Published by Dutton Genres: Fiction, Gothic, Horror, Mystery, thriller
Format: Audiobook
At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead
Riely Sager is back!!! I loved his earlier books and there were a couple later that I felt meh about, but this one worked for me. Woohoo! It has a Gothic vibe and is quite atmospheric. I enjoyed the setting of the cliffside mansion on the Maine Coast. The mystery of the murders that took place there in 1929 was intriguing.
In 1929, it was believed that Lenora was responsible for the Hope Family Massacre. She always claimed her innocence, but the town never forgot what happened that night.
In 1983, Kit McDeere is a home health care aide who doesn’t have many options. When she is assigned to care for Lenora, she is told this is it, her last chance at a job. She will be replacing the previous aid who left in the night without notice.
Soon Kit and Lenora begin communicating as Lenora beings to type on a typewriter, informing Kit that she wants her to know what happened all those years ago.
This book is full of secrets, rumors, and deception. There were quite a few characters, but it was very easy to keep track of all of them. The tension mounts as the past and present collide in this decaying old mansion perched high on the cliff. I enjoyed the sense of unease and frequently pondered the motivations of several of the characters.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration. Riley Sager kept me on my toes, wanting to know more, all the while trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I had a few suspicions and was dead wrong. Which made the twist and turns even more enjoyable for me.
Gothic, well written, creepy, and atmospheric.