This story kept me on the edge of my seat, it is a dark, haunting complex story with even more complex characters that are taking us through their not-easy life problems where mental health is in question, abuse, and child abduction...pretty disturbing gripping, and very well written story with lots of emotions involved in it.

I enjoyed Amanda's debut novel. Breaking, so was very excited to read this. There's no doubt Amanda has a talent for writing engrossing, compelling stories, and this novel only cemented that for me.

The Returned is a layered novel, with three main stories weaved into the narrative. Ally Fields is a detective Garda who is sent back to her small hometown of Currolough (in Ireland) to investigate a case of arson and a potential murder. Six years earlier, in an event summarised in the novel's opening pages, another housefire is believed to have claimed the life of a small baby, though his mother Nancy - who was disfigured in the incident - maintains that her baby was not in his cot when she attempted to rescue him on that fateful night. A local Currolough Garda has been linked to both incidences, and as Ally digs deeper into the cases, she is not only confronted with the secrets of her hometown, but also the pain of her own past.

I really liked how Ally's story was woven into this crime thriller. In the late stages of pregnancy and in her early 40s, she is an abusive relationship with a married man, and has a lifetime of experience of keeping people at arm's length. Her exploration of her own trauma and grief was really well handled, and it added a layer of depth to the plot that you don't always encounter with thrillers. I thought the characters were very well developed, and despite the multiple storylines, The Returned was really well plotted and avoided confusing or alienating the reader.

I can't resist a "going home again" trope, so this element only added to my enjoyment of the novel. And I can't finish this review without mentioning Clarke, Ally's Garda sidekick, who accompanies her to Currolough and helps her to open herself up again. His character and their friendship were so well evoked, that I can only assume he was written from the heart.

A gripping and immersive read - really well written and full of humanity. I'll be reading Amanda Cassidy's work as long as she's writing.

EXCERPT: In a perfect world I'd admit to Clarke that I'm tired and have a headache, that I'm extremely pregnant, confused and returning to a place of indescribable trauma while simultaneously failing to solve an almost decade old mystery. I feel unloved, unwanted, and confronting the past has only made those feelings worse. I think of the rusted once-blue bicycle thrown next to a shed beside a silky lake.
I have a box of death in my trunk and a life squirming inside me that terrifies me with its need for me to be everything to it. My ribs throb too from where confusing hands hurt me and told me it was love. But I'll never tell him that either.

ABOUT 'THE RETURNED': A devastating fire. A grieving mother. A picture-perfect village full of dark secrets. And now, a son who has seemingly come back from the dead. A detective called back to her hometown, back to the memories she thought she’d left behind…

MY THOUGHTS: How do I even begin to describe what I have just read?

The Returned is a story of domestic abuse, mental ill-health, child abduction, survivor guilt, post-natal depression and so much more. I am not going to even begin to describe the plot because The Returned is a book best gone into cold. It is a dark, haunting tale with complex characters that will stretch your emotions to the limits. It is not an easy read. It was never intended to be. But it is immensely rewarding with an absolutely stunning finish that had me in tears.

And please read the acknowledgements at the end (but not before you read the book!) where Amanda tells of how this book came about.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheReturned #NetGalley

I: @amandacassidywriter @canelo_co

X: @AmandaCassidy @canelo_co

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #domesticdrama #familydrama #friendship #irishfiction #mentalhealth #mystery #psychologicaldrama

THE AUTHOR: Amanda Cassidy is a freelance journalist, commissioning editor and former Sky News reporter. When she’s not on a plane, you’ll find her in her cottage in Dublin where she lives with her husband and three young children.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Canelo for providing a digital ARC of The Returned by Amanda Cassidy for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Tense, twisty and dark. It kept on the edge, made me feel the emotions of the characters, and surprised me with each twists.
Excellent storytelling and plot development
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

When a blurb mentions "Irish crime", I know I will NEED that book ! So I jumped head first in Cassidy's book without knowing much about the story or the author. It turns out it was a lucky jump, as the writing was good, the pace really well defined and the story gripping.

But what really bothered me was that the lead detective - Ally Fields is pregnant from a first class manipulative jerk who also happens to be her happily married boss. And if you think this gloomy, it gets even worse, but that would get me in spoiler territory and I always try to avoid that. Let's just say that things get very bleak and it was hard for me to feel any sympathy towards a female lead who makes such poor life choices. I really wanted to shake her to get real and starting making the right decisions.
Luckily, to counter all this darkness, there is the endearing character of her sidekick Clarke, who is a rookie and of course a bit naive, but also a ray of sunshine in this quite tragic tale of lives wasted.

What I really appreciated was that the writing didn't go into details in the police procedures. We got just enough information and mainly from witness interviews to get to the point. I find this such a fresh breath after countless of procedurals whose main goal seem to show off the correct protocols in all instances.

