Another excellent book in this great series. I loved the characters and the story and was engrossed from the first page.

Blood tide by Claire McGowan
This is book 5 of the Paula Maguire series.
A very good read. Great story. Paula was my favourite character. I hope there is more to come. 4*.

Blood Tide by Claire McGowan
I love books that take you back to the main protagonists past. That feeling of unfinished business always leaves a heavy feeling of mounting pressure - it adds another dimension. When Paula Maguire is required to return to Bone island to investigate the disappearance of a young couple during a storm she soon comes to believe that the islanders are hiding something crucial to her investigation. With a brooding darkness throughout the novel this is a compelling read. the added time limitations of the approaching storm just ratchets things up another notch. Loved it!

Book 5 in the Paula Maguire series. This is a series I have loved following. I love the character that Paula has become. And have enjoyed this book just as much as the other 4.
She certainly doesn't have the perfect private life, and it gets twisted up in work life an awful lot. She is still messed up in searching for clues of her missing mother.
​Single mother of a little girl, the reasons I won't mention here just in case you have not read the previous books.
​Paula is asked to help on a missing persons case, which sees her traveling to Bone Island. Just it's name gives you the creeps.
​It's another complex case, and as always things don't go to plan, nothing is straight forward and Paula finds herself in the middle of a sticky mess.
​It's another tense page turner, and leaves you wanting to turn the pages to see what is happening.
​I can't wait for more from Paula, she's certainly a great character.

Another absolutely thrilling book by Claire McGowan. This had me on tenterhooks and I love the mix of personal and profressional life of Paula.

Enjoyed the storyline in this book ,another episode in Paula Maguires life .I was enthralled as I couldn't believe that this kind of thing would happen,maybe I live in my own bubble.I would only have one complaint and ive found this with other books ,the way the authors end the books with a few quick chapters,however I expect that's to keep us hooked and get the next book.Thats the only reason for 4 stars .Cant wait for the next one

Five books in and this excellent series shows no signs of slowing down. Having just reviewed the 21st Rebus book, I'd be more than happy if this series was to run a similar length such is the strength of the writing and plotting. This volume finds forensic psychologist, Paula Maguire, heading to the remote Bone Island to investigate the disappearance of a young British couple who'd recently relocated there. The stormy weather is reflected in the inhabitants behaviour as a series of recent incidents of violence causes Paula to look deeper into the island and the shadowy company that has set up shop there. Alongside the main plot runs the continuing saga of Paula's missing mother who is presumed disappeared by the IRA when Paula was a teenager. Inch by inch Paula is getting closer to the truth but is finding it an emotional journey as her loyalties are tested. The two plots are juggled excellently, the parts focusing on the island reminded me of Peter May's Lewis Trilogy, the bleakness and constant battle against the elements making day to day life a struggle at times. The plot device of being cut off from the rest of the world works very well here as Paula has to think on her feet without her usual resources to call on and it makes for a thrilling climax. I zipped through this book as it was just so enjoyable. The turn of phrase the characters use is always a joy to read and its equally enjoyable to see some old faces from previous books pop up again. I'm already eagerly awaiting volume 6!

I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

I love this series by Claire Mc Gowan and I loved book 5. They are all beautifully written and well researched and this can be read as a stand alone but best to start with book 1. The story is dark and evil but full of tension and menace. Paula is a character I have mixed feelings about! At times I just want to shake her and the ending left me wanting to find out more. Book 6, must really be the last one surely? Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

Blood Tide is the fifth book in the Paula Maguire series, a series that goes from strength to strength. Paula is a forensic psychologist with an expertise in missing person cases. From her work with PSNI in Ballyterrin, Northern Ireland, she is called in to consult with the Gardai in the case of a missing English couple who have vanished from a remote island off Co. Kerry. Entwined with this is a sequence of flashbacks to an ongoing story arc concerning Paula's missing mother, who vanished at the height of the Troubles. The highlight of this book for me was the overwhelmingly menacing atmosphere created on Bone Island. The tension was palpable all the way through and I couldn't wait to see what was going to unfold next.

