Black Reed Bay by Rod Reynolds

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Black Reed Bay by Rod Reynolds, my second book by him following last year's Blood Red City. Thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy.

 

The Blurb

When a young woman makes a distressing middle-of-the-night call to 911, apparently running for her life in a quiet, exclusive beachside neighbourhood, miles from her home, everything suggests a domestic incident. Except no one has seen her since, and something doesn’t sit right with the officers at Hampstead County PD.

With multiple suspects and witnesses throwing up startling inconsistencies, and interference from the top threatening the integrity of the investigation, lead detective Casey Wray is thrust into an increasingly puzzling case that looks like it can have only one ending.

And then the first body appears, and Casey’s investigation plunges her into a darkness she could never have imagined...

Black Reed Bay introduces a breathtaking, powerful and addictive new series, fronted by the fantastic Detective Casey Wray, from the CWA-nominated author of Blood Red City and The Dark Inside.

 

My Review

A young woman makes an emergency call to the Hampstead County Police Department saying that someone is trying to kill her. She managed to say where she is before getting cut off. But where she says she is doesn't match up with where the call came from. There are several other calls t o the police about the agitated woman at the beach front complex including one from the man she was with, giving the police an obvious starting point. Detective Casey Wray is assigned to the case and sets about solving it with her team. But things get much more complicated when a body is discovered very close to where Tina Grace disappeared...

Casey Wray is a brilliant character. She's straight up, dedicated, absolutely knows right from wrong and has worked hard to achieve respect within her department. She doesn't have as much confidence in herself as some of those around her do, particularly partner Dave Cullen and her boss and mentor Ray Carletti, both of whom she is close to. I loved her relationships with them both and the mutual banter and mickey taking. As with a lot of police personnel in the books I read, I worry about her working too hard! She needs a holiday, or at least a good night's sleep! She has no home life and no obvious relationships outside of the job. And Reynolds fair puts her through the wringer emotionally in this book - that poor woman!

Another stand out character for me was Maggie Grace, mother of missing Tina. No husband, one child missing, the other angry and unpredictable, she is on her own, desperately trying to keep it together. But the longer it goes on, the harder it gets to do that. She is beautifully written.

I know this is the beginning of a planned series and I'm not sure if Robbie McTeague will feature in further books. I hope so, he intrigues me, not quite sure what to make of him.

The story line is dark and the whole book has that kind of feel in spite of some lighter moments. It felt quite claustrophobic. I mean that in a positive way, in that it's very atmospheric, disaster and threat looming over Casey at times. I found myself holding my breath as I read, and certainly didn't see a couple of let things coming. And there was one of those moments that I found just heartbreaking.

 

Black Reed Bay is a mighty fine crime thriller. Part police procedural, it focuses more on individuals, relationships, secrets and lies. It explores fear,  grief, heartache, desperation and joy through a dark but well written story. It's raw and emotional. I thought the characters were exquisitely written, particularly Casey and Maggie. I think Casey Wray is one strong, determined woman we're going to see plenty of in the future. And I, for one, can't wait! 

The Author

Rod Reynolds is the author of five novels, including the Charlie Yates series. His 2015 debut, The Dark Inside, was longlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger, and was followed by Black Night Falling (2016) and Cold Desert Sky (2018); the Guardian has called the books ‘pitch-perfect American noir’. A lifelong Londoner, Rod’s first novel set in his hometown, entitled Blood Red City, was published by Orenda Books in 2020. Black Reed Bay is out this month.

Rod previously worked in advertising as a media buyer, and holds an MA in novel writing from City University London. He lives with his wife and family and spends most of his time trying to keep up with his two young daughters. Follow him on Twitter @Rod_WR.