Pages: 433
Published: 19th May 2017
Genre: Mystery
Content warnings: Child death, missing person storyline
Seven years ago, two boys went missing at sea – and only one was brought to shore. The Sandbank, a remote stretch of coast dotted with beach huts, was scarred forever.
Sarah’s son survived, but on the anniversary of the accident, he disappears without trace. As new secrets begin to surface, The Sandbank hums with tension and unanswered questions. Sarah’s search grows more desperate and she starts to mistrust everyone she knows – and she’s right to.
Someone saw everything on that fateful day seven years ago. And they’ll do anything to keep the truth buried.
This is a book that provides an interesting combination of narratives and the potential for a number of surprising twists, yet it does not manage to achieve the level of suspense needed to make it a truly gripping read. With a complex mystery at its centre and a setting that offers both beauty and threat, it has many high points, only to sometimes struggle on account of its excessive length.
The premise of a missing child or teenager is a very common one in this genre, but here the author puts a neat little spin on that by including the story of what tragically happened to Marley in the past and how it influences the whole circumstances around Jacob’s disappearance in the present. That their two names when put together make a well-known character from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is surely no coincidence.
Even with Jacob vanishing at the start, the story takes far too long to get going. The pace is fairly slow and not much really happens until the relationship between Sarah and Isla begins to unravel, as we gradually come to understand how it has been damaged by the shadow of bygone events. It is all just a bit too long, whereas something more concise would have been more impactful.
It is repetitive at times too, although the dual perspectives are well realised, mainly because both Sarah and Isla are unreliable narrators and you cannot take either of them by their word. Sarah is dishonest and actually quite sneaky, so even though she is the one going through hell at the sudden absence of her son, she is very difficult to connect with.
Meanwhile, Isla has an ulterior motive and throughout the chapters told from her perspective, she keeps her cards close to her chest. The death of a child is bound to put strain on any friendship and in the case of her and Sarah it is a gradual process, which the author examines in a curious but effective way, almost pitting them against each other.
Caught in between the pair of them is Sarah’s husband Nick, who had previous romantic feelings for Isla and after 20 years of marriage still faces accusations of impropriety. Nick is not averse to telling a few lies himself, although what is refreshing about him is that he reacts to Jacob going missing in a much more measured, rational way than other fictional characters do in those circumstances. Rather than launching into outbursts towards police and potential suspects, he assesses the situation with a sense of realism.
There are several insights into Jacob during the book, especially during the flashbacks in Isla’s chapters. He is undoubtedly a complex character, still scarred by grief and guilt at what happened to Marley, and unsure of where to turn. At one stage it appears that the story is going down a somewhat disturbing route, although the lines do become rather blurred between facts and feelings.
Some of the twists are perhaps a tad melodramatic, but they are no doubt surprising and add even more emotional depth to the story, as well as providing further context for Jacob’s tumultuous state of mind at the time of his disappearance. Moving on to the ending, while it is hard to decide whether it was a little far-fetched, it gets the tone just right with none of the characters emerging unscathed.
The setting acts as a major focal point for the book, as it takes place exclusively along a row of beach huts. They are portrayed as the relaxing places they should be during the summer months, though juxtaposed against the high tides and storm surges, not to mention the more unreasonable residents, such as the self-important Robert and nosey Diane. It is also very authentic, as the author herself owns a beach hut.
Overall, the concept is good and it largely delivers in terms of the twists, but the plot suffers from just being too long and drawn out. The two perspectives are similar yet unpredictable in different ways, and beyond the story of Jacob it is that relationship between Sarah and Isla where everything truly rests. With more streamlining, it may have been an exceptional book.
Lucy Clarke actually writes her books from a beach hut, using the setting as inspiration. She has published a number of bestselling mysteries and thrillers, including The Castaways in 2020 and her most recent novel One Of The Girls in 2022.
Another of her books, The Blue, is currently being adapted for a television series. She spends half of year by the sea and the rest of the time travelling with her husband and two children.
For me, a real mixed bag. Intelligent and thought-provoking use of perspectives but just a bit too long for my liking.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 