Suspense/Thriller

A Dark and Secret place is a bone-chilling and quite disturbing multi-layered thriller that follows our main character Heather Evans, a grieving daughter and former journalist who returns home after her mother Colleen’s death by suicide. It’s worth mentioning that Heather and her mother weren’t all that close, and for the most part, they’ve been estranged for several years.

Still, Heather is perplexed as to the reason why her mother would ever kill herself — it just makes no sense. What makes even less sense is the tin of letters that Heather finds in her mother’s home from the monstrous notorious serial killer Michael Reave aka “The Red Wolf.” Reeve has been in prison for over 20 years for the gruesome murders of several women, though he has always proclaimed his innocence. Apparently, her mother had corresponded with the man for decades.

Now there is a new murderer who is murdering women exactly in the same ritualistic fashion as the Red Wolf, such as the meticulous arrangement of the bodies, missing hearts, and the corpses adorned by flowers. Of interest is that some of these aspects were never released to the general public by the police.

So this novel then asks several questions: Did Heather’s mother know anything about the murders? Why did she kill herself? Is Reave really innocent, and if so, why has the murderer waited until now to strike again? Or was Reave working with another killer all along? How did her mother know Reave?

Apparently, Heather didn’t know her mother as well as she thought she did. Heather, now obsessed with her mother’s hidden side, decides to share her information with the police, and they offer her the opportunity to talk to the enigmatic Reaves in person, perhaps hoping to glean some information about the new murders that are occurring as well as for Heather to hopefully learn more about her mother’s secrets.

Surprisingly, Reave agrees to talk the Heather though he hasn’t spoken to anyone in years. I thought the interactions between Heather and Reave were exceptionally captivating and of great interest to the story. But after she speaks to the killer at the prison, strange things begin happening to her, such as feathers and flowers appearing in her house, cryptic, threatening messages, and the constant feeling she’s being watched. As Heather delves more deeply into her mother’s past, the situation escalates, leaving Heather to realize that whoever has been committing these new murders appears to now have their sights set on her.

What follows is a bleak, dark, and unsetting story as someone begins playing mind games with Heather. There’s a continuous and subtle creepy vibe to the story that continues through each page. And yes, the creepy feeling at the back of my neck as I read was 100 percent real.

Given that I’ve always been intrigued by the thoughts and motivations of serial killers, the story sucked me in right away. What’s interesting about the story is that it goes back and forth between following Heather in the present time and going back to following Michael in the past when he was a young boy and has just murdered his mother.

Now even though Michael has consistently argued that he’s innocent of murdering those women, the past flashbacks of his actions suggest the possible beginnings of pathological traits associated with psychopaths. I found Michael’s “before” chapters to be especially compelling. Additionally, we get a POV chapter by each of the murdered women shortly before their death which added an extra disturbing element to the story. Heather also learns that the more she uncovers about her mother’s past, the more she realizes how little she actually knew her mother.

Now I word of warning here. This is quite a dark book, and it delves into some pretty disturbing places. But there is one especially wrenching scene involving the cruelty and subsequent death of animals. So if this is something that especially bothers you, consider yourself warned. This is the only animal cruelty scene in the book, and its purpose is to expose us to the thought processes of a serial killer.

I also didn’t care all that much for Heather as a character. She was mostly unlikeable and made several irrational decisions. At one point, I thought that I wouldn’t feel all that bad if she got herself killed. My dislike for her only increased as remnants of her past were revealed. But she kinds of redeems herself at the end of the book, though she never came across as being entirely likable. So if you need to absolutely love the main character in order to like a book, then this one might not work the best for you.

All in all, this is a spine-tingling and insanely twisty psychological thriller, and the fun of it is separating fact from fiction. It’s a swarming, paranoid, and at times an excruciating nightmare of a novel with a mind-blowing ending and super creepy settings. I thought it was an exquisitely crafted portrait of creeping madness and murder that drew me in and didn’t let go until the jaw-dropping and bonkers conclusion.

Note that this book will be released in the UK as “Dog Rose Dirt” and in the US as “A Dark and Secret Place.”

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.

This book will be released on June 8th but it is available for preorder now.

Order A Dark and Secret Place from Amazon

Alex Michaelides is the same author who wrote “The Silent Patient,” a book that I really loved and gushed about on this channel. I did a video review of it a while back, so I’ll put a link to that video up above. That being said, I was super excited when I learned that Michaelides had come out with a new thriller.

The Maidens is a dark academia “whodunnit,” and the story follows a troubled London-based group psychotherapist named Mariana Andros who is grieving the death of her husband Sebastian, who passed away a year prior. She also appears to have difficulties setting boundaries between her and her patients, especially one of them who is harassing her and has frighteningly crossed into stalker territory.

One night, she gets a panicked phone call from her niece Zoe who’s attending school at Cambridge. A body has been discovered near campus, and Zoe believes that it’s her friend Tara. Mariana drops what she’s doing and rushes to her niece’s aid. Sure enough, the body turns out to be Zoe’s friend Tara who was brutally murdered in the MO style of a Greek tragedy.

We learn that Tara was a member of a secret campus society called “The Maidens,” led by the handsome, charismatic Greek Mythology professor, Edward Fosca. Described by others as “dazzling,” Fosca is so well-liked by the students that they erupt into thunderous applause at the end of each of his lectures. As for The Maidens, the group appears to be a cult that includes only young girls (his “favorite” students), all who wear long white dresses and come across as zealous and a tad creepy. We also learn that Tara had confided in Zoe on the night of her murder that Professor Fosca had threatened to kill her.

