A Dark and Secret Place is a dark slow-building psychological thriller. The main character is Heather. Her estranged mother has just committed suicide and she's tasked with cleaning up the house, and planning the funeral when she finds a bunch of letters her mother wrote to a notorious serial killer, "Red Wolf." She is determined to find out why her mother was writing to a serial killer and gets pulled into a new investigation of a possible copycat killer.

If you like dark creepy books then you will enjoy this one. It was a little bit too much for me.

A Dark and Secret Place is full of dark and secret twists, which had me saying "WTF" many times. I had a hard time getting into the book because it was pretty slow, but once I was in the thick of it, it picked up more. The cults/serial killer aspects were awesome and I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to predict any of the twists, but there were some that I did, so I wasn't left feeling super shocked or surprised. The ending felt rushed, which didn't match the pace of the rest of the book, so that was disappointing. It was a unique story and creepy af, though.

Reading Between the Wines book review #77/115 for 2021:
Rating: 2.5 🍷 🍷 🍷-rounded up to 3
Book 🎧: A Dark and Secret Place
Author: Jen Williams
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASED on June 8, 2021!!!
Recommended to readers who like a dark, serial killer books.

Sipping thoughts: Definitely an interesting concept- a serial killer who tells his stories using the Brothers Grimm. It was a very dark book which I also typically like. However, it was very hard to follow in the beginning. I enjoy switching timelines but this one was hard to follow. It became clearer over halfway through and more interesting but by that time I had pretty much gave up on the book. I was going to give it 2 stars, but the ending really was done well so I gave I am rounding it up to 3 stars.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @DreamscapeMedia for an advanced copy of @ADarkAndSecretPlace

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Amazing. Serial killer mystery mixed with fairytales?? My perfect book and perfect vibes. This was such an unexpected gem. I always enjoy murder mystery/serial killer books but this had such a unique vibe and atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Great book, fantastic narration! Highly recommend this twisty story for anyone who likes a bumpy ride filled with twist, turns & things I just didn’t see coming!

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

My very first thoughts after reading this book was “what the F just happened?!”. This books was told from several different perspectives with one of those being from “before”. The before chapters were some of my favorites as it slowly gave the reader a more in depth picture of what had happened in the past. This book kept me on the edge and was spooky AF at times. I found my heart racing throughout this book. Williams knows just how to draw the reader in and keep them wanting more after each chapter. This book is creepy, captivating and fast paced. Like mentioned, I really enjoyed the dual timelines. I also really liked the main character Heather even though some of her decisions were outright stupid. One of my favorite things about this book was the mystery of the “red coat”. Even though I really enjoyed this book, I am only giving it 4 stars because I feel the ending came very quickly and a lot was thrown at the reader (however, I did like the “breadcrumbs” left throughout the book that somewhat led us to the end…if that makes sense). Also there was one aspect of the book that wasn’t wrapped up for me AND I NEEDED MORE. Overall, I recommend this book if you like a creepy, captivating thriller that will have you quickly turning the pages.
 
⚠️TW: Animal abuse, suicide, kidnapping, incest, child abuse, murder⚠️
 
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley and Jen Williams for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book wasn't for me. I found the beginning confusing and then got more interested but then it just dragged. Based on the book description, I thought I’d fly through this one. But following a serial killer who is constantly interviewed but talks through stories by the Brothers Grimm just wasn’t catching for me. Lots of confusing POV changes that didn’t work for me. Appreciate the creativity/complex story but I grew uninterested.

Thank you @crookedlanebooks for the hard copy and @dreamscape_media for my audio copy!

I think this would make the perfect read for someone who is into horror, and dark fairy tales.

As for me I don’t think this was a good match for me. I had a hard time following the audio. There were parts that left me confused. And then I lost interest. The narrator was really good, don’t get me wrong! I just think some books are easier to follow on audio then others.

As mentioned, I had high hopes for this book, but sadly it wasn’t for me. It was very confusing to begin with and then I lost interest. I also didn’t appreciate the animal cruelty in the book either. It left me wanting to DNF.

I can see this story has mixed reviews, a lot of people loved it and others not so much. I always recommend checking it out for yourself though.

