Louise Douglas is an excellent author, and this new book is no exception to that.
The characters are well rounded & fully formed. The storyline is interesting, fast paced and immersive, everything you could want in a good book. And this is definitely a good book.
Louise Douglas is a gifted author, and this is a wonderful addition to her catalogue.

Mila Shepherd works for Toussaint's detective agency, specializing in finding lost relatives. When she is asked to track down Astrid the friend of the deceased, the mystery begins. Mila and her colleague, Carter Jackson, attempt to locate Astrid, but their frustration quickly mounts. Their only clue is a photograph two young women holding the hands of a 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. Furthermore, why are there signs throughout Elisabeth's home indicating that the old woman was frightened, despite living a quiet life with no known enemies? As the secrets finally begin to reveal themselves, Mila becomes even more determined to fulfill Elisabeth's final wishes. For whatever is inside that unassuming parcel might just save a life...

This is part of a series which is focused on Mila Shepherd who has moved to Brittany to care for her orphaned goddaughter. The story does feel overly long as it took awhile to get going but the final scenes were high octane with Mila facing a life and death situation. The author does create a sense of foreboding throughout which adds to the dark atmosphere which pervades the story. I found this ok to read as a standalone but it would probably be better to read the books in order to understand the context of aspects of the story. With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.

I didn't realise this was the third of a series but it reads well as a standalone.
I liked the different timelines and the uncovering of the mystery from the 80s together eith the current timeline. The characters were likeable and there was a fair bit of mystery and thriller.
Altogether an entertaining read.

In this strange and dramatic thriller novel from Louise Douglas, readers travel to Brittany and a strange house that Elisabeth Quemener bequeathed to Astrid Oake -- except no one knows who Astrid Oake is or if she exists at all. Elisabeth’s remaining relatives reach out to Toussaints Detective Agency where Mila Shepard and Carter Jackson take on the case, yet neither Mila nor Carter can find anything except for a single picture. As the story of and connection between Astrid and Elisabeth unfold, Mila becomes more determined to uncover these secrets and preserve Elisabeth’s wishes as the Sea House closes in around her and the trail to Astrid seems well-hidden. With a complex mystery and a fantastic web of character relationships and dynamics, readers will be sucked into this tense and layered mystery and all of its odd and intense twists and turns. The characters are the star of the novel, and Douglas does a great job building up the characters and the mystery itself, so she really succeeds in building tension and anticipation (and a little bit of fear) over the course of the book. Complex, tense, and truly thrilling, this is a great new thriller novel for fans of Douglas’s other books.

I loved this book. I was hooked from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. I think the characters and the plot line were well written. I enjoyed the fact that the style of the book was literary fiction and thriller with a touch of paranormal. I highly recommend this book. It really was so good.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and Boldwood Books

Loved it. Has to be one of my top reads for the year. An absolute 5 star read for me. I loved the premise, the characters, and the narration style. The mix of literary fiction, thriller and supernatural was brilliant. The concept is new and added a layer to this thriller.

While a part of a series, this book can be read standalone. It is an ideal holiday read with its twists, turns and mysteries. Can't wait to read the next installment.

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

To me, this novel seemed to be a book of two parts. The first part was quite a slow-paced women’s fiction/mystery. The second part turned into a dark thriller with some disturbing scenes.

Mila Shepherd is engaged to Luke, who lives in England, yet now they are living apart due to the fact that her sister has recently died, leaving a sixteen year old daughter. She is living in Brittany, France at her sister’s home, the Sea House, with her orphaned teenage niece, Ani, who she adores. Ani’s mother, Mila’s sister, was recently killed alongside her husband, and the circumstances surrounding their deaths is forefront on Mila’s mind.

Mila works as a private investigator with her work partner, Carter Jackson. They are tasked with finding a woman named Astrid Oake in order to deliver a package as part of their late client’s last wishes. With little to go on, their task is frustrating and unfruitful.

As Mila’s personal life implodes, she is on track to finding Astrid Oake in Yorkshire, England. Life threatening danger result, and long-held secrets are exposed.

“The Sea House” is the third novel in a series featuring the Touissants Detective Agency. I have not read the previous two books in the series, but can attest that this one reads well as a stand-alone.

The settings were vividly rendered, making the reader even more immersed in the story.

Family secrets, emotional turmoil, familial love, bereavement, and a devastating discovery mark this novel as one that will be enjoyed by many readers.

A well done story: compelling, solid, and entertaining. The author delivers a story featuring fleshed out characters and a fascinating setting.
The mix of mystery and paranormal works
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Superb series of books filled with such engaging characters and compelling stories. Hopefully won't have to wait too long for the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

When Elisabeth Quemener dies she leaves a parcel to be opened by Astrid Oake only. Elisabeth's fanily has never even hear dof Astrid Oake and they hire Touissants detective agency to help them track down this mysterious beneficiary. Mila and Carter accept the case, but Mila finds Elisabeth's story haunting and she feels there is something more to the story than there appears. Will they find Astrid and carry out the terms of Elisabeth's wishes and what other secrets are hidden.

