Louise Douglas excels at writing atmospheric stories. The sense of place is always strong when I read a book by her. Her descriptions of Sicily took me right there. Such vivid details of the country and Villa Alba. The earthquake of 1968 is also featured. The author expertly describes the devastation and impact this had on Sicily and the area. Though I like paranormal elements, I want them to be more than just ‘feelings’. We have quite a few references to ghosts and stuff, which go nowhere in the plot. This seems more like an attempt to create an atmosphere. It’s not necessary and only causes a distraction (I kept wondering if something will come out of it).

April makes a great team with an Italian police inspector called Luca Mazzotta, and together they go through all they find out separately, and deduce from that what could have happened. The Secret Of Villa Alba was an intriguing, gripping dual timeline mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best' Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken Present day, TV showman and true crime aficionado Milo Conti is Italy's darling, uncovering and solving historic crimes for his legion of fans. When he turns his attention to the story of the missing Irene Borgata, accusing her husband of murder, Enzo's daughter Maddi asks her childhood friend, retired Detective April Cobain, for help to prove her father's innocence. But the tale April discovers is murky: mafia meetings, infidelity, mistaken identity, grief and unshakable love.A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.’ Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress With the focus on the case, there isn’t much space for anything else. I couldn’t connect with April at any point. The book totally belongs to the Borgata family and their secrets. There are a lot of secrets, too (some unnecessary and abruptly rounded off at the end). As well as the mystery, Louise Douglas drew me in to the Sicilian way of life and the landscape. The setting is stunning. Villa Alba in its decline felt authentic with whispers of its past echoing around the rooms.

The story is told from the point of view of Irene, newly married into the Borgata family and April a retired Inspector who is trying to solve the mystery of Irene’s disappearance. I really loved both the main characters and enjoyed following them throughout the book. They were both strong women, nursing heartache which made me immediately on their side. I felt especially sorry for Irene who was trying to get used to a new country and deal with other family members expectations about what she should be doing. The chapter placement is done very well. As April explores the Villa and learns about the Borgata family members, we see Irene’s life progressing in parallel. Though it causes some repetition, it works in the plot’s favor to help readers connect the past and present. I loved The Lost Notebook so much! From the opening lines, I was drawn in to a gripping story, beautifully written and so cleverly orchestrated. I rooted for the main character, I held my breath at the denouement and as for the climax of the book - just wow. Highly recommended.' Judy Leigh I did enjoy this one very much. The family relationships, both in the past and present make for an captivating read – there are secrets and deceit which April needs to work through, with the assistance of a local Detective Inspector.Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. Look forward to reading more books by the author. I can honestly say as someone who reads a lot of Louise Douglas's books, you won't be disappointed with this one!. It's a fantastic read!.

In the case of cozy crime mysteries, I have been ok to not critically evaluate the procedures and even the plot tie-up. However, this is a stale story repeated over hundreds of novels & movies. There is some reasonable character development for Irene, Maddalena and April, but most of the other characters are flat. I could guess how the mystery would be tied up early on, and yet the last sections were far more poorly written than I expected. The prospective future outlook offered for the central characters (especially April) was very silly and abrupt. You get a sense of so many things not being said. I struggled to pinpoint what exactly happened and who was responsible. Of course, I made guesses based on what I knew but in all honesty? I had no idea what happened to Irene in that bleak landscape at the side of the road. In the present time, Milo Conti is digging into the family dynamics and promises a full revelation in a few days. Maddalena Borgata writes to April Cobain, who she was acquainted with during her stay in England. April has been an investigator, but is still trying to get over the sorrow of her husband’s demise. Also, the last meeting between Maddalena and April in Bangkok ended badly and they have not been on speaking terms since. After some initial hesitation, April agrees and travel to Italy to investigate what happened to Irene, with help from local law enforcement. I loved The Lost Notebook so much! From the opening lines, I was drawn in to a gripping story, beautifully written and so cleverly orchestrated. I rooted for the main character, I held my breath at the denouement and as for the climax of the book - just wow. Highly recommended.' Judy LeighOverall if you enjoy easy to read but well written fiction, then this book could be right up your street! Set in Sicily over dual timelines, this is a mystery that simply oozes atmosphere. Told by dual narratives also. We meet Irene from the 1960s and April in 2003. Maddalena Borgato’s stepmother Irene vanishes in May of 1968. Maddalena's father Enzo is suspected of killing her, but due to the fact of finding no body, ever. The case is left to go cold. I enjoyed the story though very few of the characters were likable. The ending to me was quite sad, when you realize all the hatred and ostracism the family endured over the years, it was really quite heartrending. Whilst I can honestly say I really do enjoy this, it’s a four star rating after all, I do have some reservations about the ending which feels a bit convenient but it’s not by any means left field. Overall, though, it’s a really immersive novel.