Latcher

by Mike Dineen

Visit author website for the BOOK TRAILER!

Joanna's inner monsters might not just be in her head...

Joanna spent years trying to forget her previous life. Now a promising writer, her future looks bright. But when her estranged twin sister contacts her to explain their abusive mother is missing, Jo must return to her hometown to confront her terrible past.

While investigating her mother's whereabouts, Jo and her sister become stranded and are forced deep into a dark forest, pursued by a pure evil that stalks them. To survive this homecoming reunion, Jo must untangle the secrets that have plagued her family for generations and confront the very thing she fears the most, before it forms an attachment.

Latcher is the thrilling story of one woman's fight to escape a past that won't let her go. If you love your horror books with bloody detail, foreboding atmosphere, shocking twists, and enough suspense to swim in, then this book is for you.

Latch on to this book today, and allow yourself to form the attachment.

Genres: Horror

Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2021

Reviews

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

~About

When Joanna’s estranged twin sister calls her to tell her their mother is missing, Joanna gets on a bus to their dreary home town, Squall’s Edge, where she promised herself she would never return. She is told she could inherit the land her family owns in Violet Stone, where an old mine resides but Joanna wants no part of it.

The two sisters haven’t seen eye to eye in years, which is evident from the first moment they encounter each other in the story. Separated by both distance and painful past memories, the two sisters begin their journey with little to no love for each-other. When Joanna reluctantly agrees to visit their old home with her sister Amanda, something dark begins to follow them, sabotaging their every step, as if it wants to keep them away.

Old family secrets lie in wait for Joanna, threatening to tear her world apart. Will she and Amanda make it to their childhood home, or will the dark and twisted force that stalks them be their end? Will Joanna learn what the dark presence wants? And can she and Amanda finally patch up the decades old sibling rivalry that has grown between them?


~Characters

There were four main players within Latcher: Joanna Smith, her sister Amanda, their mother Diane, and the dark force that lurked throughout the story.

Joanna is a professional horror/mystery writer living in the city, far away from her childhood hometown and the traumatic memories of her youth. She is a very direct woman, who wards her emotions away or else channels them into her work, where they are easier to deal with. She seemed afraid to rely on other people, as if doing so would be her downfall. Despite this, her stubbornness and determined nature saw her battle through many obstacles. She never gave up, a trait which I found admirable. At no point did I dislike Joanna’s character: there was a rawness to her that spoke to me, that made her all the more human in my eyes. Her painful past was gradually laid bare for me as a reader and helped me to empathize with her further.

Amanda, Joanna’s twin sister, is far less bold as a character. Owing to their difficult past, Amanda became more quiet and introverted. She seemed emotionally fragile, as though she might break under the strain of the terrible journey she and Joanna found themselves part of. In contrast to Joanna’s more emotionally reserved façade, Amanda’s emotions were always easier to read, spilling out of her as though she couldn’t hold them in. In this way and others, the two sisters were complete opposites of each-other, which provided a good amount of interpersonal conflict throughout the book, in addition to the main story conflict.

Their mother, Diane, only came into the book in person toward the end, however, she is mentioned repeatedly throughout the first half. From the start, Joanna describes her as unstable, with her mood and personality shifting quickly. There is said to be a hollowness to their mother’s gaze, which Joanna describes as seeing through her, into her. Not only is their mother said to be unstable but she is also emotionally manipulative and deeply troubled, an impression which is further emphasized when we meet her character in person.

Finally, we come to the dark entity which stalks the land of Violet Stone. At first, it wasn’t clear what the entity was, or what shape it took. However, over the course of the story, more details began to appear, providing additional pieces to the mysterious puzzle of the entity’s nature. The entity appeared to be drawn to those who had undergone intense trauma, absorbing their misery, as though gaining power from it. It had a sadistic mind, possessing and murdering whoever it deemed to be a nuisance. That being said, the author crafted an unforgettable and unique supernatural being with a complex origin story, which is only revealed toward the end of the book.


~Likes

Latcher was a well executed novel with a strong female protagonist and unique supernatural foe. Listed below are some of the main reasons I enjoyed it so thoroughly.

