#TheCove #NetGalley
Awesome.
Date: November 5th, 10:32pm (everyone thinks I’m asleep!) Age: eight years, five months, thirteen days (nearly exactly eight and a half!) Dear Diary, I saw Daddy do something weird again. I mean, worse than weird. I shouldn’t even write it down here in case he finds this. But I need to tell someone. I’m so, so scared… Six months later. After the sudden death of her husband, Christine Harvey would do anything to give her precious children Molly and Ryan a fresh start. The huge clifftop house she’s hastily purchased has the most breath-taking ocean view she’s ever seen. Surely here they can someday be happy again? But Christine had no idea that her family’s new dream house is right next door to where a child was abducted and murdered. And nobody told her that the father – who was the main suspect in the police investigation before it collapsed – still lives there. Everyone urges her to move on, but Christine can’t stop thinking about that child. Fearing for the safety of Molly and Ryan, she frantically delves deeper into the old case, looking for anything that will give them some answers. But some secrets are best left buried, and as the behaviour of their new neighbour grows increasingly unsettling, Christine wonders if digging up this one was the worst thing she could have done for her family…
It was a fun read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! I loved this! Gregg has done it again for me (I recently read Little Ghosts which I also loved). So suspenseful and atmospheric. I adored this book and devoured in a couple of days. I honestly did not see the twist until right at the last minute. Will definitely be reading a lot more by Gregg in the future!

"The Cove" by Gregg Dunnett introduces readers to Detective Erica Sands in a gripping thriller that combines suspense and mystery. Dunnett's storytelling captivates, delivering a page-turning experience with well-executed plot twists and a compelling central character.

One of the strengths of the novel lies in Dunnett's ability to create a sense of suspense from the very beginning. The plot unfolds with well-timed twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Detective Erica Sands is a well-drawn character, adding depth to the narrative with her complexities and the challenges she faces in solving the mystery.

However, readers familiar with the thriller genre might encounter some conventional elements in the plot. While the pacing is generally effective, there may be instances where certain events feel somewhat expected. Despite this, Dunnett's ability to maintain a high level of tension throughout the story contributes to its overall success.

In summary, "The Cove" is an engaging thriller that lives up to its promise of gripping readers from start to finish. Dunnett's skillful storytelling and the character of Detective Erica Sands make it a compelling choice for fans of mystery and suspense. While the novel may follow some familiar thriller conventions, its execution and the strength of its central character make it an enjoyable and immersive read.

"The Cove" by Gregg Dunnett is a real page-turner – seriously, I couldn't put it down! You think you've got it all figured out, and then BAM – the twist hits you like a ton of bricks. The characters, especially Detective Erica Sands, are a quirky bunch. Sure, she's a bit odd, and her antics got on my nerves at times, but hey, she gets the job done in her own unique way. Can't wait to uncover more about her in the next installments! The picturesque village of Lulworth and that modern house with killer views? I could practically see them in my mind. Bonus points for weaving in the pandemic – a real-life touch that added to the excitement. Definitely recommend diving into this compelling and twisty read!

A brilliant read full of twists and turns and you will find it hard to put down once you start. Book one in Erica Sands Detective series and I look forward to reading more

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Half murder mystery- half crime detective, this book was a CHUNCK but read so fast. Its a multiple POV switch between the detectives POV and the POV of the main character trying to solve the murder mystery. I found this gripping and enjoyed both POVs. The main twist, I did not see coming and was truly shocked.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC copy of this book

I absolutely loved this book!!! Had me guessing through the whole book. I could not for the life of me figure out who it was. I had a feeling of the dad being the one to do it but you just never know.

This was a just ok thriller - I enjoyed the story but found it pretty unmemorable. I finished the book but didn't really engage with the characters.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it didn't disappoint. A great whodunit that keeps you guessing, and trust me, you won't figure it out. I definitely recommend this as a good thriller.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

Really enjoyed this book and thanks once again for an early look at The Cove. The Cove is a great thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning. The presence of unexpected twists and believable elements in the plot, especially the ending, left a strong impression on me. The characters being great and the narrative being complex kept me turning page after page with such a well-rounded and engaging story.

Can't wait for more books from Gregg Dunnett.

Multi faceted goodness. I didn’t know what to expect as I have never read this author and I loved the story with the side storylines, vivid characters, backstories of some characters, relationship dynamics, and oh the twists. DCI Erica Sands was fascinating. Her childhood is something out of the headlines and her career newsworthy on its own. The crime took many different twists that I did not expect but was captivated by each time. Along with character development the character insight was rich and helped build a striking story and cast that I want to read more about and of. I have questions that I hope play out such as her father and his goals, what will the relationship be between her and Detective Golding, her role in and with her department now that everyone knows her big secret…so much potential! A good read and I am excited for more.

