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Under a Dark Sky
From the critically-acclaimed author of The Day I Died comes a terrifying twist on a locked-room mystery that will keep readers guessing until the last page Only in the dark can she find the truth . . . Since her husband died, Eden Wallace's life has diminished down to a tiny pinprick, like a far-off star in the night sky. She doesn't work, has given up on her love of photography, and is so plagued by night terrors that she can't sleep without the lights on. Everyone, including her family, has grown weary of her grief. So when she finds paperwork in her husband's effects indicating that he reserved a week at a dark sky park, she goes. She's ready to shed her fear and return to the living, even if it means facing her paralyzing phobia of the dark.
But when she arrives at the park, the guest suite she thought was a private retreat is teeming with a group of twenty-somethings, all stuck in the orbit of their old college friendships. Horrified that her get-away has been taken over, Eden decides to head home the next day. But then a scream wakes the house in the middle of the night. One of the friends has been murdered. Now everyone—including Eden—is a suspect. Everyone is keeping secrets, but only one is a murderer. As mishaps continue to befall the group, Eden must make sense of the chaos and lies to evade a ruthless killer—and she'll have to do it before dark falls…
But when she arrives at the park, the guest suite she thought was a private retreat is teeming with a group of twenty-somethings, all stuck in the orbit of their old college friendships. Horrified that her get-away has been taken over, Eden decides to head home the next day. But then a scream wakes the house in the middle of the night. One of the friends has been murdered. Now everyone—including Eden—is a suspect. Everyone is keeping secrets, but only one is a murderer. As mishaps continue to befall the group, Eden must make sense of the chaos and lies to evade a ruthless killer—and she'll have to do it before dark falls…
512 pages, Paperback
First published August 7, 2018
183 people are currently reading
2915 people want to read
About the author
Lori Rader-Day
15 books1,056 followersLORI RADER-DAY is the Edgar Award-nominated, Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of Wreck Your Heart, The Death of Us, Death at Greenway, The Lucky One, Under a Dark Sky, The Day I Died, Little Pretty Things, and The Black Hour. Lori’s short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Time Out Chicago, Good Housekeeping, and others. She lives in Chicago, where she is the co-chair of the mystery reader event Midwest Mystery Conference and teaches creative writing for Northwestern University. She is a former national president of Sisters in Crime. Visit her at LoriRaderDay.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
October 1, 2017
I love it that I am the first person to mark a book read on Goodreads because I wrote it. Five stars, you betcha. Hope you like it, too.
September 4, 2018
What a great story! Eden Wallace, who had lost her husband in a fatal car accident nine months before, is so traumatized that she lives her life fearing the dark, and always plans to be home before dark, leaving bright lights on all night.
She finds an envelope with reservations her husband had made to celebrate their first anniversary at a "dark sky park". She decides to go alone, hoping to shed her fear and return to the living. She has mixed feelings and is depressed and lonely. She gets to the park and finds out there has been a mix-up in reservations and she is forced to share the same housing with three 20-something couples, with Eden staying in a suite but sharing bathroom and kitchen.
The three couples are friends supposed to be celebrating 5 years after college graduation, but not all things turn out that way. One of them is murdered in the middle of the night and Eden finds herself a suspect along with all the others.
There were parts of the book in the first half which I found somewhat slow, but as things progressed, the pace picked up. Suspects, all of them! Each one seemed to have a motive. Who was the killer?
4 1/2 stars, an excellent read, and I look forward to reading more of Lori Rader-Day's books.
She finds an envelope with reservations her husband had made to celebrate their first anniversary at a "dark sky park". She decides to go alone, hoping to shed her fear and return to the living. She has mixed feelings and is depressed and lonely. She gets to the park and finds out there has been a mix-up in reservations and she is forced to share the same housing with three 20-something couples, with Eden staying in a suite but sharing bathroom and kitchen.
The three couples are friends supposed to be celebrating 5 years after college graduation, but not all things turn out that way. One of them is murdered in the middle of the night and Eden finds herself a suspect along with all the others.
There were parts of the book in the first half which I found somewhat slow, but as things progressed, the pace picked up. Suspects, all of them! Each one seemed to have a motive. Who was the killer?
4 1/2 stars, an excellent read, and I look forward to reading more of Lori Rader-Day's books.
July 15, 2018
From the back cover comes "a terrifying twist on a locked room mystery". I disagree with all of that.
Terrifying never happened. The book is too plodding for any suspense. That includes Eden's fear of the dark. The author had her tell the reader about her fear but failed to make it believable. That made the setting of a dark sky park worthless.
Twists didn't happen. This was paint by numbers predictable.
Locked room generally means the killer could neither enter nor the room where the murder occurred. But here Eden hears someone running off into the dark just before the body is found. That defeats the purpose of the locked room mystery.
Mystery doesn't really apply when the author points a flaming red neon arrow at the murderer. There's no fun when you know who did it.
Then there's the problem that none of the characters are likable. You are not supposed to want them all to die. That is particularly true for Eden. She is so self absorbed and whiny that you want to put her out of her misery.
This author goes on my list of "do not bother with".
I received a free copy of this book through the First Reads program.
Terrifying never happened. The book is too plodding for any suspense. That includes Eden's fear of the dark. The author had her tell the reader about her fear but failed to make it believable. That made the setting of a dark sky park worthless.