Mariana is convinced that Fosca is the murderer and when a second body shows up — also mirroring a Greek tragedy — her obsession with the man grows even more potent. There’s definitely something sinister going on at Cambridge, and she is sure that it involves the professor. He has an alibi, however. He states that he was with The Maidens during both of the murders though Mariana is still unconvinced. She’s pretty confident the loyal maidens would no doubt lie for their enthralling leader. The police don’t buy Mariana’s theories, however, and have suggested that she butt out. Determined that it’s now up to her alone to prove Fosca’s guilt, she soldiers on.

Through her investigations, she discovers that both of the victims received a postcard on which was written a quote from a Greek tragedy in Ancient Greek. When Mariana receives her own postcard, she can only assume that she’s next on the killer’s list. And even though he appears to be untouchable, she is determined to bring Fosca to justice, no matter how dangerous things might turn out to be for her — and they do, indeed, get very, very dangerous.

By the way, this novel takes place in the same world as The Silent Patient, and there were even cameos by and mentions of some of the characters from that book, so I did appreciate the Easter eggs and the tie-in. I also loved all the references and nods to Greek mythology. Readers who enjoy Greek history will undoubtedly enjoy that aspect of the book, especially the clever way the author manages to weave in mythology with the murders.

Though the initial build-up takes place slowly, this ends up being quite a fast-paced story, with the short chapters adding to the overall feeling of desperation and unease. Think you have the plot figured out? Think again. A couple of times, I was certain I’d figured out “whodunnit,” but I was completely blindsided by an ending that I did not see coming. This was one of those stories where you are unsure of who you can trust, with suspense and suspicion accumulating relentlessly. Every character ends up looking suspicious and untrustworthy! With exceptionally clever red herrings and misdirects, the author obscures the truth about what is really happening — and why — until the novel’s twist-filled, jaw-dropping conclusion.

All in all, The Maidens is a delightfully twisty and unsettling psychological thriller fueled by obsession that I really enjoyed reading. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.

A huge thank you to the lovely publicist at Celadon books, who provided me with a review copy of this book.

Purchase The Maidens from The Book Depository

I went into this thinking it was a domestic thriller but ended up being so much more. This is one of those books that ends up being an entirely different story than what you initially thought.

So we follow our main character Abigail Baskin who works for a publishing company in New York. She is in love with and is marrying a charming tech billionaire named Bruce Lamb. They are busy planning their wedding, and Abagail feels like the luckiest woman in the world.

Then during her bachelorette party weekend in California, she ends up getting a bit too drunk and has a one-night stand with an attractive guy. Both Abigail and the man agreed that they wouldn’t exchange their real names, so she refers to him as simply “Scottie.” Afterward, she attempts to put the tryst behind her and forget about the man, as she is convinced now more than ever that she wants to spend the rest of her life with Bruce.

So the wedding happens, and then Bruce whisks her off to Heart Pond Island for their honeymoon, an exclusive resort off the coast of Maine where there is no wi-fi, no cell phone service, and minimal electricity. The resort was a former summer camp surrounded by dense woods.

So imagine Abigail’s surprise and utter shock when Scottie shows up at the island resort where she and Bruce are honeymooning. The man catches Abigail alone and insists that their night together could be the beginning of something special and that the’s tracked her down to prove it to her. He’s confident that they are soulmates. In a panic, Abigail debates whether to ignore the man and risk him telling her husband about the affair or come clean with Bruce and risk putting not only her honeymoon but her entire marriage in jeopardy.

Then, the book makes a 180-degree turn and gets really, really dark. What we get is the mother of all twists, and it’s at this point where the story ends up being completely different than what I thought it was. Just when you think you’ve figured out the story, everything changes.

In fact, the atmosphere of the novel begins to feel totally unreal and dreamlike (and not in a good way), and my anxiety increased with each chapter. Right from their arrival on the island, there’s this intense sense of foreboding — a feeling that something’s not quite right.

The story veers from a happy honeymoon to extremely suffocating and claustrophobic, and Abigail’s vacation quickly spirals out of control. The eerie summer camp vibe also helped ratchet up the creep factor, which kind of gave it a Friday the 13th vibe to it. I’d say that it’s at this point where the story stops being a thriller and delves into horror territory.

I tend to especially enjoy stories that take place in isolated locations in which people are trapped, such as on yachts, at a resort during a snowstorm, or on an island, so the setting here was ideal for me. I also liked how resourceful and focused Abigail becomes as she’s forced to do whatever it takes once her situation escalates.

Though the story started out a tad slow, it ends up being quite a fast-paced adventure once the twist is revealed. There is virtually no let-up once this story starts moving along to an inevitable conclusion, and what we think is a stalker story turns out to be an adrenaline-fueled heart-pounding story of courage. I was on pins and needles the entire time.

And the resolution was absolutely bonkers! It was wild, far-fetched, and way, way out there, yet it worked for me. But really, you do have to suspend disbelief a bit and just sit back and enjoy the ride. Every Vow You Break ended up being a very disturbing examination of relationships, masculinity, and human nature with plenty of heart-in-your-throat moments in which you have no idea who to trust.

A compelling and cleverly plotted tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Purchase Every Vow You Break on Amazon

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!

Purchase What You Never Knew on Amazon

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.

Purchase “When The Stars Go Dark” on Amazon

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.

Purchase The Lake from Amazon