What do you think?
Rate this book
Follow Her Down
Decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion won’t let a woman overcome her trauma in a riveting novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe and The Hook.
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder—and the confession—than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder—and the confession—than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2024
About the author
Victoria Helen Stone
12 books1,509 followersVictoria Helen Stone, WSJ bestselling author of the runaway hit Jane Doe, writes critically acclaimed novels of dark intrigue and emotional suspense. Aside from At The Quiet Edge, The Last One Home, Problem Child, Half Past, and the chart-topping False Step and Evelyn, After, she also published twenty-nine books as USA Today bestselling author Victoria Dahl and won the prestigious American Library Association Reading List award for best genre fiction. Her novels have been published in English, Russian, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Lithuanian, Portuguese, German, French, Japanese, Indonesian, Czech, Hebrew, Estonian, Polish, Norwegian, Dutch, and Thai.
Victoria writes in her home office high in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, far from her origins in the flattest plains of Minnesota, Texas, and Oklahoma. She enjoys gorgeous summer trail hikes in the mountains almost as much as she enjoys staying inside by the fire during winter. Victoria is passionate about dessert, true crime, and her terror of mosquitoes, which have targeted her in a diabolical conspiracy to hunt her down no matter the season.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriahel...
Victoria writes in her home office high in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, far from her origins in the flattest plains of Minnesota, Texas, and Oklahoma. She enjoys gorgeous summer trail hikes in the mountains almost as much as she enjoys staying inside by the fire during winter. Victoria is passionate about dessert, true crime, and her terror of mosquitoes, which have targeted her in a diabolical conspiracy to hunt her down no matter the season.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriahel...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
April 12, 2024
Disappointing🫤
I so looked forward to this book. Victoria Helen Stone has always been one of my go-to authors! Sadly, this book just didn’t feel on par with her previous novels.
Elise’s sister was tragically killed when she was just a teen. The family of course, left shattered and their lives crushed. Her mother no longer able to leave their home and her brother unable to accept what happened..
Determined to get her life in order Elise opens a cabin retreat in the surrounding mountains. Just what the doctor ordered…a quiet, simple life. At last finally finding her peace of mind.
Until an ex-boyfriend is found killed near her cabin lodge. And of course the police come knocking!
This book just failed to move me. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters or storyline. It all felt very surface level. No depth.
With several positive reviews for this book be sure to take a look at those. At the moment I a bit of an outlier!🙃
Will I pick up this authors next book! An emphatic yes! This was her first (and only) book that garnered less than four stars for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
I so looked forward to this book. Victoria Helen Stone has always been one of my go-to authors! Sadly, this book just didn’t feel on par with her previous novels.
Elise’s sister was tragically killed when she was just a teen. The family of course, left shattered and their lives crushed. Her mother no longer able to leave their home and her brother unable to accept what happened..
Determined to get her life in order Elise opens a cabin retreat in the surrounding mountains. Just what the doctor ordered…a quiet, simple life. At last finally finding her peace of mind.
Until an ex-boyfriend is found killed near her cabin lodge. And of course the police come knocking!
This book just failed to move me. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters or storyline. It all felt very surface level. No depth.
With several positive reviews for this book be sure to take a look at those. At the moment I a bit of an outlier!🙃
Will I pick up this authors next book! An emphatic yes! This was her first (and only) book that garnered less than four stars for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
March 16, 2024
Wow!!! Just wow!! Hands down 5 stars!! ⭐️ @victoriahelenstone is one of my very favorite authors… so you bet I jumped at the chance to read her latest book Follow Her Down!! ❤️Pub date is June 4th!! 🥳🥳 Thank you SO much to @thrillerbookloverspromotions @blondethrillerbooklover @victoriahelenstone for having me along on this book tour!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Also for this gorgeous gifted copy!!! LOOK 👀 at this cover!!! It is stunning!!! 🔥🔥🔥
OMG this book was INTENSE!!! 😳Have you ever read a book and you can feel your adrenaline rushing?? 🤯I felt like I was there with Elise… and I had to know how this was going to turn out!! 😳 Especially in the second half… it was nonstop action… 😉
Small town vibes all over the place… Everyone knows that Elise is the girl whose sister was murdered when they were kids.. 😩… her boyfriend confessed to doing it…😠… but her brother Kyle won’t accept it… he knows there is more to this story….🤔
This book is so atmospheric!! I think that helped fuel ⛽️ my adrenaline rush… a deserted bunch of rental cabins… and Elise is all alone… except for the dude knocking at the door 🚪… the dude that WON’T go away..😩😳… There were so many freak out moments like that for me!! I was on edge… the entire time!! 😬
Who to believe?? I can’t believe Kyle could be correct… but I had to admit there was some sketchy business going on… 😏
That ENDING!!! Definitely a WTF 🤯🤯🤯 ending!! I NEVER saw that coming!! Here I thought the ending was all wrapped up… Wrong Kim!! Wrong!! 😂😉🤫🤐
OMG this book was INTENSE!!! 😳Have you ever read a book and you can feel your adrenaline rushing?? 🤯I felt like I was there with Elise… and I had to know how this was going to turn out!! 😳 Especially in the second half… it was nonstop action… 😉
Small town vibes all over the place… Everyone knows that Elise is the girl whose sister was murdered when they were kids.. 😩… her boyfriend confessed to doing it…😠… but her brother Kyle won’t accept it… he knows there is more to this story….🤔
This book is so atmospheric!! I think that helped fuel ⛽️ my adrenaline rush… a deserted bunch of rental cabins… and Elise is all alone… except for the dude knocking at the door 🚪… the dude that WON’T go away..😩😳… There were so many freak out moments like that for me!! I was on edge… the entire time!! 😬
Who to believe?? I can’t believe Kyle could be correct… but I had to admit there was some sketchy business going on… 😏
That ENDING!!! Definitely a WTF 🤯🤯🤯 ending!! I NEVER saw that coming!! Here I thought the ending was all wrapped up… Wrong Kim!! Wrong!! 😂😉🤫🤐
July 2, 2024
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder—and the confession—than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
Palpable fear. A conspiracy trail. Compelling characters. Those are just a handful of the attributes describing Follow Her Down. A breathtaking ride that explored residual trauma alongside a gripping slow burn tale of suspense, the character-driven plot ducked and weaved throughout. Believe the paranoid brother? Second guess his lunatic ramblings? The further into the book that I got, the more I gave a serious side-eye to each and every character—including Elise herself.
