable, it was nice to watch it play out. Particularly liked the setting which was also a character in the story.

I have always enjoyed/loved the ability of this author to develop her characters, the intricate background history and her rich stories. This is ultimately a love story between two wounded people. They are approachable and real in a beautiful yet challenging environment. The murder mystery drew me in and kept me reading but as usual the characters lives were my biggest draw.

Interesting info about a land far away. Definitely held my attention. Very Suspenseful. Character were relatable; you love them and you hate them. The book sucked me into the pages and I couldn't put it down.

As always Nalini didn't disappoint. I couldn't put it down once I started reading. I love both her Guild Hunter series and her Psy-Changeling series.

Good mystery, great characters. Just like her other series, sure to entertain.

I have read all of Ms. Singh’s Guild Hunter and Psy/Changeling novels, and although this is a new genre for her, it is true Nalini Singh. Her attention to detail, her character and interpersonal development and world building are present in spades. Well done Ms Singh, congratulations on expanding your horizons and still giving your readers everything they expect from you!

I loved the book. It is a mystery and very different from her other books, but just as good. Loved the location of the story. New Zealand sounds like a fantastic place to visit.

When we great out children as if they do not belong to us what do they grown up to be. When we are wronged or perceive we are wronged, how do we react? A really interesting story.

A tiny bit twisty which was fine. Not great but not bad.

Extraordinary story telling, character development, and plot detailing! Different from her other series, but the same level of brilliant writing.

I was holding out on reading this new book - because I thought it can't be as good as the Archangel series or the Psy-Changeling. Buuut do not doubt it, Nalini delivers! Suspension great, characters interesting and the plot, wow! so definitely worth your time and money.

I enjoy all this author's work. She never fails to satisfy.

Nalini has a way of making all of her characters come to life, no matter what the genre, and her first crime novel is no exception. People are real and raw and multidimensional, and she weaves a story that keeps you up all night reading. Loved it, and can’t wait for more.

as her first crime novel and a beautiful part of NZ it was enjoyable

This book was awesome! I had to read it in one sitting because it was so absorbing. If you love a good mystery read this book!

The atmosphere and location of the book was just creepy. (I loved it!) I couldn’t wait to turn to the next page

Very good book. Kept me guessing about what will happen next. I find myself not able to pinpoint who the villain was.

Very enjoyable; kept me guessing.

Riveting read. Once started could not put it down. Like most of her stories another keeper. Can’t wait to see what she writes next.

A stray from the Psy/Changeling or Guild Hunter but it was another great book. I think she could write anything and I’d want to read it!

I have read all her books....loved them all. This was a good book but not really to my taste. Very dark. Was well written but depressing. Like my happy ending...or at least hope for happy ending.

This book is what you're looking for on a rainy or sunny afternoon, its captivating from start to end. I don't think there's a book Nalini can write that I won't love, I just hope it's the first of a series, I'm excited for the next one!!💕

I really loved this book. The mystery of it was fantastic with enough glimmers of suspicion to have you changing your mind often.

I have read her Psy Changeling series and really appreciate her full characterizations, and twisty turns of the story. Can’t wait for more.

Love her books!! I can't wait for more of her work. I love both series. And this was captivating, couldn't put it down!

A lot like Norra Roberts

I liked it, good suspense.

From Fantasy (Psy/Challenging) To Murder (On the West coast of NZ) . From Sensually Seductive to Totally COMPELLING! Must Read!

I liked it. One of my favorite authors.

As usual she delivers an spellbinding book!

Interesting mystery!

This book is set in a small town in New Zealand. The descriptions do a good job of making you visualize the setting. Years ago several young women vanished from the area with no trace, no bodies ever found. Now a local woman has vanished. Is there a connection to the previous disappearances? I enjoyed this book but for me it dragged in the middle. It is mostly suspense, not as much romance. I figured out part of the mystery but there was an aspect that caught me off guard. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Totally engrossing. Riveting, even. Wow - what an amazing book! It's the first I've read by this author, and apparently it's a departure from her usual paranormal fare. If that's true, I hope she strays again and again - this one is extraordinarily good. Not to compare the stories, but from start to finish the style reminded me of "Where the Crawdads Sing," the best-seller by Delia Owens that without question is one of the best books I've read in my rather lengthy lifetime. Aside from simply being an entertaining story, the character development is outstanding, as are the descriptions of the New Zealand surroundings that, before now, were totally unfamiliar to me (the author lives there, though, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised at that). Then there's the suspense; even though it's told in something of a matter-of-fact manner, at the end of every single chapter I'd glance at the clock and ask myself, "Do I have time for just one more?" For the record, if there was the slightest hint of doubt, my answer always was yes. As the story opens, Anahera Rawiri, a classical pianist, has come home to her native Golden Cove, New Zealand, after living in London with her husband, who unexpectedly died. As she begins to touch base with old friends, she meets the new and only police officer in town, Will Gallagher. He's good-looking, single, and - of course - manages to get on Ana's bad side. But the two form a truce of sorts after Miriama, the beautiful and talented girl with a bright future who works in Ana's friend Josie's tea shop, suddenly goes missing. The search to find her brings together the townspeople, who roam the sometimes dangerous seaside cliffs and forests. Then it's learned that her disappearance may be tied into similar cases of missing young women in years past. It also conjures up memories of the good and not-so-good times Ana spent here with her friends - one of whom just may be a serial killer. As readers learn more about the complex characters, we follow along and make our own assessments as to who might be guilty. For sure I did - and boy, did I ever guess wrong. But wrong doesn't mean disappointed; in fact, not getting it right led me to even greater respect for the author's writing talents. In the end, I have no reservations whatsoever about deeming this one of the top three books I read in 2019. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

As other reviews have stated, this is a major change from Singh's usual writing and I am quite disappointed in it. I kept slogging through it, trying to find a character I cared about or a plot line that intrigued me, to no avail. She is one of my very favorite authors and I grabbed this as soon as I could. Sorry, Naomi. not a success. I will not be reading any future books in this style

After her husband's unexpected death and the shocking betrayal discovered shortly thereafter, Anahera returns home to Golden Cove, a small town almost hidden on the West Coast of New Zealand. Upon returning to the home she couldn't wait to leave, Ana discovers that things haven't changed all that much from when she left. Years previously the disappearance of three hikers shook the small community and drove and unseen wedge between Ana and her group of friends. It was that moment that they all left childhood behind and had to grow up with some, like Ana, leaving the town behind. When a bright, young woman, beloved by the community, goes missing, the secrets of the past are brought forward once again and this time, Ana and everyone of Golden Cove will have to reckon with the evil among them. This is Nalini Singh's first foray into Thriller / Romantic Suspense. I don't read many Thrillers or Suspense, but the ones I have read had the ability to keep me on the edge of my seat. Almost forcing me to compulsively read the book while also fretting about what's going to happen to the hero/heroine next! I'd say that A Madness of Sunshine is more of a slow burn thriller. More mystery. And the romance itself is a secondary element to the story not irrelevant, but also not the main focus. The characters, including Ana and police chief Will of whom we get each of the points of view throughout the book, are so complicated. And not just the characters, but the social structure of Golden Cove. The tight-knit community that is not quick to welcome outsiders but also has a clear divide between those who are well off and those who are barely scraping by. With that economic divide you can clearly see there's a sense of entitlement that runs through many of the characters and throughout the story. Within this entitlement is the idea of possession. Of having and keeping, almost owning whether it's material items or a person. It's at times twisted and uncomfortable and makes it a little difficult to warm up to any of the characters except, of course, the enigmatic, joyful, gorgeous Miriama who is like a light of sunshine for so many in the community, who's disappearance is deftly felt throughout the book as Ana and Will try to piece together what happened to her, and begin to look to those in the community as possible suspects. I think the idea that no one comes across as exactly trustworthy goes a long way in making the mystery aspect of the story pop. I mean I felt like any one person could have a motivation for wanting Miri gone. But the story moves along, and quickly narrows down the list a bit. I kind of wish the ending and revelations were a little more unexpected once all is said and done, but overall I think this is a very promising start in a new genre for Nalini Singh to bring her dynamic and always entertaining writing. If it has Nalini Singh's name on it, I'm guaranteed to read it, and I'm very interested to see what she does with another thriller/suspense story.

I belong to a e-reading group and the folks in the romance forum rave about Nalini Singh’s paranormal romance books. So I was excited when I got a chance to review an ARC of one of her titles, but then I found out that this is a romantic suspense/mystery book, which seems to be a new direction for her. No problem, I thought - to be honest, I like mysteries a lot more than paranormal romance, and so this should be right down my alley. Well, it was, and it wasn’t. I tend to like books with a strong sense of place, and this book definitely had that – a remote location in New Zealand that is described so well that I want to go visit the area. I also tend to like mysteries with a good plot, and I did like the way that the killing in the present tied back to some killings in the past. This leant almost a bit of a police-procedural element to part of the book, and I tend to like police procedurals. However I also had a few problems with the plot. I understand that small towns can have dark secrets, but in this case, it seems as if the pretty much the whole town has secrets, and it was hard for me to believe that that much evil was floating around in one place. Singh seems to try to make the case that the original years-ago evil sort of warped everything, which could be true – keeping secrets can lead to more secrets and more problems. But to me, she didn’t quite manage to sell it. It isn’t a major fail – I still enjoyed the book. But it was sort of a nagging annoyance that persisted as I read. I wish I could give this a 3 ½, and debated for a long time about whether to give it 3 or 4 stars. In the end, I went for 3, if only because I think there are mystery authors who could do it better. But I did enjoy the writing enough that I will still probably try one of Singh’s paranormal romance novels someday – I just think mysteries may not be her genre! I’d like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the setting, with its wild jungle-like land, rocky cliffs, roiling waves, and dangerous ocean. The writing style is fine. The story is a hot mess. To start with, this small community is filled with unlikable people behaving badly. We have a whole lot of characters, all of whom are suspects and all more than capable of committing murder. They are, in fact, all guilty of something. We also have a subplot with cold case murders that, for reasons never explained, the killer decides to flaunt at the same time as law enforcement is heavily involved in searching the area for the missing woman. The missing woman's character is ridiculous in her perfection. She's young, she's gorgeous, she's friendly to absolutely everyone, she's irresistible through no fault of her own, women all love her and men all want her. People flock to be near her and bask in her sunshine. Our stars are the broken, hero cop and the woman with a tragic past who returns home with her figurative tail between her legs. Neither character has much depth. They speak and behave exactly as expected. The woe-is-me narrative drove me crazy, as it was repeated over and over... and over again. The "romance" between our two star characters isn't a romance at all. These two strangers meet, the cop immediately takes this stranger who isn't a cop into his confidence and makes her his investigative partner for a few days, then they have sex and become a couple. The relationship is forced, unfeeling, and unnecessary. Pacing is incredibly slow. And then we have the confessional ending, which makes me clench my teeth in irritation. The killer has control of the person who'd figured things out, and so of course this killer answers all questions and expounds on the entire history of bad deeds. As if this isn't bad enough, we have a second confessional ending, concerning the young woman who'd disappeared. Apparently, the residents of this community love to spontaneously confess in detail.

A Madness of Sunshine is a book that I kept seeing everywhere. Not only does it have a stunning cover, but it’s also author Nalini Singh’s first dabble into Contemporary Suspense. I am a big fan of her Paranormal Romances, so I just knew I had to grab this book and check it out. A Madness of Sunshine follows the story of Anahera. After the passing of her cheating husband, Anahera returns to the one place she never thought she’d go back to. Anahera hopes that her return home will give her some perspective on life and heal her wounds. However, soon after Anahera returns home, a young woman disappears without a trace. The disappearance rocks Anahera’s small town and brings forward secrets that are better left unsaid…. A Madness of Sunshine had me instantly intrigued. The characters had an air of mystery about them and I was intrigued by the small town Anahera called home. Everyone seemed to have a secret, some darker than others. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to see how the story would come together. The disappearance of a local girl brought unexpected truths to the surface. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery of this story. I figured some things out right away, but there were still some twists that took me by surprise. A Madness of Sunshine is an exciting thriller that is filled with mystery, intrigue, betrayal and lots of twists and turns. There are some glimpses of romance to take the edge off of the intensity, but this story is definitely not romance driven. I think the author did a great job with her first dabble into this genre and I hope that she’ll write more thrillers in the future.

