Book of The Month discussion

From New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a nail-biting supernatural horror about a haunted lakeside property and twisted family secrets.

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. Her grandfather always insisted her father was innocent, despite Sam having caught him burying the child’s body, his clothing streaked with blood.

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather's words.

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface.

10 chapters / 28%

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I found the beginning a little silly. I think the town and that guy are a little over the top blaming her for what her father did WHEN SHE IS THE ONE THAT TURNED HIM IN!
and the will reading - it all felt over-the-top inflammatory and like rage bait! lol intended to make the reader mad . . .

but now that we're more chapters in, I'm just rolling with it.

I'm finding the random story of the horse a bit odd - they just have a random urban legend of a horse? hopefully we'll get more

and who has been breaking in and looking for treasure? (hide spoiler)]

20 chapters / 60%

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so sad and shocked her aunt blamed her on mutilating the animals! I totally agreed with her anger and frustration. But wow, for her aunt to go missing the next morning!

and now. . .did she really see her or is it like he thinks - that's what she was supposed to look like?

glad we got more history on this horse - so it made more sense why it would be a story told and passed down.

I like that Ben is helping and that he gave the deal for the money so I'm less worried about whether he's involved. I don't think he is

oh and Ben's brother - the boy her dad killed - was just awful. all the things he did to her. but shocking that he was murdered. But why did the grandpa stick to her dad didn't do it? Who did then, or who did he think did? and is that who is still terrorizing her now? because someone is. . .

small clothing. gloves. Could it be the aunt? (hide spoiler)]

28 chapters / 80%

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I'm so glad he was able to show her her tracking history and help her understand that it wasn't her
and I'm glad her friend also thinks it doesn't look like someone dressed up to scare her.

but now, we're reading journals and researching paranormal things! Yikes! I do the idea that the bound person is protected also from the family while the headless horseman also makes sure no one else gets in that is a danger! But could the headless horseman really be the answer? AND the reason the brother/bad guy was killed?

it isn't the answer as to who is messing with her now? but I still wonder. . .did the aunt lie? did she fake being the water and disappearing? (hide spoiler)]

and done

ha! I loved this one! it really came together in the end!
(view spoiler)[
wow, I never suspected the sheriff
and then his own daughter was killed! OMG AND he worked together with her mom. that was such a shock!

but I love that she got Brom and his. . .other creatures to handle the sheriff and that she and Ben were able to get out of there. I love that Ben was secretly a lawyer - I was glad him being stuck there hadn't completely ruined his life. . .

and oooh that last moment with her mom! HA! that was great! (hide spoiler)]

Ahhh! This one was a lot of fun. I did have some nagging questions after reading it, so it lost a point. But I enjoyed it a lot.

I agree, it was super fun!

ooooh, curious what your nagging questions were at the end!

I sent you a message lol