Cover Image: 33 Women

33 Women

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Member Reviews

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC. Although this review is for the audiobook format, this review applies equally to the novel.

In this story the main character, Celine, a journalist, returns to her childhood home after her mother's death to investigate the unsolved murder of her sister Vanessa. Along with her sisters Pip and Claire, she uncovers dark secrets, hidden motives, and shocking revelations that will change everything they thought they knew about their family and their neighbors.

The audiobook is narrated by Emma Kenney, who brings Celine's voice and emotions to life with skill and nuance. She captures Celine's curiosity, determination, vulnerability, and anger as she unravels the mystery of Vanessa's death and confronts the truth about herself and her sisters. Kenney also adds a touch of humour and warmth to Celine's character, making her a relatable and sympathetic protagonist.

The story is full of suspense, twists, and surprises, and is a well-crafted psychological suspense with plenty of clues and red misdirection to keep you guessing.

33 Women is a captivating and compelling book that will appeal to fans of psychological and domestic thrillers.

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This was an okay thriller that started out solid, but eventually left me wanting for more. Not memorable

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An interesting and entertaining story that definitely needs to be read and taken with a grain of salt.
It's got a women's cultish vibe that may not fly with every reader, however the narrators did a great job with alternating POV to bring the story to life.

A psychological suspense thriller that will keep you guessing until the end.
Even if it's far-fetched, it's a good story to pass the time!

I want to thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook version of this publication. In return, I have promised to provide an unbiased review.

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I was glad I finally got to this audio book. 33 Women was a good book and just when I thought I had it figured it out there was a huge twist at the end. I was surprised for sure. The narration was also really good.

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Honestly didn’t love this one and had a hard time getting through the audiobook.

For me narrators are very hit and miss and though I enjoyed the narrator I didn’t think they matched the story well enough to capture me.

Unfortunately didn’t finish.

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Mind blowing novel. A must read for those who love an ending you can't EVEN BEGIN to create in your mind. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review the audiobook. The narrators were top notch!

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This was a great murder mystery! I loved that the mystery was intensified by the involvement of a cult, and all of the natural secrecy that this would entail. The character development was wonderful, and I greatly enjoyed listening to this story! Thank you for this opportunity, Netgalley!

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Celine and her sister Pip have come to town to arrange their mother's funeral and clear out her belongings. They hadn't spent much time there as their mother always put whatever man was around before her children. Celine and Pip can't help but notice the gap inside that is caused by their sister who is gone. Vanessa's murdered body was found here years ago but the murder was never solved.
Along with Una, their retired police friend, the sisters decide it's time once and for all to find some answers. There is renewed police interest in Vanessa's case because a local woman, Robin, has been recently found murdered and both women had the same tattoo. Robin lived at and was a member of a women's commune called Two Cross Farm. The commune shelters women who have had hard lives but has very strict rules, allowing no possessions and requiring total obedience and work. The commune has determined that thirty-three women is the right number of women for the membership to have.

Celine and Una believe that the commune is involved somehow as are the police. One of the commune's basic rules is that no men are allowed so the two are grudgingly accepted instead as the police representatives. They find a few tantalizing clues about Robin's fate and it turns out that their sister had lived there as well. Can the three women find the answers they have looked for all these years?

Isabel Ashdown has written a page-turning mystery with lots of twists and turns. There is a thick layer of secrecy at the commune and it takes various methods to break through to the truth after all these years. There are some extra threads that could have been omitted such as Pip's marriage and its breakdown but overall the story is engaging. I listened to this novel and the narrator did a great job. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

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A cult, a murder mystery, and sooo much juicy drama and secrets (and another murder mystery!!) wrapped up into this pretty little package of a book! It's so good, u have to read it to believe me. 4 gold stars 🤩

Thanks netgalley for giving me an early copy so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 🧡

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This is a fast paced thriller that is original and creepy. There is a constant sense of craziness throughout. The past and present collide in this atmospheric tale full of tension and compassion. The jaw dropping conclusion definitely threw me for a loop! This is a well plotted thriller that was both plausible and surprising. The narration added an extra layer of intrigue and suspense. Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for my audiobook.

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Celine and Pip have returned home after the death of their mother. While there they begin to find clues that lead them to start searching for answers in the death of their sister. A woman is found dead in the same area that matches the death of their sister. As they search for answers, the clues keep leading them to a commune nearby.
The story was well written and I was surprised with the ending. I listen to the audio book. It took me longer that I expected to get involved in the story. I actually had to stop and go back to it. Once I got involved it was impossible to stop.

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Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! Just wow! I can honestly say this is one of the least predictable books I've ever read. There were twists and turns throughout that I never saw coming, but there was a huge twist at the end that blew my mind.