Prepare to be swept away to a small New Zealand town that’s as beautiful as it is treacherous in A Madness of Sunshine. Nalini Singh’s thriller debut is as engaging and evocative as I would expect from a writer of her caliber. Golden Cove is an isolated community where everyone knows everyone. But do they really? For even in a place like this, people have their secrets. Anahera Rawiri, a gifted, renowned pianist, has returned home after years away. Anahera is strong, kind, and recovering from pain and betrayal. Everything and nothing has changed about Golden Cove when Anahera returns; many of the people she once knew as well as herself are familiar strangers. The most interesting new addition? Detective Will Gallagher, Golden Cove’s one-man police force. Will is as strong and focused as Anahera. He also has demons of his own he’s facing, ones that are the reason he was sent out to the bush. Sparks fly immediately between Will and Anahera, but it’s their “otherness” – Anahera’s from her time away and Will from his newness to Golden Cove – that draws them together when tragedy strikes and a young woman goes missing. Her disappearance stirs up old ghosts and hidden shame from one summer years ago when three other women vanished. Ms. Singh serves up an interesting double mystery in A Madness of Sunshine. The present day search for a missing young woman intertwines with the disappearance of three hikers back when Anahera was a teenager and each mystery is engaging in its own right. I loved watching the pieces unfold, loved how the lush landscape Ms. Singh details plays into the story itself. I also enjoyed uncovering the layers of the town and its residents. The sordid secrets were all interesting as they were unearthed and I liked feeling like I was digging deeper into many of the characters with each passing page. Though it is set a world away, in many ways A Madness of Sunshine reminded me of Nora Roberts’s romantic suspense titles from fifteen – twenty years ago (think Carolina Moon). It’s not the plots themselves, but rather the cadence of the story and the patterns of the characters that felt familiar (not a bad thing). The only downside is that I felt the mysteries weren’t too…well…mysterious. A Madness of Sunshine is beautiful and dark, just like the world of Golden Cove. Even though I would have wished for a few more surprising moments, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ms. Singh’s writing sucked me in each time I picked up the book and I loved watching Anahera and Will put the pieces together over the course of the story. Though my first love will always be Ms. Singh’s paranormal romances, I would dive into another thriller by her in a heartbeat. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 stars. Nalini Singh is one of my favorite romance authors and I was curious to see what she’d do with the thriller genre. This was incredibly atmospheric; New Zealand really came alive for me and I quickly saw why it made such a good setting for a thriller revolving around a serial killer. While there is a love story between Ana and Will, it’s not the main focus of the story. Ana is barely back in her hometown after years away before a girl goes missing. This dredges up memories of three cold cases of missing women and the town must grapple with whether one of their own is behind it all. There’s a sense of paranoia that builds as information comes to light about almost every man but at the same time, the story stalled out in tension as it became clear who the villain was. I don't read many thrillers anymore so it was nice to read one that wasn't as intense and yet it almost felt like it failed in meeting the requirements of the genre as a result. I loved the first 60-75% of the story but then the ending fell apart. The way the mystery subplots were handled and the final reveal of Miriama's killer didn’t make sense to me. I’m always here for a good twist, especially if I don’t see it coming, but when I tried to follow the clues back, I was left underwhelmed and perplexed. I'm not sure about the portrayal of psychopaths. Something about it didn't add up to me. In part because there’s a link between psychopathy and child sexual abuse, which is a lazy and hurtful stereotype. Other things that didn’t work for me: Miriama’s character was very Not Like Other Girls. The symbolism around sun and sunshine became quite heavy-handed. Also I HATED that Ana went to her charred house BY HERSELF without even leaving a note for Will when she knows 1) someone legit just burned down her cabin 2) she fits the victim's profile 3) they still don't know who killed Miriama. It was a legit Too Stupid To Live move and did not seem in keeping with her character. But to end on a more positive note because truly the first part of the book was super compelling, I did love how the story explored grief, particularly through what Ana experienced in London as well as how being back home forces her to confront the death of her mother. It also means she’s around her abusive father and I so appreciated that there is no false redemption for him. She confronts him at a certain point and it was beyond satisfying. I'm definitely interested in reading more in this vein from Singh. If you're interested in seeing how a thriller works in New Zealand, by all means give it a try. CW: serial killer, psychopath, missing person, murder, arson, pregnancy (side characters), past infidelity, past domestic violence, death of loved one, past miscarriage, past animal cruelty, past rape, past child physical abuse, past child sexual abuse Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't usually read thrillers but Nalini Singh is such a favourite author of mine that she's an auto-buy no matter what genre she decides to write in. I was still a little nervous going into A Madness of Sunshine though because I really had no idea what to expect. It was very different to her other books with a much slower and more character driven plot that concludes in an action packed, edge of your seat finale and I found that I just couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed getting to explore this small sleepy costal town in New Zealand through Nalini's eyes, we get an in depth look at the culture and atmosphere of small town living and it made me want to pack a bag and book a flight so I could go and explore Golden Cove for myself. There are a lot of secrets in this town, everyone seems to be hiding something and there were so many possible suspects that I really had no idea who was the killer. It was actually a bit disturbing the way most of the men in the town had such possessive and controlling feelings about the women around them. Anahera left her hometown years ago and never planned to come back but after the death of her husband she just needs some time to lick her wounds and it's almost an automatic reaction to return to the place that is most familiar. So much about Golden Cove has stayed the same in her absence but there are some changes, like the addition of a permanent police officer, Will. It's only when a local girl goes missing, bringing back memories of past disappearances that haunt the town, that they realise there might be a killer still living among them. I loved the slow build romance between Anahera and Will but that definitely wasn't the focus of the story. These are both complex and layered characters who have plenty of secrets to uncover and it was fun getting to know them but I do wish we'd found out a little more about Will, about his family and where he came from before he ended up in Golden Cove. I made multiple guesses about the killer along the way but I was never able to pin down exactly who they were, they were one of my suspects but pretty low down on my list. A Madness of Sunshine was very different to my usual reads and very different to the books Nalini usually writes but I enjoyed it all the more because of that. I really hope she decides to explore this genre further in the future and I'll definitely be first in line to buy the books if she does.

Nalini Singh, the very popular author of many paranormal romance novels, has made a very decisive mark in a new genre for her. A Madness of Sunshine is the contemporary suspense novel I am looking for when I choose to read that genre. Never having been to New Zealand, the setting adds to the suspense for me, while also serving as a national tourism advertisement. Singh’s descriptions of the shores and mountains and woods make the land sound as mysterious as it is beautiful. The local residents’ connection to the land resonates even in Anahera who has been away from her home for eight years. Anahera’s coming home story is woven into the suspense and the hunt for the missing girl. The local detective, Will, also has a past that will guide/sway his determined search until the girl and the culprit are found. I appreciated that the main characters past was only revealed in pieces, giving me the opportunity to get to know them as they got to know each other. The suspects are many. Because Anahera has been away for so long and because Will is new to the town, so many of the local residents of Golden Cove seem suspicious. I found it hard to settle on a guilty party, though there was one tale of the past that did start steering me to possible perpetrator. But there are plenty of tales of the past to muddy the waters. By the time I got to the end, I was not surprised, though I was just as horrified by the tale as the residents of Golden Cove. The complex mystery, vivid characters and a homecoming story with a twist make A Madness of Sunshine fresh, gritty, and real. I am very happy Nalini Singh has decided to branch out in this new direction. Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Madness of Sunshine, by Nalini Singh, places us in Golden Cove, a small New Zealand settlement, on the savage West Coast of the South Island. Twenty-nine year old concert pianist, Anahera Rawiri, is back, having married a wealthy man, at the age of twenty-one, and living a life of glamour and luxury in London. But her husband dropped dead, less than a year ago, and her heart was shattered when she meets his pregnant mistress at the funeral. Now Ana has returned home, where she grew up in poverty, daughter of a mother that endured years of abuse from her father. Ana is bitter and hard now, willing to leave her concert pianist career behind, it seems, to live in the broken down cabin that she and her late mother had called home. Detective Will Gallagher is the town's lone officer, having been a hero during a hostage crisis but later having fallen apart when two people he had vowed to protect, perished at the hands of an abuser. After several anger related issues, Will is happy to be banished to Golden Cove, where he makes his rounds day and night, checking on every single household, ordering kids on street corners to go home when it's late, making sure each of the residents of Golden Cove are safe. He's broken and feels like this is where he needs to be, accepting that his rising star career is in shatters and that he deserves this new position. Fifteen years earlier, three young women hikers went missing in this area and the women were never found. Some think they got off trail, never to find their way back, but others wonder if there is a serial killer in their midst. Ana and five close friends were carefree teenagers back then and surprisingly, all of these friends are still living in Golden Cove or have come back to Golden Cove for some reason or another. This is the setting in which a nineteen year old beauty goes for a run and never comes back. The small town is full of angry, entitled men who could have harmed the girl and it's up to Will to find out what has happened. Being an outsider to the area, Will leans on Ana to help him investigate the people and the land, as they look for the young woman. The story has promise but, at awkward times, Will, but more often Ana, can get lost in their memories of the past, often very repetitive memories, that begin to weigh down the story, in the present. There are also so many characters in the story that it's hard to keep track of them all, and people like Ana's best friend, who has a presence in the early part of the story, seem to be forgotten as the story progresses. I also cannot understand how Ana became a concert pianist using the lone church piano, when the town doesn't seem to have any resources for her to learn her skill. There are other things that didn't ring true to me so I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the story. Thank you to Berkley/Penguin Publishing Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.

I wanted to like this more than I did. I did enjoy the bits of NZ nature and culture. Unfortunately, there was just not enough substance to the plot. The first 3/4 of the book was slow and repetitive and the ending was ultimately unsurprising. A lot of the text was of the “two wounded people finding love” variety.