This was a good read. The scenery was great and the characters were well written. I did not realize this was the third book in a series, so I will have to go back and read the first two books.

Loved it!!! Glad to be back in Morranez with the Touissants Detective Agency. Mila, Ceci and Carte need to track down Astrid Oakes, so they can deliver her parcel as part of Elisabeth Quemener's will. No one seems to know Astrid or her whereabouts. Astrid's story was scary and crazy. It's unimaginable what she has gone through. Everyone needs a friend like Elisabeth. The gift she made for Astrid was genius. It's a good thing no one opened up the package before Astrid. This was a good lesson for Mila. When you decide to break into someone's house, make sure you let people know your whereabouts. The family are waiting for the DNA results to see if the bones found in the cave belonged to Charlie. With the results come even more questions. I wasn't shocked with what they discovered. I figured that was the secret Sophie was keeping and Carter knew about it. Since the first book, I always thought Carter and Sophie were having an affair. Carter is definitely keeping secrets. Why were Sophie and Charlie on the water during the storm? Did it have to do with drug smuggling? Were the Girards involved? Lydia is still as dreadful as ever. At least Patrick was at the house to make Christmas more bearable. I'm not really sure about Luke and Mila. Luke never visits Mila in France. How can they build a life together when they don't even live in the same country? Mila allows Ani to get away with everything. She's a tennager and needs boundaries. Mila acts more like a friend than a mother. I love the relationship Mila has with Ceci. It makes up for the way Lydia treats Mila.

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. It was a great mystery that kept me guessing. There better be another book to tie up all the loose ends and questions surrounding Charlie and Sophie. Were Sophie and Charlie doing something illegal? Will Mila and Carter eventually end up together? Still love Berthaud the cat. I look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Boldwood Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have read the others in the series and enjoyed and this instalment did not disappoint. I enjoy the way the back stories among the characters continues and develops through the books while engaging with the story within the story. While some parts don't seem entirely authentic this doesn't prevent the overall pleasure of the read!

Third instalment in this series, although I read as a stand-alone book. Lots of twists and turns in this fast paced thriller. Great plot with some interesting characters. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

This was my second book by this author and the third book in this series. So, somehow I missed the second book and will definitely be looking for it so that I can catch up with that part of the story. The premise of this book was very intriguing and it did not disappoint! It started off slowly as we got reacquainted with the recurring characters and got to know the new characters. Then it started to build, and once it did, it really got going! I did not want to stop reading! There were several surprises and it ended fairly well. I say fairly well because it ended very suddenly. I do not mind a cliffhanger ending when it is part of a series, but this was a bit too sudden. Regardless, I look forward to the continuation of the background story that started this series off!

This is the 3rd book in a series. I did not know this when I chose to read it. While I did find I was missing some history, it did not stop me from enjoying this one.

Mia is tasked with finding a person to fulfill the wishes of a recently deceased woman.

Lots of mystery and twists and turns in this one.

I will look for the first two books in order to better understand the main characters and their journey so far.

Thanks to netgalley and Boldwood Books for the arc.

The SeaHouse is the third book in the Toussaints, Detective Agency by Louise Douglas, once again, Miss Douglas has given us a doozy! Mila is still in Brittany, raising Anna the best she can and working for CC at the detective agency. And CC has a new case for her. She has to find Astrid Oak, to give her the inheritance left to her by Elizabeth Quinemer. it just looks like a small wrapped parcel and the lawyer says it isn’t worth much and it should only be opened by Astrid. When Mila goes to Miss Quinemer’s home it becomes obvious Mila that the older lady was afraid of something, but what could it be. She finds a picture like the one the lawyer showed her Elizabeth, Astrid and a small girl who Mila believes to be Elizabeth’s daughter, Manon. as if looking for a woman who hasn’t been seen in years, isn’t enough on Mila’s plate. She also learned new unsettling news about Charlie. They found his body and it looks as if he’s been murdered. Unfortunately, however, that isn’t the unsettling news. It is sad but not the thing that could change Mila’s life. In the meantime, she starts getting threatening text messages and even sees an older man with a limp watching her house.It isn’t long before she learns Astrid had a twin brother Anderson, this is what brings her to suffix, England. she finds many people who knew her but it doesn’t help her get any closer to the elusive Astrid. Will Mila fine the missing lady and deliver her inheritance? This book was just wow! I can’t believe this is the third book that means I missed the second, but I will definitely correct that mistake after posting this review. I find these books are so good and although the author can be a bit long on describing scenes and situations, it’s just a tad bit long and not a tad bit too long. Because as far as the story goes, it’s worth getting through to get to the next page. I was not at all prepared for where this book was going and thought the ending of at least Astrid was a Homerun… I was not expecting that at all! not to mention the bombshell with Charlie just makes me ready for Mila to focus on that case because that one almost made me fall off my bed. this is a great series for anyone who likes mysteries and or thrillers because this is always a tad bit of both. What a great story. #NetGalley,#BoldWoodBooks, #Toussaint’sDetectiveAgency, #LouiseDouglas, #TheSeaHouse,.

