Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I really enjoyed Dana’s previous books so I was excited to dive into this one.

Detective Abby Pearce has had a difficult past and returning to her home town is bringing back lots of unhappy memories. I quite liked Abby. She is a hard worker but she’s not perfect. I look forward to seeing how her character progresses as the series continues. I think she’s going to be an interesting one.

I also really liked Teena. I can’t wait for these two to work together again. Teena is an excellent cop and has just the right attitude to work with Abby.

The case of missing girl Samatha Claymore is quite an interesting one. There was very little for the team to go on. The evidence was scarce. The outcome of the case really took me by surprise. There are some very good twists in this story.

This book was very easy to read. It has a good pace and is well-plotted. It’s one of those stories that is easy to follow but not so easy to put down. I really enjoy Dana’s writing style.

My only little grip was that the ending was a little too wrapped up. It doesn’t really detract from the story but a bit of mystery at the end would have been nice.

This was an addictive book and I look forward to the next chapter in Abby’s story.

Detective Abby Pearce is a fascinating character. Dana Perry does an excellent job introducing us to her and then revealing more and more intriguing pieces of information about her past as the story continues. But Detective Pearce is intelligent, dedicated, and struggling with some personal demons – namely alcoholism. I really liked Detective Pearce, and I thought she made an excellent detective.

Everyone is a little shocked when their little corner of Martha’s Vineyard becomes ground zero for a high-profile kidnapping case. (Things like that just don’t happen there.) But as Detective Pearce starts digging into the case, things just aren’t adding up. The missing girl’s mom might be hiding something, and there are crazy ties to previous deaths that were signed off as natural causes. None of it is making a whole lot of sense, which was wonderful.

The detective work was terrific. And there are some really great friends/rivals on the force for Abby to interact with, and I hope we see them again. The bad guys are positively evil, and you can’t help but desperately hope for Abby and her team to track them down. This was an amazing story.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

3.5 stars
This is the first book in a new series and whilst it’s a good read, it felt like something was missing for me.
Detective Abby Pearce had returned to her hometown after tragically losing her partner in New York.
She’s asked to investigate a missing teenager who has gone missing after going out on her bike.
Her mum is a strange one and Abby knows there’s something going on with this family.
Soon a body is found but it’s not Samantha. However it is her best friend.
Abby tries to piece it all together and when she thinks she’s worked it all out, everything is turned on it’s head.
This is a steady start to a new series.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Her Ocean Grave is the first instalment in the Detective Abby Pearce series set in Cedar Cliffs on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Having studied to become a police officer at the Police Academy in New York City, Abby Pearce joined the 13th Precinct in Manhattan and had risen to become a decorated and prominent NYPD Homicide Detective. She had been in NY for a decade but after witnessing the death of her partner, Tommy Ferraro, who died in her arms, she started to self-destruct; this is what precipitated the heavy drinking as she blamed herself for his shooting and her alcohol issue also led to divorce. Abby is currently looking for a slower pace of life in order to try and heal from her trauma, so when the mayor of Cedar Cliffs, Peter Randall, offers her the job of the only detective in the tiny local PD, she gladly accepts. Martha's Vineyard was where she grew up yet it didn't hold the best of memories for her, but she hoped that she could get past that. Expecting a low level of crime as is usual for the area she believes she can stay on track in terms of her recovery from alcoholism. But when 16-year-old Samantha Claymore, the heiress to the Claymore Cosmetics company disappears while on holiday, Abby is under intense pressure due to the family's status to find her and bring her home safely. She had apparently gone on a bike ride to Edgartown but had never made it home. However, Abby can't help but feel that her mother, affluent socialite and company CEO Valerie, is not telling her everything and she comes across as cold and distant. There are few clues or leads to follow so the investigation is painfully slow until Abby discovers CCTV images of Sam shopping in town, which helps establish a timeline.

