ARC Review: A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

A Madness of Sunshine
Author: Nalini Singh
Publication: Berkley (December 3, 2019)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh welcomes you to a remote town on the edge of the world where even the blinding brightness of the sun can’t mask the darkness that lies deep within a killer.…

On the rugged West Coast of New Zealand, Golden Cove is more than just a town where people live. The adults are more than neighbors; the children, more than schoolmates.

That is until one fateful summer—and several vanished bodies—shatters the trust holding Golden Cove together. All that’s left are whispers behind closed doors, broken friendships, and a silent agreement to not look back. But they can’t run from the past forever.

Eight years later, a beautiful young woman disappears without a trace, and the residents of Golden Cove wonder if their home shelters something far more dangerous than an unforgiving landscape.

It’s not long before the dark past collides with the haunting present and deadly secrets come to light.

My Thoughts: Anahera, betrayed by her husband and life in London, returns home to the beautiful West Coast of New Zealand that she ran from as a teen. She's temporarily abandoned her career as a pianist and wants to reconnect with her roots and old friends.

Will has also found at least a temporary refuge in Golden Cove too. He was a decorated police officer until things happened that almost destroyed him. He finds himself the sole police officer for the town and gradually getting to know the locals.

When a beautiful young woman with a bright future goes missing, everyone is a suspect. While the town rallies to search the the tangled bush and dangerous sea, Will tries to unearth long buried secrets. The disappearance reminds many of a time some years ago when three young female hikers disappeared from the area. Their cases have never been solved and were declared accidents at the time. Will starts to think that there is a serial killer in town - someone who has been under the radar for years.

I enjoyed the beautiful but dangerous setting for the story. I liked getting to know Ana and her childhood friends who all happen to be back in town. I liked the slow growing relationship between Will and Ana - two people who had both been hurt and who weren't looking for a new relationship.

The plot was well-developed as were the many intriguing characters. I liked that Ana and many of the characters were Maori. I have enjoyed the author's writing in other genres and was glad to find that she was also excellent at writing romantic thrillers.

Favorite Quote:

She was aware of Will coming up behind her, a large solid presence, and suddenly her body, which had been in deep freeze for seven months, decided to wake up. It liked the smell of this cop, liked the look of him, liked those moody eyes and the way he was hunting so hard for a girl many in his position would've forgotten.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.