A standalone thriller set on New Zealand's South Island on the west coast where Anahera Rawiri returns to lick her wounds. My Take Ooh, Anahera is not happy, and she's willing for that cop to know it. Wow. Talk about belligerent! Nor is this girl shy. And I'm not sure this was believable. Sure, she has to have the courage to step out onto a stage to play, but that's not the angle Singh was emphasizing. Instead Singh played up Ana's hatred of lying while calling attention to the bullying, the animosity she felt toward Will, which I didn't understand. It's both the today and the past of this core group of friends, as Ana looks back over her childhood and the life she had with Edward. Comparing, wondering, angry. Friends, two of whom are the heads of rival rich families. One is on track to become prime minister while the other thinks he owns the town. The thuggish friend who's probably the best educated in town. The best friend and her new friend. Yes, a mostly character-driven story with the action an aside that brings out even more about the people in A Madness of Sunshine. I gotta say, I would have liked to know just how it is that the Bakers and Mays were so wealthy, other than Singh telling us. Singh is using a third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Ana's and Will's perspectives, as we hear their thoughts and understand their emotions. Overall, there's the warmth of Ana's friends and neighbors of all ages with tales of abuse closely woven in. The childhood memories she has of her parents — the good and the horrible. The memories Ana has of the friends alive now and how they're living. Will focuses strictly on the case that went so wrong. Singh incorporates Maori culture quite naturally into the story, educating us and bringing color in, even as she slips in Ana's and the townspeople's backstories, setting us up for the hunt for the missing woman. Although, what was with that stupid Matilda? She knows her boyfriends are trying to hit on her niece, and she doesn't do anything?? Part of the backstory is more of a current one, as Ana learns about the economic positives of her old hometown. People who will step up when needed, concerned for one of their own. Easygoing yet with tempers. It's softly scary and made my heart hurt for Miri's future. The one I wanted her so badly to embark upon, even as I wanted to know more about Ana's life in London. It's a life that Singh hints at here and there, just enough to keep me intrigued and hoping I'll learn more. The pace was fast and slow, all at the same time. That life Ana had in London and as a musician with Edward and the bits and pieces about Will's traumas were just droplets of info that drove me nuts. I wanted to know more. Then we do learn more, about the past in Golden Cove, but that too was just slices of the past, filling in the back history of Ana's friends and the town, the mystery of the missing women, Ana's memories of her mother. Dribbling out those bits and pieces to keep me reading. You can't fault Singh for being detailed, although these particulars are simply extras that don't add a lot to the story, they do make it richer. In the end, it's all about doing the right thing. The Story It's a betrayal like no other that sends Anahera Spencer-Ashby flying home to a small settlement on the savage West Coast of the South Island, populated by all the remembered faces. There have been changes, but Golden Cove is mostly the same, in spite of the ghost of Ana's mother lingering in her memories. But a woman's disappearance brings back other, less savory memories of another time when women went missing. The Characters Anahera Rawiri Spencer-Ashby is a famous concert pianist — Angel is her professional name, although that's not the focus of A Madness of Sunshine. Edward Spencer-Ashby, a playwright and businessman, is her now-dead husband. Haeta had been Ana's beloved mother with a dressmaking business. Jason is her abusive and alcoholic father. A highly decorated policeman, a hotshot cop with good instincts, who's now too senior to fire, Detective Will Gallagher has been put to pasture as the area's sole-charge policeman. Golden Cove is... ...Anahera's hometown and not big enough for a mayor; a business council handles that job. Evelyn Triskell is the chairwoman; her husband, Wayne, is in a wheelchair. Greymouth is the closest big town. Josephine "Josie" Wilson Taufa is Ana's best friend who owns the local café. Tom Taufa, the town plumber, is the man Josie had wanted, and they have Niam, their son, with Josie expecting another. Miriama "Miri" Hinewai Tutaia, brought up by her Aunt Mattie (Atarangi Matilda Tutaia) after her mother, Mattie's sister Kahurangi, died of an overdose, works at Josie's café. Her future bright, there's Dr Dominic de Souza, the new town doctor who took over from Dr Wong, so madly in love with Miri. Steve is Aunt Mattie's jerk of an unemployed boyfriend. A much earlier boyfriend, Fidel Cox, had tried to molest Miri back in the day. They had been close once. Nikau Martin who had married Keira, who divorced him soon enough to marry the betraying Daniel May, whose father had been so proud that the family history could be traced back to the first settlers. Keira's parents thinking she's the soul of her dead brother, Keir. Josie and Tom. Vincent "Vin" Baker who followed the family rules, marrying the South African Jemima who adores her husband. Jasper and Chloe are the Bakers' children. That prat, Kyle Baker, is Vin's "golden boy" brother. Today's fishermen include Kev; Tamati; and, Boris, a backpacker from St Petersburg who decided he liked Golden Cove. Shane Hennessey is an Irish writer who chooses young women to mentor at the retreats he holds at the old Baxter place. Tania "Tans" Meikle is married to Gary who works the long-range fishing trawlers; Alice is Tans' teenage sister. Lisa is a friend of Alice's. The elderly Pastor Mark is a good man. Te Ariki is Ngaio's boy, Miri's first boyfriend, and now a fisherman. Peter Jacobs is back from his own travels and the owner-mechanic at the local garage; he has a younger brother who works with him. Christine Tierney is a schoolteacher in the next town over. The lonely Mrs Keith is rumored to offer certain services. A military veteran, Matthew Teka is one of the old-timers, a hunter with some vicious dogs who supplies restaurants. I think Piri is a fellow hunter. Susan Perdue is of another generation who has become interested in organic produce. Glenda Anderson works the tourism center. Julia Lee makes amazing cakes; Cupcake is her bulldog. Her parents, Shan and Pat, own the supermarket. Claire and Mika are teen sisters. Raewyn Clark is one of Mattie's neighbors; Hem is Raewyn's husband. Non-local Law Enforcement Detective Robert, who had worked with Will in the past, and his partner come up to investigate the bones. Detective Kim Turnbull gets assigned to Will on the drowning. Dr Ankita Roshan is the forensic pathologist in Christchurch. Hamish is a lawyer friend of Will's. Daniella Hart had been the idiot mother of Alfie, the boy to whom Will had made promises. Ava is her father's clerk, Shannon and Aaron Chen are twins, and Siobhan Genovese are all involved in the jewelry trade. Dr Richard Symon is Miri's doctor. Catherine, a lawyer, is Jemima's oldest sister. The Cover and Title The cover is so joyful in its bright oranges and yellows, a huge fern frond in the lower left sweeping Miri along on her run. There's an info blurb at the top in white with the author's name below this. The title begins at Miri's bare shoulder, one word per line centered down the lower half of the cover with a slight gradation moving from white to yellow. The title is about a young woman whose life is ahead of her, a woman filled with joy, radiating sunshine wherever she goes, "a shining creature who could make a man fall so deep", for she's A Madness of Sunshine.

First, a public service announcement: don't make the mistake I made and start reading this too close to bedtime. It grabbed me from the first page, and there was no easy place to stop reading (which I always think is a sign of excellent writing). I think I read the whole novel in two sittings only because my eyes wouldn't stay open long enough to read it in one. So what's the story of A Madness of Sunshine? Anahera has returned to her hometown of Golden Cove following the death of her husband ... and the discovery he'd been having a secret affair for years. If death doesn't end a relationship, the pregnant mistress crying at the funeral certainly does. Yes, A Madness of Sunshine is a change from Nalini Singh's Psy Changeling and Guildhunter paranormal romance novels (which I've only read one of, because while the writing was excellent, there was a little too much on-the-page violence for my taste), and her rock star romances (which I have yet to read). The setting is the rugged West Coast of New Zealand, part of the country that feels more like Mordor than Hobbiton. The West Coast is remote and rough; the people independent and tough. It's not an area people choose to move to, and it doesn't welcome outsiders. This can be an advantage and a disadvantage when it comes to crime, as the fictional Will—the policeman who's new in town—finds out. Golden Cove is also a place with secrets. They're not necessarily secrets to the locals—are there any secrets in a small town? But they are secrets to outsider Will, and newly returned Anahera. And the secrets start coming out after a beautiful young woman disappears while taking an evening run along the beach. (Yes, exercise can kill you.) There are lots of possible evildoers in this scenario, and it was alternately fun and nailbiting as Anahera and Will work together to try and piece together what happened now ... and whether this is related to the three female tourists who went missing eight years ago. Maybe I'm biased because A Madness of Sunshine is set in New Zealand—and a familiar New Zealand, not the fun version where everyone is a rugby player or dating one, or a scene out of Lord of the Rings. Having said that, murders aren't exactly familiar ... Natural bias aside, this is a great novel. a fantastic setting, excellent characters, and a nail-biting plot with just enough red herrings to keep me reading to see if I've correctly worked out the identity of the evil doer, and enough twists to keep me happy whether I was right or wrong (and I'm not going to tell you which). Nalini Singh has done a brilliant job of capturing small-town life with distinctive Kiwi touches, especially the way she's integrated Maori language and culture in a way that's entirely natural and representative of our more remote locations (I grew up at the edge of the North Island's East Coast, which has a lot of similarities to the West Coast of the South Island). As such, I loved A Madness of Sunshine. It's a brilliant novel, full of great characters who could be real people, and who kept me flicking through the pages on my Kindle. I loved the authentic Kiwi setting, and I'm thrilled to hear this won't be Nalini Singh's only venture into a mystery—apparently she has another story in progress, but set in a different remote part of New Zealand. Well, we have a lot of remote coastline for her to choose from ... And if you're looking for something to read after A Madness of Sunshine, check out Poison Bay by Belinda Pollard—another excellent psychological thriller set in the wilds of New Zealand. But we're not all bloodthirsty murderers, I promise! Recommended for mystery and thriller fans. Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley house for providing a free ebook for review.

When Anahera returns to Golden Cove fifteen years later, a lot has changed, not the least herself. But her childhood friends are all there, grown up and in many cases married. When the disappearance of a young woman prompts a police investigation, the townsfolk are reminded of a long ago summer filled with mystery and unresolved missing persons cases. As searches sweep the town, a list of suspects is compiled and no one is truly innocent. In a town so small, everyone has their buried secrets, and no one is exactly who they seem, for one of the townsfolk is a murderer… Firstly, I am completely in awe of Nalini Singh’s depiction of New Zealand. She captures the beautiful landscapes, the culture that goes far beyond colonialists, but also the jagged edge of the wilderness and the downsides of a small town. There was much for me to recognise in the story, which has a rich cast of diverse characters that differ in personality as well as ethnic background. Suffice to say a lot of research was done in terms of police procedure and cultural nuance that fit with the area the novel is set in; though I’m not really a suitable judge for accuracy in that regard it felt informed and well presented. Anahera’s struggles with trying to be free of Golden Cove yet missing it really spoke to me, and I think it’s not uncommon for people to leave and later realise that there’s more to miss than expected. A Madness of Sunshine is a tribute to New Zealand’s beautiful landscapes and the darkness that can lay beneath. There’s no hiding of the more sinister side of things, the imperfections despite the stunning scenery. Told from the dual perspectives of Anahera, a childhood occupant of Golden Cove, and Will, a disgraced cop trying to outrun his past, I loved the way the two stories meshed together from beginning to end. There was a crafted unspoken understanding between them that spoke to human nature. Both have had tough lives and untold secrets that haunt them even as they run. I found a connection with Will through his demons (or maybe I just have a thing for these kinds of characters, Wolf where you at), and Anahera’s bitter anger is an emotion I’ve seen before. There’s a real variety of characters that feature in A Madness of Sunshine, and I think it’s the book’s strongest part. From suspected psychopaths to arrogant rich men to bitter spurned ex-husbands, it’s safe to say Nalini Singh captures the image of an eclectic small town collective. Almost everyone is a suspect at some point, and it kept me guessing until the very end. All the usual heart pounding sensations were present, and the book will hold a close place in my heart as the first truly New Zealand thriller I’ve read, long road trips to Christchurch are such an NZ thing. A Madness of Sunshine is a small town thriller about the disappearance of women that kept me guessing until the very end. I love and cherish Anahera and Will’s interactions, the amazing effortless diversity of the characters, and the skilful navigation of the book’s mystery aspect. I hope Nalini Singh writes more books like this in the future, and I’ll certainly be on the lookout for them!

Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh is a standalone mystery thriller. I am a huge fan of Nalini Singh, as she is one of my favorite authors. In A Madness of Sunshine, Nalini takes us in a new direction, away from her fabulous paranormal/fantasy series, with a terrific mystery thriller; set on the west coast of New Zealand. Anahera, our heroine, returns home to Golden Cove after being away for 8 years. She is trying to escape the betrayal and death of her husband, whom after his death she finds out he was cheating on her. She is happy to meet old friends, as the memories of the past have never been forgotten, especially the tragedies which include the death of her mother, the father she hates, and the mysterious disappearances of girls, who never resurfaced. Will, our hero, and the lone police officer in Golden Cove; was a formerly a decorated cop, who came to Golden Cove, as he made a mistake, which ruined his reputation. He had beat up a bad guy, who had killed and abused a woman and her son. When Will meets Anahera, he tries to learn more about her, and keeps a close eye on her. Anahera visits her best friend Josie, who runs a café, and meets her helper, Miriama, a beautiful young bubbly girl, who everyone loves. In a short time, Miriama is discovered to be missing after going out on her normal early morning jog. This will bring the whole town together to help search for her. Will eventually works closely with Anahera, who helps with information and secrets about all the residents who still live in Golden Cove. The secrets of the past, which have been hidden for decades bring the suspicion that those disappearances years before have risen up again and a serial killer in their small community could be behind Miriama’s disappearance. What follows is a mystery thriller that I could not put down, as there are a number of twists and surprises along the way that kept me glued to the story. I will not tell too much more, as spoilers would ruin the story. Nalini Singh not only gives us an exciting, intriguing mystery, but her description of the wild untamed landscape around Golden Cove was not only wonderful, but also detailed awesome and deadly surrounding land and cliffs. A Madness of Sunshine was another wonderful well written book by Nalini, and the mystery throughout was captivating and enthralling. I loved Anahera, as she was a smart, strong, savvy heroine, who was determined to help Will, even putting her own life in danger. I also liked Will, who was a good cop and made sure to watch over everyone; calling in favors from former contacts to learn more about the previous missing girls. Between Anahera and Will, they will discover clues as to the disappearance of Miriama, and the past; but along the way we will be hit with a couple of surprises. A Madness of Sunshine was a fabulous story line, and so very well written by Nalini Singh. I strongly suggest you read this book.

A Madness of Sunshine is well-known paranormal romance and urban fantasy author Nalini Singh's first foray into writing murder mystery, but it will come as no surprise to anyone who's read her other work that Nalini takes to the challenge with consummate skill. The tiny town of Golden Cove, on the rugged coat of the South Island of New Zealand, is vividly brought to life, both in the unforgiving beauty of the landscape and the harsh, strong people inhabiting it. Too often in murder mysteries, the first time the reader encounters the victim is when a body is discovered by the story protagonist, but it's not the case here. We get to know the victim just well enough to be rooting for her, to grieve her loss, and through the investigation into her life which ensues we never get to lose sight of the fact that she was a person, someone with hopes and dreams cruelly snuffed out before her time. The protagonists of the story are Anahera, recently returned after a decade away, and Will, a former big city detective shuffled into obscurity as the only cop in a one-horse town. Both of them have recently had their lives upended by tragedy not of their own making, and neither are quite in the right headspace for a romance, but they're drawn together nevertheless, and I believed in the relationship all the more because there were no pretty illusions held by either party. Will needs Anahera's insights, the answers the locals will give one of their own which they won't give him, and he doesn't lie to her about that, which she respects. Together, the pair of them edge closer to the truth with every rock they upturn… a truth neither of them ever expected, and one which might claim more victims before it’s all over. This is quite sheerly a brilliant work of fiction. Nalini Singh’s skills as a narrative storyteller are superlative; I could almost hear the crashing ocean waves, smell the New Zealand bushland in the driving rain, hear the native birds singing. She brings the small town with its insularity and small-mindedness vividly to life, every resident with their own story to tell, their own path taken. Anahera is the perfect lens through which to view the story as it unfolds, the insider with the perspective ten years away has given her, close enough to know all the buried secrets, distant enough to see things clearly. It’s a fantastic story which will open up the mysterious, rugged south coast of New Zealand for you, and I seriously hope it gets made into a movie or TV series because I can only imagine how beautiful it would look on screen. Five stars for a fantastic, thrilling mystery. Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.

A Madness of Sunshine is a departure from Nalini Singh's usual paranormal romance (Wolf Rain, Archangel's War). A psychological thriller with a bit of romance on the edges, Sunshine dives deep into the darkness that is people. Whether small town or large city, rich or poor, everyone has their secrets- and suddenly those secrets could mean the difference between life and death in Golden Cove, New Zealand. When Anahera returns to Golden Cove and a young woman disappears, Anahera and her friends find themselves remembering the disappearances of three hikers when they were teens. The disappearances were a decade apart so they couldn't be related. Could they? Singh does her usual masterful job in creating three-dimensional characters (whether primary, secondary, or brief walk-ons) and Golden Cove, the surrounding jungles and beaches, and New Zealand itself become as much a character as any of the people. The sense of place is incredibly strong, and the reader is instantly drawn into the wild West Coast of New Zealand. Anahera is a strong and wonderful person- damaged and trying to piece herself together again, she is trying to find ways to deal with the loss of her mother and husband, her husband's betrayal, and coming back to Golden Cove both opens old wounds and helps heal them. Will, Golden Cove's only police officer, is an outsider who was moved in to deal with tourists after his superiors worry he's burned himself out on a case that ended in flames and still haunts him. He's smart enough to know the locals may be friendly, but they aren't going to share secrets with someone from outside- even before danger hits. He may be hiding and piecing himself together as well, but he worries some parts of himself have burned away for ever. The mystery is full of clues and red herrings, hints that seem like red herrings until the end and shocking twists and turns the whole way through. Full of descriptions of lush jungle trails, crashing ocean waves, and both the best and worst of human nature, A Madness of Sunshine will be a joy for long-time Nalini Singh fans and a revelation for new-comers. A book you won't be able to put down once you've started, A Madness of Sunshine shines bright among new thrillers. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE by Nalini Singh is a contemporary, adult, mystery thriller focusing on the search for a missing young woman in the town of Golden Cove, New Zealand. Told from dual third person perspectives (Will and Anahera) A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE focuses on the search for a potential killer. Years earlier pianist Anahera Rawiri left Golden Cove, New Zealand on the hunt for something better only to return with her tail tucked between her legs after discovering her now deceased husband had a mistress and a baby on the way. But days after her arrival, nineteen year old waitress Miriama Tutaia goes missing, and Anahera finds herself playing second banana to the town’s one-man law enforcement Will Gallagher. As the search for Miriama brings together the eclectic people of Golden Cove, a series of unsolved cases of missing girls from years before begins to develop a pattern, and the possibility of a serial killer amongst the people of the close-knit town of Golden Cove. A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE is a story of secrets and lies; betrayal and revenge. The small town of Golden Cove, New Zealand suffered little in the way of crime therefore a one-man law enforcement team was more than the town required but a missing person, and the possibility of a serial murderer in their midst meant Will Gallagher was about to push buttons, and everyone became a suspect in the disappearance of Miriama Tutaia. Anahera Rawiri never wanted to return to Golden Cove-too many demons, and bad memories of days long ago but with her return came the possibility of starting over, and meeting Will Gallagher meant a second chance at a happily ever after but not before they discovered the person(s) behind the disappearance and murder of several girls. Nalini Singh pulls the reader into a slow building story of intrigue and suspense. The romance between Will and Anahera is secondary to the plot, as the story unfolds one clue and suspicion at a time. The premise is edgy; the numerous characters are colorful and animated; the romance is passionate but more or less independent from the story line premise.

Have you ever been so caught up with the characters of a book that you miss you once you’ve finished? I have been walking around for a week trying to figure out what I’ve misplaced, who I haven’t contacted, what I’ve left undone, only to realize that what I’m missing are the people and places in A Madness of Sunshine! What a marvelous story and even better characters! Will is a cop with a past that is dark and tumultuous. Once a rising star in the metro force, he now has been relegated to a very small hamlet by the ocean. There he simply wants to be a ghost, do his job overseeing petty crimes and live out his days in quiet. Ana has come home after fleeing the village and vowing never to return. Her childhood was traumatic and one that she wanted to leave behind her forever. Now, she has returned to forget the new life she has made. She, too, longs to be a ghost, to be left alone in solitude. Neither gets what they want when a beautiful young girl goes missing and rumors begin to tie her disappearance to hikers who vanished 15 years before. While the premise of the story may seem, on the surface, like one we have read before, what sets this story apart from the rest is the location, the rugged New Zealand West Coast and its beautiful Maori people, and the incredible character development. I’ve read more than my fair share of crime fiction and come across plenty of down and out cops but few have reached out and grabbed me like Will did. There was something about the flaws of all of the characters, the major and minor ones, that made them more real, brought them to life, had them haunting my dreams. Has them in my head even now. A Madness of Sunshine is what all crime fiction should be. Apparently this is a departure in genres for this author and I can only hope that we see more of this type of writing from her. If you haven’t already read A Madness of Sunshine you will want to add it to your must-read list, I promise.

A Madness of Sunshine, Nalini Singh Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews Genre: Romance I love Nalini's Guild Hunter series and her contemporary romances. I so wish I could enjoy the psy-changling series, so many books I haven't read. Maybe I'll give them another go ;-) This time the story is as much, maybe more, suspense as romance. Its a slow burn relationship, it's more getting to know each other tentatively and maybe starting something, than a full on romance. I enjoyed it even though I was expecting more romance from the tag. The background of Golden Cove, and the issues of past and present was excellent. When Nalini writes there's always that extra touch, scenery is always so descriptive I can mentally see it, characters that I feel I know, understand, even things like the coffee, I can smell and taste it from her words. The suspense was cleverly done, a couple of main possible suspects stand out, and yet there are things thrown in that made me wonder “ but what about? Could they? ” Its cleverly wrapped up, proper ending. I hate it when I finish a story and am left wondering what happened after, wondering about certain characters. The reason both Will and Anhara were in Golden Cove were believable, I really felt for them both. There were other characters already there too that had some nasty shocks, life isn't all sunshine and rainbows, sometimes its just damn windy and stormy. Life's like that for us all sometimes, throws in unwelcome surprises, things happen beyond our control, someone does whats right yet still ends up poorer for it. It made the story feel very realistic for me. Stars: Five. I was pleased at the way things worked out in the ending. I like that kind of finishing the story and giving a hint of what happens to them in the future. Arc via Netgalley and publishers

Nalini Singh is a fabulous story teller no matter what genre she is writing in, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, the setting is a small town Golden Cove on the South Island of New Zealand and the rugged west coast with beautiful beaches and dangerous rocks and bush that is very easy to get lost in. This is the story of school friends who years later are back together in Golden Cove when someone goes missing and people are remembering the three woman who vanished fifteen years before, could it have been a serial killer and one of their own all along? Anahera Rawiri has returned home to the place she ran from years before she is a gifted pianist who has been living in London, she has just lost her husband and thinks that home will help her, her friends are still there Josie, Nikau, Kiera, Daniel and Vincent, and there is a cop in town now as well, Will Gallagher. When a beautiful young woman Miriama goes missing Will and Anahera get to know each other and their pasts. Will has been sent to Golden Cove after a tragic incident and is getting to know everyone in this small town, he organizes a search party as soon as Miriama goes missing and he uncovers a lot about the missing hikers from years before whose bodies were never found and Will is looking into a link between their disappearance and this one. Anahera is becoming special to him and he is opening up about his past like never before. This was a real page turner and kept me guessing till the end, MS Singh has bought the characters to life on the pages and we get to know them so well, what has happened in the past can play a part in the now. A truly compelling read that had me on the edge of my seat with some complex and difficult to read people. I loved Will and Anahera and was thrilled to see them get closer and find the happiness they deserved, this is a story that I highly recommend.