-The author describes the settings well, infusing various sensory impressions into every scene, which makes them feel more realistic, as if you – the reader – are witnessing each event yourself.

-The sibling rivalry between Joanna and Amanda was conveyed well, being both simultaneously realistic and possessing a dramatic flare that helped to move the story along.

-The author makes good use of vivid imagery and metaphors throughout, to pain a gory and terrifying picture of the sister’s horrific journey.

-The tension-building was good and made me feel Joanna’s fears on a primal level.

-The author has a unique voice when writing. I could really feel the person behind the words; their human qualities of fear, longing, pain, and regret. His writing style resonated with me on a deeper level, drawing me in at every turn.

-The unexpected twist at the half-way mark was one I’d never have seen coming. It was well executed, as were the various other twists, which made this story suspenseful and exciting.


~Memorable Quotes

Two quotes caught my attention while reading Latcher, both of which are included below.

1) ‘I’d believed that if I just focused on moving ahead, the demons lingering in the past would remain there.’

2) ‘I’d been running from something for so long, believing I could outrun it if I just kept going. But I couldn’t. It would always be there.’

Both of the above quotes discuss past pain and how running from it will do no good. It is facing the past and the painful memories associated with it that will make a person stronger and help them to resolve their issues. In essence, the more a problem is ignored, the more it festers in the human mind.


~Overview

Overall, Latcher was a well written, suspenseful, and highly imaginative horror novel with a strong-willed and admirable protagonist. This was easily one of the best novels I have read all year, with themes of trauma, the supernatural, and long-kept but disturbing family secrets.

My Rating: 5 stars.
Recommended to: Those aged 18 + who enjoy dark and twisted horror novels with supernatural undertones and strong-willed protagonists.

A dark and twisted tale, with much blood and some truly disturbing mental images.

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I devoured this book.

Dineen's writing and the story grabs you by the throat pretty much right from the jump, and you're left with some serious questions about what the heck is going on...which is the best way to start a horror novel.

We jump ahead several decades, and we meet Jo, who's drawn back to the town she was never going to come back to. And then the reader should pretty much abandon every single plot idea they think is going to happen.

The story was absolutely fantastic, and the horrors that Dineen dredges up are actually terrifying, when they're finally revealed. It's been an awfully long time since someone gave me a monster that actually was original, and nasty. Dineen delivers.

But even better than that, the author did two other things that impressed the heck out of me. The first was the exceptional writing. This does not read like a first novel. It does not read like an indie novel. The writing is confident and assured and the word choice is simply brilliant. Why this isn't a summer blockbuster novel, right up there with the big boys of horror, I'll never understand.

The second, which goes hand-in-hand with the excellent writing, is the fact that, from the opening, I was positive I knew what was going to happen. But it didn't. When it went in a different direction, then I was once again positive I knew where the story was going to go. It didn't.

There's not a lot I like better than an excellent author who also can surprise me with the story.

This books does all of that.

Read it.

[Jerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up - I need a story to grab me from the start and Latcher didn't fail. I thought Joanna was fleshed out enough for me to be invested in what happened to her. I would have liked a little more on Amanda, especially since she was the one who stayed. Emily and Nick were explained briefly but I would have enjoyed more on them. Maybe it's just me - but I prefer character development over action. I would have liked a little less of the action after the crash and more character development and more story after they arrived at the house. Seems like it went a little fast after that point. That's just me being picky because it was a solid story that kept me entertained. There are some definite creepy moments and visuals, especially towards the end. I did like the conclusion of the story. I especially enjoyed the author's section explaining why he wrote the book. For me it's quite interesting to know the why behind the story. This was my first introduction to Dineen and I look forward to reading more from him.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jackthedad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Booksirens and the publisher for an advanced copy. If you want a synopsis, click on the book.

What with King and Koontz, you think you've read just about all the horror books. Latcher paces along nicely with surprises along the way. Although I didn't totally like the ending, the Epilogue was a nice touch. Mike Dineen is an author to watch.

