Not what I expected after reading The Lost Village, but it was enjoyable! I felt like it was more of a mystery than a horror story and a predictable one at that. It was interesting and kept me intrigued until the very end.

I love a good locked room mystery and this one fit the bill. This story is told in dual timelines and follows Evelyn, a young woman with face blindness who is visiting her grandmother's old estate. I really thought that I had the twist figured out but I was wrong. I love when books surprise me and this one definitely did. It was a bit complicated to follow when the pieces began to fit together but was also clever and all of the loose ends were tied up. Overall a solid but not memorable mystery.

I received this book from the publisher/NegGalley to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s not difficult to guess who is behind the creepy violence in this book, since there are so few characters. The plot could have been more complex—instead it just felt simple and tedious. I wanted more of an explanation (and wanted the characters to have more information).

The REsting Place didn't hit as hard as the Lost Village for me, but I still really enjoyed the reading experience.

The Resting Place is the second of Camilla Sten's books to be translated to English, but it disappoints in comparison to The Lost Village.

Featuring Eleanor, who saw her grandmother's killer leave the scene of the crime but has the inability to recognize faces, The Resting Place follows the present in Eleanor's view, as well as diary entries from a girl in the past named Anushka. Both center on a mysterious summer home of her grandmother Veronika, which Eleanor didn't know existed. But things ramp up as the lawyer coming along appears more sketchy, a snowstorm rages outside, Eleanor sees someone out in the dark, and a mysterious missing groundskeeper. Who killed Veronika? And can Eleanor keep from being the next victim? And who is Anushka?

The story itself left something to be desired. I definitely felt the building tension and wanted to keep reading, but the reveal was a little lackluster and I definitely called some of the twists. That being said, if you read this as your first Camilla Sten, I think you'd be happy. It's a fine thriller, but not as amazing as The Lost Village was to me.

What a page turner! I was riveted. I'm not always a fan of the alternating time period style of writing, but Sten is a master, leaving you with a cliffhanger at the end of each section to propel you deeper into the craziness. I loved the setting at a remote Swedish country home in a blizzard. Interesting characters. Twisty plot. My only thought was that it wasn't super necessary to give the main character prosopagnosia. It really only factors in one piece of the story and that could have been handled many other ways. But ultimately that did not take away from my sheer enjoyment I experienced while reading this book.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where horror and thrillers are popular.

Unfortunately this book was not as interesting or surprising as I had hoped. The characters were a bit bland for me and the reveal at the end just felt dull and awkward. My first reaction to the final reveal was "Who?". I feel like there was no real lead up to who it was and I was left confused which took away from the shock value. Overall it was a quick and easy read but I was left feeling underwhelmed and I think this was a pretty average read. *Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress @minotaur_books for the eARC of this!

I'm clearing out my blacklist and finally got around to reading this one. It was an entertaining, popcorn thriller that was a quick read. The concept was intriguing but ultimately I was let down by this one. I was expecting something much more atmospheric due to the desolate, snowy location of the big, creepy house. The book just didn't give me much in regards to the setting or the characters/story line. Overall, very meh and forgettable.

#NetGalley #ARC #SecretsDontDie #review #book #read

This story held promise but ultimately fell a bit flat. Not quite the page turner I was anticipating.

"The Resting Place" by Camilla Sten is a chilling and suspenseful novel that weaves together horror, mystery, and family secrets. With its engrossing plot and well-drawn characters, this book captures the reader's attention and delivers a haunting tale.

The author skillfully combines elements of Crimson Peak and The Sanatorium to create a story that immerses readers in a world of twisted family history and a foreboding house that holds dark secrets. The premise of Eleanor, living with prosopagnosia, adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, as her condition heightens the suspense and blurs the line between reality and perception. Sten's vivid descriptions and atmospheric writing effectively build tension, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere throughout the book.

The characters in "The Resting Place" are well-developed and multifaceted. Eleanor, along with her steadfast boyfriend Sebastian and reckless aunt Veronika, embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind the house and its disturbing past. Their interactions and individual motivations add depth to the story, and the author deftly explores their vulnerabilities and flaws. The dynamic between the characters, particularly within the family, enhances the tension and mystery surrounding the secrets they seek to unravel.

Sten's storytelling is engaging, with a steady pace that keeps the reader hooked. The suspense builds gradually as the characters delve deeper into the dark history of the house. The unraveling of secrets and the revelations along the way add layers of complexity to the plot, providing moments of surprise and intrigue.

However, despite its strengths, "The Resting Place" falls slightly short in fully capitalizing on its potential. Some aspects of the plot feel predictable, and certain plot developments lack the necessary impact to truly thrill and surprise. Additionally, the resolution of the story could have been more satisfying, as some loose ends are left untied, leaving the reader with unanswered questions.

