The Weekend Away

by Miranda Smith, Madeline Pell (Narrator)

8 hours and 2 minutes.

My sister died. Her friends lied. And now I’m going to learn the truth…

A year ago, my twin sister Samantha left me a message: I need you.

A day later, she was dead. I always knew it was suspicious, but no one would listen.

But I’ve just found her journal, tucked into a hidden space in the window seat of our childhood bedroom. It shows who her best friends really are: the fraud. The liar. The cheat. The crush.

Now, they’re all together on a weekend away, in a beautiful wood-panelled cabin in the mountain. And I’m going too. One of them killed her, and I’m going to prove it.

But am I ready for the answers I’m seeking? Because I soon realize that my sister had dark secrets too…

And when fire breaks out on the mountain, leaving us trapped, I must decide: what will I risk to get justice for Samantha? Because finding the truth might cost me my life…

An absolutely compulsive thriller that will have your pulse racing as you flip through the pages at speed! If you like The Hunting Party, Ruth Ware and The Summer House, you’ll love The Weekend Away!

See what readers are saying about Miranda

“ I STAYED UP UNTIL 1AM FINISHING THIS BOOK . I tried going to sleep, I really did. But every time I closed my eyes, I just kept thinking about this book, and I neeeedddddeddddd to know how it finished .” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“ My heart beat so fast! … Just perfect!… A rollercoaster! … Like OMG! ” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Deliciously addictive… I read the book in one sitting because I simply could NOT look away … perfect … I seriously loved this one!! And I audibly gasped when the ending was revealed. Totally unexpected! ” @floralbooklover , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I was hooked… I devoured this book in one sitting. Got my heart racing, atmospheric, chilling and utterly gripping … A MUST READ!!!!! ” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“ O.M.G! … My FAVORITE… a 5-star must-read book!! … just mind-blowing and jaw-dropping. That ending I didn’t see coming! ” Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“ Get ready for the twist of twists!!! … will have you on the edge of the seat! ” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“ Loved, loved and more loved!!!!! … Wow, wow, wow!!!!! … shocking ending that made me go OMG . I almost had a heart attack . I would’ve never figured that one out in a million years.” Blue Moon Blogger , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“An absolute banger of a psychological thriller! I was hooked from the get-go and torn between racing to the end or savoring every page! … an impossible to put down, don’t start it before bedtime kind of book … I always try to guess whodunit, but guess what – I WAS WRONG!!!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“YES!… Entirely captivating , the plot twists at the end had me on the edge of my seat … Mind blown . Do yourselves a favor, READ IT! ” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“ OH MY GOSH … amazing. I literally lost sleep to finish it … twists that were nail-bitingly good … had me on the edge of my seat. I loved it .” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“ WHAT did I just read!!!! WOW!!! I mean seriously Wow!!… Left me speechless over and over!!! … I cannot remember the last time I flew through a book so quickly . Each and every time I went to put it down to do something my fingers were itching to pick it back up as I just HAD to know what happened next!!… An absolutely page-turning, addictive, gripping and explosive must read!!! ” Bookworm86 , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Thriller Suspense

9 pages, Audiobook

First published October 4, 2023

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
For other authors of this name, see:

Miranda Smith - Suspense


Miranda Smith is a long-standing editor of information books for both children and adults. She has a particular interest in the field of natural history and has written books and articles for children on the subject, including the encyclopedic Living Earth (for Dorling Kindersley).

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Weekend Away is the perfect book to read over the course of a weekend! I loved the setting in this book. There is something about cabins in the woods, the feeling of being trapped alone with others, in a tense setting that gets me every single time! Miranda Smith has crafted another gripping, hard to put down and shocking book that had me on the edge of my seat, trying to get to the bottom of things right along with Sienna! This book (and audiobook) was addictive, atmospheric and full of secrets and lies.

