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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
I have enjoyed this series and book three was no exception! It was everything you could want out of a serial killer thriller- fast paced, disturbing, twisty, and adrenaline inducing. The ending was a heart pounding finish and I loved it! The character development throughout this series has been excellent and the conclusion of this book was a beautiful testament to that. The author is adept at ramping up the suspense and I was on the edge of my seat in apprehension. 4 ⭐️ Thank you to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
Fantastic book, really enjoyed how everything wrapped up! So many secrets! I really enjoyed the ending, it was fitting!
While this was the third book in The Undertaker’s Daughter series and had a fairly intricate case of characters, I was able to follow along despite having not read the previous two books.
What a story! Rowan DuPont is the only member of her family left after her twin sister and both parents had come to tragic ends before this book starts. She and her boyfriend (the chief of the local police department) are now still trying to figure out the convoluted story of her family and other deaths that all seem to link back to Rowan. We usually found out the mysterious link to Rowan and her family after someone was murdered.
Looking back, there were quite a few characters introduced (usually on their way out), but not knowing them from the previous books didn’t really confuse things. It’s obvious which parts of Rowan’s story could have been covered in the previous two books, but everything we needed to know was explained enough for this, the third book, to be understandable.
Luckily I like a far-fetched story. Because Rowan’s background? Whoa. Overall, I’d still give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars, especially for the creativity of the plot. If I happened across either of the first two books, I wouldn’t mind reading them too. The author’s style was definitely engaging and entertaining (which feels like a weird thing to say in a book mostly based on murders, but oh well).
What a story! Rowan DuPont is the only member of her family left after her twin sister and both parents had come to tragic ends before this book starts. She and her boyfriend (the chief of the local police department) are now still trying to figure out the convoluted story of her family and other deaths that all seem to link back to Rowan. We usually found out the mysterious link to Rowan and her family after someone was murdered.
Looking back, there were quite a few characters introduced (usually on their way out), but not knowing them from the previous books didn’t really confuse things. It’s obvious which parts of Rowan’s story could have been covered in the previous two books, but everything we needed to know was explained enough for this, the third book, to be understandable.
Luckily I like a far-fetched story. Because Rowan’s background? Whoa. Overall, I’d still give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars, especially for the creativity of the plot. If I happened across either of the first two books, I wouldn’t mind reading them too. The author’s style was definitely engaging and entertaining (which feels like a weird thing to say in a book mostly based on murders, but oh well).
Well, now that I know this was a trilogy, the continued focus on the relationship between Rowan and Julian makes a lot more sense! I wish I had known this when I read book 2. I probably would have had a bit more patience with it! That being said, I still think the writing (or maybe editing) needs a bit of attention. Thoughts are repeated multiple times. Two such points that won't spoil the book are Rowan not wanting to ruin her friendship with Billy and not being able to accept that her father would kill anyone. Ms. Webb did a good job of reminding readers what they might have missed if they hadn't read the first two books but then seems to get clogged down in repetition. A few times I wondered if I had accidentally jumped back pages and was re-reading something from earlier. But Ms. Webb did bring the series to a nice conclusion and I appreciated the subplots that gave the story some changes in intensity levels.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin MIRA for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin MIRA for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Favorite Character: Charlotte
Charlotte has it all together, and she’s not afraid of anything. She keeps the funeral home running while Rowan deals with a serial killer, discovering her family history, and love. She doesn’t let Rowan out of her sight, filling the role of protector even though it could cost her everything to do so.
What I Loved
I love the suspense that never lets up. Through twists and turns and murder after murder, I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. It’s a book that is so exciting I didn’t want to put it down. From the first chapter, I knew I was reading a story about a serial killer who was responsible for the death of the main character’s mother, and his daughter was responsible for the death of the main character’s sister. How could a situation like that be anything other than thrilling?
I loved how the past unfolded in small bits and pieces. There wasn’t a big mind-blowing reveal. Instead, I enjoyed the smaller reveal approach as Rowan learned more and more about her mother and her family. Each reveal was jaw-dropping and kept the pages turning faster and faster.
The story explored many aspects of serial killer mentality - from a killer collective to communities of killers who hold killer parties. These parties are horrifying and beyond belief.
I found the idea of a killer collective – not a kill club – but a group of vigilantes who are serial killers themselves and killed other serial killers intriguing—sort of like killers policing their own. I haven’t seen this type of plot device before, and it just added another layer of suspense to an already thrilling story.
I loved the ending. It was surprisingly satisfying, but of course, I can’t say more for fear of spoiling it for you.
To Read or Not to Read
This story has all the twists and turns, surprising reveals, and suspense any lover of the genre could want. It ticks off all the boxes and then adds a few boxes of its own and ticks those off too.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Charlotte has it all together, and she’s not afraid of anything. She keeps the funeral home running while Rowan deals with a serial killer, discovering her family history, and love. She doesn’t let Rowan out of her sight, filling the role of protector even though it could cost her everything to do so.
