Louise Douglas is one of my authors I will always automatically read and because of this I didn't realise it was a sequel to The Lost Notebook! I love they style of her writing and the images she creates. The characters, the story; a fab follow on.

Enjoyed it, but not as much as The Lost Notebook. The beginning was slow to me and I found it hard to get into the story. Even Mila didn't seem to enjoy herself while she was visiting her mom, grandma and Luke in England. Growing up with Lydia Shepherd sounded dreadful, no wonder Mila wants to live in France. Thank goodness Mila has Ceci for a stepmom. I love the relationship they have together. Lydia is always negative. Why are Mila and Luke still together? Carter definitely has some secrets. I think he knows what really happened to Charlie and Sophie during the storm. He's hiding something. Is he really Ani's dad? Carter and Mila have such a strange relationship. He either forgot or pretends Mila never confessed her love for him. From what Mila has revealed about Sophie, she doesn't seem like she was always such a nice sister to Mila. Did Mila always idolize Sophie? She put Sophie on such a high pedestal, one she really doesn't deserve. Their relationship seemed one sided. Mila needs to get Sophie's voice out of her head. From the start, Briony's story immediately made me think of Gypsy Blanchard. Appearances aren't always like they appear. I immediately thought her mom was a smother and following in DeeDee Blanchard's footsteps, but there was a twist. When everything was finally revealed, I never expected it.

Definitely recommend the book. Enjoyed the characters, writing style and story. I hope there's another book because I still have so many questions. Will Mila and Luke actually get married, live in the same country or finally breakup? Neither seem truly happy with their situation. Were Sophie and Charlie doing something illegal? Will Mila and Carter eventually end up together? I look forward to reading more books by the author.

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

This author is one of my automatic go to authors, so I was really pleased when I saw that she had a new book on the horizon, and even more so when I saw that it was a follow up to The Lost Notebook - one of my favourite reads last year! In this instalment Mila and Carter take on the case of the missing nineteen-year-old Briony, who seems to have been taken from Wales and brought to France, as it battles a heatwave.
The plot is centered on the mystery of Briony's vanishing, and the secrets and lies surrounding her disappearance; as well as new evidence emerging about Charles, Mila’s brother in law and Ani’s dad.
Another compelling and unputdownable read and I now eagerly await the next instalment of the Toussaints detective agency.

This was a very enjoyable summery read. We flit between France and England as the plot unfolds and it was nice to get this contrast and follow the characters during a sweltering Summer.
Maya, our lead character is fantastic and I liked getting to know her, learning about her life and following her throughout this plot. The other characters are strong too and I thought they all brought something to the plot. There is an investigation at the centre of this book and my only thought is that was really the main plot and some of the side plots around the characters were not that relevant. They were all interesting and I did not find the book too long, I just thought the direction of what this was trying to be got lost.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read with mystery at the heart of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.

If you read The Lost Notebook, you’ll love this sequel! If you haven’t, the author fills in enough backstory for you to hop right in. Win - win.

Douglas sweeps readers away to the fictional seaside town of Morannez, Brittany and wows them with her vivid descriptions of this idyllic Brittany coastline.

Mila Shepherd and the Toussaints Agency are hired to find a missing 19-year-old Welsh girl. It seems Briony Moorcroft has been taken from Wales and is believed to be in France. Unfortunately, the French police are offering little help, making this case a difficult one for Mila and her colleague, Carter Jackson. The tension ramps up due to the client's disclosure of a factitious disorder, the imposing wildfires, evidence coming to light about Mila’s stepsister’s husband, the uneasiness felt with the Moorcrofts, and the heatwave in France.

For those who enjoyed book one, Ani, Mila’s niece, continues to be a handful to raise and the backdrop of sizzling France continues to be perfect for Douglas’s mysterious and dramatic events.

This great mystery, focusing on lies, good mothers and with references to Daphne du Maurier’s work, is one you’ll need to reach for if you’re looking for something different in the mystery genre.

I can’t wait for the next installment, The Sea Cave!

I was gifted this copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Mila works for the family-owned detective agency and is working a case involving a missing girl. Her search will end differently than anyone would believe! This is a book that starts out slowly, but builds to a good ending. I enjoyed the characters and the plot! Once again, the reader will find out that all is not what it seems….

3.5 stars

Mila Shepherd lives in Morannez in Brittany and works for Toussaints detective agency which is owned by her stepmother Ceci. Mila cares for her fifteen year old niece Anais (Ani), the daughter of her dead stepsister Sophie and Sophie’s missing husband Charles. It’s a very hot summer and Brittany like the rest of France bakes in the heat with the threat of wildfires spreading around Morranez. Toussaints latest case is a missing persons inquiry as it seems that nineteen year old Briony Moorcroft has been taken from her Welsh home and brought to France. Can Mila and her colleague Carter Jackson find Briony as it appears the French police are dragging their heels? There’s also the possibility of new evidence emerging about Charles. Will the truth finally come to light?

I really enjoy The Lost Notebook where we first meet Mila, Ani, Ceci and Carter and although I think this next instalment is good it’s not quite as exciting as the first book. It’s a bit slow to get going and there is some repetition from book one which is useful if you haven’t read it. I like the characters very much especially Mila and Ani with Mila being a fantastic mother substitute for Ani and I admire her for this. However, at times Mila lives a bit too much in her head which is perhaps understandable in the circumstances.

I love the setting in and around this gorgeous part of France and the author utilises the area very effectively in the storytelling and you sure feel the heat! The Briony inquiry has intensity to it partly because the teenager has health issues and it’s a puzzle why she has been brought to France. This mystery is good, I like the way this unfolds and though I do guess part of it fairly early one it doesn’t spoil the enjoyment and there’s a good twist I don’t foresee. The wildfires add tension and chaos towards the end and a real feel of urgency.

It’s obvious there’s going to be another book as there are things left unresolved and I look forward to reading that and being back in France with this likeable group of characters.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I've enjoyed previous books by Louise Douglas so I was excited to read this one and to see the drama unfold between Wales and France was exciting and tense!