The Summer of Lies by Louise Douglas is a captivating blend of mystery, suspense, and emotional depth set against the backdrop of a scorching summer in the coastal town of Morranez, Brittany. The story begins with a tense and urgent case at the Toussaints detective agency: a missing girl, Briony Moorcroft, who has vanished under mysterious circumstances. As wildfires ravage the area, time is of the essence, especially as Briony requires life-saving medication. With the local police moving slowly, private detectives Mila Shephard and Carter Jackson are tasked with uncovering the truth, racing against the clock to find the missing young woman.

As Mila and Carter delve deeper into the case, they also find themselves entangled in secrets from Mila’s own past, particularly surrounding the tragic death of her sister Sophie and brother-in-law Charlie. New evidence emerges that casts doubt on everything Mila thought she knew, adding layers of intrigue and complexity to the story.

Douglas skillfully weaves together the personal and professional struggles of her characters, creating a compelling narrative that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant. The atmosphere of tension builds steadily, keeping readers hooked with twists and revelations. The Summer of Lies is a must-read for fans of suspenseful, character-driven mysteries, offering a poignant look at family secrets, loss, and the search for truth.

Award-winning author Louise Douglas dazzles with her latest captivating tale, The Summer of Lies.

The Moorcroft family are beside themselves. Nineteen year old Briony has been taken from her sleepy Welsh village and brought to France and to the village of Morranez. Without her medicine, Briony could die and with the police refusing to even lift a finger to try and find her, her family are putting all of their hopes on Mila Shephard and Carter Jackson’s Toussaint detective agency.

The two sleuths have got their hands full with this case, but they have even more pressing problems in their personal lives. Mila’s sister and brother in law had been in a tragic accident two years ago that had left her solely responsible for her niece’s well-being. However, new evidence has resurfaced that makes Mila wonder whether that cataclysmic event was not an accident, but something much more sinister and chilling.

Will Mila and Carter manage to find Briony before it’s too late? And will the truth about Mila’s sister and brother in law finally come to light?

Louise Douglas is such a gifted storyteller who writes lyrical, haunting and atmospheric novels that never fail to get under your skin. The Summer of Lies is a complex, layered, unpredictable and intelligently written tale of secrets, deception and danger that is an absolute struggle to put down. A hypnotic and compulsively readable page-turner, The Summer of Lies is another outstanding novel from Louise Douglas.

This was my first read by this author and I was extremely pleasantly surprised. I loved how gripping it was, and the author manages to pull together themes of family, loyalty, crime, mystery and love all together without it becoming overwhelming or confusing.

There was quite a few story lines in this book.- Mila's emotional and physical journeys between the UK and France as she is pulled between two parts of her family, the mystery of missing Briony & Billie, the missing boat and the love story and history between Mila, Luke and Carter, and the issue of a mystery illness!

There was so much drama packed into this book and I loved it. I became quite addicted and completely enthralled, especially in the story line about Briony and whether she would be found, and who was truly to blame for her disappearance. I highly recommend this book. Not everything was tied up and I felt there was more to come from Mila, so there may be scope for a follow up??

If you want to lose yourself in a great story then just read this book. This is a book that starts out a little slow then builds up to a good ending. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and this author's writing. Once again, the reader will find out that all is not what it seems…. I didn't realize this was the sequel to another novel. Even though this book is a sequel, it was able to be read without reading the first book
I will be going back to read the first book. I would read more of this author's work.

Really good book. Felt it was well written and although a follow up would really stand alone. Alm gong to follow up with the authors back catalogue

A story based in a beautiful part of the world with a devastating story. This is an emotional story of family, loss, mystery and is also the follow-up book to The Lost Notebook which I enjoyed too.

Love the style of writing as it draws you in and you do invest yourself in this story. The characters are great too. I was entranced by the story from start to finish and found it very heart-felt and intriguing. A great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I did not realise the day this was the second in a series, and that I had read the first! I picked it up only because the author was one I have enjoyed several previous works of and usually err towards choosing one of her books.

I may not have enjoyed the previous book as much as I hoped to, this built a pretty solid foundation on top of the first story and I enjoyed watching all the characters play out their issues. Maybe not all their features are ones I’d champion, but it made sense in the context.

One can follow the events in this book without the background, although some of the background is trickled into this installment as well. Our protagonist is someone who is stuck in life in a very unwinnable situation. She is engaged to her long time partner, but needs to live in a whole other country to be a parent to her (step) niece. This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the death of her stepsister is starting to look more complex than a simple accident.