33 Women is told from multiple viewpoints and has an alternating timeline. First, we have the story of Celine and her sister Pip who are drawn to the small community that their mother lived in after her untimely death. While they are there, they learn of a woman's body being found that eerily resembles the way their murdered sister Vanessa's body had been found years earlier. The second story involves a woman's commune close to their mother's home. You know from the beginning that the two stories will intersect somehow at some point and the story begins to unfold and the two different scenarios begin to blend together in such a mesmerizing way. I finished this book in a couple of days it was so spellbinding. I won't reveal any more as it's best to go into this not knowing much.

What plays out is a twisted tale of secrets and lies that will have you guessing every step of the way. All in all, this was a 4.5 star book. Average narration, but listenable. The writing is what holds on to you.

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2.5 stars
I didn't love this one. I just couldn't connect to the narrator or the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

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Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed listening to 33 Women. It hooked me from the start. What starts out as a refuge for women (that sounds to good to be true) takes some twisty turns. The story lines were interesting and well woven together. The characters are well developed and the the scenes vividly described making you feel like you were immersed within Two Cross Farm. I liked the narrators. I think they did a great job making the characters come alive. This is one of those books were you wonder what the characters are doing when you are not reading the book. While the story is focused on several murdered women, there is also family drama between Celine and Pip. I like the way the author worked through that drama, too. Although I will not be purchasing this for the high school, I do highly recommend this book for adult lovers of thrillers/mysteries.

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*received for free from netgalley for honest review* creepyyy! really great read, would reread and will recommend!

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I really enjoyed this one. The sisters meet up at their mother's home after she passes to clean out her home and notice the land next door. Is it a cult or a sanctuary? Their other sister, Vanessa, has been missing for so many years and feared dead, but she was supposed to come to their mother's home but never made it. While cleaning they find clues that Vanessa may have actually been there or at least when their mother was away and so Vanessa may have ventured next door. This leads them to Two Crosses. I highly recommend this story. Go in with an open mind. There are twists and turns, and the story takes you forward in time and back but I hope you enjoy it as I did.

**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**

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Sisters Celine and Pip, along with their family friend Una, are called to their late mother's home to settle her estate. Nearby is Two Cross Farms, an all-women commune that was started many years ago. When there is a body discovered in the town and the victim is found to be connected to Two Cross Farm, the sisters and the local police begin to think there is a connection between that murder and the murder of Celine and Pip's sister 15 years earlier. I had a bit of difficulty getting engaged in this book in the beginning, but once I was hooked, it was really hard to put it down. The plot was well done, and the pacing was good. The theme of violence against women was handled very well and very accurately, and you could tell that the author has definitely done her research in this area. I particularly enjoyed Una's character in the fictive mother role. My biggest issue with the book was the ending; it really seemed to come from nowhere. It's almost as if the author was working from a checklist, and "the twist" was pulled from thin air. The audio edition is told by two narrators, and Imogen Church, who did Celine's point of view, did an amazing job. There was so much emotion in her narration, but it didn't feel overdone in the slightest. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Thank you @netgalley, the author Isabel Ashdown and @dreamscapemedia for an ALC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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I received an advanced readers copy of this book for an honest review #33Women #NetGalley #audiobook

Celine and Pip have been called to their childhood home after the death of their estranged mother. Missing is their sister Vanessa who was brutally murdered in 2005. The two sisters, along with their ex-police friend Una, start investigating Two Cross farm when the sisters inherit property that adjoins the farm and they find ties to their dead sister. The sisters want to solve the question of what happened to Vanessa.

The farm is a very-cult like commune for abused women with very strict rules. You would think it would be serene being cutoff from the world but this commune has been full of conflict and rule breaking. Almost everything is considered an infraction to the tenets of this group and the women are cloistered for their own good-according to the founders who feel that 33 women is the optimum number of women to reside there.

This is not a police procedural and has a satisfying depth of characters and enough psychological thriller elements to make the story quite compelling. I have had a hard time writing this as there is so many things I could say but they give up too much information. At least, more than I like when I want to be lost in a story. Give it a try. It does not disappoint.

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This book tells the parallel story of two time periods that eventually converge. At the core is the mysterious death of a young woman named Vanessa, In the current day, Vanessa's two sisters continue to mourn her death many years after she was found murdered. The sisters meet at their mother's sprawling estate after her death. Near this estate is a women's commune called, Two Cross Farm. In the 1970s storyline, we learn how this commune was established. How these two stories mesh is a great mystery and one that will keep the reader perplexed. I enjoyed the two narrators this book had, one for each timeline. It made it easy to make sense of where you were in the story. I think this will be a big draw for public libraries and readers of mysteries/thrillers. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced listening copy of this title.

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This was a very well written psychological thriller. Its dark, creepy, laden with tension and a lot of emotion. When sisters Celine and Pip are told their mother has died they return to home. They are missing their sister Vanessa, who’s brutal murder remains unsolved. It is developed nicely and is focused, but also paints a great picture so you really become immersed in their story. The narration added to the drama.

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