Natália Gomes

Readers adore Blackbird: ‘An unputdownable and suspenseful read’ ‘A beautifully written, heartbreaking story’ ‘A quick paced thriller with an unusual setting. This book will stay with me for a long time!’ *************************************************************

Blackbird

N. D. Gomes

Olivia disappeared the night the blackbirds died. It was New Years Eve the night that dead blackbirds descended, hours before fourteen year old Alex McCarthy's sister Olivia went missing from a party. Committed to finding out what happened to her sister, within the previously safe walls of their subarctic Orkney village, Alex knows that dishevelled, sometimes intoxicated, Detective Inspector Birkens is her best shot. Yet as they uncover the secrets behind Olivia's last night, Alex starts to find things she may be better off never knowing . . .

Melissa Minshull

** spoiler alert **
           the blackbirds had nothing to do with the story and only mentioned in the prologue then never again. Wasn't what I was expecting based on the title, cover or synopsis. Honestly was predictable and I had to force myself to finish it. Vould do with a retitle and redesign because it's currently pretty detached from the actual story.

I received this ARC for NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. A big thank you to ND Gomes and Harlequin Australia! 
This review is based on an uncorrected proof and therefore quotes may not reflect the published book.


This book was beautifully written. It had a flow that was so easy to engage and from the start, I was anticipating a great little thriller. That, however, was about everything this book gave me.



  
    “My sister is always talking about the flower that blooms just once at midnight – the kadapul flower, which is only found in Sri Lanka.”
  



Blackbird has a plot that was so glaringly obvious, so early in the book, that I quickly lost interest. This book sorely lacked in EVERYTHING. From the young sister trying to seek answers, to the old male detective who has serious transgressions in his past but that doesn’t stop him from being the saviour of the story.

It has all been done before.

The only original thing I took away from this book was the mysterious death of 5000 blackbirds at the beginning of the story. But it turns out (view spoiler)[this had nothing to do with the storyline AT ALL. Why all the birds died on New Year’s Eve at once? I have no idea. (hide spoiler)]


All in all – I enjoyed Gomes writing and therefore I may pick up another of their books in the future. However, this story in particular gave me nothing that I haven’t already experienced before in a crime mystery novel.



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Blackbird

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