I have a real love hate relationship with Alice Feeney’s books, I loved “Sometimes I Lie”, “His And Hers “ but really didn’t like “I Know Who You Are”, “Rock, Paper, Scissors” was okay so I was interested to see where her new offering would fall , this review is for the audiobook, I am glad to report this was my favourite book so far from the authors so thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

While I have said it is my favourite of the authors I am unsure how I feel about the book, I couldn’t stop listening but I still feel a bit mixed about the overall story it was certainly a good concept but there was something missing for me to give it five stars.

As with all Feeney’s work the story is told in the first POV, this right away having read her previous work give me a big hint right away DO NOT TRUST THE NARRATOR, in this case we hear Daisy Darker in her present day 2004 and her reflecting on the past mainly her childhood in the 80’s. Without giving any spoilers away the author spans though time using a really clever way that adds to and moves the story along very well. It was a interesting and fresh way of shifting though past and present.

Daisy and her family of two elder sisters, niece and parents travel on halloween to visit the grandmother at her isolated island house for her 80th birthday upon where strange things start to happen and the families hidden truths start to come to light to with a deadly thump.

This book screams “And Then There Were None” which full disclose is my all time favourite book, I have noticed there has been a lot of recent books using this “And Then There Were Now” type feel some of which have been great and others have not been. This is one of the better ones, Feeney has stuck to the golden age of crime rules for a majority of this with rich characters taking a modern twist on the classic characters we expect to see in these books- feckless parents, orphans, spoilt grown up children-, a creepy location- a grand house on a isolated island- and classic means of murder with a dramatic flare, however she does break some the cure rules making this book a golden age with crime with a modern twist, not sure the twist is for me but I really loved the full “ And There Were None” vibes this gave me.


If you are like me, and you pay close attention to detail, you will have your ideas as you are reading as to where this book will end up, I was right in part but didn’t see the big twist which is unlike me and shows how well plotted this book is, it really creates tension and mystery

Daisy Darker kept me hooked from the very first sentence: – “I was born with a broken heart”, which doesn’t give away any ideas for what the book could be about, but with short chapters and each of those ending on a small cliffhanger, you want to keep reading or in my case listening long into the night to find out.

The characters are only seen though Daisy’s eyes and as pre mentioned you can’t fully trust her this makes the characters very intriguing. Not one of them comes across likeable but you are drawn into their story and want to hear more.

The Audiobook was really good it sets the tension up well without being over acted or dramatic , the narrator was very good at doing the characters voices, her Daisy voice matched well with how Daisy was depicted , she had great tone, pace and timing. I sometimes feel the audiobook versions of these books can be over acted to try and create the tension that is achieved in the print version via short sentences, chapters etc but this audiobook version wasn’t like it it created the same I want to keep reading/listening suspense the print version would have for me.

I enjoyed some the quirky facts intertwined in the story, for me that’s another nod to Christie and added to my enjoyment of the novel. Also loved the flashbacks to the 80’s I wish there had been a playlist of the movies and music mentioned at the end of the book so could relive it like Daisy but without the deadly outcomes.

This is a dark, spooky, twisty take on a classic that is well executed and fans of classic locked room murders will devour it but might be left feeling a little empty at how it ends.

A solid four stars

It will be book of the week on my instagram week beginning 4th July 2022 to give people plenty of time to pre-order

Well, Alice Feeney has once again left me with my jaw on the ground with her latest thriller, Daisy Darker. I really thought I had this one all worked out…. I should have known better shouldn’t I. What a deliciously creepy, atmospheric locked room murder mystery that was and I loved every minute of it. I don’t know how she manages it every single time, but I am hear for it. Superb 👏👏

The Darker family are one dysfunctional family and then some. All such unlikeable, self absorbed, obnoxious and spoilt characters. Except for Daisy, I liked Daisy. They are all together on Halloween to celebrate Nanna’s 80th birthday, in an isolated and remote cottage. No phones and the tide has come in so there is no escaping. Nanna decides to tell them what she has put in her will… and then the fun and games begin. The first body is discovered not long afterwards…..

Family secrets, buried for years will suddenly become known and the story jumps from the present to the past, with thanks to some VHS tapes. Really well done and just in awe of how Alice Feeney does this everytime,. Easily all the stars and she has cemented herself in my top thriller writes.

Thanks to Macmillan UK Audio for my advanced audiobook. Stephanie Arachne was amazing as always,

You could almost think you reading an Agatha Christie novel set in modern day. Good characters, really enjoyed this book looking forward to more in this series. Stephanie Racine's narration was excellent.
I received this audiobook from McMillan Audio UK via Netgalley for a review.

