Review: The Loch by Fran Dorricott

          

Print Length: 400 pages

Publisher:  Avon Books (March 16, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: Everyone in this town has a secret. But who holds the key to the loch…?

Twenty years ago, three young women disappeared, never to be found. The rumour to this day is that their bodies are still hidden deep within the murky Loch Aven.

When Eleanor, Clio and Michaela find themselves rained out of a camping trip in the Scottish countryside, they have no option but to book the mysterious house nestled on the banks of the lake. But little do they know that history has a way of repeating itself.

As secrets in the tightknit community begin to surface, and Michaela suddenly disappears, it becomes clear that something sinister is at play. And now it’s a race against time to unravel the mystery before the dark waters claim their next victim…

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My Rating: 1 star out of 5

The premise of this novel was so intriguing that I immediately requested an advanced reader copy. Only to wonder if I had accidentally gotten something else when I eventually started to read it. 

To begin with, the characters are all very one-dimensional. Even when you start to get deeper into the novel and start to understand their possible motivations behind why they act the way they do, I still never felt a connection to them. I also never felt the sense of suspense that I think the author hoped to convey (and I grew up in a tight-knit small town, so I know how new people tend to be treated). 

Secondly, the plot is slow going. To the point where I feel like the most exciting parts were literally crammed into the last few chapters, by which point it was too little, too late. By that point, I had already stopped caring altogether about either of the two storylines (one past, the other present day), and just wanted to get it over with so I could move on. 

However, I appreciate that a lot of other people did enjoy this novel, so I encourage my readers to give this one a chance if they are as intrigued by the synopsis as I was. What didn't work for me will likely work for someone else. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                                                    The Loch is available on Amazon.com