New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh welcomes you to a remote town on the edge of the world where even the blinding brightness of the sun can’t mask the darkness that lies deep within a killer.… schoolmates.
That is until one fateful summer—and several vanished bodies—shatters the trust holding Golden Cove together. All that’s left are whispers behind closed doors, broken friendships, and a silent agreement to not look back. But they can’t run from the past forever.
Eight years later, a beautiful young woman disappears without a trace, and the residents of Golden Cove wonder if their home shelters something far more dangerous than an unforgiving landscape.
It’s not long before the dark past collides with the haunting present and deadly secrets come to light.
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An excellent mystery which kept me guessing “whodunnit” up until the end. At one point I thought I knew who the guilty party was, but I was mistaken. I love it when that happens. The setting of author Nalini Singh’s New Zealand was also a treat, where the landscape itself becomes part of the story. The heroine was bright and capable, and didn’t make TSTL mistakes, the hero was enigmatic and wounded, and his passion for justice helped push the story forward.
I’d definitely read more with these characters, or any future mystery/suspense novels from Ms. Singh. I’m already a fan of her paranormal romances, this adds another level of enjoyment.
This book is one of the best “setting as character” ones I’ve ever read. The small coastal town in New Zealand just leaps off the pages in every chapter and creates a really amazingly almost-sinister vibe. The complicated dynamics and secrets everyone have may or may not be linked to the central mystery, and each piece is unraveled masterfully. There’s also a romance subplot (heroine coming home to the small town, police officer who is a newcomer, both with their own scars and complicated histories), so this is a whole lot of my catnip in a single book!
This was very much a character-led thriller. The action on the ground wasn’t that exciting and the body-count is low for a thriller, but people and their secrets kept the story interesting and the pace good. There are two point-of-view characters, a cop and a woman who has returned home after years away. Both are outsiders in the small town in their way, with difficult pasts. This wasn’t a romance, but the two connecting carried much of the book. There was a fine balance between being predictable and not revealing enough; some motivations remain baffling to me even after finishing. And there’s redemption in the end for the main characters that is satisfying. All in all, a good book that kept me reading through the night.
A great atmospheric setting in small town New Zealand sees Anahera returning to her childhood home after the death of her husband. She is hoping to hide and shut the world out. The search for a missing local girl will bring back old memories of three hikers who also disappeared without trace. Will the local sheriff is also hiding in Golden Cove sent there after a domestic gone terribly wrong. These two will come together both trying to move on from the past. The characters of a small town where everyone grew up together is set in the first half. Leading to a thrilling conclusion of you really don’t know the secrets behind closed doors.
Dark and addictive. I couldn’t stop reading! Singh’s twisty new thriller will sweep you along until the last shocking revelation.
Ummm….WOW! I have to start with that since it is the thought that just came coming back into my head with every word I read, every page I turned, and every chapter I started. The thing that pulled me in from the beginning is the setting of New Zealand. I dream of visiting there and I love to read books set there. Golden Cove is a beautiful setting for this book. I love the small, off the beaten path town. The people there were neighbors, friends, and family. The gossip ran wild but most importantly they stick up for each other, protect each other, and love each other.
Anahera and Will’s interactions were interesting. I was intrigued to see if they would become friends or foes. I could feel the mutual attraction but I was not sure that would be enough for them. Anahera knew the town and the town people and Will had the knowledge to enforce the law, follow the clues, and solve crimes. Will had no prejudices since he was new to town where Anahera had feelings towards the town people.
I have to say that I had ideas, I started at the beginning and paid close attention to who was talked about, what was said, and who said it. I should have taken notes because I am sure I forgot some of the clues but I did have an idea who dun-it.
A Madness of Sunshine is a book I’d recommend to anyone who loves small town mysteries. Nalini Singh wrote a great book that pulled me in from the very beginning with her amazing setting and wonderful characters.
A Madness of Sunshine is a book that I kept seeing everywhere. Not only does it have a stunning cover, but it’s also author Nalini Singh’s first dabble into Contemporary Suspense. I am a big fan of her Paranormal Romances, so I just knew I had to grab this book and check it out.
