Suspense/Thriller

Blurb:

Told in alternating points of view between the living and the dead, Jessica Hamilton’s debut novel will be perfect for fans of THE LOVELY BONES.

Idyllic Avril lsland, owned by the Bennett family, where their hundred-year-old cottage sat nestled in acres of forest. Forty-year-old June Bennett believed that the island had been sold after the summer of her father’s disappearance when she was only twelve years old. It’s months after the shocking death of her older sister May in a fatal car accident, that June finds out that the cottage was never sold. Avril Island is still owned by the Bennett family and now it’s hers.

Still reeling from the grief of losing her sister, June travels back to Avril lsland in search of answers. As she digs, she learns that the townspeople believe her father may have, in fact, been murdered rather than abandoning his family in the dead of night, as she was led to believe by her mother. And that’s when she begins to notice strange things happening on the island–missing family possessions showing up on her bed, doors open when she had locked them closed. It takes June no time at all to realize that her childhood summers at Avril Island were not at all what they had seemed to be.

Review:

This is a haunting story told from the point of view of two sisters, one dead and one alive. After the death of her mother and of sister May, June finds out that she is now the owner of Avril Island, a place she hasn’t been to since her father’s sudden disappearance when they were children. Her mother told her that she’d sold the island years ago, so June was more than surprised that it was still in the family and now belonged to her. Unaware that her dead sister’s ghost accompanies her, June returns to the isolated family island cottage for the first time in decades to find out why her mother lied to her about selling the cabin. She also hoped to find out perhaps why their father left them that night, never to be heard from again.

She begins digging through decades worth of clues and uncovering all sorts of creepy family secrets in the process. Surprisingly, she learns that residents of the nearby town assume that her father may have been involved in a murder or may have been murdered himself rather than merely having “left them,” as her mother had always claimed. As she learns, her father was not the only one to go missing. The family caretaker, Will, also went missing a short time later.

What follows is a gripping, multi-layered mystery (with just a touch of the paranormal) as June slowly begins to put the pieces together and eventually learns the shocking truth of what really happened that night. The suspense really gets ratcheted up when strange things start happening at the cottage while June is there alone, such as dead birds at the door and phonograph records playing by themselves.

What we have here is a wonderfully crafted and thrilling tale about loss, grief, love, lies, betrayal, and dark family secrets that I absolutely loved. This was such a vivid and atmospheric book, which at times made me feel as though I were right there at the cottage along with them. I also thought the addition of May’s ghost as a narrator with a fun and innovative touch.

All in all, an exceptional read with an exciting plot and gripping characters with twists galore. Recommended!

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Blurb:

A detective hiding away from the world. A series of disappearances that reach into her past. Can solving them help her heal?

Anna Hart is a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco with far too much knowledge of the darkest side of human nature. When overwhelming tragedy strikes her personal life, Anna, desperate and numb, flees to the Northern California village of Mendocino to grieve. She lived there as a child with her beloved foster parents, and now she believes it might be the only place left for her. Yet the day she arrives, she learns a local teenage girl has gone missing. The crime feels frighteningly reminiscent of the most crucial time in Anna’s childhood, when the unsolved murder of a young girl touched Mendocino and changed the community forever. As past and present collide, Anna realizes that she has been led to this moment. The most difficult lessons of her life have given her insight into how victims come into contact with violent predators. As Anna becomes obsessed with the missing girl, she must accept that true courage means getting out of her own way and learning to let others in.

Weaving together actual cases of missing persons, trauma theory, and a hint of the metaphysical, this propulsive and deeply affecting novel tells a story of fate, necessary redemption, and what it takes, when the worst happens, to reclaim our lives–and our faith in one another.

Review:

I read The Paris Wife by this author, which I loved, so I thought I’d give this one a go as well. First off, let me say that this book is nothing like the Paris Wife — rather than a historical fiction story, McLain gives us a heart-in-your-throat thriller with just a touch of historical fiction. I’m impressed by the talent and versatility of this author.

