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judithdcollins's review against another edition
4.0
Liv Andersson returns following Little Red House with her latest, LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON —a woman with dark dangerous secrets, and when the past and present collide, her idyllic life unravels in this twisty atmospheric psychological suspense thriller.
Set in Cape Morgan, Maine on Ross Island we meet Beatrice Wicker and her husband, Josh (architect), with a housekeeper, Maya. They live in a multi-million home on the coast on a remote island overlooking the sea surrounded by cottages. The Wicker Foundation had purchased the property. The main building and the cottages will remain, and the old inn to be demolished.
Cape Morgan is a small community, and Josh was a local public figure/hero. His company's non-profit had contributed to the town in many ways.
Miles Ross had lived there for 73 years and passed at the home in the upstairs corner of the main house. Eccentric and reclusive, the family fortune dwindled, and the buildings fell into disrepair. Some say the island is haunted.
Beatrice's goal is to renovate the abandoned asylum into an artist's retreat, and she is willing to overlook that her husband is having an affair and has another family, which he sneaks out to spend time with. He has no clue she knows.
Josh and his money will make her life and projects possible. She looks the other way and keeps quiet.
Now, the truth about Josh and his other family, along with the other past secrets, begin to unravel, and the idyllic, safe facade begins to crumble.
There is an explosion at the local elementary school playground, and a two-year-old boy, Oliver, is abducted. A fire. A missing boy. The little boy is Josh's son. People move here because it is safe. So what is going on?
Beatrice remembers an event from her past that she wants to keep secret. How is this connected to the kidnapping? She must stay quiet to keep from her past and who she is from coming out.
From two timelines, we meet Emma, a young social worker kidnapped and brainwashed by a family who convinces her the government is after them. She tries to help the boy, Luke, doing her job and gets pulled in by the charismatic and manipulative Gabriel.
She manages to escape and reclaim her life, but she is always on the run because they always seem to find her. Nearly 20 years later, she is settled down, married, and living her life under a different name, but once again, this family finds her. She thought she had lost them. Why now?
What is the connection between Emma, Beatrice, and Grace?
LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON is atmospheric, haunting, chilling, and terrifying. Full of mystery, conspiracy, and kidnapping, this domestic suspense will have you glued to the pages to discover how the past and present will connect—topics of kidnapping, mind control, conspiracy, deception, manipulation, and trauma.
Compelling! I read the e-book and listened to the audio narrated by Mia Barron for a chilling listening experience.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media for an ALC and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 17, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
Oct 2023 Must-Read Books
Set in Cape Morgan, Maine on Ross Island we meet Beatrice Wicker and her husband, Josh (architect), with a housekeeper, Maya. They live in a multi-million home on the coast on a remote island overlooking the sea surrounded by cottages. The Wicker Foundation had purchased the property. The main building and the cottages will remain, and the old inn to be demolished.
Cape Morgan is a small community, and Josh was a local public figure/hero. His company's non-profit had contributed to the town in many ways.
Miles Ross had lived there for 73 years and passed at the home in the upstairs corner of the main house. Eccentric and reclusive, the family fortune dwindled, and the buildings fell into disrepair. Some say the island is haunted.
Beatrice's goal is to renovate the abandoned asylum into an artist's retreat, and she is willing to overlook that her husband is having an affair and has another family, which he sneaks out to spend time with. He has no clue she knows.
Josh and his money will make her life and projects possible. She looks the other way and keeps quiet.
Now, the truth about Josh and his other family, along with the other past secrets, begin to unravel, and the idyllic, safe facade begins to crumble.
There is an explosion at the local elementary school playground, and a two-year-old boy, Oliver, is abducted. A fire. A missing boy. The little boy is Josh's son. People move here because it is safe. So what is going on?
Beatrice remembers an event from her past that she wants to keep secret. How is this connected to the kidnapping? She must stay quiet to keep from her past and who she is from coming out.
From two timelines, we meet Emma, a young social worker kidnapped and brainwashed by a family who convinces her the government is after them. She tries to help the boy, Luke, doing her job and gets pulled in by the charismatic and manipulative Gabriel.
She manages to escape and reclaim her life, but she is always on the run because they always seem to find her. Nearly 20 years later, she is settled down, married, and living her life under a different name, but once again, this family finds her. She thought she had lost them. Why now?
What is the connection between Emma, Beatrice, and Grace?
LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON is atmospheric, haunting, chilling, and terrifying. Full of mystery, conspiracy, and kidnapping, this domestic suspense will have you glued to the pages to discover how the past and present will connect—topics of kidnapping, mind control, conspiracy, deception, manipulation, and trauma.