I was fully invested by the time the end rolled around and am eager to see where the story will go next. I think I know what the plot twists would be, but there is no harm in confirming my suspicions.

I personally like the author’s writing style and would recommend this book/series to people who enjoy character based mysteries.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I wasn’t aware this was the sequel to ‘the lost note book’ (which I now have to will read and the re-read this). But the author filled in enough back story for me to follow and enjoy this book nonetheless, so clearly can be read as a stand alone. The story follows Mila who works for a missing persons agency and is hired to find a missing 19 year old Welsh girl. The French please are uncooperative, offering little help making the investigation difficult. This is a thrilling story focusing on lies, the good and the bad. It is mysterious. It is well written, flows well. I will definitely read more by this author.

As wild fires creep a devastating path towards the idyllic town of Morranez, a vulnerable girl goes missing. But was she taken - or was she escaping...
The summer is the hottest yet in the Brittany coastal town of Morranez, but when a new case lands on the desk of the Toussaints detective agency, there can be no time to relax. As wild fires bear down on the town, the alert goes out for a missing girl. Congratulations on an eye-catching cover! It caught my eye and made me read the synopsis.
The characters are just so well written and realistic, the tension is built so effectively and you really do have no idea where the storyline is going or what the outcome is going to be!

The Summer of Lies by Louise Douglas is an enthralling story, it is set in Wales and Brittany and you have heatwaves, fires and a missing young woman with medical. issues.
This is the new case for the Touissaint Detective Agency and Mila Shepherd and Jackson Carter are both kept busy. Mila also has problems and mysteries in Mila’s personal life.
I found the storyline fascinating and the personal issues that are brought up in the book very interesting. I look forward to reading the next in the series.
Highly recommended

A brilliant book that keeps you hooked.

Mila works for a PA firm and has been hired by the parents of a missing girl, they believe they know who abducted their daughter but the abduction might not be quite what it seems. This book also follows Mila's romantic and complicated family relationships. Mila's character is brilliant, I really liked her and was rooting for her to find the girl and some happiness for herself.

Blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources

http://ramblingmads.uk/2024/02/11/blog-tour-the-summer-of-lies-louise-douglas/

Another fantastic book from Louise.
Once again we follow Mila as she continues to work in her step mother’s investigation service and looks after her neice Ani, following the tragic death of Ani’s mother and her father Charlie still being missing following the boat accident that claimed Sophie’s life.
Mila has been asked to locate a missing teenager Briony. Briony is extremely sick and has disappeared/been taken by ex convict Billie. They have fled to France and are known to be in the area around where the Toussants agency is based, hence Mila’s involvement.

We follow not only this investigation but Mila’s struggles as she continues to cope with stepping into Sophie’s shoes.

I love these characters and cannot wait to read the next instalment

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Mila is not looking forward to the responsibility of organising a celebration for her mother’s birthday – a thought that gives her anxiety rather than joy. A case soon takes her mind off her mother and onto an unwell nineteen-year-old girl who has seemingly been taken from her home in Wales to France. Can Mila and Carter find Briony Moorcroft before it’s too late?

I’m so happy to be back in Morranez with Mila, Carter, Cici and Ani. Having enjoyed The Lost Notebook, I was excited to catch up with these characters. It was like catching up with old friends.

Louise Douglas offers up a mystery quickly and it’s not hard to be drawn into the plot and the story. The trail to find Briony is intriguing. There is also a subplot concerning Ani’s parents/Mila’s half sister. I will leave it at that. As usual, I don’t want to give too much away.

Mila remains a good character with good instincts when she allows herself to trust them. She has been placed into a hard situation with Ani and is trying to make the most of it, to the detriment of her own life. With her living in France and her fiancé in Bristol, life isn’t easy. However, is her heart wanting to belong a little closer to her home in Morranez? Personally, I think that’s a yes.

Carter is a bit of an enigma. I feel that he doesn’t give too much of himself away. I’d be interested in learning more about him. I am hoping it’s not the last we see of these characters that’s for sure.

I like Louise Douglas’s style of writing. I raced through this book. The setting sounds stunning. I wanted to step into the pages. There’s some explosive moments, alongside some heartbreaking ones. Some hard themes are explored and I feel this was all done well.

If you like great characters and a good mystery, this book is perfect. I loved it.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.)

After reading The Secrets Of Villa Alba I was eagerly awaiting the next @louisedouglas3 book and I just adored this story so much. It was such a captivating story, the more I read the faster I was turning the pages. I was hooked from the first chapter and desperately hoping that they would find Briony, while equally hoping that Mila would get the closure she desperately needed. I loved the twists and turns as the truth was slowly revealed and I don't think I will forget this ending for a long time. I haven't read The Lost Notebook yet as I didn't realise these were connected, I now plan to go back and remedy that while I wait for the sequel.

Louise never disappoints - her stories are always multi-layered with engaging characters. Can't wait to read the sequel to this.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Summer Of Lies' By The Sea' by Louise Douglas.

Read and reviewed for Louise Douglas, Boldwood Books, The Bold Book Club, Book & Tonic, NetGalley and Rachel's Random Resources Tours.

Publication date 7th February 2024.

This is the first book I have read by this author but it most definitely wont be my last!

This novel consists of 70 chapters. The chapters are short in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

WOW!!!! What can I say?!?! One thing I have got to say before getting into my review is clear your schedules as once you've started you won't be able to stop!!

This book is beautifully written with vivid descriptions setting the picture perfectly in the readers mind. The title, description and cover works perfectly with the storyline.

A fantastic book that is filled with mystery, twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages. It is filled with crime, mystery, family, relationships, twists, turns and everything you could ask for in a gripping page turner. It takes you on a journey from Morranez, Maidenhead, Bristol, Cardiff and more travelling along with Mila to look after her niece Sophie, working with Carter and helping Ceci try and find missing and at risk Briony. I absolutely loved watching Mila and Carter go about their investigating and they made a fantastic team. The storyline will make you emotional from jumping with joy to anxious, heartbreak and more. I love the fact that there isn't just the one storyline but many storylines weaved together and Louise brings them all together perfectly ensuring the reader does not get confused. It is rammed with twists and shocks that I would have never seen coming in a million years so a HUGE congratulations Louise. It is getting harder to surprise me with every new book I read but I most definitely did not see these coming! Louise's fantastic descriptions really captivate the atmosphere, surroundings and characterisations so you can see everything and everyone around you while your heart is pounding and you are kept in suspense. I was utterly glued to the pages and I could not bring myself to put it down. I was carrying my kindle around with me to read it every chance that I got and by the time the ending came I was left wanting to read more books by this brilliant author. I absolutely fell in love with the location and most of the characters. It is one of those fast paced, easy to read books that you can get completely lost in cuddled up under a blanket in the winter like I was or sprawled on a beach in the sun like I wish I was!!. Wherever you are reading this book Louise will whisk you off to Morranez and more in the blink of an eye. I genuinely felt I had gone on holiday and was devastated when I came to the end and had to leave Ireland to return to rainy Wales. You need to clear your schedules before starting this book because you will not be able to put it book down!!! An absolutely fantastic read from Louise and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into more of her books soon!

The characters are strong, realistic and I became completely invested in each and every one of them. Louise's fantastic descriptions ensures each of them come to life in front of your eyes and her emotive writing also makes sure that you feel everything that they are feeling. There are a great mix of personalities and I really enjoyed getting to know them all. The main character is Mila who my heart went out to as it felt like everyone wanted her to be somewhere else. Mila's mother isn't happy about the fact that she lives in Morranez and looking after her niece after her half sister passed away in a tragic accident and her fiancee Luke is also unhappy about her moving away not long after they got engaged. Not only has she got to the process the fact that she lost her half sister Sophie but also has guilt added on to her plate as she gets along so well with Ceci who is her fathers ex partner because her mother isn't happy about it at all, or about the fact that she is now the main care giver for Sophie's child Ani and on top of that she is also hunting down Briony who is disabled, has serious health problems and has been taken by her parents employee. I absolutely loved Mila and thought she is such a strong woman as well as a fantastic role model for Ani. i absolutely adore seeing strong female women in books being female myself and Mila was absolutely brilliant. Mila is working with Carter on the case to find Briony and I really liked his character too, along with Ceci who runs the agency. I loved watching the interactions between each of the characters and watching how feelings and thoughts changed between them from the start to the end. I wasn't a fan of all of them, in particular Mila's mother who I thought was incredibly selfish and childish at times but where is the fun if you like all of the characters? I won't say anymore about the characters as I don't want to go into too much detail at the risk of spoiling it for other readers but yet again Louise really has done an amazing job at bringing each of the characters to life and regardless of whether I liked them or not they all had a part to play and played it perfectly. I am looking forward to meeting Mila and Carter again in Louise's next book 'The Sea Cave' along with her previous book 'The Lost Notebook'!

