A compelling and entertaining mystery, full of twists.
It kept me hooked and guessing till the end.
I liked the style of writing, the attention to the details, the good storytelling and character development.
I hope to read other books by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A truly enjoyable mystery. Death on Darby's Island starts off in 1975 when a Chevy towing a trailer drives off the ferry. That in itself was intriguing and I am so glad I had an opportunity to read this story. Loved the storyline, it was well executed.

Set on Darby Island, off the coast of Newfoundland in 1962 and 1975, Alice Walsh has crafted a story rich in the feel of both time periods, using language and attitudes to paint vivid pictures of her characters and of the island.
The crime occurs in 1975 after the unexpected arrival of a hypnotism performing act on the island, and the expected arrival of the archbishop. For an island still predominately and devotedly Catholic, an archbishop’s visit is a big deal, and main character RCMP officer Blanche Ste Croix’s judgemental mother-in-law is very excited, as she’ll be hosting the archbishop in her home.
The archbishop is murdered after the hypnotist’s performance, and Blanche is tasked with running the investigation, which affects her greatly, as her disoriented father-in-law is found with the murder weapon. Encountering resistance and lies from suspects, and constant resistance and undermining from her superior, Blanche works with her mentor, another RCMP officer, on the island to help his ailing wife.

Having read about the poverty and resistance to being a part of Canada (in Wayne Johnston’s “Colony of Unrequited Dreams”), I was still shocked by the terrible conditions, including domestic abuse, Blanche grew up in as detailed in the 1962 chapters. I liked how the author used these sections to show how important family was to Blanche, and how the events here are tied to her relationships in 1975 and to her investigation.
In the tightly-knit community, Blanche’s inquiries unearth numerous secrets, including alcoholism, gambling, illicit affairs, and shows us also a the longterm effects of a care system that ripped up Blanche’s own family.
I was a little surprised by the murderer's reveal, which I felt hadn’t had quite enough information for me to solve on my own, but I still liked this book, and hope to see more of RCMP officer Blanche Ste Croix in action.

Thank you to Netgalley and Nimbus Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.