I’ve become a huge fan of the Paula Maguire series and I have loved every single book. For me I think it’s the characters and their own personal lives that really stand out in Claire’s novels. Paula’s history is very traumatic and this book takes her on a much more personal journey as she attempts to find answers. She is also still coming to terms with the imprisonment of her partner Aiden and is desperately trying to prove his innocence.
Paula is still searching for her mother who disappeared in the late nineties and it is suspected that she was a victim of the IRA. Paula now has a young child of her own, three year old Maggie, and this makes it even more important to her to find out the truth behind her mother’s disappearance.

In Blood Tide, Paula is sent to Bone Island, the last piece of land before the vast stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. A small community live on the island and it becomes apparent to Paula that there are some who are very hostile to outsiders. Paula is sent to investigate the disappearance of a couple from London who live and work on the island. She is hoping not to be away from her daughter for long, the main theory is that the couple were killed in an accident and drowned at sea. But as she begins to strip back the layers of the islands inhabitants she discovers a grisly set of events leading up the disappearance and she knows that she has to stay to see the investigation through.

Blood Tide was a seriously scary book. If I was anywhere near this island I would want to run a mile and when it becomes clear to the inhabitants that Paula is staying, it becomes very claustrophobic. Claire’s writing is taut and full of tension. The island setting was very atmospheric. Someone is keeping secrets on this island. Someone wants to make sure that those secrets remain secrets.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, as with all the Paula Maguire novels, Claire leaves us wanting to know more, Paula’s character and past becomes ever more intriguing. When I first discovered the series I bought each book at once and read them back to back, I don’t know what I’m going to do now that I have to wait a bit longer for the next one, I can’t wait to read it.

A massive five stars from me. Thank you to Headline and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read.

Bone Island, off the bleak west coast of Ireland, is the setting for this the fifth novel in the Paula Maguire series of crime thrillers. Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire is sent to the remote island with the support of Fiacra, after the local Gardaí requests help when two incomers are reported missing during a spell of very stormy, treacherous weather. They are a young couple, he a scientist from London called Matt Andrew, employed by the local seaweed processing plant as a marine biologist overseeing local marine welfare, both plants and sea life, and she the local part time doctor, a GP called Fiona Watts. Their island home is discovered empty but with the door locked from the inside and the lighthouse lamp smashed to smithereens on the floor below. As a specialist in the area of missing persons, Paula is the obvious choice as an investigator.
Paula had once holidayed on Bone Island with her parents when she was a child and had mixed feelings about taking this case. It meant leaving her young child behind, minded by her father and Maggie, his second wife. The story of Paula’s early life runs through the other novels in this series as well. Her mother had left home suddenly and was said to be one of the ‘disappeared’, taken in an act of revenge. Once her mother was declared dead, Paula was determined to find out what had happened to her. This thread runs through the current novel, chapters interspersed with each storyline.
The local population are very suspicious of this outsider investigation and are not at all pleased to have their ‘business’ investigated by outsiders. They are unwelcoming and obstructive, but it eventually comes to light that there have been a series of strange, unexplained incidents on the island, escalating as the time passed by. Paula becomes suspicious of the local Gardaí who seems to be keeping back information and hiding evidence from her. When Fiacra has an accident ashore, he is replaced by Guy Brooking who is unknowingly the father of Paula’s daughter after an earlier liaison and Paula’s life becomes even more chaotic. Her fiancé Aiden is in prison and it looks like he may be absent for some time. Paula is in a quandary what to do about her domestic circumstances.
‘Blood Tide’ is a dark, creepy murder mystery full of unanswered questions. As the stakes get higher and higher the locals are keeping secrets from the police and each other. When the first body appears and secured evidence goes missing, Paula feels the atmosphere of menace and secrecy escalates. As a fierce storm rages she must decide what to do. A fire is set and more evidence is lost. Paula’s complicated life spins even more out of control and she begins to fear for her safety. Only her professionalism keeps her on track as the mystery and suspense is racked up. I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Headline for my copy of this novel sent out to me in return for an honest review. The novel is brooding, evil and full of crimes, suspicion and skulduggery. The menace and tension kept me reading, keen to find out all of the answers to the many questions posed by this disturbing tale of greed, cover-ups and dishonesty. I found it all just too incredible for words, although I was gripped by the story. I didn’t like the ending either, although Paula’s chaotic life will no doubt be one of the storylines in the next novel in this series.