Speaking of Elise, Stone crafted quite the unreliable narrator. Pulled into her brother’s irrational rants, her own descent into potential madness also made me start to believe as her frenzied panic oozed from the pages. That was just one of the huge strengths of this novel. Both possibilities were equally valid. And, of course, Elise was such a strong persona. Fully fleshed out and with realistic flaws, I yearned to reach out my hand to help as everything imploded around her. More than anything, though, I easily connected with her and that alone made this a truly stunning, binge-worthy read.
But that wasn’t all that sucked me into the story. Despite a slow start, the runaway storyline took off like a rocket around the halfway point. From there it was one explosive reveal after another. Don’t get me wrong, I did suss some of them out. Well, except for that truly shocking conclusion. Now I’m just crossing my fingers and toes that there will be a book two exploring that damning cliffhanger of sorts, I fell for this one hook, line, and sinker. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Victoria Helen Stone, Lake Union Publishing, and Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse hit my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 4, 2024
Trigger warning: death of a sibling, infidelity, alcoholism, mention of: agoraphobia
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder—and the confession—than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
Palpable fear. A conspiracy trail. Compelling characters. Those are just a handful of the attributes describing Follow Her Down. A breathtaking ride that explored residual trauma alongside a gripping slow burn tale of suspense, the character-driven plot ducked and weaved throughout. Believe the paranoid brother? Second guess his lunatic ramblings? The further into the book that I got, the more I gave a serious side-eye to each and every character—including Elise herself.
Speaking of Elise, Stone crafted quite the unreliable narrator. Pulled into her brother’s irrational rants, her own descent into potential madness also made me start to believe as her frenzied panic oozed from the pages. That was just one of the huge strengths of this novel. Both possibilities were equally valid. And, of course, Elise was such a strong persona. Fully fleshed out and with realistic flaws, I yearned to reach out my hand to help as everything imploded around her. More than anything, though, I easily connected with her and that alone made this a truly stunning, binge-worthy read.
But that wasn’t all that sucked me into the story. Despite a slow start, the runaway storyline took off like a rocket around the halfway point. From there it was one explosive reveal after another. Don’t get me wrong, I did suss some of them out. Well, except for that truly shocking conclusion. Now I’m just crossing my fingers and toes that there will be a book two exploring that damning cliffhanger of sorts, I fell for this one hook, line, and sinker. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Victoria Helen Stone, Lake Union Publishing, and Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse hit my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 4, 2024
Trigger warning: death of a sibling, infidelity, alcoholism, mention of: agoraphobia
June 28, 2024
4/5 🌟
4/5 ❤️🩹
0/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
5/5 🔎
4/5 😰😱
0/5 🎭😂
4/5 🎭😭
0/5 👻
0/5 🔬
0/5 🔫
1/5 🏥
4/5 ✍🏼
0/5 🥱
3/5 🏃🏻♀️
4/5 🌎
4/5 💁🏻♀️
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Murder
Death
Car Accident
Infidelity
Addiction
Alcoholism
Chronic Illness
Mental Illness
Domestic Abuse
Abandonment
Rape
Sexual Assault
Sexual Violence
Violence
Grief
Suicide
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion won’t let a woman overcome her trauma in a riveting novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe and The Hook.
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder—and the confession—than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 27 REVIEWS
Moods
dark 92%
mysterious 92%
tense 78%
emotional 71%
challenging 42%
adventurous 35%
sad 35%
reflective 7%
Pace
medium 53%
slow 26%
fast 20%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 75% | Character: 16% | Plot: 8%
Strong character development?
Yes: 41% | It's complicated: 33% | No: 16% | N/A: 8%
Loveable characters?
It's complicated: 41% | No: 33% | Yes: 16% | N/A: 8%
Diverse cast of characters?
No: 54% | Yes: 45%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 58% | It's complicated: 16% | No: 16% | N/A: 8%
Average rating
3.8 ⭐️
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
Absolutely Mindblowing!!
This was an amazing read! All the key components for an epic mystery/thriller were covered and then-some. Gripping and also horrifying!!
I truly enjoyed this book but the thing I didn’t like is that we will never get to know what he wanted to confess to Elise about. Was it that he knew her sister? Was it that he regretted ending their relationship? I hate that open ended mystery as I don’t think there will be a sequel. There’s no reason for one.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
🔫 Action/Thriller -based on if I thought this was more of a spy action type of thriller.