A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh is an atmospheric mystery that is absolutely spellbinding. Anahera “Ana” Spencer-Ashby returns to her isolated hometown on the coast of New Zealand following her husband’s death. Troubled by childhood memories, she uneasily settles into the cabin she shared with her mom who died several years earlier. Ana soon reconnects with best friend, Josie Taufa, Nikau “Nik” Martin and Vincent Baker. She also meets newcomer, Detective Will Gallagher, the town’s lone police officer. Immediately after her arrival, Ana and the rest of the town are devastated when Miriama “Miri” goes missing. Most of the residents turn out to search for the missing young woman, but she has vanished into thin air. With eerie similarities to the still unsolved cases of three hikers who disappeared years earlier, Will works around the clock to try to locate Miri and determine whether her case is linked to the hikers. Ana is hardened by her life experiences and she is emotionally closed off. She is holding back a lot of grief and anger over her late husband’s death and her abusive childhood. Ana holds her secrets close and not even her dear friend Josie knows much about Ana’s life in England. Ana is just as shaken as the rest of the town when Miri vanishes and she reluctantly joins forces with Will in order to find the young woman. Will is also battered and tormented by his past. His last case before transferring to Golden Cove almost ended his career and he remains haunted by how it ended. Will takes his job seriously and despite his outsider status, he is well-liked and respected by the townspeople. His instincts remain sharp and although he knows that something horrible has happened to Miri, he still hopes for the best. Will finds Ana intriguing and he is surprised by how much he likes her. He finds her assistance invaluable as he tries to find Miri. Gold Cove is an insular town and everyone knows everyone else’s secrets. They are also fiercely loyal to one another and they are quick to offer assistance when needed. The surrounding landscape is beautiful but harsh and unforgiving. A Madness of Sunshine is a riveting mystery that is foreboding and full of secrets. Will and Ana are compelling, intense characters who are quite likeable. Miri is happy, beloved by everyone and looking forward to a promising future. Will and Ana are determined to figure out who would have wanted to harm such a wonderful young woman. With stunning twists and shocking revelations, Nalini Singh brings this mesmerizing mystery to a dramatic conclusion. I highly recommend this captivating mystery to fans of the genre. I received a complimentary copy for review.

This is Nalini Singh's first foray into the mystery/thriller genre. Overall, it was ok, but not great. Both main characters were a little hard to connect to. They both had trauma in their pasts that made them try to be stand-offish and self-reliant. Which is fine, but we just kind of missed the emotional mark with them. There was a lot of repeating of very top-level facts of their pasts, but there's no emotional weight to it to help the reader connect. The mystery was fairly well done. We had a nice assortment of potential suspects to play around with. That said, the wrap up just felt a bit off to me. Also, Singh heavily used a device that just felt lazy to me, rather than suspense building. The main characters would be getting information from someone and when it came time for them to name someone, we would suddenly cut from direct conversation to "they told them the name. The cop reacted to it", cut to next chapter. It just felt clumsier than just telling us directly. Especially when that typically came out right at the start of the next chapter anyway.

Anyone who has read my reviews of the various authors I read has probably heard me refer to an author’s “voice,” that totally personal style they have when they write, the rhythm they seem to fall into that gives their words the perfect cadence for the story they’re telling. I am a huge fan of Nalini Singh’s voice. Her words flow in her paranormal stories, one rhythm in her Psy/Changeling series, another, but still Nalini, in the Guild Hunter series. When I first opened the pages of A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE, I think I was expecting that same subtle rhythm I associate with this author’s storytelling, but damn! What an amazing surprise to be swept up in the sharp storytelling that I immediately knew was something totally different, and definitely mesmerizing. FWIW, I’m not a fan of thrillers or stories about murders, unsolved or otherwise, and for me it’s usually all about the romance. This book has an edge to it that I didn’t expect, but the complexity of the story and the fascinating characters—from the two main protagonists to the various secondary characters, up to and including the town of Golden Cove—kept me glued to the book from the first page to the very last. After reading this, I know for certain there isn’t anything Nalini Singh can write that I won’t absolutely love, because I fell headfirst into this one and am currently rereading it, searching out any tiny “tells” that I missed on the first headlong race to read it through, those subtle clues dropped throughout the story that might have given me a better idea of “who done what.” I’m not giving anything away other than to say this is a wonderful book you won’t be able to put down. When you get to the last page, in spite of the things you’ve learned about Golden Cove on New Zealand’s rugged west coast and some of its quirky inhabitants, you’ll turn that final page with the sense that all has ended as it should. And while there is a romance, it’s subtle and yet compelling. I definitely recommend this book.

After the death of her husband leaves her disillusioned and lost Ana heads back home to Golden Cove the place she grew up. Set in a small New Zealand community this is mostly a mystery suspense, there is a touch of romance but it is only slight and is not the focus of the story. This is a very different read to what we have come to expect from this author and this is a completely new direction for her and in my opinion, Nalini Singh can definitely deliver on the mystery suspense side of things. This is told from dual POV Ana herself and Will a lone cop stationed in the back of beyond after certain tragic events in his life. I wasn't initially impressed with Anahera's attitude towards Will, she seemed to have a massive chip on her shoulder in regards to the thoughtful and solemn policeman. It really was totally uncalled for and said more about her than him. To be fair she did eventually mellow and grow on me and at heart, she really was a product of her past which hadn't always been kind. Will I liked a lot from the get-go, I especially appreciated his no-nonsense pragmatic attitude. This at heart was an interesting suspenseful read that shines the spotlight on dynamics in close-knit communities and begs the question of how well do you know your neighbours. it was a trifle slow in places and was a little predictable, there were also no major shockers in store for the reader. but still, overall it had more positives than negatives and I did enjoy it and kept turning the pages wanting to get to the final conclusion. I found this to be an easy read and I would recommend. I voluntary reviewed a copy of A Madness Of Sunshine.

Anahera, betrayed by her husband and life in London, returns home to the beautiful West Coast of New Zealand that she ran from as a teen. She's temporarily abandoned her career as a pianist and wants to reconnect with her roots and old friends. Will has also found at least a temporary refuge in Golden Cove too. He was a decorated police officer until things happened that almost destroyed him. He finds himself the sole police officer for the town and gradually getting to know the locals. When a beautiful young woman with a bright future goes missing, everyone is a suspect. While the town rallies to search the the tangled bush and dangerous sea, Will tries to unearth long buried secrets. The disappearance reminds many of a time some years ago when three young female hikers disappeared from the area. Their cases have never been solved and were declared accidents at the time. Will starts to think that there is a serial killer in town - someone who has been under the radar for years. I enjoyed the beautiful but dangerous setting for the story. I liked getting to know Ana and her childhood friends who all happen to be back in town. I liked the slow growing relationship between Will and Ana - two people who had both been hurt and who weren't looking for a new relationship. The plot was well-developed as were the many intriguing characters. I liked that Ana and many of the characters were Maori. I have enjoyed the author's writing in other genres and was glad to find that she was also excellent at writing romantic thrillers.

I don't normally read suspense but Nalini Singh is an author I enjoy so I just had to give this one a try , regardless genre. There were many things I liked about this novel, starting with the Gothic way the setting informed the narrative and was almost a character unto itself. I read it in one sitting and the twists at the end took me by surprise. The way the two main pov characters alternated, giving both an outsider and an insider's perspective on the various people was also very well done. It gave added depth to the story. That said, there were some things that put me off. The most relevant one was how the victim was portrayed in such terms that it was almost "her fault" that all these creepy men were drooling all over her. Reminds me of that commercial, "don't hate me because I'm beautiful..." It felt to me like she was dehumanized because she was so 'beautiful' and 'full of life'. I didn't feel like I got to know the hero/heroine very well either. They felt distant to me. I got bits and pieces of their back story, but never enough to fully understand where they were coming from. This distance was also present in the way a lot of things were inferred, rather that explicitly spelled out. For some this may be a plus, but for me it made the whole feel unfinished and remote. The pacing of the story was slow and measured, which may be a problem for some. The romance is minimal, so be warned. Overall, while I enjoyed reading this novel, I wasn't personally engaged by it. I won't be re-reading this one; nothing there to pull me back.

Ummm….WOW! I have to start with that since it is the thought that just came coming back into my head with every word I read, every page I turned, and every chapter I started. The thing that pulled me in from the beginning is the setting of New Zealand. I dream of visiting there and I love to read books set there. Golden Cove is a beautiful setting for this book. I love the small, off the beaten path town. The people there were neighbors, friends, and family. The gossip ran wild but most importantly they stick up for each other, protect each other, and love each other. Anahera and Will’s interactions were interesting. I was intrigued to see if they would become friends or foes. I could feel the mutual attraction but I was not sure that would be enough for them. Anahera knew the town and the town people and Will had the knowledge to enforce the law, follow the clues, and solve crimes. Will had no prejudices since he was new to town where Anahera had feelings towards the town people. I have to say that I had ideas, I started at the beginning and paid close attention to who was talked about, what was said, and who said it. I should have taken notes because I am sure I forgot some of the clues but I did have an idea who dun-it. A Madness of Sunshine is a book I’d recommend to anyone who loves small town mysteries. Nalini Singh wrote a great book that pulled me in from the very beginning with her amazing setting and wonderful characters.

Anahera has returned home to New Zealand after many years. Her husband has just died and his mistress is pregnant with his child and there was nothing left for her in London. She knows that it is going to be hard to start over especially as she has been away so long and all her friends have their own lives now. The new cop in town is someone that she should stay away from but when a young woman goes missing, she is drawn into his world. Will knew that he had no choice when he was transferred to Golden Cove as his career was basically over. He is still trying to get over his last case when two of his witnesses were killed. And now that a young woman is missing he knows that they don't have much time before things end badly. He is drawn to Ana and he knows that it is no use fighting it but he worries about her and when her mother's cabin is burnt down to the ground he knows that he will need to do everything to keep her safe. But who took the young woman she had everything going for and her secrets are starting to be revealed but that still doesn't answer all the questions that Will has. What does the case of the missing hikers have to do with this case are they related even though they were ruled as accidents? Will he be able to stop the killer from taking another victim? What future does Will & Ana have? A good solid read. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 They often say that you can never go home. But for Anahera that is exactly what must happen. After the death of her husband Anahera needs a safe place to regroup and process all that has happened over the last several years. Being home also means having to face the ghosts that drove her away from Golden Cove to begin with. When one of the Golden Cove locals goes missing everyone is reminded of the events of eight years prior and the three missing hikers. The newest member of Golden Cove Detective William Gallagher is determined to find out what happened to Miriama and not make the same mistake he had in the past. It was a great honor to get an early copy of Nalini Singh’s newest book A Madness of Sunshine. I really enjoyed this new world that Nalini has built for us. A Madness of Sunshine is different then her previous books, there is no paranormal aspect found in her Psy/Changeling Series and The Guild Hunter series or straight contemporary like her Rock Hard series. A Madness of Sunshine is a mystery thrill with a touch of romance. If you are a fan of Nalini’s I believe you will enjoy this book very much. I look forward to the next installment in this world *fingers crossed*. Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Edelweiss & Berkeley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

I'm a romance genre girl through and through. When I saw that this was Nalini Singh, I knew I needed to give this book a try even though I hesitate at the genre. I'm really glad that I did. From the first chapter this book captured my attention and held. The writing is phenomenal. It doesn't matter what genre this author writes, she knows how to captivate. I think because I knew going in that this was a thriller, I really focused on everything I learned about all the characters that were introduced. I wanted to be able to make my guesses about who did it. Nalini did a great job giving us readers enough doubts about everyone that it did leave me guessing until the end. She also made feel enough for some of these characters that I was practically begging that they weren't the culprit. One particular person would have devastated me but that's only because of how it would have affected others. The author did give us a little bit of romance to enjoy in this book. I made myself think about if I would have liked this as much if it didn't have that small part to round things out. My conclusion, while Nalini Singh may have just opened me up to a new genre to enjoy, I still think I need that romance to feel satisfied at the end of a good read.