Set in the early 1990s, “When the Stars Go Dark” follows Anna Hart, an emotionally damaged detective specializing in searching for and finding missing children. After a horrendous tragedy in her life, Anna escapes to her hometown of Mendocino to try and figure out her next move and find herself. Once there, however, she’s asked by an old friend who is now the Sheriff to assist in the case of a missing 15-year-old girl named Cameron. Alternating between the past and present, Anna not only uncovers similar disappearances in other nearby towns but also unearths information about a missing child case that occurred while she lived in Mendocino years ago. One of the cases that comes to light is the kidnapping case of Polly Klaas, a true-life event that occurred during this time period. I thought this historical true-crime element added extra intrigue to the narrative.

As the case progresses, Anna also dredges up secrets about her own past and personal life. I loved how Anna’s poignant backstory was revealed a little at a time. resulting in a compelling character-driven story. We get to see first-hand the heartache Anna carries from her childhood as well as that from her recent life. We also see how Anna’s family life suffered due to her obsessive drive to solve her assigned cases.

Though this is undoubtedly a gritty and gripping mystery with many unexpected twists and turns, it also illustrates the extent of how trauma can affect someone’s life. So at its core, the story is about trauma, vulnerability, opening up, and resilience. Because of its dark subject matter — the kidnapping, abuse, and murder of children — the book is heartbreaking and tough to read. I knew this subject will be a gut puncher- but was woefully ill-prepared for how much. It kinda destroyed me for a few days, truth be told.

But at the end of the day, what we do get is a complex, utterly addictive character-driven thriller about tragedy and grief, but also about redemption and growth. I was captivated right to the end by the lyrical, superlative writing. Definitely recommended for those that love their thrillers peppered with a bit of true crime.

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Blurb:

The truth lies just beneath the surface…

Kate’s world falls apart when her teenage son drowns in the waters by his school. She’s convinced it wasn’t just a tragic accident, but no one will listen.

Then, six years later, Kate unearths Michael’s lost diary and realises she may finally be able uncover what really happened that night.

But as she delves deeper, she begins to realise that she didn’t really know her son – or the people in his life – at all. And that, sometimes, secrets are better left submerged…

An absorbing, emotionally-charged and addictive page-turner that will keep you gripped into the dark hours, perfect for fans of Linda Green and Teresa Driscoll.

Review:

The story follows a mother who is grieving the passing of her 15-year-old son Michael who drowned six ago. When she accidentally discovers his diary, she begins to suspect there was much more to his death than a mere drowning — and that someone else may have been with him at the lake that night.

What follows is an intense, fast-paced thriller as she slowly uncovers Michael’s past and gets closer to discovering the truth of what really happened. The mother’s pain was heartbreaking as she unearthed her son’s past, desperately searching for closure and justice, resulting in quite an unsettling narrative. The emotional depth of Kate’s search draws us deeply into her spirit, to the point that her pain is our pain, her joy (as little as there is of it) is our joy. So in this way, I felt that The Lake hits at an intensely visceral level. Anyone who has known the pain of losing a loved one will no doubt see themselves in this story. I knew this subject matter would be a gut puncher- but was woefully ill-prepared for how much.

There is depth to this story, which delves into some pretty dark themes of grief, loneliness, religious extremism, mental and emotional abuse, teenage pregnancy, and inappropriate sexual relationships. While I found this indeed to be a compelling story, I typically like my thrillers with more twists and turns, which I thought were lacking here, rendering the story a tad predictable and underwhelming. But apart from that, I really enjoyed this whirlwind of a novel. I found it emotive, heartbreaking, and utterly engrossing, and aches with past and present bruises. But a few surprises and red herrings would have been nice.

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The story takes place in Birmingham, AL, and follows twenty-three-year-old Jane, a former foster child who has just arrived in town and is looking to start a new life. She works as a dog-walker in an extremely affluent gated community called Thornfield Estates, where, in addition to walking her client’s dogs, she also swipes their expensive jewelry.

Early on, we learn that Jane is not her real name, and she has some sort of dark past that she’s running from — an incident that occurred at her last foster home. Since that time, she’s been on the run. So now, she’s mostly broke, walking dogs and living with a rather unctuous roommate.

