The Brighton Mermaid By Dorothy Koomson

[amazon_link id=”B078JF5TG8″ target=”_blank” ][/amazon_link]’The Brighton Mermaid’ is the latest book by Dorothy Koomson.

Teenagers Nell and Jude find the body of a young woman and when no one comes to claim her, she becomes known as the Brighton Mermaid. Nell is still struggling to move on when, three weeks later, Jude disappears. Twenty-five years on, Nell is forced to quit her job to find out who the Brighton Mermaid really was – and what happened to her best friend that summer. But as Nell edges closer to the truth, dangerous things start to happen. Someone seems to be watching her every move, and soon she starts to wonder who in her life she can actually trust.

After stumbling upon a dead woman on the beach who later became known as the ‘Brighton Mermaid’, Jude and Macy haven’t been able to move on from the appearance of the mysterious woman that no one knows. Obsessed with the ‘Brighton Mermaid’, Jude suddenly disappears one day and Macy’s father becomes the prime suspect in the case, even though he maintains his innocence. For years, Macy’s family is tortured, particularly by one detective who is convinced that he is guilty.

Years later and often wondering about what happened to her best friend and the young woman on the beach, Macy decides to commit her full time to finding people and helping people track long lost family. But, when she decides to investigate the case, finds herself and those around her in jeopardy.

When it comes to Dorothy, she knows how to write a clever thriller with strong heroines and suspense riddled throughout. Like her previous novels, this book is written in the past and present tense and is seen solely through the narrative of Macy and her older sister Nell. Even though the pair of them are close and have been there for each other during the difficult times, there’s an underlying tension between them. Nell has never fully forgiven Macy for discovering the ‘Brighton Mermaid’ and for bringing so much trouble and heartache to their door. Macy has never gotten over the loss of her best friend and often wonders what she could have done differently.

The chapters of the book are short and tense, so it’s easy to get absorbed in one sitting. Both women are independent and complex characters with hidden secrets that could potentially pull the pair of them apart. I loved Macy, she had a strong spirit and sense of humour that immediately made me warm to her. Suspenseful and full of paranoia through, ‘The Brighton Mermaid’ is a simmering and intensive read about obsession and relationships, where nothing is what it seems particularly when it comes to families.

You can buy [amazon_link id=”B078JF5TG8″ target=”_blank” ]The Brighton Mermaid from Amazon [/amazon_link] and is available to buy from good bookshops.