Eerie, gothic, atmospheric thriller. This book was an engrossing page turner! Camilla Stein doesn't disappoint in this well written, engaging read. I was invested from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur books for this ARC!!

I love love love Camilla Sten. She has nailed the eerie and atmospheric novel. I love her remote and isolated settings (same in The Lost Village) where you know the characters have to fend for themselves against an unseen enemy.

I also love the gothic elements of the old estate Eleanor inherits through the murder of her cold and menacing grandmother.

I would have liked a little more bump in the night type of situations, even though there was plenty of that, perhaps because I loved it so much, I wanted more!
This is a must read if you love thriller, horror, and gothic novels.

I have now read a handful of books that include face blindness, but none quite like The Resting Place by Camilla Sten. I really liked that this was something Eleanor struggles with and obviously the reason why she has no idea who killed Vivianne, but it doesn't take over the entire story. There are plenty of other things going on, and this was a very creepy and atmospheric read for me. I loved the setting in the Swedish woods and Sten was able to really bring the house and area to life with her writing. There are multiple viewpoints and a decent number of characters, but unlike some readers, I thankfully didn't struggle with this at all. I was able to keep everyone straight even while listening to the audiobook and I quite enjoyed all of the various viewpoints.

This brings us to the next bit of my review which is, of course, the audiobook. I also loved listening to this one and the narrator Angela Dawe is already one of my favorites. Her narration for The Resting Place was fantastic, and I can't think of anyone who would have been more fitting. I also thought the translation for this novel was completely on point, and while it seems silly to think about, there are some times where it has failed in books I've read. Never fear though because Alexandra Fleming just so happens to be fantastic at it and there weren't any strange or awkward parts for me. I was also a huge fan of how this book was formatted, and it kept me completely engaged all the way up to the shocking conclusion. I still need to go back and read The Lost Village but I cannot wait to see what Sten will write next!

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

I made the decision to DNF this book at page 79. While I do not think the writing was bad I just found myself not being able to connect with the story or characters. I had flashbacks while reading this book of Alice Feeney's Rock Paper Scissors which I realize was written after The Resting Place. I may decide to pick this book up again one day but for now it just did not capture my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.

Reading Between the Wines book review #34/135 for 2022:
Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The Resting Place
Author: Camilla Sten
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: Spooky and thrilling. Sten created a story that makes the reader unsure of what is going on. Whispers, people lurking, uncertainty of who people are, a snowstorm-all the things that made this story captivating. I loved the twists and reveals and do not think they were unreasonable. I would love to try another book from Sten.

Cheers and thank you to @StMartinsPress and @MinotaurBooks for an advanced copy of @TheRestingPlace.

#TheRestingPlace #CamillaSten #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #Netgalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

This one just wasn't for me. It was too slow paced with no real connection to any of the characters. I had high hopes for this book but it just fell flat for me unfortunately.

Every family has a history, but what if your family has a darker history than you ever could have possibly imagined full of lying, deceit and even murder? No secret will ever compare to the ones Eleanor is about to uncover.
Thank you Netgalley, Camilla Sten and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. What a twisted ride this was! The farther into the story the more twists that popped up. I never would have put the ending together. This book went back and forth between past and present but it flowed really well. I loved the style of writing and the book seemed to keep the same steady pace throughout. I was completely engulfed in this the moment I picked it up all the way to the very end. Absolutely twisted and amazing storyline. Definitely a must read for those into mysteries/thrillers! I’m rating this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The beginning of this story seemed simple enough. Eleanor got a house, which she knew nothing about, from her grandmother's will. She is suffering from prosopagnosia and of course needs specific pointers to know who she's talking with. Everyone in her family has a secret and a dark past. Okay, we’re are doing good so far…

As soon as they crossed the threshold, it was like opening a pandora's box. Secrets and lies left and right started pouring out. Nothing was what it seemed. She didn’t know who to trust. The person she trusted the most, started insinuating that everything might be happening in her head, because of course there might be something wrong with her.

Eleanor is on the hunt. She is on the hunt for the truth. She has a lot of questions and the answers might be kidding inside the house.

This book kept me on my toes. It was absolutely chilling. The backstory of the family was unbelievably interesting and I felt like I couldn’t trust anyone the whole time. The back and forth between the timelines were so important. It gave a new perspective and made you doubt everything about the present. You can tell that there is definitely something wrong with everyone from the beginning. The spine-tingling sensation of “I’m not alone in here” is present the whole time giving you ghostly vibes, and I’m here for them.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press; Minotaur Books, for providing an early copy of this brilliant story.

The premise of this story had me hooked. I had never heard of prosopagnosia before but it sounds like it could add some serious drama to a thriller like this one. I mean what could be more crazy... she sees the murderer face to face but because of this condition, has no way of telling who it was! I was definitely intrigued by Eleanor because of this and a few other little things like why she was so adamant about not being called by her true name. I also love the whole premise of being trapped in a remote cabin/location while a killer is on the loose. Unfortunately I found myself bored more often than not by this story. I only hung on to the end to find out who the killer really was and when that was revealed it was a bit of a let down to be honest. Overall this one had some serious potential but I was left feeling let down and uninterested in how it ended.