🏥 Medical Content -based on the amount and the accuracy of any medical content or if the book is supposed to be a medical style thriller.
✍🏼 Writing Style -based on if I enjoyed the writing style or not and how the author portrayed the world, characters, concept, plot etc.
🥱 Boredom -based on if I was bored if it held my interest or if I’d rather be doing something else 😴.
🏃🏻♀️ Book Pacing -Based on how quickly I thought the book moved.
🌎 World Development -Based on how well I liked the world development of the story.
💁🏻♀️ Character Development -Based on how well the characters were fleshed out and if I hated or loved with a passion.
🙅🏻♀️ DNF -based on if the book is just stupid, boring, childish, overly ridiculous etc.
4/5 ❤️🩹
0/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
5/5 🔎
4/5 😰😱
0/5 🎭😂
4/5 🎭😭
0/5 👻
0/5 🔬
0/5 🔫
1/5 🏥
4/5 ✍🏼
0/5 🥱
3/5 🏃🏻♀️
4/5 🌎
4/5 💁🏻♀️
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Murder
Death
Car Accident
Infidelity
Addiction
Alcoholism
Chronic Illness
Mental Illness
Domestic Abuse
Abandonment
Rape
Sexual Assault
Sexual Violence
Violence
Grief
Suicide
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion won’t let a woman overcome her trauma in a riveting novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe and The Hook.
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder—and the confession—than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 27 REVIEWS
Moods
dark 92%
mysterious 92%
tense 78%
emotional 71%
challenging 42%
adventurous 35%
sad 35%
reflective 7%
Pace
medium 53%
slow 26%
fast 20%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 75% | Character: 16% | Plot: 8%
Strong character development?
Yes: 41% | It's complicated: 33% | No: 16% | N/A: 8%
Loveable characters?
It's complicated: 41% | No: 33% | Yes: 16% | N/A: 8%
Diverse cast of characters?
No: 54% | Yes: 45%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 58% | It's complicated: 16% | No: 16% | N/A: 8%
Average rating
3.8 ⭐️
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
Absolutely Mindblowing!!
This was an amazing read! All the key components for an epic mystery/thriller were covered and then-some. Gripping and also horrifying!!
I truly enjoyed this book but the thing I didn’t like is that we will never get to know what he wanted to confess to Elise about. Was it that he knew her sister? Was it that he regretted ending their relationship? I hate that open ended mystery as I don’t think there will be a sequel. There’s no reason for one.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
🔫 Action/Thriller -based on if I thought this was more of a spy action type of thriller.
🏥 Medical Content -based on the amount and the accuracy of any medical content or if the book is supposed to be a medical style thriller.
✍🏼 Writing Style -based on if I enjoyed the writing style or not and how the author portrayed the world, characters, concept, plot etc.
🥱 Boredom -based on if I was bored if it held my interest or if I’d rather be doing something else 😴.
🏃🏻♀️ Book Pacing -Based on how quickly I thought the book moved.
🌎 World Development -Based on how well I liked the world development of the story.
💁🏻♀️ Character Development -Based on how well the characters were fleshed out and if I hated or loved with a passion.
🙅🏻♀️ DNF -based on if the book is just stupid, boring, childish, overly ridiculous etc.
June 5, 2024
Follow Her Down is dark mystery centered around unique characters with complex pasts. Elise was a strong protagonist and I really empathized with her on her journey to put her demons in the past and create a better future for herself.
This book has some really stellar surprises and it absolutely got me. I thought I had some elements figured out early on and I was completely wrong which is always a major plus for me. How the mystery unfolded was really exciting and thought provoking and I felt like Stone did a great job weaving the narrative.
Elise's family dynamics were so complicated and I appreciated Stone's depiction of the manifestation of grief in different people. Kyle's conspiracy theories were well thought out and while there was some suspension of belief, he made clear arguments.
I also liked the element of the past and present being interwoven. Elise's sister's death being potentially connected to the murder of her lover and his business partner was unexpected and added a layer of complexity to the story.
All in all, this book was really entertaining and the plot felt really fresh. I liked the characters and the setting and definitely recommend!
Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Lake Union Publishing for the copy.
This book has some really stellar surprises and it absolutely got me. I thought I had some elements figured out early on and I was completely wrong which is always a major plus for me. How the mystery unfolded was really exciting and thought provoking and I felt like Stone did a great job weaving the narrative.
Elise's family dynamics were so complicated and I appreciated Stone's depiction of the manifestation of grief in different people. Kyle's conspiracy theories were well thought out and while there was some suspension of belief, he made clear arguments.
I also liked the element of the past and present being interwoven. Elise's sister's death being potentially connected to the murder of her lover and his business partner was unexpected and added a layer of complexity to the story.
All in all, this book was really entertaining and the plot felt really fresh. I liked the characters and the setting and definitely recommend!
Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Lake Union Publishing for the copy.
September 21, 2024
Follow Her Down is the sixth novel by award-winning, best-selling American author, Victoria Helen Stone. After a childhood marked by the departure of a father she was too young to remember, her eighteen-year-old sister, Robin vanishing from a party when she was ten, and then a mother too consumed by hoping for her older daughter’s return to properly mother her remaining children, Elise Rockwood escaped Willow Canyon as soon as she could.
Booze and drugs and casual hook-ups helped to obliterate the thoughts of Robin, the fear and doubt and grief. Now, with the help of a therapist, her life is back on track. Elise has returned to her hometown, bought Creekside Cabins, and taught herself the necessary accounting and handyman skills to run a successful business. She occasionally sees her mother, still crippled by paranoia and agoraphobia, even after Phoenix Whit confessed to Robin’s murder fifteen years earlier.
But now, suddenly, there’s a deputy sheriff on her doorstep: her former lover, Christian Valic is missing, and his recent email to her makes her a suspect when his body is found in the nearby Makolumne River. Persuading them that her alibi is sound seems ineffective until there’s news of another murder, one linked to Christian’s, and one she definitely could not have committed.
By this time, her older brother Kyle, an obsessive conspiracy theorist, is convinced that the two men had something to do with Robin’s disappearance twenty-five years earlier. She wants to dismiss the whole notion, but some of what he shows her backs up that theory, and she begins to worry for Kyle’s and her own safety. She speculates on motives for Christian’s murder and possible suspects.
What she doesn’t need now is the distraction of Kyle’s friend, Daniel Serrano, her teen crush, turning up wanting a cabin until he has his late father’s home in a liveable state. Is his arrival a coincidence, or is he involved in some way?
This is a tightly plotted thriller with a few excellent twists and plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing right up to the climax, and a final chapter that leaves the way open for more of this gutsy protagonist.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.
Booze and drugs and casual hook-ups helped to obliterate the thoughts of Robin, the fear and doubt and grief. Now, with the help of a therapist, her life is back on track. Elise has returned to her hometown, bought Creekside Cabins, and taught herself the necessary accounting and handyman skills to run a successful business. She occasionally sees her mother, still crippled by paranoia and agoraphobia, even after Phoenix Whit confessed to Robin’s murder fifteen years earlier.
But now, suddenly, there’s a deputy sheriff on her doorstep: her former lover, Christian Valic is missing, and his recent email to her makes her a suspect when his body is found in the nearby Makolumne River. Persuading them that her alibi is sound seems ineffective until there’s news of another murder, one linked to Christian’s, and one she definitely could not have committed.
By this time, her older brother Kyle, an obsessive conspiracy theorist, is convinced that the two men had something to do with Robin’s disappearance twenty-five years earlier. She wants to dismiss the whole notion, but some of what he shows her backs up that theory, and she begins to worry for Kyle’s and her own safety. She speculates on motives for Christian’s murder and possible suspects.
What she doesn’t need now is the distraction of Kyle’s friend, Daniel Serrano, her teen crush, turning up wanting a cabin until he has his late father’s home in a liveable state. Is his arrival a coincidence, or is he involved in some way?
This is a tightly plotted thriller with a few excellent twists and plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing right up to the climax, and a final chapter that leaves the way open for more of this gutsy protagonist.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.
May 1, 2024
Follow Her Down
By: Victoria Helen Stone
Elise Rockwood and her brother Kyle are still reeling and coping with the death of their sister which happened when they were younger. Their mother is also shattered.
Elise is now back in her hometown running a little a lodge and her brother is a conspiracy theorist who is glued to his computer.
Elise’s old flame is found dead and police are questioning her? Hernandez past has come back to haunt her! What could she know? The only other person to know about her old flame is her brother!
This novel was long, detailed and gripping. The ending was left open for a possible series! I have to say that I did not see the ENDING at all, which is always satisfying for me.
By: Victoria Helen Stone
Elise Rockwood and her brother Kyle are still reeling and coping with the death of their sister which happened when they were younger. Their mother is also shattered.
Elise is now back in her hometown running a little a lodge and her brother is a conspiracy theorist who is glued to his computer.
Elise’s old flame is found dead and police are questioning her? Hernandez past has come back to haunt her! What could she know? The only other person to know about her old flame is her brother!
This novel was long, detailed and gripping. The ending was left open for a possible series! I have to say that I did not see the ENDING at all, which is always satisfying for me.
March 2, 2024
Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions @lakeunionauthors @victoriahelenstone #partner for the free copy!
📢What it’s about:
Elise Rockwoods sister was murdered rocking the world of everyone in it. Her mother suffered tremendously with anxiety and her brother never stopped looking for the theory of what really happened to her. He suspected people to be at fault any chance he got. It destroyed any sense of normalcy in their life. A local boy admitted fault and which should have left them feeling better but unfortunately it left them shattered.
Wanting to start new, Elise opened up her own mountain lodge business where passersby or vacationers could rent a room. She is a one woman show having recently broken up with her ex. When he comes back around she ignores his attempt at communication but Elise’s brother can’t let it go. He is convinced there is something more there. When her ex turns up dead, Elise finally starts to listen to her brother!
💭This is my second by Victoria and I will say she does an amazing job building up stress and tension! I think this book explores grief and letting go, obsessive behaviors, and some down right crazy conspiracies. I really liked Elise’s character as she was a strong female who tried to take back control in her life when dealt a really crappy hand. Who doesn’t love a woman who has her own tools and cleans up dead animal carcasses?! 👀 The ending wasn’t what I had expected and I certainly didn’t guess all the twists! This one releases this summer and is the perfect binge worthy vacation read!
📢What it’s about:
Elise Rockwoods sister was murdered rocking the world of everyone in it. Her mother suffered tremendously with anxiety and her brother never stopped looking for the theory of what really happened to her. He suspected people to be at fault any chance he got. It destroyed any sense of normalcy in their life. A local boy admitted fault and which should have left them feeling better but unfortunately it left them shattered.
