The Girls in the Dark by Avery Bishop [Audiobook]

🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Brittany Pressley🎙🎙🎙

Description from Goodreads:

"Twenty years ago, my twin sister and I were abducted. Only I survived. Or so I thought…

The night I escaped from our abductor was the last time I saw my sister. I’ve never forgiven myself for the fact that I made it out and she didn’t. By the time the police found where we were held, there was no sign of her. Or the man that took us.

I’ve spent decades trying to forget that I couldn’t save my own sister. But on the anniversary of our abduction, I find a black rose on my car. There’s no one in the parking lot, but I know it’s a warning. My stomach churns to think it could be from the monster who held us captive all those years ago, wanting to take back what he believes is his.

But as I stare at it, I wonder if someone else may have left my sister. I always thought she died in that room, but what if she escaped? And if it’s her, and the truth of what happened the night I got out comes to light, will it destroy everything?"

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A dark, disturbing and twisty thriller 

I have been a fan of psychological thrillers for years so when I saw this audiobook I jumped at the chance to listen to it. 

The story follows Megan who managed to escape a serial killer twenty years ago while her twin sister Allison was left behind. Now on the twentieth anniversary, a black rose appears on her car and other troubling events occur and suddenly all the secrets Megan has been hiding about that night are threatened to be exposed - could Allison have survived and what really happened on the night Megan escaped?

Before diving in further I think it is important to include a quick trigger warning for this one. The core of the plot revolves around two young girls being kidnapped and abused by their captor so please bear that in mind if those themes are difficult for you to read about.

The plot weaves back and forth between the terrifying past in captivity and the increasingly tense present day. It creates a really claustrophobic atmosphere that kept me entirely hooked. I thought I had guessed exactly where the plot was going but the final twist took me a bit by surprise.

Brittany Pressley narrated the audiobook and she was absolutely fantastic. She managed to capture all the raw emotion, anxiety and mounting panic perfectly and her voice for the abuser was perfectly creepy.

The pacing of the story was good for me as an audiobook particularly as I listen to it in the car.  There were even times, especially towards the end, when I wanted to come across a traffic jam just so I could carry on listening!

Overall it is a dark and unsettling story about trauma and survival guilt that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this quite gripping book.

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This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone by Catherine Mack [Audiobook]

Description from Goodreads:

"Eleanor Dash can never catch a break. Not only has she had to solve two real-life murder plots in the past year, but both times it was when she was meant to be on vacation. Now she’s finally got a ticket to a relaxing weekend—an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas where she’s speaking at a conference for murder mystery writers—but she arrives to find a body on the floor of her hotel room. Because of course she does.

With plenty of familiar faces at the resort, any one of them could have been the intended target or the culprit behind it all. Was it Oliver Forrest, Eleanor’s dashing boyfriend who’s in danger of getting dropped by his publisher because his sales are dwindling? Or Connor Smith, Eleanor’s infuriating ex-lover-turned-bestselling-rom-com-author with a sordid past of his own? Or her sister Harper, whose own stilted writing career has been a sore point for years as Eleanor’s has soared? Perhaps it’s one of the other writers also in attendance, as friends, frenemies and foes from Eleanor’s past all seem to be invited to the island.

Surrounded by mystery writers who know all too well the many ways to craft the perfect crime, Eleanor is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and do whatever it takes to get out of this weekend alive."

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A resort mystery that got a bit too chaotic for me

I jumped into this audiobook expecting a fun, locked-island style mystery with plenty of twists. While it definitely kept me guessing, it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

The story follows Eleanor Dash, an author who finds herself at an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas for a murder mystery writers' conference. Instead of a relaxing weekend, she arrives to find a dead body right on her hotel room floor. It's a classic setup that I usually love, but the execution felt a bit messy here.

There were so many characters to keep track of, and unfortunately, I didn't find many of them particularly easy to root for. The pacing felt quite disjointed too and the plot got so convoluted towards the end with all the red herrings that it felt a bit far-fetched, even for a light thriller.

To be fair, I didn't realise until after I started that this is actually the third book in a series. That definitely might have affected how I felt about the story, as I felt like I was missing some of the background history between the recurring characters.

On the plus side, the narrator did a good job. She managed to give everyone distinct voices which helped me follow who was speaking during the chaotic group scenes, and she handled the quirky little footnotes where the main character pops in to talk directly to the reader really well.

I actually have the physical copy of the book to read as well. The story features a huge amount of those footnotes and modern slang, which felt a bit disruptive in audio format, so maybe I will prefer reading the physical version instead – I'm not entirely sure yet but I will give it a go.

Many thanks to the author, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts.

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The Killer in Room Five by Sam Holland

Description from Goodreads:

"A terrible confession

In an isolated room in Hollowpines, an infamous psychiatric hospital, Joe Sinclair is confessing to a violent murder.

An impossible crime

Locked away, Joe couldn't possibly have killed the man, so how does he know so many of the horrifying details?

A detective at her limits

Suspended after a colleague was stabbed on her watch, DC Abby Fox has only just returned to work. But at Hollowpines, she must find out what really happened and how exactly Joe is involved.

Is he to blame, or the only one who can stop the killer?"

