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.

This one started out a little slow for me and I initially struggled to get into the character of Heather. However once Heather finds the letters that her mother had been writing serial killer Michael Reave, the pacing of the novel really picks up and we quickly get into the action. I enjoyed the story and thought that the plot was interesting. However, there were some elements of the plot that I could see coming early in the story, that I think were meant to be bigger surprises, namely the parentage of one of the characters . However, there are definitely some good plot twists, that will surprise even astute readers. I think fans of suspense and murder mysteries will enjoy A Dark and Secret Place as it is a solid entry in the genre.

Atmospheric, dark, chilling! A great thriller! Rich, dark, characters drive a twisty tale of murder and mayhem! I see a film noir with Hitchcockian themes.

I very much enjoyed this atmospheric thriller which reminded me of earlier Tana French mysteries mixed with Hannibal (the show) vibes.

The story follows Heather, a journalist in her 30s who has returned to her estranged mother's home after her mother's death. She finds a series of her mother's letters and, as a result, gets involved in a case involving a serial killer copycat.

In my opinion, the biggest strengths of this novel are its incorporation of folklore, its development of tone and setting (unsettling, autumnal, dark with moments of levity), and the character development of the lead, Heather. The folklore aspect was particularly interesting to me and set this novel apart from other thrillers in the same vein.

I appreciated the author’s use of flashbacks, but I thought they could have been incorporated more effectively at times. I also found the ending slightly abrupt - it is a major surprise that I didn't see coming. I'm sure a lot of people will like that element, but I think more could have been done to foreshadow the conclusion.

Content Warnings which INCLUDE SPOILERS:

murder, child abuse, incest, suicide, misogyny/violence against women

Such a good book it was so hard to put down and I read it 1 day it had me on the edge of my seat. Thank you for sending me a copy of this book to read.

I closely missed Halloween when I read this book. Breathtakingly dark, this book is relentless in its horror, yet you cannot put it down. That's how appealing it is. I read it in two sittings, which is saying something.

So, Heather returns to her home after her mother's suicide. There, she finds loads of letters from a serial killer - one who drags off women into the woods and cuts out their hearts! This is the stuff of nightmares, people!

I liked Heather even though I didn't think she made the correct decisions all the time. The murderer reminded me of Hannibal Lecter (even thinking about it now sends a shiver down my spine).

Completely sinister and very readable. One of my best reads this year.

Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Jen Williams for the ARC. The review is unbiased.

Following her mother's death, Heather returns to her childhood home to take care of her mother's affairs and prepare for funeral. As she sorts through her mother's belongings, she finds letters from a man. A man who is not her father. A man her mother has been corresponding with since before Heather was born. Heather decides to investigate and finds out that this man is in prison. And has been for years convicted for several murders.

Heather decides to meet with the man, Michael, to really find out who her mother was and why in the world she would be communicating with a serial killer.

I have always been intrigued by the mind of serial killers (don't worry, I don't have any as pen pals.) I think it's my interest in psychology that piques my interest. So obviously, a book like this pulled me in immediately. It started off very eerie, a constant creepy vibe. I'm thankful I got to read it in the daylight or the creep factor would have been too much for me. This isn't an in-your-face kind of scary, but is far more subtle which I liked.

Unfortunately my interest in the story waned near the halfway point and didn't ever pick up again. I was hoping for more from the story and it didn't deliver. The characters were not developed enough and I wish the author would have continued with the air of mystery throughout, but it felt a bit lackluster after a strong start. It did pick up again in the end and I thought the ending was well written, but again I needed a little more.

There are some sections with animal cruelty, and while I understood their purpose, somewhat essential to the arc of the story, they were difficult to bear and required me to skim over.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was an engrossing read, and I enjoyed the fairy tale aspects with the hunt for a serial killer. Overall, a good thriller.

A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams is a one of a kind thriller that kept me intrigued until the last page. I cannot say enough about this author and how impeccable her writing skills are. Heather Evans returns home after the suicide of her mother and while going through some of the items in the home she finds a stack of letters that were written from a serial killer who went by Red Wolf. He has been in prison now for more than 20 years yet there was another murder carried out just as he would. The writer keeps the pace steady and the characters are very well written and blend well with each other. The plot thickens and the twists will turn in this psychological thriller.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

What could have been a great story was not to be.
Halfway through the story, I was laboring and started to lose interest in Heather, Michael, and Red Wolf. I thought the plot had flaws and once that happens it becomes hard to carry on.
An independent review thanks to NetGalley / Crocked Lane

This is the first novel by Jen Williams I've read, and I can't wait to read more! This book kept my on the edge of my seat. Somewhat of a slow build but after the first few chapters it picks up. There are plenty of plot twists and Williams does a good job with the pace of this book. Perfect for all mystery/thriller lovers!

*Thank you netgalley for providing me an ARC of this book to review*

DNF

Will not post a rating or Goodreads

I am about 50% in and have no desire to continue.
Cults, Communes and Ritualistic killings are not topics that I care to read about.

I thank the Publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this one early and apologize that I am not the right audience for this book.

A Dark and Secret Place has more twists and turns then a mountain road. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the book because of all the different pieces of the puzzle that made the book. It starts with the homecoming of Heather after her mother's suicide. Heather doesn't believe that her Mom would ever commit suicide. While cleaning out the house she finds some letters between her Mom and the infamous serial killer the Red Wolf. The mystery of her mother truly begins for Heather. I actually enjoyed this book a lot more then I thought that I would. If you can be patient while the story builds and keep up with all the turns in the story you will totally enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed this story. I devoured it in two days! The setting is so creepy and eerie. Admittedly, I've always found serial killer storylines fascinating so I was hooked from the beginning. There is a lot going on, so at times, it can be a little overwhelming. There is a good deal of mystery with some twists and turns. The ending was so fast paced and exciting, I couldn't put it down. This is the first book I've read by Jen Williams and it certainly will not be my last. I highly recommend!

**this review will not be shared on goodreads or Facebook book club reviews**

I picked this book up so many times and could only read a few chapters at the time before by interest disappeared. I just could not get into it.
The beginning was so gripping but that was pretty much it.

Thank you so much though for allowing me to give it a go.

Jen Williams creates an eerie, dark, suspenseful story of murder, serial killings and adds touches of free love, drugs and hippie culture from years ago. Moody and dark, Heather Evans is trying to deal with her mothers suicide and the events leading up to it when she discovers her mother has been corresponding for years with an imprisoned serial killer. At the request of the police, Heather agrees to meet with the killer to glean more information as a “copycat” killer strikes repeatedly. Just who is the Red Wolf?
The storyline gets a bit muddled with all the visits to the prison a story repeated visits by the strange neighbors. Maybe too many themes going on at one time?
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

A Dark and Secret Place is the first book I've read by Jen Williams, and it was right up my alley, so I'm looking forward to reading more of her work. This novel is creepy and very well-written, and I didn't see the ending coming at all. I liked that the book went back and forth between the past and the present...it was such an effective way to tell the story, and it was nice to get the perspectives of more than one character. I really enjoyed A Dark and Secret Place, and thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me a chance to read it and helping me discover a great new-to-me author. : )