This is a well plotted and intriguing series and I loved all the instalments I read. Twisty, dark, gripping. Lucy Golden is a strong and clever character I like and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a BRILLIANT read! I loved it, loved it, loved it. Fantastic plotting with a really complex, credible protagonist. I''m pretty sure it's part of a series, and not the first one, but that didn't matter at all. I loved the west of Ireland setting (a place I know and love so I could picture all the locations), The plot was excellent and flawlessly executed. There's a glossary of police terms at the beginning that slightly put me off at first - I'm not a fan of police procedurals that go into too much technical detail. As it turned out, I needn't have worried - while the author has clearly done her research, the techincal details of policing were deftly done and never felt heavy handed.

A great read that I would highly recommend.

This series of books, set in Ireland and featuring Garda Lucy Golden, is definitely worth reading! The setting is lovely, set on Achille Island, the characterisation is believable and the plotting was complex but actually left me feeling a bit emotional towards the end. Not many books leave me feeling this way but this one certainly did with it's twists, suspense and an ending which left me hungry for the next episode in Lucy's life. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a review copy of The Reckoning, the third novel set on Achill Island, Co, Mayo to feature DS Lucy Golden of An Garda Síochána.

The body of Sandra Byrne, a recently returned native of the island, is found murdered in her deceased mother’s isolated house at Dugort pier. She was last seen leaving the pub with DG Ben Lively, one of Lucy’s team, and that brings a separate investigation. Lucy digs in to Sandra’s family and past, but all she seems to get are lies and obfuscations. If that isn’t enough her ex-husband and conman, Rob, is trying to get back into her life.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Reckoning, which is a fast moving police procedural with some interesting side action and a messy tale of a dysfunctional family. It is told from Lucy’s point of view, so the reader lives the investigation alongside her. There are surprises, twists, disappointments and a lot of frustration, stemming mostly from their inability to get a firm grip on Sandra and her life.

Sandra appears to have been a promiscuous woman with a drink problem and a transient lifestyle, but it’s all hearsay and her elastic attitude to the truth makes it difficult to get at the truth. I was impressed by how the author gradually reveals a different Sandra, who is more a victim in life than the careless flibbertigibbet she initially appears.

The novel is mostly concerned with efforts to uncover a suspect and a viable motive. There is some misdirection from an unnamed person with revenge in mind, that made this reader jump to certain conclusions and that’s cleverly done, but mostly it’s a question of interviewing witnesses and reviewing CCTV. Few of them are pleasant and all have secrets, so it’s a bit like Pandora’s box with more distasteful behaviour revealed in every interview. It could be argued that it makes them human, but maybe not when it’s at Sandra’s expense.

I found the novel immersive and addictive. There are some action scenes, but mostly it’s the uncovering of secrets. Quiet, but compulsive, if you like. The characterisation is strong with Lucy leading the charge. She is determined to get justice for Sandra, but there are personal issues that get in the way.

The Reckoning is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Interesting setting and great plot. Would recommend the whole series and this book. A great new police procedural. Highly recommend. Good writing style made it easy to read and enjoy.

Wow ,the reckoning kept me up late as i rushed to discover who the guilty person was .,i dont want to give too much away so buy it and read ,you wont regret it .

A decent police procedural, with interesting lead character, and even more interesting victim.
I enjoyed the writing style, and the plot.
This is book 3 in the series, and I haven't read the first two.
I felt everything was explained just fine, but coming into an established series never gives you the same experience as starting from beginning.
I'll be looking out for the other books I think.