The kind of thriller I live for! Spooky, gothic thriller/mystery that gave me goosebumps.

The plot follows Heather, a confused woman in her thirties, returns to her family home after her mother's suicide. She really never hoped to come back to this place after her father's death and the truly destructive relationship she had with her mother. Heather thought of her as a monster, but now she's dead, so Heather feels more confused and guilty than ever. The gothic house feels haunted and eerie, and she'd h=rather be anywhere else.

But then... Heather finds her mother's correspondence with a literal serial killer. And it seems like they were pretty close. Could he have had something to do with her death?

Oh my. I loved everything about this gothic thriller. We've got an eerie house, possibly a haunted setting nest to the forest, a notorious serial killer with a possible copycat, ritual murder, and an overwhelming sense of unease throughout the book. It literally took my mind off of everything else in my life as I devoured this novel compulsively, from which I'm really thankful to Crooked Lane Books.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

I had to stop this one and not finish. I just couldn't get hooked after several chapters in. The writing seemed very disjointed and not something I could follow along with.

Got this as an ARC from NetGalley, my thanks to the publisher and the author.

Overall a decent story idea, different from your usual thrillers. Frankly the short description of the book was what drew me in. The plot development though was on the weaker side, with Heather questionably solving a serial killer crime that the police could not solve, even though the clues that the main character followed were basic and blatant and should have been through the minds of the police.
The plot was also fairly predictable. One could easily guess that Heather was Michael’s daughter.
The story though was too long for my liking. It definitely could be much shorter. A few of the chapters felt unnecessary to me and could have been left out or at least shortened to make it less chunky to read and yet would not make any difference to the plot, like the romance with Ben and the funeral.

Following the suicide of her mother, Heather returns to her house to organise the funeral and sort through her things. To say that she had a difficult relationship with her mother is putting it mildly. The atmosphere is established from the outset; frosty, gloomy and full of foreboding. This is compounded when Heather finds some letters to her mother from a serial killer ‘Michael Reaves/Red Wolf killer, currently residing in Belmarsh prison – clearly they had been corresponding for years. And so begins Heather’s involvement into the mysterious Red Wolf murderer as prompted by the police, she visits Michael in prison.

This is a fairly complex plot, weaving fairy stories, fantasy, murder and the history of the spooky house, deep dark woods and hippy communes and disappearing girls. So one would expect this to be exciting, scary and satisfying. Regrettably I did not find it so. In all honesty, for my taste, it was over-egged. Predictable situations and too much about the woods and nature; it just left me bored. As for characters – the police officer was less than discrete and Heather - I have no words to describe the many ways I found her wanting.

Absolutely huge apologies to the author. Just not my thing it would appear. Fear not though, most reviews are glowing.

Thank you to theauthor, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

What a great spooky read. Heather comes home to take care of her late mother’s affairs. While going thru her things she finds some letters to her mom from a man that isn’t her father, after questioning who he is she finds out he’s a serial killer known as the Red Wolf, and upon finding out about Heather Michael desperately wants to meet her. This fascinating thriller goes between past presents and all the spooky Grimes fairy tales in their original form.. As Heather works to figure out her mother’s past she puts herself in the sights of another or is it the real Red Wolf? Buckle up grab your comfy clothes and turn on all the lights to read this spook fest.

I really thought this was going to be a 4-star read...until everything I liked about the book vanished.

Heather returns home after her mother shockingly commits suicide. There were no signs to look out for, and she can’t wrap her head around it. While clearing up her mother’s home, she finds a tin with tons of letters...written to her mom...from a serial killer named Michael Reave.

Michael is serving a life-sentence in prison, even though he’s always claimed innocence. Why in the world was her mother communicating with this man? What was she hiding? Now, when a body is found in a similar fashion to the old ones, Heather starts to dig into her mother’s past as the police try to figure out if Michael knows more than he lets on about the current kill.