Twists didn't happen. This was paint by numbers predictable.
Locked room generally means the killer could neither enter nor the room where the murder occurred. But here Eden hears someone running off into the dark just before the body is found. That defeats the purpose of the locked room mystery.
Mystery doesn't really apply when the author points a flaming red neon arrow at the murderer. There's no fun when you know who did it.
Then there's the problem that none of the characters are likable. You are not supposed to want them all to die. That is particularly true for Eden. She is so self absorbed and whiny that you want to put her out of her misery.
This author goes on my list of "do not bother with".
I received a free copy of this book through the First Reads program.
July 17, 2018
Book review can be found on my blog here: https://booksonthebookshelf.wordpress...
Thank you to William Morrow Books and Harper Collins for the free ARC of this book to read and review.
This book follows the story of Eden Wallace who lost her husband. Since her husband passed away, Eden finds she is not the same person that she once used to be and is a shadow of her former self. She is afraid of the dark and has trouble sleeping, and even has nightmares. She finds some papers indicating that her husband had planned a trip away for their anniversary before his death, and Eden decides to take the trip anyways even though her husband is no longer there to go along with her.
When Eden arrives at the retreat house she finds out she is not alone. The place has also been rented out to a group of six friends all in their 20s and Eden is not happy with this. She thought she would have the week to herself to reflect and face her fears of the dark. She decided to stay the one night after a long drive, then head home in the morning. After she has gone to bed for the night everyone in the house is awoken by a scream in the house. Confused and afraid, they all look around the house trying to find the source of the scream, only to find one of the six friends dead on the floor - everyone, including Eden, is now a suspect.
This book was a great read. I enjoyed the different characters in the book and reading about them and what makes them who they are. A group of friends who argue and share secrets and lies. So thrilling. I enjoyed the character building of each character in the book and the "who done it" that kept you guessing and second guessing.
The book was written in a way to keep you the reader interested in finding out what would happen next. The pages turned themselves, and it was hard to out down. This was my first book I read by this author and it was a great read from beginning to end.
Thank you to William Morrow Books and Harper Collins for the free ARC of this book to read and review.
This book follows the story of Eden Wallace who lost her husband. Since her husband passed away, Eden finds she is not the same person that she once used to be and is a shadow of her former self. She is afraid of the dark and has trouble sleeping, and even has nightmares. She finds some papers indicating that her husband had planned a trip away for their anniversary before his death, and Eden decides to take the trip anyways even though her husband is no longer there to go along with her.
When Eden arrives at the retreat house she finds out she is not alone. The place has also been rented out to a group of six friends all in their 20s and Eden is not happy with this. She thought she would have the week to herself to reflect and face her fears of the dark. She decided to stay the one night after a long drive, then head home in the morning. After she has gone to bed for the night everyone in the house is awoken by a scream in the house. Confused and afraid, they all look around the house trying to find the source of the scream, only to find one of the six friends dead on the floor - everyone, including Eden, is now a suspect.
This book was a great read. I enjoyed the different characters in the book and reading about them and what makes them who they are. A group of friends who argue and share secrets and lies. So thrilling. I enjoyed the character building of each character in the book and the "who done it" that kept you guessing and second guessing.
The book was written in a way to keep you the reader interested in finding out what would happen next. The pages turned themselves, and it was hard to out down. This was my first book I read by this author and it was a great read from beginning to end.
August 17, 2018
Under a Dark Sky was really good. The twist and turns had me guessing all through.
August 21, 2018
Eden has lost her husband in a tragic accident and finds that he has secretly booked a surprise trip to a fairly isolated place they've spoken about in the past. Maybe this is the trip she needed to find some closure. Unfortunately, the trip turns into a nightmare - one in which she learns things about her husband that are worse than what she already had found out and becomes a suspect in a murder from the co-guests she also didn't expect. PHEW.
There are a lot of characters in this and we get a glimpse into every one of them. When there's a group like this, typically (but not always) you find that there is overlapping of relationships, sordid pasts and an inability to really welcome anyone new into the fold. When the seemingly most liked person gets murdered... well, pure chaos ensues from there with accusations being thrown left and right. Seriously, with friends like this you definitely do NOT need enemies.
To me this read somewhat like a game of clue - except you know where and what with - now it's just a matter of who. I think claiming this to be a "terrifying twist on a locked-room mystery" is the wrong way to market this particular book. I didn't particularly find anything terrifying about this book. What I DID find was this to be a moderately paced whodunit type mystery where everyone seems to have a motive. At times I felt things got a bit repetitive and I just wanted it to move forward. I also felt that too many characters were introduced which made the book a tad bit crowded.
I did find Eden's nyctophobia to be one of the most interesting things about the book - I wish we knew a bit more about where this came from as while it's a front runner for the book, I felt it also took a bit of a back burner role when it came to the meat of the story.
This was more a murder mystery dealing with different stages of grief from Eden's past and the murder that occurs, how the characters deal in their own ways and how it slowly unfolds to the why. Eden's snarky responses during some of the scenarios were my favorites to read. Be careful who you choose to be your friends and whatever you do, do not go to a remote location with them if there are tough waves in the water... this seems to be where all the red herrings live. 😉
There are a lot of characters in this and we get a glimpse into every one of them. When there's a group like this, typically (but not always) you find that there is overlapping of relationships, sordid pasts and an inability to really welcome anyone new into the fold. When the seemingly most liked person gets murdered... well, pure chaos ensues from there with accusations being thrown left and right. Seriously, with friends like this you definitely do NOT need enemies.
