I found the prologue to this a very effective and intriguing opening. I certainly wanted to read more. The book really starts with the funeral of Caro's stepmother. Sisters Caro and Steph are both there. However it is immediately apparent that the relationships in the family were and are strained. Steph left home as soon as she could and has avoided any contact with her younger sister. Caro had a deep hatred of her stepmother who had brought her up from a very young age. She too left home when she could and had not returned to the house she grew up in until the funeral.

Caro returns to the house in Derbyshire to clear it out. It is very obvious that the is an important back story here. One aspect is very quickly apparent. Caro's stepmother teased on even tortured her with a mechanical musical instrument that they called the pear drum. There is a sense of dread from the stories as yet untold, the things not revealed. At times too there is something haunted or ghostly here or is it simply hallucinations. What is it that Caro sees and feels...

There was decent writing here. Caro was a good enough character too. I really liked the line "Pandora's box was open, the one in my head". However some aspects did seem rather contrived to me. Returning to clear the old house would be an example of that.

This may not be one of the best books I've read however how many times did I think "just one more chapter" and ended up reading three or more! I could see some of the twists coming. I guess I was not fully convinced but this was a very enjoyable read.

have mixed emotions about this book. I thought that the first half of the book was spooky but, slow. It created a great atmosphere of tension for Caro going back to her childhood home and the incidents that she endured while staying there. I like the excepts of the childhood stories. But, this story didn’t grip me until the very last few chapters of the book which had a surprising end.
I thank Avon books and NetGalley for a copy of this book without knowing the title and what it was about.

How can you resist a book that is a secret til Halloween! I loves this book, was totally absorbed in the story and it was written with such beautiful detail. Thank you so much Avon and Netgalley... your secret is safe with me!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book. The secrecy surrounding this book intrigued me....unfortunately I found it to be very slow moving and I had a tough time really sinking my teeth into it. It wasn’t bad....it wasn’t great. It was an ok read.

I loved the book for the first quarter or so - I felt like the author did a great job setting the stage, and making the book atmospheric. I was intrigued about the odd occurrences that were happening at the house Caro was staying at, and was looking forward to getting some answers.

That said, after the first 25%, I felt like things got really slow. There were pages spent describing a small detail of the house or town, and I found myself struggling to pay attention to those sections - I wanted the story to progress, and I felt like at times it was at a complete standstill.

I had a hunch about how the book would end from pretty early on, but was hopeful that it wouldn't be that obvious, and that I'd be wrong, however I ended up being right about almost everything. Without giving any spoilers, I will say that I really enjoyed the final pages of the book though. Does Caro *really* get her happily ever after?

All in all, this one was a 2.5 star read for me. The premise was intriguing, and the atmosphere of a creepy old house in a small town in the middle of winter was a perfect setting for the story, however the story moved a little too slowly for me, and was pretty predictable. This might work better for fans of slow moving mysteries who aren't avid readers of the mystery/thriller genre because it will likely be less predictable for someone who doesn't read hundreds of thrillers a year.

I read this novel with no knowledge of either the book or the author but what a great surprise. Loved the book and I found it completely absorbing. This psychological thriller was given to me to read with the condition that I don't review until Halloween, so I will post a full review then.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon Books UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book so bad, but I just didn't. It was so slow in the beginning I couldn't even get past that to enjoy the rest of the story. I think that had it had a better beginning, this book would really be a hit, but where it's at now is just too slow to get readers, who enjoy fast paced thrillers, enthralled enough to enjoy.
Will let the members of Chapter Chatter Pub know about its release and use in a daily challenge.

This book unfortunately just wasn't for me. I found it so slow, and had to force myself to get through it. The idea is neat, but the story wasn't interesting enough (for me) to be as slow paced as it was.

This book wasn't for me. I had the most difficult time getting through it. I enjoyed the element of estranged sisters in the story, but there was not enough there to keep me sufficiently engaged or intrigued. In fairness, this is not the usual type of book I read. Thank you to net galley for providing me with the ARC.

Due to the secrecy surrounding this arc on NetGalley, I won't be too specific here, as the publisher has asked not to give too much away until Halloween. However, I enjoyed the plot, which was interesting and mysterious - enough to merit finishing anyway. However, it was predictable and as an avid thriller/mystery reader, I need a good plot twist. The writing style was great and was easy to read and had an air of suspense. I would agree that it comes in as a gothic mystery.