What I liked:
-The initial setup is gripping. I was very interested to see where the story would go.
-A few parts were generally creepy, which I don’t often feel while reading.
-It’s atmospheric, and the writer did a good job making me feel a sense of dread.

What I didn’t like:
-Heather’s dialogue was a bit obnoxious at times.
-I love books with amateur sleuths, but once Heather started investigating, all of the suspense dissipated.
-There’s so much going on, and it’s hard to process. The book touches on a commune (more like a cult), haunting fairy tales, a mysterious woman in a red coat, suspicious neighbors, and much more.
-The ending shoved so much down my throat, and I’m still not even sure what happened. I do know that it was a bit OTT though.
-There’s a sad and disturbing scene involving animals (around 30%). While I understand why it’s in the story, and that in and of itself didn’t effect my rating, I feel I should mention it.

2.5 stars. There are many positive reviews for this book, so please check those out as well if you are thinking of reading it.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Jen Williams, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jen Williams’ writing is simply superb and A Dark and Secret Place keeps you fully entertained. The characters are well liked and the plot has enough twists to keep you engaged until the end. I always try to solve mysteries myself as I read them. Although I identified one character, I was not able to figure the full mystery before I read it. I throughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone whom devours mystery novels.

Haunting, is what I would use to describe this book. It is definitely a thriller with lots of twists and turns that keeps you reading. Williams creates a new level to this genre by creating a story based on serial killers, family relationships, dark fairytales, and British folklore. And while there are gory parts that can be hard to handle, I thought it was a great read. Even though I am now currently afraid of the dark again!

This was an atmospheric, well-executed murder mystery with an interesting heroine at its dark heart. Although I found the POV switches a bit of a pace-killer, the mystery was absorbing and worked best during the book's most compelling scenes, in which Heather talks with an incarcerated serial killer. The fairy tale aspects were a nice touch, and the ending is genuinely horrifying.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Once I read the synopsis it sucked me right in. Started out great, had some weird added in stories that didnt need to be there and the last quarter just flew! Definitely a thriller based on that. I didnt figure anything out until closer to the end and even then I still had my doubts.

Wow. I can usually figure out what is going on and I came so close but a snappy twist (excellent) proved me wrong. The twist made perfect sense too.
This is a very dark and well written read. The reader is right on Heather's shoulder throughout. The story travels back and forth between her present day to the past of the serial killer, Michael, who is a dark yet very human character. The 'career' path of this person is extremely disturbing. It's kind of scary to contemplate that this story could be real.
There is language in the book for those who do not like that. There is also a few descriptive passages relating to the action and results of a sick individual that lives to take the lives of others.
The human element of this fictional world is steeped in sadness in my opinion. The stunning ending almost makes me think there could be a sequel. It's a grab you by the elbow read that kept pulling me forward.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my early copy of the book which was perfect for a Halloween weekend read!

(Posted on Goodreads but for some reason the link won't copy.)

This story starts a debate on whether or not a serial killer is born or made. So powerful and true to life. It would make for a great movie. The story comes alive when I read it. Each character has a special style to them that I can't describe. Something so captivating. The ending seems like it's finished but there are questions that is still up in the air for a true book club discussion.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of twisted serial killer tales, and this one will stay with me for a long time. I was drawn in from the first chapter, a “before” section where we first meet Michael. This is the first book in a while that has actually creeped me out. I loved the spooky setting of an old house in the dreary outskirts of London, and the author did a great job of painting a dark, gloomy picture of every situation.

A Dark and Secret Place brings up haunting thoughts about not really knowing someone you have known your whole life. It is always unsettling to learn facts about a person close to you, such as a parent or spouse, which make you question whether you know them at all.

I thought Heather was a good protagonist. Her journalism skills served her well as she attempted to uncover the truth about Michael and about what her mother had known. She is clearly trying to reconcile the complicated relationship she had with her mother with how much she misses her now, while also figuring out where this new information fits in. I especially like how she doesn’t take shit from men talking down to her because she’s a woman!