Sienna’s twin sister Samantha sent her a message letting her know that she needed her. The next day Sienna received word that her twin sister was dead. Sienna knew that her sister's death was suspicious and is determined to prove that Samantha's death was no accident. When she finds her sister's hidden journal, she knows that she is on the right path.

A weekend away to discuss the loss of her sister has been planned by her friends. Sienna agrees to go along and is shocked to learn some hard truths about her sister's friends.

This book began strong and never let up. I loved having both the book and audiobook of The Weekend Away. This made for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. As I mentioned, this book grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and I had a hard time putting it down. I was drawn into the plot, the mystery of what happened the night Samantha died, and the possibility that one or more of her friends may know more than they are saying.

I enjoyed how quickly things changed when Sienna began questioning those there. I love tension in books, and I loved how the tension mounted in this book over the course of their stay at the cabin. This became a real page turner for me. I did my best to try to get to the bottom of things, but Miranda Smith is very clever and shocked me with the reveal. If you have not read Miranda Smith before, what are you waiting for?

I love her books. Every book I have read by her has been well written, addictive, and shocking. This book was no exception!

Atmospheric, tense, well written, dramatic, and entertaining!


Thank you to Bookouture, Bookouture Audio 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.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ Smokey Mountains
Publication date ~ October 4, 2023
Page Count ~ 310 (58 chapters +p)
Audio length ~8 hours 21 minutes
Narrator ~ Madeline Pell
POV ~ single 1st & 3rd, and journal entries
Featuring ~ dead twin sister, references to r@pe and suicide, murder, remote setting

Sienna is off to spend the weekend with her twin sister's friends in hopes of learning more about her death a year ago. You can just tell each of these friends are hiding something and some secrets are quite a doozie.

I loved the added journal entries from Samantha that gave the dead a voice. We, also, have the interesting 3rd person perspective from Troy, the guy that is renting them the house for the weekend.

Add in the remote no cell service atmosphere and Miranda has given us another tension filled, suspenseful read.

Narration notes:
She did an okay job. A bit stiff at times. Troy's POV is in the 3rd and she didn't even try to sound like man, and that was probably a good thing.

*Thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

How far would you go in your search for answers?

Twenty-nine-year-old Sienna Roth is not living the life she’d imagined. She’s working six afternoons a week in her family-run business, Roth Family Cleaners, and juggling the heavy emotions of her distraught parents with no support system to help guide her. She’s also grieving the death of her twin sister, Samantha and has yet to gain closure since the accident a year ago.

Having ‘escaped’ the Roth home and a ‘twinnie’ life under the shadow of her successful sister, Sienna became a freelance photographer and enjoyed the freedom of facing the future on her own terms. Unfortunately, Samantha’s death brought Sienna back to the same place she’d longed to escape. Her parents need her and she can’t abandon them.

Armed with her sister’s diary and a desperate desire to understand what happened the night her sister Samantha died, Sienna leaves her parents to run the family business and heads off for a weekend away in the Smoky Mountains with her sister’s friends. It’s the anniversary of her sister’s death and Colby, Harper, Nessa, Matilda, and Jackson have planned a trip to honor her memory. Reluctantly Sienna agrees to the weekend away; she’s convinced that there’s more to the story of her sister’s death and hopes that some one of her sister’s friends can help fill in the gaps. Who ripped the pages out of Samantha’s diary? Why is the owner of Sunset Memories so creepy? Which one of these ‘friends’ knows more than they’re letting on?

The atmosphere was spectacular! The juxtaposition of the twins' personalities and the choices they made were well-developed and played off each other nicely. The journey to the motive was palpitating, the twists were surprising, the secrets were shocking, and the inability to trust anyone left me cautious and actively involved in clue-hunting. I loved the secluded setting and the locked room trope as much as I enjoyed yelling at Sienna when she made rash decisions or came across as gullible.

Smith is an auto-read author for me! She always seems to have me eating out of her hands and stumbling at unforeseen twists.

This thriller about the lengths we’ll go to for justice and the driving force of sibling love is one you’ll want on your night table ASAP!

I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Almost precisely one year prior, Sienna's identical twin sister Samantha had tragically passed away. In commemoration of Sam's death, her friends opted to hold a gathering to honor her memory and extended an invitation to Sienna as well. Sienna had always harbored a suspicion that her sister's demise had not been an accident. Her intuition was right when she stumbled upon Samantha's personal journal, which detailed how each of her friends had a motive to want her dead. Now it's up to Sienna to find out what truly happened to her sister and who had done it.

As an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers, I found the novel to be pretty standard. Some of the twists were predictable. But despite that, it was still an entertaining read. I would recommend it to those who enjoy thrillers and mysteries.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Miranda Smith, and Bookouture Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

[Kimberly R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sienna’s twin sister Samantha falls over a balcony and dies.She finds her sister’s journal full of secrets her friends were hiding. Was it murder or suicide? Sienna is invited to a secluded cabin in the woods to commemorate her sister’s death. Secrets come to light and they have to fight to survive. This was a very thrilling read full of interesting characters. I hated to put it down. Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC that will be released October 4, 2023!

[SueCanaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars for a book. When it’s a 5 (omg I am forcing you to read and I will probably read it again), or a 1 (hated it and will gladly tell you why), it’s easy. When it falls in between I struggle to quantify and give stars. The Weekend Away is one of those audiobooks.

I finished it in a day and a half, so kudos to Miranda Smith for keeping me invested. It was a slower burn than I’d prefer, but that could be on me and my perimenopause/squirrel brain which currently requires lots of activity.

The premise was interesting - twin sisters, one dies, a diary is found, clues, a weekend away in an isolated location with all the suspects. Very Agatha Christie-ish.

The audio was well done and helped move the story along.

It’s somewhere in the high 3’s for stars, and to be fair to the author who has penned other books I loved, I’m rounding to a 4.

[Gali · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Weekend Away" by Miranda Smith is a touching psychological thriller that follows a young woman's search for closure.

Sienna's twin sister, Samantha, died a year ago in a freak accident. She was found dead after a fall from her balcony. Sienna is sure there is more to it than meets the eye, but no one listens to her. Her chance for answers comes when her sister's friend, Jackson, invites her to join him and Samantha's other friends, Colby, Matilda, Nessa, and Harper, on a memorial trip to the Smoky Mountains.

At first, she rejects the invitation, as she isn't really part of their group. After finding her sister's diary with tidbits about the so-called friends, she decides to join the weekend trip in the hope of finding out more about the circumstances of her sister's death. She is sure the friends know more than they are telling and is determined to get to the root of it. In the process, she stirs up a hornet's nest and bites off more than she bargained for.

I loved the book and found it a good read. The book is written from Sienna's first-person perspective and combines chapters in the third-person perspective of Troy, the cabin's owner, as well as excerpts from Samantha's diary. These elements enriched the tale and added layers of depth to the storytelling. I also like the way the secrets were slowly unfolded, adding to the suspense. I didn't guess who the culprit was - or if there even was one - and the twist managed to surprise me.

The setting is beautifully constructed, and the story captures the feeling of the place. The revelations were steadily paced, keeping readers engaged. The author has seamlessly woven themes of fallible human nature. While I liked Sienna and rooted for her, it seemed at times she took unnecessary risks and made some silly choices in her desperate search for the truth.

I disliked most of the characters, except Troy and Sienna, and, while there wasn't much depth to them, it didn't significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. The focus remained on the suspenseful plot, which kept me engaged from start to finish. At first, the motives portrayed seemed not enough to cause havoc, but it all came together in the end. In conclusion, I greatly enjoyed the tale and highly recommend it.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

* Review in my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2023...

[Millie Cullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a classic locked-room-in-the-middle-of-nowhere scenario. We have all the tropes going on with this popcorn thriller:

1. A twin who believes her sister’s death was not an accident.

2. The one-year anniversary of said death.

3. A diary chock full of secrets.

4. A group of friends who all have secrets, many of which were revealed in said diary.

5. A remote mountain cabin with no cell service being the setting for a memorial weekend.

6. Events transpiring.

Overall, I did like this story. Sienna knows something is off about the death of her twin sister, Samantha, but she’s never been able to prove it. When Samantha’s friends plan a trip to memorialize the one-year anniversary of her death, one reaches out to Sienna with an invitation. She’s hesitant to be with her sister’s group of friends, but after finding Samantha’s diary, she has some questions. Going may help her find closure, so to Tennessee she heads.

Along the way, we meet these people who Samantha leaned on, and yes, we get to read their dirty secrets in her journal. The owner of the cabin also has a story to tell, and he is also the voice of some chapters. Overall though, the book was written from Sienna’s perspective. I didn’t care much for most of the characters, and I felt a couple characters really didn’t need to be written, but the mystery kept me intrigued and by the end, we had a page turner. The author rarely disappoints; the book is a quick one to get through, and a nice, easy read. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Bookouture, Miranda Smith and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released October 4, 2023.)

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley and bookouturr for access to this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

I loved reading this fast paced thriller. So many secrets revealed, such twists that broke my heart. It's amazing how people she trusted the most could betray her. Never a minute to get bored ! Totally recommend this book.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Weekend Away is a gripping, addictive atmospheric thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed searching for the truth with Sienna about her twin sister’s death. The secluded setting is the perfect background for this compelling whodunnit. The narration added a layer of suspense while bringing this twisty story to life. Entertaining, suspenseful, and enthralling describe this engaging mystery. Thank you, NetGalley for my audiobook.

[Esme Merrily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sienna is grieving after the tragic death of her twin sister, Samantha. Police says it was an accident, but something just doesn't add up. When Sienna founds her sister journal, she becomes even more suspicious and decides to spend a weekend in a desolated cabin with Samantha's closest friends to investigate.

2,5 stars. Mainly because of three factors:
1. The characters seem made of cardboard, totally one-dimensional and embodying convenient stereotypes (sorority little sister, charming drunkard, mean girl, brilliant nerd, and don't get me started on the boyfriend), and the main protagonist, Sienna, is naïve and borderline clueless;
2. Way too repetitive. Yes, I know that "everything changed after reading the diary", and that "they are putting on an act", I don't need to be reminded of it in every other sentence;
3. Who writes entire columns of dialogues in a diary?
Plus it's quite obvious where to search for the culprit and the wildfire aspect made me sooo angry at these stupid people.

[Page_2_Pen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: The plot and characters were done very well, allowing the story to flow seamlessly and keeping the reader on edge, in true mystery fashion. Unfortunately, I did the audiobook version and this narrator was just not for me. This made it a challenge to keep going, but I’m glad I pushed through because the story was really great. I do recommend reading, not listening for this one, though everyone has their preferences when it comes to narrators. I felt the audio narration was too dramatic and forced, so it was hard for me to connect with the story.

Summary: Sienna’s sister died from a tragic accident a year ago. She fell off a balcony at a weekend retreat with friends. Now, to honor her memory, Sienna is invited by her sister’s friends for a weekend to share memories of their beloved Sammi. Reluctantly, Sienna decides to go, wanting answers from so many questions left behind after she found her sister’s journal. Who were these friends really? And what really happened? Could one of them have had something to do with Sammi’s accident? She’s determined to confront them all and find out, but will what she uncovers be better left hidden? Can she survive the truth?

