This is different. A story of one woman trying to come to terms with the fact that the closest man she ever had to a father is in prison for a string of murders. She leads us through her tale, all the time unsure as to his guilt. Wondering if she had a part to play in what happened.
Kept me interested and involved in her story, Recommended.

This is one brilliant read, from beginning to end. Sophie Brennan and her mum Amelia Rose moved to London from America when Sophie was quite young. Amelia met and started dating the handsome, charismatic Matthew (Matty) Melgren. He was the closest thing that Sophie had to a father, and she loved him. The relationship between Amelia and Matty wasn’t always plain sailing, she would have liked to have got married but Matty wasn’t up for that. Sophie would constantly listen when the two had arguments, she always took Marty’s side feeling her mum was always pushing him away.

When Matty is arrested, charged and found guilty of murdering several women, Sophie’s life falls apart, Amelia takes to drinking and pills, she had stood by Matty as he pleaded his innocence. Twenty years have gone by when a letter lands through Sophie’s letterbox from. Battlemouth prison, it’s from Matty and he is asking her to visit him, he is dying. Can Sophie drum up the courage to visit?

The story is told from the point of view of Sophie, with blog posts, and forum posts interspersed, posts from people who believe Matty is innocent. How could he be guilty he is a good looking, well groomed, intelligent man, he looks nothing like the profilers had said the killer would look like. But then what does a killer look like? Think of Ted Bundy. The timeline is in mostly in the past, as the crimes were taking part, along with Sophie and Amelia’s relationship with Matty, and as Sophie struggles with her life, living with guilt, she had quit school and has done nothing with her life in the 20 years.

I love how this story is told it’s not like a police procedural or crime fiction where the police are trying to catch the killer. It’s clear from the start that Matty is in prison for killing a number of women and a young girl. It’s more on the relationship between the three main character’s and when Sophie and Amelia start to wonder if Matty is the killer that has many people scared to go out at night. I had so much empathy for Sophie as she loved Matty who ended up in prison and she loved her mum who turned to drink and pills when Matty went away, instead of focusing on her daughter and the impact it had all had on her. I loved the ending.

If you love a serial killer read then grab a copy of this, you will not regret it. I would like to thank #netgalley and #Quercis for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

“Matty was more of a dad to me than Jame Brennan ever was. Jame, no ‘s’. An affectation to make him sound special. I laughed when I watched Silence of the Lambs. My father had the same name as Buffalo Bill. Jame Gumb. What is it about me and serial killers?”

My thanks to Quercus Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Truly, Darkly, Deeply’ by Victoria Selman.

This was the kind of thriller perfect for fans, like myself, of true crime and the sub-genre of crime fiction that focuses on serial killers. Once started, I couldn’t put it down.

The plot centres on Sophie Brennan, now thirty-two, as she seeks to come to terms with the traumatic events of her childhood when her mother’s boyfriend was arrested for a series of brutal murders in North London.

In 1983 Matthew (Matty) Melgren was convicted and imprisoned for life with no chance of parole. Twenty years has passed and Matty has continued to maintain his innocence, claiming that he was set up.

Sophie was only twelve when she and her mother, Amelia-Rose, moved from Massachusetts to London. Amelia-Rose began dating the charismatic Matty Melgren and soon he had become an integral part of their lives. For Sophie, who was having difficulty fitting in with her British peers, he became a substitute father.

When a number of young women are found murdered, it becomes clear that a dangerous serial killer is at large in London. Sophie is especially concerned about her mother’s safety given that the victims bear a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose. The police seem baffled and the press dub him the Shadow. As further bodies are found a few odd incidents leads Sophie to become suspicious of Matty though she remains conflicted.

When Matty is sent down Sophie and Amelia-Rose were vilified and retreated from society. Now twenty years later Sophie has received a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet her. This is her last opportunity to get the answers that she craves. Yet will the truth set her free or bury her deeper?

I found this a very clever novel. Victoria Selman divides her narrative between events in the early 1980s and Sophie’s present, circa 2003.

I felt that Selman included enough period detail, such as historical events, mentions of people and pop culture references to ground her narrative. Having lived through the periods covered I certainly didn’t find myself tripping over any obvious anachronisms. In addition, there are a number of true crime case references contained in the story.