A Madness of Sunshine follows the story of Anahera. After the passing of her cheating husband, Anahera returns to the one place she never thought she’d go back to. Anahera hopes that her return home will give her some perspective on life and heal her wounds. However, soon after Anahera returns home, a young woman disappears without a trace. The disappearance rocks Anahera’s small town and brings forward secrets that are better left unsaid….
A Madness of Sunshine had me instantly intrigued. The characters had an air of mystery about them and I was intrigued by the small town Anahera called home. Everyone seemed to have a secret, some darker than others. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to see how the story would come together. The disappearance of a local girl brought unexpected truths to the surface. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery of this story. I figured some things out right away, but there were still some twists that took me by surprise.
A Madness of Sunshine is an exciting thriller that is filled with mystery, intrigue, betrayal and lots of twists and turns. There are some glimpses of romance to take the edge off of the intensity, but this story is definitely not romance driven. I think the author did a great job with her first dabble into this genre and I hope that she’ll write more thrillers in the future.
I loved this first thriller by Nalini Singh. She is a master at character development and this novel is no exception. Her detailed descriptions of the landscape make you feel as if you are there. For those looking for romance this is not a good choice.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE by Nalini Singh is a contemporary, adult, mystery thriller focusing on the search for a missing young woman in the town of Golden Cove, New Zealand.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Will and Anahera) A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE focuses on the search for a potential killer. Years earlier pianist Anahera Rawiri left Golden Cove, New Zealand on the hunt for something better only to return with her tail tucked between her legs after discovering her now deceased husband had a mistress and a baby on the way. But days after her arrival, nineteen year old waitress Miriama Tutaia goes missing, and Anahera finds herself playing second banana to the town’s one-man law enforcement Will Gallagher. As the search for Miriama brings together the eclectic people of Golden Cove, a series of unsolved cases of missing girls from years before begins to develop a pattern, and the possibility of a serial killer amongst the people of the close-knit town of Golden Cove.
A MADNESS OF SUNSHINE is a story of secrets and lies; betrayal and revenge. The small town of Golden Cove, New Zealand suffered little in the way of crime therefore a one-man law enforcement team was more than the town required but a missing person, and the possibility of a serial murderer in their midst meant Will Gallagher was about to push buttons, and everyone became a suspect in the disappearance of Miriama Tutaia. Anahera Rawiri never wanted to return to Golden Cove-too many demons, and bad memories of days long ago but with her return came the possibility of starting over, and meeting Will Gallagher meant a second chance at a happily ever after but not before they discovered the person(s) behind the disappearance and murder of several girls.
Nalini Singh pulls the reader into a slow building story of intrigue and suspense. The romance between Will and Anahera is secondary to the plot, as the story unfolds one clue and suspicion at a time. The premise is edgy; the numerous characters are colorful and animated; the romance is passionate but more or less independent from the story line premise.
This one started out a bit slow for me but then picked up and refused to let my attention go. The author does a great job with her descriptions so you feel like you’re right there in Golden Cove with the characters.
Anahera was everything I love in a lead heroine. She was strong and resilient but still had a soft heart for those she cared about. Even when life threw here huge wrench and she ran back home from a glamorous life in London.
I loved Will. I think him being an “outsider” really brought something to this story that would have been missing otherwise. He is a very determined detective and although he starts unraveling secrets this small town holds he never wavers in his loyalty to it’s people.
All the secondary characters in this book really took this home for me. The secrets, the relationships, just everything. There were so many suspects that I was actually surprised at the end when it all came to a head. Character driven stories are my favorite and this author did a really great job with this one.
I’ve never read this author until now but I would not hesitate to pick up another story of hers, especially in this genre. She has a way of pulling you in and having you second guess every thought you may have.
This book has an interesting storyine. I just felt it was a little slower paced than a typical romantic suspense book. It is well-written and has well-developed characters.