I enjoyed this debut novel by Brody. The book opens as Teddy and her mother learn her father (Mark) has suicided, ten years to the day after her sister Angie disappeared. He'd been obsessed with her case, refusing to believe she was dead.

After his death Teddy finds the debris of his obsession and falls down the rabbit hole of Reddit and other websites and chat rooms dedicated to Angie's case.

We learn Angie was a rebellious teenager but Body avoids the cliched and obvious suggestion of her being a runaway by giving Teddy's family a lot of complex baggage. Angie's father (a descendent of prominent local family) died before she was born and his brother Mark, in an attempt to comfort her mother and support baby Angie, fell in love with his widowed SIL, leaving his own wife and young child. Teddy came soon after and her whole family was disowned by her in-laws. And later in the novel Teddy ponders Mark’s life, wondering if he felt he’d borrowed that of his brother.

Teddy picks through her father’s contact lists and the Reddit threads about her sister. As well as a potential love interest in Bill (a landscaper who’d worked for her family a decade earlier) she meets Mickey, a young college student who helped Teddy’s father with his research. Mickey's interest rivals Teddy’s… attracting suspicion of we readers, but (interestingly) not Teddy. Having said that Mickey obviously reminds Teddy of Angie - who’s suspended in time, eternally 18 in her mind.

Slowly they backtrack through Mark’s investigation and Teddy becomes obsessed in the same way her father had been (and in a way her mother is not, the latter seemingly having accepted her daughter's death). The question Teddy pauses to ask herself eventually though is, 'What is she seeking? The truth, closure, or perhaps confirmation of her own memories and her own perception of Angie. And… at what cost.'

I enjoyed this read, though found myself impatient with Teddy’s lack of suspicion of Mickey’s motives and a tad frustrated at how she allowed herself to go against her better judgements several times…. in search of the truth.

And finally, we do learn more about Angie’s last hours though readers will have to decide for themselves how satisfied they are with the answers provided.

A very engrossing mystery. While I really enjoyed reading it, I found the plot to be a bit convoluted and hard to follow at times. That said, I loved the Reddit aspect of the story, and the relationships between the characters. It kept me on my toes, but also left me a bit confused.

I'll start off by my only negative about this book, and it could have just been the ARC but there were no chapters. I love chapter breaks (not excessive) because when you are trying to squeeze in reading all the time, it gives a good place to pause. Regardless, the lack of chapter breaks made several scenes seem like they were changing characters and locations out of nowhere leading to a lot of re-reading. But I got past that and I ended up loving this book. I can't wait for more from this author! Definitely add to your TBR!!

Rabbit Hole comes out next week on January 2, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!

By twenty-five, you've given up all your hopes and dreams, your novel-in-progress, your hot body, your plans to travel to Japan. By twenty-five, you have a steady job and you're right on track for your panic-inducing suburban middle age. But what is so bad about that? What is so horrible about a warm bed and a softening body and the properly-timed tragedies of living? What could be so bad about giving birth and getting divorced and burying your elderly parents? That's what you're supposed to get.

True true-crime junkies will appreciate the *ahem* Reddit rabbit hole Teddy dives into to try and figure out what happened to her sister, Angie. I liked how the online forum was one of the main characters-- the book takes place in 2015 (honestly not sure if Reddit is still popular, I've never really indulged) so the online experience was definitely a little different back then and it really played an important role within the story. Thinking about how society consumes true crime today compared to how it was not too long ago had me thinking a lot about how I approach it. I'd consider myself a fan but I am definitely guilty of treating it as entertainment only instead of thinking about how these are real people who have left real people behind. Although this is obviously fiction, the reader gets a first-hand look at how this dysfunctional family deals with their daughter/sister/friend's disappearance and I just thought it was really interesting.

The writing is so dark and intelligent and just well done. Teddy is such an unreliable narrator, so I found myself internally yelling at her while also rooting for her at the same time. Her behaviour gets more and more erratic the further you read, but there's something about her that hooks you in.

Thank you to Soho Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

TWs: suicide, grief, references to underage sexual advances

This was a dark, gritty and tough read. I always love a cold case and I was immediately drawn to the mystery of what happened to Angie. None of the characters are particularly likable but Brody does a good job giving them dimensions and making you interested in their actions. This has been compared to SHARP OBJECTS by Gillian Flynn and there are definitely similarities with the characters and overall vibe. This is a perfect book for any true crime fan!

Thank you to NetGalley, Soho Press & Kate Brody for a digital ARC of Rabbit Hole.

With that said, I am only sharing my feedback here through NetGalley because it is not good and I don't like to make bad reviews on social medial or Goodreads.

