First off this book started & stayed for about 3/4 through like a car driving on all flat tires. You were moving but not very fast. I at several times fought myself wanting to stop but I stuck with it until the end. I do admit at about that 1/4 of the end of the book, the action & mystery was finally going somewhere & I was so intrigued that I couldn’t put it down. It had me thinking that everything I just sat through was well worth it…that is until the end. It seemed rushed & an unlikely story that would happen in real life. I was so looking forward to this one & my heart was not shuttered but shattered.
******
Betty just needs to getaway after her father’s suicide & finds the comfort and new beginning with an old friend, Sophia & her boyfriend Ben. Leaving her Mother behind & breaking up with her boyfriend, she moves to New York City and finds herself staying on their couch and dog walking to make money. She has it in her mind that she wants to become an actress; eventhough she’s never acted before.

Sofia & Ben have a friend who just became famous for his first film debut & he’s planning another but he’s waiting to find just the perfect girl. So Sofia & Ben set Betty up on an audition with Anthony. Although it’s not exactly your typical audition. Almost immediately Betty is told she has the part but there are no scripts. They arrive at the cabin off the Coast of Maine where the five person cast is set to live & film 24 hours a day. Before she knows it, Betty is now renamed Lola & Anthony has cut & bleached her hair on his own. No one has any idea of a synopsis or plot & it seems Anthony’s secrets will soon divulge themselves & the plot revealed but by then everything has already been set in motion & their fates all rely on revenge & betrayal.
******

First things first: this cover is absolutely gorgeous, one of the best covers I've seen this year.

Now on to the story: After Betty's father's death, she flees her entire life, leaving everyone and everything behind to sleep on a childhood friend's lumpy couch in NYC. Her friend and her friend's boyfriend, it turns out, have connections to the infamous filmmaker Anthony Marino, who is finally making his second film. After meeting Anthony, Betty gets offered the role of Lola, and told the film will entail spending a month living in a cabin, on an isolated island, with just the other four people involved in making the movie.

Betty has reservations, but she is already completely enthralled by Anthony, and it isn't until they arrive on the island that Betty truly realizes what Anthony meant when he titled his new film Fear.

This is one very creepy book. The scares build slowly, shrouded in mist and the forest, reminding readers just how isolated Betty is and how little she knows about what is happening around her and to her. By the time I reached those last few chapters, I was holding my breath and turning pages frantically, completely caught up in the terror.

This is a quick, gripping read, one I was very glad I was reading in the middle of a bustling city.

This psychological thriller was a slow burn, but not necessarily in a good way. What started out as so promising just kind of fizzled to an end.

“ In the wake of her father's death, Betty Roux doesn't allow herself to mourn. Instead, she pushes away her mother, breaks up with her boyfriend, and leaves everything behind to move to New York City. She doesn't know what she wants, except to run.

When she's offered the chance to play the leading role in mysterious indie filmmaker Anthony Marino's new project, she jumps at the opportunity. For a month Betty will live in a cabin on a private island off the coast of Maine, with a five-person cast and crew. Her mother warns against it, but Betty is too drawn to the charismatic Anthony to say no.

Anthony gives her a new identity--Lola--and Betty tells herself that this is exactly what she's been looking for. The chance to reinvent herself. That is, until they begin filming and she meets Sammy, the island's caretaker, and Betty realizes just how little she knows about the movie and its director.”

I did like parts of this, but it just felt like the pacing was off and things were predictable. I think this is a decent way to pass the time, but not my favorite.

Thank you Berkley Books for my copy of Shutter by Melissa Larsen, in exchange for my honest review.  This title published on July 15, 2021.

The story is centered around the character of Betty and the intricacies of her mind as she ends up trapped on a secluded island to film a movie she is set to star in. We first meet Betty not long after she arrives in New York City, looking for her 'big break' and she crosses paths with Anthony - a young and ambitious actor/producer who later asks her to star in his movie.  Without giving Betty any details, she is swept away with a few others to a secluded cabin in Maine where the filming is going to happen.  Things turn dark and not at all what Betty bargained for.

This was a slow burn, with the story building throughout, creating an eery and atmospheric vibe.  The chapters were quite lengthy, but necessary as Larsen developed these characters and their storylines.   I enjoyed the writing but wish the pacing was a bit quicker (I'm used to reading fast paced thrillers).  I kept waiting for something big to happen because there was such tension building throughout.  The big reveal came right at the end, and I have to admit that I did not see it coming - I just wish it came sooner.

For a debut,  I think the author does a good job at making her mark in this genre, with good writing and a tension building story that does hold your attention.

