A new twist on the serial killer theme - definitely worth reading! I read a lot and see the same themes over and over, this was a well done plot kind of combining the serial killer, cult, and family mystery all woven together. Characters were well developed and flawed, which I like since you get tired of all the perfect people in some novels. May not like them or agree with them, but they are more human and give a better story. If you like a good mystery with relatable people - you will like this one.

A Dark and Secret Place was a unique thriller with plenty of twists.

After her mother’s shocking suicide, Heather Evans returns home and discovers a stack of letters from infamous serial killer Michael Reave. Known as the Red Wolf, Michael was convicted for the gruesome murders of several women.

When bodies start turning up dead in the style of the Red Wolf, Heather agrees to talk to Michael in prison and try to get some answers about who her mother really was, who may be responsible for the current murders and what darkness really drove her mother to kill herself.

This novel had a lot of strong points including a unique story line and a creepy, intriguing pace. There was a lot going on (a serial killer’s backstory, a lot of talk about a commune, some fairy tales and a lot of characters). The chapters are also told from different perspectives (Heather’s, Michael’s and various women that have recently gone missing) and it becomes a lot to keep track of. I found Heather to be a bit unlikeable as a protagonist, coming off as pushy and abrasive during some parts. While I enjoyed the story, I found the ending to be very rushed, packing in a lot of major twists in a short amount of time. There is also a romance aspect that wasn’t fully fleshed out and, as a result, felt unresolved/unnecessary in the end. A good atmospheric read, but not one of my favourites.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this e-book in exchange for a review.

This book had all the makings of a great story but it was just ok for me. Heather Evans returns home after her mother commits suicide. She finds letters from convicted serial killer Michael Reave in her mother's belongings and decides to investigate especially when new bodies of women killed in the same way start appearing. The story moves between "before" and present day to tell the story of how everyone is connected. The build up was so slow that it wasn't until more than 60% into the book that it picked up. The writing was good and the setting creepy but I felt like there were a lot of storylines left unfinished.

Heather has returned for her mother’s funeral and having left home at sixteen is wondering why her mother committed suicide. Her mother was a cold person who Heather was not close to but after going through her mothers things - who was this woman?
This book starts well and although I found the middle part a little rambling it was a readable thriller.
The plot which does have twists was somewhat predictable.
This would be recommended by me as an easy read

A truly scary, spooky read. I had my heart in my mouth at several places in the book. Compelling and beautifully written. Not a run of the mill thriller, very different, with interesting characters. I loved this book. Highly recommended.

This was a fast and interesting read for the most part, but I found the denouement a little far-fetched. Also, the detail about the red coat was just baffling to me. I realize that I'm focusing on an odd detail, but still--she kept her coat on? It just seems like that was a detail shoehorned in for the plot.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing this review copy.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Heather returns home when her mother commits suicide after having been estranged for awhile. As she goes through her mother's belongings, she is surprised to find a tin of letters to a serial killer. Stranger still is that murders have been discovered recently, in the same style as that of the imprisoned killer.
Overall I liked it, but it was a bit unrealistic in places. Some parts were predictable, but there was enough suspense to keep it interesting.

A dark story about Heather Evans, an ex journalist who returns to her mother's house after she died through suicide. The suspense is built up gradually, in the beginning Heather has a strange feeling that something is not right. Never having had a good relationship with her mother, she starts to investigate the life she led which led her to a serial killer and the site of a former "hippy commune" .
The story dragged at times, but became fast moving towards the end when everything fell into place. I, personally did got get the impression of terror that some other reviewers mention, but this is certainly not a cosy crime novel. The story mostly follows Heatherin the present time, but also delves into past events which provides some explanation about the murders, both in the present and the past. Definitely a book which stays with you for a few days, though not one which gave me nightmares.
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. This is one of the better thrillers I had read more on time. You grow so fond of the characters, even the bad guy. One of the more unique subplots. Beyond five star

I really enjoyed this book! There are plenty of twists and turns, and the writing style is atmospheric and matches the very dark, creepy tone of the book. One of the twists was completely jaw dropping and unexpected. Recommend for fans of dark psychological thriller or even horror. The serial killer is beyond sadistic but I appreciate that the author does not use rape as a plot device. Our murderer is more Hannibal Lecter.

I really really enjoyed this book! I went into in blind and was drawn in from the first chapter! Never read anything by this author before but I would again, lots of twists and turns that almost , almost kept me guessing! Thank you!

Extremely scary dark thriller, I finished this book in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down. When Heather’s mom commits suicide she is shocked, when she finds her mom was corresponding with a serial killer for years she is absolutely blown away. As Heather tries to piece together the details of a mother that was often distant and difficult the story she uncovers is chilling and horrifying to say the least. This book is sure to keep you up way past your bedtime. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for this e ARC.
A truly compelling read.
Some parts made me cringe. This was a far better story than I expected.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and would definitely read more thrillers from this Author.
I would also class it as physiological thriller.
Recommended reading.