What I Loved
I love the suspense that never lets up. Through twists and turns and murder after murder, I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. It’s a book that is so exciting I didn’t want to put it down. From the first chapter, I knew I was reading a story about a serial killer who was responsible for the death of the main character’s mother, and his daughter was responsible for the death of the main character’s sister. How could a situation like that be anything other than thrilling?
I loved how the past unfolded in small bits and pieces. There wasn’t a big mind-blowing reveal. Instead, I enjoyed the smaller reveal approach as Rowan learned more and more about her mother and her family. Each reveal was jaw-dropping and kept the pages turning faster and faster.
The story explored many aspects of serial killer mentality - from a killer collective to communities of killers who hold killer parties. These parties are horrifying and beyond belief.
I found the idea of a killer collective – not a kill club – but a group of vigilantes who are serial killers themselves and killed other serial killers intriguing—sort of like killers policing their own. I haven’t seen this type of plot device before, and it just added another layer of suspense to an already thrilling story.
I loved the ending. It was surprisingly satisfying, but of course, I can’t say more for fear of spoiling it for you.
To Read or Not to Read
This story has all the twists and turns, surprising reveals, and suspense any lover of the genre could want. It ticks off all the boxes and then adds a few boxes of its own and ticks those off too.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Mira Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
So I was lucky enough that I was able to understand what the series was about – at least the gist of it – without having read the other books, but I recommend reading the first two books and the novella first! I missed out on a lot of the story and background by not reading it prior to this one, but I plan on eventually reading the full series in the future.
Ugh I’m so freaking glad that this terror that Doctor Rowan had to deal with ends up coming to an end because I couldn’t imagine having to go through what she did. It’s not enough that she’s surrounded by death on a regular basis because of the funeral home family business, but then to have a serial killer in the mix that is trying to punish her for whatever it is he feels like she did. I mean, when do they really need a reason to be cruel to people right?
This got intense, it got gritty, it got insane. Seriously this was one of those mystery-thriller novels that kept you up at night with its plot and how psychological the situation was for Rowan. Honestly there were some parts that were a little hard to digest because of the content, but I think that it made sense for the story and it was written well. Webb did an amazing job with this trilogy.
So I was lucky enough that I was able to understand what the series was about – at least the gist of it – without having read the other books, but I recommend reading the first two books and the novella first! I missed out on a lot of the story and background by not reading it prior to this one, but I plan on eventually reading the full series in the future.
Ugh I’m so freaking glad that this terror that Doctor Rowan had to deal with ends up coming to an end because I couldn’t imagine having to go through what she did. It’s not enough that she’s surrounded by death on a regular basis because of the funeral home family business, but then to have a serial killer in the mix that is trying to punish her for whatever it is he feels like she did. I mean, when do they really need a reason to be cruel to people right?
This got intense, it got gritty, it got insane. Seriously this was one of those mystery-thriller novels that kept you up at night with its plot and how psychological the situation was for Rowan. Honestly there were some parts that were a little hard to digest because of the content, but I think that it made sense for the story and it was written well. Webb did an amazing job with this trilogy.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own!
Book: The Darkness We Hide
Author: Debra Webb
Book Series: The Undertaker’s Daughter Book 3
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: March 31, 2020
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: MIRA
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Some secrets are worth dying for.
For months, Doctor Rowan Dupont has been staring death in the face. It followed her back to her hometown of Winchester, Tennessee, ten months ago, cloaking the walls of her family’s Victorian funeral home like a shroud. In investigating the mysterious deaths of her loved ones, Rowan has unearthed enough family secrets to bury everything she’d previously thought true. But each shocking discovery has only led to more bodies and more questions; the rabbit hole is deeper than she ever imagined.
Despite settling in to a comfortable life with Police Chief Billy Brannigan, Rowan knows dangerous serial killer Julian Addington is still out there. She can’t let her guard down now. Not when she’s this close to ending his torment once and for all. But with a storm brewing on the horizon, she’ll get only one shot before the impending darkness takes hold, threatening to wipe away every truth she’s uncovered—and everything she holds dear.
Review: I had to DNF this book. It was very hard to keep everything straight with it being a third book and I’d rather wait to read the first two before I jump in. This isn’t a DNF because the book is bad, it’s a DNF for now because I need to make a book review for this and I don’t want to DNF a book with amazing writing and characters because I can’t understand what’s going on.
Verdict: Read book 1 and 2 before this!
Book: The Darkness We Hide
Author: Debra Webb
Book Series: The Undertaker’s Daughter Book 3
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: March 31, 2020
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: MIRA
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Some secrets are worth dying for.
