I am going to keep this review short and sweet because I dont want to risk giving anything away. We Are All The Same In The Dark is a shocking thriller loaded with dark and horrible secrets that you will not see coming. The novel is divided into multiple narrators, you will hear from Wyatt, Odette and Angel. Each character brings a little more truth to light but will it be enough for you to uncover the towns darkest secret before its too late?

Grab yourself a copy of this gorgeous fast paced thriller today and see if you can solve the crime before its too late!

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 - Rounding up to 5

Loved this book. Such a well written thriller. I'm not sure what has me withholding 5 full stars??? However, it was darn close to perfect. Maybe the pace? I'm not sure because I really didn't have any issue with the slower pace. I would have if I had read this years ago, but I'm proud that I'm a more mature reader at this point and I thought this was truly fantastic.

What's exciting about this book is that a) I had never read this author before so I have backlist to read! b) It was VERY well written and c) It was just a damn good story (one I could easily see play out on TV or in film)

I kind of got some Valentine vibes from this? The writing was vvery atmospheric (also set in Texas) and contained very complex and flawed characters. I would even go as far to say that Texas WAS a character. I'm from NY and have never visited the Lone Star State, but if it could talk it would be through these characters. I loved how well researched this was particularly with respect to people with prosthesis and all the physical and emotional symptoms they experience. I absolutely LOVED how the author moved this story along. I was fine with how it was progressing and then BAM - the Holy Shit factor came into play. And if you love strong women - there are plenty of them here.

I've read more thrillers this year than I normally do, but this one is close to being one of the best. I was very impressed and I cannot wait for the author's next book!!

Thank you to Random House Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.

Review Date: 09/14/2020
Publication Date: 08/11/2020

Ten years ago, Trumanell Branson disappeared, along with her no-good daddy. But it's beautiful Trumanell her Texas town remembers and mourns. And, despite no arrests, they blame her brother, Wyatt, who lives alone on the old Branson homestead, hated by the entire town. When Wyatt, a trucker, finds a girl in a field of dandelions, he thinks it's a sign. As for the town cop, Odette--who has a long history with Wyatt--she fears the discovery of this girl will only turn the town against Wyatt fully and permanently. But when she goes to retrieve her, she feels drawn to the girl. Odette is haunted by Trumanell's disappearance, and now, the arrival of this mystery girl. As she digs into the past and the present, she uncovers shocking secrets about her town and the night that forever changed it.

"She has a bad, bad mystery to her. I can feel it deep in the hollow of my spook bone, the one my dad broke when I was a kid. My arm is never wrong."

This is an amazing, absorbing thriller that draws you in from the first page. Heaberlin writes so beautifully and lyrically--all these dark and horrific moments unfold in such beautiful prose. Her words astound me.

"There's no chatter about why I'm alone, scared, speeding on a prairie road with trees scattered like sailboats, thinking how my daddy, the town's late great top cop, told me to never come back to this little Texas hellhole unless it was to bury his ashes. Don't try to find the truth about Trumanell. Some answers are left to the by and by."

The characters here are beautiful--flawed, damaged, tender, and painted with a depth that will astound you. Troubled Odette, lost Wyatt, and Angel, the girl found in the field. They form a trio that one is unlikely to forget for quite some time.

This is a dark read--atmospheric and sad, and not always easy to read. Bad things happen in this town. Heaberlin's twists are true stunners. It's rare when a thriller takes me by surprise, but wow, I found myself shocked several times, and even better, unaware of the true culprit. How nice to read a mystery without guessing the ultimate ending.

Overall, this is a superb tale of a town held captive by its own secrets and tragedy. The characters come to life before your eyes through Heaberlin's elegant writing. It's shocking and twisted and one that shouldn't be missed. 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Random House/Ballantine and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

Wow. That was my reaction when I read the last page of We Are All the Same in the Dark. This was my first Julia Haeberlin novel, but it’s definitely not going to be my last. In fact, Black-Eyed Susans is next up in my queue.

