Published by St. Martin's Press Genres: Fiction, Horror, Mystery, suspense, thriller
Format: ARC, eBook
A vacation home on an island in the middle of Lake Superior sounds like a dream. The perfect place of rest, relaxation, and spending time with loved ones. But what happens when your dream place becomes a nightmare?
Laney Kilpatrick’s ex-husband gave her Hemlock Island and the home they built there during their divorce. Laney loves being there but the upkeep is expensive and when she is not writing, she is a teacher. Wanting to keep the property, she takes on renters. One night she gets an upsetting phone call from her latest renters who have found blood and fingernail scratches in a closet in the home.
Laney and her sixteen-year-old niece, Madison come to investigate but they are not the only ones. Her ex-husband Kit and his sister Jayla are there plus her former school friend Sadie and her cop brother Garrett.
There is tension galore as this is not a happy reunion for all of them. Plus, there are secrets amongst the members of the group. One of them will take off leaving the rest stranded on the island. As they settle in a gruesome discovery is made. It will be the catalyst for more gruesome discoveries which are traumatic, shocking, and horrific.
This book has a creepy and tense vibe throughout. I love the trapped feeling in this book. No one can get off the island and the danger increased by the second. Plus, the dark skies and incoming storm provide atmosphere and add to the chilling and creepy feel of the book.
Kelley Armstrong likes to incorporate the supernatural into her books. I enjoy this touch and it makes for an interesting element. Having said that, things got a little OTT in the end. I loved everything about the book until the last 15% of it. Things do get summed up, but I wanted to tell two of the characters (Laney & Kit) to communicate, why didn’t you communicate? That was my mantra while reading this. Plus, I also said “Grow up already” about one of the characters. What does it say when the sixteen-year-old in the group is more mature at times than the adults. But when tensions are high, and danger is mounting, no one is at their best, bad decisions will be made and survival is paramount!
Other than my minor issues with the book, I enjoyed this and found it to be a fast read. Kelley Armstrong is one of my go-to authors, and I look forward to what she writes next.
Atmospheric, chilling, dark, creepy, and fast paced.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press 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.