Overall, I was impressed with ‘Truly, Darkly, Deeply’. I found it a mature serial killer thriller that was strongly character-led and unfolded at a measured pace. While the crimes were shocking with the story being told by Sophie any gratuitous elements were kept to a minimum and only referenced.

This is the third book that I have read by Victoria Selman and they have all proved excellent reads. I hope to explore more of her back catalogue as well as look forward to her future projects.

Highly recommended.

Such a great book! Absolutely loved the story, very "true crime" like, and the characters, specially Sophie.
Highly recommend to anyone looking for a twisty well written and engaging thriller, just make sure you have some free time when you start because it will be very hard to stop reading.
Thanks for the opportunity to read this ARC.

12-year-old Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, move to London from Massachusetts where they meet the charismatic Matty Melgren, who quickly becomes an intrinsic part of their lives. But as the relationship between the two adults fractures, a serial killer begins targeting young women with a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose.
When Matty is eventually sent down for multiple murders, questions remain as to his guilt -- questions which ultimately destroy both women. Nearly twenty years later, Sophie receives a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet. It looks like Sophie might finally get the answers she craves. But will the truth set her free -- or bury her deeper?

This is a thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Truly Darkly Brilliant!

What a phenomenal book. It reads more like a True Crime Memoir than a book of fiction.
If you love true crime, you’ll love this and will even recognise elements of real serial killers shining through in the many descriptions of Matty and his behaviour.
I was enthralled from the very beginning until the last perfect word.

Brilliantly addictive and gripping, so much so that it is bound to send chills down your spine and even give your goosebumps goosebumps.
If it wasn’t for the declaration, I would have a hard time believing this was just a work of fiction. The reactions of those involved, the heartbreaking twists and turns, everything just feels as if these murders did take place in the 1980s. And that the newspapers were brimming with articles that you could look up and find today.
Amazing! I truly darkly deeply love this book!

Another book I cannot wait to own a physical copy of.

Thank you so much, NetGalley & Quercus Books for the arc. This is my honest review.

This novel reminded me of "the stranger beside me" , and, even though told with a fresh voice from a different point of view , did not bring much more to the table. It is still a well written tense novel but it did not blow me away as not really original. There are a few twists but unfortunately they are not enough to redeem the story. A missed opportunity which is still worth a read.

What an aptly titled book!! This book truly drew me in to it’s deep, dark story and had me hooked quite early on.

The book is written in the voice of Sophie who lives with her mother Amelia and features her mother’s boyfriend Matty who flits in and out of their lives during a period of time when there is a serial killer loose in London, whose victims all bear a resemblance to Sophie’s Mum. The book tells the story through Sophie’s memories and reflections as she prepares to visit Matty in prison because he’s dying. He’s already served 20 years for the serial murders and she still isn’t sure if he was guilty or not.

It definitely takes you on a psychological, suspense-filled journey of ‘did he, didn’t he?’ And I definitely didn’t see the twist at the end coming! It’s well written and definitely kept me page-turning more than I originally thought it would.

As someone with a strong interest in psychology it certainly made me think. Could you live with someone and not see their dark side, can there be so two deeply contrasting sides to a killer?

I’ve given four stars and not five simply because I found it a sad book and I would be lying if I said I ‘enjoyed’ it but having said that it definitely gripped me and it’s well written and I felt as if I was reading a non-fiction book.

My thanks go to the author, to NetGalley and to the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book. This review however is entirely voluntary and entirely my honest feelings about the book.

This story was such a fascinating read.

We get to know the 12 years Sophie that moved with her mother from the US to London.

Their lives changed when her mother falls in love with Matty and he moves in. He’s the exact father figure that she's missing in her life.

But there's much more going on around them. A serial killer is getting closer to her house while the victims have an astonishing resemblance to Sophie.

Twenty years later, the adult Sophie is living a very different life than she was dreaming about.

The fatherly figure was convicted to murder and years ago and she's receiving a summoning letter from him. She will find some answers to her long time questions in the end.

This is one of those stories that you just can't stop reading, even if it gives you goosebumps and chills throughout the chapters.

It's really addictive and suspenseful x with so many unexpected turns and one that I will highly recommend for any true crime or psychological thrillers lovers.