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A masterclass in tension

I have read some of Sam's previous books and they have all been excellent, so I was incredibly excited to get my hands on this one. I can happily report that this is no exception. From the very first page, it grabs you by the throat and just does not let go.

While this one is a standalone and not part of a series, if you've read her previous books, you will know exactly how twisted her mind can be. The story sets up an incredible premise based in Hollowpines, an infamous psychiatric hospital. A patient named Joe Sinclair is locked away in an isolated room confessing to a brutal murder, yet it's seemingly an impossible crime because there's no way he could have physically done it. The mystery of how he knows such explicit, horrifying details is what sets off a dark, intensely clever plot that keeps you guessing.  

The hospital setting is brilliantly atmospheric - it feels incredibly heavy and claustrophobic – and the pacing is spot on. I found myself racing through the chapters late into the night because I just had to know how everything was going to unravel.

What I love most about Sam Holland's writing is the ability to create flawed, deeply human characters. DC Abby Fox is a fantastic protagonist – she is returning to work after a tough suspension and is riddled with self-doubt but fiercely determined to prove her worth. The psychological element of how easily human memory can be influenced or warped by suggestion adds an extra layer of intrigue that kept me constantly second-guessing who to trust.  

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers that are fast-paced, clever and a little bit gruesome, you definitely need to add this to your reading list. It's easily one of the best books I have read this year so far.

Huge thanks to the author, Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, Hemlock Press and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of another excellent book from Sam Holland.

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Broken Circle (DS Liam Kilshaw #3) by Matt Brolly

Description from Goodreads:

"An ancient legend reborn. A killer recreating dark rituals. And a detective racing to break the circle before it’s complete.

When the body of a teenage girl is found posed in the Merry Maidens stone circle, her face coated in clay and ochre, DS Liam Kilshaw is drawn into a case where near-forgotten fictions bleed into brutal fact.

With echoes of an old folktale of dancers turned to stone, the scene is more about staging than superstition. And when two skeletons are unearthed beneath a nearby stone, Kilshaw realises the past is far from dead and buried.

As he hunts for a missing farmhand linked to the girl, more victims surface, each placed with ritual precision in remote ancient sites. With the noose tightening, Kilshaw must decipher centuries-old secrets to break the circle. Because in this deadly game of ancient rites and cold-blooded murder, the killer is saving the most important sacrifice for last.

A haunting crime thriller where medieval legends collide with modern murder."

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Eerie and atmospheric

I've read quite a few of Matt Brolly’s books over the years, but I’ve actually never picked up one from the DS Liam Kilshaw series before now. Even though this is the third instalment, I didn't find it too difficult to follow the main plot, so it definitely works as a standalone.

There’s clearly a lot of character development and history that I've missed by jumping in late. Liam is obviously a man carrying a fair bit of baggage and while the author gives enough context to understand his current state of mind, I think I would've felt a much stronger emotional connection to him if I’d been there from the start. It felt a bit like being a guest at a party where everyone else knows the inside jokes – not the author’s fault at all, just a reminder that I need to go back and read the first two!  

The setting is what really made this one for me. It’s incredibly atmospheric, using the rugged backdrop of Cornwall to great effect. The story kicks off with a really chilling discovery at the Merry Maidens stone circle, where a girl’s body has been staged in a way that feels tied to ancient rituals and folklore. I absolutely loved this folk-horror element; it gave the whole mystery a much darker and more unsettling edge than your average police procedural. The way local legends were woven into the investigation kept me engaged.  

In terms of pace, it’s a bit of a slow burner with very little action in the traditional sense. Instead, it relies on a sense of mounting dread and tension that just oozes out of the pages. If you prefer high-octane chases, this might feel a bit quiet, but for me, the suspense was spot on. It’s a very solid read that has definitely convinced me I need to catch up on Liam’s earlier cases.

Many thanks to the author, Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, a new series for me.

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The Serial Killer Support Network (Secret Vigilante #2) by D.B. Stephens

Description from Goodreads:

"Therapy was just the beginning…

For six months someone known only as The Caretaker has been committing crimes against those who have wronged.

Now, women across the country have been inspired to take control of their own lives and seek revenge on the people who hurt them.

The Caretaker is more than just a killer, he’s become a movement. And the serial killer support group have found themselves at the heart of it…"

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A dark and twisty sequel that keeps the momentum going

I was a massive fan of the first book in this series so I was buzzing to get my hands on an early copy of this one. D.B. Stephens has delivered another high-stakes story that keeps the tension high from the very first page.

The characters are what really make it and I especially liked getting more background on Sophie's past this time around. It added a lot of depth to her character that we didn't have before. However, I did find myself getting a bit frustrated with the constant back and forth between Sophie and Jess. It felt like it stalled the plot a little in places when I just wanted to get on with it.

One thing that didn't hit as hard for me was that the killings didn't feel quite as personal this time. We weren't as connected to the backstories or the reasons why these specific people were being targeted which took away some of the impact. The ending is also a massive cliffhanger. While it definitely makes me want to see what happens in the next instalment, it's the kind of finish that might leave you feeling a bit impatient!

Overall, it's a very good read and I'm still well and truly hooked on the Secret Vigilante series. It’s fast-paced and has plenty of surprises without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard to be shocking. If you liked the first one, you'll definitely want to pick this up to see where the group goes next.

Thanks to the author, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, the second book in the series.

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