The scenes between Heather and Michael were very well written. Strong Silence of the Lambs vibes here! The way Heather drew Michael out of his shell was fascinating. I thought Michael’s character was really well done, and found myself wanting to know more and more about him.

The only aspect I disliked was the romance. I don’t think it added anything to the story, and found myself skimming those pages. I think doing away with them would have helped the pace of the book move along a little faster and held my attention better.

This was my first book by Jen Williams, and it did not disappoint. I definitely will be looking into more of her novels in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of A Dark and Secret Place.

I'm always up for a mystery/thriller from a new author so I was excited when my request was approved.

When Heather Evans returns home after the unexpected death of her mother, she discovers her mother was corresponding with a famous serial killer, aka The Red Wolf. Michael Reave was a man her mother had a deep familiarity with from a past she kept from Heather.

When the body of a murdered young woman with the same ritualistic aspects of The Red Wolf turn up, Heather is enlisted by the investigating detectives to speak with Michael, seeking for clues behind her mother's suicide and answers for the family of the victim.

But, Heather's amateur investigation leads her down a path of secrets, and the shocking revelation behind her own origins.

I enjoyed the narrative for the most part, though I felt toward the end the story kind of dragged. This could have used an edit, which would have added more suspense and urgency to the events.

I did like the flashbacks into Heather's mother's past and how events from the past led to the present circumstances Heather found herself in.

The parts where Heather and Michael converse were the most interesting and compelling.

This wasn't a bad read and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for this ARC! This book is EXACTLY what I was looking for.

Heather moves into her mothers house after she commits suicide, only to find out that her mother has a strange past. She has been writing letters to a notorious serial killer in prison. Odd things from Heather’s past keep showing up, almost as if haunting her..

This book is the first thriller/suspense by #jenwilliams , and I was a little hesitant to start it because of that. But she NAILED IT. it was spooky in the right places and I definitely did not predict the ending. One of my least favorite things about this genre is that the heroine always does something stupid to willingly put herself in danger (you know the ones I’m talking about!) and this book was a breath of fresh air. This book will definitely stick with me for a while.

Put it in your TBR list for June 8, 2021!!

Wow! It was the perfect read for anyone who loves mysteries and police investigations where you end up suspicious of every character in the plot, and every bit of detail the author leaves loose. This book had me spewing guesses about everything, who the characters really were, what was going on inside the protagonist's head, what was the reason for each thing and just when I thought I knew where It was going a turn, and it really toke me by surprise
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I read much of the book at night but when I got to that part I was grateful that I had left the end to read in the morning with sunlight. With that in mind I must say that the book did its job.
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The book follows the story of Heather, a woman in her thirties who returns to her childhood home to make the necessary arrangements for her mother's funeral. All the memories of her childhood begin to fill in along with the discovery of an exchange of letters between her mother and a serial killer lock in jail. Soon she begins to question everything he thought she knew about her mother or if she really got to know her at all
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With a series of murders and women disappearing this story has all the elements to leave you spinning and start to suspect everyone around you. It was perfect!
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Especially thanks to #NetGalley and Jen Williams for letting me read #ADarkandSecretPlace before it goes on sale 08 June 2021, I really enjoyed all the thrill, mystery and goose bumps. I will continue looking forward for new books of her

Firstly huge thanks to Crooked Lane for my ARC. I am haunted by this book and darn it what a BOOK!.This book tells the story of Heather a daughter who has to return home after her mother commits suicide and discovers that her mother was in correspondence with a notorious serial killer. Listen,if it was my mama I would have lost my hairline 😂and I did lose an earring reading a book because darn it what was that even 😂This book is intriguing ,entertaining and we'll written

This is a perfect book for this time of year – a creepy, dark, nightmarish kind of read! And it seems I was always reading when it was dark out (being late October, it gets dark SO early). Heather Evans gets a call, telling her that her mom, Colleen, has committed suicide. Heather is the only family member left, so she has to return to her hometown. While cleaning out the home, Heather comes across a bundle of letters from an infamous serial killer who has been corresponding with her mother for decades. To add to the creep factor, Heather decides, encouraged by the police, to go to the prison to meet Micheal, the convicted murderer known as the Red Wolf. At the same time, Heather feels like she is being watched by someone – stalked is a better word, and it makes your flesh crawl just thinking about it. I enjoyed the story and finished it on Halloween, very apropos. Well done, and I will look for more books by this author.

