Oh how we love a story of a run-down tourist town with a community that is constantly in each other’s business. It’s always a recipe for disaster and Alina Grabowski’s debut novel, Women and Children First, is no different.

Told through the perspectives of ten different women, the death of Lucy Anderson is the hinge between ‘before’ and ‘after’, the catalyst that sends ripples through the town and beyond. The circumstances of her death seem to be up for debate and those who knew her best have done a fantastic job of looking the other way to save their own skin.

Part-mystery, part-sharp character study, Women and Children First looks at the interconnectedness of our communities, how far we’ll go to protect ourselves and those we love, and the inner lives of women who are just trying to get through the day.

Best read on a moody day, we loved how much of the town’s atmosphere seeped through the pages to give us a better understanding of each of the women we follow through the story.

We hope you enjoy this one – we loved it!