by Freida McFadden

A Mystery/Thriller, 2022 by Hollywood Upstairs Press, 286 Pages 

What I Didn’t Like:

• What is wrong with these people? I mean, I get the set up and that we’re just supposed to act like the explanations for everything they’re giving are normal … but they’re NOT. What are you doing?
• The big twists(s) are fun, but they create a few inconsistencies in the story. If you’re annoyed by plot holes, maybe give this one a skip.
• I didn’t love the epilogue. It tried to tie a bow around the story and give it an epic ending but I feel like all it did was bring us around to an ending we’ve heard before. 

What I Did Like:

• Right away this one would make for a GREAT movie because of the vibe you have going on. The gothic style house out in the middle of nowhere, the creepy things going on, the main characters who give off this sort of worrisome vibe … all of that would translate well to the big screen (at least the way I picture it in my head comes out cool).
• There’s at least one twist you won’t see coming. That’s high praise for this genre coming from someone who reads a LOT of thrillers and tends to predict a good chunk of things ahead of time. 
• Unreliable narrator. This is one you either like or don’t, I get that. But if you like unreliable narrators who may lie to you at the drop of a hat, this one is done well. There are lies, they do throw up red herrings for plot twists, and you’ll be suitably offended/outraged when you realize you’ve been lied to. 

Who Should Read This One:

• Thriller fans who want the juicy twist and don’t mind if characters don’t behave completely naturally as long as it comes out shocking in the end.

My Rating: 3 Stars