To me this read somewhat like a game of clue - except you know where and what with - now it's just a matter of who. I think claiming this to be a "terrifying twist on a locked-room mystery" is the wrong way to market this particular book. I didn't particularly find anything terrifying about this book. What I DID find was this to be a moderately paced whodunit type mystery where everyone seems to have a motive. At times I felt things got a bit repetitive and I just wanted it to move forward. I also felt that too many characters were introduced which made the book a tad bit crowded.
I did find Eden's nyctophobia to be one of the most interesting things about the book - I wish we knew a bit more about where this came from as while it's a front runner for the book, I felt it also took a bit of a back burner role when it came to the meat of the story.
This was more a murder mystery dealing with different stages of grief from Eden's past and the murder that occurs, how the characters deal in their own ways and how it slowly unfolds to the why. Eden's snarky responses during some of the scenarios were my favorites to read. Be careful who you choose to be your friends and whatever you do, do not go to a remote location with them if there are tough waves in the water... this seems to be where all the red herrings live. 😉
February 7, 2019
This is a wonderful "locked-room" kind of mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie but set in very scenic northern Michigan, with flashbacks to Chicago.
An accidental interloper, the protagonist must not only figure out who among a group of six friends murdered one of them, but also come to terms with her husband's betrayal and death.
A very minor point--those who know UChicago's curricula will catch the clue the first time it comes up, and while UChicago has turned into a desirable spot, the twist with the admissions person is not believable.
Again, a very minor point in a wonderful book. Highly recommended.
An accidental interloper, the protagonist must not only figure out who among a group of six friends murdered one of them, but also come to terms with her husband's betrayal and death.
A very minor point--those who know UChicago's curricula will catch the clue the first time it comes up, and while UChicago has turned into a desirable spot, the twist with the admissions person is not believable.
Again, a very minor point in a wonderful book. Highly recommended.
August 10, 2018
Eden Wallace's life has been a mess since her husband, Bix died in an accident 5 years ago. However she decided to fulfill a reservation he made for 5 years in the future. She has now arrived a private house on a lake north of Chicago, only to find that there had been a mix up in the reservations. 3 other couples had reservations at the same resort. After the initial mix-up it was determined that the private suite in the rear of the building could be used by Eden.
Eden has never been able to get out of the 'funk' re: Bix's death but she was going to try. But everything was about to change with the murder of the most popular member of the other group, Malloy ! Now Eden would have to stay because the police need to find the murderer!
The pace of this book was much to slow for me. So many quirky facts about all the characters until we find out who the murdered.....yes , towards the end the pieces start to fall into place but it is a labor to get there
Eden has never been able to get out of the 'funk' re: Bix's death but she was going to try. But everything was about to change with the murder of the most popular member of the other group, Malloy ! Now Eden would have to stay because the police need to find the murderer!
The pace of this book was much to slow for me. So many quirky facts about all the characters until we find out who the murdered.....yes , towards the end the pieces start to fall into place but it is a labor to get there
December 31, 2017
While I have loved all of Rader-Day's books, I think this is the best one yet. Fast paced, lots of tension and enough twists to keep you guessing until the end. This will be a thriller I'll be recommending to everyone.
September 3, 2018
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
After the death of her husband, a woman grieves. When she finds a week's reservation at a park among her husband's effect, she decides to go, to shake herself out of the doldrums. When she gets there, it turns out a group of college friends are staying too. Then someone gets murdered.
not quite a psychological thriller, and not quite a pure mystery, this is still quietly entertaining.
After the death of her husband, a woman grieves. When she finds a week's reservation at a park among her husband's effect, she decides to go, to shake herself out of the doldrums. When she gets there, it turns out a group of college friends are staying too. Then someone gets murdered.
not quite a psychological thriller, and not quite a pure mystery, this is still quietly entertaining.
August 22, 2018
Review to come
January 6, 2019
This is my first book by Lori Rader-Day and I really liked it. I'm sure I'll read more of her books.
The book starts with Eden Wallace reminiscing her husband Bix's death, which only occurred about 9 months prior to the start of her story. Bix had planned a trip for the two of them, so she decides to go to the place by herself to get away; however, even though he had scheduled it a year in advance there were quite a few others there to claim their spot as well. So she is a bit upset because she wanted her quiet and she got anything but that.
Just as Eden is getting to know several of the characters, This naturally complicates things and she can't exactly hide from anyone under the circumstances.
The rest of the story she spends her time trying to discover who did it. She herself is even a strong suspect. The author is quite good with suspense-building and twists. I literally didn't know who had done this criminal act until the very end of the book.
Recommendation: It's a good book and I hope people will read it.
The book starts with Eden Wallace reminiscing her husband Bix's death, which only occurred about 9 months prior to the start of her story. Bix had planned a trip for the two of them, so she decides to go to the place by herself to get away; however, even though he had scheduled it a year in advance there were quite a few others there to claim their spot as well. So she is a bit upset because she wanted her quiet and she got anything but that.
Just as Eden is getting to know several of the characters, This naturally complicates things and she can't exactly hide from anyone under the circumstances.