This title had been getting a lot of interest and sounded compelling to me. However, what I got, was anything but.

The story was so drab and monotone, so much so that it bored me to tears. I almost DNF'd it several times, but didn't. I really wish I had. What sounded interesting in the synopsis didn't come through in the actual story.

This was just such a drab and pessimistic story as well as the characters. It moved at a snail's pace making it even worse.

But none of that is the most egregious thing about this book. I was downright PISSED OFF at the way Wolfie was handled. I am a huge animal lover and advocate of animals and typically do not read books that deal with animal cruelty or death. Brody gave us some horrendous animal death right from the get-go and then further, let this poor dog, riddled with tumors, suffer. Yes, they took it to the vet, but didn't have it put down. They took it home and traveled around with it, while Wolfie whined in pain. THEN to top it off, when it was finally decided Wolfie should be put out of his misery, he was taken into the woods and shot. What the ever-loving HELL????

I'm sorry, but I can't get past that. Yes, that may be a real life scenario for some people, but I can assure that readers DO NOT want to read about that or any other animal cruelty or death. Authors, please leave that out of your novels!

I would rate this Zero Stars, if I could. I will not be recommending this one on my IG or to anyone. I will refrain from turning anyone against it unless specifically asked of my opinion.

This one was bad enough that I doubt I will ever pick up another Kate Brody title in the future. The "badness" of this book is just a bit much to overcome to give this author a second chance, for me.

A perfect parable for true crime lovers everywhere! When you go looking... are the answers you find really ever worth it?

Rabbit Hole is a prime example of what happens when you allow yourself to be waylaid by something you don't really want answers to. Your life, relationships, and job might start to really fall apart if you don't let things go...

THOUGHTS:
- Rabbit Hole definitely felt like one of the saddest books I had read in a long time. Perfectly detailing what happens when someone is in a full-on downward mental spiral - it's almost a painful read. I think for many, though... if you've ever gone through a rough patch and you couldn't seem to get out of that perpetual grey.. this book details exactly how that feels.
- THE CONTENT: This book is dark - but not so dark that someone who likes psychological thrillers but can't handle slashers couldn't read it. My feelings while reading tended more towards morose and sad - not shock and revulsion lol BUT - if you love true crime - you'd really love this! (I'm not a true crime gal and I still really enjoyed what K.Brody was trying to create. )
- CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Our main character Teddy was crafted perfectly! If you've ever been around a friend/family member - or even an acquaintance - that's quite literally ruining their own life -- you know that helpless feeling of wanting to shake them to do better? It was almost cathartic to read because there's nothing the people around Teddy really could've done.

↑↑ Update - Finished December 22nd, 2023 ↑↑

This is gritty and sad in the beginning... crazy what people will do to each other!

↑↑ Update - Started December 12th, 2023 ↑↑

NOTES:
- Family drama
- CWs: add!ction, depression, broken families, adultery

**Thank you to Soho Crime & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Theodora (Teddy) Angstrom’s world is shattered when her father deliberately drives his car off a bridge into a river, choosing the tenth anniversary of her sister’s disappearance for this tragic act. This new sorrow, layered upon a decade of unresolved pain, reveals the fragility of the life Teddy has built. Her quest for the truth threatens to unravel everything she holds dear.

Set in an era where true crime and technological advancements are unearthing long-buried secrets, Rabbit Hole masterfully blends modern tools with the timeless elements of a murder mystery. The novel highlights the significant role of platforms like Reddit, illustrating their profound impact on Teddy’s life. Teddy navigates the investigation both virtually and through face-to-face interactions, confronting the challenges of an internet era where privacy is easily breached.

Kate Brody presents a thriller that is also an insightful examination of grief. Teddy has lived for ten years with the constant ache of her sister’s absence, but the narrative begins with the fresh wound of her father’s suicide. Brody skillfully depicts the contrasting and intermingling forms of grief, showing how they lead to unpredictable behaviors. As Teddy dismantles her own life in pursuit of the truth, we learn more about her character—a woman pushed to her limits for the sake of love, regardless of whether those she loves can witness her efforts.

This novel, while heartbreakingly sad, is a hauntingly beautiful read. Its poignant exploration of loss and resilience leaves a lasting impression, stirring anticipation for Kate Brody’s next work.

RABBIT HOLE shares some DNA with genre novels like GIRL ON A TRAIN or WOMAN IN THE WINDOW--a female protagonist spirals as she tries to solve a mystery and deal with her repressed trauma--and the marketing copy for this book seems to be appealing to that audience. However, plot twists and big reveals aren't what this book is about. I'd call it literary fiction with a dash of crime! The writing is terrific; Brody shares a lot of insight into loss, love, and the human condition; and realistic character development is far more important than plot.