I’m a fan of Camilla Sten’s gothic storytelling, the kind of eerie foreboding that’s constantly persistent throughout every page. However, as with The Lost Village, I felt something was missing when I was done with this book as well, and I’m not really sure what.
The story is narrated from alternate POVs of Eleanor in the present (who suddenly inherits the mansion from her murdered grandmother Vivianne) and Annikka from the past (whose dairy is hidden in the mansion). There are lots of characters to keep up with, and we are left to wonder how is Annikka related to Eleanor, Vivianne and aunt Veronica, which is all revealed in the end, but fell a bit flat to me. I enjoyed the process of reading this eerie book more than the final twists. I will be on the lookout for the next Camilla Sten book.

After witnessing the murder of her grandmother, Eleanor teeters on the edge of panic as a result of the trauma. The killer is still at large, and Eleanor could provide a picture-perfect description—if she didn’t suffer from prosopagnosia, a form of “face blindness.” To compensate for this perplexing disability, she must use other features and senses to identify anyone, even those closest to her. The recipient of her grandmother’s estate, Eleanor reluctantly returns to the remote Swedish woods where the crime occurred. She is joined by her boyfriend, aunt, and the probate lawyer to prepare the house for a quick sale. Immediately upon her return, Eleanor detects a lingering unease that saturates the walls of the creepy mansion. She discovers a diary that might help her solve its mysteries, but first, she needs to painstakingly translate it from its original Polish. When some puzzling disappearances occur, Eleanor assumes that her grandmother’s murderer is lurking on the property. Camilla Sten earned popularity with her first novel, The Lost Village, and those who enjoyed her debut will find The Resting Place a suitable second effort. More gothic than gory, Sten’s latest release lags a bit at times, but the convergence of its storylines and rich setting will satisfy most thriller fans.

Thanks to the author, Minotaur and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was really good. I feel like it was missing something that could've made it GREAT. I felt the same about The Lost Village. I really enjoyed the dual storylines and the twists. The characters were amazing.

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. The face blindness was such an interesting concept and I feel like that really added an extra layer to the creepiness. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Eleanor suffers from prosopagnosia or face blindness not being able to make out features on others faces. When she goes to visit her grandmother, Vivianne, for her weekly dinner, she passes someone on their way out. When she enters her home, she finds Vivianne lying in a pool of blood brutally murdered. Although she is a witness, she can not describe or identify the killer. Fast forward a few months, and Eleanor gets a phone call from her grandmother's lawyer. Solhoga, the family mansion that belonged to her father's family, now belongs to Eleanor. He would like to meet her at the home to do an inventory and deal with the estate. Eleanor, her Aunt Veronika and her boyfriend Sebastian head to the isolated home in the Swedish woods. Once there, things begin to happen. What is going on in the house, and what mystery has been hidden in these walls for over 50 years?

The Resting Place is a gothic mystery that is told in two timelines and kept me interested throughout. The chapters alternate between past and present. The present narrated by Eleanor and the past being told through Annushka’s/Annika's point of view. It is through a diary that Eleanor finds written by Annika that reveals secrets and causes things to unfold. When people disappear, only to show up later either injured or dead, a snowstorm that knocks out the power, noises and even people being locked in the dumb waiter, all add to the chilling and tense feeling in the story. How does this all come together? Not how I expected at all. The characters were not all likable, and Vivianne was one that I didn't like at all as we found out more about her. She was not very nice to her children or even her granddaughter, but as her distant past is revealed, I could understand. Sebastian was my favourite character in the book, he was a calming influence and did whatever he could to assist Eleanor. The Resting Place was a story that held my interest, my one complaint was the slow pace in the middle of the story.

I really loved The Lost Village but this one fell a little short for me. It felt very predictable. I guessed most things from the beginning. Camilla is a fantastic story teller though. Both books I have felt like I was actually there.

So intense and creepy! I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about prosopagnosia, face blindness, before so it was interesting from that standpoint alone. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

The Resting Place by Camilla Sten
Published March 29, 2022 by Minotaur Books
The Resting Place is a creepy atmospheric thriller based on the premise that the protagonist Eleanor suffers from prosopagnosia- the medical term for face blindness. She walked in on the scene of her grandmother Vivianne's murder and came face-to-face with the killer with no clue who it was. The book unfolds as Eleanor is called to Vivianne's huge and super-creepy Victorian summer house in the country, which has stood abandoned for years. Wanting to unravel the family's secrets, Eleanor, her boyfriend Sebastian, her cousin Veronika and the lawyer travel to the remote home to begin an inventory of the estate. In the process, they find some answers and more questions. I had some mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the creepy gothic atmosphere that Sten created in in the country manor. The family secrets were dark and twisty, but there were so many characters that things got a little convoluted and I had to draw myself a chart at one point to keep track of the characters and their relationships. The face blindness felt like a little bit of a stretch, but overall I found the story very suspenseful and more than satisfying.
Today was our first day back from spring break - did you already have yours? Did you do anything fun?
Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a galley in exchange for my review.

The Resting Place is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out The Resting Place asap.