The rest of the story she spends her time trying to discover who did it. She herself is even a strong suspect. The author is quite good with suspense-building and twists. I literally didn't know who had done this criminal act until the very end of the book.
Recommendation: It's a good book and I hope people will read it.
September 9, 2018
It's been a few days since I finished the book. I would still give it four stars as it was a well written book and I was turning the pages to find out what was going to happen. I was disappointed somewhat in the ending. It just felt flat to me. Maybe this form of crime fiction is not for me. It was promoted as a closed/locked room mystery which I enjoy but I did not feel the book was this. Granted the suspects fit into this category as you knew it had to be one of them. Even though I gave it four stars, if I knew what I know now, I probably wouldn't have chosen to read the book. It just wasn't for me but is a well written mystery enjoyed by many.
August 27, 2018
A Fast-Paced Mystery Where Everyone Is Suspicious!
Eden Wallace is a widow with a debilitating fear of the dark, which has taken over her life. When she discovers that, before he’d passed away, her husband had reserved a getaway for them at a dark sky park, she decides to go, hoping she’ll use it to force herself out of her fear. But, immediately, there’s a problem as it turns out her and a group of renters all thought they had rented a house to themselves when in fact they’re all sharing it. So Eden is now in a house with a group of friends from college unable to drive back home because she’ll be trapped in the dark night. And then, of course, there’s a murder and everyone is a suspect! Eden is stuck as police try to figure out who had motive to kill as she watches her “roommates'” secrets all start to come out, which forces even Eden’s secrets to escape… (I liked Tavia Gilbert’s narration on the audiobook.)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
Eden Wallace is a widow with a debilitating fear of the dark, which has taken over her life. When she discovers that, before he’d passed away, her husband had reserved a getaway for them at a dark sky park, she decides to go, hoping she’ll use it to force herself out of her fear. But, immediately, there’s a problem as it turns out her and a group of renters all thought they had rented a house to themselves when in fact they’re all sharing it. So Eden is now in a house with a group of friends from college unable to drive back home because she’ll be trapped in the dark night. And then, of course, there’s a murder and everyone is a suspect! Eden is stuck as police try to figure out who had motive to kill as she watches her “roommates'” secrets all start to come out, which forces even Eden’s secrets to escape… (I liked Tavia Gilbert’s narration on the audiobook.)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
August 1, 2018
The phrase “off the chain” is a term often used to describe something fantastically good, and so it is in that sense that I say Under a Dark Sky is off the chain. However, the chain runs smooth with the structure and flow of Lori Rader-Day’s brilliant writing. She has everything under control, even the missteps the readers make in assigning guilt to the wrong characters. It’s a dark tale played out in a dark park, a locked room environment with a guest house of slowly diminishing numbers. Oh, and the main character has a phobia about the dark.
Life for thirty-something Eden Wallace has been a nightmare since the recent death of her husband, or it would be a nightmare if she could sleep and she didn’t spend the night with lights blazing all over her house. Afraid of the dark doesn’t quite cover the paralyzing phobia that Eden has, unable to step foot outdoors from nightfall until daybreak. Realizing that she is far too young to become a recluse, Eden makes a decision contradictory to her phobia. Upon finding paperwork in her husband’s desk where he had reserved a vacation at Straits Point International Dark Sky Park in Michigan, Eden steels herself to go to this place where lights are kept to a bare minimum and stars are the only lights of attraction. She feels she might actually find some solace and strength from a change of scenery in a retreat by herself, and her husband, Bix, did plan it to coincide with their 10th wedding anniversary. But, just about everything she thinks this trip will be is turned on its head from the moment she arrives at the reserved guest house. She has only a suite in the house and must share the rest of the house with a group of twenty-something strangers who are coming together for a college reunion of sorts. Not wanting to stay with arrangements as they are, but with night getting close to falling, Eden knows she is stuck for one night where she is. One night with all the lights in her room on and leaving the next day seems an option she will have to live with.
And then there is someone dead on the kitchen floor with a screwdriver stuck in the throat. No one is going anywhere right away. Everyone is a suspect, including Eden, and the secret of her phobia and her marriage and her husband’s death make their way to the surface. But, she isn’t the only one with secrets. The six friends all seem to have different agendas for the reunion and different issues from the past to resolve. And, there is the ghost of a past friend the six share. This locked room is a Pandora’s box of ills, including jealousy, greed, lying, and revenge. No one is innocent and, thus, everyone is guilty, at least of some regrettable sin. When another death occurs, it’s clear that the retreat Eden had hoped would revive her life will change it in ways she never saw coming. Who is the killer, what is her/his motive, and who will be next? For Eden, the answers mean clearing her name and staying alive.
Lori Rader-Day hit the ground running with her first book, the Anthony Award winning The Black Hour, and her next two books, Little Pretty Things and The Day I Died won awards and nominations and placement on “best” lists, too. Her storytelling and writing talents won me over at the beginning. Her stories are always uniquely interesting, no trace of having read this set-up before. But, I think that with Under a Dark Sky, she has achieved a stellar status that will catapult her into the highest stratosphere of fame.