While the premise of this book sounded awesome, unfortunately it started out very slow and never picked up the pace.
Interesting story and characters that fell short throughout.
It did keep my interest enough to wait for the wow factor that came and went but didn't wow at all.
Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley publishing group and the Author Melissa Larsen for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is very hard to describe a book like Shutter by Melissa Larsen, which seemed to me like a mix of horror and psychological thriller. We have the secluded location on a private island, and it actually gave me some major gothic vibes. We also have a cast of mostly unlikeable characters including Betty herself. I am not sure if the reader was supposed to like her, but there was something about her that made me not love her. This was fine for me though, and it didn't make me want to stop reading in the least. Larsen's writing is very unique, and it gave off an eerie vibe the entire time I was reading this. It is a slow burn overall, but we get a burst of action at the end, and I felt a lot of dread and trepidation throughout the whole story. I just knew we were building up to something, and boy were we. The writing style was very literary for being horror/thriller so that is something to consider before you pick it up.

I also liked that you actually had to think about the plot of Shutter, and it's not something you can really fly through although I feel like I still did. This is a pretty dark read and brings up some interesting and hard topics. I ended up listening to the audiobook and I think if you aren't a fan of slower burns that would be the way to go with this one. The narrator is Megan Tusing who I don't think I have ever listened to before, but she really nailed Betty's voice and character. I listened to the audio all in one day and actually had a hard time putting it down. I read a couple of reviews that say Shutter is like an ode to old Hollywood films, and I mean I could see this book making a great movie. I haven't watched any of the dark classic films, but from what I know of them, this is spot on to what they are like. I really liked this debut and was very satisfied with the ending, so I will definitely be watching for Larsen's next novel!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First things first, Shutter is not one of those edge-of-your-seat, white-knuckling your Kindle kind of books. Instead, it's more of a slow-burn, psychological thriller, a bit of a hat tip to those atmospheric thrillers of times past. The ones that had your mind reeling without monsters (at least not the supernatural kind), the ones you thought about long after the closing scene.
I'll admit that I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but color me impressed with Larsen's debut effort. As I mentioned, Shutter is a slow burn, but the story and characters get under your skin in a major way. I may not have been balanced on the edge of my seat, but the story was no less intense for it. From start to finish, this story is thoroughly compelling. Even the very beginning when we're meeting the characters has a tone that feels a bit creepy, kind of an uneasy feeling.
I realize that I'm being quite vague here, and it is entirely intentional in an attempt to keep the book's secrets. Just know that this is not the kind of thriller we've become accustomed to recently, and in my opinion, that's a very good thing. The book is cleverly plotted and wonderfully written, and Melissa Larsen is definitely one to watch. I know I'll be watching to see what she does next.

This book's description is deceiving. There are pages upon pages of unimportant things going on with no dialogue. After reading an hour into the book, I skipped to the last few chapters - got the whole story and the ending is a complete disappointment. Sorry!

Still can't believe this is a debut novel!! Such an interesting concept for a book. You are going to be terrified at times and at others you will want to mother Betty -- but have no fear -- the ride you are about to go on with her is so worth the ending!! Melissa focuses heavily on relationships -- an aspect of this book that I totally loved. Can't wait to read her next book!!

Following her father's sudden death, twenty something Betty Roux breaks up with her long time boyfriend and runs off to NYC, trying to bury her grief by moving away. She's crashing on a couch in her friend Sofia's and her boyfriend Ben's apartment trying to figure out how to start fresh as an actress (the reason she told Sofia she came to NYC). Ben introduces her to Anthony Marino, an independent film maker whose first film "Reverence" brought him both acclaim and fame. Ben worked as the sound man on the film and thinks the world of Anthony.

Anthony decides Betty would be perfect for his new movie, and knowing nothing more about the movie other that what she will be paid and that her character's name is Lola, she agrees to spend a month on an island off the coast of Maine with the five cast and crew members. Everyone else seems to know more about the movie than she does, but they keep telling her "Anthony will tell you when he wants you to know", which both irks and frustrates Betty. She's also not happy when, after arriving at their very isolated destination, she realizes that EVERYTHING is being filmed all the time by cameras hidden everywhere. When she finds out the true agenda behind the movie and realizes she is in real danger, she wants to leave, but it's too late.

This reminded me of The Blair Witch project. The author does a good job on her atmospheric descriptions which definitely turns the creepy-ometer to high. What bothered me about the book is the unevenness overall. Some of the characters are a bit complex, others rather flat. There are also too many times that you have to totally suspend belief to continue on with the story. I cannot count the times I thought "Really?!?". If a book is supposed to be a fantasy, I'm ok with that, but this is meant to be a serious, psychological suspense, so in my humble opinion, it should be believable. This is not. As a result, what started as an interesting premise quickly fell apart.

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishers for allowing me to read a review copy of the book. All opinions and any errors expressed in this review are my own.

“Shutter” grabbed me with its unique and terrifying storyline! Melissa Larsen invented quite the landscape while adding wonderfully interesting characters. I’m now both in love with Maine and too scared to visit!

