"When burnt-out pop star Adam Quinn is found grotesquely dead on a secluded mountain property called Haven, it looks like a case of suicide. But is it?

"Bliss, Skye and Astral Brydie, the three sisters found at Haven with Quinn's body, are vague about what happened the night he died. And their mother is nowhere to be found. The girls seem terrified, as if they're holding something back. The neighbours are only too ready to talk. But how much of what they say can be believed?

"As Senior Detective Tessa Vance and her partner Steve Hayden work to penetrate the web of fear, suspicion and deceit that shrouds Haven, as the dark secrets of the place are slowly exposed, Tessa must fight to stay clear-headed and to come to terms with the truth."

OK, I wasn't going to read this, because it is a Chrissy pressie for someone: but upon reading the extract - I couldn't help myself, and I'm glad I did.

Call it 'quality control', but this thriller/mystery is quite good, and while it might be a wee bit predictable - it's still an entertaining read. From what I can recall - I think I've watched a few of the mystery things on telly, and I do think they were pretty good.

I'm quite certain the person I'm sending this to is going to enjoy it, and whoever gets this book afterwards will also like it.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to my birthday Rabck Buddy, gypsysmom as part of her Christmas pressie. I hope it's OK and she enjoys.

Oh, yes, MooMoo I am sure I am going to enjoy this book. And I'm glad you read it. When I was young I always used to read the books I was giving as presents before I wrapped them up. Now I don't (usually) do that but quite often they are books that I have already read and I know that the recipient will enjoy them. Three of the books I gave as presents this Christmas fit into that category and another one is going to my sister so I'm hoping I will get to read it at some time in the future because I hear it is very good.

I'm looking forward to reading this book by Rowe whose work I have enjoyed in the past.

I did very much enjoy this mystery set somewhere outside of Sydney in a small community that is popular with tourists and weekend visitors. One such visitor is Jonathon who bought a small cottage on an acreage to spend weekends in. The fact that the family next door in Haven is "different" is obvious but it is only when the younger sister, Astral, starts speaking to him from the Haven side of the fence that he becomes curious about them. He learns that there are 3 sisters and a mother, Rachel, who have lived there for a number of years. Recently failed rock star Adam Quinn has started to live with them. Quinn sometimes goes into town but Rachel and the three girls are very seldom seen. When Jonathon is invited by Astral to come over to the Haven side of the fence he realizes it is unusual but he doesn't expect to find the badly decomposed body of Adam Quinn in the chicken shed. It looks like Quinn shot himself but Rachel is missing and the house was set on fire while the girls were sleeping so it looks suspicious. Tessa Vance and Steve Hayden and other members of the Sydney Homicide Squad are called in to investigate. Soon there is another suspicious death, this time of the schoolteacher Fiona Klein that the girls were staying with. Tessa feels that she knows something that will solve the mystery but she can't quite put her finger on it. When she does all the pieces fall in place.

This was a well written mystery but I also enjoyed the descriptions of the flora and fauna. I can't quite get my head around living in a place where parrots and other (to me) exotic birds fly free but it certainly added to the appeal of the book.

Thanks MooMoo. I may pass this book on to my sister to read.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I decided to wild release this book so I took it on our foray into the woods this afternoon. I left this book on the bench in the bird feeder area just off the trail. This release is for the January 2010 Mysteries and Thrillers release challenge (Release #2) and for the 2010 Never Judge a Book by its Cover release challenge - Week 1 (directions) for the embedded "in" and for the 2010 Keep Them Moving release challenge.