I absolutely loved everything about this book from the beautiful writing to the dark and eerie story and the amazing portrayal of all the characters I was kept guessing till the very end, the narrator was brilliant and had each character narrated perfect, I loved nana and the setting and everything, amazing book

What can I say? One word sums up this book - awesome! I started to listen mid afternoon and I couldn’t stop - I just had to get to the end. You will love it - but be prepared for a few shocks along the way.

Alice Feeney is the new mistress of suspense. I spent most of the night listening to Daisy Darker, totally gripped by the locked room whodunnit. Instead of the room, the suspects and victims are together for a family gathering at a home which is cut off by the tide for some eight hours. It’s Nana’s 80th birthday and she’s gathered the family to deliver some home truths. They’re a mixed bunch of self centred and obsessed individuals with an eye on a fortune. They’re all flawed to a greater or lesser extent and Daisy, the youngest grand daughter narrates events as they unfold.. We’re intrigued by the fact that something happened when Daisy was a child and it’s shaped their lives thereafter.

This is a story which just keeps giving. Think you’ve solved it? Wrong. There’s twist after twist building seamlessly to a finale that left me literally breathless. The plotting is incredibly complex with red herrings galore. The characters are quirky and dysfunctional, but plausible and it’s a rare achievement to strike exactly the right balance between plot and character given.

It’s deliciously dark, skilled and the ultimate flashback is truly shocking. The narration throughout is superb and Feeney is a proven storyteller. Bravo!

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley

Well I didn’t see that ending coming. I really enjoyed reading about this dysfunctional family. Loved the characters. However I did not see the plot twist at the end coming. It does make the book very dark- but also felt like it was the right conclusion to the tale.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and found the narrator easy to listen to and very entertaining.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for offering me a Copy of this book to review.

Alice Feeney Is A Master of Twists…

💛 Alice Feeney is a master of twists,
Of sinister tales of botanists.
She seeded an island with characters dark,
Then trapped them within a deadly tidemark.
Poisonous secrets deep buried do rise,
And as for the ending, it’s quite the surprise.

💙 Couldn’t help myself. Not even sorry.

💚 Listen to this for the delectably despicable characters, for the modern take on Agatha Christie (I want brownie points for the herculean restraint of not rhyming with twisty) and, of course, for that shock ending.
___________________________________________________
SOUNDBITE

🎧 Such a fun listen. Just pure indulgence. Stephanie Racine once again proves why she is Feeney’s go-to narrator with her silky, sultry delivery.

Big thanks to Macmillan UK Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an ALC in return for an honest review.

Daisy Darker starts off well as a whodunnit mystery novel. The Darker family visit Nana at her home on a tidal island and are stuck there until the tide is low enough to escape from the mysterious figure killing them off one by one. The concept sounds great, but for a book that set out to be a modernisation of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Daisy Darker missed the mark for me.

Whereas Christie's characters are strangers, the characters in Daisy Darker are all related or are considered family, which might have provided a richer story because of their shared history, family secrets, rivalries and resentments, etc. The problem for me lay in the fact that we know one of them is murdering the others but there's no one to root for because none of them are likeable. That fact does become important later, in fact the whole point of the story relies on the characters' hateful and flawed natures, but their constant sniping, back-biting and bickering made their interactions rather a chore to read. One character in particular has the reader longing for her to be the next victim because she is openly abusive and seems to enjoy humiliating her teenage daughter.

This is my first book from Alice Feeney so I don't know if Daisy Darker is representative of her typical style but we spend the whole novel watching the events of the story through her perspective. I think I might have enjoyed the book more had this not been the case. Instead of telling the story, Daisy's narration is repetitive in format: she witnesses an event and then pontificates about it, often expressing a nugget "wisdom". For example: "We watch as my parents embrace for the first time since 1988. People hold tighter when they think they are losing grip." This happens every two or three sentences and became tiring to read.

Daisy tosses the reader less than insightful asides throughout the book: "Sometimes people grow impatient when they're made to wait for something." She thinks in clichés and she recycles and rephrases them several chapters later, e.g.: "Sometimes having to wait for something makes you want it more." Occasionally Daisy describes something perfectly: "One of the piano keys is gone, like a missing tooth in a musical smile", but even this was spoiled when she repeated it later in the book. It felt like Daisy was constantly trying to teach us something we already know, resulting in a supercilious tone that makes her almost as unlikeable as the others.

I had a mixed response to the twist in the book, though. On the one hand, the main revelation felt like a cop-out and the the actions of Nana & Trixie are a little farcical. However, the flashback to a pivotal night in Daisy's past was absolutely tragic and shocked me. It was vividly written and I felt it was the strongest part of the book.

