The wages of sin are paid by those born of it. This is the first of a new series starring the woman who will pay for the sins of the past. It definitely kept me going as we start the book following George in the 1970s...a time of terrible political crises and much violence, as any of us who lived through it remember. Despite the terrible things happening, we're moving at a dream-like pace...it kept me from being fully immersed and presented a problem for me throughout the read.

Landing in the Seychelles for a family vacation, Lucy, George's twentysomething daughter, is ready for a complete change because she's just broken her engagement to a man whose idea of marriage isn't like hers. Because we do hear a LOT about that subject, I was about to skip the rest of the read. I kept going because the descriptions are fully and completely involving. I can't really extract one to show you, sorry...the problem with reading a DRC is that I can't copy-and-paste the way one can with normal Kindle books.

What I found ironic is that ever-so-betrayed Lucy's mother, put in jeopardy by her husband lying by omission, doesn't seem ready to snatch some passing policeman's gun and shoot him dead. I assure you that, were my Young Gentleman Caller to whisk me off to a beautiful foreign destination where he (searching for a lost love) got me kidnapped, you would need one sheet of blotting paper and a whisk broom to clean up what was left of him once I was free.

Anyway, I love reading about tropical places, I enjoyed Lucy's complete unwillingness to accept anything told her at face value no matter whose face was uttering it, and I wanted just this level of readerly demand. It's not perfect, it's not fast-paced, but it is lush and it gives you plenty to think about. Recommended!

This is a story that starts out very slow but then the pace picks up. The present connects with the past on this island and the tension builds. Lucy is a strong character and this is a good start to a new series.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I knew when I started to read this book that I had read it previously. I had decided to play catch up with some of the series of books I have and I have given myself a well done pat on the back for starting with this one. Even though it's my second read, there was still a lot in this book I just didn't remember.
The story line felt fresh and original, I'm quite liking the main Character, Lucy Hall, As i've finished this book I dived right in to book 2. Now I feel I can really get to know Lucy. This book was full of surprises and things I didn't really expect.
Expertly written to keep you engrossed. I'm now reading book 2

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Lucy Hall arrives in the Seychelles determined to leave her worries behind. The tropical paradise looks sun-soaked and picture-perfect—but as Lucy soon discovers, appearances can be very deceptive. A deadly secret lurks in the island’s history, buried deep but not forgotten. And it is about to come to light.
As black clouds begin to gather over what promised to be a relaxing family break, Lucy realises that her father stands in the eye of the coming storm. A shadow from his past is threatening to destroy all that he holds dear—including the lives of his loved ones.
A dark truth is about to explode into their lives, and that truth is going to hit them right between the eyes.

I have been a big fan of Leigh Russell since picking up the first Geraldine Steel novel a number of years back. She has always had a knack of writing a mystery/thriller novel that is both clever and gripping. Without fail.

Until now.

But first, a message from the happy reviewer. The mystery story here is just as good as Leigh Russell has done in the past. The plot of Lucy's mother disappearing and her father being in the centre of everything was interesting, and the intrigue about exactly what her father knew kept the pages turning. The resolution worked really well and I do look forward to seeing more of Lucy Hall in the future.

Sounds good, right? But...

I don't know exactly went wrong. For me, I think part of the problem was that the mystery almost felt like a secondary thought to the "travel guide to the Seychelles" - I really did lose a lot of interest in the page after page of detailed observations of a setting sun or rainfall. It felt like a weight on the story. And I don't know if it ever really recovered.

Sadly.


Paul
ARH

Journey to death by leigh Russell is a mystery and thriller and general fiction (adult) read.
Lucy Hall arrives in the Seychelles determined to leave her worries behind. The tropical paradise looks sun-soaked and picture-perfect—but as Lucy soon discovers, appearances can be very deceptive. A deadly secret lurks in the island’s history, buried deep but not forgotten. And it is about to come to light.
As black clouds begin to gather over what promised to be a relaxing family break, Lucy realises that her father stands in the eye of the coming storm. A shadow from his past is threatening to destroy all that he holds dear—including the lives of his loved ones.
Absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I loved the story. Full of twists and plots. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.