It took a bit to get into and I think the relationship between Heather and her mother could have been a bit better-developed. The reveals were satisfying if a bit predictable, regardless of being only halfway set up.

The narrator is Lorna Bennet, who is great, although Michael's voice was a bit grating. The guy's a serial killer though so.

I definitely almost stopped listening at one part in a flashback because of implied kitten murder, but push through.

I received a copy of this audiobook for free from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

The story is interesting and unique. The execution is too long and repetitive. With a good editor, this would have been a 3-4 start book.

I really enjoyed listening to this book and I honestly believe that the narration made it for me. The narrator's voice is so soothing yet has perfect inflections when needed. That alone kept me interested the entire listen. A great story with a couple of really good twists. I would love to listen or hear more from this author.

Heather returns to her childhood home after her mother’s suicide. While they weren’t close, Heather is having a hard time coming to terms with her Mom committing suicide. While home, odd things are happening.

I liked the eerie setting and feel of the book. I had a hard time connecting with Heather. I can assure you you’ll never figure out that ending!

Lorna Bennett Is the narrator and I liked her for all but Michael’s voice. It grated on me a little.

If you like overly eerie books with a hint of the old school fairytales, then this is your book.

This book definitely grabbed my attention right off the bat. I could tell this was going to be a really good thriller/mystery. However, i had to quit listening to this book when it started to describe animal abuse in detail during one of the flashback chapters. So, if this kind of thing bothers you, you might wanna skip this one.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Pretty wild read ngl, liked the characters and story

The creepiness of this book was just excellent. I was legitimately scared to walk in the dark to my house after listening to it in the car. The narrator did a good job with all the characters and accents. Some parts of the story were predictable, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. I was certainly surprised by some things, and I loved the scenes of the main character having conversations with the serial killer. You’ll definitely be hooked and want to find out what happens next.

A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams should not be read (or listened to) in a dark or secret place, especially the last few chapters. I had to stop listening to this creepy audiobook with the lights off. It really freaked me out and I love thrillers!

Heather comes back home after running away years ago to sadly bury her mother with whom she had a tumultuous relationship. What is even more disconcerting to Heather is that her mother died by jumping to her death. None if it makes sense.

While going through her mother's things she finds very personal letters to her mother from Michael Reave; a man who has been imprisoned for over 20 years for committing the most heinous murders among young women. Confused by a mother she obviously didn't know at all, Heather is all the more dumbfounded when this serial killer requests to talk to her before helping the police with what appears a copycat killer.

This thriller contains some of my favorite tropes such as communes (okay it's a cult), dark creepy forests and a WTF just happened ending. I also liked the love interest between Heather and Ben and would have liked it to have unfolded a bit differently. I have to admit there was a lot that surprised me including the killer but some things were pretty obvious and I am okay with that because it is always fun to be proven right.

The narrator, actress Lorna Bennett @lornaebennett, is just mesmerizing as not only the imprisoned killer but as a confused and determined Heather who will stop at nothing, and I mean nothing, to get to the truth about the murders and her mother's dark and secret life.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Let me recommend A Dark and Secret Place for your summertime reading. Pair this with a camping trip and a hammock in the dark, dark woods and you’re all set.

Seriously I personally listened to this in the bright light of the lab and that worked for me! It’s a dark and twisted, gripping and nightmarish thriller that had me guessing until the very end.

I enjoyed this book. I say this with all audiobooks - but, for me, it always comes down to the narrator. And, I LOVE this narrator! Lorna Bennett also narrated The Lost Apothecary, which I LOVED! Her pace is just right, she's not whiny at all and her "other" voices aren't contrived like some other narrators.

Onto the story ... the story itself moved a little bit slowly for me, but once it finally got going, it was interesting. It was not at all gruesome as some others have indicated. Doesn't everyone love a good story about a serial killer? :)

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

This book is dark with a creepy feel. It has some cults, communes, darker Grimm fairy tales involved and a small amount of animal cruelty. It has a lot going on but overall, it is a really slow developing story. There is a ton of inner monologue throughout the book that wasn't really necessary and then everything unfolds in the last few chapters. So, while I wasn’t a fan of the story, I love this narrator. She does creepy so well and I might've stopped reading but she kept me tuned in.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Audio and Jen Williams for the advanced audio for an honest review.