Wanting to start new, Elise opened up her own mountain lodge business where passersby or vacationers could rent a room. She is a one woman show having recently broken up with her ex. When he comes back around she ignores his attempt at communication but Elise’s brother can’t let it go. He is convinced there is something more there. When her ex turns up dead, Elise finally starts to listen to her brother!
💭This is my second by Victoria and I will say she does an amazing job building up stress and tension! I think this book explores grief and letting go, obsessive behaviors, and some down right crazy conspiracies. I really liked Elise’s character as she was a strong female who tried to take back control in her life when dealt a really crappy hand. Who doesn’t love a woman who has her own tools and cleans up dead animal carcasses?! 👀 The ending wasn’t what I had expected and I certainly didn’t guess all the twists! This one releases this summer and is the perfect binge worthy vacation read!
March 7, 2024
Over twenty years have passed since the terrible summer when Elise Rockwood's older sister, Robin, was murdered. In the aftermath of this trauma, Elise's family fell apart: her mother's anxiety consumed her life; her brother became obsessed with conspiracy theories; and Elise spent decades drinking and pursuing empty relationships to numb the pain. But now Elise is starting to get her life back on track. She's set up a small cabin rental business close to her mom and brother, in the same woods where her sister vanished, and she's slowed way down on the drinking. But then a man she was once very close to is murdered nearby, and *everything* Elise thinks she knows about the summer when Robin went missing is going to be called into question.
This was another great one from Victoria Helen Stone! Elise was a flawed mess, and I loved her and loved how hard she was trying to be better, even as trauma after trauma kept piling on. I didn't know where on earth this was going - I had a few theories that were all incorrect - which was really fun! I will say it felt a little bit slow in the middle and the ending felt a bit rushed and abrupt (BUT -- THAT ENDING - !!!!!) Is it too much to hope for a Jane Doe/Elise Rockwood crossover book? I mean, I know it is, but a lady can dream...
I loved this quote: "Nothing to be done but make it go away. Make her go away. Hadn't it happened a thousand times before? A million? A woman's life was nothing compared to a man's future." DAMN
* Thank you so much to the author, Thriller Book Lovers Promotions, and Lake Union Publishing for the NetGalley review copy. FOLLOW HER DOWN publishes June 4, 2024.
This was another great one from Victoria Helen Stone! Elise was a flawed mess, and I loved her and loved how hard she was trying to be better, even as trauma after trauma kept piling on. I didn't know where on earth this was going - I had a few theories that were all incorrect - which was really fun! I will say it felt a little bit slow in the middle and the ending felt a bit rushed and abrupt (BUT -- THAT ENDING - !!!!!) Is it too much to hope for a Jane Doe/Elise Rockwood crossover book? I mean, I know it is, but a lady can dream...
I loved this quote: "Nothing to be done but make it go away. Make her go away. Hadn't it happened a thousand times before? A million? A woman's life was nothing compared to a man's future." DAMN
* Thank you so much to the author, Thriller Book Lovers Promotions, and Lake Union Publishing for the NetGalley review copy. FOLLOW HER DOWN publishes June 4, 2024.
May 17, 2024
I absolutely loved the setting of this book! Elise embarks on a new life. Buying land in the woods where a bunch of cabins reside. She’s a one-woman-show who takes care of the property and all the cabins she rents out. But Elise’s life hasn’t always been this serene, her sister was murdered when Elise was only ten. It changed her family forever.
Then her ex disappeared. And Elise’s serene life is thrown into chaos.
Loved this book so much. It was such a fun read trying to figure out everything that was happening. Read in one sitting.
Then her ex disappeared. And Elise’s serene life is thrown into chaos.
Loved this book so much. It was such a fun read trying to figure out everything that was happening. Read in one sitting.
April 26, 2024
This book had me on edge throughout! It weaves two crimes separated by time but connected by Elise. Set near Lake Tahoe, Elise has spent years trying to pull her life together after her sister was murdered. When Elise’s ex is found dead, new information comes to light that may be connected to her sister. I really enjoyed the atmospheric setting since I’m a nature lover. It seemed perfect for someone like Elise who was rebuilding herself as well as the intrigue of the crimes. I loved the red herrings and twists in this book! I never knew what to expect and that kept me fully engaged!
Thank you @victoriahelenstone and #lakeunionpublishing for the #gifted #arc
Thank you @victoriahelenstone and #lakeunionpublishing for the #gifted #arc
April 14, 2024
This was my first read from this author, and I will definitely be checking out more from her in the future.
I was hooked from pretty much the start, and I flew through the book so quickly. There were a few slower parts of the book, but it kept me guessing right to the very end. And I have to say, I desperately hope there's a second book in the works because the story can not be left like that. Nuh uh.
Thank you to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for this advance copy in exchange for a review.
This one has everyone talking over at @thrillerbookloversthepulse so make sure you check it out on pub day.
I was hooked from pretty much the start, and I flew through the book so quickly. There were a few slower parts of the book, but it kept me guessing right to the very end. And I have to say, I desperately hope there's a second book in the works because the story can not be left like that. Nuh uh.
Thank you to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for this advance copy in exchange for a review.
This one has everyone talking over at @thrillerbookloversthepulse so make sure you check it out on pub day.