This book took me through more twists and turns than I expected. I was totally caught up in it and enjoyed it very much. It was very different from what I had thought it was be in some really wonderful ways.

Mila Shepard is in the business of finding people, but her latest job at Toussaints Detective Agency is a struggle even for her. She's been entrusted with a woman's last wish: the late Elisabeth Quemener has bequeathed a package to her old friend Astrid Oake. But there's no sign of who or where Astrid is, or even that she exists. Every time a new lead pops up, it just raises more questions. Meanwhile, Mila is struggling with a mystery closer to home, as more information surfaces about her niece Ani's late parents.

Mila's investigation uncovers decades of injustice: an apparent murder/suicide, school and hospital cover-ups, and dubious cybersecurity. Even when she gets to the truth, there's still more to uncover—much of it strangely echoing the strife in the life of the now-sixteen-year-old Ani.

If The Sea House is your first Mila Shepard book, you can still slide easily into the central mystery. It reads easily as a stand-alone, while still hinting at an overarching story beyond the bounds of the book that can be appreciated to some degree. The story of the week is, at least for a new reader, far more compelling than Mila's story. That isn't to say Mila's story isn't compelling or is too difficult to follow. All the relevant information is there, but it does become evident as the story goes on that we're missing out on some characterization for these recurring characters. That said, Astrid's story speaks for itself. As a solvable mystery, the pieces fit together cleanly; as a novel, it's compelling and tragic. And even once the mystery itself is solved, there are little loose ends that get tucked in neatly—even some the reader may have forgotten.

I read the second book in this series without realising that it was a sequel. This time around I chose to read this particular one especially because of the way the previous one ended. I am not sure if there is to be another, and if there is one if I would actually want to pick it up.

That last claim is not because this book was not good, if anything, each subsequent book is better than the last. I just feel like I am satisfied with the tangent the personal lives have taken and I do not feel the tenterhooks feeling I had when the last reveal occurred at the end of the other book.

Mila should be concentrating on finding a missing lady who has to be given a particular bequethal. The secrecy around the beneficiary becomes extremely convoluted as Mila starts to scratch at the surface.

On the personal side, things are getting more and more complicated. The body discovered in the last book opens a new can of worms. This plotline is not entirely complete, even with this book, but it has reached a point where it would be okay to leave it.

I liked the case in this book. I did suspect part of the twist, but on the whole, it was quite dramatic and unexpected. It is complex and actually believable even with the dramatic events. I would recommend this series, but especially this book to fans of mystery books with longer personal storylines.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and the other books in the series.

°book review°
 
The Sea House by Louise Douglas
 
Unexpected! This book was unraveling secrets left, right, and center, and the same with the twists and turns.
 
Elisabeth Quemener dies, leaving a parcel with instructions to be opened by Astrid Oake. The trouble is, no one knows who Astrid Oake is.
 
Elisabeth's family turns to Touissants detective agency for help, and Mila Shepherd and Carter Jackson try to track Astrid down, but their only clue is a photo of two young women holding a child. As the story unfolds, Mila feels the walls of her home, The Sea House, closing in on her, and she is determined to carry out Elisabeth's final wishes.
 
There were different storylines added in the mix that were causing Mila some trouble and exhaustion. It was about the past and present, a story of loss, redemption, and family drama—a story that delves into the impact of tragic events that can be traumatic.
 
Things were not what they seemed; I was shocked and left gasping the way the story took turn. I was waiting to know what happens next. The prologue set the base of the story, keeping the mysterious and dreadful air from the start. The start, no matter how slow, the later half picked up the pace and covered up.
 
Douglas creates an atmosphere that is gripping and emotional. This bequest and legacy will unravel secrets. It was brilliantly written and clever, and the detailed and vivid descriptions made it more intriguing, authentic, and mysterious. It was a bit dark and creepy.
 
I think there was one mystery left unsolved, or maybe it is to come as a subplot in another book. This is Book 3 in the Touissants Detective Agency series and can be read as a standalone. I think to know the characters and their story better, we need to read the first two; however, I enjoyed this.

It was my first by the author, and I can't wait to read more.