I absolutely love Julia’s writing style. I love a thriller that hooks me right from the start, which this one DEFINITELY did. I love a character that makes me excited to see what they’re going to do next, and there is a whole cast of them in We Are All the Same in the Dark, and I totally love a strong female protagonist, and this book has two! Add all of that together, and the result is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!

Sadly, I found this to be a lacklustre read. It’s repetitive; the same case is investigated by two people years apart and it’s rehashed without new clues. The mystery isn’t solved, it just ends. The protagonist has that “not like other girls” portrayal where she’s special and all the men love her. I didn't see any character growth and it was really frustrating. But I appreciate that the book has an amputee character, we don’t often see that. Many readers have enjoyed this book so even if it didn't work for me it might work for you. Read this is you like slow-burn mysteries about secrets in a small town!

I really enjoyed Heaberlin’s other novels, but this one was just okay. I like the character Odette; she’s damaged but strong. The author’s writing is very literary and I sometimes got bogged down with it. Although I did not figure out the killer, the ending didn’t pack much of a punch.

4.5 stars. A dark atmospheric mystery that is unsettling as it leads you deep into the decades old unsolved disappearance of a local Texas teen. Secrets and lies are plentiful in this unputdownable haunting and compelling novel. I can always count on Julia Heaberlin for delivering a layered story of substance and intrigue, and she always keeps me guessing to the end. I’ll definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this book to re-read in the future.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh, I want to recommend this thriller to EVERYONE! (And I have been, haha.) I've been avidly seeking out diverse and inclusive thrillers to read for so long, and pickings have been really slim. I was so, so pleasantly surprised to find that this book features multiple disabled characters -- a type of rep that's sadly rare in stories -- especially as the protagonists of the story!

Beyond that, this was also just a fantastic thriller. There were some HUGELY twisty moments, including one that had me gasping aloud in shock. I can't discuss specifics without spoilers, so I'll just say that Julia Heaberlin is really, really clever. Hats off to the author!

It did take a bit of time for me to get into the story, as the style at the start was quite jarring. And it took me longer than I'd care to share to understand that we'd switched POVs completely (rather than it going back and forth between two, which is what I expected only because that's more common than a complete shift to a new POV). I did have a small issue with the ending, but overall this was so well written, emotional, and clever, that even that I didn't really mind.

Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend this wonderful book and can't WAIT to see what else Heaberlin writes in the future! Thank you Ballantine Books for a free advanced e-copy of the book via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! One hell of a Texas thriller; I’m a bit picky on these as a generational Texan. Very well done and very engaging. I was a bit miffed with the ending, but overall a great read.

I love this author. I knew I was going to like this book because she is my style- the way she writes, the characters, the stories, it is all exactly what I love in my books. This was no different, and actually this one was probably my favorite because of the setting and the writing style. I also loved the strong female characters, This is the type of literary thriller that has not only a gripping plot, but as I mentioned, I just can't say enough about her well-developed characters and relevant and important themes about identity, belonging, and belief.

Ten years ago, Trumanell Branson and her father, Frank, went missing. The same night, fleeing the Branson farm, where she’d gone to meet her boyfriend Wyatt, Trumanell’s younger brother, Odette Tucker suffered a life-altering car accident. Wyatt became the leading suspect, but the police never could amass enough evidence to arrest him.

Odette left her small Texas town for college in Chicago, but when her father, a detective, died, she was compelled to return and join the police force. A documentary about Trumanell with an FBI agent fingering Wyatt has renewed the town’s antagonism against him. Although married, Odette’s feelings for Wyatt remain complicated, and she can’t help but want to protect him, even though her partner, Rusty, wants nothing more than to find the smoking gun that will send him away.

I think this will also appeal to fans of Long Bright River, which was also fantastic. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I almost gave up on this book because of the setting, which at first seemed dismal and sad. But having read Black-Eyed Susans by Heaberlin, I knew if I hung in there I would be rewarded with a story worth reading.

The author writes beautifully, and if I had to compare, I would say the tone is like Donna Tartt or Joyce Carol Oates in the way that you sense an underlying despair, and deep generational secrets. The metaphors are original and poetic: "When I finally got home, I wanted to retreat to the coldest place on the planet or at least my husband's arms. It turned out, those were the same things." The insight into the life of individual living with a prosthetic was interesting and well-researched.