All in all, I'm on the fence. Yes, it was good, and I would certainly read the sequel but with the hopes that Ally would get her life together and would resurrect as a stronger woman.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Returned by Amanda Cassidy.

With this her second novel, Amanda Cassidy proves herself as an exceptional crime writer and this is one of the best suspense books I have read this year ( and I have read many).

A small country village that has seen many horrors and holds many secrets. A house fire that devastated a mother. Another fire years later. A heavily pregnant detective who has to return to this village, her hometown, when reports that the child who was lost in the fire several years ago may actually be alive. A garda from the village is keeping secrets and DS Ally Fields is determined to find out the truth before her own baby arrives.

There are so many layers to this haunting tale, part mystery, part police procedural and some brilliant characters who are drawn with such sensitivity, authenticity and warmth. The book focuses on both the mystery are its core and Ally's life and her growing if reluctant friendship with a new recruit, Clarke, who has been tasked with assisting Ally with the case. I loved these characters and how realistic their dynamic is.

This book is much more than a whodunit, its an emotional read and it really got under my skin. Cassidy writes so fluidly and all the various strands weave together realistically , there are twists and turns and while it kept me guessing, its strength was just how realistic both the plot and the characters are. This kept me reading late into the night and I felt slightly bereft by the time I finished it. I really hope Ally and Clarke reappear in Cassidy's next book because they are memorable characters and I want to know more about them.

An assured, accomplished, well crafted crime novel full of depth, emotion, tension and suspense.

Recommend
4.5 stars

Step into a world where secrets lie hidden beneath every turn of the page— this is a riveting mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. With a masterful blend of suspense, intricate plot twists, and well-crafted characters, the author has woven a web of intrigue that's impossible to escape.

From the moment I delved into the first chapter, I was drawn into a labyrinth of enigmas that demanded my full attention. The story unfolds with a skilful balance of clues and red herrings, leaving me constantly guessing and second-guessing as I attempted to unravel the truth. Each revelation only led to more questions, ensuring that my curiosity remained piqued throughout the entire journey.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The Returned is Irish author Amanda Cassidy’s follow up novel to her debut Breaking, and it’s an accomplished crime novel that weaves three stories together in a tapestry that explores domestic abuse, post-natal depression and mental illness, subtly and sensitively.

Ally Fields is a detective Garda assigned to investigate a case of suspected arson in her hometown of Currolough, where the finger of suspicion points to a local police officer who may also have had some involvement in another fire six years previously.

In that earlier incident, a baby is believed to have perished, though his mother Nancy insists that her baby was not in his cot when she risked her own life to rescue him from the fire.

Detective Ally has her own ghosts and issues to contend with, not least her late-stage pregnancy and difficult relationship.

It might sound complicated - it took me a while to get to grips with the three strands of the story - but the writing is excellent and the characters well-developed, in particular Ally and her sidekick Clarke whose blossoming friendship I loved.

This was a really immersive piece of crime fiction and I found myself fully invested in Ally and Nancy’s stories as they merged in a thrilling and very well-executed ending. Stylishly and sensitively written, this is more than a pageturner, and it’s my favourite of the few Irish crime books I’ve read so far this year. Recommended. 4/5 ⭐️

*Many thanks to the author Amanda Cassidy and publisher @canelo for the advance copy of the book. As always, this is an honest review.*

It took me a little while to understand this and completely immerse myself in the narrative. Once I did, I realised how much I enjoyed accompanying DS Ally Fields on the inquiry. The main character in this story had a tonne to cope with, including carrying a tragic past, being nine months pregnant, and dating a terrible excuse for a man while attempting to solve an arson investigation that morphed into a missing kid case. As a mother, I empathised with the women but simultaneously yelled at them for their decisions because the passion and misery were so awful to read. Given how carefully this author crafted her plot and its layers, I'm surprised that this is only her second book. When I say that reading this book made my heart race, I mean RACED! I was ecstatic to be permitted to write an arc for The Returned, Amanda Cassidy's second book. Her debut book, Breaking, was a huge favourite of mine. The Returned is a page-turner with a powerful emotional impact.
With realistic and understandable characters, this work is cleverly and thoroughly written. I adored DS Fields and her inexperienced Clarke. The way the people and plot from the past and present were mixed flowed beautifully, and it truly put me through the wringer.

What if what you thought you knew was all a fraud? What if you'd lives for years with a tragedy that NEVER occurred? What if no one would believe the evidence you were showing them?