I wish I had read the other books in this series,but even joining the party late and having to play catch up didn't take away my enjoyment of this book.I liked Paula and you just know the island and its people are going to be creepy, what a great name Bone Island... I loved the setting it was atmospheric and creepy .I liked the short chapters it works for me I always want to read just one more, and then another.The pace of the book was good and so was the plot .All in all a cracking read.Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Blood Tide by Claire McGowan

Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire has been despatched to a small island off the coast of Ireland, ominously named Bone Island. A couple has gone missing – the island’s doctor Fiona and her partner, naturalist Matt. They lived in the lighthouse but it stands empty, curiously locked on the inside, and there are traces of blood. Foul play is considered likely. The island’s small community is struggling to survive. It’s friendly enough but suspicious of outsiders, especially those asking questions, and Paula finds herself becoming increasingly anxious. And then the storm comes in, the ferries are cancelled, and Paula is trapped.

Paula has every reason to remember Bone Island. It was one of the last places she holidayed as a child when her family was complete. That wasn’t long before Paula’s mother Margaret disappeared, one of the many who vanished during the Troubles of Northern Ireland. Paula will never stop searching for her, piecing together what little evidence she can uncover. But there are more immediate crises facing Paula at home these days. This is not a good time to be trapped on this island, away from her little daughter, and that’s even before she learns the true danger of the island that holds her.

Blood Tide is the fifth novel in Claire McGowan’s Paula Maguire series. Paula has some significant issues in her life, some of which hark back to Ireland’s recent violent past but by no means all, and these thread their way through the novels. But if Blood Tide is the first you’ve read, you’ll soon catch up – these stories develop very slowly. The Bone Island mystery is completely stand alone.

I’ve read all but two of this series and I always look forward to them. I like Paula. Undoubtedly a magnet for intrigue and suffering, she has so much to contend with. Because of her missing mother, Paula is particularly suited to missing persons’ police work. She is driven to find people. She knows better than anyone how such a case can affect loved ones. Other people might be content to dismiss Fiona and Matt as people lost at sea, but that’s not good enough for Paula. She has to know one way or the other but she needs to see for herself in order to believe it. She never gives up.

There are occasions in Blood Tide when Paula is painfully reminded that she isn’t infallible, that she can’t always help, and she finds that hard to live with. I found these moments uncomfortable to read – in a good way. There are elements of this novel that remind me of so-called cosy crime (with the small claustrophobic island, the tiny community hiding a killer in its midst, the storm battering its cliffs and lighthouse), but there are other aspects to it that most certainly aren’t cosy. The sea and the island it batters are not safe and some of the crimes committed here, or incidents that have happened, are appalling.

I enjoyed the Bone Island mystery. It’s atmospheric, moody and sinister. I must admit, though, that it was rather guessable, while the disappearance of Paula’s mother, as well as Paula’s complicated (to say the least) private life, are developing painfully slowly. They’re also throwing up some coincidences that aren’t easily believable, not least the presence of a certain Guy Brooking on the island. But Blood Tide almost has the air of horror about it and I revelled in that aspect of it. We meet some interesting characters on this island, ranging from the deeply menacing to the frightened. And scattered throughout, we have the memories, now shadowed by menace and foreboding, of our lost Fiona as she tells us about her time settling into island life and her relationship with Matt, whom she first met when he saved her life at sea. These are people we want to be found. Nobody will try harder than Paula.