While the author spent some time on character descriptions, I struggled to visualize the main characters in the book - maybe because they were deliberately holding back a part of themselves? Or because almost all were tainted with guilt, whether real or imagined. When Angel returns to town, we start to get more perspective and the suspense begins to pick up. The ending was a surprise I didn't see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance reader's copy for review.

There is this saying that follows first impressions and that they count. But for one town, it is a single night that defines some of its citizens - for better or worse. The impression that night left a family with two members missing and presumed dead, a sheriff with a possible secret he took to his grave, and a boy whose existence is henceforth shrouded in mystery and rumor. Wyatt cannot remember much from that night, and what he does remember doesn't add up to two missing people, blood and all the secrets that surround his family. Odette is a rookie cop and the daughter of one of the town's most decorated officers.

Odette and Wyatt has a history that goes beyond the events that occurred that night. And her memories of that night also leave her with only shadows of the truth. So when Wyatt picks up a young, malnourished girl on the side of the highway who refuses to speak, he turns to the one person who hasn't completely demonized him: Odette. Now Odette starts to dive into this girl's past in hopes of creating for her a better future. What she doesn't expect is to simultaneously dig into the haunting ambiguity of that night and the disappearance of her friend, Wyatt's sister, Turmanell.

We Are All the Same in the Dark is an absorbing and haunting novel of mysterious circumstances and how the mind invents truths when there are none. This novel is beautifully written and layered with suspense, twists, and mystic. A must read for fans of psychological thrillers like The Woman in the Window or the writing style of Bryn Greenwood, who authored The Reckless Oath We Made and All the Ugly and Wonderful Things. This book is provoking in many ways and its many layers will only stimulate more thoughts, assumptions, and suspicions.

This was not a favorite for me for many reasons. The style of writing was choppy at times, perhaps intentionally so, but it was not enjoyable to read. The premise is that Wyatt and his sister Trumanell had an evil father and a tough growing up experience that bonded the siblings. Odette dated Wyatt back in those days until the father and sister disappeared and Wyatt was found wandering out of his mind. A lot happened that night, including life long issues for Odette, but now it is 10 years later and the town still wants to hang Wyatt for the supposed killing of his sister. Somehow this never made sense. If they truly cared so much for each other, why would he kill her? Am I missing something? Why is it now 10 years and 15 years later and the town still acts as though it happened yesterday?
Wyatt is now a truck driver and along his route he finds a young teen-ish girl by the side of the road. Why do townspeople immediately call it in as though he'd be in danger of harming her? Who is she and why isn't Odette, local police officer, treating this in a way that is outside the rules?
Odette's husband the lawyer representing Wyatt, her lover, didn't play by any rules I've heard of.
Finally, it was just too much. It went on way too long for what it was saying, which maybe I missed? I still had half a book to finish and didn't care how it ended so I stopped.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

A well crafted story about three girls who's lives are intertwined by horrific circumstances. Be prepared to train all your focus on the story or you may miss something important. This is not fast paced, but it is worth your attention.

First we have the story of Trumanell, who was the town's sweetheart that went missing a decade earlier and is thought to have been killed by her brother Wyatt. Then we meet Angel, a girl found by Wyatt on the side of the road. Having a missing eye isn't her only secret. Odette, one of the town's police, and ex from high-school of Wyatt comes in when she hears that Wyatt has a girl at the house.

I found this story both enjoyable and confusing at times. There is one part that ends due to something happening and then I didn't realize at first that it jumped to years later through the story of one of the other girls. Once I figured it out, the story picked back up and I was set to find out what happened to all three girls.

The three main characters of Angel, Odette and Trumanell were all very strong, caring females who were determined to do good for others and let the real story be heard. They were all not only relatable, but empowering.

I felt like the story's conclusion was a bit off of what i'd expected and kind of came out of nowhere, again, it was a bit confusing. While it is all explained, (and thank you for that) it just seemed a bit off from the narrative we are given. I could be wrong and possibly zoned out or didn't pick up on the hints of it. The discovery itself was well flushed out and really made you feel for the three girls.