They also receive a ransom note asking for a very specific amount of money - $583,000. It includes the words: "Your company has gotten rich by underpaying workers and abusing animals in your test laboratories. Change is coming. Do you really want to know the pain of your daughter being dead? Do everything we say and you’ll get her back. Withdraw the money and await our next communication." But after paying the money nothing happens. Abby discovers Sam is not the first girl to go missing on the isolated island and there is a pattern that has developed over the years. Also, Sam’s father, Ronald Claymore, had died in what was said to be a boating accident 5 years ago; his death was ruled as an accidental drowning but was it? And if that wasn't complicated enough the body of Sam’s best friend Bridget Feckanin is found on a ledge beneath a cliff after a search was carried out when she didn't turn up for work at the Ice Cream Emporium. Can Abby put this high profile case to bed and prove her worth in the process? This is a riveting, compulsive and absorbing start to the series packed with twists and turns galore as well as deeply buried secrets about to be revealed at long last much to the devastation of those involved. Written in first person from Abby's perspective, actually worked exceptionally well here as Abby is a logical thinker and cogent too. She is battling many demons when we initially meet her but seems to be getting back on track and fighting the good fight against the trauma she's endured in the past. This makes her very human and easy to relate to almost immediately as we all have our cross to bear in one way or another. This is compelling, shocking, twisty and difficult to put down. Highly recommended.

This was an edge of your seat page turner! It’s a good police procedural type book. It’s full of twists and turns with an ending I only partially saw coming. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

As the beginning of a new series this book focuses more on the characters than the plot itself. The dialogues are kiddish and stilted and the twists plain. The island setting and the background characters are good. Would definitely give the next book a try as I liked the golden girl by this author.

Sixteen year old Samantha Claymore is missing and her wealthy mother and stepfather are worried.

This story takes us to the tony and wealthy island of Martha’s Vineyard, vacation-land to the rich and famous. When Samantha Claymore daughter of Valerie Claymore the scion of Claymore Cosmetics doesn't return home from a bike ride, Detective Abby Pearce is called in. Newly arrived back on Martha's Vineyard after a stint working in the New York City Police Department, Abby is well aware of what can and does happen to a child who goes missing especially one who is an heir to a fortune. Sure enough a ransom note arrives asking for a very strange amount of money which her step father brings to the island. And then nothing, no word from the kidnapper and the town and Abby have no idea where Samantha could be. Searches are conducted, people are questioned and there seems to be absolutely nothing that can help Abby and those who work with her as to the whereabouts of Samantha.

Abby, a runaway herself in her past, has many questions that crop up during her investigation as so many items just don't seem to gel. She distrusts many who reside on the island, many of whom were there when she felt the need to disappear. Abby's past keeps her pondering about the police, the investigators, and of course the wealthy people who can keep scandal and improper behavior out of the news and from being investigated.

The case takes on terrifying proportions when Samantha's best friend is found dead as she apparently fell from a cliff. Also found among the ruins of what had happened years ago are a number of missing girls as well as the most peculiar death of Samantha's father five years previously that Abby becomes aware of. All is not right on the island of wealth and affluence.

How all of this ties together makes for a most intriguing case for Abby as well as those who read this story. Cleverly put together, with clues dropped along the way, this book will definitely appeal to those who enjoy a twisted crime thriller that keeps the reader on edge and waiting for what seems the inevitable to happen.

Thank you to Dana Perry, Bookuture, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out June 2, 2021.

A complex and fascinating mystery! Detective Abby Pearce has left her painful past as a homicide detective with the NYPD for her home in Cedar Cliffs. Her addiction to alcohol and broken marriage have led her to her current position as the only detective on her small-town force. Her first major case involves teen Samantha Claymore who went for a bike ride and hasn’t returned. She is the daughter of a wealthy woman whose husband, Samantha’s father, drowned several years ago. His body was never found. Abby knows that she has a lot to prove to both herself and the town. Slowly she begins to conquer her addiction while piecing together evidence that often leaves her with more questions. Samantha wondered if her father was murdered; was she investigating his death? Will Abby find out what happened to Samantha and what other secrets will her investigation reveal? Great read! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

It is said, though I do not know the source of the quote, that a brave soldier never looks back. I take this to mean that it’s a bad move generally to revisit past glories and/or failures, and that one should always look face forward. The past has passed; it’s history; what’s done is done and there’s no need to dwell on what might have happened if circumstances and feelings were different. If this was indeed the case, then therapists would be out of business and writers would run out of material to write about. Sometimes, though, we find that, in the end, we have no choice but to look back and consider our life choices in relation to where we are now.

Her Ocean’s Grave is the first book in a new crime fiction series from author Dana Perry. In it, she introduces a compelling new character who comes to realise that returning to where it all began is the most important step many of us need to take if we are to understand ourselves and our place in the world.