[Laura Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Latcher is a genuine thriller, the kind that crawls into its reader’s head with its chilling tone, gruesome gore, and psychological mind games. Behind the horror is an intricately laid out tale that comments about abuse, heritage, and trauma. I recommend Latcher to horror fans who can handle the gore but who also want some nail-biting suspense suspense and a deeper, underlying metaphor thrown into the mix. You can read my full review here: https://laurasbooksandblogs.com/latch...

[Rose Auburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

When writer, Joanna Smith, receives a message from her estranged twin sister, Amanda, concerning their missing mother, she knows she will have to return to Squall’s Edge, the small-town she left years earlier, and to the family house built on land known as ‘Violet Stone’ which includes an abandoned salt mine. Jo only plans on staying one night but it’s not that easy to escape her past or the clutches of Violet Stone…

Latcher is a real treat of a horror with a nastily original concept at its core. The beginning set in the salt mine in the early 1980s is imaginative and intriguing. The collapsed mine is the perfect backdrop to what unfolds; the lack of oxygen adding an additional layer of panic. It’s well-written and certainly grabs reader attention.

Then the story begins from Jo’s point of view as Amanda contacts her. From the outset, there is a sense of creeping anxiety and unnerving dread that, as the novel progresses, becomes quite uncomfortable. Amanda veers between the sinister and the pathetic. The tension between the twins is palpably disconcerting with nuggets of backstory being dropped to the reader during their early, uncomfortably terse exchanges.

Once Jo and Amanda begin their journey through the forest to Violet Stone, the fear levels are ratcheted up; this is good old-fashioned, edge of seat horror. The gloomy atmospheric forest alive with strange noises, shadows and figures is utilised to skin-crawling effect and the scenes in the eerie old miner’s cottage are chillingly realistic. The prose is literal and sensory, heightening the fear running through the narrative which, at this stage, is fear of the unknown for both the reader and Jo. The action is fast-paced and fairly relentless. Latcher certainly showcases Mr Dineen as a versatile and accomplished writer.

Once the house is reached, the horror takes a distinctly primeval, visceral turn and, on the whole, it still works effectively. Personally, I did find this part of the novel a little over-engineered and a touch too subjective. Notwithstanding, the plotline does cleverly make you begin to question Jo’s mental state, and possibly doubt her reliability, which never quite left me.

By this stage, Latcher has evolved from a linear horror gore-fest to a petrifying descent into horrendous family dynamics, consequent mental illness and the secrets of the salt mine that should have remained buried within it. It’s incredibly disturbing and Jo is unflinching as she struggles not only to survive, but to outwit the horror within.

Throughout, Jo ably carries the novel. She is little frustrating at times, and there are a few decisions made that stretch credibility but the force of her reasoning and personality overcome these leaps. I do think Nick and Emily could have been utilised more; especially Nick. The brief interlude where the reader learns of his childhood was quite affecting and could have been expanded upon.

Occasionally as the reader is hurtled towards the conclusion, the tight construct of both plot and prose threatens to derail; it’s as if everything gets thrown at them but it just about maintains stability and the creepily controlled epilogue certainly made me want to read further.

Latcher is a first-rate psychological horror with some seriously nerve-shredding moments. Highly recommended.

[Amanda "Coffin Critiques" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Trigger Warnings: Sexual content, sexual abuse, abuse, violence

Highlights:
-Excellent descriptive language; good use of analogies for relating visuals
-Viscerally reactive; feelings of disgust created while reading
-Suspenseful

Dissatisfactions:
-Depth of characters
-Slight predictability

Notable Quotes:
“I would have grown up a damaged person. That’s something someone never recovers from, because there’s no normal to return to- because normal never existed.”

“Dehydration and starvation hovered around my face like a cloud of flies, waiting to lay their maggots in my flesh.”

