Return to Breakneck Island by Tom Ryan is the follow up to The Treasure Hunters Club, so when I was given the opportunity to return to Maple Bay, I jumped on it. Could you read this one as a standalone? Technically, yes. Would I recommend it? Absolutely not. Read book 1 first. You will become invested in Cass, Dandy and Peter, and understanding everything they have already been through gives this story so much more weight. The mystery is new, but the series isn't starting over, and Ryan assumes you have some history with these characters and this little corner of Nova Scotia.
This time, Cass, Dandy and Peter aren't immediately working together. Instead, each finds themselves pulled toward the same mystery from very different directions. Cass receives a cryptic tip about a treasure connected to Breakneck Island, Dandy is dealing with an unexpected change in her personal life, and Peter finds himself unexpectedly charmed by a professor. Then a sudden death changes everything. At the center of it all is the MacLeary family, who lived on Breakneck Island and tended its lighthouse for generations before disappearing during a devastating storm in 1932, leaving behind a missing fortune and plenty of questions.
Told through multiple POVs and two timelines, the story moves between present day Maple Bay and 1932 as the truth about the MacLearys slowly comes into focus. I especially loved the historical storyline because it was intriguing, atmospheric and unpredictable, and I enjoyed watching the separate threads gradually begin to reveal how connected they really were. Ryan has created a cozy thriller that delivers murder, secrets, treasure hunting, small town charm, humor and plenty of twists without losing sight of the characters at its heart. The way the clues are planted along the way and all come together at the end? Perfection!
There is something wonderfully character driven about this series that makes you want to spend more time with these people. Most importantly, I am not convinced the Treasure Hunters Club is finished yet, and if Cass, Dandy and Peter are coming back for another adventure, I will absolutely be there. Tom Ryan has once again given me a clever, entertaining mystery with a cast I genuinely enjoy spending time with, and I am already hoping we don't have to wait too long to return to Maple Bay.
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Purchase Return To Breakneck Island
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