A devastating fire. A grieving mother. A picture-perfect village full of dark secrets. And now, a son who has seemingly come back from the dead. A detective called back to her hometown, back to the memories she thought she’d left behind…

Some parts of the plot were more telling instead of showing, which would have really benefitted the story and held the intrigue of the reader more, especially with the plot being slow to start with. I felt like some of the plot points were predictable but I didn't mind that as much because it felt like there was only so many ways that the plot could have went. I do also wish that the characters were consistently referred to in the same way as especially Casey would be referred to in multiple ways and it got kind of confusing trying to figure out who was being spoken about/who was speaking at times.

Some characters were not as fleshed out as others and I wanted to know more about them, for example Casey was not as fleshed out as Ally was. It felt like it took a while for the actual plot to start picking up because it focused more on Ally's character and building that up for her progression as a character, however that was also slow and at times, repetitive as I just wanted it to get to the point instead of trying to leave mini cliffhangers each time it was brought up. For Ally as a character, I do feel like you have to suspend some belief because of her being a 38 week pregnant lady and how much she was able to do but if you can look past that, I feel like her progression was worth the wait as I loved how it explored her truing to work through her trauma, whilst trying to get on with her everyday life. I love that Casey got some character progression too but I feel like I still had some unanswered questions about him. I actually ended up really invested in the characters by the end and even at one point, crying because it was so emotional. I really loved Casey and Ally's friendship because it felt like they balanced each other out well and it was beautiful seeing it blossom. I really liked Amanda's writing and would definitely read another book by her!

Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early, in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ CWs: alcohol use, fire, injury detail, pregnancy, cheating, cursing, murder, harassment, child death, grief, sexual harassment, physical assault, emotional abuse, derogatory language, abandonment, domestic abuse, blood, suicide, controlling behaviour, toxic relationship, gaslighting, gun use, medical content, attempted murder, murder, kidnapping; mentions mental health illness (anxiety, depression, post-natal depression), child abuse, violence, sex, bullying, death of a parent, infertility, sexual assault, vomit ⚠️

I took forever to review but… super spooky and engaging. This is a great read for fall, and I may revisit it again this year. Kind of a ghost story but also a story about family. Thank you for the Arc!

This kept me reading to find out the mystery and it got the better of me. I found the descriptions of the main characters pregnancy and how it impacted her job etc a little grating but overall a good read if you enjoy a thriller. Many thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for the ARC

I enjoyed this book. Great for fans of thrillers that keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a frightening Irish crime story and I loved every minute. The characters and storyline were very well developed. The atmosphere of this town is a character in itself. Wonderfully written thriller I could not put down. Highly recommend

Well this is one dark and deeply haunting tale that kept me up late for a few nights trying to process my thoughts. It's a gut wrenching story to wrap your head around and I felt for the police officers that were on the case.

Firstly; thank you to the publicist for sending me a copy of the book. It is very much appreciated.
This book was amazing. I was thoroughly gripped throughout.
Irish crime fiction is one of my favourite genres of crime, but one that I come across often. So I was very excited to embark on the new series
Amanda Cassidy is a brilliant author. She knows just how to set the scene, creating an tense atmosphere and immediate questions to the reader
The book is a dual timeline which again ticks one of my favourite elements of a book. The book moves from present day to six years ago.
The storyline was original and absorbing and delivered a twist of an ending.
However, the thing that stuck out for me most of all with this book was Ally Fields. What a a character she was! Going through a traumatic childhood made her a little bit of a complex character but how I loved her. I loved the way the author portrayed her and her suffering and did her real justice
I hope this is the first in a series and there is more to come from ally fields!
Thank you for the gifted copy

📱E-Book Review📱

The Returned
Amanda Cassidy

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Having read Amanda's first book, Breaking, and absolutely loving it, I couldn't wait to dive straight into this book - and I was not disappointed.

This was another superbly written, fast paced thriller which had me totally immersed right from the start and so invested in the storyline, I just couldn't put it down.

I actually don't want to say anything about the plot - as once again the storyline twists and turns and keeps you guessing throughout. I was hooked from the first page and raced through it, desperate to find out what on earth was going on.
That, and the fact that I was on the edge of my seat throughout as the tension hits and never lets up.

The characters were perfectly presented and developed well throughout.
I loved that Ally, our detective, was really in no position to be taking on this case due to her situation - but she was completely focussed and determined to get to the bottom of things.

This book deals with some tough topics but these were written with sensitivity. It was definitely emotional though and one that will stay with me for some time.

Another brilliant read and I'm excited for what will come next.

Amanda Cassidy's "The Returned" is a deeply crafted Irish thriller that draws inspiration from a personal experience of the author. Detective Ally Fields is tasked with investigating a serious arson case in her hometown, a place shadowed by a lingering air of death that also haunts Ally herself. Adding to the complexity, a high-ranking local Garda emerges as the prime suspect, having had involvement in a similar arson incident six years earlier.

As Ally delves into the recent fire, she uncovers a startling possibility: a baby, presumed to have perished in the previous blaze, might still be alive and concealed within the community. The convergence of these two cases becomes intricately entwined with Ally and her partner Clarke at the heart of the investigation.