Abby Pearse faces this kind of dilemma when, after a decorated career in the New York Police Department comes to a tragic end, she finds herself back in her hometown of Cedar’s Cliff, Martha’s Vineyard as the island’s police force’s sole detective. While not exactly a hotbed of crime, Abby has enough to keep her going, despite not fitting in and others being suspicious of her position and notoriety. But Abby knows her job, and when a young girl goes missing, Abby wastes no time getting to the truth of what happened to Samantha Claymore.

Abby’s personal life is a bit of a mess. Recently divorced, she struggles with an alcohol addiction that follows her around like a shadow. Bouts of sobriety are punctuated with blow-outs which cost Abby both her marriage and her position in the NYPD. Coming home hasn’t really helped because she’s estranged from her mother, who’s in a nursing home, and her father has been dead for some time. The only person she feels she can talk to is her father’s ex-business partner Stan Larsen, whom she calls ‘Uncle Stan’. Memories of past events haunt her as she patrols the streets of Cedar’s Cliff, with one particular traumatic incident rearing its ugly head during the course of her investigation into Samantha’s disappearance.

Abby must form a working relationship with Teena Morelli, a uniformed cop who resents Abby for taking the detective job she felt was hers by right. She doesn’t know whether or not she can trust her boss, Chief Wilhelm, because of his past association with Samantha’s father who died in suspicious circumstances years earlier. And then there’s Lincoln Connor, a local journalist looking for a big scoop, whose presence is an unwanted distraction in Abbey’s life and investigation. With a number of characters who have secrets of their own, Abby has a lot on her plate sorting the good guys out from the bad.

The plot has a pleasing amount of twists and red herrings, more than enough to satisfy fans of crime fiction and police procecdurals in particular, and will certainly have you flying through the chapters until the end. I feel there is more to come from Abby Pearse, not just in the way of crimes to investigate but in her personal development. At the end of Her Ocean’s Grave, Dana Perry sheds a little light on Abby’s history and suggests that the detective’s greatest battles and triumphs are ahead of her.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers of Her Ocean’s Grave for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Her Ocean Grave, the first novel to feature Detective Abby Pearce, set on Martha’s Vineyard. Publishing date 2 June 2021. As the first book in the new series I was interested to read this thriller/mystery and I must admit I do like a female lead detective novel. I seem to be picking some cracking books at the moment and this one did not disappoint at all. Another fabulous novel that keeps you guessing until the last few pages with twists and turns all the way through. I’m looking forward to the follow up book in this series. Grab yourself a copy of this great read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After her marriage breaks down and her partner is shot dead before her eyes, Detective Abby Pearce, a young, decorated homicide detective in New York City, returns home to Martha’s Vineyard for a change of pace, joining the police force in her hometown. Not long after her arrival, a teenager named Samantha Claymore, the daughter of the wealthy founder of a cosmetics company, disappears. Abby, the small-town force’s only detective, is assigned the case.

After having conducted searches and making the usual inquiries in a missing persons case, but not making much progress, Abby begins to review old case files. She learns that Samantha is not the only young girl to go missing on Martha’s Vineyard. Further, Abby believes there could be still more victims. Her colleagues disagree – until Samantha’s best friend is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Abby also begins to look into whether there is any connection between Samantha’s disappearance and the death of Samantha’s father in a boating accident (which Samantha survived) five years earlier.

The novel has good pacing and is an easy, quick read. Early on, I predicted a few things that occurred, and thought I was going to be bored; however, the story became much more complex and there were a number of twists and turns I hadn’t predicted.

The novel has good pacing and is an easy, quick read. Early on, I predicted a few things that occurred, and thought I was going to be bored; however, the story became much more complex and there were a number of twists and turns I hasn’t predicted.

It would be hard not to root for Abby. Professionally, she is smart and tough, and determined to make up for past mistakes by finding Samantha. Her personal side is well-explored in the novel as well, as we learn that not only is she grieving the loss of her marriage, she is also a recovering alcoholic and dealing with past trauma. The secondary characters are also well-developed.

I give this book a solid four stars, and will definitely watch for the next book in the series.