But her luck changes when she takes on a new client: the handsome and incredibly wealthy Eddie Rochester, a recent widower. His successful entrepreneur wife Bea (also not her real name), along with her best friend Blanche, drowned in a boating accident several months prior during a “girls only” weekend at the lake cabin. But their bodies were never found. Dum…Dum…Dum.

Jane now sets her sights much higher than merely on expensive jewelry — she sets them on Eddie and soon, is determined that she will be the new Mrs. Rochester. Sparks fly as Jane and Eddie begin a whirlwind romance. But as we soon learn, Jane is not the only one keeping deep dark secrets — secrets which may involve even murder.

As Jane gets to know Eddie and the gossipy neighbor women, she begins piecing together Bea’s past and figures out that Bea and Blanche weren’t really best friends but rather fierce competitors — enemies even. Though Jane hopes to put Eddie’s past behind them and start fresh, let’s just say that the past refuses to say buried. So we then begin to wonder: Is Bea really dead? Is Blanche really dead? Because remember… no bodies. Is Eddie really who he claimed he is? Is Jane safe? And most importantly: what really happened that night at the lake?

Jane then makes a shocking discovery that changes everything.

This is supposedly a darker retelling of Jane Eyre, which I really can’t comment on, given that I haven’t read it. But I can say that this was one hell of a dark and twisty rags-to-riches domestic thriller with a plethora of evil and menacing characters and a compelling mystery to solve.

Pretty much every character in the book is unlikable and has secrets, and that’s what made this book so much fun. I actually ended up liking all these mostly unlikeable people as they were, I thought, compelling and fascinating. Additionally, every relationship in this book was utterly dysfunctional: Eddie and Bea, Bea and Blanche, Blanche and her husband Tripp, Eddie and Blanche, and Jane and her slimy roommate.

Jane, who is quite a compelling and complex character, is the principal narrator in the story though later on in the book, there are some chapters told from Eddie’s and Bea’s point of view, which added to the suspense and intrigue of the narrative. It was fun to see the story unravel from several different perspectives, all of which help provide a clearer picture of what actually happened to Bea and Blanche.

As the story deepens, we see that there’s really a lot going on in this novel: blackmail, class differences, deception, murder, manipulation, keeping up with the Jones, identity, hidden agendas, dark pasts and layers upon layers of secrets, as well as plenty of suspense.

I love a story where nobody or nothing is as they seem, which was definitely the case here. There was also kind of a Rebecca vibe (by Daphne du Maurier) as Jane found herself living under the shadow of Bea — a self-starter who created a multimillion-dollar empire.

All in all, The Wife Upstairs is an immersive and addicting story with a Southern gothic vibe that held me in rapt attention until the surprising ending. I loved how the taut tension, as well as a sense of unease, builds up slowly as we move through the pages. So many lies, so many secrets, leading to many surprising twists, all resulting in a fast read with plenty of punch.

And I loved the fact that you didn’t know who to believe until the very end of the book. Because that’s what makes this dark and chilling novel so absolutely good, the not knowing what’s happening, the constant doubt. The past then meets up with all the characters in the present, and the intensity builds to a crescendo, resulting in a satisfying yet stomach-churning psychological thriller.

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Possession is a psychological thriller that follows a woman psychiatrist named Hannah Catton, whose husband Graham was brutally murdered ten years prior. Hanna claims she doesn’t remember a single thing about that night (some say “conveniently”), but another suspect was caught and convicted, with the case being wrapped up as a “robbery gone wrong.” Hannah and her young daughter subsequently packed up and left town, never looking back.

Now, a true-crime podcast called “Conviction,” which is known for overturning convictions and getting to the truth, has turned its attention to Hannah’s case and is now threatening her new life. The podcast maintains that the police deliberately framed an innocent man for the murder and that everyone needs to take another look at Hannah. Each of the podcast’s episodes become more and more disturbing.

There are also several dark secrets that Hannah’s been hiding that come to light as the story progresses. Her deceased husband’s family and friends all get on the podcast and pretty much trash Hannah, almost coming right out and stating that they’ve always thought she committed the murder.

And this is when Hannah’s life begins to quickly unravel, especially once the people closest to her start to doubt her innocence. As more questions are raised, Hannah becomes the center of a public outcry and begins to worry about her and her family’s safety.