The narrative intricately weaves together three-story arcs, with Ally's personal history and unexpected pregnancy adding depth and humanity to her character, a facet often absents in similar detective novels. While the conclusion seems to bring closure, it leaves the door open for a potential sequel, which readers would eagerly welcome.

Loved the mystery in this book. There are 3 different strands in this book, so you will have to keep on your toes. I loved the Fields character and the case was interesting to read about.

Really enjoyed this one from Amanda Cassidy. Great plot and good characters. Amanda is definitely one to watch

I loved the authors first book and this one didn't disappoint! The opening of the book has you gripped instantly with a house fire. This book has a duel timeline going from the fire and fast forwarding to six years later. The author has you guessing through out and I would highly recommend this book. Thanks to netgalley & Canelo for sending me this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Such a good mystery that had me back and forth on what happened. The internal stresses of the MFC had me a little annoyed with her. Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to review this!!

I loved the author's debut novel Breaking, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read The Returned.
DI Ally Fields and her partner Clarke, members of the Major Crimes Unit in Dublin are called to a case in Currolough, County Kerry to investigate a possible arson and the involvement of a local Garda.

The novel starts off in a fairly straightforward way and I was expecting a standard police procedural but The Returned is so much more than this. The character of Ally is complex and believable, her return to her home town of Currolough forces her to confront her childhood trauma which is slowly revealed to the reader. This is a multi layered novel which covers trauma, grief and abuse and at times is a difficult and emotional read. However it's so beautifully written, well paced and plotted and both Ally and Clarke are characters I was rooting for throughout.

This is a worthy follow up to Breaking that I enjoyed even more. Highly recommended.
4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

I was expecting a police procedural, this is not what this book is about. Ally is a police officer, heavily pregnant by her married lover who is also her boss. She and her partner are asked to take a job in Co Kerry, they work at the major crimes unit in Dublin. One problem, Ally's own tragic childhood was based in the small town where she has the job.
This book is about emotional ties, the small mindedness of a small Irish town and about grief. Abuse within family and personal relationships is also a factor here and I suppose the message is don't take anything at face value. It took me a few chapters to get into the vibe of the book and to sort out who everyone was . As the story progresses, an understanding of why Ally and others in the book made the life choices they did and opening up old emotions by returning to the place she grew up causes a snowball effect, not only for Ally, but for other characters too.
A great , if somewhat emotional, read. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

If you love a good crime mystery you will love this book. The book opens with a tragic fire where a baby dies. The mother can’t accept her baby is gone and is convinced he is still alive. Fast forward six years to another house fire with suspicious circumstances and more questions are asked. This book is a dual timeline book going from the fire 6 years ago to the present. The author does a wonderful job of dropping hints while still keeping you guessing. I didn’t want to put this book down!

Absolutely spectacular crime writing, I loved every word.
Dysfunctional lead detective- tick.
Small town secrets that have been buried for too long- tick
Running away from your past -tick
Uncovering long buried truths- tick
hopeless situations with no way out - tick

Absolutely loved the plot, the characters, the premise, the writing. All of it 5/5 for me.

I absolutely loved this - gripping and moving in equal measure. Amanda Cassidy is an author to watch out for!

Ally Fields is a very pregnant police officer who is called back to her hometown to investigate the death of a man in a potential arson case. She's needed on the case because it's believed a local Gardaí may have been involved with the family. Apparently he had been harassing them for quite some time.

Six years ago during another housefire it appears this same Gardaí officer may have been involved in that as well. Here a baby perished in the flames. However, the mother swears when she went to save her son he was not in his crib. She's sure of it. No one will listen to the mothers claims. She's hysterical and grieving so she isn't considered a reliable witness. She'll bare the scars and disfigurement of that attempted rescue for the rest of her life. As if grief wasn't enough.

Back to the present and that same mother spots her missing son in a market place. She causes a scene and again everyone assumes she's hysterical. There isn't any way that this could be her son.

Ally and her partner Clarke plan to get to the bottom of both cases and to see how these two events are connected by this one Gardaí officer.

Interspersed between the two timelines we also get the background on Ally's tragic upbringing giving us a birds eye view into her mind and thoughts.

This was a really well done mystery. A little slow to start but after a few chapters I found my footing and really became immersed in the story. Ally was a likeable character that has made some unfortunate decisions in her life yet my heart still went out to her. She's experienced trauma that no one should have to bare the burden of. Her partner, the ever lovable Clarke, was the yin to her yang. A perfect partnership, if you will. The ending was not what I was expecting though, in hindsight, I think my inner sleuth failed me here because once I got to that AHA moment I had to ask myself how I didn't see this coming. I hope other readers will miss the breadcrumbs too and enjoy the unraveling of the mystery like I did.

My one and only caveat is I didn't quite buy into what this 38 weeks along pregnant woman was capable of. I've no doubt at how bad ass pregnant women are but at 38 weeks my ankles were so swollen, my back aching that even my waddle was waddling. I was definitely not kicking down doors, running through woods, and diving into churning lake waters. I'd have sunk for sure. If you can ignore that then you'll be rewarded with some fine storytelling. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for my complimentary copy.