The Sea House

Publication Date: 5 November 2024

Louise Douglas

A mysterious bequest and the legacy of a tragic love – only one person can unravel the hidden secrets of the past before it’s too late…

When Elisabeth Quemener dies she leaves a small parcel with the instructions that it must only be opened by Astrid Oake. The trouble is, no one knows who Astrid Oake is…
Elisabeth’s family turn to Touissants detective agency for help but, when Mila Shepherd and Carter Jackson try to track Astrid down, their frustration soon mounts. Their only clue is a photo of two young women holding the hands of a tiny child. The women are smiling but Mila is haunted by the sadness in their eyes. Is this Astrid and Elisabeth and if so, who is the child? And why are there signs everywhere in Elisabeth’s home that the old woman was frightened despite her living a quiet life with no known enemies?
As Elisabeth and Astrid’s story slowly unfolds, Mila feels the walls of her home The Sea House closing in. And as the secrets finally begin to reveal themselves, she is ever more determined to carry out Elisabeth’s final wishes. Because what is inside that unprepossessing parcel might just save a life…

My thoughts on The Sea House…

I was immediately drawn to The Sea House by Louise Douglas—its beautiful cover and intriguing blurb set high expectations. Set on the stunning Brittany coast, the atmosphere really brought the story to life. Although it’s the third in the Toussaints Detective Agency series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I do wish I’d known about the first two books beforehand, as I think it would have enriched my experience.

This novel is a gripping, character-driven story filled with complex relationships, secrets, and mystery. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, although at times, I felt the plot drifted off track. As someone new to Douglas’s work, I did find it a bit challenging to get into, but I’m still keen to explore more.

While the plot didn’t grip me as much as I’d hoped, the gorgeous setting and strong character development were enjoyable. If you love a good detective story with a focus on character dynamics, this one is worth a read.

Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Louise Douglas for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The Book

Title: The Sea House
Author: Louise Douglas
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: 5 November 2024
Pre-Order Link: (Amazon)
ISBN: 9781837516476 (ebook)
Pages: 346

The Author

Louise Douglas can be found on Facebook and Instagram

The Publisher

Boldwood is an award-winning independent, global fiction publishing house launched in February 2019, with its first titles published in August 2019. The company has published over 900 titles, signed over 167 authors and sold 28 million books across the world.

Find out more online at Boldwood Books and on Facebook and Instagram

The Review

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Louise Douglas for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

All views expressed are my own. This review, or parts thereof, may also be published on my social medial channels – find me everywhere as momobookdiary – and book websites (once published) such as Amazon, Goodreads, LoveReading, StoryGraph, and Waterstones. All links are correct at the time of publication.

Tags: #TheSeaHouse #LouiseDouglas #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks #generalfiction #mystery #thriller

MoMoBookDiary