Rating Breakdown:
-Flow 9/10
-Plot 6.5/10
-Creativity 6/10

Review:
This was an interesting read. It did a great job with build, I felt it had a decent pace and flow and some very shocking points which added to the overall suspense in a positive way. But overall, I think the characters could have contained more depth. I don't want this mistaken for the emotion of the story, however. Dineen did an excellent job being descriptive in his writing, including the emotion. What I mean instead is his characters were mostly flat in personal arcs. There is an arc for at least the main character present but I felt it maybe wasn't as well constructed or original as it could have been. He spends much of his writing from the character's perspective in repetition of the same internal debates which eventually leads exactly where I thought it would in the character arc. It wasn't bad, it was well plotted and useful to progress the storyline, just didn't have any particular oompf that separated this particular plot point from the majority. That being said, one thing I found that this author was incredible at was his descriptive language. That repetition is used savagely on the reader to describe heinous acts, intense imagery and horrifying situations that intrusively display in your mind. He also has a knack for shock. Things can go from 0 to 60 in an instant in this novel, which also helped in building a suspenseful read. Even with the suspense, the plot itself was a bit predictable, but he managed to feel less cliché about it than most.

I gave it an overall 4 out of 5 because this author portrayed a story very well, had defined characters that were generally relatable, and played decently to his writing strengths to create an immersive, fun read. I have to say, I enjoyed this book. The story was intriguing and while some components could have possibly been executed differently, I still felt myself entranced in what was coming next. For anyone looking for a satisfying horror/thriller to curl up with one night, I would recommend this novel. For fans of The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher or possibly even Darcy Coates fans, I would say it's highly possible you would enjoy Latcher as well.

[VT Dorchester · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book isn't kidding when it describes itself as dark. There were a few moments that I felt were a bit over-the-top, but I'm not all that well versed in horror thrillers and what is the "acceptable" in the genre.

It does mix psychological horror with monster horror, but I was left a bit uncertain of what exactly it was trying to say about family relationships and, perhaps, inherited mental illness.

I wondered if there was a "Mexican Gothic" influence, and perhaps from "The Fall of the House of Usher" as well. There was one moment I felt was a tip of the hat to "Carrie"

I didn't find the protagonist of this book particularly appealing and I almost stopped reading after the first couple of chapters.
I'm (also) not really a fan of main characters being writers, it often feels a bit like an easy, cheating choice.
However, the fast pace of the story kept my interest, and while this won't become one of my favourite reads of the year - it gets a bit too icky for me - it is oddly compelling, in a sometimes bloody awful way.

I found a few typos, and a couple of places where I wondered if the internal consistency was slipping a bit, but nothing drastic.
Although, there was one bit where I wondered if the writer (who I believe is a guy) forgot that women have boobs, which... tend to protrude. (The main character is crawling through a tight tunnel, and here is the direct quote, "It was a tiny gap between two plates of rock. My hips were being squeezed now, and my shoulders pinched so that my fingers began to tingle without proper circulation. It was even getting harder to breath; my shoulder blades pressed against the rock above me every time I inhaled."
"What about her boobs??" I asked out loud, looking up from my e-book reader, "Shouldn't her boobs be getting squished?? Shouldn't they be getting squished before her shoulders??!")

In an interesting bit of coincidence, I was reading this book, which includes an infectious dog bite, not that long after being bitten by a dog (and going on antibiotics to fight infection) myself.

I understand this is a pandemic project - debut novel, and I commend the author for his effort, even though it proved to be not entirely to my taste, it did keep me entertained for several hours.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for a free copy to review.

[Alita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I view this the same way I view Hereditary or The Lodge: I understand why the supernatural element is there, but I wish it wasn't. The parts of this that were more in the realm of psychological horror I enjoyed. Their slow journey through the forest where Jo's biggest enemy was her own paranoia? That part was good. That part was what I wished the whole book had been.

The parts in the forest had a creepy atmosphere, but this was lost for me when they got to the house. I don't know if it was the fact she was trapped or the fact that the reveal wasn't all that intimidating to me, personally, but it became a lot less horrifying at the end and more like a mystery. It was nice to know what was going on finally, but it did kind of lose what I was reading the book for.

I guess in my mind I was expecting something more... cathartic? I don't know. I'm not sure I know how much the characters actually learned in this book.