The Resting Place is the latest novel to come from the mind of Camilla Sten, which means we're about to dive back into a world that is both atmospheric and terrifying – a balance that only Sten can manage.

Eleanor has what is called prosopagnosia – or face blindness. She has learned to live with this – but no coping mechanism can help her work around one simple fact. She witnessed her grandmother's murder – saw the killer face to face. And yet she cannot tell the world who it is, for she does not know.

Following the death of her grandmother, Eleanor inherits her home. One would think this would add the stability she needs following what happened. Instead, she's about to get thrown into an even darker world of secrets and pain.

To say that a lot is going on within The Resting Place would be an understatement. It feels like almost too much to keep up with, but then it all balances out. That is the dance readers follow in this haunting tale.

I've read a few books by Camilla Sten by this point, so I think it's safe to say this: Sten is a master when it comes to developing atmospheric tales. Her descriptions are like no others, creating something that is both haunting and eerie. Even when nothing of note was happening on the page, I felt like I was sitting on the edge of my seat.

The Resting Place is split into two points in time. There's the present day and the events set in the 1960s. Naturally, this means that two different perspectives accompany those times. Eleanor is the present, while Agnuska is the past. The latter surprised me, as I expected the story to come from Eleanor's grandmother instead of the maid. Yet it all made sense soon enough.
I enjoyed the pacing and overall vibe of The Resting Place. Though admittedly, I didn't find it to be quite as strong as The Lost Village.

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The Resting Place was an atmospheric and fun suspense story that kept getting more and more interesting, the further I got into the book.

Due to not being able to recognize faces, Eleanor has lived her life with a certain amount of fear. That fear and uncertainty increased after bumping into her grandmother’s murderer and not being able to recognize him or her.

The story largely revolves around Elanor’s larger than life grandmother Vivianne and Eleanor who cannot identify people’s faces clearly. But her logical yet always skeptical boyfriend Sebastian, her unique and interesting Aunt Veronika and the lawyer handling her grandmother’s estate all add something to this mysterious tale.

The story bounces back-and-forth between the past and the present which I enjoyed. The characters were interesting, especially Eleanor’s grandmother Vivian.

I did get a little frustrated with Sebastian. I wish that he would have been more understanding and supportive of Eleanor especially given the fact that she doesn’t recognize people and faces like the rest of them do. Aunt Veronika was a bold and unapologetic character also…it would have been nice to discover more of her backstory.

I also listened to the audiobook while I was reading. Occasionally I will switch between reading and listening. The narrator, Angela Dawe is one of my top narrators. She always does a good job of bringing the characters to life and adding to an already interesting storyline. The audiobook is just shy of 9 hours, but nothing felt slow or dragged and that time went by fairly quickly.

This is the second book that I’ve read from this author, and it will not be the last. I enjoy her writing style and the creative way she spins a story. There were a couple of twists and surprises that occurred that they took me by surprise, and I honestly did not guess who the murderer was until it was practically revealed.

RATING: 3½ OUT OF 5.

Camila Sten continues again to blow me away with her original story, a true original thriller. Nothing like the typical drunk, unreliable woman. I love the dual timelines with Anushka and Eleanor. Sten did a fantastic job intertwining the two characters' stories and pacing them so that they came together at the relatively same time. This book was well paced and had all the elements of a great thriller - this story is far better than what you find with some of the other hyped thriller writers!

aI received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited to receive an ARC copy of this as I really enjoyed Sten's last book and the premise of this one was right up my street. A murder occurs, an old remote creepy mansion, during a blizzard. Stop right there, sign me up! I'm going to start off by saying that although I thought the premise was great, the execution was lacking. The detail and character development was missing for some of the characters. When you get to the end you have already guessed what has happened but you don't get the end story of all the fates of the characters. To me it was also questionable on the actions of the murderer and just why they took the action they did. Because they did what they did they will never have all the answers.
The setting of a creepy old mansion full of secrets, lies, murder, betrayal, an unreliable narrator due to an illness and the fact that we are in a blizzard is great. In fact the house and the blizzard are what helps to make the book a thriller in my opinion. I felt that the story was good, but needed some editing down as I felt we kept repeating the same points over and over and it was a bit of a struggle to get through. It took me nearly two weeks to read this because it was very slow and repetitive. That being said, I loved the first book by Sten and I will continue to read her books and look forward to the next one.

Prosopagnosia, face blindness. It means my brain doesn’t process human faces the same way others do. I can’t recognize faces, so I have to memorize distinguishing features instead.