I listened to the audiobook, which may have contributed to my lack of enjoyment. Normally I love audiobooks but I found the narrator's choice to adopt a 'sing-song', lilting reading style an odd one because I felt it didn't match the tone of the book. It's hard to describe but it sounded like she was smiling throughout and her tone seemed more suited to a children's book.

Whilst it wasn't for me, I'd say if you like locked door murder mysteries and have enjoyed Feeney's work in the past, this book might be for you.
Daisy Darker will be published on 18th August, 2022. Many thanks to Macmillan UK Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Alice Feeney for an audio-ARC in return for an honest review.

The Darker family is full of secrets. They all reunite for Nannas 80th birthday… at high-tide. A murder occurs and no one is safe. Little cryptic poems are written in the walls detailing their demise.

I must admit, I was worried nothing would compare to ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ but what a pleasant surprise this was! Daisy Darker is a horrific and truly obsessive read - it is pure genius. It is dark, scary and compelling. This book keeps you on your toes. Always expect the unexpected. I can’t recommend it enough.

The narrator Stephanie Racine add another level of thrilling to this book. The way she recites the poems make them even creepier and scarier. Her narration suits this book perfectly.

I have mixed reviews on Alice Feeney's books so far. I really enjoyed His & Hers but really disliked Rock Paper Scissors so I went into this one super apprehensive!

I devoured this in one sitting! Its basically a 'And Then They Were None' modernisation. I really enjoy isolated settings in thrillers so this book was exactly what I wanted.

Really enjoyed the story, characters and family secrets. The build up was done really well and I wasnt mad about the ending either.

4 stars!

5⭐️

What a WOW book, it may be my book of the year, certainly in my top 3 at the time of reading. It is without doubt the authors best book, one you really need to read, it’s so cleverly done.

I had the audiobook version narrated by Stephanie Racine.
The narrator is brilliant, her tone fits the writing style perfectly. I love the way that parts of it fade, it really adds to the atmosphere.

The foreword from the authors agent adds an interesting aspect to the story.

This is a closed circle murder mystery described in the blurb as a wicked wink to Agatha Christie.

Daisy Darker’s family gets together to celebrate her nana’s 80th birthday which she is celebrating at her home on a tiny tidal island cut off for 8 hrs when the tide comes in. Connor a family friend also turns up for the celebration.

Daisy is the story’s narrator.
We get an insight into the Darker girls youth from memories and home movie clips which also provide clues.

It’s got a creepy vibe which builds with the rising tension. The plot is excellently woven, with great twists and deceptions. The past and present are interwoven very effectively.

The characters are all very individual some a little quirky, some not so likeable. It’s full of complicated family relationships. Daisy is very likeable as is the quirky nana.

The writing style is chatty and instantly engaging. It had me chuckling in places. I like the chapters ending with mini cliffhangers.

Honestly I can’t rave enough about this book!

**Listened to the audiobook and read electronic version too**

This book is like nothing I have ever read before, it's so unique! It hooked me right from the start! I loved how the book kept evolving, it starts off being one thing, and within a few chapters it changes into something else. It spans so many topics, and themes throughout the book - but all the time it is just so engrossing.
Alice Feeney's writing is so filmic, and this really would make a great film or tv series. I could visualise everything so vividly.

I usually struggle with books that have too many characters, but Feeney made the characters so unique and interesting, that i didn't feel overwhelmed or lost at any point like I have with other books.

The narrator of the audiobook was fabulous, and brought all of the characters to life perfectly.

I adored this book, and if you love a book full of twists and turns - this will certainly not disappoint!

While there were issues with the audio file for this book I’ll review what I was able to listen to. Daisy Darker starts with an intriguing voice and backfiring to the childhood of Dauss as y- now adult woman attending her grandmothers 80 th birthday with her strange and somewhat estranged family. At this remote cottage, on the eve of the year her grandmother believes she will die based on a palm readers prediction, a will is read which changes everything. And then the deaths start. This is the first book I have listened to on audio from Netgalley and really emphasises the difference a reading can make to the tone of a narrative. The reader’s choice to present it (at least for the first 20%) as a cheery, smile inflected piece makes it feel much more like a breezy, life affirmation piece than the ‘then there were none’ style story it turns into..

Firstly, I liked the narration. It didn’t overwhelm the story and the voice was easy to listen to.
The story itself appears gentle at first. Typical nasty family with not a lot to like in the majority. Following a good old Christie storyline, one by one they are bumped off. No spoilers here, but suffice to say your judgment may well be tested by the end of the story and this is no gentle crime.
Don’t trust anyone… not even your own take on events. In fact I am tempted to start all over again to slot a few events firmly into place.
A very strange but excellent read.