As I crept my way to the ending, I grew more terrified! You would think there was a camera watching me, as they watched Betty. I love when I story takes you to it’s location! But, a story that makes the hair on your arm stand up, even better! “Shutter” does both!

Thank you Melissa Larsen for imagining this story, I was reading it under the blankets! For a debut author, you’ve entered the thriller world with a vengeance!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The synopsis immediately grabbed my attention. I had high hope for this one. I jumped in with a strong start but unfortunately the pacing was too slow for me.

The synopsis for Shutter grabbed my attention immediately, and I was so excited to check out this book. The concept was really intriguing to me, but this book starts out slow and confusing. It took me a while to get invested - somewhere around 35%. Normally I would have DNFd by that point, but again, I wanted to see what happened with the synopsis.

It had my attention for a bit in the middle, but then lost me again, and the story continued to lose steam as the book went on. The reveals felt silly, and I thought it would be more sinister. All of the characters were annoying, and the main character's decisions didn't make any sense. It felt really far-fetched after a while. There was also a chapter focused on a suicide in the past, and it was gratuitous since it didn't really make a difference for the overall story whether it was there or not. So, this book didn't really work for me.

CW - suicide of a parent (with some graphic details), nonconsensual kiss

All of that and more made me love Melissa Larsen’s @lissalarsen debut novel, Shutter. Reading/listening is like watching a final-girls film with a twist. If you’re also riveted by “why in the world would you do that” movies, Shutter might be for you. Also, if you’re an audio fan, this one is fantastic!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQL31FFr-_v/

Ahhhhhhhhhehhhhhh.

There's a TikTok (or maybe it's a Reel?) where there's this guy and he's all excited to see a girl then she takes off her mask and he's like 😳.

That's me with this book.

I read the synopsis and was like 'OMG I WANT/NEED THIS BOOK! (thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for my copies!), then upon actually finishing the book I was like ehhhh.

This was a slow building story that took so long to get to anything exciting, I would have stopped reading it if I hadn't felt obligated to finish this galley copy and review it. The author gives very vague hints about what's going on and you don't get the real story until nearly the end, and by then, I just wanted it to be over. I didn't like any of the characters.

Well well well... what have we here.... SHUTTER's premise is quite intriguing and once you get into the first few chapters, you know something eerie is going to happen but poor little Betty and her starry eyes are too enamored with Anthony and her acting debut to care. Bring on the oopsie and the doopsie!

I really wanted to like this more but it was sooooo slow for my particular pace. I do love the fact that this film project is basically, "act natural and we'll edit as we need it".... alrighty then. Check one, two, three on already things that would make me go hmmm.... but still color me intrigued! I will say that the last few chapters really came with a punch, albeit a bit shark jumpy... but I didn't mind too much - I just kinda wish it was like this throughout the book. I considered putting this down a few times but I was just curious enough to see where it was going to go.

As a debut, I do believe Larsen shines - there's some bumps in the journey but it is clear she is talented and I look forward to whatever she has coming for us readers next. Lesson learned: don't go somewhere isolated for a month with a group of people you don't know that well. 😏

Look, we’ve all been there. Something major—life-shifting, even (a breakup or divorce, a death, losing a job, etc.)—suddenly happens, out of the blue, and just like that we’re smack-dab-in-the-middle of a fight-or-flight response… and we choose flight.


[If you haven’t ever been there, consider yourself lucky. Or not. I mean, how do you ever grow, or really find out what you’re made of— underneath that carefully-managed facade you show to the world—unless you experience some sort of monumental shift (which is usually some sort of trauma)?]

Author Melissa Larsen takes her protagonist on just such a journey in Shutter.
__________


Betty Roux is that timeless, could-hail-from-anywhere kind of young woman: somewhere in her early 20s, still trying to find herself, and her response to her father’s suicide? Unceremoniously dumping her longish-term boyfriend, then spontaneously catching a flight from northern California to New York City (a place she’s never been), to… well, she hasn’t exactly worked out what the rest of that particular plan is.

But, the fates smile kindly on nice, pretty Betty. A one-time friend of hers from junior high, Sophía, is now married and living in Manhattan, so Betty rings her up, and—in no time flat—finds herself bunking with the happy couple in their small apartment. She gets a part-time job as a dog walker. (None of it is “glamorous”, but what it is, most assuredly, is different from her previous life… which is enough for Betty, for now.)

So, when Sophía and Ben invite her to meet a semi-famous (of the one-hit-wonder, thus far, variety) actor/director buddy of Ben’s at a bar one night, Betty goes along with it (just another part of what passes for “normal” in this new life she’s carving out for herself)… equal parts excited, nervous, and curious; why would someone who once wrote, directed, and starred in an acclaimed indie film even want to meet her? (And does that even matter?)