On the other hand, I did like how truly vulnerable the characters seemed, which is sometimes missing from this genre. If your main characters feel invincible, the tension is gone, but this one avoided that.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Books_inthe_Batcave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna (Jo) has has a successful career as a writer, but she receives a call from her sister dragging her back to the life she has tried to so hard to escape from. But going home won't be the hardest thing Jo has to contend with.
I really enjoyed this story. Jo is a fighter who does not give up no matter how much she is put through. You feel every pain & fear inflicted upon her. There is a lot of suspense & creepy moments that did have me cringing. But I wish we did get more on the secondary characters, especially Amanda & more about Joanna's childhood. We're only given a glimpse & I keeping hoping more scenes would come up. I found this had great action & tension but I was left wanting to know more about the Latcher & its effect not just on the others but also on the land.

Trigger warnings for claustrophobia, death of a child/parent, death of an animal, sexual assault.

This is Mike Dineen's debut novel & he is definitely off to a great start. Can't wait to see what comes next.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jo and Amanda are sisters, one left her past behind her and moved on, the other is still in their hometown. Jo reluctantly returns home to help find their missing mother. This started strong and I felt invested in getting to know the characters and seeing the storyline unfold. I enjoyed the first third (half, maybe?) of the book but once the action reached the forest, it bogged down for me. I ended up skipping pages, there was just too much of the same scene over and over. I didn’t feel it added to the plot or character development. The ending came fast and seemed hasty to me. If you like horror, you’ll like this one. There are some truly scary scenes – hint, if you are claustrophobic you may want to avoid one particular scene. I’m still thinking about that one, so it obviously made an impression. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[elsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When author Joanna Smith gets a call from her estranged sister urging her to come home, it's the beginning of a nightmare that only builds up at the turn of every page. To say that Latcher scared me shitless is an understatement. This story had me feeling despair one minute and horrified the next. It has a blend of psychological, slasher, and paranormal themes to satisfy any horror fan. It is definitely gory, so it's not for the faint of heart, but the story is well developed and keeps you intrigued until the end. This debut novel deserves good recognition. If you're a horror fan,  pick it up!

Thank you to BookSiren and the publishers for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

The build up to the main event was great, but the ending seemed a little bit rushed. There were a few genuinely scary moments, no spoilers but if you suffer from claustrophobia you might have to skip through some parts.
The action moved along pretty quickly which I liked, but I wish a bit more time was spent developing the characters.
Joanna, the main character, was really well established and it was easy to understand het motives. The rest- not so much. It would be nice to get more on Amanda or one of the other characters linked to the house.
Overall, I enjoyed this read and would recommend to anyone who enjoys horror

[Erica Trobaugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't usually read horror novels, and now I know why.

The writing itself was pretty good, but I couldn't get behind the story. It was suspenseful, but I found my attention wandering when not much happened in the first half of the book. And this may just be a trope of the horror genre, but I found it annoying that minor characters appeared only to give the main character information before getting killed.

In fact, the whole thing was a bit too dark for me—just violence for violence's sake, and I can't really get behind that.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when a book hooks you right from the beginning and makes you feel like you’re watching a movie all the way through and this one did just that. The two main characters were well developed and I enjoyed JoAnnas character development especially. There were some middle parts (the forest parts) where I felt were a bit lengthy. However, I liked the ending and the paranormal aspect of the story. I think the part of the story that will play in my mind for awhile will be the last scenes of the house.. I’m pretty sure I will be reading more from this writer in the future
I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the setting of this book very much. Being in the woods with a sense of dread all around makes for a spooky tale. The main character is likeable, I just wish some of the other characters were fleshed out a bit more. Also, some parts were fairly gore heavy so I had to skim a bit. I do recommend this book however and I am impressed that it's a debut novel. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michael Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting read. The buildup to arriving at the house was quite slow and detailed, but once they reached the house the story seemed a bit rushed and less detailed. I thought the main character was likeable and well fleshed out. The secondary characters could have been more detailed. That being said, it did not detract from the storyline and did not spoil the experience. Overall an excellent novel and well worth reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stu Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasted potential...

