Thank you so much to Berkley Press, Melissa Larsen, and Netgalley for my ARC of Shutter that comes out June 15! This book is about a woman struggling to find her place. When she meets a filmmaker and agrees to be part of his latest project, she doesn’t have much to lose. When he tells her she has to live in a cabin on a private island for a month, she jumps at the chance. She is running from her past and thinks it is a great opportunity. But when the director turns her into a whole new person, she isn’t sure where this film is going. Then, as he slowly reveals the point of his film, she isn’t sure what is acting and what is real danger.

Thoughts: I loved the way this story built throughout the chapters. It’s like each layer piled on top of the next to create a creepy and mysterious story. This book is a psychological thriller, and you find yourself inside Betty’s mind for most of the story. It is a very slow build up and I think that was so the reader could feel like they were trapped there on the island.

I did wish that there was more to the story. I kept waiting for a big twist to come, and when it did, it wasn’t all that shocking. I enjoyed the characters, but only two had any depth or backstory. The rest were one dimensional and really there just to prop up the two main characters. I did enjoy the parallels to classic Hollywood films, and the writing was very easy to read and get immersed in. While the plot was fantastic, the story line needed more. 3-stars

This is a fun read that I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in horror and/or indie filmmaking. Betty is a really interesting character, and I enjoyed reading her flirtation with Anthony. However, I found the villain a bit lackluster and they didn't show up until about halfway through the book. The story is more driven by character than it is horror, and it's good for what it is.

I was captivated by this dark, slow-burning, psychological tale filled with creeping dread.

Betty Roux, at first glance, seems to be your typical small-town girl who leaves to make it big as an actress in New York. But Anthony sees something different in her. Anthony Marino is a newly famous, acclaimed film director renowned for his realism and his gritty films full of improvisation. Like something out of a Hollywood dream, Anthony chooses Betty for the leading role in his next movie. Anthony won’t tell Betty much about the move, except that there is no actual script and she will have to live it. So they’re headed to a secluded cabin to shoot. Oh, and by the way, it’s called FEAR. What could possibly go wrong?

Things to know going into this book: it’s not your typical throwaway mystery or thriller with numerous murders and whodunnits. It’s not really something you can tear through without thinking, or read like a normally plotted mystery. Instead, it’s a pretty heavy psychological portrait of several very intriguing characters. And the writing is lovely and far more literary than most in this genre. The writing will pull you in. I was completely pulled into Betty’s complicated, dark world.

Shutter is a love poem to dark, classic Hollywood films. I felt the influence of Vertigo, Mulholland Drive, Of Mice and Men and of course, Cape Fear. I was totally immersed in the story throughout, just as Anthony’s actors were immersed in the film to its harrowing conclusion.

My only negative note is that the ending neglected to explain one crucial issue. It’s clear this was done by design, and it’s effective, but I still wanted a particular resolution. Nevertheless, this doesn’t take much away from the fantastic reading experience.

Melissa Larsen is a beautiful writer and a standout in the psychological drama genre. This book was totally unique - it’s been a long time since a book took such hold of me and made me leave the world behind. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

4.75 stars. Thanks to Berkeley, NetGalley and the author for the ARC of this compelling and immersive story.

Choo choo choo! This is the sound of my approaching disappointment train! I hear it when I read a book which doesn’t fit with my high expectations.

I was so invested in this story and after reading the blurb about a film crew chooses movie location which gives us cabin in the woods meets Friday 13th series and Blair witch project, I was expecting to read something terrifying, earth shattering which will force me sleep with entire lights of my house on !

But... yes this book is definitely psychological thriller-ish, slow burn, semi-claustrophobic but mostly it was bumpy road with wavering direction of the story which loses its aim at several times!

The beginning was so promising. We’re introduced Beth Roux who leaves her hometown and directly moves to NYC, camping at sofa bed in her best friend’s apartment she shares with her boyfriend. We realize she’s grieving her father who recently passed away ( actually he committed suicide) and Beth’s mother acts like neurotic and controlling who tries to find where her daughter disappeared.

Beth meets with tempting and ultra rich director Anthony Marino with help of her friends. She’s enchanted by his charisma. She’s obsessed with his artsy movie he’s made but she acts like she hasn’t watched it. And now dear Anthony needs an actress urgently to cast for his latest movie. He asks her for the audition, taking her to dinner and kisses her goodbye which means she got the part!

It seems like too good to be true. She’ll compensated 40K for her role, spending her in a secluded cabin which is located on a private island off the coast of Maine with five person cast and crew. There’s no script and the idea of working on improvised project is more challenging than working on another Terry Gilliam movie.

The cameras are located in everywhere around the house. And Beth’s only clue about movie is it will have resemblances with famous Cape Fear movie starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum ( Mitchum is out of jail, blaming on Peck who put him behind the bars, planning to avenge him by harassing his family including his innocent young daughter)

Beth thinks some outer player will involve in their holiday at cabin! This outer player might be the wild car of the movie as well!

But she has no idea what Anthony’s real intention to force her cut and dye her hair and rename her as Lola! Is she just a pawn of his master plan? Is his real intention to shoot a movie? Or is he planning something more dangerous?

I waited too long for some exciting incidents happen during my read. Only last %10 of the book was faster and interesting but the rest of it was mostly about Beth’s grieving, Anthony’s mysterious manners ( he pushed him so hard to look like mysterious man but actually the reason behind gathering those crew to make movie at the cabin is so simple and immature. )

The final twist is okay! Actually entire reading is okay but not so good or heart pounding kind of whirlwind thriller! Both Beth and Anthony are irritating characters who seem lost from the beginning. I didn’t quite get the real reason why they fall too hard for each other. Ben and Mads were the most tolerable characters. I was so sorry for they were dragged into this mess!

I’m giving my three solid stars. The idea and starting point of the story was intriguing and promising but the execution could have been better! The characters were not much connectable but at least they are not punchable or dislikable characters.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing For sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I didn't like the character of Betty/Lola. She came off to me as someone who was arrogant in order to mask her her inability to make decisions for herself, but men seem to love it and Anthony seems to fall in love with her. Lasren's descriptions of their physical intimacy seemed awkward with Betty not sure how to connect with Anthony physically or if he even wanted her to. With that being said I enjoyed the twists of the plot. The end of the book is not what I expected and it really gripped you to figure out what would happen next.

The death of a parent is incredibly hard, but Betty Roux refuses to grieve after her father’s death. Instead she pushes away her mother and boyfriend and ups sticks to move to New York City, with no real plan in place. Then she gets an offer to play the lead role in indie movie producer Anthony Marino’s new film. The job will take her to a cabin on an island off the Maine coast where she will live with the small cast and crew during production. Anthony gives Betty a new personna as Lola and she revels in the chance to reinvent herself. But not everything is as it appears, and Betty soon finds herself trapped in a nightmare. Claustrophobia inducing and scary as hell