Overall, 3 stars - enjoyable but not unique.

*Thanks to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for my e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I will not give specific spoilers, but I need to address the story structure in order to give my honest review. If that is a concern for you, please stop reading now!

Estranged sisters Caro and Steph discover they will inherit their childhood home in Derbyshire from their deceased stepmother. Steph has a life in New York and, since Caro has nowhere to go after a breakup, Steph generously declines her claim to the place. Caro moves into the large, empty house full of unhappy memories that only seem to begin after age six for some reason… Thus begins a taut physiological thriller as Caro confronts the missing memories that begin to resurface as well as the disturbing, unexplainable things that keep happening in the house.

This is a book that stayed with me after it was over, but mostly because I was so enraged by the bungling at the end of an otherwise excellent thriller. I was impressed with how uncomfortable I felt reading this book because the author very effectively drew me into Caro’s emotional distress. 95% of the story was engaging and I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. So imagine my immense disappointment when the conclusion did not manage to satisfy the interest it had built up. Mysterious goings-on were explained, yes. And I fully understand that the author was going for “shocking twist” with a side of “open-ended menace.” But to me it was an infuriating non-ending. It’s a shame, but I will probably not be recommending this one to my patrons.

3.5 stars. I want to honor the publisher's request not to give away too much info on this book until Halloween, 2018. What I will say is that I liked the author's writing style. It felt comfortable and familiar to me, although I can't quite put my finger on why. The setting plays a huge role in this story, and I thought the author did a great job making me feel like I was in the super creepy house with the main character, Caro. I have seen other reviews describing the story as "gothic" and I would agree.

I will also say that I saw most of the twists coming from pretty far away. However, a few of them did surprise me. The book takes place in England, so some of the phrases and slang took me a minute to understand. Overall though I thought that the story worked well, and I loved the deliciously ambiguous ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes gothic mysteries and psychological thrillers.

*Thanks to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for my e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I had to give this book a go, because I cannot resist a mystery. The fragility of memory is a prominent theme throughout this book and really kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed this book!

This book started a little slow, I was not sure what was going on, but it was intriguing enough that I kept going... and I did not stop until it was done.

Caro returns to her childhood home and is met with an icy reception from the town. Haunted by the terrifying story her stepmother would tell her, about "two little girls and the terrible things they do" Caro begins looking into her past, unraveling the secrets her stepmother kept from her.

I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect mix of intrigue and creepy.
I kept trying to stay one step ahead, to try and figure out what was going on and I can say I was genuinely shocked at the end of the book.
I really liked the authors writing style, and I thought it was written using a great imagination.

Do you trust your memories? Should you? Carol always had limited memories of her childhood. But her stepmother’s death changes her life in so many ways. Carol is a a poor illustrator sho decides to move back into the family home to take refuge from her life and to sort out the possessions of her stepmother. This is truly a story about a wicked stepsister and a cruel life.

This was not my usual type of book, but was so intrigued by all the secrecy, I had to give it a go.
It was a bit dark for me, and there were some really creepy bits - all in all it was ok. There will be no spoilers from me!

Im not
into spooky reads. But I thought id give this a go. Unfortunately it wasn’t to my taste,
Thank you to both Avon Book UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review.

Children's book illustrator Caroline, heads back to her childhood home after the sudden death of her estranged stepmother. Long buried secrets and traumas are slowly revealed as Caroline isolates herself and her perception deteriorates.

SPOILERS

! During this novel I experienced nearly every emotion from happiness to complete and utter fear. Throughout I was as confused as Caro, it really kept me guessing right up till the end- and wow what a twist! The only thing I got right was that pretty early on I knew Craig wasn't right, there was something I couldn't put my finger on. Definitely worthy of a 5 star review.

This was more like a Gothic horror for me than a thriller , that wouldn't normally be the genre I would request but I actually really enjoyed this , a little unnerving at times and I'm glad I wasn't home alone . I would certainly recommend , bit not to the faint hearted . Loved how the fairy tales incorporated into the story .