Book Review: The Dark Lake by Sarah Bailey

I borrowed this book from my local library after hearing good things about it, and I was really taken in by this crime thriller. I was amazed to discover that this is a debut novel for Sarah Bailey. I can't wait to read more from this author as The Dark Lake was really impressive.

Set in the town of Smithson in New South Wales, the story begins when a jogger discovers a body of a woman in a lake, with red roses scattered around her.
Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock is put on the case, along with her partner Felix.
When the identity of the woman is uncovered, Gemma realises that she used to once know the victim.
Rosalind Ryan used to attend high school with Gemma, although Gemma doesn't disclose too much about her relationship to her fellow officers. 
We slowly begin to find out about their past, and there are quite a few characters that have secrets that they don't want anyone finding out about, Gemma included.

Gemma is a rather complex character;  I liked her but at times, her actions made me question her morals.
I loved the voice she was given, and even though she wasn't perfect by any means, she's quite a real character, with a good heart deep down.
We get to know a lot about her, and I think that the author does a really great job of showing us who Gemma is, in both her personal and her professional lives.

I think that the story moved along at a really good pace, and there are a lot of layers that when put together, make for a very compelling read. 
If you've read The Dark Lake, I would love to hear what you thought of it. Feel free to let me know in the comments below.