I really enjoyed the Ziba Mackenzie series by Victoria Selman so jumped at the chance to read this. Truly, Darkly, Deeply was very different from the Ziba Mackenzie books but equally compelling. Sophie and her mother move to London from the US. Her mother meets the charming Matty, who moves in with them. A serial killer is targeting and brutally murdering women in their area. Matty is convicted and years he is dying in prison and wants Sophie to visit him. Will she find out the truth? This was such a compelling read and quite chilling. Good ending too.
Thanks to NetGallley and @quercusbooks for the review access

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
An easy to read dark tale, I just wanted a little more from the ending.

I have to confess, serial killers fascinate me. I find the psychology behind their crimes so interesting and as soon as I heard about Truly Darkly Deeply I knew I wanted to read it! The story follows 12 year Sophie, who moves with her mother from Massachusetts to London. There, her mother becomes romantically involved with a man, Matty Melgren, who becomes part of their family and a father figure for Sophie. However, young women, all with a startling resemblance to Sophie’s mother Amelia-Rose, start to go missing and showing up dead. Matty is arrested and convicted of the awful string of murders. Two decades later, the adult Sophie is still traumatised by what happened and when she receives a prison letter summoning her to see Matty again, she just might get some answers about the truth and whether Matty truly is a monster or the father figure she adored.

I loved this book – it drew me in with its unnerving and sinister style and I couldn’t put it down until the very last page. The narrative is split between Sophie as an adult and her teenage years when the horrific events took place that led to Matty’s conviction. As a reader we get to see exactly how the trauma of Sophie’s past has shaped her entire life. It’s a fascinating and illuminating perspective on the manipulation and power that certain types of people can wield and the damage they leave in their wake. Truly Darkly Deeply is beautifully written and carries with it a chilling sense of atmosphere that sent a shiver down my spine. There is something genuinely frightening about this book, a true sense of unease permeates the pages. Dark, disturbing and powerful, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers or true crime.

Truly, Darkly, Deeply is a dark and utterly compelling story of a serial killer.

Sophie is 12 when she moves with her mother Amelia-Rose from Massachusetts to London. Here her mother meets the charismatic Matty Melgren who becomes the father to Sophie that she hasn’t known. The book shows the relationship that built up between the three of them running alongside the story of women found murdered in the local area. A serial killer is at work in the north of London and twelve year old Sophie is fixated.
Matty seems to be the prime suspect for the murders but then so does another man close to the family. But Matty was a killer with no stereotype, he seemed so normal, he was handsome, well educated and well dressed. Now over 20 years later Sophie receives a letter from Matty. He is in prison serving life sentences for the murders of the women. He is dying but he wants to meet with Sophie. Matty has haunted Sophia’s dreams for years, can she confront him and lay the ghost of guilt to rest, will she finally get answers after twenty years of who was really responsible for all those women’s murders?
The book views events through two timelines, the 1980’s (young) and twenty years later (adult) Sophie’s eyes as well as a narrative of blog posts and newspaper articles. The important part of the tale is the family relationship, Sophie’s psychologist and the man living downstairs.
It shows the scars and damage that are left behind by those convicted of serious crimes. It also demonstrates the fascination some people have for serial killers. There are some complex twists in the book which the author addresses brilliantly and is well written and compelling. I absolutely loved the characters, the plot and the tension. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Certainly recommended! Overall, it’s a very well written and well paced mystery thriller which is hard to put down.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to the publisher Quercus Books for the much appreciated eARC.

When Sophie was a child her mother was romantically involved with a man, Matty, who was later convicted for killing several women. Sophie loved Matty because he was the father she did not have before. He was fun and cared for her. But he never committed to her mother and Sophie was always afraid that they would break up. At the same time a serial killer is haunting London. Sophie gets a bit obsessed with the killings and discussed it often with Matty. But something is off about Matty. Sometimes he behaves strangely and disappears for days without calling. He is a weird man but Sophie loves him unconditionally. When she and her mother notice some resemblance between the killings and Mattys behavior they get suspicious. Then Matty gets arrested. Twenty years later Sophie gets notice that Matty, still in prison, is dying of cancer and wants to see Sophie.