Anthony Marino is everything Betty could’ve dreamed and more… handsome, interesting, smart, and oh-so-different. And, way more importantly… he wants her to star in his (long overdue) second film.

The fact that he refuses point-blank to tell her what it’s about, or whom she’ll be working with, or really anything—and that there isn’t a script? (Wait, did I mention she’s in her early-to-mid-20s? Yeah, you can work out how long it takes her to say yes, I’m pretty sure.)

Things take a decided turn for the even-more-bizarre pretty soon, though… when Anthony, she, Sophía, and Ben pile into a little van and drive (and drive… and drive) to the middle of nowhere… stopping only long enough at some podunk train station to pick up another actor—Mads, the younger man who co-starred in Anthony’s (only other) film—before hitting the road and driving some more.

As for their destination? It’s a cabin, on a tiny, remote, private island, which apparently belongs to Anthony’s family. Also, it’s a place which only a couple of long-term local staff ever boat over to, to help out. That’s where the five of them will be, for the next month or so, filming… well, the movie. (Remember, no script.)

It’s only when Anthony springs it on her that she WILL be changing her appearance—cutting and bleaching her hair, and wearing a very different wardrobe than how she normally dresses—and that she will henceforth be called “Lola”, that Betty starts to worry.

But she’s already said yes, and accepted the first payment for her “acting” role…
__________

There are probably reviews or write-ups out there that give spoilers as to what happens… but trust me, you don’t want to know what happens, ahead of time, because that would ruin the uneasiness that you really need to feel, for this story to actually work. There is a genuine sense of unease, when reading it, putting yourself into Betty’s shoes… and that’s the self-same reason you’ll find, like me, that you may not really want to put it down.

But. (Ah, the power of that tiny word, right?) What you’ll make of what happens, in Shutter, is the thing which really interests me.

Is it possible to like a book, in which you don’t really like any of the characters… not to mention, kinda-sorta hate the ending? (That’s a rhetorical question, for which I have yet to come up with a complete answer.) Because here’s the thing: I really do NOT like the characters in Shutter. None of them, not one single little bit.

Betty is juvenile, to the nth degree (and why she pretends to be unfamiliar with Anthony Marino and his previous movie--when she's actually a huge fan to the point of obsession--is... never explained, so that's also annoying). Sophía and Ben are basically wallpaper; in other words, they’re not really given enough page time to be anything more than “the friends”. Mads, in the role of protege, is merely a derivative he-man type filler. Anthony (oddly enough) may be the most believable of this sorry lot—what? I know A LOT of actors—but that doesn’t make him sympathetic, interesting, or, you know, likable. And the final couple of characters, that you’ll meet, well… I suppose they’re best given the title “plot devices”.

As for the ending [again, a reminder that you’re in a spoiler-free zone, here, so no worries], I really, REALLY didn’t care for it. For me to buy that finale—and to feel good about it—I really would’ve needed to find someone (anyone!) here, charismatic and compelling, and… I didn’t.

All of that said, though, am I upset that I read the entire book, only to be disappointed (as detailed above)? No, surprisingly, I’m not. There was suspense—maintained throughout—and perhaps the larger issue is that I’ve met too many of these people IRL… self-absorbed, or childish, or obsessed, or… whatever, for the work to really strike a chord with me. Also, as always, YMMV, so Shutter winds up a 50/50 recommendation, from me; you might like it, and you might not… but at least you’ll probably make it through on suspense, alone.
~GlamKitty

Overall: An interesting debut, but your mileage may vary.

Pros:
Filming Aspect. A unique story element that really added to the story.
Atmosphere. Important for the setting as well, but also dark and creepy.

Cons:
The final twist. The whole story road on this twist and it felt half-baked.
Scenarios. Sometimes unnecessary, sometimes cheesy.

The premise of SHUTTER held so much potential, but overall this book was a miss for me. The story follows Betty Roux, a young woman who moves across the country to New York, trying to escape the grief of losing her father. Betty’s dream is to be an actress, and a childhood friend hooks her up with a hot director who’s filming an homage (of sorts) to Cape Fear on a private island off the coast of Maine.

Poor Betty was so naïve! She doesn’t hesitate to accept the role as Lola, even though there are so many red flags. Remote location. Only five cast/crew members. Unscripted. Hidden cameras. Once there, the director wants to completely change Betty’s look. And then there’s something weird going on with the island’s caretaker.

Most of the book was a very slow build up to the big reveal at the end, and the reasoning behind the twist seemed so petty. Meh. I did enjoy the atmosphere created, and though the pacing was slow I stayed curious to see how things would play out. It just wasn’t the the thriller I was expecting from the blurb. The author’s writing style did keep me hooked, and I’m curious to see where she goes in her next book.