I could not stop reading this book. I read at lunch, I read at work, I read in bed. The writing is rich and visceral. The journey from beginning to end was thrilling in the BEST of ways. Cannot recommend highly enough!

This book was a great mystery to the end! Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong! The whole story of their life In Minnesota was pretty sad and very dysfunctional I felt so bad for Cassie because she was a good kid but her surroundings were so depressing. Overall, this was a good book but the title definitely sums it up! This book is filled with "Unspeakable things"!!! I love the cover and the fact the book was set in the 80's because I was born in the 80's. I definitely could relate to some things in this book. Riding bikes by the light of fireflies, having a trapper keeper and having good friends along the way. I think I know who the real life Cassie is (since this book was based around true events) and I hope she has a full and happy life now. Thank you Netgalley, Jess Lourey and Thomas & Mercer for this great mystery!

Cassie McDowell is a 12-year old living on a farm in 1980s Minnesota. But there is evil in Lilydale as local boys get assaulted by a masked man. Rumors about who is responsible grow wild and dangerous town secrets start to surface. There are also strange family dynamics in the McDowell household with Cassie, sculptor father Donny, teacher Peg and Cassie's older sister Sephie. And the annual adult parties at their farm encourages the worst behavior out of its attendees.

Dreaming of becoming a writer, Cassie emulates her fictional detective muse and starts investigating the attacks with the help of a new neighbour and friend named Frank. But when Cassie's secret "boyfriend" Gabriel goes missing, the stakes are ramped up for both Cassie and the town to find him in time.

This was an eery and thrilling read.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

I sped through Unspeakable Things and read it in basically one sitting! I was immediately sucked into the story, and didn’t want to put it down until I knew what was going on. The book was written from the perspective of a 13 year old, which I thought was a really unique way to tell such a dark and gritty story.

At the end, I decided it felt like there were a ton of details/side stories that seemed as if they would all be tied together, but ended up being unrelated to each other which felt a little unnecessary. The “twist” at the end also didn’t feel that twisty. I wouldn’t necessarily call it predictable, but there just seemed to be several complete dead ends before getting to the twist.

I also went to the author’s website to read the epilogue that wasn’t included in the book, and it definitely helped provide some closure for me, so I’m really glad that was made accessible!

Overall, there were several things I really enjoyed about this book, and would definitely recommend for those who enjoy darker mysteries!

This book left a sour taste in my mouth; it was an uncomfortable read, extremely raw and kind of disturbing without really being graphic or too obvious - which says a lot about the author's power to deliver a deeply unsettling story without really having to be gratuitous or grotesque. A lot about this story is simply hinted at, or whispered without being too loud; nothing is outright spoken, and that should fully explain the title, "Unspeakable Things". Some of the things that take place in this story are truly things that are unspeakable, things that we know of but are afraid to speak of, and that's exactly what goes on in this little town, where strange events are shaking it at its very core, where boogeymen, hiding in plain sight, are hurting children and returning them different.
While the creepy atmosphere is masterfully delivered, so to induce a constant state of anxiety, I wouldn't straight up call this book a thriller. For starters, it's less plot-driven and more focused on the main character's coming to terms with the reality afflicting her town while simultaneously trying to make sense of an epidemic of "Peeping Toms" and "Chester the Molesters" that's spreading like wildfire and affecting kids around her. In that sense, it's a rather slow-paced book, despite it being quite short, which severely hindered the effectiveness of the history. Some chapters I honestly could've done without, and sometimes the author got too lost in details and shades while I desperately wanted to know whodunit.
What I really can't get past, though, is the ending. One of the less satisfying endings that I've ever read. And while I do see why the author has opted for a conclusion that literally gives the reader no resolution and no relief, I can't help but hate it. Especially when it comes to thrillers, I love endings nicely wrapped with a bow on top, I want to have everything explained to me, and I need to close the book without any further questions - and that was the opposite of everything I just said. Things were rushedly wrapped, giving no time to the reader to fully acclimate, and then leaving some crucial questions unanswered. Never have I ever read a book more truthful to the title than this one over here.

All in all, it was a nice read, albeit extremely unsettling and disturbing, that I could safely recommend if the topic interests you, just don't expect a high-intensity, fast-paced thriller, because it aint' it, chief. I'll be curious to read more books of this author.

Wow. Great book! I do wish the end included her “story” and what happened with her dad and the cop but... all in all it kept my attention, kept me reading and intrigued. Lots of imagery!

1980's Lilydale, Minnesota

Twelve year old Cassie and her older sister Sephie grew up poor with an artist father and their mother, the sole provider, a teacher. Their world is rocked when boys in their neighborhood begin getting attacked by a man in a mask. These victims aren't the same after and Cassie wants to solve the mystery and catch the attacker.

The yuck factor in this book was a bit too much for me and that has nothing to do with the boys being attacked. Are swingers and sex parties really necessary to tell this story? Also, the culprit really comes as no surprise.

Anyhoo, what really pissed me off is the ending. Or the lack of one. Apparently the author decided to leave out the epilogue in favor of readers forming their own opinion. You can access the epilogue via her website to get some sort of resolution. This was an arc that was provided to me for free but had I of purchased this book I would have been really angry that I now have to go to her website to be provided the ending in which I already paid for. I hope they change this before publication. 2 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF’d at 15%. I can tell that this book is going to be a disturbing and creepy read however this book is just not for me writing wise. I wish the best for those who read this book

I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for offering me a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The views below are entirely my own.

I am a huge fan of psychological thrillers and I know how popular they are both with readers and writers, hence, I realize how difficult it must be for writers to keep the themes fresh in this genre. Unspeakable Things is one of those books which is not a rehash of a Gone Girl or a Girl/Woman Who Did This And That (you know how similar these titles are!). This is the story of a twelve-year-old protagonist, Cassie, and her family in a town called Ladyville in Minessota. Cassie's parents are highly educated with artistic bent of mind. Her friends envy her liberal parents. But is everything as lovely as it appears on the surface? The story starts making you question this from the first page itself. And then something really dangerous starts taking place. One by one the boys from the town are abducted by a masked stranger. They aren't the same when they are returned. Who is this person who is breaking these boys, Cassie, wants to find out. Then some of the boys start disappearing and things turn even more serious.

Even though the story premise feels like a mystery, I feel it is more of a coming of age story. The psychological elements in the story are brilliantly well sketched. The writer makes us feel every bit of tension that Cassie goes through. My heart was racing in the last few chapters. Another thing that I particularly liked about this book is its use of metaphors. The metaphors make the setting come alive before the readers and it helps us in understanding the characters and their emotions even more deeply. Being an aspiring writer, I was constantly taking notes as to how Lourey managed to create metaphors that are so fresh and powerful at the same time.

If I had to nitpick then I'd say that the mystery element of the book could've been tighter but then again, I realize that this might not be what the author wanted to focus on. I respect that completely but since the blurb gives a lot of emphasis to the mystery, hence, my expectations were set differently. I rather enjoyed the treatment of the book better than had it been mystery focused, all I'm saying is that don't go into the book by setting certain expectations from the blurb.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I would definitely recommend it for its language, theme, and handling of a sensitive matter.

What a great read this is! I am a huge fan of abduction and I was not disappointed. A real page-turner that you won’t be able to put down.

A disturbing story based on true events. There seem to be some missing links (didn't understand the strawberry reference). Maybe the same will be corrected in the final publication. The writing style didn't resonate with me. Could be because this is the first true crime account I have read. Normally used to fast-paced thrillers.

Unspeakable Things is a phenomenal read. Jess Lourey was influenced by the story of Jacob Wetterling and the other boys that were attacked in Minnesota in the 1980s. This book had me on the edge of my sit, couldn’t put the book down. Highly recommend. Stayed up until 3:30am to finish reading Unspeakable Things last night. Do not regret it.

“And we stood there, in that safe pocket of smiles and laughter, summer dreams and yearbook autographs, and it was the last time we’d all be together again. Alive, I mean.”

This is a very dark story. Although it does not come right out and put deep descriptions on the things that happen, you will have no trouble imagining it. This is told from a twelve year old child’s view. A young girl, Cassandra/Cassie, who has her whole life ahead of her but goes through so much. She is quite the smart young lady too. A very kind child who should live a carefree life without a worry in the world. But she is worried. She knows things are not good in the town she lives in. She’s heard all the talk about the missing then returned boys and how they come back different. She lives in a house where things are not so great either. Secrets are all around her and her older sister. Nothing is explicit at all in this story but you’ll know. You’ll feel so bad for the children. The boys, even though some are bad, are heartbreaking in what they must have gone through. The sisters who are afraid of their own dad. A mother who refuses to listen.
This story goes into things that happen in life sometimes. From the peeping Tom to the so called Chester the Molester. To hints of incest. Boys being molested and given back. There are several people who you will suspect are the bad man but will you be able to guess for sure. I had a pretty good idea but didn’t know until the end. Cassie is a strong young girl who just wants the life of a normal child. To live in a world of peace and true love from parents who cherish her and her sister.
While some people may not like this story at all I found it to be interesting. How things came together. How things in this small town ran. How a family can be called a family when in reality it’s not at all. It takes way more than a married couple to be real parents. I didn’t like Cassie’s dad or mother. Her mother seemed very week and scared to speak out for her children even though she was a very educated woman and a high school teacher at that. Her dad had many issues going on. One that he survived Vietnam but in my opinion used that to get his way about almost everything from not being a good dad or husband to now having a job to help support his family. He was really the weak one though I still don’t like the mother either.
The two sisters are close. Very close and love each other very much. But it’s Cassie who is strong and seemingly independent in so many ways. She’s the one who will pull this story together. Solve the mystery around all that is wrong but on the level of a twelve year old. The author did a great job of keeping her a child in her words and actions. I applaud her for that. Great job Jess Lourey. Great job.
The only problem I had with this book, thus the 4 stars, was the ending. I wanted to know what happened. What happened to the dad, the teacher, Cassie and her sister and mother. What happened. Did the mother ever decide to take up for her daughters? Maybe she did. Maybe that is the way it’s suppose to play out. Maybe that is why it ended the way it did. I’d like to think so anyway.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #UnspeakableThings, #JessLourey, #Thomas&Mercer for the eARC of this book. This is my own true review.
I gave it 4 stars and do recommend it. It was a fast read for me and a very interesting one.

“Bad news still finds you on sunny days.”

Unspeakable Things is a wicked, factual based novel that leaves you feeling unhinged. I devoured this book in the matter of a few hours (ok 1/2 my day)- it keeps you tuned in thanks to its own sultry flavor of perversion. 5 stars

Dark and twisted, I really enjoyed this book. This is a “one sitting” type of book that will keep you reading long into the night.

Enjoyed this book with all it's twists and knows. So many unanswered questions....so many suspects. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense.

Heartbreaking story of Cassie, a 12 year old girl who is dealing with horrible events in her town and her life. Someone is molesting young boys and Cassie is on a mission to find out who. Told from Cassie’s point of view during the 80’s, this heartbreaking story was impossible to put down. Living in a house where she must hide in a closet to keep herself safe at night, Cassie is very much aware of the horrors adults can inflict on children. Excellent, well written story that will stay with me for a long time.

This one took me awhile to get into, but l got hooked at around the halfway mark.

It's a thriller based on a true crime story, which makes it a chilling read. To know these things really happened in some form is terrifying.

My one big complaint is the loose ends. Although we learn who was abducting the children, that's literally all we learn by the end. There's not much about motive, what happened to Cassie at home, etc.

Lourey did post an epilogue on her website that gives some closure. If you're going to read this one I highly suggest you check that out when you're done.

* I recieved this in exchange for an honest review thanks to Netgalley.

Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey is a psychological thriller written from the perspective of a young girl, Cassie, who lives with older sister Sephie and their parents.

When boys start being assaulted and then start disappearing, Cassie tries to find out what is happening. She also deals with issues at home and at school.

I did enjoy this book but it wasn't one of the best I have read. It left a lot of things up to the readers imagination leading you to suspect certain things even though they are never confirmed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book but once I did I thought it was pretty good and it kept my interest through the rest of the book ...I received a free copy from netgalley and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.