It took me a while to finish this book because it never really gripped me until ¾ into it. The story moves back and forth in time and it confused me quite often. After a while the story seems to stand still. We see Sophie and her mother and Matty in the past but for a long time nothing happens that brings the story forward. It was also quite repetitive. I don’t know how often Sophie tells us that Matty is the closest thing to a father figure she ever had and that he drove across London to bring her her favorite ice-cream. The author took her time setting the scene and dragging the part in the present were Sophie is struggling to decide if she should see Matty in prison. Then even after twenty years she is not sure if he really was the killer. He always denied it. So it was a long foreplay until Sophie finally gets her answers and learns about a shocking twist. I liked the ending although it was a bit rushed after all that repetitive telling before. The twist at the end was a surprise for me although I entertained suspicion that Sophie did not get the whole story as a child.

The story was good and I liked the twist. The writing was ok but I struggled with all that time switching. The repetitive style is also a minus. I found it hard to sympathize with Sophie. Matty was a quite interesting character. He is a creep but obviously a charming one that got away with a lot. He was well crafted. I am a bit torn with my rating but I tend to give it a solid 3 stars.

Twelve-year-old Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, move to London from Massachusetts where they meet the charismatic Matty Melgren, who quickly becomes an intrinsic part of their lives. But as the relationship between the two adults fractures, a serial killer begins targeting young women with a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose.

When Matty is eventually sent down for multiple murder, questions remain as to his guilt — questions which ultimately destroy both women. Nearly twenty years later, Sophie receives a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet. It looks like Sophie might finally get the answers she craves. But will the truth set her free — or bury her deeper?

This book was hard to put down! It is oh so creepy, compelling and a very dark story which is told by Sophie. Sophie loved Matty like he was her own father – and now – he is a convicted serial killer. The victims being predominantly young women – all of whom look like Amelia – Sophie’s mother…

My thanks to the author and Quercus Books for my advance copy to review via Netgalley. Due out 7th July 2022.


Four truly dark creepy stars

Sophie is 12 she lives with her mother Amelia Rose they recently moved from Massachusetts in the United States to London. Here her mother meets Matty Mellgren. He becomes the father to Sophie that she hasn’t known. The book shows the relationship that built up between the three of them running alongside the story of women found murdered in the local area.

Matty seems to be the prime suspect for the murders but then so does another man close to the family. Now over 20 years later Sophie receives a letter from Matty. He is in prison serving life sentences for the murders of the women. Matty is dying but he wants to meet with Sophie. Sophie is in turmoil as to whether or not to meet up with Matty but she feels she mau get answers to some of the questions she still has.

I found the book quite thought provoking. And loved the twists thrown in.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an arc.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

Whoa. This book was like a work of art, each chapter finely crafted to keep you hooked and wanting more, dropping clues and leaving just enough of them so that you knew some of what was coming and were just waiting for the other shoe to drop. The suspenseful atmosphere was amazing. I loved it and it kept me reading page after page, simply devouring this book.

In the end, this book felt a bit like an Agatha Christie-ish novel, with all the clues being there, it was just up to us, the audience to see them. I love stories like that, because it shows that the author really thought out the storyline and put effort into crafting the narrative and making it plausible, not just pulling the solution out of thin air.

And, of course, there’s some great twists in there that just make things juicier and left my jaw on the floor. I was blown away. But, as always, no spoilers here!

All I can say is, if you’re into suspense and serial killer mysteries, you need to go pick this one up. It is a must read!

Frustrating! This book grabbed me, made me read the whole thing in a single sitting, with twists and turns involving a potential serial killer and a whodunnit. I loved this until there was a section that seemed, to me, a little exploitative, with the young protagonist faced with a disturbing situation. Then the ending was forced - it’s like eating a McDonalds, desired and easy to eat but ultimately leaves a bad taste. So, this is tough to write as I still enjoyed the novel, it just was a light thriller that demands to be read on lunch breaks or on holiday. Don’t expect to be blown away.

This is a truly creepy, dark and utterly compelling story of a serial killer.
When eight year old Sophie and her mother move from Massachusetts to London for a better life they have a chance meeting with the charismatic Mathew 'Matty' Melgreen.
Sophie is struggling to adapt to life in the UK and is being bullied at school but Matty is always there to hear her woes.
But when a string of murders are committed in London Matty is but under scrutiny.
The book takes place in two timelines from the 1980's then twenty years later.
There are some complex twists in the book which the author addresses brilliantly.