Challenge Corner discussion

A true crime author helps in a desperate hunt for a killer in this dark and twisted thriller from the deviously inventive horror author that Peter Farris calls the “clear heir to Stephen King.”

Perfect for fans of cat and mouse serial killer thrillers like The Butcher and the Wren and The Jigsaw Man.

Ellie Isles first became obsessed with the I-64 murders when she saw her own face on one of the victims. Identical to every detail, the woman wasn’t her, but she could have been. Compelled to discover the story of her dopplegänger’s death, Ellie wrote a bestselling true crime book about the serial killer, dubbed “the Spider.”

Four years later, the Spider still hasn't been caught, and his victim count is climbing. Many of the bodies remain unidentified, but with Ellie’s online network of true crime followers, that’s slowly changing. Together they’ve pooled information to create a massive database that tracks people at risk of becoming Jane and John Does–the homeless, the drug addicted, and the downtrodden–with the hopes that if they become victims, they might at least be identified.

Now that Ellie has successfully identified multiple victims, the law enforcement task force tracking down the Spider pulls her in to help–and after Ellie’s therapist is arrested for the murders, she is more determined than ever to help catch the Spider.

With striking prose and a horror flair, Spider to the Fly is an engrossing serial killer thriller, perfect for fans of The Whisper Man.

Looking ahead, will prob get to this closer to the 30th.

Still thinking 30th/31st to start this one.

This is still very high on my list...

so I'm at a book festival in Oregon so I won't be able to start this until at least next week!

Trisha wrote: "so I'm at a book festival in Oregon so I won't be able to start this until at least next week!"

Fair enough -- I have the audio, so can start whenever. I'll plan to start next week too. Have so much fun!!!!

alright, I'm home and playing catch up!

Start tomorrow? Tuesday? Wednesday?

let me know when works!

Trisha wrote: "alright, I'm home and playing catch up!

Start tomorrow? Tuesday? Wednesday?

let me know when works!"


I can start tomorrow, Tuesday, afternoon. I have an hour left in my current audio, so can get through that in the morning before work.

that sounds perfect!! I'm finishing up one on my kindle and then I'll start!

To Ch 5- Before: Ohhh, Xe Sands again on audio! There is also a msle narrator for different Before sections. Solid start. Ellie (view spoiler)[seems like an interesting MC, with clearly a lot of background we're going to be learning about. The killer sounds horrifying, the details of the different spider bites on the victims!? That's messed up. (hide spoiler)]. I'm looking forward to getting further in tomorrow.

I'm so jealous of your audio! lol

finally starting!

Trisha wrote: "I'm so jealous of your audio! lol

finally starting!"

I just can't believe how often I am running to Xe Sands! I listened to Asylum Hotel last week, and not only did they narrate it, but the author also dedicate d tge book to them!!

To Ch 13: Ooooo, the (view spoiler)[victim's body had a note STAPLED TO HER FOREHEAD with Ellie's namecon it!? That's horrifying! And Amber, who was the guy she brought to the therapist's house, and clearly the therapist is covering for someone, right? And what does this Slough guy have to do with it? Is he the Spider? (hide spoiler)] Gotta say, this is the most intriguing book I've read from this author thus far.

3 minutes later...

Oh snap, my bad, it's a (view spoiler)[mannequin! (hide spoiler)] 😄😂

To Ch 17: Oooooooo, Ellie has been asked (view spoiler)[to join the FBI Special Task Force! That's amazing! And Ian Brock's DNA matches the Spider? Or stuff from the Spider scenes!? WTH? Brother or a son maybe? How in depth was this DNA profile!? (hide spoiler)]

So interesting!

To Ch 23: Oh, noooo. Not the (view spoiler)[evil twin theory!? (hide spoiler)] 🫠😝

5 chapters
okay, I flipped to audio! lol

(view spoiler)[
oh wow, our main character definitely has a past we don't know about yet!
her fear of men, her fear of violence. I wonder what's going on

and the killer?! OMG! the spider bites and the fly in the mouth! ugh!! (hide spoiler)]

through 12 chapters

(view spoiler)[
OMG can you imagine being this jumpy at violence and men
and HAVING YOUR THERAPIST ARRESTED?!?! OMG! I mean, it seems like she's not wrong to be nervous!

and Wow, yeah, the note stapled is terrible. but was it the victim or the mannequin?

it's also weird about her looking a lot like a girl killed previously

I do like that we're getting the daughter's POV but it makes me nervous - is she going to get taken or see something she shouldn't?
(hide spoiler)]

megs_bookrack wrote: "3 minutes later...