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The accudental dwath of sienna's twin sister has never sat right and now 1 year on the discovery of ger journal confirms there is more too. So when her fsisters friends invite her to celebrate her life she decides to go and findvout the truth.
Slow burner but ttally hooked me in. I loved the usage of the journal in between characters. I do enjoy stories told from pov in this i would have loved a chapter from some of the friends rather than just dalogue. Loved tge plot the characters gropping throughout. The enfing was the icing on the cake as i gueesed wrong . Thank you netgallery and publisher and author for a solid 5 star read.

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW 



Review for 'The Weekend Away' by Miranda Smith. 



Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Miranda Smith, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous 



Publication date 4th October 2023




This is the seventh book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The One Before', 'The Killer's Family', 'His Loving Wife', 'The Family Home',  'Not My Mother' and 'The School Trip'. All of which I highly recommend. 



This novel consists of a prologue and 58 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


'The Weekend Away' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Miranda discusses death of a twin sister and $3*ua! @$$@u!t. 


WHAT did I just read!!!! WOW!!! I mean seriously Wow!! I was NOT expecting that lot fairplay!!! This has GOT to start with a MASSIVE WELL DONE MIRANDA SMITH!!!! Ooops sorry, yes, needed a minute to get over that but I've just left you hanging there... Sorry.... Let me tell you more... 



Firstly let's start off with the writing style, etc!! Yet another extremely well written book by this amazing author which had me hook line and sinker!!! It is so smoothly and beautifully written with vivid evocative descriptions I completely forgot I was even reading a book a few times. The blurb, title and cover really fit the storyline. 



As you can tell I LOVED this unique storyline. I found it to be realistic, very fast paced and I read it in a day. I loved the setting and atmosphere and just well... Everything!!! Twists after shocks after turns!!! Arggghhh... Its so hard to NOT say anything about them as it will give too much away and spoilt it for future readers but it definitely left me speechless over and over!!! I have read hundreds of psychological books and I really do think this one is definitely in the top 10 when it comes to dropping bombshells. I am, in fact still shell shocked!! Just brilliant fairplay and all links in and wraps up perfectly!!! I cannot remember the last time I flew through a book so quickly. Each and every time I went to put it down to do something my fingers were itching to pick it back up as I just HAD to know what happened next!! Miranda's evocative writing skills ensures you are dragged deep into the storyline seeing everything that is happening and feeling the tension and suspense that Sienne and Troy are going through along with Samantha although Samantha was in the form of a diary. It is ram packed with twists, heartbreak, secrets, lies, loss, tension, stress, suspense and everything you could ask for in a psychological thriller. I have yet to come across a book by this amazing author that is yet to shock me and have me turning the pages until I devour her books in one sitting!! I can't say more than that as I don't want to spoil it for future readers so if you want to know you'll have to grab yourself a copy!! You won't regret it!! 


This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Madeline Pell who did a great job bringing this story to life. I would listen to it in the car and while walking at any opportunity!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Miranda but also to listening to more books narrated by Madeline! The only criticism I had with Madeline's narration was that there wasn't any attempt to make Troy's characters voice male which is a shame but it may be as she isn't confident in doing male voices yet so I am intrigued to see if she does any in the future. 


THE plot throughout is rammed with suspense, romance, family, mystery, lies, surprises, tension and did I say surprises!!! Well done Miranda this is exactly the reason you are on my favourite author list!! I am looking forward to reading more of your books and when oh when is this going to be turned into the movie of the year!!! Gone Girl and many others have NOTHING on this one!!! 



It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.



Just like with the storyline the characters come to life with Miranda's evocative writing skills along with Madeline's fantastic narrative skills. They are well rounded, realistic and strong making them all the more believable. All the characters may have been realistic but they were not all likeable and this is one of those addictive books where you have no idea which characters are telling the truth or who you can and cannot trust. I was completely invested in Sienna and Troy who are the two main protagonists and they were the only two really who I actually liked. I normally struggle with books if I don't like alot of the characters but Miranda's fantastic storytelling skills means that I had no such problem reading this thriller! I won't go into more details about the characters as I don't want to risk giving anything away but yet again Miranda has done an amazing job constructing an addictive and explosive psychological thriller that you just won't be able to put down. Regardless whether you love or hate the characters each of them comes to life and had a part to play, which they did perfectly!! 