Life for thirty-something Eden Wallace has been a nightmare since the recent death of her husband, or it would be a nightmare if she could sleep and she didn’t spend the night with lights blazing all over her house. Afraid of the dark doesn’t quite cover the paralyzing phobia that Eden has, unable to step foot outdoors from nightfall until daybreak. Realizing that she is far too young to become a recluse, Eden makes a decision contradictory to her phobia. Upon finding paperwork in her husband’s desk where he had reserved a vacation at Straits Point International Dark Sky Park in Michigan, Eden steels herself to go to this place where lights are kept to a bare minimum and stars are the only lights of attraction. She feels she might actually find some solace and strength from a change of scenery in a retreat by herself, and her husband, Bix, did plan it to coincide with their 10th wedding anniversary. But, just about everything she thinks this trip will be is turned on its head from the moment she arrives at the reserved guest house. She has only a suite in the house and must share the rest of the house with a group of twenty-something strangers who are coming together for a college reunion of sorts. Not wanting to stay with arrangements as they are, but with night getting close to falling, Eden knows she is stuck for one night where she is. One night with all the lights in her room on and leaving the next day seems an option she will have to live with.
And then there is someone dead on the kitchen floor with a screwdriver stuck in the throat. No one is going anywhere right away. Everyone is a suspect, including Eden, and the secret of her phobia and her marriage and her husband’s death make their way to the surface. But, she isn’t the only one with secrets. The six friends all seem to have different agendas for the reunion and different issues from the past to resolve. And, there is the ghost of a past friend the six share. This locked room is a Pandora’s box of ills, including jealousy, greed, lying, and revenge. No one is innocent and, thus, everyone is guilty, at least of some regrettable sin. When another death occurs, it’s clear that the retreat Eden had hoped would revive her life will change it in ways she never saw coming. Who is the killer, what is her/his motive, and who will be next? For Eden, the answers mean clearing her name and staying alive.
Lori Rader-Day hit the ground running with her first book, the Anthony Award winning The Black Hour, and her next two books, Little Pretty Things and The Day I Died won awards and nominations and placement on “best” lists, too. Her storytelling and writing talents won me over at the beginning. Her stories are always uniquely interesting, no trace of having read this set-up before. But, I think that with Under a Dark Sky, she has achieved a stellar status that will catapult her into the highest stratosphere of fame.
August 3, 2018
This is such a fascinating story. Like Eden, we are dropped into this situation with no knowledge of who the friends are. There is a lot of backstory that we're not privy to and, as a result, it's impossible to know who we can trust (if anyone).
The situation is made even more complicated by the fact that, since her husband died, Eden's developed a paralyzing fear of the dark. And I don't just mean "sleeps with a light on." I mean "Even when there is a literal murder and police order her to leave, she physically cannot bring herself to step out of the well-lit room she's in."
This is the second book I've read recently that mentions dark sky parks, and the idea is fascinating but not for me. I'm really only afraid of the dark in unfamiliar places and so the idea of being in essentially pitch black conditions is unnerving anyway, but especially when you factor in strangers, let alone "strangers and a body count."
This book is amazing and really well done. It feels like Agatha Christie, almost, but not really suitable for all ages. Lori Rader-Day only gets better with each novel, and I can't wait to see where the next one goes. (It may literally kill me.)
Highly recommended.
The situation is made even more complicated by the fact that, since her husband died, Eden's developed a paralyzing fear of the dark. And I don't just mean "sleeps with a light on." I mean "Even when there is a literal murder and police order her to leave, she physically cannot bring herself to step out of the well-lit room she's in."
This is the second book I've read recently that mentions dark sky parks, and the idea is fascinating but not for me. I'm really only afraid of the dark in unfamiliar places and so the idea of being in essentially pitch black conditions is unnerving anyway, but especially when you factor in strangers, let alone "strangers and a body count."
This book is amazing and really well done. It feels like Agatha Christie, almost, but not really suitable for all ages. Lori Rader-Day only gets better with each novel, and I can't wait to see where the next one goes. (It may literally kill me.)
Highly recommended.
August 27, 2018
I thought as I went along it would start to hang together, but I just couldn't follow. If only I didn't hear on every single page that Eden had a fear of the dark. I get it. Really. The writing was interesting and I kept hoping it would work. I can't believe a woman this messed up with so little coherence could ever figure this out. This being a round robin of finger pointing with little evidence of anything. I did want to throw this book when towards the end Eden blamed herself for this unbelievable mess with little or no motive for anything. It seems the author couldn't decide who did it until the end and then just picked one. Aaargh.
February 18, 2018
I thought this was a fun read. Lots of potential suspects and sorting through the changing possible murderer made it hard to put down. Great beach read or to pass a snowy Saturday. Being perfectly candid though, it’s not the best of its genre and it certainly isn’t a 5-Star book. (The author rated her own book as five stars? That seems rather tacky.)
September 17, 2018
I'm still waiting for a 'psychological thriller' which this certainly was not. I made it to page 63 and decided to look at other reviews and there were all these 5 star reviews so I kept looking and then there were others who felt the same way I did. Too long, too boring and way too much whining. Read at your own risk.
August 7, 2018
This book was atmospheric, creepy, claustrophobic and surprising! I love Lori's writing and her characters and will read every book she writes.
