“We grow accustomed to the Dark—
When Light is put away—“
—Emily Dickinson

It’s is with this quote that Amy Engel’s The Familiar Dark begins and it really sets the tone for the story. The story starts dark and gritty with the death of Junie, who is Eve’s only child. Eve is barely scraping by in a small, rather desolate town that seems to be left behind and forgotten by most of metropolitan America. Eve is pretty much a tough badass who decides she need to figure out who her daughter’s killer is. She doesn’t have anything to lose because she’s lost pretty much the only thing she’s ever cared about.

Gritty is actually the best way to describe this book. The characters were gritty, the setting was gritty—everything was just a little bit dirty and a little bit on the wrong side of right. This book was a solid, suspenseful read with twists that surprised me. Eve was like able and easily relatable and you hoped that if you were in the same situation that you’d do the exact same thing.

Overall I loved this book. I identified with Eve as a mother. The loss of a child would be utterly numbing and the fact that Eve remained so strong and got so much done made her an absolute badass. Five amazing stars.

Less than a thriller and more of an examination of familial relationships (primarily mother/daughter and brother/sister), The Familiar Dark is a gritty story with an of-the-moment setting. Anyone who has watched Ozark on Netflix will easily be able to picture Eve's tiny, poor town in Missouri. The book gives off the same gray, unsettling vibe as the show, too.

After Eve's daughter and her best friend are murdered on a run-down playground, Eve takes it upon herself to investigate the murders and exact revenge on the killer. What she uncovers is more horrific than she could have ever imagined.

There are some heartbreaking twists/reveals in this story, and the entire thing feels very desolate and hopeless. I wasn't impressed with the ending when I first read it - some of it seems very out of character and almost like a stretch. But the more I think about it, and the more I think about the setting and the personal background of each character...i'm not ENTIRELY convinced that it's plausible, but i'm starting to come around that maybe it was an inevitable conclusion for these characters. Just be forewarned: it's dark and it's sad and there are no winners in this book.

The Familiar Dark is a powerful story of poverty, murder, and family ties that grabs you from the first chapter and keeps you guessing until the final word. Eve is a tough, young mother whose twelve year old daughter, Junie, is murdered alongside her best friend Izzy one cold, snowy afternoon. With her entire world thrown upside down and the one thing keeping her sane taken from her, Eve struggles to keep it together. Her small, poverty stricken and drug infested Midwest town is closing in on her and she knows someone knows something. With the help of her brother Cal, abusive ex-boyfriend, estranged mother, and Izzy's parents, Eve is determined to hunt down her daughter's killer if it's the last thing she does. The Familiar Dark follows Eve to places to she never thought she would go again, uncovers buried secrets that threaten the lives of everyone close to her, and tests the strength of the family ties Eve thought were long forgotten. A masterful storyteller, Engel drags you down into the depths of grief and despair and leads you on the fight for justice.

The story opens with the deaths of two young girls. It is spoken from one of the girl's perspective and her memories that flash before her death. It's captivating and jarring. Then we follow, Eve Taggert, mother of one of the girls killed, as she finds out. This is the most heartwrenching moment to read a mother being notified of her child's death. So at this point, readers are feeling a deep sympathy for the main character, a hardworking, single mother trying to give everything to her child. Eve manages her grief with the poison of revenge. She can't eat, think or feel unless its related to her daughter's death and finding the monster who killed her. In this process of grieving, readers get a walk through the life of the poor town she lives in, her family (an absurd mother and doting brother who is also a cop and affected deeply by the death of his niece). Readers gather an understanding of how relationships work in this hard-nosed town full of folks trying to make ends meet. Eve is unlike any character I've read before. She's soft but hard in so many ways and understands what its like to be a woman in society. Underestimated, overlooked and judged. This is where the true depth of this novel takes root. There are many times in the story that the main character, Eve, reflects on what it's like to be a woman and a mother and its really thought-provoking. So even as Eve gets closer to finding out who stole away the only thing keeping her hope alive for the future, she learns more about herself and her ability to change, grow and use all the tools in her toolkit to survive. All in all, I loved this story and it had a pretty good twist at the end that will leave most people shocked if they aren't watching hard enough. This novel serves up heart and soul on a platter and makes you get wrapped up in the character's angst. I'd highly recommend this novel for purchase as you will find yourself enthralled on page 1.


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Raging Book Reviews Highly Recommended

*Special thanks to #netgalley and @duttonbooks #duttonbooks for the advanced copy for review.

The Familiar Dark is a chilling, atmospheric murder mystery in a town plagued by drug abuse and corruption. When Eve Taggert's daughter is murdered, her life is turned into a tailspin - having suffered at the hands of her drug addicted mother - her and her brother swore they'd always be there to protect Eve's daughter, but when the unthinkable happens, all bets are off.

Engel does an excellent job with the prose in this story and the pacing moves right along - coming in at under 300 pages, this one is definitely a quick read and one that will have you turning the pages - desperate alongside Eve to solve the case!

Amy Engel has written a taut and engrossing page turner of a read with The Familiar Dark. Well worth the read!

"the baby snuffled a little, burrowing against her chest, seeking. She had a sudden urge to pinch her daughter, show her, right from the start, that the world was full of ugly things. That way her daughter wouldn't be surprised later, wouldn't be weak, expecting the world to do her any favors. Trying, in the best way she knew how, to teach her daughter something worth learning. "

I was expecting something else entirely when I picked up this book. I was ready for an atmospheric, twisty thriller, except it wasn't. I wanted to love this book, and I loved the sound of it. I think my expectations were somewhere else entirely, and that is completely on me.
I figured it out about 25% into the book, and kept reading hoping to find a big plot twist along the way, something unexpected, but It fell flat for me.
I was stoked to start a book with a strong female protagonist, especially a mom seeking vengeance for her murdered daughter, I mean, a woman scorned, right? Instead she kept breaking my heart with her "we are nothing but white trash hicks" lines, and constantly belittling herself throughout the entire book. (not to mention terrible decision after terrible decision along the way. ) I couldn't bring myself to like her, and I couldn't relate to her at all. I was really hoping for more from her as a character.
I am giving this book 3/5. This one was too easy to predict, too many clues left to pick apart, to many breadcrumbs to follow.
**Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for my copy in exchange for an honest review**

An unforgettable look at a woman's reaction to the worst pain a mother could suffer. Not just the death of her child, the cold blooded murder of her child. The book launches with the murder. Then you meet the young girl's mother and hear her history and you know, this will not end well for the killer. Amy Engel weaves in a mother's pain and vow of vengeance among a cast of characters so hard you hope you never meet anyone like them. She demonstrates a skill that not enough authors have, she pulls you into the middle of this story and keeps you there. My husband says he can tell when I'm reading a GOOD book by the sound effects and I made a lot of them while reading this one. This book rates a WOW and 5 stars!

13 year old best friends Izzy and Junie, are murdered in cold blood. When police officer Cal comes to tell his sister, Eve, her daughter died, Eve realizes she’s been holding her breath for the past 13 years waiting for this tragedy to happen. Cal and Eve’s upbringing was terrible, filled with an addicted nasty mother and those who surrounded her. Trying to find out what happened to her daughter brings her back to the seedy side of her life filled with good and bad nasty people, and forces her to once again have contact with her mother. But in the end she and Izzy’s mom find out exactly what happened to their babies, and what they need to do for justice.
Well written but at the same time sad, and hard to read! I still enjoyed this book.

The Familiar Dark follows a mom, Eve Taggart, who is determined to identify her daughter’s killer after she is brutally murdered on the local playground. Along the way, she uncovers secrets she isn’t prepared for...secrets that alter her life course AND reshape the memories she had growing up. ⁣⁣
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My main problem with this book is that there was no sleuthing. Almost at all. The first few pages were INCREDIBLE. And then the rest of the book never followed through. It felt as though Eve just ran around the for awhile with no real “detective work” transpiring to find answers. ⁣⁣
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BUT the second half did pick up a bit and by the end, the overarching theme and the character arc of Eve brought this book up to a 3.5 for me. The author’s ultimate big picture is very well written and her character development is excellent. But the plot and lack of true “thriller” type events and sequencing left me wanting more.⁣⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5⁣⁣

Eve has had a tough life., she grew up up in the poorest part of town, daughter to a violent, meth addicted mother with only her older brother to give her comfort and stability. When she becomes pregnant at 18 from a one night stand, she swears to do everything right by her baby.
When her 12 year old daughter Junie and her best friend are murdered in the park, Eve swears vengeance. Unlike most books, she doesn't know more than the police and struggles to find answers, which I found quite refreshing. I don't think Eve is someone I'd be friends with in real life, but she's a character I respected the hell out of...for the most part. (There were a few choices/decisions she made where I wanted to reach into the pages of my book and give her a hard shake!)
The Familiar Dark absolutely tore me apart! I read it in one afternoon, and could not put it down. There were a few twists which I felt were quite unnecessary, but on the whole, this was a fantastic read!
I hadn't read anything by Amy Engel before, but because she writes her characters with such authenticity and heart, I will go out of my way to find, and read, more of her books!
I give this 4.5 stars out of a possible 5
I received an ARC from NetGalley and PENGUIN Group Dutton in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

The Familiar Dark is a quick moving, gritty book that pulled me in at once. How does a parent deal with their child's murder; how far will they go for vengeance? Having come from a similar background as Eve, I identified immediately with Eve's hard-as-nails mother and the supportive brother that has helped her maintain some semblance of normal life since Eve left home, pregnant with her daughter. Now that the one bright light in her life is gone, she sees just how easy it is to return to "the familiar dark" as she seeks the murderer. Who it is, and what Eve does to exact justice is shocking. Book clubs will have plenty to discuss after reading this novel!

The Familiar Dark is a gripping. character-driven thriller following a mom who will stop at nothing to find out the truth of what happened when her daughter is murdered on a playground. The setting of the Missouri Ozarks is so lively that it feels like a character itself. Engel's writing is outstanding. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy a character-driven thriller or if you enjoyed The Roanoke Girls.

[ BOOK REVIEW ] *not spoiling*
Although there are many good crime and thriller novels available, hardly any devote a great part of the story to the pain and process a victim’s mother goes through. In The Familiar Dark 📖 main protagonist Eve, coming from an unkind, cold childhood – has lived up to her promise: she will not repeat the mistakes her mother had made. She would love her daughter Junie with all her heart, provide her with a stable home, food on the table, attention and make her feel loved.

When her daughter is killed (happens right at the start, not-spoiling) – this, leaves a hole in Eve’s world. But she’s a fighter & giving in, isn’t her way. She goes on a hunt for the killer.
Amy Engel has written this novel so well, portraying unexpected loss, she has a special way to bring a character to life, bit by bit – the more I kept reading, the more it felt as if I’d known Eve for a long time.

Halfway-through, the book had me in tears. Because Engel’s characters feel real, the pain they cause to each other, their soft spots cocooned in a whirlwind of anger, always afraid that showing their empathetic side would give room for getting hurt.
This is one of the rare (let’s call it) “thriller” novels that I’d recommend also to readers who usually, prefer general fiction with character-focus.

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel
My Rating: 4 3/4 🌟 out of 5
Recommended and highly so, if you want to read a different thriller novel, focusing on the characters, their background stories & setting (better have tissues at hand)
Publication Date: 31 March 2020

One big thank you! to the dear lady at @duttonbooks who kindly shared the e-book ARC link with me. I had no idea how much this book would speak to me & have ordered The Roanoke Girls (Engel’s earlier work) right away.
Dear Amy Engel, I love this book!

This was absolutely NOT a fun read, but it was compelling as all hell and unputdownable. Even after I saw the end coming, the writing sucked me in and held me in its grip.

After loving The Roanoke Girls, I knew I had to pick up Amy Engel’s next novel. While it wasn’t as amazing as Tne Roanoke Girls, I did really like it. Our main character is strong and easy to empathize with, the secondary cast of. Hat Ayers were also well written and interesting. I actually could not put it down. I’ll be looking forward to whatever she writes next.

THE KEY POINTS OF THE STORY⇣

⬥OZARK MOUNTAINS
⬥MURDER OF TWO TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRLS
⬥A MOTHER TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY HER DAUGHTERS MEMORY
⬥LIFE IN THE HOLLAR
⬥TWISTED & A LITTLE TWISTY

STATS⇣

BOOK COVER⇢ It doesn't do the book justice
SETTING⇢ Missouri Ozarks
SOURCE⇢ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
eBOOK LENGTH⇢ 256 Pages

MY THOUGHTS⇣

What makes a murder mystery a favorite? This is a question I've asked myself quite a few times since I started reading this genre. Seriously, there's not a lot to love about murder. Near as I can come up with...is a book that really affects you in some way, whether it be fear, loathing or one you just can't get out of your head. This book is kind of all three of those, and then some. I also still think about the Roanoke Girls by this same Author. I've rated both 5 stars and they both totally deserve it. Deeply affecting.

I've read a couple of other books that deal with the area of Central to the Eastern United States Mountainous ranges (Winters Bone & The Weight of This World). But, The Familiar Dark has been the best one of all three so far. This book hooked me from the start, I felt like I was on this quest with Eve to solve the murder of her daughter and her daughter's friend. Experiencing everything she experiences, from the lows to the even lower's and even the few highs.

The beginning of this gutted me and the middle had me transfixed and the end left me gasping and in tears...such a gutwrenching story. That is not just superbly written but is also perfectly plotted. I highly recommend.

MY RATING⇢ 5 STARS | GRADE A+

BREAKDOWN⇣
Plot⇢ 5/5
Characters⇢ 5/5
The Feels⇢ 5/5
Pacing⇢ 5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 5/5
Ending⇢ 5/5

Another book will shake you to the core, leaving an unforgettable scar at your sole forever, stealing a vulnerable piece of your heart!

In the middle of wilderness, abandoned, neglected town, left behind with its trailer park, an empire of crystal meth, heroine industry with its citizens who turned into wolves wearing human posts.

Welcome to Missouri, Ozarks and meet with our heroine Eve Taggert who grew up with her drug addicted mother and her older brother Cal who did everything to protect and help her survive at this jungle. Now she became a mother of 12 years old Junie, is determined to do whatever it takes to keep her own daughter safe at this thrilling environment. But how long they could survive? A killer is out there, hunting the young girls!
Somebody has to stop him. But who? Who could you trust? She is living in a violent boys’ club kind of community, a group of fathers and husbands who neglect their own families!

Yes, this book is ugly, harsh, disturbing, dark, crude and reading story seems like feeling stab wounds at your chest! It is realistic, depressing, irritating and not for every reader which makes it a quite delicate, unique and outstanding reading.

The two girls of small town were killed. Eve has to use the life lessons her mother told her for scheming her vengeance and wearing her protection armor against the upcoming threats for her own family.

This book is small-burn mystery, captivating your thoughts and enchanting you to a darkest journey. As soon as you involve in you hardly breathe. It’s hard to digest what you read. You’re gonna need more time to absorb the things.

If you’re a fan of whodunit kind of fast reading, this book is not for you. You may sense who the killer is but you keep reading because the world building of the story and the eerie atmosphere, heroine’s strength push you learn more about the story.

It’s remarkably dark but one of the best stories I’ve lately read. If you also enjoy Roanoke Girls, you shouldn’t skip this author’s brand new, fantastic work.

Special thanks to Netgalley and PENGEIN GROUP Dutton to share this powerful book’s ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.

Eve Taggert’s whole world is torn apart when her daughter is murdered on a playground. With the help of her estranged mother, Eve makes it her mission to find the killer and make him or her pay.

I loved so many things about this. The Missouri Ozarks setting is captivating and a character unto itself. The portrayal Eve’s character was believable and heartbreaking, as she processed all the stages of grief. This was a fast read, filled with suspense the entirety, right up to the shocking conclusion.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Dutton Books and Amy Engel for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book shines on every level: sentence after sentence is beautiful and precise. The characters are complicated and sympathetic, the ideas are sweeping and profound, but are never too overt. It’s a rare novel that is as accomplished in its meaning as it is in its storytelling while also succeeding wildly on the language level as well! A novel to lose yourself in and then reflect upon again and again.