Compelling! I read the e-book and listened to the audio narrated by Mia Barron for a chilling listening experience.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media for an ALC and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 17, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
Oct 2023 Must-Read Books
mokoeneman's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
maralyons's review against another edition
4.0
Leave the Lights On is a captivating mystery that had a very unexpected plot. The story is narrated by a 40-something Beatrice Wicker, a wife with a secret. She is married to a successful, wealthy architect living in a small seaside town in Maine.
Early on, a young child is kidnapped, and the clues lead us to believe it's somehow related to Beatrice. The story has dual timelines, which teased out and connected what was going on then and now.
Beatrice isn't the most compelling character with her questionable behavior, but the action was fast-paced and intriguing. The ending had me scratching my head. It seemed a little abrupt and odd. I listened to the audiobook, which was well-narrated by Mia Barron.
Thank you, NetGalley, and the publishers for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Early on, a young child is kidnapped, and the clues lead us to believe it's somehow related to Beatrice. The story has dual timelines, which teased out and connected what was going on then and now.
Beatrice isn't the most compelling character with her questionable behavior, but the action was fast-paced and intriguing. The ending had me scratching my head. It seemed a little abrupt and odd. I listened to the audiobook, which was well-narrated by Mia Barron.
Thank you, NetGalley, and the publishers for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.
neville_lvr_reads's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Leave the Lights on is an intriguing, fast-paced thriller. It follows Beatrice as strange and scary things begin happening in her small town of Cape Morgan. There are bombs being set off and children are being kidnapped and add things keep popping up on the island Beatrice is trying to turn into an artists’ retreat.
When I first started this one, I was a little nervous it was going to be another lack-luster domestic thriller, and was pleased to find out it wasn’t! While the plot still wasn’t entirely realistic, I was kept interested as there were multiple tense moments in the cat and mouse-like story. The fast pace and occasional dual timeline pieces definitely helped. The mystery aspect had a lot of pieces to it, but wasn’t super convoluted, which was nice.
The thing I didn’t fully like was the ending. No spoilers, but I felt like it was a little rushed and left some loose ends hanging.
I was lucky enough to listen to the audio ARC of this book from @dreamscape_media via @netgalley . I thought the narrator did a great job keeping the tension up!
When I first started this one, I was a little nervous it was going to be another lack-luster domestic thriller, and was pleased to find out it wasn’t! While the plot still wasn’t entirely realistic, I was kept interested as there were multiple tense moments in the cat and mouse-like story. The fast pace and occasional dual timeline pieces definitely helped. The mystery aspect had a lot of pieces to it, but wasn’t super convoluted, which was nice.
The thing I didn’t fully like was the ending. No spoilers, but I felt like it was a little rushed and left some loose ends hanging.
I was lucky enough to listen to the audio ARC of this book from @dreamscape_media via @netgalley . I thought the narrator did a great job keeping the tension up!
c_gurli's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
thisisjusttheprologue_'s review against another edition
5.0
"The only way to deal with what happened is to leave again. Find somewhere truly remote, and just blend in. Stop trying to form relationships or have a meaningful job. You can't have what normal people have. Normal is not for you. Stop looking for it."
Beatrice and Josh live the perfect life in an upscale town in Maine. Perfect, except for the fact the Josh is having an affair, has a baby with another woman, and Beatrice has a past that is mind blowingly complicated. Why are children getting kidnapped in this small town, why are the kids both connected to Beatrice and Josh, and who is targeting them?
" "We've seen the changes- to the people and the landscape. Sometimes, though, the more things change, the more you realize nothing changes.""Are we still talking about the island and psychiatry, Professor?"Hanes winked at me. "We're talking about life, my dear. Just life." "
After reading this and Little Red House, this author will be an auto-buy from me. I enjoyed the psychological suspense of this book and couldn't wait to find out what happens. This book was all single POV but did have "then" and "now" chapters. I really enjoyed the storyline of the "then" chapters and that is what really kept me invested in the story. I was all about the culty/Stockholm Syndrome vibes we get in the "then" chapters. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. I would have liked more "then" chapters and I would also like some more answers at the end. Like more closure about Seth and who he really is. Also, when we find out who the real antagonist is, it isn't made clear whether or not that was the person following Beatrice for all those years.
Some other thoughts:
"You've known for months, years maybe. You don't get to act like the victim now." Eww. Why is Josh mad at Beatrice for not telling him that she knew he was having an affair? "...I want to punch Josh in the face.
" "Her car's gone. She hasn't returned my calls." "Then she went on a trip, Beatrice She's an adult. She's allowed to move about freely. You're letting your imagination get the best of you." "...Anger provoking response to a perceived hysterical woman reporting a missing person. Sadly, I read and hear on podcasts all the time that this is a frequent law enforcement response to a missing person inquiry.