Christine Harvey moves with her two children Ryan and Molly to a cliff top house after the sudden death of her husband during covid. Christine thinks will be a great fresh start for all three of them. Christine had no idea that her family’s new dream house is right next door to where a child was abducted and murdered. Det. Erica Stone battles to uncover the true killer after being suspended while she battles to prove she has wrongfully been blamed for what happened when two police officers and the main suspect died.
I was impressed with this book by Gregg Dunnett, it is a great thriller, and I was hooked from page one. It has plenty of twists and turns of which some I did not see coming but where truly believable especially the ending which specially made sense. A Good story with great characters and a complex, but intriguing read. I certainly look forward to reading more from Greg Dunnett. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is one of those books that if had been a bit shorter I think I would have liked it a bit better. It is a good book that has its twists and turns but it was just lacking something and was a bit long winded. The characters were good and the story flowed fairly well but a bit slowly and I felt at times I needed to skip through some of it so I could get on with it.

An okay book but not a favourite I'm afraid.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I just could not get into this book. The first 30 pages just did not hook me like I had hoped. I will try another of his books, but I Did not finish this one.

Such a good book! Loved reading this and it’s the first book i va e read by the author but it won’t be the last!

Rated 4.5 ⭐️

This book is set it 4 parts with 2 POVs. I never seen that ending coming. There are so many twists... loved it. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the covid parts. There are not many or really focused on it, I think it's still a little too soon for me. I think this book is a great start to a series with this particular main character.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gregg Dunnett for this free Ebook copy of this novel and as always this review is 100% my own.

"The Cove" is the first of DCI Sands series of books by Gregg Dunnett. He has had a successful time as an author so far, with quite a number of his books placed in the Amazon bestseller list. I only opted to read this book because I thought it might be worth trying.

I am definitely glad that I did try; The Cove falls into the psychological thriller category rather than being a police procedural thriller. The story begins with an investigation into the death of a 8 year old girl, Emily, who had been abducted from her home and killed brutally. DCI Sands follows the investigation to where the evidence leads her and arrives at a likely suspect Sopley. However, she still harbors doubt about the girl's father as well. But circumstances lead to the suspect getting killed and Sands, herself, getting almost killed in the process.

Then the story moves on to a grieving wife Christine and her beloved children, Molly and Ryan. Emily's parents have had to split up the house to be sold, to pay up their mortgage with the bank and Christine happens to buy it when she looks to relocate to a different place after the death of her husband because of COVID. Though initially not knowing about the murder of Emily, Christine happens to learn of it soon after they shift to the house. This sends Christine into a frenzied attempt to learn the truth and find out if the correct suspect was identified initially; these attempts put her into the path of DCI Sands, who is still recovering from the grievous injury she sustained a few months back.

Was the dead suspect the one who committed the crime? Or is it someone else? If so, who was it? And where is he now? What is the actual truth? Why is Christine so obsessed with finding the correct suspect? In this book, these questions have been answered in an intriguing and slightly convoluted primarily psychological thriller story.

The story at first made no sense to me. I had a tough time getting into it and to care about the primary characters at all. Christine did strike an interest with me but still her actions seemed a bit confusing most of the time. But as the story crossed the half way mark, it picked up pace and grabbed my complete attention as well. And I definitely didn't see the main twist coming for quite some time and the book becomes great only after that. The first half does have some pacing issues but the second half makes up for it.

To sum it up, the book is an incredible experience if a reader can give it time to develop. And I would recommend it to all lovers of psychological thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy of The Cove by Gregg Dunnett! Another great one from Gregg Dunnett! From the first chapter I was hooked. I kept wanting to know if they could prove that someone else was behind the murders and I did not expect the twist at the end! Such a great way to wrap up an awesome story! Can’t wait for more from Detective Sands!!

There's a lot of poteintial and I appreciated how the COVID was made part of the plot meaning. I wasn't a fan of Christine, that I found quite unlikeable, and appreciated Erica.
The mystery part flows and surprised me but I struggled as Christine's tone made me want to DFNed it
Not my cup of tea

WHAT I LIKED:
🌟the setting sells this book— a glassed-in house that overlooks its neighbors, an eerily beautiful small coastal southwestern England town. big BROADCHURCH vibes.
🌟the pacing is AMAZING. well-balanced description & interaction as well as expert dialogue keep it from ever lagging.
🌟 I enjoyed the switch in perspectives (for the most part, which I’ll get into below) & thought Detective Sands’ character was realistically developed.
🌟the felt interruption of COVID & the time lapse worked well for me in the logistics of the investigation. I’m not a huge fan of reading about COVID in fiction (#toosoon) but Dunnett used it in a way that made sense.

WHAT I DIDN’T:
☁️ as stated above, a LOT of this book mentions COVID, including a death by COVID. if that’s a trigger for you, I’d skip it.
☁️ Christine was one of the most annoying characters I have read in a while. her worry & fake niceties withootu too much actual development of her as a person, focusing instead on all her other family members, made it painful to read her sections.
☁️ after the second perspective switch to Christine, the plot went a bit off the rails for me. seemed like a far-fetched twist with little information as to the solution— as a reader, I flipped back through to see if there were real clues as to the identity of the culprit & couldn’t find many if any.

⭐️OVERALL: a well-written & atmospheric crime procedural for about the first 3/4s of the book. I enjoyed the characters & would definitely read the next book in this series!