Heather discovers a box of correspondence between notorious serial killer The Red Wolf and her mother as she cleans out her childhood home after her mother’s suicide. Trying to find answers to why her mother killed herself and to how she’s connected to The Red Wolf leads Heather on a dangerous journey, bringing to light shocking facts about her mother’s past and her own life.

I enjoyed this thriller! It flips between before and now, carrying the story along at a good pace. It had just the right amount of suspense and enough questionable characters to keep me guessing. I had a clue about two of the characters being more than what they appeared on the surface, but didn’t completely guess it all. I hate when a book is too transparent!

There were numerous times I yelled at Heather to tell the police what was going on – I’m unsure why she never did. The premise of the commune was different and interesting and went well with the plot line.

If you’re a crime/thriller buff be sure to check this one out when it releases in June 2021.

The moment I read the synopsis for A Dark and Secret Place, I knew I had to get my hands on this book.

When Heather Evans’ estranged mother unexpectedly commits suicide, Heather must finally return to the insular town where she grew up, a place she left at sixteen and never thought she’d return to. But she discovers something horrifying: Colleen Evans has been corresponding with a notorious serial killer for decades.

As Heather struggles to understand her mother’s connection to now-convicted Michael Reave—the Red Wolf who terrorized Lancashire in the 70s—a slew of missing and murdered women are turning up in the present day, bearing eerie resemblances to the killings of decades past.

Interweaving past and present, we gain glimpses into the boy who became the Red Wolf, as well as Heather’s downward spiral into the sinister mystery that surrounds the sprawling lands and lore of Fiddler’s Mill, a place where evil has lurked for generations…

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This is Jen Williams’ first foray into the mystery/thriller genre, as she’s more widely known for her fantasy writing. I’ve never read any of her works before, but after the compulsively readable prose of A Dark and Secret Place, I am more than curious to get a taste of her spec-fic!

Hidden beneath this hella basic thriller title and a cover so sparse I legitimately thought it was a temporary placeholder image for the “real” cover is actually a SPINE-TINGLING mystery, a fresh take on a genre I’ve been reading a lot of lately.

This novel filled me with a pervasive, discomfiting sense of unease: the kind that raises gooseflesh on your arms. From the get-go, I was immersed in Heather’s story and the particular feeling you get when you’re being watched—no, hunted. This is the same feeling that creeps up when you realize that even your most personal, private spaces—your house, your bedroom, your own head—have been trespassed upon.

IT WAS SO DELICIOUSLY SINISTER.

My only complaints are that Heather made some seriously dumb decisions sometimes (like not telling ANYONE about clearly being stalked by someone who was leaving her notes and dead birds).

Also, as some reviewers have mentioned, the backstory behind the Red Wolf and Fiddler’s Mill—and subsequently Colleen, Michael, and Heather—seemed to cram in a gazillion different spooky elements. Ritualized murder, fairy tale lore, cult-like fanaticism, grooming, disappearing babies… it’s a lot. Maybe too much?

In all, though, I’m pleased by this story (that I managed to finish on Halloween, no less). This is my fourth book from Crooked Lane Books, and I’m starting to be VERY impressed with this publisher.

Four for four: I’ve given four stars to every ARC I’ve received from them. Each novel has been a mystery or thriller, but each very different from the other. There was the hilarious YA black comedy, Teen Killers Club; the contemporary thriller, They’re Gone; the Gilded Age mystery, Deception by Gaslight; and now A Dark and Secret Place, in which the mysterious circumstances surrounding a serial killer’s brutal murders has perpetuated a cycle of bloody violence for decades.




Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.