Thank you to Crooked Lane and NetGalley for this ARC. Publication date is October 17th, 2023!
#LeaveTheLightsOn #NetGalley
Beatrice and Josh live the perfect life in an upscale town in Maine. Perfect, except for the fact the Josh is having an affair, has a baby with another woman, and Beatrice has a past that is mind blowingly complicated. Why are children getting kidnapped in this small town, why are the kids both connected to Beatrice and Josh, and who is targeting them?
" "We've seen the changes- to the people and the landscape. Sometimes, though, the more things change, the more you realize nothing changes.""Are we still talking about the island and psychiatry, Professor?"Hanes winked at me. "We're talking about life, my dear. Just life." "
After reading this and Little Red House, this author will be an auto-buy from me. I enjoyed the psychological suspense of this book and couldn't wait to find out what happens. This book was all single POV but did have "then" and "now" chapters. I really enjoyed the storyline of the "then" chapters and that is what really kept me invested in the story. I was all about the culty/Stockholm Syndrome vibes we get in the "then" chapters. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. I would have liked more "then" chapters and I would also like some more answers at the end. Like more closure about Seth and who he really is. Also, when we find out who the real antagonist is, it isn't made clear whether or not that was the person following Beatrice for all those years.
Some other thoughts:
"You've known for months, years maybe. You don't get to act like the victim now." Eww. Why is Josh mad at Beatrice for not telling him that she knew he was having an affair? "...I want to punch Josh in the face.
" "Her car's gone. She hasn't returned my calls." "Then she went on a trip, Beatrice She's an adult. She's allowed to move about freely. You're letting your imagination get the best of you." "...Anger provoking response to a perceived hysterical woman reporting a missing person. Sadly, I read and hear on podcasts all the time that this is a frequent law enforcement response to a missing person inquiry.
Thank you to Crooked Lane and NetGalley for this ARC. Publication date is October 17th, 2023!
#LeaveTheLightsOn #NetGalley
henrymarlene's review against another edition
4.0
In Maine, Beatrice seemed like she had a charmed life: wealth, a husband, charge of a Trust to build an arts centre. Yet under the surface, a whirlwind of activity threatened to topple her over in one quick breath. Her past was trying to catch up with her in the midst of abductions of local children, one of whom is her husband’s child to another woman, that she hasn’t admitted she knows about.
We learn, piece by piece about Beatrice’s past and her history slowly finding its way back to her. We watch Josh, her husband, unravel as their relationship is tested for the penultimate time. The restoration of the former island sanatorium for women into a modern-day artist colony was a project doomed and haunted from the start, with scars of former patients haunting every activity on the island. It was like the normalcy of living in the sanatorium all those years ago was being reflected in the way Beatrice was and wasn’t reacting to many of the events occurring. I think Beatrice’s inability to understand or comprehend what was happening was part of her own PTSD; she was not even aware of it herself. She worked on fight-or-flight her whole life, and each time there was a sinister event, and that’s where she retreated to. She seemed restrained, hypervigilant, and ready to step in at any tenuous moment, and unaware her void of emotions kept many at arm’s length from her, including Josh.
I think that’s why I liked this book; there was just so much going o that it all seemed a little nuts and hard to believe. The confusion and culmination of all these crazy pieces kept the book moving at lightning speed without time to sink into some of the more detailed plot lines. It had a few horror elements thrown in, and I’m not sure it was entirely a thriller either. And that’s okay. It was a nice change to other thrillers of late.
We learn, piece by piece about Beatrice’s past and her history slowly finding its way back to her. We watch Josh, her husband, unravel as their relationship is tested for the penultimate time. The restoration of the former island sanatorium for women into a modern-day artist colony was a project doomed and haunted from the start, with scars of former patients haunting every activity on the island. It was like the normalcy of living in the sanatorium all those years ago was being reflected in the way Beatrice was and wasn’t reacting to many of the events occurring. I think Beatrice’s inability to understand or comprehend what was happening was part of her own PTSD; she was not even aware of it herself. She worked on fight-or-flight her whole life, and each time there was a sinister event, and that’s where she retreated to. She seemed restrained, hypervigilant, and ready to step in at any tenuous moment, and unaware her void of emotions kept many at arm’s length from her, including Josh.
I think that’s why I liked this book; there was just so much going o that it all seemed a little nuts and hard to believe. The confusion and culmination of all these crazy pieces kept the book moving at lightning speed without time to sink into some of the more detailed plot lines. It had a few horror elements thrown in, and I’m not sure it was entirely a thriller either. And that’s okay. It was a nice change to other thrillers of late.
thebstandsforbooks's review against another edition
2.0
There was a lot going on in this one and not all of it good. While this was an easy read, the plot was far-fetched and I found that I didn't have a single character to root for.