It also becomes evident throughout the book that her mental state is quickly deteriorating, and in the process, she becomes quite an unreliable narrator. Given her dodgy past, I certainly began questioning her motivations as well as her sanity.

So the question is: did she really do it? Does she really not remember the events of that night? Things get even more interesting when there’s what may or may not be a paranormal element is introduced into the story.

I also found this to be kind of a cautionary tale about social media and how some influencers will do anything to garner “Likes” and “Subscribes.” It also illustrated how one’s life could even be put in danger when you’re in the raging public’s eye.

This book intrigued me right from the get-go, and my head was spinning from all the different directions the story went in, resulting in a super twisty tale. This is one of those books where you question everything and everyone and aren’t quite sure who to believe, especially once it becomes evident at some point that Hannah is lying about certain things.

I found Hannah to be complicated and utterly fascinating. What we have here is a multi-layered woman with a plethora of secrets and a troubled past. It was a bit heartbreaking, however, to see her crumbling after publicly being called a murderer — although we’re not quite sure whether she is one or not.

I enjoyed the different timelines of the book, which moves back and forth between 2008 (the year the murder occurred), a couple of years before the murder, and the present day, with each piece dropping hints as to what really happened. Though many clues were revealed, I was unsuccessful in guessing the ending. This book was like a puzzle — every time you think you can predict what the image will be, a new piece slides into place.

I enjoyed the author’s innovative use of the true-crime podcast as a plot device. This is the second such novel that I’ve read that does this, and both times, I’ve loved the result. I feel it can really create a unique spin to a story, and it certainly did in this one. I may need to start checking out true crime podcasts on my own.

This ended up being quite a dark, haunting, and emotionally intense novel, which addresses a variety of themes such as domestic abuse, mental health, murder, guilt, past mistakes, and the role of social media in our lives. With clever red herrings and misdirects, the author obscures the truth about what’s really happening to Hannah until the startling conclusion.

All in all, Possession is a fast-paced, gripping, and spooky tale of revenge and murder that I loved.

Thanks to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for a review copy.

Possession goes on sale on January 26 but you can preorder it now from retailers.

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Six Months Later is YA mystery/thriller. The story opens during the month of May and follows a high school girl named Chloe Spinnaker who falls asleep in Study Hall. But when she wakes up from her tiny nap, it’s now November. Somehow, six months have passed, and she doesn’t remember anything about them.

But that’s not all. Her life is also now completely different:

1. Where she was once a mediocre student, she’s now at the top of her class and is being recruited by Ivy League universities. Yes, she is now apparently super smart.
2. She’s now dating Blake Tanner, the most popular guy in school, someone to whom she’s barely spoken to over the years, and who happened to be was her secret crush.
3. Where before she was a nobody, now she is super-popular at school.
4. Her best friend Maggie is no longer speaking to her, and she has no idea why.
5. She also seems to be involved in some kind of relationship with the school bad boy named Adam Reed, another boy she barely knew until now. Actually, she finds herself strangely attracted to him, which makes no sense to her.

So now Chloe is on a quest to find out what happened during those missing six months, and as she soon learns, remembering could prove deadly for her, especially once she starts getting close to figuring things out.

I had so much fun unraveling this mystery, and it really was a compelling mystery. The characters in the story are mysterious; the sudden spike in her IQ also mysterious, and the events of the last six months, even more mysterious. I enjoyed the fact that in this story, you just don’t know who to believe.

I loved how the author slowly gives us pieces of the puzzle, bit by bit, peppered in with numerous twists and turns, all of which propelled the story to its surprising conclusion. It was fun trying to guess what was going on, though none of my hypotheses (aliens, parallel worlds, a brain tumor, or magic) were correct.

And what about all these new people in her life? Are they hiding something? What about her parents? Are they in on it? There were many questions that needed answering.

A creepy and captivating mystery, with even a murder thrown in, that kept me riveted throughout — so much so that I read it in one sitting. The characters are excellent as well, especially Chloe, who I found to be brave, determined, and headstrong — also quite snarky, which was fun. Additionally, I liked that I wasn’t able to guess the ending, so it was fun being surprised. All in all, an enjoyable, fast-paced, well-plotted story.

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