Published by Atria Books Genres: Fiction, Gothic, Mystery, Paranormal
Format: ARC, eBook
This book has a lot going on and I mean a lot! Pay attention and enjoy the ride in this gripping and riveting book.
Toby Tucker has spent years trying to protect his young son, Luca, safe. When he marries Alyssa Wright, the daughter of a televangelist, he can’t image what he is getting himself into. When they travel to the family’s compound in Texas, Toby notices that the family has very strange plans for him and Luca. Then a storm hits, the family patriarch is found on the roof dead. How’s that for come-home-and-meet-my-family weekend????
This book has an eerie and chilling vibe to it. Something isn’t quite right with this family. There are secrets and then there are the Wright Family secrets! They are dark, dark secrets. Imagine being trapped in a home with them and they are circling around Luca, and you can’t escape. I love that trapped feeling in books. Not only do the characters have to deal with not being able to leave and being cut off from the outside world, but they also must face being stuck with a killer, hidden alliances, and the weather. Tensions rise, anxiety mounts, and there is a figure/ghost that Luca has seen that has unfinished business.
Let’s talk about the atmosphere in this book – it’s fantastic! I love atmospheric books, and this felt the bill. The family compound paired with the storm creates a chilling atmosphere. This book has a gothic feel to it. I enjoyed the descriptions and the compound felt very much like a character in the book as well.
This book has a strong LGBTQ representation. The book also touches on identity/sexual identity, homophobia, bigotry, and mental health to name a few. This book also has religious talk and characters who talk the talk but aren’t walking the walk.
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book. There are the secrets, the matter of whodunit, the dysfunctional relationships, and a father trying to protect his child from bigotry. This was a little bit slow in the beginning, but things really picked up for me close to the halfway point and I had to know what would be revealed or happen next.
Gripping, atmospheric, dark, and captivating.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.