Other than that, I loved that this story revolved hugely around people with disabilities and how strong those characters were. Both Odette and Angel, two of the main characters were disabled and it was so nice to view the world through their eye(s). I also loved how at the end of the book, the author talks about how much research and reality was added to these characters based on real life people with disabilities and credits her knowledge and understanding to the people she talked with to get these insights.

All in all a very insightful and entertaining read. Both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. It shows how powerful you are, no matter what your circumstance and how you can do anything if you just set your mind to it. It also highlights the impact of doing good for others and how that can both directly and indirectly affect someones life.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review

I couldn’t love this author’s books more. Dark and suspenseful- her books are the ideal thriller in my opinion. I loved this book and it lived up to all of my expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this title.

Trumanell Branson's murder is still the talk of the town ten years later when Odette Turner takes up the family mantle as a police officer. Obsessed with the disappearance and assumed murder of her first boyfriend's sister, she searches out clues to find out where she is. When a young girl is found by Wyatt, Tru's sister and Odette's ex, Odette has to decide whether she thinks Wyatt is a friend or foe. The two girls haunt Odette, one living, one dead. Will the town ever know what happened?

I truly enjoyed this book. There were strong female characters that drove the narrative, and the whodunnit was done well, with the proper amount of twist.

Holy Cow! I had to stop and take a minute after finishing We Are All the Same in the Dark! Starts off hooking you, then you climb this hill, the anticipation growing, you get to the top, your heart beats faster, and then the downhill climb is something that can't be described with words, because the emotions are so intense! This book had me hooked from start to finish. The writing itself is absolutely stunning and very catchy, and then the story hooks you and reels you in one page at a time, deeper and deeper into the book, until you finally look up and realize that you have been sitting in the same spot, in the exact same position, without moving for the past 3 hours. Wait, maybe that was just me, but once you dive into this book you'll find yourself in the same circumstance. This book starts off being told from the perspective of Wyatt, who's sister, Trumanelle Branson went missing. Then the book jumps to being told from Odette's perspective. Odette plays a very big part of the story being a cop but also likes to do her own investigating in her own time. Last but not least, you meet Angel and she tells her part of the story with a very different look on things (literally, all pun intended). You will get to know angel as a young girl, sweet, innocent, and silent. Or is she? Once you're lost in the book you will find your heart beating faster, nail biting, and sitting on the edge of your seat may occur. The author has written this book with an intense understanding and knowledge on what she's writing, which in my opinion, makes the story so much better than others! So, if you're looking for a book that will take you away from reality, and make you feel so many different emotions, then We Are All the Same in the Dark is your next read! This is one of my top 3 books of the year!

This novel requires patience for the payoff. When I started reading, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue on. I found the first part of the book unclear and often found myself re-reading sections to figure out the context. But as the POV switched from town outcast, Wyatt, to local detective, Odette, I began to get sucked in by the mystery of the one-eyed girl and the nature of mystery within the confines of a small town.

We Are all the Same in the Dark was a dark and mysterious book set in an atmospheric rural small Texas town with a history of unrest within the Branson and Tucker families. It's been 10 years since teenager Trumanell Branson disappeared and the case has gone cold. Not only did Odette Tucker lose her best friend 10 years ago, but she also lost her leg on the night that Trumanell and her abusive father disappeared. Now she is back in town as the youngest cop, taking after her late father who was an officer until his death. Odette is determined to solve the mystery of Tru Branson, and now there is another girl in the mix. A girl with one eye who doesn't speak, which Odette feels is her duty to serve and protect. Are the two cases related? Is Tru's brother, Wyatt, responsible for her disappearance like so many in the town believe? Odette was once in love with Wyatt Branson, but now he is a shell of the man he once was. Will Odette solve the mystery of Tru's disappearance or will she end up one of the lost girls herself? This is a wonderfully written and suspenseful novel that you won't be able to put down. Odette is a strong female character with both flaws and fierce determination in abundance. Highly recommend!

I need more thrillers set in my state of Texas in my life. Holy HECK this one was incredible. I didn't see the twist coming at all. I need to get this physical copy for my library ASAP.