Other reviews
The Silent Dead
A Savage Hunger

When a young couple disappear on the ominously named Bone Island, forensic psychologist, Paula Maguire braves the treacherous weather to investigate. The case is bittersweet for Paula as it stirs up memories of the last family holiday she had with her long-lost mother. It is soon obvious that ‘outsiders’ are not welcome, with people reluctant to share information about the fate of the couple. With the storm not abating, Paula has a decision to make – should she return back to her daughter on the mainland and leave the case unsolved or risk being trapped on an island with a killer on the loose?

One of my favourite films is The Wicker Man where an ‘outsider’ is lured to a bizarre island in order to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. It was the similarity to this plot that first attracted me to Blood Tide and, after reading it, there are definitely parallels!

One of the things I enjoyed most about Blood Tide was the description of the island – indeed, the island became more of a character than a setting. The author has created an incredibly atmospheric backdrop to the story and it is easy to imagine the desolate landscape that is being terrorised by the unforgiving storm. At times, I felt like screaming at Paula to get off the island, such is the sense of foreboding. Of course, she doesn’t though, and what follows is the discovery of a conspiracy of silence that threatens the life of the forensic psychologist herself.

I would not describe Blood Tide as a fast-paced read, but more of a slow burner that really gets inside your head. Throughout the book, I developed many theories as to what had happened to the missing couple and I was pleased that some of them were correct. I liked the leading character and could really empathise with her plight as she tried to uncover the truth regardless of her own personal safety.

The only problem I had with this book was that I hadn’t realised that it was the fifth in a series. This meant that I had to try to figure out Paula’s backstory in addition to following the missing people story line. This is by no means a criticism – just a slight disappointment that I’ve missed out on the other books and that I have inevitably come across quite a few spoilers!

Didn't love this installment. The main story was obvious from the beginning and the back story surrounding Paula's mum was just annoying. This part needs to be dealt with and then move on with more interesting cases. Disappointed as I loved the last book.

Paula Maguire

Blood Tide is the fifth in the Paula Maguire series by Claire McGowan and possibly the best so far. It's a series going from strength to strength by an author who seems to be just below the radar, but is surely destined for major acclaim.

Paula Maguire is a forensic psychologist; an inspired career choice as it allows the author more flexibility than if she'd been a police officer. Maguire is very driven, not always constrained by rules and has experience in missing persons work. She has her own demons including a mother who disappeared and a fiancé awaiting trial for murder. Various individuals reappear in the series and with interesting back stories, the books are good at looking into personal relationships as well as the crime. Maguire is a very plausible and convincing female lead. Her own story is unfolding and developing as the series progresses and I'm enjoying the personal revelations alongside her crime investigations.

This story has a really strong sense of location; the crime scene is Bone Island a remote but inhabited area off the West Coast of Eire. A couple has disappeared; he's an environmental scientist and she's the island GP. There have been some strange goings on at a research establishment and events quickly take a dark turn. This story is a real belter with numerous strands and some edge of your seat reading. The plotting is skilled and intricate and there's a real sense of threat with some moments bordering on horror. Claire McGowan has created a really convincing set of locals. They don't like outsiders, that's for sure and there's a bit of a wicker man feel to it all!

This story can be read as a standalone as there's sufficient information to fill in the recurring themes, but I'd definitely recommend reading the earlier stories to fully appreciate some of the relationships. A powerful and slightly disturbing tale, well told and I completed it in a couple of sittings.

My thanks to the publisher for an early review copy via Netgalley.

