You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I thought it was great! It was a bit hard to get into at first for me, but overall I found it a very compelling mystery that wrapped up nicely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked DARK AUGUST up on a whim at my library without ever having heard of it before. I'm not sure how I missed hearing about this debut because it is right up my alley! I love books about mysterious little towns holding dark secrets. Elgin, Ontario, Canada (at least the fictional version), certainly qualifies.
DARK AUGUST is a riveting read featuring an atmospheric setting, complex characters, and an absorbing plot. Gus is a sympathetic heroine who's tough, determined, and brave, but not invincible. She makes mistakes in her amateur investigation, all of which serve to make her more authentic and relatable. Her furry sidekick, Levi, is just as appealing. While this thriller is certainly character-driven, it's not lacking in action. The plot is carefully crafted to be suspenseful, surprising, and exciting. I saw a couple of the twists coming, but not all of them by any means. DARK AUGUST kept me guessing all the way to the end. Although it's over 400 pages long, I buzzed through this novel in a day and a half because I couldn't put it down. It's that immersive. While DARK AUGUST definitely deals with some depressing, disturbing content, overall I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be on the lookout for whatever Katie Tallo writes next.
DARK AUGUST is a riveting read featuring an atmospheric setting, complex characters, and an absorbing plot. Gus is a sympathetic heroine who's tough, determined, and brave, but not invincible. She makes mistakes in her amateur investigation, all of which serve to make her more authentic and relatable. Her furry sidekick, Levi, is just as appealing. While this thriller is certainly character-driven, it's not lacking in action. The plot is carefully crafted to be suspenseful, surprising, and exciting. I saw a couple of the twists coming, but not all of them by any means. DARK AUGUST kept me guessing all the way to the end. Although it's over 400 pages long, I buzzed through this novel in a day and a half because I couldn't put it down. It's that immersive. While DARK AUGUST definitely deals with some depressing, disturbing content, overall I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be on the lookout for whatever Katie Tallo writes next.
A very strong debut - 3.5 stars! When I first started this book, I thought..hmm..this feels dull and dusty. But by 30 or so pages in, I was full immersed into Gus's world. This book wasn't "action packed" but the the characters were so vivid and the story/mystery unfolded in such a steady manner. Each chapter revealed something new and I just wanted to keep reading.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My Thoughts
Augusta/Gus is back where she grew up after always moving around with her grifter boyfriend Lars. A run down house and Levi, a mutt on its last legs are left to her after her great grandma passes. With no family left, no real plans and no money Gus puts the house up for sale, but not before going through her grandma's things. In the basement she finds an old blue trunk she had when growing up. Inside the trunk are her mom's, Detective Shannon, old case files. Gus was told her mom died in a car accident, but the way it was explained seemed fishy. Then there is the fire that destroyed an entire town, the boy that went missing years ago whose remains were just found, millions of dollars missing, and the unsolved case that kept Gus's mom awake at night, Gracie Halladay.
This is one of those books that sucked me in and didn't spit me out until the very end. There are so many mysteries to solve including but not excluding how Gus's mom REALLY died! I loved the investigative work Gus did, and learning about the history of the town that was destroyed in the fire. Gus meets so many interesting people along the way. Some who help her solve the mysteries of the past, some who want her dead for trying to find out the truth, and some who follow Gus hoping she leads them to the missing money and then kill her.
The one thing that bothered me about Grace is that she trusts so easily. I would think that after being in a rocky relationship with someone like Lars, she would have her guard up more.
Nonetheless I flew through this book. So if you like trying to solve multiple mysteries and you enjoy suspenseful twists, this is the book for you! This one is out now!
Thank you Harper Collins Paperback for the #gifted copy!
Wine Pairing: Chateau de Santenay Mercurey 1er Cru Les Puillets 2016 Pinot Noir
Augusta/Gus is back where she grew up after always moving around with her grifter boyfriend Lars. A run down house and Levi, a mutt on its last legs are left to her after her great grandma passes. With no family left, no real plans and no money Gus puts the house up for sale, but not before going through her grandma's things. In the basement she finds an old blue trunk she had when growing up. Inside the trunk are her mom's, Detective Shannon, old case files. Gus was told her mom died in a car accident, but the way it was explained seemed fishy. Then there is the fire that destroyed an entire town, the boy that went missing years ago whose remains were just found, millions of dollars missing, and the unsolved case that kept Gus's mom awake at night, Gracie Halladay.
This is one of those books that sucked me in and didn't spit me out until the very end. There are so many mysteries to solve including but not excluding how Gus's mom REALLY died! I loved the investigative work Gus did, and learning about the history of the town that was destroyed in the fire. Gus meets so many interesting people along the way. Some who help her solve the mysteries of the past, some who want her dead for trying to find out the truth, and some who follow Gus hoping she leads them to the missing money and then kill her.
The one thing that bothered me about Grace is that she trusts so easily. I would think that after being in a rocky relationship with someone like Lars, she would have her guard up more.
Nonetheless I flew through this book. So if you like trying to solve multiple mysteries and you enjoy suspenseful twists, this is the book for you! This one is out now!
Thank you Harper Collins Paperback for the #gifted copy!
Wine Pairing: Chateau de Santenay Mercurey 1er Cru Les Puillets 2016 Pinot Noir