Teddy's 18-year-old sister Angie went missing 10 years ago. On the anniversary of her disappearance, Teddy's father (Angie's stepfather) commits suicide. That's where the novel begins, and we've also got a beloved, cancer-ridden dog to add to the pile of Super Hard Things Teddys Must Deal With. (I normally can't read about dogs in pain, so it's a testament to Brody's writing that I kept reading! I trusted her to deal with that emotionally triggering element in a worthy way, and she did.) In a different author's hands, this might have been too much early onset sorrow, but Teddy is the reader's instant friend, callous and honest and perceptive, and we're hooked into the unravelling of how Angie died, or if she died at all.

Teddy helps her mom by going through her dad's office, and because he was trying to solve the mystery of Angie's disappearance, this leads Teddy to some clues. She meets Mickey, a wayward girl who becomes almost a surrogate sister but who got mixed up in the case with Teddy's dad, and Bill, a hot sex-and-maybe-actual relationship guy who might also be lying about his involvement with her dad.

The crime-solving aspect of the story starts off strong but wanes for the middle of the book. (Some red herrings here that didn't hold my attention.) In its place, however, we get plenty of airtime for the compelling and complex (and toxic!) relationships Teddy has with Mickey, Bill, her mom, her half-brother's family, her students--she's a high school English teacher--and ultimately, herself.

Brody isn't afraid to make her protagonist suffer, and it's satisfying to watch Teddy's spiral into self-destruction as she becomes more obsessed with the case and develops an unhealthy but tight relationship with Mickey. In the end, it's Brody's attention to the specific experiences of grief and the unknowability of the people we love that makes this a must-read.

Her debut novel, Rabbit Hole (2024) by Kate Brody is an amateur sleuth tale of a young woman’s investigation into her sister’s disappearance. Upon the death of her father, Teddy discovers a Reddit page on true crimes and decides to pursue it down the rabbit hole of internet true crime blogs. The more Teddy discovers, her fixation spirals her into ever-deepening grief. Supposedly a crime fiction tale, this is more a bleak character study that includes a disturbing scene of Teddy euthanising her pet dog. This book is not for everyone as it includes explicit sex descriptions and attempted satire which debase its overall value as a reading experience. So overall, its publicity blurb is falsely optimistic, giving it a most disappointing two stars read rating. With thanks to Soho Press and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I sometimes wander into the loved one trying to solve a murder or disappearance genre, and this was a particularly depressing take on it. The narrator kept making wildly inappropriate choices that made her very unlikeable. I wanted to see if there was true resolution so I kept going, and in hindsight I wish I hadn't.

10 years after Teddy’s sister, Angie went missing (and presumed dead), Teddy’s father, who is still consumed with grief, kills himself. His suicide brings Teddy into the world of unsolved true crime and into the Reddit rabbit hole while she takes over her father’s compulsion to solve her sister’s disappearance and in doing so, brings her back to the depths of her own unaddressed grief and come to terms with the loss of her sister. The obsession with her sister’s case takes over her life leading to Teddy make some questionable choices.

✨✨My Review
I found this an incredibly readable (and the audio engaged me from the first minute) novel and I finished it in a day going back and forth between the audio and the book. I think this novel is a balance between a mystery/thriller (while the reader learns the facts behind Angie’s disappearance) and a novel about dealing with the effects of grief and trauma (leaning more towards the latter). Either way I couldn’t put it down because while I didn’t personally love the characters (and I don’t think you’re supposed to, they are not entirely appealing) I still needed to know what happened.

4.25

Thank you NetGalley, SoHo Press and SoHo Crime for the ARC to review

Rabbit Hole was a dark and depressing look at grief. It never seemed to get anywhere. It just wallowed in itself. You are subjected to very bad people who do not take much outside of their own experience and feelings into anything that they do. This is lead by the main character-understandably scarred and lost after the loss of her sister with no closure-who is quite possibly the worst teacher and pet owner you will read about this year. Her slef destruction knows no limit and every just watches her do it. When being drunk and high while making out when you are teacher chaperoning a high school dance isn’t the low point of your career, maybe you just aren’t meant to be a teacher.

The author just drags you down into the depths with her. I imagine that she was outside herself telling herself to stop it, just like the reader was doing. Just like I was doing. In the end, I felt the loss and being lost. In that way it was extremely effective.