*4.5 stars* Heavy on mystery with a low-key romance blended in, I loved this author’s foray into something different. Her shifters and paranormal reads are the bomb (the good kind!) so having even more to read, well, bring it on… Anahera (I love that name) and Will’s story had past meeting the future as they both struggled to overcome what they’d already survived. Golden Cove had many bad memories for her yet she found herself back home, somewhere she’d sworn she’d never go back to. Will had his own struggles and found himself the law in a small town, with little to do. Until it all changed… This story had character development and twists to spare as the mystery continually amped up. Surprises for sure as the story’s tension built to a stunning ending. The characters were everything and I found myself craving every new detail, each revelation. If the romance between the main characters was quiet, and I might have craved more, it really did fit exactly as it should have within the forceful, non-hearts and flowers plot. If you’ve hesitated to try this new offering, I recommend you forge ahead. Loved it! *Reviewed for 1-Click Addict Support Group **Thank you to NetGalley

Overall: 4.5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Stars Believability: 4/5 Stars Personal Opinion: 5/5 Stars This is a very different book for Nalini Singh with the genre, but still very much on the same level of quality, detail, and great story telling that her readers have come to expect. Stepping into a different genre for an author can be risky, so I really wasn’t certain how much I’d like it. I really shouldn’t have been worried as Ms. Singh has always done a great job at building her stories, no matter the genre. While this does have romantic elements to it, they are light in comparison to the rest of the story. The only real dings this takes from me are in the couple of places (one in particular) where a little piece was dropped like a hint, but never picked up or addressed later in the story and in a couple of other very minor hits on believability. Otherwise, this was a great story that kept open so many different options for the outcome all the way through to the end, it really wraps up in unexpected ways. It isn’t often that an author can find that balance of keeping readers realistically guessing and giving it away with obvious clues. This one hit that perfect balance for me.

A decorated officer of the law makes a mistake that has his career derailed, sending him to the middle of now-where New Zealand. A townie who made it, who now is returning to her routes after realizing life on the outside wasn't what she dreamed of. A beautiful young woman, Miriama, has gone missing after jogging into the bush. As the detective, Will, searches for clues with the help of Anahera, the returning townie, into Miriama's disappearance. unexpected town secrets bring into question even their closes friends and neighbors. Everyone always said there's no secrets in a small town. That might hold true for some secrets but then there are secrets that are so dark, they were never meant to see the "sunshine". A Madness of Sunshine is a mystery thriller that will chill you straight to your bones. Singh pens a tale of mystery, intrigue and betrayal that will have you white knuckle reading till the wee-hours of the morning...and leaving you in a complete book withdraw after you are through. I received this ARC copy of A Madness of Sunshine from Penguin Publishing Group - Berkley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A disappearance in a small coastal New Zealand community is only the small stone dropped into a pond sending out ripples that rock so many people as dark shadows that have remained hidden start to surface. Atmospheric, slow-build, and twisting, A Madness of Sunshine was engrossing from cover to cover. Review A Madness of Sunshine begins when the prodigal returns to her home village after shaking off it’s dirt years before. Anahera was the toast of London as a concert pianist before her husband died and she learned a painful truth when she shared the graveside grieving with his mistress and their children. The solace of her late mother’s rustic cabin by the sea is where she runs to and the comfort of the old, familiar. But, then a bright and gorgeous young woman goes missing and she is assisting the village cop. He is as broody and angry on the inside as she so she is drawn in. Will was transferred from the force in Christ Church after a long successful career to the backwater of a coastal, tourist town to keep the peace. It could have been humiliating for a man with his career, but it was just the sort of uncomplicated out of the way thing he wanted. Then he had a real case and felt himself coming alive again because he was needed in spite of his past guilt. Or maybe, he was feeling alive because of the hard woman with the stormy, pain-filled eyes? Either way, his instinct says its no accident victim they’re hunting. I’ve read her contemporaries, her paranormal romances, and urban fantasies making me an addicted fan. This thriller was fabulous. Even the setting felt like a character to go with the layered and complicated cast of characters and the plot that was teased out so that the tension had me holding my breath at that crucial point. Will and Anahera were great characters. They were broody and had tough situations to get past, but they were strong and didn’t tend to wallow. I liked when he was on the case and brought her into his investigation because they played well off one another. This was not strong on overt romance, but the low key sizzle of attraction and the sensuality that sparked alongside their partnering kept me in high anticipation when they could work past the troubles in the present and their personal lives to bring what they had out into the open. The mystery is dark and gritty, but felt like a modern gothic Maori-style. I figured out who the villain was, but that still didn’t bring me to a solution. Let’s just say it got complicated and I couldn’t figure out how certain things tied together. I was not frustrated and flipped pages madly especially toward the end when the pace had increased to a storm gale speed and lashed at me to get through the dangerous part. Oh yes, we have a winner here, folks! I want more thrillers from this author. Fans don’t hesitate to try her in this new genre and newbies, just pick it up and anticipate wanting more.

This book has lots of different characters and to begin with it did feel a little bit over the top, but once you got to know them and how they fit together it didn't feel so bad. The main characters are Anahera, who has returned to her home town after the death of her husband and his ultimate betrayal. Will, who is the towns law enforcer. He also has his own demons. They are both are very likable and vulnerable, making their interaction believable and interesting. The romance was a small part and was a slow burn. It didn't overpower or detract from the main part of the story. I found that part just perfect. The descriptions of Golden Cove and the surrounding areas puts a vivid picture into your mind, the day to day interaction, nosy neighbors, gave you a feeling of small town life. How on earth did they managed to have so many secrets? This book was a fabulous read, i thoroughly enjoyed it. It kept me interested from start to finish. I couldn't read quick enough towards the end, I felt exhausted once i finished it.......... I would definitely recommend this book.

Anahera is going back to her hometown, a place that she never wanted to return to but somehow finds she needs the comfort of. While there, Miriama, a young beautiful girl disappears while out jogging and Anahera finds herself helping the new town cop, Will, uncover the secrets of Golden Cove and it's residents. She returned home two hundred and seventeen days after burying her husband while his pregnant mistress sobbed so hard that she made herself sick. In this standalone, Singh has written an intoxicating mystery suspense. The writing was smooth in a way that sucked me in and wouldn't let me go; I was lost in the beautifully dark atmosphere. Readers are pulled in with the character of Anahera, a woman who grew-up in Golden Cove. Her father was an abusive alcoholic who her mother didn't kick out until he began to turn his abuse on Anahera. While she still has friends that live in Golden Cove, it's not a place of happy memories for her. The background Singh creates for Anahera, abusive father, widowhood that surprises her with a husband who cheated on her, and a miscarriage, all perfectly shapes the character we see on the pages, steely contained, strong, and heartfelt willing. “Everyone has secrets,” he repeated after completing the maneuver. “It's often the people who look like they have no secrets at all who turn out to have the biggest ones.” While we're led into the story by Anahera, she gives us the lay of the land and townspeople, the emotional aspect, the new town cop Will leads the technical, murder mystery part that takes over the middle of the story. As a reader, I was emotionally locked in the story because of how Singh quickly and thoroughly created a web spun with the townspeople from Anahera's experiences and feelings about them. This made me eager to follow along with Will as he gathered evidence and tries to piece together the how and why about Miriama's disappearance. While I didn't connect as much with Will, he had his own layered backstory of how he ended up in Golden Cove and gave credence to his feelings and actions. The focus of the story is the mystery of Miriama's disappearance but for those looking for it, the bonding relationship that develops between Anahera and Will, infuses the story with a slow burn romance. That was the thing with this town---the way the gossip flowed, you'd think you knew everything. But there were secrets here, a thick tide of lava beneath the surface. Along with the atmosphere and emotions evoked, the details that Singh includes made this story a cut above for me. How Will goes about the investigation and the facts and alluding he finds or is told along the way kept my eyes on everyone. When Will finds out that three woman hikers disappeared from the Golden Cove area fourteen years ago too, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. If you weren't feeling the atmosphere as much as I, I could see how the middle could drag a touch, as there might be considered one too many red-herring dancing to and away reasons given out. I also thought the villain(s) reveal started to creep into info dump reveal as it went on a beat too long. The ending also felt abrupt but it could be me just not wanting to say goodbye to these characters. A Madness of Sunshine was a small town mystery suspense that showcased the good, bad, and ugly of a small New Zealand town while chilling me to the soul at times and at others, having me smile through the tears. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Anahera Rawiri returns to Golden Cove in the West Coast of New Zealand, where she grew up. Like her name, she is Maori, or part-Maori at least. Nalini Singh has tried to incorporate Maoriness into her story and has done a creditable job, given we haven’t heard any protests otherwise. The start could have been done earlier. There is a lot of meandering about until a young, beautiful girl goes missing. The reader follows big-city detective, Will Gallagher, gather volunteers to conduct a search. One doubts the integrity of some of the searchers as there is a potential murderer or abductor out there, given that there is no official in charge of the searches. What if the perpetrator is thwarting the search or using it as a means to conceal any evidence that they may uncover? Will has been transferred to dead-end Golden Cove due to some recent misdemeanour. His skeletons follow him around as Anahera’s recent heartbreak follows her through the pages. That their respective baggage is standing in the way of them getting together is hammered to the death. Yes, we get it: they’re damaged souls looking for redemption or forgiveness in their heart. The book does beat the life out of these circumstances. The reader, following Will on his hunt for the missing girl, is led to suspect that either she is murdered or held captive. After all, no remains were ever found of the three missing girls eight years ago. Likewise, no missing clothing or remains are found of the missing girl at least until more than halfway through. Who would wish the sunny, (the sunshine of the title perhaps) warm girl harm? Somewhat unethically, Will shares his search plan and suspicions with Anahera, a civilian. Is this the author’s lack of expertise in crime-writing on show here? Under the pretext that Will is looking out for Anahera’s safety, he turns up at her cottage time and again, and even involves her in aspects of the search. What works well is the slow unfurling of the search by volunteers while the reader learns the long-held secrets of this small community. Surely, there can’t be that many secrets uncovered when the author leads us to believe that everyone knows everyone else’s business? This is a bit contradictory. What doesn’t work as well are the author’s sometimes mangled sentences, which always pull me up short in her other series as well. She starts chapters describing the setting, scenery and weather, like a seasoned author should. Then, she uses some trademark ways of describing action, leaving out an ‘and’ here, adding an extra pronoun there, which cause a stilted flow. A firm edit would have removed the repetitiousness of several things including: the searches, which all blended into one another, the psychology of Anahera’s childhood and marriage, and of Will’s last case. Without a map, each fresh day of searches read pretty much like the previous chapters’, ad infinitum. The large cast of characters and their varying motives were explained over and over, and the revelation of the perpetrator was foreshadowed by his actions in preceding chapters, so it wasn’t a suspenseful reveal. Then there is the clichéd and anticipated capture and supposed thrilling escape of a leading character. The first perpetrator’s motive left more questions than answers, and felt so clichéd; along the lines so many mysteries written of late. The last third was more page-turning than the previous two-thirds. I suspect that there was supposed to be a twist at the end but really it was an explanation of why the murderer did what he did. Even that wasn’t that believable, especially since the victim was so well hidden that experienced rural people couldn’t find her, and then coincidentally they did. Could that be the action of a hitherto innocent person? Anahera did act ‘too stupid to live’ at times, though I kept hoping she wouldn’t go back to that remote cottage by herself, with no alarm or other security put in. When the reader doesn’t have faith that the protagonist is smarter than the rest of the cast then it does dampen the reading experience somewhat. Still, the author made a solid effort in crime mystery writing. I will read more of the author’s books in this genre. This review also appears in thereadersvault.blogspot.com and goodreads.com

3.5* A wonderfully written atmospheric novel set along the coast of New Zealand. Anahera returns to her home in Golden Cove following the un-timely death of her husband in London. It’s high time to put that tragic event behind her. Hopefully, she can slip back into her old life, returning to a place where everyone knows and cares for her. Easier said than done. Shortly after her return, tragedy visits her once again. One of the most beloved young women in the village goes missing and everyone of course fears the worst. Is there some sort of connection between this latest incident and the 3 missing hikers who also vanished in the same area? Everyone is a suspect! Nalini Singh writes a compelling novel that captured my attention immediately. Don’t expect a rapid-paced thriller. This is very much a slow, drawn-out burn of a tale that guides you on a journey, ending with a very satisfying and, somewhat shocking ending, A buddy read with Susanne Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing for an ARC to read and review.

3.5/5 stars A Madness of Sunshine is a mystery/thriller with some romance. This is my first book by this author. The story is set in Golden Cove New Zealand, which I found to be a very interesting setting. There are two main 3rd person narrators: Anahera and Will. This book was intriguing. But the story builds very slowly. The beginning did not really capture my attention. But after putting the book down for a couple of days I was able to get into the story. Once the mystery aspect got started I found the book more enjoyable. There was romance in this book. But it took quite a while to develop. But I thought that it added a lot to the story. I really liked both Anahera and Will. And I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop. The setting is unique. The mystery was very interesting. But a lot of the story moved very slowly. This rating was difficult. Because it took me quite a while to become invested in the book. But from the halfway point on it was good.

Between the Psy-Changling and Guild Hunter series I’ve read about 30 different books by Nalini Singh. A Madness of Sunshine was definitely a departure by the author into something just a little more real world and gritty. As a who-dun-it I will say I got drawn into the story and waiting patiently for all the clues to reveal who the murder was. Part of the charm of this book is that it is set in a small town in New Zealand where everyone knows everyone else and all of their history. It is an extremely character driven story with alternating PoVs between two of the main characters for the most part with a few interludes with the victim and the killer. It is a slow burning story building for most of the book until the last quarter when everything seems to happen. Anahera has just returned to the home she grew up in. She is there to lick some wounds after the death of her cheating husband. Will, once a big shot cop, has been exiled to the little community after almost beating a suspect to death. He has been shuffled off out of the way but most days can’t bring himself to care. The sleepy little town in New Zealand was supposed to be a punishment, but it is just about his speed right now. As Will and Anahera help each other maneuver through the townspeople of Golden Cove and the investigation into the disappearance of one of the townies they reveal a little more to each other as they become closer. Each has a tattered past full of scars and each is afraid that the girl full of life and light that is missing might have come to a horrible end. There is a slow romance build as the investigation goes on and I really liked the two characters for each other. They seemed well matched and able to bring out the best in one another. Overall, I think Nalini Singh knows how to draw in the reader no matter what she writes. I had a good time in Golden Cove even if it was investigating the disappearance of a ray of sunshine in the town.

Nalini Singh has quickly become one of my favorite authors this year and when I saw she was writing a thriller/mystery, I couldn’t wait. Luckily, this one entirely lived up my expectations. I absolutely loved A Madness of Sunshine. It’s a lot darker than I was expecting but Singh really delves into the mystery and the characters, bringing everything vividly to life. And that atmosphere!!! I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for an atmospheric, character-driven mystery thriller that will keep you constantly guessing. Just be prepared to be entirely sucked into this dangerous, deadly, and stunningly beautiful world. I’ll leave the summary in the comments below! Also, if you need them, I’d highly recommend looking up trigger warnings for this one before reading *Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was excited to find out that Nalini Singh came out with a Mystery/Thriller in 2019. I’m trying to read more genres this year, and thanks to the #Romanceopoly2020 Challenge, I’m fulfilling that goal. I know I was going to enjoy A Madness of Sunshine since Nalini is a fantastic writer. Be prepared though there are no paranormal elements in this book. I know a lot of readers enjoy her PNR and Contemporary novels. A Madness of Sunshine did still have some romance in it, but it was not the center of the story. The main female protagonist, who is introduced in the story, is Anahera. She has moved back to her hometown in New Zealand after her husband passes away. No one expected her to move back because they believed she was living a good life in London with her husband. Unfortunately, she’s forced back to get away from her life in London. She ends up back in her hometown, which is remote in New Zealand, and a young woman has gone missing. The only police officer named Will in Golden Cove is determined to find the missing woman. Will starts realizing though that there is darkness in the town of Golden Cove, and there’s a killer in the small town, and everyone could be a suspect. Nalini Singh wrote a book that kept me guessing on who could be behind the missing woman in the book. If she was alive or dead or if she left the small town, like Anahera did, especially after finding out about the young woman’s life. It may be a small town, but some of the people there can keep their lives hidden. I enjoyed following the characters Anahera and Will to determine the hidden secrets about the town and its inhabitants. I was not expecting the ending, though when Nalini finally revealed the killer. I also was not expecting the twists and turns in the book. There’s not only the missing woman that Will is determined to find but other women that were killed several years ago in that town that he’s determined to find out what happened to them. Remind me, though, to be very cautious if I ever visit New Zealand with the cliffs and scenery there. Nalini made it seem very scary in this book, but I know from seeing pictures that New Zealand is beautiful. It’s on my goal list to visit New Zealand one day. I’ve been reading through Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter, and Psy/Changeling series and glad I made time to read A Madness of Sunshine. I give it four stars and recommend it to readers that enjoy Mystery/Thriller stories. I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

For anyone who has traveled to New Zealand and experienced that country's lush forests and gorgeous coastline, this novel will place you right where you want to be, in a small town at the end of the world. In some ways, this mystery is very formulaic, with its woman-with-secrets coming back to her hometown and her romance with the investigator who has secrets of his own. The plot also stumbles and falls into a pit of overused tropes (the villain confesses all, for instance, during an overly long scene, and his reasons for killing are pretty mundane overall). I would have liked more surprises. But Singh is a skilled writer who has pacing and plot down pat, making the events unfold at a breakneck pace that will keep you turning pages. Plus, there are some interesting cultural nuances given the setting and the various mixed-race characters that lift this book above the ordinary. I read it all in a gulp and had a blast.

Singh weaved small town politics, interesting characters and small-town characteristics into the seaside town of Golden Cove. Where not much happens, unless you count those missing folks eight years back. They never solved the case(s). Many townsfolk have ideas about it though. Was it a hiking accident, were they swept out to sea or did something more nefarious happen? Golden Cove is a close-knit community where people have ties to one another. It’s one where the young move away but somehow find there way back. Such is the case with Anahera. She is returning to the cove after eight years and crushed dreams. A bit of car trouble has her meeting the town’s police officer Will. A decorated officer with a promising career he was transferred from the force in Christ Church after an incident. Locals still consider him an outsider but a tolerable one. When a popular, young girl goes missing on her nightly run the past collides with the present and the mystery that unfolds soon has Will and Anahera crossing paths and working together. It isn’t long before the attraction they feel for one another leads to more. I would not call this a romantic suspense, but would classify this as a suspense thriller with romantic elements. I admit I approached this with both excitement and trepidation. I have enjoyed this authors urban fantasy and paranormal series and wondered what she would bring to the table. Nalini Singh, delivered a seasoned character driven suspense thriller that was rich, well plotted, entertaining, intriguing and addictive. The story builds slowly as we gain knowledge, character background and the author sets the tone, for some this may drag, but I loved and appreciated the details. I felt the narration enhanced theses aspects. From the coastal setting to the characters I slipped into this story and felt the imagery appear before me. The main characters were flawed, held depth and believability as did the murder(s). The suspects, interviews and pieces to the puzzles kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had it narrowed down things took a turn and wham it left me to puzzle over the pieces again. It was brilliantly done and tightly woven. Saskia Maarleveld was the perfect narrator for this tale and she captured the coastal setting, suspenseful plot and essence of the characters. She added a layer of magic to an already superb thriller.

Atmospheric and suspenseful, this mystery thriller drew me in and kept me fully engaged and guessing until the very last page! Golden Cove, New Zealand -- "It's lovely and dangerous and beautiful." Anahera Spenser-Ashby, née Rawiri, returns to her childhood home from London where she'd been living for the past 8 years -- she's just buried her lying, cheating husband. She had never intended to go back, but now she settles in the cabin where her mother had died and finds that much has changed in this wild land at the bottom of the world. Shortly after Anahera reconnects with her best friend, Josie, who now owns the town cafe, a 19-year-old girl named Miriama disappears. Miriama was scheduled to leave Golden Cove to do an internship with professional travel photographers and was the most beautiful girl in the small community where everyone knew and watched over everyone else. Golden Cove's sole policeman, Will (a former detective in Christchurch), and the majority of its inhabitants begin an intense search but no trace of Miriama is found. The community has lost one of its own and the circumstances are eerily similar to disappearances that occurred one summer years ago -- three women had walked into the bush and never came out. Those cases were considered a matter of tourist accident, but was a serial killer hiding in Golden Cove and could that person now have taken Miriama? Will has a huge job ahead of him. NO SPOILERS. I really enjoyed this one, especially because the setting was so interesting and new to me. I've not read any other books by this author, but the writing was excellent and the narrative style as it shifted between Anahera and Will was extremely effective in advancing the story in their points of view. The characters were very appealing and relatable and I didn't even mind the romance part so much. I kept guessing until the climax and big reveal and found the conclusion very satisfying. I'm sorry to leave Golden Cove behind. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.

Anahera, a Maori woman, left the small town of Golden Cove, on the west coast of New Zealand, as an angry young woman. She’s returning now from London after her husband dies and his pregnant mistress shows up at her door. She finds not much has changed in Golden Cove in the years she’s been gone although the first person she sees is an outsider named Will and he’s a cop, the town’s only cop, and a disgraced one at that. It seems everyone in Golden Cove, even the outsider, has a secret or two to protect. However, when a well-liked beautiful nineteen-year-old, Miriama, who is about to leave Golden Cove to make her way in the larger world, goes out for a run and disappears off the face of the planet, the town is shocked. Nothing like that has happened in a couple of decades when three other young women, all hikers, disappeared off the face of the earth and no trace of them has surfaced in the intervening years. Will is told he has to handle the case on his own. He and Anahera join forces because he needs an insider to tell him who to trust and who, among the townspeople have secrets they do not want a cop knowing. Singh has written a page-turner that will surely keep readers up into the wee hours of the morning reading page after page. This book is so well-written, the characters well drawn, and the mystery complex. The main characters are multifaceted, flawed, and likable. The townspeople you’ll meet could be your next-door neighbors. You will surely be disappointed when it ends. My thanks to Berkley and Edelweiss for an e-ARC.

This was a surprisingly good mystery by an author whose two urban fantasy romance series I love. It didn’t actually remind me of either of them. She toned down some of her distinctive writing style for this book. I shouldn’t be too surprised; those two series have somewhat different styles, so it stands to reason that she could put on a third writer’s hat. The mystery was not transparent, which I was a little afraid of, since mystery takes a firm backseat to the love story in her other series, and it’s often not as much about the whodunnit as it is catching the bad guy and punishing him/her. She likes to write about damaged characters, and her two MCs fit the mold. I don’t usually read pure mysteries, and to be honest, I think I bought this by mistake, but I ended up enjoying it a lot.

After the death of her mother, Anahera Rawiri escaped her small town on the western coast of New Zealand to fame and fortune in London. Following a failed relationship, she returns to find that little is changed except for the new local detective, Will Gallagher who has his own secrets. When a beautiful and talented local girl goes missing, it appears similar to other disappearances that occurred when Ana was younger. It seems like Ana and Will are not the only one with secrets and who could be responsible for the missing women. Beautifully told with the backdrop of the wild coast of the South Island of New Zealand. I loved the book and would highly recommend it. I did receive an advance reading copy of this title.

This is nicely done thriller in a terrific setting not often seen in books published in the US - New Zealand. Golden Cove is a small town with a lot of secrets. Now though, they are all coming out after the disappearance of Miriama, a beautiful young woman with a lot of promise. Anahera is back in town after years away- her husband (a rat) died and she opted to come home. What she finds, however, is that while some things, like her friendship with Josie, are the same, there's a new unease. Three young women hikers went missing when she and Josie, along with their friend Daniel and Vincent, were 13. Is Miriama's disappearance similar. This time out, Will, a police officer who has been sent down for something that happened in Christchurch, has the case- and he's also got a good finger on the pulse of the town (and an itch for Anahera). You might guess some of the secrets here, the prose is a little purple at times, but it's a good read. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. I very much enjoyed this.