March 1, 2024
I could not turn these pages fast enough! I loved the cabin setting and that there was always something happening. I questioned all of the characters until the very end. I enjoyed this book a lot! Fantastic thriller!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
May 26, 2024
Twenty-five years ago, Elise Rockwood’s world was shattered when her older sister, Robin, was murdered. It left her and her brother, Kyle, the remaining children of a mother who was never able to escape the grief of her oldest child’s death.
Elise now owns the Creekside Cabins in Willow Canyon, a secluded area in the hills of Northern California. Kyle and their mother live nearby, and they all three still struggle with the loss of Robin. Elise is a recovering alcoholic who has very few friends, Kyle spends his time with computers and video games, and their mom is still disabled by depression.
One evening, Elise notices a name she knows on her arrivals sheet: Daniel Serrano, a friend since childhood. Kyle comes out to visit, and they all have a night around the fire, talking about old times. Unfortunately, their old times are full of tragedy, and the talk of Robin’s death hits Elise hard. She’s still in a funk about things when the police come to her house…asking if she knows a man named Christian Valic, who has just been found dead. Elise plays it cool, but the truth is she’d had an affair with Christian while he and his wife were “on a break”. He recently reached out, and she declined an invitation to meet.
Now, she’s a murder suspect, but when Christian’s business partner is also found dead, she and Kyle really start digging into things. The murdered men were all part of a Silicon Valley tech company that has had its share of problems. Could these men be targets because of Stratum, and does any of it relate to Robin’s death?
This started off well, then really slowed down and got a bit convoluted in the middle, taking my rating down a notch. The ending was great though; I didn’t see any of it coming, and it wrapped up the storyline nicely! This is a good, but average, mystery/thriller. 3.5 stars.
(Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Victoria Helen Stone and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on June 4, 2024.)
Elise now owns the Creekside Cabins in Willow Canyon, a secluded area in the hills of Northern California. Kyle and their mother live nearby, and they all three still struggle with the loss of Robin. Elise is a recovering alcoholic who has very few friends, Kyle spends his time with computers and video games, and their mom is still disabled by depression.
One evening, Elise notices a name she knows on her arrivals sheet: Daniel Serrano, a friend since childhood. Kyle comes out to visit, and they all have a night around the fire, talking about old times. Unfortunately, their old times are full of tragedy, and the talk of Robin’s death hits Elise hard. She’s still in a funk about things when the police come to her house…asking if she knows a man named Christian Valic, who has just been found dead. Elise plays it cool, but the truth is she’d had an affair with Christian while he and his wife were “on a break”. He recently reached out, and she declined an invitation to meet.
Now, she’s a murder suspect, but when Christian’s business partner is also found dead, she and Kyle really start digging into things. The murdered men were all part of a Silicon Valley tech company that has had its share of problems. Could these men be targets because of Stratum, and does any of it relate to Robin’s death?
This started off well, then really slowed down and got a bit convoluted in the middle, taking my rating down a notch. The ending was great though; I didn’t see any of it coming, and it wrapped up the storyline nicely! This is a good, but average, mystery/thriller. 3.5 stars.
(Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Victoria Helen Stone and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on June 4, 2024.)
March 3, 2024
I have been obsessed with reading lately...
I mean, I always was but this time it's completely different.
I find myself waking up early, staying up late, canceling plans and dismissing my chores just to read. I can't help it. The approvals I have been granted lately have me with the "can't wait" feeling.
I have yet to read a book in the past two weeks that I did not connect with. Every single book I have had in my hands has been incredible.
Follow Her Down
Now, this book that literally blew my mind.
As I said I have been reading non stop but this book made me stop dead in my tracks. Whoa! Where did Victoria Helen Stone come from and where has she been my whole life? This author is a mastermind when it comes to delivering a 5 star hit.
Follow Her Down, is juicy, deceitful and oh so twisted! I gobbled this book on up in one sitting !
After concluding Follow Her Down, I feverishly stalked Stone’s backlog and purchased her entire collection. Yes, you could classify me as being obsessed.
Here is a little teaser :
Decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion won’t let a woman overcome her trauma in a riveting novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe and The Hook.
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder―and the confession―than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
I mean, I always was but this time it's completely different.
I find myself waking up early, staying up late, canceling plans and dismissing my chores just to read. I can't help it. The approvals I have been granted lately have me with the "can't wait" feeling.
I have yet to read a book in the past two weeks that I did not connect with. Every single book I have had in my hands has been incredible.
Follow Her Down
Now, this book that literally blew my mind.
As I said I have been reading non stop but this book made me stop dead in my tracks. Whoa! Where did Victoria Helen Stone come from and where has she been my whole life? This author is a mastermind when it comes to delivering a 5 star hit.
Follow Her Down, is juicy, deceitful and oh so twisted! I gobbled this book on up in one sitting !
After concluding Follow Her Down, I feverishly stalked Stone’s backlog and purchased her entire collection. Yes, you could classify me as being obsessed.
Here is a little teaser :
Decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion won’t let a woman overcome her trauma in a riveting novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe and The Hook.
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder―and the confession―than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
May 5, 2024
Follow Her Down was my first book by Victoria Helen Stone, and she completely blew me away. This story was nothing short of amazing. Gripping, twisty and utterly unputdownable. It will definitely be one of the top thrillers of the year!
May 3, 2024
This was such a dark, intriguing plot, it was so unique. All of the characters had complicated family relationships that lead to entertaining mystery that will leave you wanting to fly through the book. So many twists and turns left for a shocking ending and left my mind wondering.
I went between reading and listening to the audiobook and both options were great but I am always a sucker for a good audio.