Rabbit Hole was an incredibly dark look into what grief can do to people and the ways in which we let each other down. Ten years after the disappearance of her sister Angie, Teddy's father drives off of a bridge and kills himself. This novel explores the aftermath of all of that. Teddy begins cleaning up the messes her father left behind and stumbles across the reddit community that was fascinated by the disappearance of her sister. Along the way she reconnects with people from her and her sister's past, and also meets the mysterious Mickey, who reminds her of Angie. This is a slow burn that explores Teddy's self-destructive tendencies as she tries to grapple with what has happened to her family and whether or not she can move on from it.

DNF @ 25% - after this being the second book of kate brody’s to DNF, I’m thinking that she may not be the author for me. the story was captivating but I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. plus, reddit threads scare me LOL! I would definitely recommend to others who like her previous work!

My initial thoughts when starting this were "woah this book is grim." The overall tone is depressing. Parental death, spousal death, sister death, family who wants you to go away...the author even threw in a poor old dog with painful cancerous tumors as if the other stuff just wasn't sad enough. And all of this is presented in the first few chapters.

The mystery element kept me reading though and I liked the writing style despite the sad tone. The author writes well. However, the story was just too slow and sad for me. There wasn't much excitement and the characters were unlikable so the story itself flopped for me.

At first I felt invested in Teddy researching her sister's mysterious disappearance and father's unexpected death. She uncovers info as the story unfolds and I was hooked, and needed the answers almost as badly as she did. But it just didn't feel like it went anywhere.

Fans of true crime who are looking for fiction to read can give it a try if you're interested in a slow burn that explores grief.

I see why this is compared to Gillian Flynn as the main character reminds me of the destructive main character in Sharp Objects. But this is more a study on grief similar to Notes on your sudden disappearance. We follow a woman who lost her sister as a teen and now her father has committed suicide. I found the initial 1/2 very compelling but it slows down a bit toward the back half. Still an enjoyable somewhat dark read with some sub plots that are sure to be a bit controversial.

There may be a little mis-marketing for this title. It's billed as a thriller, and while the story and b-plots are compelling, it's definitely not a thrill. It's more of a journey into the void of grief and the mystery of our main character's losses. I enjoyed it, but had to readjust my expectations after nearly a quarter into the book. I think fans of Ottessa Moshfegh would enjoy this book, but Gillian Flynn fans may be a little disappointed. All in all, it's well written and its insufferable main character takes us on a journey into the depths of her own despair--a Rabbit Hole indeed.

Big thanks to the publisher and NetGalled for this ARC!

I'm not sure I'm okay after finishing this. What a ride!

Some other reviewers have suggested there's a marketing issue with this book--and there absolutely is. This is really not a mystery/thriller, it's like a microscopic look at the human condition in the face of immense grief and unresolved trauma. What genre is that? So I think there's some negative reviews coming in from people that were expecting an actual thriller, but got this slow burn that feels like looking at the worst parts of the world and sitting with those emotions about it.

That being said: it's beautifully written and Brody paints an incredibly uncomfortable picture of a family in a time (a lifetime perhaps?) of grief and conflict, and a spiral into questioning ones own reality. This doesn't end with a completely tied up storyline, and I think it's that feeling of being uncomfortable that Brody was going for with this.

First, I think it’s important to let future readers know that this is not the kind of thriller that comes to mind when you hear the genre mentioned — the thrill is not necessarily driven by the plot, but rather by the character study unnervingly present in every page. A psychological thriller, maybe? I’d call it a dark, fictional tale about the unexpected journey grief can take us on.

To say Teddy’s family life is complicated is an understatement. Ten years ago, Theodora Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing. The case remains cold, and unsolved. Now Teddy’s father, Mark, has driven his car off a bridge, leaving his daughter and wife to pick up the pieces of their family once again. On a whim, entering the home office Mark holed himself up in for hours upon hours, Teddy discovers the endless work of a man scouring the highs and lows of the internet looking for any trace of his missing step-daughter. Unable to resist the urge of diving in herself, the rabbit hole of the internet calls to Teddy, and down, down she falls looking to find her sister.

Rabbit hole, a perfect title for this novel, doesn’t just refer to the internet searches that have our MC constantly refreshing pages, but also as a reference to her self-destructive spiral; to her grief, obsession, and desperation for any kind of human connection or emotional attachment. The tension in this book is palpable, the emotions are raw, the secondhand embarrassment is real.

There’s a very specific part of this novel involving the family dog that tore every heartstring suspending my heart in my chest. Some might call it unnecessary, but I found it a wrenching depiction of pain avoidance by people steeped in trauma. The conclusion had me in tears.

My meter isn’t ringing in like or dislike for this book, rather just thoughtful contemplations. I couldn’t put my copy down until I reached the end of the story. Similar to how my own familiar rabbit hole searches on reddit and the internet go, I find myself still thinking of the novel days, weeks later.