Congratulations Miranda on yet another explosive success!!! This is why you are one of my favourite psychological thriller authors. Here's to many more successes 🥂!!! 



Clear your schedules before picking this up as you will not be able to put it down!!! 



Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and the first chapters of Miranda's absolutely addictive 'Not My Mother' which is another explosive page turner and one I have read myself and would highly recommend!!


Overall an absolutely page turning, addictive, gripping and explosive must read that will leave you shocked!!!  



310 pages / 8 hours 22 minutes via Audible. 



This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited, £8.99 in paperback, £16 for the Audiobook with Audible (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!! 



Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook. 



Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews.




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[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I did not see that ending coming at all! When Siena is doing her best to get over the death of her twin sister Sam Jackson invite her to a getaway to commemorate the one-year anniversary of her death. At first sienna wasn’t going to go but after finding her sisters diary and learning the motives her friends could’ve head for killing her she decides to go to the mini vacation to talk about the unfortunate accident. Soon after arriving however it is clear that only Jackson wanted to see Seinna there . She is especially shocked when Sam’s boyfriend Cody shows up with her best friend Matilda but this will not be the only surprise this weekend and right when she starts to believe that Jackson truly is on her side he has an unfortunate accident of the zone. Is the person who killed her sister how to get those who are trying to prove it? I thought this book was going to be the run-of-the-mill isolated location killer in the house is this it is trust me when I say the ending totally makes up for it I really liked the way the story was told in the ending is an OMG I did not see that coming type ending I love this authors books and that definitely includes this one a total thrilling awesome read! I want to thank Bookoucher Andnet Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[✨Alexis✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows Sienna, a young woman who has put her life on hold to help her parents cope with the death of her twin sister, Samantha. When the anniversary of her death is coming close Sienna receives a call from one of Samantha’s friends who invites her to join them on a trip to commemorate the life of “Sammie.” Sienna declines the offer knowing only the surface of these people, but soon changes her mind when discovering the diary of her dead sister. With overwhelming evidence of a motive is brought into play, Sienna needs the answer she has been seeking. Who killed Sammie and what were they trying to hide?
This book got me from the first page. I throughly enjoyed the story, characters and the ending. I will say, I did not see the ending coming and was convinced there was more going on. Without giving anything away, the author fully explained the motive the killer had and what actually happened the night of the killing. I also have to say I am looking forward to reading more books by Miranda Smith. This was a breath of fresh air in the thriller genre. I would absolutely suggest this to Frieda loves everywhere.
I wanted to thank Miranda Smith and Bookouture for this ARC from Netgalley.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Madeline Pell does a wonderful job with the narration on this book as always! She’s clear and so easy to listen to for hours on end! The story is about a woman who goes on a weekend trip with as group of her twin sisters friends after she died under unusual circumstances. She found her diary and all of the friends have secrets that could be possible motives. It was an interesting take on trying to solve a murder, and I really enjoyed all the complex characters and their secrets. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and mysteries!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Miranda Smith book and I’m pleased to say that it won’t be my last. Sienna’s twin sister, Samantha, fell from her balcony almost a year ago, and her friends invite Sienna to a cabin in the mountains for a memorial. Initially she declines but after finding Samantha’s journal she decides to attend as she wants answers regarding her sister’s death.