For months, Doctor Rowan Dupont has been staring death in the face. It followed her back to her hometown of Winchester, Tennessee, ten months ago, cloaking the walls of her family’s Victorian funeral home like a shroud. In investigating the mysterious deaths of her loved ones, Rowan has unearthed enough family secrets to bury everything she’d previously thought true. But each shocking discovery has only led to more bodies and more questions; the rabbit hole is deeper than she ever imagined.
Despite settling in to a comfortable life with Police Chief Billy Brannigan, Rowan knows dangerous serial killer Julian Addington is still out there. She can’t let her guard down now. Not when she’s this close to ending his torment once and for all. But with a storm brewing on the horizon, she’ll get only one shot before the impending darkness takes hold, threatening to wipe away every truth she’s uncovered—and everything she holds dear.
Review: I had to DNF this book. It was very hard to keep everything straight with it being a third book and I’d rather wait to read the first two before I jump in. This isn’t a DNF because the book is bad, it’s a DNF for now because I need to make a book review for this and I don’t want to DNF a book with amazing writing and characters because I can’t understand what’s going on.
Verdict: Read book 1 and 2 before this!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Oh boy, this one was full of twists and turns that I didn't expect. I had not read the other books in the series and kind of wish I had read them first. I may go back and read them even though I've already read this one, just so I can better understand all the nuances of the characters and story.
That being said, it was still a really enjoyable and thrilling story. There were a number of points where I was both scared to find out what was going to happen and also eagerly needing to know. I've only read a few of Debra Webb's books so far, but she is quickly becoming an author whose writing I really enjoy.
I would definitely say read the rest of the series first, but I would recommend picking them up for sure!
Oh boy, this one was full of twists and turns that I didn't expect. I had not read the other books in the series and kind of wish I had read them first. I may go back and read them even though I've already read this one, just so I can better understand all the nuances of the characters and story.
That being said, it was still a really enjoyable and thrilling story. There were a number of points where I was both scared to find out what was going to happen and also eagerly needing to know. I've only read a few of Debra Webb's books so far, but she is quickly becoming an author whose writing I really enjoy.
I would definitely say read the rest of the series first, but I would recommend picking them up for sure!
I really enjoyed this book and got all the answers that have carried through the first three books. In this installment, Rowan DuPont and Police Chief Billy Brannigan are now living together. It has been four months since the end of the last book. Rowan is waiting for Julian Addington to do something. She knows that she cannot move on in her life until he's captured or dead. All of the secrets of her family come to light when she is given enough clues to know where to look for the answers. Ms. Webb constructed a truly evil and creative backstory. I found everything about this book satisfying.
The Darkness We Hide is the finale of The Undertaker’s Daughter series featuring Dr. Rowan Dupont and the serial killer, Julian Addington who has been stalking her for most of her life. This a series that needs to be read in order, despite the author’s references to events from the previous instalments.
Rowan has finally gotten the answers she sought. Answers that were horrific, shocking and difficult to wrap one’s head around them. Readers can relate to the variety of emotions she felt on learning the truth. Despite the horrific nature of the revelations she got the closure needed to move on.
The author introduced a few new players who brought their own share of what the hell moments. These along with the existing characters would have the reader wondering who can and cannot be trusted. Almost everyone appeared suspect.
Readers will enjoy how the storyline involving the serial killer developed. What was of most interest was the manner in which the author revealed his identity to Rowan and how he escaped capture all these years. However, one may find the showdown with the serial killer disappointing. The build-up leading to that moment was intense, but when the showdown occurred it did not deliver as one would hope.
The romance between Rowan and Billy, which was served as a side dish, developed nicely and watching them finally get their happily ever after was a treat.
Conclusion/Recommendation.
Overall, The Darkness We Hide is an entertaining, suspenseful and captivating story. It depicts interesting yet gruesome points regarding the mind of a serial killer. Recommended for fans of suspense and thrillers.
Rowan has finally gotten the answers she sought. Answers that were horrific, shocking and difficult to wrap one’s head around them. Readers can relate to the variety of emotions she felt on learning the truth. Despite the horrific nature of the revelations she got the closure needed to move on.
The author introduced a few new players who brought their own share of what the hell moments. These along with the existing characters would have the reader wondering who can and cannot be trusted. Almost everyone appeared suspect.
Readers will enjoy how the storyline involving the serial killer developed. What was of most interest was the manner in which the author revealed his identity to Rowan and how he escaped capture all these years. However, one may find the showdown with the serial killer disappointing. The build-up leading to that moment was intense, but when the showdown occurred it did not deliver as one would hope.
The romance between Rowan and Billy, which was served as a side dish, developed nicely and watching them finally get their happily ever after was a treat.
Conclusion/Recommendation.
Overall, The Darkness We Hide is an entertaining, suspenseful and captivating story. It depicts interesting yet gruesome points regarding the mind of a serial killer. Recommended for fans of suspense and thrillers.