I went into this book without having read anything by Rosie Walsh before, and I’ll admit that the opening tested my patience. The first several chapters move slowly and the timeline shifts feel a little murky, which left me unsure of where the story was heading. I struggled through the first seven chapters, but I’m genuinely glad I kept going because once the threads began to tighten, the book transformed into something far more gripping than I expected.
The story follows Carrie, who is now married to Robin and raising their twins in a life that feels settled and safe. But twelve years earlier she married Johan on a beach in Thailand, only to watch him be taken away by police hours after their vows. She never saw him again. When she unexpectedly comes across Johan online in the present day, everything she thought she had put behind her resurfaces with force. The narrative moves between 2010 and 2020, and as Carrie revisits the past, it becomes clear that the events of that night in Thailand have shaped far more of her present than she has ever admitted.
The book blends themes of identity, loyalty, motherhood and the weight of unresolved trauma. I enjoyed the shorter chapters and the way the two timelines echo one another, gradually revealing how deeply the past has embedded itself in Carrie’s life. The family dynamics are particularly well drawn and feel believable, especially the tension between Carrie’s responsibilities and her desire to reclaim the career she once loved.
There are plenty of twists, some predictable and others that genuinely surprised me. A few plot points do stretch believability and there were moments where the story felt convenient rather than convincing, but I was entertained throughout. Once the pace picked up, I found myself racing through chapters, eager to understand Johan’s choices and the truth behind that disastrous wedding night.
This sits somewhere between romantic suspense and a slow‑burn mystery. It doesn’t fully commit to being a thriller or a romance, which may leave some readers wanting more from either side, but the emotional pull of the story kept me invested. Walsh’s descriptive writing transported me from Thailand’s heat to Sweden’s icy stillness and the moody landscapes of Devon.
Despite a slow start and a few far‑fetched turns, this was an engaging and atmospheric read. If you enjoy relationship‑driven mysteries with emotional depth and a steady build of tension, this one is worth picking up, especially as a holiday or beach read.
Thank you to Pan MacMillan SA for the opportunity to read this book.