Oh Paula, what kind of pickle have you got yourself into now...?
This is book five of a really excellent series and one which, in my opinion, is best read start to finish in order as the characters' backstories are a little... shall we just say interesting and convoluted. So, although like others, the main story in this book is complete, there is quite a bit of continuing series thread development happening along side.
Paula answers the call to go to the remote Bone Island to help them investigate the disappearance of a young couple during a storm. Although initially feared swept away in a tragic accident, it soon transpires that foul play may have occurred and so the local cop has called in the troops so to speak. Originally teamed up with old colleague Fiacra, together they travel over to the island where, early on they realise early on that outsiders are not welcome and that beneath the surface, strange things are occurring. If this wasn't enough, Paula has her own misgivings about the island as it features clearly in one of her last memories of her mother, another thing she is trying to uncover the truth of with the help of a private investigator. And to top it all off, Fiacra is injured and replaced by someone she doesn't relish working with. As things get weirder on the island, as everyone starts acting strange, can Paula get to the bottom of things before tragedy strikes again?
It's all go in this book. Aiden is still in jail, Paula is demanding answers about her mother's disappearance as well as trying to establish her fiance's innocence. And then there's Maggie, sweet little innocent Maggie, and the fall out from the revelation from the last book. So the last thing Paula needs is to be sent to a remote island, populated by people acting strange and very reluctant to her presence. Hindering her at every turn, and with a storm brewing that cuts power and communication to the island leaving her and the person she is trying to avoid cut off together, just them against everyone else cos, quite frankly, how do they choose which liar to trust.
It sounds quite over the top and far too convoluted for just one book but believe me, it just flies off the page. It is so very well plotted and paced perfectly. As the action ramps up to fever pitch on the island, we cut back to cover some of the other topics as a bit of well needed respite. The book takes a strange turn part way through as we switch genre away from a thriller crime novel and more towards horror as it starts to feel a bit like The Wicker Man in places. I felt quite claustrophobic at times when I was reading it, especially as it was hammering it down with rain here too! I lost count of the number of times I caught myself holding my breath as I followed the characters avidly.
This is definitely the series that keeps on giving and keeps on getting better. Not usually a fan of too much personal stuff taking over my crime fix, Paula's life blasts that requirement away as I am transfixed by the story of her mother and avidly following both Aiden and Maggie's threads. It really does all come as one big job lot and I am happy to accept and embrace it all. In fact, I really can't wait to see what twists or stings the author has in store for Paula next time.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I've always had a slightly qualified relationship with this series: I find Paula herself often irritating to the point of wanting to reach into the book and slap her but the complications of her life and relationships intrigue me. Here the unresolved storylines of the previous books don't move on at all which is somewhat irritating, and Paula leaves behind her almost-husband for a case on a remote island. That a forensic psychologist should be left to investigate a police case feels extraordinarily lax, but the story itself is a gripping one - even if the plot outcome is pretty clear by about 30% in. That Guy Brooking should be sent over to help Paula seems massively unlikely but, again, nothing moves on in their complicated relationship.

The story itself has a Wicker Man feel as the strange, insular island community closes ranks against the outsiders, and one of the strengths of the series - the nuanced inheritance of The Troubles - is largely missing. This is a page-turner of a read but the long-time narrative arc seems to have stalled. I'm not sure about continuing with this series unless some of those long-term issues are resolved rather than subsiding into a state of stasis.

A couple has gone missing on Bone Island and Paula Mcquire a forensic psychologist and missing persons expert has been called in to help find them. Paula has mixed feelings about returning to the island as it is the last place her family visited before her mother went missing over 20 years ago.
It becomes obvious to Paula that something is wrong on the island as some of the residents have become violent and no one can understand why, Paula begins to suspect foul play.
There are several different threads within the story, the problems on Bone Island, Paula’s mother’s disappearance many years ago and her fiance being in prison for murder.
This is the first book I have read in the Paula Mcquire series and I don’t think you need to have read the prior books to understand what has been happening in Paula’s life. Although this is the first Paula Mcquire I have read, it certainly won’t be the last and I intend to read the other books in this series. A very enjoyable read with an excellent ending.

An absolute triumph for Irish crime writing! I loved this book so much! Not only does Claire McGowan continue to surprise with her reveals she also keeps you guessing with every turn of the page. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars!