Beautifully written prose, among a dark southern gothic. Lot's of suspense, told from three POVs in a small Texas town where everyone has a secret.

The following post was published on my blog (blogginboutbooks.com) on 09.20.21:

Ten years ago, a beautiful 19-year-old cheerleader went missing from a small Texas town. Her disappearance still haunts the place and the people who vowed to find Trumanell "True" Branson, but couldn't. Although he has been cleared by the authorities, many believe True's younger brother, Wyatt, killed her. Especially after a new documentary focuses the spotlight on him once more. His standing in the town becomes even more precarious when a young girl is seen at his home. The recluse claims he found the mute, abused child on the side of the road. Is Wyatt, a presumed murderer, really being a Good Samaritan? Or does he have more sinister plans for the mysterious girl he calls Angel? Who is she, anyway? Where did she come from? And, most importantly, who hurt her?

Odette Tucker—daughter of the town's beloved police chief, now a cop in her own right—feels an immediate kinship with Angel. She doesn't want to believe that Wyatt, her high school boyfriend, could hurt anyone, but it's her duty to protect her town. As she investigates one lost girl in the present, her thoughts turn constantly to True. What really happened to Odette's old friend? Can the two cases possibly be connected? The more Odette digs, the more dangerous her investigation becomes. Will she be the next woman to disappear from a town steeped in secrets?

Tense, atmospheric mysteries are my jam, so I was all in for this gritty thriller. We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin stars a brave police officer with a tough exterior, a titanium leg, and a soft, loyal heart. Odette has her flaws, but all in all, she's a likable, root-worthy heroine. The supporting cast members (with a few exceptions, most notably Maggie and crew) are less affable, but still intriguing in their contrasting complexity. An atmospheric Texas setting provides a vivid backdrop to the story, with some small-town politics thrown in for added tension and drama. Plot-wise, the tale is gripping, with plenty of conflict to keep it interesting. I saw the killer coming, yes, but not their motive. There were a few other twists along the way, including a unique story shift that really caught me by surprise. While I'm still not sure I liked the jarring swerve, it definitely added an intriguing layer to the story. While We Are All the Same in the Dark is a raw, depressing tale, it's a mostly satisfying one that kept me burning through its pages, eager to know what was going to happen next. This is the first book I've read by Heaberlin, but believe you me, I'll be checking out her others.

(Readalikes: Reminds me of other small-town-big-secrets thrillers, but no specific titles are coming to mind. You?)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language, violence, depictions of illegal drug use (marijuana), mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of We Are All the Same in the Dark from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Had a hard time getting into this book. It had it’s moments, but I found myself struggling to get through it for some reason. I think I just didn’t like the characters and had a hard time feeling anything connected to them

Almost 10 years to the day, Trumanell Branson disappeared. Even though there was no evidence to convict him, everyone has always believed that her brother, Wyatt, killed her. We begin the story from Wyatt’s perspective as he finds a young mute girl in a field of dandelions.



Wyatt calls the little girl Angel and asks Odette Tucker to help him figure out who she is and where she came from. Odette has recently moved back to her hometown to take over her late father’s position in the sheriff’s department. Odette agrees to help and lends her perspective to the story as she works to solve both this case and the case of Trumanell’s disappearance.



Angel herself lends the final perspective to this psychological thriller. The book is well written with fantastic story building and character development. The twists and turns taken by this story are as exciting as they are unexpected.

An interesting slow-burn mystery told from three perspectives that worked. Sometimes, stories told from various views don't work, but in this case, it paid off.

I went into this expecting absolutely nothing. And it blew me away.

I was incredibly shocked by how good this book was. It is a true shame it did not get the publicity and chatter it deserves. I'm not sure I would have heard of it if I hadn't seen it on NetGalley.

I'm having such a hard time writing this review. The writing, the prose itself is absolutely exceptional. There are some turns of phrases and metaphors that blew me fucking away.

The story and characters are so rich, and the setting is wonderfully atmospheric. There are some heartfelt moments that grab your heart and squeeeeeeze. The character of Wyatt is my favorite kind of character: a big mean bad guy who is also very much a softy at the same time. I could read about Wyatt all day long. Honestly, I wish the book was told from his point of view in totality.

I'm not sure if this was labeled this as a thriller. It's one of those that's like a thriller but it's a slow burn.

I would give this a lot more than five stars if I could.

There is one use of the word /crippled/ in the ARC that those in charge should revise.

A huge, huge thanks to the author, the publisher, and netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

I truly enjoyed this book. I read it during my huge thriller/mystery binge during my work leave from Covid. This was a very creepy book and I had to buy myself a copy to reread.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this at the moment. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

A twisty, thriller that kept me invested until the very end. A cold case and a new murder investigation collide as old secrets come out and past sins are revealed.

This book was one of those that was confusing but at the same time--- made you want to keep reading it to find out what was the true story behind the missing Trumanell Branson.. A decade after her disappearance, her small town is no closer to figuring it out than before. Her brother Wyatt lives a reclusive life after the townspeople themselves determine he was involved in whatever happened to her. The local cop, Odette Tucker, has her own secrets. Then Wyatt finds a young abandoned girl who brings a whole other dimension into the intricacies of the story. The story is written through a 3-person perspective, which can get confusing, but has its own purpose in the telling. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. #NetGalley #WeAreAllTheSameInTheDark

Thank you to Random House Ballantine, and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel. The book is written with three different points of view and very different time periods. I found the book slow to start and was confused by all the different layers weaved into the book. I like to read for enjoyment and I found this book to require a little too much effort on my part to hold my interest.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ballantine Books, and Julia Heaberlin for giving me an ARC in exchange for review! This review will be published on my Goodreads account immediately and Instagram account on May 26th, 2021.

“If everybody’s holes were as obvious as a missing body part, what would the word disabled even mean? Would we erase disabled from the dictionary? Would the word not even exist, because all of us are both broken and whole?”

HOW are more people not talking about this book? I read the whole thing in a day -- an impressive feat for me -- and I am obsessed. The plot was incredibly topsy turvy, and there were a lot of even just subtle events and clues that I didn’t expect to have the outcome they did. I was GLUED to this story, and it felt almost cinematic in pacing, but with the ability to go into detail of a novel, a really great combo for a thriller. Also, I am now certain that I really do enjoy detective stories! This had great elements of unreliable narrators, and at no point in the story did I feel confident in any of the character’s motives. I could see the end being a little disappointing to some, but I thought it was pretty well done and almost haunting.

Small towns are usually tight knit communities. Everyone knows everyone's business no matter how hard you try and keep the secrets locked down. So when the town's golden girl goes missing and is never found fingers point wildly.

Odette is haunted. Multiple ghosts swirl around her head. These are what push her to help the lost girl that was found in the middle of a field. Found by the one person everyone suspects for the disappearance that happened so long ago.

What Odette doesn't seem to realize is that someone isn't happy with the dust she is kicking up. Dust that they thought had settled so long ago. Someone that will stop at nothing to make sure the truth never sees the light of day.

Suspenseful, thought provoking and very intriguing. We Are All the Same in the Dark was a very interesting story to experience.

Amazing. I absolutely loved this book, could not put it down. The author's use of different POVs along a linear timeline was so interesting and compelling, and the voice of each character was unique. I also felt the setting was perfect for this novel, as if it was made for it.

I cannot wait to read more of this author's books.

We Are All the Same in the Dark was one of my favorite books of 2020! As a fellow Texan like the author, I loved the dark small town feels. The mystery was very intriguing and the message of the story hit me right in the gut. I can’t wait to read more by author Julia Heaberlin.