****Many thanks to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, Victoria Helen Stone, Brilliance Audio, and Amazon Publishing for the gifted copy.
3.5 stars rounding up to 4 stars on Goodreads.
I went between reading and listening to the audiobook and both options were great but I am always a sucker for a good audio.
****Many thanks to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, Victoria Helen Stone, Brilliance Audio, and Amazon Publishing for the gifted copy.
3.5 stars rounding up to 4 stars on Goodreads.
April 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this one! The plot was intriguing and while I did feel like it was a slow burn, the second half picked up and I loved the way everything fell into place. I was NOT expecting the ending at all and it definitely was a twist I wasn’t ready for! All in all great book and I look forward to checking out more work by this author!
Thank you to #thrillerbookloversthepulse and the author, Victoria Helen Stone for the opportunity to read this ARC! Follow Her Down comes out on June 4th
Thank you to #thrillerbookloversthepulse and the author, Victoria Helen Stone for the opportunity to read this ARC! Follow Her Down comes out on June 4th
April 26, 2024
Thanks to #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishing and #ThrillerBookLoversPromotions for the book #FollowHerDown by #VictoriaHelenStone. This book is about a sister that was murdered decades ago and now her ex is murdered. It made me crazy as I read through wanting to know who was behind it all. I highly recommend this thriller and its crazy plot twist.
April 26, 2024
Elise Rockwood has spent decades dealing with the aftermath and trauma the murder of her sister has caused her and her family. She's finally found herself a stable life when she bought and began managing a small mountain lodge. She's determined to get her life on track. Even when her ex-boyfriend reaches out to her, she doesn't let it derail her. But Elise’s brother won't let the past go. He's convinced that something isn't right with their sister's murder even though the murderer confessed years ago. When Elise’s ex-boyfriend is found dead in the very same woods her sister went missing from all those years ago, Elise isn't sure what to believe anymore. Will the truth about what happened to Elise’s sister finally come out?
If you are looking for a wild, twisty thriller that will have you frantically turning pages and coming up with a multitude of theories of wth is happening, do not pass up this one up! This book has Elise’s past shockingly collide with her present and completely turning her world upside-down. She starts to question everything she thought she knew about her sister's murder all those years ago. Then her brother, Kyle, starts in with his conspiracy theories that seem farfetched, but she's left wondering how crazy they really are. This slow-burn book quickly amps up and leaves you with a mind-blowing twist that you will not see coming. My only complaint is that I'm left with more questions than answers at the end. Will we get a follow-up to this book? I sure hope so.
If you are looking for a wild, twisty thriller that will have you frantically turning pages and coming up with a multitude of theories of wth is happening, do not pass up this one up! This book has Elise’s past shockingly collide with her present and completely turning her world upside-down. She starts to question everything she thought she knew about her sister's murder all those years ago. Then her brother, Kyle, starts in with his conspiracy theories that seem farfetched, but she's left wondering how crazy they really are. This slow-burn book quickly amps up and leaves you with a mind-blowing twist that you will not see coming. My only complaint is that I'm left with more questions than answers at the end. Will we get a follow-up to this book? I sure hope so.
May 4, 2024
2.5/5
I’ve really enjoyed several of the authors books but this one just didn’t work for me. I was disappointed because I had high hopes but I had too many issues with it. The premise had potential but the execution was lacking, the pacing was very slow and the payoff wasn’t there for me in the end. I failed to connect with any of the characters, I didn’t feel like they were well developed and in turn I just didn’t care what was happening. Then there were still some unanswered questions at the end and I hate when things are unresolved. Overall a flop for me.
I’ve really enjoyed several of the authors books but this one just didn’t work for me. I was disappointed because I had high hopes but I had too many issues with it. The premise had potential but the execution was lacking, the pacing was very slow and the payoff wasn’t there for me in the end. I failed to connect with any of the characters, I didn’t feel like they were well developed and in turn I just didn’t care what was happening. Then there were still some unanswered questions at the end and I hate when things are unresolved. Overall a flop for me.
June 8, 2024
This lost me at the end. I try not to judge the journey on the destination but this was frustrating and just didn't add up with the character development to me.
May 16, 2024
This was such a quick read with a unique plot! It was hard to know which characters to trust and if there was any merit to Kyle's conspiracy theories. I loved all the twists and turns and suspense! The ending was so surprising, and I'm hoping there will be a second book to answer the questions I was left with!
Thank you, @thrillerbookloversthepulse @netgalley and @lakeunionpublishing for the #gifted e-arc!
Thank you, @thrillerbookloversthepulse @netgalley and @lakeunionpublishing for the #gifted e-arc!
July 4, 2024
Follow Her Down by Victoria Helen Stone is a book filled with complex characters dealing with a ton of grief. Elise Rockwood and her brother Kyle were ten and thirteen when their older sister was brutally murdered at the young age of eighteen. I really enjoyed this story and thought there were a ton of twists and turns that I never saw coming. The ending was just the cherry on top of a perfect sundae of a novel.
May 3, 2024
I enjoyed this first person narrative and trying to solve two mysteries at the same time. This was a very entertaining read and I really liked the narrator.
July 22, 2024
Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse for the digital copy to review.
I am a huge fan of Victoria Helen Stone and she is an auto read author for me. This was suspenseful and intense, overall a great read that I finished in one setting.
I am a huge fan of Victoria Helen Stone and she is an auto read author for me. This was suspenseful and intense, overall a great read that I finished in one setting.
