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bibliokayla 's review for:
Grave Matter
by Karina Halle
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As always, check the trigger warnings at the front of the book.
Grave Matter is a great pick for a dark spooky season read. It had several of my favorite thriller components, including a remote PNW setting, secretive characters, and things going bump in the night. The novel blends genres, from dark-ish romance to thriller to horror. I enjoyed the tone warp as we watch Sydney's perspective of the Madrona Foundation and its staff shift. The ending was neither too predictable nor such a twist that you couldn't retroactively connect the dots. The final 25% actually bumped my rating up a star, and, for me, the ending is usually where thrillers fall apart.
This was my first Karina Halle read, and I look forward to reading her backlist.
Spoilers (including references to ending) below:
I also want to compliment the author in that if you, like me, don't really vibe with taboo relationships, that just adds to the horror of the novel and the unease you feel. Obviously by the end my perception of the relationship shifted a bit, but I thought that was important to flag. The book straddled the genres well.
I'll be chatting about this one with friends for a while.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, Gaslighting
Moderate: Kidnapping, Stalking