This book was a bit of a mystery for me to review. I started the book and was somewhat confused at first. I had the feeling that I was missing something like a chapter or two. I restarted the book and the result was the same. There were multiple perspectives that were choppy and transitions were murky. It was a mystery within a mystery but author Julia Heaberlin started to clear the path to a mystery thriller that transforms into a fascinating near true crime novel.
Told from the point of view of three people, this Texas murder-mystery is much like the tornados in Texas, slow and steady at first but once it gains full force, no one or place is unaffected.
Some fifteen years ago, teenager Wyatt Branson's father and sister go missing and are presumed dead. With no other suspects, the town and court of public opinion have always believed that Wyatt was guilty. As the law in Texas states, someone has to pay.
Wyatt has lived in near isolation after his families disappearance only leaving for his house as a tractor trailer driver.
Driving the open highway on a clear, sunny day allows Wyatt to see everything including the girl laying in a field near the side of the road. This can't be good for Wyatt to stop but his conscience tells him to do the right thing and stop.
Wyatt realizes that she is alive but needs help. Unfortunately when you are already a perceived murderer, taking a young girl to the hospital or doctor's office is out of the question.
Wyatt has one option, call the only person in town that you trust and believes in your innocence. Odette Tucker, was Wyatt's high school girlfriend and now a local cop. That's right, Wyatts one defender in this Texas town is a cop that comes from a long line of law enforcement officers. In fact, the family's yellow house, where Odette resides is nicknamed The Blue House.
Odette has been on a mission to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Wyatt's sister, Trumanell, and his father. She takes Wyatt's call and heads to the house to find another mystery on her hands.
A young and traumatized teenage girl, who is bloody and beaten, is laying on Wyatt's sofa. She won't speak and theres something physically wrong with her.
Odette now has two mysteries on her hands. It's a race against time to solve the mystery of this girls identity before the town passes judgement on Wyatt again.
By now this slow-burn of a thriller is on fire and it goes from a follow the speed limit drive down the highway to an all out drag race.
There is more than one surprise in this book including the person who is the third point of view which is why it's worth preserving through the beginning. James Baldwin once said, "You go into a book and you're really in the dark, really. You go in with a certain fear and trembling. You know one thing. You know you will not be the same person when this voyage is over. But you don't know whats going to happen to you between getting on the boat and stepping off."
I can tell you that Julia Heaberlin's, We Are All the Same in the Dark, is a boat ride that starts out in a dense fog but journeys along the water to much clearer skies ahead.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #WeAreAlltheSameintheDark

In the decade since Trumanell Branson disappeared, leaving only a bloody handprint behind, her brother Wyatt has been found guilty in the court of public opinion. Her legend is apparent, from the posters that still hang, as the town clings to the hope that Trumanell will come home. When Wyatt finds a girl, surrounded by dandelions, will the discovery fuel the flames of his sister's disappearance once again? Will Odette Tucker, now a police officer but once Wyatt's friend, tie together the missing pieces of the past to put the disappearance to rest?

We Are All the Same in the Dark is a slow building novel, with just too much going on to be a cohesive story. The twist that becomes the eventual conclusion is not one that I necessarily guessed, but comes too late in a book for which my interest is lost. Wyatt's story is compelling enough on its own, so the addition of the plot lines with Odette and Angel just serve to muddy the story. There are missing pieces that are never filled in, critical parts of the plot that might have been great for giving the investigation a little life. The characters have a lot of background, but they are not really developed enough to become lifelike. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend We Are All the Same in the Dark to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of We Are All the Same in the Dark by NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books. The decision to review this novel was entirely my own.

Absolutely must read ,drew me in kept me turning the pages.Twists turns kept me guessing till the end.#netgalley #randomhouse

at first, this book was really hard to get into, and I found myself being off-put by the slowness of the first couple of chapters. However, I guarantee you it's worth it because once you reach the middle, you'll be hooked. the middle-end sections of the book were well-paced, and I couldn't put the book down after! the plot is really well developed, and the characters are convincing and just so well thought out.

A great fats paced thriller that kept me up at night, eager to find out how it would end. The characters are relatable and the mystery keeps you on your toes. I highly recommend this book.