Much of this novel is seen from the point of view of Eleanor whose words these are. She has perceptual, and other, issues that have affected so much of her life and others’ perception of her. Now, after the murder of her grandmother, she and her aunt are involved in settling the estate. This involves a trip out into the country to an estate she never knew existed, to do an inventory. She, Sebastian her boyfriend, her aunt Veronika, and a lawyer. And still she is having flashbacks to finding her grandmother and seeing, but not seeing the murderer. Should she go. Should she travel to an unknown place.

The pace of the story is both leisurely and intense. Dread is present in the city and increases as everyone gathers at the estate. When the snow begins, the intensity builds. There is an historical narrative too, set in the 1960s when her grandparents were living part of the year on this estate. So much hidden in this family.

I liked this story of mystery, fear, distrust-of self and others. Who ultimately is to be trusted? Who is real? How is Eleanor to know truth when she can’t be sure of the people around her and the people around her doubt her. And she doubts herself.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My first book by this author. I will read more of her books in the future.

This is a very creepy and edge of your seat thriller. I would not call it horror though by any means. It is a very good and very well written book. Set in Sweden and in two different POVs.

Eleanor walks into her grandmother's home to find her murdered. The murderer walked right past her and she can't identify them at all. She suffers from prosopagnosia, or face blindness. She can't see faces. Only certain things that help her remember friends.

Vivianne, the grandmother, was not a very nice woman most of the time. She was very cruel to Eleanor. Eleanor was seeing a therapist, Carina. Carina helped her deal with the craziness that went on with her grandmother and set boundaries with her.

The story is told from Eleanor's POV in the present and tells about her going to Solhöga. That was a place that Vivianne had lived with her husband. It belonged to her husband but after his death went to Vivianne and then to her child and grandchild. You'll meet these people when reading this. Also a lawyer, Rickard. Also from Anushka's POV in 1966.

In the past, 1966, the story is from Anushka's experience in the house. There is a lot going on and all of it is not good. You read Anushka's story from her diary and find out what happened to her and a couple of other people.

There are a lot of secrets in this book. A lot of actions you won't see coming. A murderer that will totally surprise you. The house appears to be possessed in a way. Like the walls have eyes or sounds. Maybe both. Or maybe none. Maybe someone is up to no good and you try to figure out what is going on. There are a couple of deaths in this story. A few not so nice people. I can't decide which era I liked best and maybe both equally. I actually did not like any of the characters though. Eleanor appears to be a very week person most of the time yet gets pretty strong when she has too. Her boyfriend, Sebastian is a total sissy in my opinion. He starts out a bit strong but then she has to do everything because he turned whiney and just stupid. At least to me he did.

This book was a bit slow until about halfway through. Then it took off and I found it hard to put down. I wanted to know who the two eras would come together and who the killer was. I loved how the author brought the two together even though I have to wonder if it would have really worked. It was very good and I never saw that. I had a big guess but I was very wrong. I had no idea who the murderer was and was completely shocked. All I thought I had figured out was way wrong. That made the book even better for me.

Thank you #NetGalley, #CamillaSten, #StMartinsPress for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

4/5 stars. Lost one because it was a bit slow for a while. I do recommend it though. It's very good. I think this author is good. I enjoyed her "Thank You' at the end.

The book was very atmospheric with a modern gothic vibe. There were two alternating timelines and I enjoyed both of them. The idea behind the book is very unique with the main character having face blindness which means she could come face to face with her grandmother’s killer and never even know it. I liked the mystery behind the house from the get-go. I will say the story did progress a little slow in the middle but once you get to a certain part the story picks back up with plenty of action and secrets revealed. Overall, it's a really great read. Camilla is a master at setting the atmosphere and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

I feel like of meh about this one until the end. It took a long time to get where it was going. I felt like there were a lot of people to keep track of, but that could just be a me problem. I think Sten’s writing is very atmospheric and there were parts of it that genuinely creeped me out. I think I just wish it was a little faster paced.

Camilla Sten has written another awesome book. The book gives you all the turns and mystery that you could want. Her writing is enthralling and the characters are amazing,. Two mysteries wrapped up in one book keeps you on your toes and saying just one more chapter. The interweaving of the 2 main characters stories makes you want to jump to the end to see what happened. This second book by the author is different from her first but still is in the phycological thriller genre. She has truly master the skills to make the reader feel those heart pounding moments and the tension of the unknown.

Eleanor was raised by her grandmother, but when her grandmother is brutally murdered, she must venture to the family estate in the country to settle the affairs. Once at the estate, a creepy mansion with a missing caretaker, events unfold that will change her life in more ways than she could ever imagine.
I found this book hard to get into at first. But once the story picks up, I could not put it down. The imagery and characterization give this book the feels of a horror novel. I did anticipate the plot twist in the end, but the lead up to it was nothing short of jaw dropping. I enjoyed this book a lot and look forward to reading more by Camilla Sten.
I want to thank Netgalley, and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was an ok read but i wasnt intrigue. This wasnt my type of read but was able to finish. I couldn't quite connect with the characters in this book as to i was finding it hard for myself to completely understand from begining to end. The cover of this book was what drew me into wanting to read this book