They stared at each other, and Maggie felt the tightness in her middle expand as it shifted, burning its way up… Painful sobs rose from her throat as Colin, his face expressionless now, reached for his mobile and dialled 999.

When three-year-old Olivia disappears, her parents are overwhelmed with grief. Weeks go by and Olivia’s mother refuses to leave the cottage, staring out at the turbulent sea and praying it didn’t claim her precious daughter’s life.

Not far away, another mother watches proudly as her daughter starts school. Jennifer has loved Hailey for five years, but the child is suddenly moody and difficult, and there’s a niggling worry of doubt that Jennifer cannot shake off. As she struggles to maintain control there are gaps in her story that even she can’t explain.

Time is running out for Maggie at the cottage, and also for Jennifer and Hailey. No-one can underestimate a mother’s love for her child, and no-one can predict the lengths one will go to, to protect her family.

My Review (first posted on Goodreads Sept 2014)

The Cold Cold Sea looks at the life of two couples Maggie and Colin, and Jennifer and Philip, both who have lost their daughters. In the first instance 3 year old Olivia, is missing presumed drowned after wandering off on the beach and in the second, the daughter drowned while on a family holiday.

The families both cope in different ways, neither Maggie or Jennifer can accept that their daughters are dead but Jennifer has found a way to solve the pain that no one would have expected.

As we follow Maggie grieving for her daughter Olivia and Jennifer coping with her daughter Hailey, it is impossible not to be drawn in. There is a twist in the plot quite early on, that I’ve no intention of revealing but needless to say it is that twist and how it develops that really keeps you gripped. As the chapters alternate between the families, you will find your emotions really being played as you switch from being sympathetic to being angry and always being hopeful for Hailey.

This is a great read that had me hooked from the beginning and kept the tension mounting until the end. This really is a psychological thriller that lives up to the billing. I had not read anything by Linda Huber before, but I will certainly be keeping an eye out for future titles.

I received a free copy of this title via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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