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Book Review: The Drowning Place by Sarah Hilary

This was my first experience reading Sarah Hilary, and I went into it hoping to discover a new detective series to follow. Overall, this turned out to be an enjoyable read, though one that clearly feels like a series opener. The beginning was on the slower side, focusing heavily on introductions, backstory, and the private lives of the characters. While this is often necessary in the first book of a series, it did make the pacing feel a bit drawn out at times. One aspect that didn’t fully work for me was the inclusion of characters seeing and speaking to ghosts. I understand the intention behind it, showing how the past lingers and haunts, but I personally felt there were more effective ways this could have been conveyed. Where the book really worked for me was in its twists and character work. The writing was strong, the mystery kept me engaged, and both the DI and DS felt layered and well-developed. By the end, I was invested enough to want to see where the series goes next. Overall,...
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Review: The Vanishing Place by Zoë Rankin — A strong debut that lost its way in the edit

I went into The Vanishing Place by Zoë Rankin with high hopes and for a while, it really delivered. The concept? Fantastic. The writing? Solid. The atmosphere? Tense and gripping. For the first half, I was certain I had a new 5-star thriller in my hands.


We start with two timelines: the present, where we follow the main character navigating her trauma, and the past, which gradually reveals what she’s been through. It’s a structure I love… simple but effective, especially when the emotional threads begin to tie together.


But then… at around 70% in, a third timeline suddenly appears. Not just a flashback or one new character, but a whole group of them. It was jarring. I found myself rereading pages just to keep track, while also thinking, “I know what’s going on! Why wasn’t this introduced earlier?”


That new section takes up a good chunk of the book (about 20%), and while it explains something crucial, it ends up draining the tension from the main story. It felt like a late addition, something that could’ve been brilliant if it had been integrated gradually throughout instead of dropped in all at once.


It’s such a shame, because everything else really worked for me: the tone, the pacing, the emotional weight of Anya’s story. The writing shows promise, and I’d definitely pick up whatever Zoë Rankin writes next.


So while this one wasn’t quite the 5-star read I hoped for, I still think it’s a strong debut… just one that could’ve used a firmer editorial hand.


⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.


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