The Novel:
I am a long-time fan of Nalini Singh and her Psy-Changeling series is among my all-time favourites. As such, I was eager to read her debut into the mystery & thriller genre. A Madness of Sunshine follows Anahera and Will in their search for answers regarding a young woman’s recent disappearance in the same small town where three women vanished years earlier. As the novel progresses, the roulette wheel of suspects begins to click, and we are held in rapt attention as we wait for the perpetrator to be revealed.

The Characters:
The protagonists are realistic and flawed figures who are somewhat underdeveloped. This novel is very plot driven to the extent that there is little exploration of exploration beyond the surface of Anahera and Will’s backgrounds, motivations and desires - as a matter of fact, until halfway into the novel, we do not even know what Anahera’s career is despite this having no bearing on the story itself. The background characters are interesting and well rounded, and sufficiently fascinating such that if Singh were to write a spin off novel, I would gladly read it.

The Story:
This is undoubtedly a gripping rollercoaster-ride of a novel. The first few lines features a shock which plunges one into the novel and leave desperately reading on; that compulsion does not let up even when the last page is turned. While I did guess the perpetrator’s identity long before the actual revelation, I was delighted to find that I was only partially correct. These plot twists demonstrate Singh’s skill in crafting outstanding plotlines; while the reader knows the direction in which the novel is going, the exact destination is unclear, and it is this deft hand with plot which makes Singh one of my favourite writers.

However, there are gaps in the plot. That details of that early mystery are never revealed, and the reader is left without answers to many of the character-driven questions in this novel. It is possible that Singh intends Anahera and Will to star in other novels, however the rather neat wrapping up of this story does not support that theory.

The Writing:
Singh’s writing style is compelling and her imagery of the New Zealand coast outstandingly vivid. There is fantastic, if minor use of dramatic irony in Chapter 6 when the reader is allowed a brief glimpse into the perpetrator- as the reader one has the sinking feeling that something terrible has occurred, but we can only read on, caught in the web of Singh’s words as we wait for the characters to catch up to what we already know. Moreover, Singh’s manipulation of pace is masterful, consistently driving the plot forward while giving the reader the occasional respite with a more tender scene- the range of emotions Singh evokes within the reader are a testament to her skill as a writer.

My one complaint is that the first half of the novel is overly inscrutable. There is a great deal of mystery created around the Anahera and Will’s backstories, however as these have no impact on events of the novel this unnecessary crypticism makes eventual revelations anti-climactic. I can only hypothesise that this is a product of the fact that this is Singh’s debut in this genre, or alternatively that the plot-driven nature of this novel made those backstories obsolete. Either way, as a character-driven reader, this unnecessary drip-feeding of information is not to my personal taste.

Rating:
3/5. I enjoyed this novel and will continue to read other novels by Singh. While her writing style for mystery & thriller novels is not entirely to my taste, I look forward to reading any other books by her in this and other genres.

Declaration:
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for providing this ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

This is a different style to Singh's usual paranormal, but it was just as entertaining as her other books...

This is very much a small town who-dunnit but it had enough twists, turns and suspense to keep you guessing...

Will and Ana are two lost souls who find themselves thrown together while searching for a missing girl... that means that secrets from the past cannot stay buried...

Wow! I am familiar with this author from her Archangel series and didn't know what to expect with this book. I was drawn in from the very first page and didn't want to put it down. Nalini is an articulate, gifted storyteller with a compelling style that will draw any reader in and keep them riveted.
Anahera is a native of a small, isolated coastal town which has more than it's share of people with secrets. She left to escape her own demons and the stifling small-town atmosphere but returns when life deals her a cruel blow. Her return draws her into the heart of missing-person hunt which soon becomes more sinister.
A captivating tale which weaves into the story a lot of complex characters and wraps them all up in the dangerous and haunting beauty of the local landscape.
Read it!

First of all, there should have been a disclaimer on the front of this book where it should have been written: This is not the book you are used to read by Nalini Singh. In short this is not a romance or a paranormal romance or even a Urban fantasy. This is a thriller, where there is not even a love story in the love sense of the word. it is well written, it has a fast pace and a couple of unexpected plot twist, still it was not what I was expecting......

Prima di tutto, nella prima pagina di questo libro avrebbe dovuto esserci scritto che questo non era il solito libro di Nalini Singh (non é un romance, non un paranormal romance e nemmeno uno urban fantasy), questo é un giallo e non c'é nemmeno una storia d'amore intesa come amore soprattutto. Resta un thriller ben scritto, che scorre e con un paio di colpi di scena niente male, ciononostante, non era quello che mi aspettavo....