Oh snap, my bad, it's a [spoilers removed] 😄😂"

hahah!!! I just caught this! 😊😊

22 chapters

(view spoiler)[
hahah!! Yes, the twin theory - so did this couple adopt twins to see if one would turn out different?
is that what he was implying?
and did she grow up with him? is THAT what she doesn't remember?

and I'm still really nervous for her daughter (hide spoiler)]

To Ch 42: Oh nooooo, (view spoiler)[has Amber been taken by the Spider!? There's been so much happening. I don't even know where to begin. It's a little far fetched that all of these puzzle pieces from the Farm are suddenly converging and people are getting their memories back, but that doesn't mean it's not interesting. I'm going with it. Like the neighbor -- him saying they were fated as kids and then he moved in next door? Is he a goodie or a baddie? I hope goodie, I think he is. It's interesting that even when they were at the Farm, it seems like they didn't know that they were each part of a set of twins. Like Ellie didn't realize she had a sister Sherrie, even though Sherrie was there. And the whole inclusion of the Romules and Remus lore, like that being brought up. I also have liked having the mother-daughter perspectives. Having both Amber and Ellie has been interesting, which I also really enjoyed recently in Lisa Jewell's Don't Let Him In. (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "5 chapters
okay, I flipped to audio! lol..."

Ewww, right, the details of the (view spoiler)[spider bites creeps me out!!! (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "22 chapters


hahah!!..."

The (view spoiler)[twin thing is interesting. How deep the author ends up taking it. Diabolical what they were doing. (hide spoiler)]

through 41

I agree!!
(view spoiler)[
it's crazy that this feels like a small town and yet it seems like everywhere she looks, there is someone from the farm or someone else from the farm just arrived. it DOES feel far-fetched!!!

I also think that is a little. . .I don't know, off? how do you not know you have a twin? This couple somehow always had 15 (or was it 30) sets of twins - and the kids just forgot they had a twin?

I'm so confused. . .I can see how the other kids didn't know they had a twin but if THEY Were a twin, I think they could have figured out that the others had twins too. . .I don't know. it all feels a little odd so far (hide spoiler)]

48 chapters

oh man (view spoiler)[
there are so many twins, I can't keep track of who is who's twin and which twins know each other, who is missing, and who is bad! lol (hide spoiler)]

57 chapters

(view spoiler)[wait, so the parents were. . .siblings?!?!

AND now we have triplets?

and poor Amber. she's been bit by all. those. spiders *shudders* I can't even imagine. . .
(hide spoiler)]

and done. . .

(view spoiler)[
and I didn't love this one

it got too messy with all the twins. and I never believed that someone could just snap out of hypnosis or a 'mass forgotten memories' that just happened to come back because the person running it all died? I don't think any of it works like that lol

Ugh, and I hated how everyone just arrived at the same small town it all happened in, living with the spider murders and having spider hide and seek in their memories.

and I found the flies getting the semen as such a disgusting unnecessary addition. Just gross

ugh. this one just wasn't for me. (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "through 41

I agree!!

it's crazy ..."

All very good questions 😄🤣

Trisha wrote: "48 chapters

oh man
there "

Yeah, I agree. I couldn't keep track either. That part seemed so (view spoiler)[convoluted. I wish it would have just been like 3 or 4 sets of twins maybe, but 15!? I guess they wanted a large sample size 😄🫠 (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "57 chapters

wait, so the parents . . .
"

Wait 😆🤣 I totally missed (view spoiler)[the parents being siblings. OMG, hshaha, this was hard to track. So those were John and Jeremy's grandparents? But none of the children were natural to them, right, they adopted thrm all? So they posed as a couple to pull off their experiments? I thought I knew what was happening, but maybe I was deluding myself! (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "and done. . .


and I didn't ..."

Yeah, it was a mess in (view spoiler)[the 2nd-half. I feel like this happens with all of this author's books. It's like he tries to do too much. I liked Ellie and Amber and watching their relationship. I like how dark he made the mystery and crimes, including the semen eating flies 😄😂🤣 but yeahhhh way too many sets of twins and I definitely don't think you stop being hypnotized when the person who hypnotized you dies! 😆😆 that is so ridiculous. Who let that detail go to print!? (hide spoiler)]

Not sure what I'm going to rate it. I feel like I enjoyed it a little more than you, but not by much. I think this will be my last with this author. It's my 3rd time reading him and I've been disappointed by thrm all. Might just not be a good fit for me. The premises always sound so good, but yeah, execution isn't great.

I lied, my 4th time reading this author. The highest was a 3.5-star rounded up to 4, but I think that was overly generous. Lowest was a 2.

YES!! I think this is my 4th with this author too!! I think I really liked the first one and I have struggled through the last 3 - not loving any of them!!

I agree, the writing/stories definitely seem to work for others - just not for me!

Trisha wrote: "YES!! I think this is my 4th with this author too!! I think I really liked the first one and I have struggled through the last 3 - not loving any of them!!

I agree, the writing/stories definitely ..."

Was The Nightmare Man your highest rated? Because that was my first and highest rated. It's sort of been downhill from there...