May 12, 2024
This was such a great read, I had a great time with it and I had to know what was going to happen next!
April 26, 2024
Y’all, I just binged this book and my head is still spinning!
1. The suspense!
2. I need more answers, that ending! Ahh!
This was my first book by Victoria Helen Stone and it did not disappoint! I’ve already stalked her on Goodreads for her backlist. Ok, so stalked is the wrong choice of words after reading this, but you know what I mean.
The audio for this book was fantastic! The narrator Nicol Zanzarella had me hooked from chapter 1! I might as well have been watching a Netflix series because she made me completely forget I was “reading”.
𝙁𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙬𝙣 is scrumptiously suspenseful, you’ll be hiding under your covers (or maybe that’s just me) as you try to solve the mysterious murders alongside MC Elise and her brother, Kyle. And I bet you can’t guess the ending/whodunnit!
Will there be a book two!? (The ending was a little open ended in my opinion and I just need more!)
If you love a suspenseful thriller guaranteed to give you goosebumps and keep you guessing, be sure to check out 𝙁𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙬𝙣.
⚠️ As always check the trigger warnings.
Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions @victoriahelenstone for the #gifted copy!
#followherdown #victoriahelenstone #suspense
1. The suspense!
2. I need more answers, that ending! Ahh!
This was my first book by Victoria Helen Stone and it did not disappoint! I’ve already stalked her on Goodreads for her backlist. Ok, so stalked is the wrong choice of words after reading this, but you know what I mean.
The audio for this book was fantastic! The narrator Nicol Zanzarella had me hooked from chapter 1! I might as well have been watching a Netflix series because she made me completely forget I was “reading”.
𝙁𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙬𝙣 is scrumptiously suspenseful, you’ll be hiding under your covers (or maybe that’s just me) as you try to solve the mysterious murders alongside MC Elise and her brother, Kyle. And I bet you can’t guess the ending/whodunnit!
Will there be a book two!? (The ending was a little open ended in my opinion and I just need more!)
If you love a suspenseful thriller guaranteed to give you goosebumps and keep you guessing, be sure to check out 𝙁𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙬𝙣.
⚠️ As always check the trigger warnings.
Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions @victoriahelenstone for the #gifted copy!
#followherdown #victoriahelenstone #suspense
April 25, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Yikes.
The premise of this book was interesting. Messy family dynamics surrounding a murdered sibling from the past...sounds like it will grab you right from the start, right? Nope. This is a slowwwww read, and it never picks up. I found myself getting more and more irritated by Elise and her brother Kyle. Elise was a girl who literally said a few times "is not like other girls". She tried so hard to come off as rough around the edges but she gave me whiny teenager vibes, even though she was supposed to be in her mid 30's. Kyle is supposedly a conspiracy theorist who reaches way too hard to make connections that don't make sense. HIs logic doesn't make sense, and never made sense. The fact that the main storyline is based upon his outlandish claims with lack of evidence makes the book lack any sort of depth or suspense. Anyone with a brain can see through this.
There is a lot of over explaining happening in these pages. I think that's part of why it is so slow. Kyle is explaining something to Elise, and then Elise is explaining the same thing to Daniel, or her mom, or Amber. Elise's thoughts are tedious and redundant. Everything is so surface level and lacks any sort of substance.
The characters are just so...lacking. The ending was predictable. And I didn't even have any fun getting there.
I'm extremely disappointed but proud of myself for getting through it and not DNF'ing.
Edit: I said lack 4 times in this review. That pretty much sums it up.
Yikes.
The premise of this book was interesting. Messy family dynamics surrounding a murdered sibling from the past...sounds like it will grab you right from the start, right? Nope. This is a slowwwww read, and it never picks up. I found myself getting more and more irritated by Elise and her brother Kyle. Elise was a girl who literally said a few times "is not like other girls". She tried so hard to come off as rough around the edges but she gave me whiny teenager vibes, even though she was supposed to be in her mid 30's. Kyle is supposedly a conspiracy theorist who reaches way too hard to make connections that don't make sense. HIs logic doesn't make sense, and never made sense. The fact that the main storyline is based upon his outlandish claims with lack of evidence makes the book lack any sort of depth or suspense. Anyone with a brain can see through this.
There is a lot of over explaining happening in these pages. I think that's part of why it is so slow. Kyle is explaining something to Elise, and then Elise is explaining the same thing to Daniel, or her mom, or Amber. Elise's thoughts are tedious and redundant. Everything is so surface level and lacks any sort of substance.
The characters are just so...lacking. The ending was predictable. And I didn't even have any fun getting there.
I'm extremely disappointed but proud of myself for getting through it and not DNF'ing.
Edit: I said lack 4 times in this review. That pretty much sums it up.
May 5, 2024
This is my first book by this author but I will be adding her others to my TBR. This book was definitely a slow burn to begin with but it picked up and I didn’t want to put it down. I almost made my family listen to the audiobook while on our trip yesterday because I wanted to know what happened! But I decided against that. When I did finish, I was so surprised. That was not what I had expected at all! This is a great, suspenseful whodunnit. I did want a little bit more on the murder and disappearance of the sister. Maybe we could get a prequel?!
This was narrated by Nicol Zanzarella. She did a wonderful job! Kept me engaged. Her tone and pacing was perfect for this book.
This was narrated by Nicol Zanzarella. She did a wonderful job! Kept me engaged. Her tone and pacing was perfect for this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews