This is my first outing with Louise Douglas and I understand the third in the Toussaints Detective Agency series. Despite this, it did not spoil the read. The story begins with a prologue set in 1988. Already there is a sense of danger as the opening chapter focusses on a young woman sorting out her belongings, fearful of being caught by an unidentified man as she tries to convince her small daughter they are about to go on an adventure.
The next chapter moves to present day Brittany, where central character Mila is working for the Toussaints Detective Agency and becomes involved in finding someone called Astrid Oake who is subject of a bequest from recently deceased Elizabeth Quemener. Mila has moved to France to look after her niece Ani, following the death of her parents. As the search for Astrid draws blanks, Mila receives unsettling news concerning one of Ani’s parents, which draws her into another investigation.

The author writes a compelling weave of mystery suspense filled with believable characters and a great plot. Although the third in the series, I did not find any difficulty having not read the previous novels, but am keen to go back to the beginning to get a fuller picture. Although most of the issues are eventually resolved, there’s definitely enough loose ends to indicate a fourth book will follow. A wonderful read, well worth the four stars I have given it.

Recommended.

I would like to thank Boldwood, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of The Sea House in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a continuation in the series about Mila, Ceci and Carter who run a detective agency in Brittany, with the main investigation in this novel focussing on the search for a woman who has been left a small legacy by a local woman, but who seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.. Meanwhile, the mystery of why her niece, Anais', mother and father had taken their yacht out into a storm, never to return alive - Sophie, her mother, washed up dead and her father is still missing two years later - continues to unfold when the identity of a body found in a cave is revealed. But that poses another question to which there seems to be no answer.

I didn't realise until I was a little way into it, that this is a follow on from the Lost Notebook, a book I had really enjoyed, and that there is another book, Summer of Lies, in between that book and this (incidentally, at the end of Summer of Lies, it trails a book called the Sea Cave, which doesn't seem to exist, but I wonder if it was an early version of this novel). I love Louise Douglas' writing style; she really draws you in and makes you care about the characters and what happens to them. I really enjoyed the story and there were twists in it I really wasn't expecting, which is always great. I look forward to more in this series.

The Sea House begins with an intriguing prologue taking place in 1988 and I was then completely hooked into the modern day story that followed trying to work out how the prologue fitted into this.
Mila works at a detective agency in the small Breton seaside town of Morranez and is given a very unusual job. A local woman has died but left a bequest to an old friend which must be delivered in person. Noone knows who this mysterious person is so Mila is employed to find her and deliver the bequest.
What follows is an intriguing mystery that starts off as a missing person enquiry and then moves into something else completely. Gradually the links with the prologue become clear although I could never have guessed the turn that the story took towards the end. It becomes quite dark and echoed a couple of stories that have been in the news over the past few years.
Louise Douglas has created a lovely set of characters in this series and the family dynamics and relationships between them all feel very real. I love the Breton setting too. Brittany is one of my favourite places to visit and this book really captured the feel of that part of France.
The enquiry is set against a longer running mystery which has run through all three books of this series and although we don’t find out much more about what happened to Sophie, the revelations in this book are quite shocking and impact all of the main characters.
Although this is the third in the series, it could very easily be read as a stand alone. I do recommend going back and reading the earlier books though as they are excellent.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers Boldwood Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Sea House by Louise Douglas is an enthralling, atmospheric mystery that grips you from the very first page and refuses to let go. This novel is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling, with twists and turns that make it impossible to put down.
The story centres on Anna, who, grieving a recent tragedy, escapes to a small, isolated seaside village, hoping for peace. But her retreat quickly becomes filled with unsettling secrets, eerie encounters, and whispers about the house she’s chosen to stay in a house haunted by its own dark history. Louise Douglas captures the sense of isolation and mystery that permeates the seaside setting, weaving it into Anna’s journey as she unearths long-buried secrets about both the village and the people who once inhabited The Sea House.
Louise Douglas’ writing shines, combining beautiful prose with a slow-burn suspense that builds into a thrilling mystery. Each character feels deeply layered, adding to the tension and intrigue as their motives and histories are slowly revealed. This is not only a mystery but a story that explores themes of loss, healing, and the courage required to face the past.
Having never read a Louise Douglas novel before, I was captivated by the ability to create such an intense, emotionally charged narrative with strong, relatable characters and unexpected plot twists. The knack for weaving together suspense and mystery while also exploring deep emotional landscapes made this an unforgettable read. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is almost a book of two halves. At first Mila is investigating the whereabouts of a deceased woman’s friend to deliver a bequest, then the book takes a very different approach and gets very dark, which was unexpected. The descriptions of life in France are enjoyable to read. The third book of a series but can be read as a stand alone. The darker side of the book was not for me so 4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Sea House by Louise Douglas in return for my honest review.
This is the third book in the series and although it can be read as a standalone I would recommend reading the first two to get a better understanding of the characters past history and also as they are really good books. Louise Douglas writes a really good mystery and this third book is no exception a really enjoyable read with really well crafted characters, I highly recommend reading.

“The Sea House” by Louise Douglas, is the third book in a series, although I only realised this after I started reading. I do think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous 2 books to understand the backstory. That being said this book could certainly be enjoyed as a standalone tale.

The story follows detective Mila Shepherd as she is tasked with locating Astrid Oake to deliver a package from the late Elizabeth Quemener. Mila is drawn into a trial that spans generations and geographies, with plot twists that keeps you guessing.

The pace was a little slow in the beginning, but it builds toward a suspenseful ending, while leaving lingering questions for future stories.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Ok, I’m the odd person out but I just didn’t care for this book at all. It’s too slow moving for me and just couldn’t get into it. It was boring.

This was a entralling read that kept me turning pages to conclusion. I loved the atmospheric setting, the mysterious plot and the well crafted characters. A absolute page turner that I highly recommend. The story has multi layers for every reader to discover and enjoy. The writing is intriquing as a good mystery should be as the author builds the suspense. A very enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity.

I really like this series. It was lovely to be dropped back into Mila's world and reconnect with the characters. The setting as always is very vivid and each of the characters are distinct and believable. The backstory of Sophie and Charlie never really moves on much but we do get a bit more information with each book and a deep sense of how it affects each character, particularly Ana but also Mila, Carter and Ceci. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery of Astrid Oake and it kept me reading. As the pieces dropped slowly into place, it was very satisfying for the reader. A great read.

Having read stand alone novels by this author previously i was intrigued to read this one which is book 3 of a detective series. I was initially concerned that I would not be able to get into the book as I would not know the charisma their background but I was soon into the plot and enjoying every moment.

This is the search for Astrid Oake, who has been left a bequest by her late friend Elizabeth and has not been seen for many years. The agency have taken in the case to locate her and the search quickly becomes unsuccessful until a clue emerges and a trip to England is made.

Very well written and quite dark in places. Without giving the plot away the end was unexpected and in some places difficult to read, but seemed so real
it could have been on a news story.

Thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend. I’m going to look out for the other books now on the series.

Another gripping book by Louise. Well written, orignal, I was hooked from the first page. I loved trying to work out the storyline and what was going on. Fab

Mila and Carter have a detective agency and were tasked to find Astrid Oake and deliver a small package after the death of Elisabeth Quemener.

The book is part of a series, but can be read separately. While investigating the mystery of Astrid Oake, Mila also tries to find what happened with her sister and brother in law that tragically disappeared 2 years ago.

The first part has a slower pace, but there are many twists and mysteries uncovered that keep you engaged and the pace picks up towards the end. The action is set in France and England. I liked the atmosphere created that increased the suspans in some parts.

The ending was surprising but also left writers with questions that will maybe be answered in a new book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Boldwood Books and Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I was hooked from the beginning of this book.

