A review by aplace_inthesun
Body of Lies by Sarah Bailey

adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Book 4 of Gemma Woodstock and this one was a lot! 

We see Gemma on parental leave but drawn into an investigation involving a woman killed in a car crash, when her body goes missing from the hospital. Throw in a whole lot of bickering with her police colleague Everett, and her daughter’s father being secretive and you’ve got Body of Lies.

This is one where I definitely needed to suspend my belief late in the book. There was absolutely alot to take in, as the threads of the story came together. Gemma is a really prickly character, not prone to great warmth though there is a sense from her in this book of her struggle - wanting to be home with her child but not feeling challenged, which becomes more evident the deeper she is ensconced within the case. 

The setting of this one was a bit unclear for me - country town or large regional centre … it at times seemed too small but at others the infrastructure sounds well beyond the town’s boundaries. Lots of layers within the book, stories within stories - lies, secrets and deceit. 

Well worth picking up.