May 31, 2019
Eden's husband Bix died nine months ago in a car accident. Since then, she's been in a state of grief and depression and she hardly sleeps. She's developed a fear of the dark which she tries to combat by staying inside, blocking the darkness, and keeping every light in the house on fullest brightness. Going through Bix's papers, Eden discovers that he had booked a stay at a rental in a dark sky park for their 10th anniversary. She decides to go there and try to break the rut she's been in. When she arrives, she finds that she must share the house with 6 others who have booked the other bedrooms. Eden doesn't like company so she intends to start back home in the morning. She didn't anticipate a murder during the night.
The college group is supposed to be best friends but they sure didn't act like it. This is a typical murder mystery where multiple people have motive and opportunity. I wondered if the murder had something to do with Bix's death or was Eden the target or was a friend not really a friend.
The college group is supposed to be best friends but they sure didn't act like it. This is a typical murder mystery where multiple people have motive and opportunity. I wondered if the murder had something to do with Bix's death or was Eden the target or was a friend not really a friend.
September 4, 2018
Eden husband dies. The mystery is finding out how and who's the blame. But Eden goes on a somewhat anniversary that her husband planned before his death but once there she runs into a group of people that's there for star gazing. Eden stays due it's dark she scared of the dark. But while there the mystery guests start to die or ends up hurt with Eden the prime suspect but why. Just interesting nothing to twisting about it but at times confusing to the reasoning to the actions at times.
August 1, 2018
Thanks to the publisher, via Edelweiss, for an advance egalley in exchange for an honest review!
These days, with a busy life outside of reading and far too many books on the TBR, my enjoyment of a book can be marked not just by how quickly I read it but by how obsessively I want to pick it up and want to read it. I stayed up late last night sneaking in a few more pages (chapters) and then woke up early this morning to finish. Under a Dark Sky totally caught my attention with a main character who is sad, broken, and just trying to find a little peace when she realizes that instead of the secluded getaway she'd imagine, she'll be sharing the house with six younger, happier friends. Eden quickly is swept up in their drama and history, and when one of them dies, suspicion is cast on everyone- including her. Frantic to prove her innocence and help pinpoint who the real murderer is, Eden works hard to cobble together her memories and knowledge of the night, while dealing with her own history. Eden has secrets, but if you're sick of reading about unreliable narrators, that's not really the case here- just some slow reveals that aren't plot twists. Engrossing and perfect for summer nights.
These days, with a busy life outside of reading and far too many books on the TBR, my enjoyment of a book can be marked not just by how quickly I read it but by how obsessively I want to pick it up and want to read it. I stayed up late last night sneaking in a few more pages (chapters) and then woke up early this morning to finish. Under a Dark Sky totally caught my attention with a main character who is sad, broken, and just trying to find a little peace when she realizes that instead of the secluded getaway she'd imagine, she'll be sharing the house with six younger, happier friends. Eden quickly is swept up in their drama and history, and when one of them dies, suspicion is cast on everyone- including her. Frantic to prove her innocence and help pinpoint who the real murderer is, Eden works hard to cobble together her memories and knowledge of the night, while dealing with her own history. Eden has secrets, but if you're sick of reading about unreliable narrators, that's not really the case here- just some slow reveals that aren't plot twists. Engrossing and perfect for summer nights.
December 13, 2020
This was hard to follow at first. I found the sentences were constructed strange - almost stilted. But I either got used to it or it changed. An interesting murder takes place at the cabin and Eden is the interloper stuck in the middle. As the bodies fall, it becomes more difficult to figure out who did it, and Eden starts to wonder if maybe it was even herself.
November 18, 2018
***Goodreads Giveaway Win***
I hate to give a negative review of a book I won but, alas, negative it is. This book felt empty. The plot felt meaningless and low-stakes. The narrator had no depth; she'd act in ways most people wouldn't act - I think the author had her do things just to further the plot. The dialogue was not good; conversations would jump to absurd conclusions seemingly, again, to further the plot. I would find myself thinking, "uh, where did that come from?". Finally, the premise for the murders was hard to get behind; I just didn't care what happened to these people.
I hate to give a negative review of a book I won but, alas, negative it is. This book felt empty. The plot felt meaningless and low-stakes. The narrator had no depth; she'd act in ways most people wouldn't act - I think the author had her do things just to further the plot. The dialogue was not good; conversations would jump to absurd conclusions seemingly, again, to further the plot. I would find myself thinking, "uh, where did that come from?". Finally, the premise for the murders was hard to get behind; I just didn't care what happened to these people.
June 18, 2019
I always have a difficult time enjoying a book if I do not like the main character. This main character was just annoying. She is someone I would not be able to stand in real life.
It was a book that was hard to pick up- nothing really draws you in.
I stuck with it and finished, though, but I wish I hadn't wasted the time.
It never got better.
There is a cluster of other characters- none of whom are really fleshed out.
In the end, the reader is left not caring what happens or to whom.
It was a book that was hard to pick up- nothing really draws you in.
I stuck with it and finished, though, but I wish I hadn't wasted the time.
It never got better.
There is a cluster of other characters- none of whom are really fleshed out.
In the end, the reader is left not caring what happens or to whom.
August 19, 2018
In the year since her husband's death, Eden has become inexplicably afraid of the dark. She sleeps, when she can, during the day and spends each evening holed up in her house with the lights burning.