This book had an interesting plot: A girl goes missing during an afternoon bike ride on an island, there is no indication of foul play she seems to have dissapeared into thin air.
I had a had time getting into this story. While I do think it was well written, I felt like I was reading facts instead of being told a story that I could imagine in my head. Like I was watching a police procedural tv show that felt the need to explain every single detail of every thing. I didn't get any feelings or emotion from the main character except for her desire to prove herself to her Chief, and how much she loved her dog.
There were some really good twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I did like how it ended it was definitely surprising.
However lots of other people really enjoyed this book, so I think its just a me thing that I couldn't get into it.

Detective Abby Pearce has returned home after 10 years with the NYPD. She's looking forward to a slower pace, but that's unfortunately not meant to be. When Samantha Claymore, daughter of a wealthy cosmetic empire, goes missing, Abby is put in charge because of her previous experience. Some things about the case just don't add up, and Abby must confront some past demons that caused her to leave home so many years ago.

I give this story a solid 3 stars. I liked the plot fine enough but some of the writing was a bit... lacking I guess. The wording of the characters seemed a bit juvenile at times. I would definitely read another book in the series. I liked Abby's character. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Jessie Tucker series so I was excited to start this new series. Unfortunately, it's just an okay read. The mystery itself is complex with plenty of suspects and twists. That's what kept me reading. Abby has some potential to be a great character. I hope to see better development in a second book. This one is way too full of New York. We get it. Abby was a hotshot detective with the NYPD. It seems to get brought up every few pages though and it takes away from the story and the character. I really hope it's not more of the same with the next book.

A new series from a new-to-me author were two good reasons to dive into Her Ocean Grave by Dana Perry.

I really liked the history of Det. Abby Pearce's childhood in Martha's Vineyard, her move away and now, her return.

I liked her tenacity. As a former NYC detective, she honed the skills that she takes home with her. Skills that ultimately help solve her first big case on the island.

These things all helped when I struggled for about 10% of the book, but determination and a storyline that suddenly seemed to lurch forward and fully capture my interest, were what saved the day.

In the end, I really enjoyed Her Ocean Grave and will certainly be looking out for more Det Abby Pearce in the future.

Wow, what a fabulously gripping novel Her Ocean Grave is! I loved how Abby was a strong woman struggling with alcohol whilst being a law enforcement officer. Sam is missing and Abby is the only detective in the local force so is the one searching for Sam. Her investigations prove that other young girls have gone missing from the area and Sam had her suspect..........

#NetGalley #HerOceanGrave #DanaPerry
Abby Pearce returns to Martha’s Vineyard where she grew up when her marriage end.
It’s a big change going from a New York Homicide Detective to a detective on a sleepy island, until a sixteen year old girl goes missing.
Can Abby find her, is she a runaway or a hostage for ransom ? Then a body turns up.
A great start to a new series.

A strong start to a new series. I look forward to seeing how the characters grow in the next installment.

Thank you #netgalley and #bookouture for the eARC.

I have a confession. I have a serious addiction to mystery series starring female detectives. After I became addicted to 8 separate series I swore no more. Well, I fell off the wagon. Her Ocean Grave is a new series based on Martha’s Vineyard. I love the setting. I like that the author uses the first person narrative. It makes it so different from the other series. Perry wrote a very creative, intricate plot. Abby Pearce is flawed and she makes no pretense about it. She is a good sleuth and takes no guff. I can’t wait for more books in this series. An island paradise off the coast of Massachusetts offers so much potential.

Detective Abby Pearce is back on her home island of Martha’s Vineyard needing to escape the trauma of her life as a well-known NYPD homicide officer. Her childhood as part of the small community however, wasn't a carefree experience either and life is still tough. As a recovering alcoholic she knows this is likely to be her last chance to stay in the job she loves and with a low level of local crime she hopes to get her life back on track.

All her plans go out the window when Samantha Claymore the teenage heiress to a global cosmetics company is reported missing and Abby is put in charge of finding her. With secrets coming to light, along with the re-emergence of her own buried memories, Abby finds herself struggling against her reliance on alcohol and the hostility of some of her new colleagues as she works to find clues to Samantha's whereabouts. With details emerging about Sam's friendships and family history Abby gets called a cliff side location where a body has been found.

This is the first book featuring Abby Pearce on the island of Martha’s Vineyard and is a very good start to what looks to be a great series. Although some of the storyline was familiar the denouement surprised throughout and was very satisfying. The limited size of the location also promises great things especially as the total population explodes for two months of the year.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the prospect of getting lost in a great new series.