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

I was given a review copy of this book digitally from NetGallery and this is my unbiased review of this book.

I am a massive fan of Nalini Singh's Urban Fantasy series "Guild Hunter" and in one of her monthly newsletters she told fans she was going to try writing a non-fantasy book, I got very curious about what it would be like, so when I had a chance to review a copy, I happily took it.

This book starts off with "Ana" with burying her husband, while his pregnant Mistress was screaming and crying, while poor Ana is emotoless from discovering her husband's betrayal. We then see "Ana" leaving the bright lights of London to return to the place where she grew up and escaped after she was old enough to get out of the small town that had many dark memories.

While the story was a very slow burn to start off with, the one thing that has to be calibrated is just how magically were are introduced her hometown in New Zealand. It's like a character, rather than just the setting. Due to Nalini's own heritage as a Kiwi, we get some amazing details about a small town that has a community of "Māori" integral to the area. It's something that is totally different from what I typically find in books I read within the "Urban Fantasy" genre. I really could picture the town in my head as I was reading this book and it's something that has really stuck with me since finishing.

The pacing of this book was a real slow burn and as more of Ana's past is learned, that it had me to feel so bad for the suffering she went through her teens. She is so well written and it just proved to me just how great Nalini's writing skills have become. While I typically love "UF - Urban Fantasy" with foul mouthed, witty and deadly female protagonists, which is very different to how Nalini went about developing "Ana", it was just mind blowing how it turned out.

As we get through the book, we learn about the dark past that made Ana leave and never return. Regardless of the dark past, the place where she grew up is one where most young people want more from their lives, than staying in a small coastal town, where everyone wants to leave and never return, but many of the people Ana knew, all ended up returning after a long period, with some having achieved their goals or as in Ana's case, had felt so emotionally wounded, that she was going to return and evaluate what she wanted in life.

The hunky Sheriff also has a backstory that really is worthy of a book on it's own! With that it is also drip fed to the reader and just adds another layer of dark mystery within this book. I was worried that this relationship between him and Ana, would dilute the darkness this book gives, yet it really did allow for the reader to get a rest from all of the layers of darkness and history, that thread through the whole book.

Overall, this book worked really well and just proves the quality that Nalini's writing has. She put herself outside of her comfort zone, by doing a book that is not Fantasy based. While the "Guild Hunter" series is always going to be what I enjoy the most from Nalini, this book was a pleasant surprise and is worth people time by reading it.

To note, like most of her books, this one is not suitable for younger teens and would advice parents that really you should only be read by teens 16+. It's not vulgar, but with the much darker themes and back stories in this book, it's not something I think is suitable.

Nalini is one of my auto buy authors, I love the Guild Hunter series. But this book is something completely different. Superbly written and addictive I had to keep reading to find out who had actually dunnit!
The story unspools page by page giving you glimpses and hints into the residents lives of a small coastal town, some had more secrets than others. Highly recommended.

A real page turner with some great characters, I especially loved the NZ setting and the names I'd never encountered before. A great small town mystery. 3.5/5

This book is a departure from the Authors excellent Guild Hunter and Psy-changeling series and one that I wanted to read to see if it maintains her usual high standard of story telling .

The book centres on the Author's love of her home country , New Zealand , the landscapes are vivid and brilliantly described , the isolation of the communities shown with all their pitfalls and graces .
The storyline is not a Romance in the general sense but is more a Crime/Thriller intertwining events in the past with those of the present - showing those who thought to escape into the wider world that home can be what they need after all .
This was an enjoyable read , with many twists and turns before the truth is finally revealed BUT at what cost !

I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a difficult one....
On one hand, Ms Singh’s love of her New Zealand homeland in a living, breathing entity. As much of a character as any person, the landscapes are vivid and brilliantly savage. I am, as an Australian, a cousin to NZ, yet I feel to my bones the isolation and distance. It is as alien as it is familiar.

On the other hand....
As a long term fan of Ms. Singh, I have some expectations of her work. This is a departure from her ouvre. A Madness of Sunshine is NOT a romance, and seekers of Ms. Singh’s cleverly plotted storyline’s and hot (hot!) romances may be surprised by the melancholy of this book. It may take a second look, but hopefully people will take the time to visit the Land of the Long White Cloud and come to stay.

Wow, this book was nothing short of amazing. I love all of Nalini Singh's books she has an amazing gift of bringing the characters and the location to life. Her characters are never perfect but all the more real for it. There were a few twists and turns that I really wasn't expecting, a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone who likes murder mysteries. Thank you so much for the ARC.

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