When she finds out that her husband had booked a trip to a dark sky park for their anniversary, she decides to take the opportunity to try and work through her fear. A week alone in a beach house at a park devoted to star watching might just be the thing she needs to get on with her life. But when she arrives she finds the house in question has also been rented by a group of six celebrating their own anniversary. Her husband had simply rented a suite within the house. And Eden doesn't want to share her week with strangers.
Though some of the group encourage her to stay, Eden vows to leave first thing the following day - when she knows she can make it home to Chicago before nightfall. But in the early hours of the morning, Eden is awakened by screaming and stumbles out of her room to discover that one of the group has been murdered. Now, everyone in the house is a suspect and Eden can't leave until the killer is revealed.
Under a Dark Sky proves once again that Lori Rader-Day has a true talent for creating page turners that delve deep into the emotion and psyche of her characters.
Eden is revealed layer by layer as the story progresses. She's afraid of the dark, she's a widow, she's trying to decide if she wants to sell her house, and this vacation is the first outing she's allowed herself in the wake of her husband's death. This is what we know when we start. And though we suspect things weren't great between her and her husband by the little pieces of info she doles out through her narrative, we can't be sure if it's grief or something more.
Meanwhile, the six strangers she meets are seen through her eyes. Two couples and two additional friends, all but one of whom attended the same college and are getting together on the almost anniversary of their graduation. But there are hints that something more is going on with these friends. As an outsider, though, Eden isn't privy to their history or their potential secrets.
I really enjoyed my time with this book and with Eden. This was the kind of read that I was able to just sink into for hours, retreating from the real world and becoming part of the story!
I want to add here that almost a year ago, I had the pleasure of attending a conference that featured Lori as a keynote speaker. I had just read her previous book and was excited to hear her talk about her journey as a writer. She was a fantastic speaker and a joy to hear, leaving me even more excited to read each and every new book she creates!
When she finds out that her husband had booked a trip to a dark sky park for their anniversary, she decides to take the opportunity to try and work through her fear. A week alone in a beach house at a park devoted to star watching might just be the thing she needs to get on with her life. But when she arrives she finds the house in question has also been rented by a group of six celebrating their own anniversary. Her husband had simply rented a suite within the house. And Eden doesn't want to share her week with strangers.
Though some of the group encourage her to stay, Eden vows to leave first thing the following day - when she knows she can make it home to Chicago before nightfall. But in the early hours of the morning, Eden is awakened by screaming and stumbles out of her room to discover that one of the group has been murdered. Now, everyone in the house is a suspect and Eden can't leave until the killer is revealed.
Under a Dark Sky proves once again that Lori Rader-Day has a true talent for creating page turners that delve deep into the emotion and psyche of her characters.
Eden is revealed layer by layer as the story progresses. She's afraid of the dark, she's a widow, she's trying to decide if she wants to sell her house, and this vacation is the first outing she's allowed herself in the wake of her husband's death. This is what we know when we start. And though we suspect things weren't great between her and her husband by the little pieces of info she doles out through her narrative, we can't be sure if it's grief or something more.
Meanwhile, the six strangers she meets are seen through her eyes. Two couples and two additional friends, all but one of whom attended the same college and are getting together on the almost anniversary of their graduation. But there are hints that something more is going on with these friends. As an outsider, though, Eden isn't privy to their history or their potential secrets.
I really enjoyed my time with this book and with Eden. This was the kind of read that I was able to just sink into for hours, retreating from the real world and becoming part of the story!
I want to add here that almost a year ago, I had the pleasure of attending a conference that featured Lori as a keynote speaker. I had just read her previous book and was excited to hear her talk about her journey as a writer. She was a fantastic speaker and a joy to hear, leaving me even more excited to read each and every new book she creates!
January 6, 2021
"Under a Dark Sky" is the fourth mystery written by Lori Rader-Day in four years. A native Midwesterner, who sets her mysteries within the greater Midwest, Rader-Day gets the details right: insects, the natives' pride of place, the aggravations of being a tourist in a small town with a tiny police department and hospital. "Under a Dark Sky" is a locked-room mystery, with a debt of gratitude to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" (one of my personal favorite mysteries) and "Murder on the Orient Express." The setting is a Dark Sky Park near Mackinac Island in Michigan. A Dark Sky Park is just that: a place designed for darkness so that visitors may better observe the night sky.
All mysteries require a certain level of darkness to be mysterious, so I find it surprising that apparently no mystery writer has thought to set a mystery in such a perfect environment. I won't go into any spoiler-alerts here in my review, other than to say that the plot revolves around a young widow still grieving the loss of her husband and processing many regrets who shares a guest house with six younger people who are visiting the Dark Sky Park as a sort of college reunion.
There is much to enjoy in this novel. I especially like mysteries that are not PI or police procedurals, where the observant amateur struggles to unravel the challenging ball of twine that comprises the crime. Here, Eden Wallace, the main character, is an amateur photographer, so her powers of observation and memory for visual details feel realistic and earned. Meanwhile, her internal turmoil in the aftermath of her husband's death and recent new revelations about him similarly feels justified and understandable.
An aspect of mysteries that drives me crazy is the point, often in the last 50 pages, where the villain (or hero) stands with the hero (or villain), perhaps holding a pistol on the other character and explains his/her thinking. Agatha Christie would often set a scene like this in the drawing room. (I think of these scenes as "The DaVinci Code Effect," a sign of a writer struggling to tie up too many loose ends or perhaps a writer up against an impending deadline.) "The DaVinci Code Effect" is held to a minimum here, although inevitably there is a bit of it as our heroine Eden tries to make sense of the violence and chaos around her.