After Elizabeth has passed away, she’s left a package, it’s to be delivered to someone called Astrid, and is only to be opened by her and no one else. But, no one knows has seen Astrid, or knows what she looks like after she disappeared.

Her family ask for help from an agency and so, Mila and Carter are the two who are given the job of finding Astrid.

When they start to look into where Astrid is or her disappearance, there’s lots of twists along the way and some unexpected findings.

I highly recommend this book.

I was pretty engaged in this book until the ending where everything happened so quickly . The farm house events were somewhat far fetched . Lots of unanswered questions to be addressed but the author was able to connect people, places and events to make for a decent read .

The Sea House by Louise Douglas is a recommended investigative mystery.

Mila Shepherd is working for the Toussaints Detective Agency when they receive a request from the family of Elizabeth Quemener. Elizabeth has passed away and left a small package to Astrid Oake. The instructions say that the package must be handed directly to Astrid and if she can't be found then it is to be buried in Elizabeth's grave. The problem is no one knows who Astrid is, let alone how to find her. Mila takes on the job finding the missing woman even as the quest appears to be becoming increasingly dangerous.

At the same time Mila is caring for her niece, Ani, after deaths of her Stepsister Sophie and her husband Charlie. Their deaths also involve a mystery that must be unraveled. All of this and problems in her personal life add additional stress.

This well-written, atmospheric mystery is even paced, at times down right slow, for over half of the novel, but does pick up toward the end. The setting is a French village, with Mila traveling to England for the investigation. Much of the plot is the investigation, looking into the past of Elizabeth in an attempt to find out who is Astrid Oake. Her associate Carter, is very helpful in the investigation while Mila does the leg work.

Apparently it is part of the Toussaints Detective Agency series, which I didn't know. While reading there were times where it felt as if I was missing parts of the story that might have increased my connection with the characters. This one also leaves unanswered questions. What saved the novel was the last final third when the action finally picked up the pace. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This was absolutely amazing! I was totally enthralled with this story from beginning to end, I could barely put it down, and when I finally read the last page, the house was dark, I was hungry, thirsty, needed to pee and my neck was stiff. But damn, it was worth it!

What a wonderful book this is. Such a great atmospheric read with an intriguing storyline and great characters. I was absolutely hooked from start to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my copy of TheSea House by Louise Douglas
When Mila Shepard receives a request to find a missing person, Astrid Oake to deliver an inheritance little does she know how hard it will be.
Dealing with the death of her stepsister and brother in law, and taken up the guardianship of her niece Ani Mila has a lot on her mind.
But the more she discovers the more she is determined to find Astrid, whatever it takes.
A very good story told well.

When Edie's mother-in-law, Anna DeLuca, dies, she is relieved. Edie blames Anna for the accident that destroyed her family. So when her will leaves Edie to Sicily and the long-abandoned Villa della Madonna del Mare, she sees through Anna's games. Suspecting Anna is meddling from beyond the grave to try and reunite her and her ex-husband Joe, Edie is determined to leave Italy as soon as possible. But before she can, the villa starts to shed its mysterious secrets. Who are the girls beside Anna in her childhood photos, and why has one of them been scratched out? Why does someone, or something, want them to leave the past untouched? The villa is a place where old ghosts feel at home, but does their legacy need to be laid to rest before Edie and Joe can move on?

This is quite a complex mystery. Edie and Joe had lost their son Daniel ten years ago. Although I felt sorry for Edie, I did not care for her. Edie blamed the tragedy on her ex-mother-in-law. When Anna passed away, she left the villa to Edie and Joe. Edie has to travel to Italy hoping to get the paperwork sorted and the villa sold. But the villa holds lots of secrets.We get drama, secrets, and some tender moments in this story. The pace is on the slow side. It's also quite eerie with a beautiful setting.

Published 5th November 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #LouiseDouglas for my ARC of #TheSeaHouse in exchange for an honest review.