Overall a captivating, atmospheric and page turning mystery that will keep you hooked from start to finish!!!

Make sure you read to the end to read a teaser from Louise's 'The Sea Cave' where you can meet Mila and Carter again and which looks absolutely brilliant. I am definitely looking forward to getting stuck into myself. Louise has also included Book Club questions at the end of her book which I also thought was a fantastic addition.

353 pages.

This book is just £2.79 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £9.99 in paperback at time of review, via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I have been a fan of Louise's work for a while now. By no means have I managed to read everything that she has written but that is something that I hope to rectify in the not too distant future. I read the synopsis of 'The Summer Of Lies' and it certainly sounded like the sort of book that I have come to expect from Louise- an emotional story about love, lies, loyalty and family. Well it was all that and so much more. I really enjoyed reading 'The Summer Of Lies' but more about that in a bit.

I have to be honest and say that it took me a little while to get into 'The Summer Of Lies', which has a lot to do with the fact that I was tired and finding it hard to concentrate when I started reading and cannot be taken as a criticism of the author. After a little while, that was it and I was away as the saying goes. From then on I found it rather difficult to put the book down for any length of time. The characters and the main storyline intrigued me. I developed my own theory as to what was going to happen and so I had to keep reading to see if I was anywhere near the truth or if I had wandered off in the opposite direction. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I was so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I didn't realise just how quickly the time was passing and the speed with which I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'The Summer Of Lies'. I found 'The Summer Of Lies' to be an interesting and intriguing story about families, secrets, lies, love and loyalty.

'The Summer Of Lies' is extremely well written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Louise Douglas. Louise certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one heck of a story. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a steady pace throughout. Louise describes her characters so vividly and realistically that they seem just as real as you and I. At the same time Louise makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway. Reading 'The Summer Of Lies' certainly felt like being on an unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way.

In short, I really enjoyed reading 'The Summer Of Lies' and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Louise's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

Summer Of Lies is a story about Mila, a woman who works for a missing persons agency. The weather is scorching. We find out all about her and the case that they take on to find a very vulnerable and ill girl who’s been kidnapped by an employee of the cleaning business her parents own. She’s been taken to France from Wales, and time is of the essence as this girl , Briony, will die without her medication. Mila and her work colleague Carter must work together to find her. We find out about Carter and his history.
Mila’s sister Sophie, was drowned along with her husband Charlie when they went sailing, so she’s been bringing her niece Ani, up herself, along with her mother and step mother.
So we have two cases really as more information becomes clear with Charlie and Sophie’s accident .
I found the writing excellent as usual from Louise Douglas. The characters are not complex and we get to know them well throughout the story. I’m hoping to hear more from this story as it felt like a bit of a cliffhanger at the end!! Fingers crossed!!.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for the chance to read this arc copy for review consideration via Netgalley.
#Netgalley,#bookandttonic,#louisedouglas3.

When I read The Lost Notebook, not all of the ends were tied up and at that time I didn’t know Louise Douglas had more to share about Mila … so I was excited to find out if what I thought might happen did and where this story would take me. Don’t worry if you haven’t read The Lost Notebook, key events are weaved through The Summer of Lies and it will still make sense!

It’s clear that Mila’s split life … in Morranez and Bristol/Maidenhead isn’t working out too well. Everyone wants a piece of her and she has conflicting emotions. Important, I think, is that we get to know more about her family dynamics which gives us a better understanding of who she is and why she makes the decisions that she does. Her mum really fatigued me …

Life in Morranez felt less complicated in this story in as much as Mila has adapted to being the main care-giver for Sophie’s daughter (I think she’s a fab role model for her). Something new comes to light about Sophie and Charlie but gave me more questions … so intriguing!

Luke and Mila’s detective partnership is brilliant – they work so well together. The new case at Toussaints of Briony’s abduction leads us through twists and turns. Plenty of tense moments and not just because there is a time-limit on Briony needing critical care. One scene in particular affected me emotionally. I can still see it so clearly in my mind, and even though I had a different perception later on, it stayed with me. I’ll add here that another scene had me fist-bumping the air, very heroic actions from the duo! Alongside the tenseness is the anxiety of doing what you think is right but might actually be wrong. I had my suspicions (having come across this from my time working in education) although I wasn’t entirely right! Louise Douglas doesn’t shy away from the impact but is sensitive in how she writes about it.

The Summer of Lies follows through and met my expectations. If you enjoy family drama, crime and all the secrets and lies that go hand-in-hand, you’ll love this one.