All mysteries require a certain level of darkness to be mysterious, so I find it surprising that apparently no mystery writer has thought to set a mystery in such a perfect environment. I won't go into any spoiler-alerts here in my review, other than to say that the plot revolves around a young widow still grieving the loss of her husband and processing many regrets who shares a guest house with six younger people who are visiting the Dark Sky Park as a sort of college reunion.
There is much to enjoy in this novel. I especially like mysteries that are not PI or police procedurals, where the observant amateur struggles to unravel the challenging ball of twine that comprises the crime. Here, Eden Wallace, the main character, is an amateur photographer, so her powers of observation and memory for visual details feel realistic and earned. Meanwhile, her internal turmoil in the aftermath of her husband's death and recent new revelations about him similarly feels justified and understandable.
An aspect of mysteries that drives me crazy is the point, often in the last 50 pages, where the villain (or hero) stands with the hero (or villain), perhaps holding a pistol on the other character and explains his/her thinking. Agatha Christie would often set a scene like this in the drawing room. (I think of these scenes as "The DaVinci Code Effect," a sign of a writer struggling to tie up too many loose ends or perhaps a writer up against an impending deadline.) "The DaVinci Code Effect" is held to a minimum here, although inevitably there is a bit of it as our heroine Eden tries to make sense of the violence and chaos around her.
July 21, 2019
MY RATING⇢ ☆3.5☆STARS - GRADE= B-
FEATURING⇢
Closed Circle Murder Mystery
A Dark Sky Park
Lake Michigan Setting
Dealing With Loss Of Spouse
Audio Performed By Tavia Gilbert
MY THOUGHTS⇢
Initially drawn in by the familiar setting of Northern Michigan, (I've not only driven but also walked across the Mackinaw Bridge...which is very cool) I sadly only found this to be an okay read, overall. My favorite element of the story is the setting, actually. Also, if you've read this and you're wondering if the phone service is really as bad as they make out to be in this story...it totally is.
As for the other elements...while I've never read this type of mystery, a closed circle or locked-room sort of thing...I feel like the idea is to make us believe that each person involved could be guilty of the murder. Rader-Day did, for the most part, accomplish this, but it was done somewhat weakly or maybe, it just felt too contrived. The story was also overly long and could've been less detailed in some areas. I also found the MC kind of odd...with her random almost-hook-up to the very random eventual romance interest, to her fear of the dark...why was she afraid of the dark after her husband's death??? Overall, I feel the mystery did have many layers going for it, and the ending did surprise me.
Audio by Tavia Gilbert was doable...she's not the best and she's definitely not the worse, either. I will forever be reminded of the first series I listened to narrated by her, though.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 3.3/5
Narration Performance⇢ 4/5
Characters⇢ 3.2/5
The Feels⇢ 3.5/5
Pacing⇢ 3/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3.7/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4.5/5
Originality⇢ 4.5/5
Ending⇢ 3.8/5
_____
Book Cover⇢ It's pretty enough...but it doesn't really represent the story.
Setting⇢ The tip of the middle finger of Michigan...only in Michigan can you explain a geographical location with parts of your hand. (A Dark Sky Park really does exist in this exact spot)
Source⇢ Audiobook (Library)
Length⇢ 11 hours, 44 minutes
See my reviews by clicking the image...
FEATURING⇢
Closed Circle Murder Mystery
A Dark Sky Park
Lake Michigan Setting
Dealing With Loss Of Spouse
Audio Performed By Tavia Gilbert
MY THOUGHTS⇢
Initially drawn in by the familiar setting of Northern Michigan, (I've not only driven but also walked across the Mackinaw Bridge...which is very cool) I sadly only found this to be an okay read, overall. My favorite element of the story is the setting, actually. Also, if you've read this and you're wondering if the phone service is really as bad as they make out to be in this story...it totally is.
As for the other elements...while I've never read this type of mystery, a closed circle or locked-room sort of thing...I feel like the idea is to make us believe that each person involved could be guilty of the murder. Rader-Day did, for the most part, accomplish this, but it was done somewhat weakly or maybe, it just felt too contrived. The story was also overly long and could've been less detailed in some areas. I also found the MC kind of odd...with her random almost-hook-up to the very random eventual romance interest, to her fear of the dark...why was she afraid of the dark after her husband's death??? Overall, I feel the mystery did have many layers going for it, and the ending did surprise me.
Audio by Tavia Gilbert was doable...she's not the best and she's definitely not the worse, either. I will forever be reminded of the first series I listened to narrated by her, though.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 3.3/5
Narration Performance⇢ 4/5
Characters⇢ 3.2/5
The Feels⇢ 3.5/5
Pacing⇢ 3/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3.7/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4.5/5
Originality⇢ 4.5/5
Ending⇢ 3.8/5
_____
Book Cover⇢ It's pretty enough...but it doesn't really represent the story.
Setting⇢ The tip of the middle finger of Michigan...only in Michigan can you explain a geographical location with parts of your hand. (A Dark Sky Park really does exist in this exact spot)
Source⇢ Audiobook (Library)
Length⇢ 11 hours, 44 minutes
See my reviews by clicking the image...
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