I really enjoyed A Madness of Sunshine. It was a well-paced, interesting story with complex characters. Will and Anahera aren't the "romance" couple of so many novels. They're both damaged. They're neither one looking for a relationship. They're just trying their best to function. They're not the kind who I could immediately take a liking to. I didn't want to be Ana or fall in love with Will. But they're perfect for each other and the slow speed they come together perfectly fits their circumstances. The other characters were equally complex and it took much of the book to figure out most of them and determine their motivations and actions. The suspense part of the story is very well laid out. I honestly didn't know until the end which of the possible suspects was guilty of the murders. A Madness of Sunshine was a stark tale perfectly suited to the harsh environment it's set in. It's a well-written, suspenseful story.

I LOVE this author and was really looking forward to this new series. I made the big mistake of purchasing the audio version. The narrator failed at just about every aspect. I imagine I would have easily rated 4-5 stars, if I had purchased the Kindle version. Regrettably, the audio version is so poorly done that I had to force myself to “read” the entire book.

My husband and I read this book together. It is my first Nalini Singh book and it was a nice introduction. You have a lot going in this book and a lot of charters. The two man charters are a bit guarded around people but as the story goes on you can understand why. A young girl goes out for a run and never comes back. The investigation starts up and everyone is a suspect. She is a very beautiful girl, but humble as well. Many people in this small town are devastated over her disappearance. However within one investigation ignites an old case of 3 missing girls. So when you are reading you will want to pay attention! Overall I thought it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to my next book by this author! Thank You Minotaur for the gifted book in return for an honest review.

A suspense story set in a bush community in New Zealand. A village full of secrets and everyone seemingly knowing all that is happening, but do they? Anahera returns to the place that she left years ago. Within a short time, a young woman, Miriana, doesn't return from her run. Did she run away? Is she injured? Did someone kill her? The whole village searches and searches. Will, the 'banished' cop, is co-ordinating this search. He is a recent resident and he is learning about these people. Also, what is the connection to the disappearance of three hikers 13 years ago? Many potential suspects. Whoever you suspect isn't the culprit.

I read some the reviews and put off reading the book till now. Frankly a modern non sci fi book by Nalini did not interest me. So I reluctantly started the book and was pleasantly surprised. Plus: Gripping writing that kept my interest Good plot Interesting characters Minus: Not a very good mystery book. It's a new genre for the author, she needs to learn to let the readers discover rather than spoon feed them clues Last section of the book seem to lose steam It is a slow paced book, but I was hooked. Love the author, so maybe I am biased. All in all a very decent read and first attempt

I love Nalini Singh’s work, so I got this without even paying attention to the back teaser. This is a good book! It’s very different from her other work. This is not a supernatural or UF book, it’s a mystery and suspense novel. It’s well-written with a compelling storyline that kept me interested and guessing until the end. A real treat here is the reader. Saskia Maarleveld is just wonderful. Her voice brings the characters to life and transports this American to New Zealand. You can’t go wrong with this audio book.

New Zealand is a character in the book along wirh the people who populate the small town of Golden Cove. A pianist (Anahera) returns to her home in Golden Cove and policeman (Will) is assigned there as a punishment. Shortly after Anahera's arrival a popular, young, woman (Miriama) disappears. As the town comes together to search, there are reminders of tourist women who disappeared 15 years earlier. Anahera and Will have a slow moving romance that grows as they investigate clues into Miriama's disappearance. The setting is rich, the characters well defined, and the murder mystery takes lots of twists and turns. A good read!

3.5 rounded up to 4. An interesting read, this book promises secrets, broken friendships, and a past no one in the small town of Golden Cove on the rugged West Coast of New Zealand can run from. It delivers. Years after three hikers go missing and are never found, another young woman disappears. Enter cop with a past as well as the return of a local woman running back to Golden Cove as her current life falls apart. Great beginning and great ending. The middle dragged for me or I would have given this 4.5 stars. Received ARC from Penguin Random House.

Let me first start by saying I love Nalini Singhs earlier work. This book, however, was a complete disaster. The plot starts off interestingly enough, but then literally every single male character, one per few chapters, they would suddenly discover a shady past and then would become a suspect. Every character has a backstory that NEVER gets mentioned again other than to say that they are a suspect. Zero follow-through on any character building. Theres no resolution on any of the characters. It felt like every other chapter was missing and chunks of the story were missing. By the end of the book, story lines for every character were left undone except the killers, who BOTH helpfully decide to confess with zero prompting. The end left me completely unsatisfied.

"No one was born without the capacity for joy in the soul. Life leached it out of them, drop by drop." A thriller that actually kept me intrigued to the last page. I was invested in the characters, the story, and the vivid beauty it was all set in. The writing is so well done, I was hooked from chapter one and sorely wished I hadn’t picked the busiest time of the year to read it. I wanted so badly to gobble this story up in one sitting, the pacing is perfect.

Brilliantly done mystery in a tale full of interesting and very real people, and a land that sounds beautiful and dangerous and fascinating. I’ve read all of Ms. Singh’s Archangel books, which led me to her Psy-Changeling series. I read all of those too. I’m waiting patiently for the next in either series, and now I’m waiting for the next mystery. If you like fascinating world-building, interesting characters, and great writing, read Nalini Singh!

Poor Anahera, she left Golden Cove to escape the violence of her mother's death, only to return to what could be another violent act. After the circus of her husband's funeral, Ana just wants a little peace; what better place than home with her childhood best friend, Josie? When Miriama, Josie's young helper, disappears the town is turned upside down. Ms. Singh does a masterful job showing the mistrust and suspicion each person feels as time drags on, and Midi is not found. The tension ratchets up and tempers flare as readers flip the pages faster and faster. Great book!

This was simply an enjoyable book to read. It slowly drew you in, then picked up speed and began a wonderful series of twists and turns that didn’t slow down until the end of the book. Well written with a cast of characters who quickly became almost like old friends, with a a setting so vividly described you felt like you could see the dense foliage and hear the ocean’s roar and with a dark and disturbing mystery hanging over a tiny town, this is a book that does not disappoint.

I have loved all her other works I couldn't put them down but I don't care for this one I brought it because it was Nalini Singh but I guess I don't really like thrillers because I couldn't wait to read all her other books. If you like Thrillers I would say go for it.

So as ever she wrote a compelling story. Females are dead & it’s not known if they were accidents but the police suspect otherwise. New to town cop & just returned pianist work together to solve the mystery. That said, I missed the romance, the sweetness, the humor of her other books it just didn’t jam with my personal taste but I was curious enough to try it, good thing I borrowed & didn’t buy.

I've had a lot to catch up with novels which means I have too many choices to pick and being a bit impatient for I can read many book as I want. When I start a new book and it doesn't click, I'd give up (happened a lot lately) so when I first this book I got a bit restless how slow the beginning was. But I'm a fan of Psy-Changeling series so I knew the author would never let me down. Well, truth to her talents Nalini Singh is one of the best authors.

I liked the Maori flavor and the wild "end of the world" in New Zealand setting. Singh does a good job with creating female characters. I didn't realize she mostly writes fantasy since this was a straight-up whodunit. The plot was pretty good -- decent pacing of what happened with more focus on the why than other detective fiction. Good way to pass the time.

Light on the romance but good on the suspense, very creep story. I got about 30% through and wanted to read the end to see if I had it right, and then had to keep reading because I was so curious. Well-written. I don't read science fiction but I love her Rock series. I wish this had a little more of the romance in it, but very good story nonetheless.

Characters were boring, gave up halfway thru the book

This was a hard book to rate. I have loved all her paranormal stuff and wait eagerly for the series to continue. Looking at it as a stand alone I found it kept me wanting to read more but I never got the same chemistry for the characters that I usually got with her books. I was happy Ana and Will connected but it wasn’t until the end that we got to learn that their life together wasn’t over. Overall it was a good read and I would recommend it.

A well told tale of small town life with its intricate relationships plus the difficulty of coming home after a life abroad. The rain forest and wild coast take the reader into an unfamiliar land and the author draws the Maori and white characters with equal skill. A well disguised ending adds to the pleasure of reading this book. Recommended for holiday reading.

she truly is such a gifted writer. I didnt want the story to end. she definitely has a theme about parents that she carries thru all of her books. I hope we cross paths with Will and Ana at another time. read this in one day as I couldn't put it down. book pulls you in from the first chapter.

This is one of those books you never want to end. I fell in love with the characters, the plot and the spectacular location. I suspected everybody at some point. I did get some things right.... I really loved this book. I will truly miss my time here. 😊

I read this after enjoying her newest book, as the setting and genre were similar. If you like atmospheric stories with a large cast of characters, many of whom harbor pain and secrets, coupled with plenty of suspects, this is a perfect story for you.

What a surprise. I expected a changing novel and got a wonderful compelling mystery that took me into a whole new world of this talented author. You hit is out of the ball park changing your writing style yet again. Can not wait to see what's next!

I loved this first thriller by Nalini Singh. She is a master at character development and this novel is no exception. Her detailed descriptions of the landscape make you feel as if you are there. For those looking for romance this is not a good choice. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

I am a huge fan of Nalini's books. This one is different than her previous work. The suspenseful nature of this story is amazing. The strong is beautiful but deadly. The characters are riveting. The way the story ends is somewhat unexpected. Another outstanding book by Nalini.

A well crafted plot. Interesting setting, complex characters, and a solid mystery come together for a riveting story. There is a romantic subplot, but the mystery carries the story.

Great murder mystery. Lots of twists and I totally thought multiple people were suspects and could have done it. A relationship forms and it’s lovely. Good read!!

I'm a big fan of Nalini Singh and she did not disappoint with this book. It's her first thriller and I loved the twists and turns throughput. I also appreciate that it's a stand alone novel and there were no questions left unanswered. I definitely recommend this read.

It was a mediocre book. Several characters had such interesting back stories that were briefly mentioned and then nothing was done with it. I generally adore all of her books and read them several times after, but this is a firm no.

Had me from the first page! I love this author, and will add this one as one of my favorite books from her. The characters are rich in depth and kept me hooked from the first page.

I like the rhythm of Nalini Singh's words. The story reads easily. The mystery has a nice twist. The addition of romance was nice. I recommend.

I thought I knew who did it...but I never saw the twist coming...and even at the end...my heart still broke for a beautiful life that should be at have been snuffed out...😥😥

I couldn't put it down. Such a very different edge than I expected. The author doesn't flinch or shy away from the horrors of humankind but neither does she dwell over the descriptions in a gawking bystander way.

Fun, quick read. Kept me guessing/interested. Set in New Zealand with some likeable characters, this was a page-turner worth reading.

Never read this author before, so enjoyed the unusual setting and learning about the culture and environment.

Can you go home again? And will the people be as you remember in this crime drama. As memories and secrets come out to hurt you.

I didn't really like the characters. A little to dry for me. I really looked forward to a new type of storyline for the author but I didn't like it.

The story kept me interested.I found the author's writing a bit strange. Consistently referring to characters in the current dialogue \scene as the other woman or the other man when they were talking to another character and been named. It was odd.

I couldn’t put it down. Well drawn characters. Suspenseful with a satisfactory ending.

This book has an interesting storyine. I just felt it was a little slower paced than a typical romantic suspense book. It is well-written and has well-developed characters.

This book starts off very slowly; if it hadn't been written by one of my favorite authors I would have given up not too far into it. It starts to pick up once it reaches the "Intermission" and just keeps moving faster the further on you go. By the end of the book I could hardly put it down and was very glad that I stuck with it.

Great thriller, interesting characters, unique setting.

Loved the story and the way it keeps you guessing till the end

Keeps the reader wanting to know more about the characters as the story develops and their role in the events unfold. Great job describing the setting from lush forests to rocky beaches and bringing local culture into story.

I was looking for an interesting read during the pandemic. This story which was set in New Zealand was a good match. Just visited NZ last year and fell in love with the country. The author is a wonderful storyteller.

okay

What a great book. Interesting and fleshed out characters to care about. Mystery to be unraveled. A setting that is unique. Excellent writing is an added bonus.

Another wonderful story