Her Cousin’s Disappearance Draws Maggie Back to Ireland

Cousins, Erin and Maggie, grew up together. Erin was wild and unpredictable, but Maggie loved her. Then Erin went to Ireland to understand her heritage. She never returned, and Maggie was the one to go to try to find out what happened to her in 1993.

Now 23 years later, Erin’s scarf has been found. Other young women are missing in the same area and the Garda think the disappearances may be connected. Maggie is now a detective and a divorced mother with Lily, her teenage daughter. Luckily she and Brian, her ex-husband, are friendly. She leaves Lily with him and returns to Ireland hoping to find out at last what happened to Erin.

This is a mystery that will keep you guessing. The plot is complex woven between 1993 and the present. Maggie has contacts in Ireland, particularly Roly, a member of the Garda. He’s been investigating the case and keeping the family informed ever since the disappearance. Now Maggie teams up with him hoping to finally put the old suspicions to rest.

The setting for this story is wonderful. Irish history and snatches of songs are woven into the background giving a taste of Ireland. It made me want to visit. The characters come to life. Maggie and Roly are a good team, not lovers but friends. However, the character that makes the story is Erin. She is so vibrant that she makes people care about her disappearance 23 years later. You can understand why because getting glimpses of her is what makes you keep reading.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.