Review: Into the Night by Sarah Bailey

Title: Into the Night by Sarah Bailey
Gemma Woodstock Series Book Two
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

After the shocking murder of a high-profile celebrity, Gemma Woodstock must pull back the layers of a gilded cage to discover who among the victim’s friends and family can be trusted–and who may be the killer.

Troubled and brilliant, Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock finds herself lost and alone after a recent move to Melbourne, brokenhearted by the decisions she’s had to make. Her new workplace is a minefield and Detective Sergeant Nick Fleet, the partner she has been assigned, is uncommunicative and often hostile. When a homeless man is murdered and Gemma is put on the case, she can’t help feeling a connection with the victim and his lonely, isolated existence.

Then Sterling Wade, an up-and-coming actor filming his breakout performance in a closed-off city street, is murdered in the middle of an action-packed shot, and Gemma and Nick have to put aside their differences to unravel the mysteries surrounding the actor’s life and death. Who could commit such a brazen crime? Who stands to profit from it? Far too many people, and none of them can be trusted. Gemma can’t imagine a pair of victims with less in common–and yet as Gemma and Fleet soon learn, both men were keeping secrets that may have led to their deaths.

With riveting suspense, razor-sharp writing, and a fascinating cast of characters, INTO THE NIGHT proves Sarah Bailey is a major new talent to watch in the world of literary crime fiction.

Review:

Into the Night by Sarah Bailey is a riveting police procedural that takes place in Melbourne, AU.  This second installment in the Gemma Woodstock series easily stands on its own, but I HIGHLY recommend the first book in the series, The Dark Lake.

Having recently relocated to Melbourne from her small hometown, Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstoock has yet to become completely comfortable with her new partner Detective Sergeant Nick Fleet. However, she puts her misgivings aside as they work together to find homeless man Walt Miller’s killer. Having barely scratched the surface on the case, Gemma and Fleet are quickly reassigned to the stunning murder of actor Sterling Wade.  Sterling’s death is all the more shocking since it was caught on tape during filming of a zombie movie. Nick and Gemma are overwhelmed by the sheer number of witnesses, a lack of motive and their frustrations dealing with the people in Sterling’s orbit. After Gemma makes a startling discovery, will she and Fleet unmask the murderer?

Gemma has  physically moved but she has not moved on from the issues that plagued her in Smithson. She has no regrets about relocating and she enjoys the hustle, bustle and anonymity of city life. She desperately misses her young son, Ben, yet she is relieved not to have to deal with the everyday minutiae of parenting.  While she knows she is being unreasonable, Gemma is also dismayed about the unexpected changes in her father’s life.  She is struggling with her new boss Chief Inspector Toby Isaacs’ management style and she is less than thrilled with being partnered with Fleet.   Feeling restless and a bit unmoored, Gemma’s coping mechanisms are extremely unhealthy and rather risky.

The investigation is even-paced as Gemma, Nick and the rest of the team sift through the vast amount of witness statements, CCTV footage and delve into Sterling’s personal life. His girlfriend at the time of his murder, actress Lizzie Short and Wade’s parents are ravaged with grief. His best mate Brodie Kent’s stunning revelation provides another avenue for Gemma and Fleet to explore. Rumors swirl around Wade’s relationship with leading lady Ava James and her accusation against director Riley Cartwright adds another complication to the complex murder investigation.  Gemma’s unexpected finding throws the inquiry into turmoil as they must try to determine how this information fits into Sterling’s murder.

With a sympathetic yet prickly lead protagonist, Into the Night is a multi-layered mystery that is well-written and engaging. Both Gemma and Nick are quite flawed and extremely close-mouthed about their personal lives. Despite making very questionable choices outside of work, they are excellent detectives who are dedicated to finding Sterling’s killer. With a vast pool of suspects and a few well-placed red herrings, Sarah Bailey keeps the murderer’s identity and motive tightly under wraps until the investigation’s exciting dénouement. The novel ends on a positive note as Gemma begins to get a handle on her personal demons. I greatly enjoyed this latest outing in the Gemma Woodstock series and I can’t wait to see what  the future holds for Gemma.