For Nancy, that is her life until DS Ally Fields walks into her life, as she is looking into a different fire, and looking for background info. As one case spirals into the past, long held secrets are coming to the light, and those who know them will do ANYTHING to keep them hidden, even murder of a police officer. This mystery has a roller coaster ending, with a few twists to make the reader go 'huh, didn't see THAT coming!' if you're looking for a fresh face in police procedurals, you've found it with this one!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! The publication date is the 24th August 2023. I really struggled to get into this book it was good but I was expecting more a suspense novel but for me it was a police procedural- a great book if you enjoy police procedurals based on this this is why I scored 3/5.

The prologue in this had that discombobulated, dream-like quality where I had to really think and reread to make sense of it. It then took me a little bit to grasp this and fully invest myself into the story. However, once I did, I found myself really enjoying following DS Ally Fields into the investigation. Harboring a tragic past while nine months pregnant with a horrible excuse of a man, and trying to solve an arson-turned missing child investigation, the protagonist had a hell of a lot to deal with here. That said, this was still a bit of a slow burn while at the same time had a lot going on. The emotion and tragedy were so heartbreaking to read that as a mom I found myself empathizing but also screaming at the women for their choices in this. I'm shocked that this is only the second book by this author because her plot and all its layers were so intricately put. The only issue I had was the ending because remembering myself at nine months pregnant, I cannot fathom how it is possible for the protagonist to perform the actions that she did here. I will let that one slide though because it's a book for our enjoyment, not reality. Overall, I will give this three and a half stars rounded up.

Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for this ARC.

This book packs a powerful, emotional punch. Set in Ireland, the host of characters, especially Ally, really drew me in from the start and kept me gripped until the end. The writing is excellent with realistic characterisation and full of tension. I really hope we have a follow up as Ally is such a fascinating character to read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I quite enjoyed this, particularly the background story of what was going on in the main character's life (who was clearly so memorable that I can't even recall her name!) but there's a lot about this that stretches credibility. Without giving away details, when the truth is uncovered it really doesn't seem plausible that it had been kept secret for so long.

However, what really makes this is the twist about the main character's personal life. We're talking full on ugly cry here. The characterisation is exceptional; the plot not so much.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC without obligation.

First, thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the absolute privilege of reading this advance copy of The Returned. I did not want this book to end and when it continued on to bring about a conclusion to everything contained within, I was astounded and thrilled. The storyline, characters and emotion of this novel are seriously unmatched. I recommend this book and this author to the highest level. You will not be disappointed, this I guarantee. Bravo!

I wasn't sure if this would be just like all the other small town cop returns home to solve a murder and face her past type stories but I have to say, this had me hooked from the start and felt a really original take on it. Its very character based, especially for what id expected to be a police procedural but the author does an amazing job of bringing the characters to life an driving them backgrounds and opinio s and personalities. There were a few twists and turns with the mysteries and I really enjoyed this one

I didn't know about this one at first. I liked our detective but also I don't like detective books. But she's cool. She is fed up with male cops dismissing women. She's got a dark past (they always do) and her partner is coachable. He seems nice.
No spoilers but Frank sucks.
The end is super sad. So sad.
But it isn't what you expect.

When I say my heart was pounding reading this book, I mean it was POUNDING! I was over the moon to be approved for an arc of Amanda Cassidy's second novel, The Returned. I was a big fan of her first book, Breaking. When I posted my excitement of receiving this arc, Amanda replied and said she'd written her heart out. Well, that certainly shows! The Returned is unputdownable and packs a serious emotional punch.
This book is Cleverly and intricately written with realistic and relatable characters. I really loved DS Fields and her rookie Clarke. I thought the mix of characters and story from past to present flowed really well and took me on an emotional rollercoaster!
I'm wary of spoiling so I won't say too much more but I will say, I think this book will be another best seller for this author. It is a superb, 5⭐️ must read.

Amanda is an officer who has a painful past that she revisits while working on a case. A second fire occurs over the time span of 6 years in a small Irish town.as Amanda investigates she must also revisit her painful past. The characters are interesting and well written. This was an enjoyable read.

DS Ally Fields is heavily pregnant but determined to work, so she is sent to investigate a potential arson case that is seemingly tied in with another fire from years ago and connected to a member of the Gardai.

Unfortunately, this case took place in the area where she grew up and where her and her family experienced their own personal tragedy.

Can Ally focus on the here and now to find the truth, or will her past and current personal circumstances affect her ability to solve the case!

I didn't love this and really struggled to get through it, yet I couldn't put my finger on why to start with!

Ally is a really strong character, and the writing is great! The story is interesting and weaves the past and present together, revealing twists and turns along the way. As a formula, it should have been great!

I realised that my struggle with it was how very much the book focused on Ally, which took away from the actual crime and the solving of it.

We learnt a lot about her, her past, her current relationships, her thoughts and feelings, her family, her traumas, and so on. To a point, this was great! It created a strong and relatable character. However, for me, she became the main focus of the story, and everything else faded into the background.

A good, but not great, read for me.