The first 1/3 of this book was fantastic! The setup was brilliant. Lost in the woods. A fantastical element being hinted at, dark and brooding. Tree branches not moving in the wind, animals behaving strangely. Oozing atmosphere.

Then the story takes a large dump and turns into something that it shouldn't have. I want to take the first third of the book and give it to someone like Laird Barron, or John Langan, and get them to write me a story worthy of its beginning.

This author can write very well! Why he chose to take the story in that direction is beyond me. I'm so disappointed! I honestly thought this was going to be a contender for Horror of the year. Unfortunately no... 3*

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what it was... but this booked creeped me out. I think I read it at the right time of my life when I have been dealing with personal circumstances. I too, have been avoiding going home and dealing with family issues so the characters spoke to me and it added to the creep factor. Interesting plot, the story is engaging and I liked the characters. I look forward to this author's future work

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shane Hobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Red Riding Hood meets the Amityville Horror meets the Exorcist.

While firmly grounded in the sci/fi genre, the journey “through the woods to mom’s place” quickly takes the pace of an action thriller. Gripping, colourful and sensual.

A story that reminds us that relationships, between lovers, family and with nature matter.

A great read.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Justin Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this novel. I feel so lucky! It was beyond amazing. It kept me at the edge of my seat. I ate this book up! The story was dark and twisted and had me so tense at moments. It definitely gives a new meaning to the saying the sins of the father. I highly recommend this book. I would give it 10 stars if I could!

[Mark Thibideau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thrilling book that was hard to put down . Lots of unexpected twists and turns kept me engaged and wanting to read more .

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well written Horror Story. I read it in 2 days, it scared me to death. Mike Dineen has one awesome imagination, just awesome, love this book.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
It reminded me of Stephen King without the minute detail taking 15 pages to describe a room. (Why I only watch his movies now)
I got immersed in the book in the first few pages.
Kudos Mike. For a first book, well done

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gritty, intense, twisted, fast-paced, riveting, artful melding of stunning psychological thrills and nail-biting suspense. An edgy mystery full of dark secrets, shocking plot twists and pulse-pounding, palpable tension. A MUST for fans who thrive on superbly-written, unputdownable horror thrillers!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

[Catriona Lovett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being Lost, Then Found, Not Always a Good Thing

Latcher is a superior horror story that supplies a surplus of shocks by using nearly every scenario there is to be terrified of. If some particular thing scares you, you're very likely to find it represented here.

The tension escalates so quickly that, when the sisters flee for their lives, the reader is carried away with them. The family's disturbing backstory is revealed along the way as family shame, abuse, and strange secrets are pulled from coal-black shadows and laid bare.

I was given a free advanced readers' copy of this singular novel courtesy of Mike Dineen and BookSirens. I'm not under any obligation to endorse the book, but I do, and gladly! It's a great read.

[Angela Boyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Latcher was a thriller that kept urging me to read on. Some of the gore details are not for the easily nauseous, but if suspense and horror are in your reading genre, you will love it. The author had a well laid out plan for this book executing it well and it is extremely well written. Looking forward to more books written by Mike Dineen!

[Tabitha Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sleeping on this book and I’d like to apologize. This was a fast descent into madness and I loved it. There were definitely a few times I just mumbled “oh god” to myself and continued to devour the gory details.

I received this ARC from BookSirens and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Girish Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a ride..!

Mike doesn't waste any time in developing the characters of the book, instead, he dives right into the story and lets the circumstances and incidents shape the characters.

Joanne is a successful mystery writer with a past that shapes her. Joanne's estranged sister Amanda lives in the suburbs, the same place that Jo once lived. Jo abandoned everything because of her toxic mother and left Amanda with her.

Everything seemed to work out well, as the two sisters' paths never crossed and they both seemed to get what they want until one day, a phone call from Amanda changes everything. Jo is sucked back into a dangerous vortex of the past that sets her up on a journey of unraveling the mystery that engulfs her family.

What ensues next forms the storyline of the book, and boy, it was amazing..!

A must-read for all mystery freaks out there!

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.