Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
From the very start I was grapped by the style of writing of Williams. One of my favourite books of this year!
I’m not quite sure what to make of this novel because there is so many bad people. I’ve read about serial killers often being abused as children, but in this book, SO many people are raised to be deranged. I don’t mean the kind of damage that can happen when a kid is raised in a cult or with bad parents; I mean the folks in this tale are lunatics. The Grimm fairytales are mentioned more than once in the story, and it does have that incredibly dark feel to it that the Disney-fied fairytales most of us grew up with don’t have. So I guess if you’re in the mood for that you might like this, but mostly I just wanted it to be over.
NetGalley provided an advanced copy of this novel, which will be released June 8, 2021.
NetGalley provided an advanced copy of this novel, which will be released June 8, 2021.
A Dark and Secret place is a dark and mysterious adventure into the past. Heather is forced to confront her mother's past after her mother commits suicide. Back in her childhood town, she starts to receive haunting notes and experiences situations she cannot explain. I enjoyed the intergenerational look at how children do not really know their parents. How parents can block off times in their life from who they are present day. The overall pace is slightly slow and feels the story was too sidetracked with plots that did not add to the overall books. The plots that would add depth to the characters and pacing were only shallowly explored. The climax was satisfying only because it mended all the loose ties.
2 stars
DNF @ 9.5%
**Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Jen Williams, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date: June 08, 2021**
A small town, serial killer, and family secrets? Sounded totally up my alley... unfortunately, A Dark and Secret Place is plagued by a confusing writing style, that I just couldn't get behind. I found the opening to be very disorientating with a bunch of names being thrown at you and various perspectives that I immediately had to get behind. I think that you will enjoy this if you don't mind getting head first into the action, setting, characters, and multiple perspectives. For me, this was just a bit much. With so much stress going on in my life and the world, I just don't have time to read a book that makes me more confused and doesn't interest me.
DNF @ 9.5%
**Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Jen Williams, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date: June 08, 2021**
A small town, serial killer, and family secrets? Sounded totally up my alley... unfortunately, A Dark and Secret Place is plagued by a confusing writing style, that I just couldn't get behind. I found the opening to be very disorientating with a bunch of names being thrown at you and various perspectives that I immediately had to get behind. I think that you will enjoy this if you don't mind getting head first into the action, setting, characters, and multiple perspectives. For me, this was just a bit much. With so much stress going on in my life and the world, I just don't have time to read a book that makes me more confused and doesn't interest me.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Jen Williams is better known for her fantasy work, and her Ninth Rain books are a genuine five star epic that come highly recommended. This one marks a new direction, set in our here and now and sitting somewhere between crime and horror. The move towards realism doesn’t hurt the book, it’s fast paced and the pages keep turning. The main character is relatable, and the setup is intriguing, giving rise to some genuinely nasty scenes. My main grumble is that the book just isn’t long enough. The end comes quickly, and I would have liked it to run a bit longer with more of the backstory filled in. There’s a folk horror undercurrent throughout, around ideas of sacrifice, myth and the land, that isn’t quite teased out in the space available. It’s a very good readable dark thriller, but it just misses being the landmark it could have been.
3.5 stars. It was a slow but intriguing start, with a very Horror like atmosphere. However, the ending was a bit rushed. Too much information with no satisfying conclusion.
The mystery was convoluted and as more was revealed, less was becoming clear. The ending was rushed and implausible. Too much told, not enough shown, in terms of emotional reactions to the situation.
i give the novel four stars for the first half; 3 stars for the second half. the protagonist ends up making some stupid choices simply to move the plot forward, so that was frustrating. but overall: a serial killer thriller // psychological suspense that i quite liked.
The story is interesting and unique. The execution is too long and repetitive. With a good editor, this would have been a 3-4 start book.