I was engrossed from the first page. What a fun and fast read! All of her friends had their reasons for potentially hurting Samantha so you can’t trust anyone. I really enjoyed the plot twists and the ending was surprising. You won’t regret reading this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Miranda Smith, and Bookoture for this ARC.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Weekend Away is a mystery thriller with hints of suspense and a gasping twist.
Six friends.
A long weekend.
A killer is on the loose.
Can you guess whodunit?
A group of people gather for three days one year after the loss of one of their closest friends.
Back together, there’s tension in the air and the atmosphere of secrets, betrayal, deception and lies within.
Until the truth is finally revealed……
I really enjoyed this one.
Lots of trickery to keep you guessing, mixed set of characters, a plot that’s addictive and an ending that leaves you shocked, it’s all here to devour, delight and enjoy.
Miranda does a great job in building up the tense moments, the angst feelings and getting the readers attention focused in the story.
Definitely recommended.

[Diane Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced murder mystery perhaps or not...It's how you see it.
Great well built characters all around. So much mystery that keeps you turning the pages. Loved everything about this book.
Definitely kept me guessing..

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a twin myself, Sienna already had my sympathy. Sienna's successful twin sister Samantha died nearly a year ago from a tragic fall and since then, she's moved back home and is working at the family dry cleaning business. The whole family is in shambles.

That's when she gets a phone call from Jackson, one of Samantha's best friends whom she was also in business with. Samantha had a tight circle of friends that Sienna wasn't a part of so she's surprised and confused when Jackson invites her on a weekend getaway to celebrate Samantha's life. She says nah.

She changed her mind with the quickness after stumbling upon Samantha's journal(I know, I know) that reveals a lot of reasons to be suspicious of these people who shared a business and life with her sister. With friends like them, who needs enemies? Sienna is going to get to the bottom of this one way or another..

This is Smith's best work so far, in my opinion! With the backdrop of the Smoky Mountains and memories of the 2016 wildfires, the tone was set for a locked chalet thriller, but this almost crossed into horror territory, in my clownish opinion. It was very dark and had a really good mystery to go along with the well-crafted characters and backstory. I have to say I really appreciated the references to the area. It didn't quite make it atmospheric but as someone who lives an hour or so away from there, I felt seen.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen and review. The narration was great.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Audiobook 4.5 rounded up to 5

This book was so much fun. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, which were all very well defined.

I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Sam and I loved that her little sister was relentless in finding out the truth.

The problem was, out of all of Sam’s friends on this weekend getaway, you just truly do not know who to trust. Luckily, my lucky guess was correct. I mean several of her friends were total scumbags…. Could it be one person? Could it be all of them? You’ll have to read this one and find out.

I really enjoyed how everything played out at the end, and there were just enough twists to make this book interesting without going overboard.

I totally recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a one session read for me and kept me completely addicted throughout, but I would expect no less from a Miranda Smith book. The location setting was brilliant and I loved the way that Troy was brought in to the group on the outside. Yes there many triggers here, rape, fires so be warned.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and bookouture but the review is entirely my own.

[Suzi (Lil Bit Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A year ago, Sienna’s sister Samantha died after falling from her balcony. Her death was ruled accidental, but Sienna has never bought that explanation. Samantha’s five closest friends invite Sienna to go on a sort of memorial weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains. Initially, Sienna doesn’t want to go, but then she finds her sister’s diary, which had been carefully tucked away in a childhood hiding spot. The diary is brimming with secrets about her closest friends. Convinced one of them had enough motive to kill Samantha (but not sure which one), Sienna goes on the trip, intent on finding out the truth about what really happened to Samantha.

“A Weekend Away” has the feel of a locked room mystery since most of the story takes place in a cabin in the Smokies and the pool of suspects is limited to five people. Samantha’s diary entries and the cabin owner’s perspective are interspersed throughout. The diary entries contain a lot of dialogue and read more like flashbacks than someone writing in a diary, but using the diary device makes sense since Samantha is dead. This is a solid mystery with a “Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six” vibe but with a younger cast.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.