I loved the concept of this book. The first half was so strong, I was so enthralled by the initial set up, it was intriguing and the author builds a really strong atmosphere of creepiness and the set up is so engaging. The setting was the strongest part of the book for me, the woods added to the overall vibe in a very good way. I also loved the addition of lore and almost fantastical elements.

However, over time, I found that the initial intrigue didn't pan out. There was so much to keep track of and I found that some of the elements took away from the story. I struggled with Heather as a character, I didn't always find her to be likable and a lot of her choices didn't seem to make much sense, especially because she is meant to be an intelligent investigator.

I found that the first 70% was incredibly slow, but then the last 30% felt rushed, it felt like Williams just crammed in a lot of the information in order to add in a couple of extra twists that the story could have done without. I still don't fully understand how Heather ended up at the cabin.

Overall it was a decent read, but not my favourite.

There’s a lot to like about A Dark And Secret Place, particularly if you’re a fan of the Gone Girl or The Girl On The Train brand of thriller: The mystery is twisting and engaging, the characters are flawed but relatable, and there’s a sort of Silence Of The Lambs-esque form to the whole thing that’s quite appealing. Bits of the reveal at the end felt a little as if they’d come out of left field, so to speak; even so, though, it’s a satisfying read when you’re in the mood for something that feels a little bit dangerous.

A Dark and Secret Place began intriguing. Half way through, my opinion changed. Heather, to my way of thinking, is a crass and witless person. She, and her friend Nikki, are two impotent human beings. The book grabs you and then, slowly but surely, morphs abysmal. The plot undergoes a transformation from captivating to preposterous. Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this opportunity to read this ARC.

WOW! Now THIS is a thriller.
After Heather's mother dies, she finds secret correspondence with a serial killer. I read this entire book in one day and was up half the night thinking about it.

This book was not that engaging to me, although I think it could be to others.

I enjoy a page-turning thriller type book. This was more of a slow burn - lots of atmosphere and good story telling. If you are more interested in the journey than the destination, this book could be for you. There were plot twists that i actually didn't see coming and the 2nd half was much more engaging than the first half.

It was an interesting and engaging yet slow read..

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the advance copy, which did not impact my review.

As others have said, this book is a slow burn, but is worth it with all of the excitement at the end. It centers on Heather, who was pretty much estranged from her mother, Colleen, until Colleen commits suicide (seemingly out of nowhere) and Colleen comes home to make arrangements. She finds letters written from the infamous serial killer, Michael Reeve, in her mother's belongings, and brings the police in. At the same time, more murders start happening in the same style as Reave, and the story takes off from there. The book goes back and forth between Heather's POV as well as Michael's from before he was imprisoned.

The first part of the book gives us some background on Heather, has her talking to Michael in the presence of the police, and planning for her mother's funeral. This part of the book was less engaging for me, but laid down clues that were vital in the 2nd part of the book, and really pulled the whole thing together. The 2nd part of the book gets us more into Michael's story and teaches us more about Colleen, all while taking us along on Heather's journey to explore the woods where the murders had occurred. A lot of things happen very quickly in the last few chapters of the book, and I couldn't put it down. There were multiple twists, some that I saw coming and others than I didn't, and I walked away feeling like it checked all the boxes for a great thriller.

There were only a couple things that bothered me about the book. There were a couple entire characters I think the book just didn't need- it took the story off into other directions and there were already so many characters vital to the story. There was also a touch on a romantic twist that just wasn't necessary. Lastly, there was one major clue that Heather neglected to follow up on, (or if she did, the author didn't tell us) which drive me crazy since she was an investigative journalist by trade.

All in all, this was a unique and thrilling read in an atmospheric setting, and I'd recommend it. If you find the first part of the book a little less engaging, you will not be disappointed by continuing on. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely a slow burn kind of book. It's very atmospheric and mysterious. I loved the scenes between Michael and Heather. I couldn't help but be reminded of other great serial killer/other relationships from TV/movies like in Hannibal, Silence of the Lambs, Prodigal Son, etc. Obviously the first two tend to skew romantic and this one certainly doesn't, but the push and pull the two of them have is electric. I appreciate that Heather, our protagonist, is a flawed character and no Mary Sue. I loved the snippets of Colleen and I wish we had seen more. I hated that we finally learned about her motivations just at the end of the book when I wanted more. My biggest issue with the book is that all of the action takes place in the last few chapters instead of being more spread out. It's also when almost all the information is revealed.