[Barbara Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sienna’s sister died accidentally one year ago after falling from her balcony but sienna has never believed that it was an accident. Now for the one year anniversary of her death, her sister’s closest friends have invited Siena on a weekend trip to memorialize her in the Smoky Mountains. Sienna doesn’t want to go because she is still dealing with the loss and doesn’t feel especially close to any of the, despite knowing some of them as long as her sister did but then she finds her sisters diary tucked away in her room and it changes everything. The diary is locked and loaded with secrets about Samantha’s supposed friends and it gives Sienna enough reason to think that more than one of them had a motive to kill her sister and she decides to go in the trip and see if she can finally figure out what really happened to Samantha after all.
This was kind of a locked room experience mixed with diary entries and an alternate POV of the cabin owner reflecting in what happened at the cabin in the past. His perspective added the extra dimension needed to help tie things together with what happened to Samantha to bring her to where she was at the end of her life.
This had a few good twists, untrustworthy characters and was a quick read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

[Kassandra Starr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of the audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up

The narrators did a good job. However, there were some odd inflections and pausing throughout the book.

Spoilers ahead…

Sienna goes on a weekend in the woods with her sister’s friends. They’re there to memorialize her (twin) sister Samantha. Samantha died a year earlier from a fall over the balcony. Sienna has never felt like it was suicide. She is taking the chance to get closer to Samantha’s friends this weekend to get some answers. The first half of the book lags a bit with character building information. There are quite a few characters that are introduced that all have explanations of why they’re also at the cabin and we get to know their personalities. Finally, we get to Sienna confronting the group of friends saying that she believes someone murdered Samantha. The friends all have alibis and insist that Samantha committed suicide. The friends all seem to be on the same page and gaslight Sienna. Sienna gets locked into her room with no way for help. After she breaks out, the friends gradually start turning on each other. One friend is in the hospital, another dies and all this happens during a wildfire in the last 1/3 of the book. We find out that one of the friends is responsible for the deaths because she didn’t want another crime (not committed by her) to be uncovered. She thought that the company they all worked at (Samantha being the co-owner) would tank if anything had been leaked. While I did enjoy the back half of the book, I do wish that the pacing was better in the beginning and that the murderer wasn’t so predictable. All in all I would still recommend to anyone that enjoys thrillers, mysteries or crime novels.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weekend getaway with your dead sister’s friends who all have something to hide? What could go wrong?

Sienna joins her sister’s friends for a memorial trip one year after Samantha died. to find out what really happened to her sister. Everyone has secrets, but we spend most of the book trying to figure out if these secrets are just poor choices, or a motive to hurt Samantha.

Overall, there was a good amount of drama and suspense, and the cabin in the woods offered that extra closed door mystery element.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for early access to this book

[Melissa Suslowicz Bartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:
Loved!!!!! This author is one of my favs and this book proves why. She knows how to give you a heart attack but in such a good way. She always has so many twists and turns in her books too. You never see any of them coming either. I also have to warn you that you will get nothing done until you finish this one. It’s so hard to put down. I read it in just a few sittings and it kept me wanting more as each chapter passed by. What more can you ask for in a great book. Now let’s talk about this book for a minute. The characters were awesome in this one. You didn’t know who or what to trust in any of them. They all had something to hide. Next up, the plot. It kept me on my toes the whole way through. It was just that interesting. I couldn’t wait to finish this one to find out what happened. Last by not least that shocker of all shockers of an ending. I was like what!!!!! I can’t wait to read this authors next book.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Hannah King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I felt as if I were in every scene that was taking place. That's how much of a fantastic job the narrator did. I loved the aspect of Sienna finding her sister's diary full of secrets about people in her life. This prompted Sienna to go on the cabin trip to honor Samantha's memory with Sammie's friends. She wanted to find out the truth of what happened to her sister. The plot was super interesting and kept me engaged the entire time. I did not expect what I learned at the end of the book. Miranda Smith is a great writer to keep me on my toes the entire book! Read if you like cabin in the woods, secrets, backstabbing/betrayal, unsolved mysteries, and twin stories. Such a great read/listen!