Great storytelling and amazing plot twist that is The author’s signature move now. The Darker family are all very un likable. The audio narration is stellar. I would be surprised if you guessed the twist
Without peaking at spoilers.

Where to begin...

First off, I love the premise of this novel. I love a mystery, I love the spooky setting, I am familiar with the author's work... I was ready for a good time.

And that's what I got, mostly. I had an excellent time following this dysfunctional family's last few days... I was intrigued by the mystery, and enjoyed Feeney's writing style.

What I will say, is I think this novel falls into the trap a lot of books - specifically mystery thrillers - fall into. The first 20% or so is mainly set up and character introduction. It's not extremely interesting and can be a chore to get through. Once the actual story begins, however, I found myself entertained for a majority of the book.

Without divulging any spoilers, I cannot say I was entirely thrilled with the reveal. I would not necessarily say it is predictable, but it didn't really work for me. I'm not upset about it, but I do wish the ending didn't feel so... trope-y, for lack of a better word.

All in all, though, I think this is an excellent spooky season read (although, for me, spooky season is eternal). It's fast to get through once you get past the exposition, and I mostly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the audiobook.

Tonight is Halloween, and it is Daisy Darker’s grandmother’s 80th birthday. It’s the first time in years that the entire family would be together. Through the years, they had all gone their own ways, but they kept coming back to Nana’s house, Seaglass. It’s Daisy’s favorite place to be, so she comes more often, but it’s also where the family gathers for holidays and major occasions. And Nana’s 80th birthday is a major occasion, since a fortune teller once told her that it would be her last.

Daisy is the first to arrive, with plenty of time to spare. Seaglass is on a small tidal island, and once the tide comes in, it is impossible to get to the house except by boat. Soon, the entire family is there, Daisy’s father, her mother, who always insisted her children call her Nancy, and her two older sisters. Rose is a veterinarian, and Lily doesn’t really work, but she does have a 15-year-old daughter, who also comes.

Once everyone is settled in to their rooms, Nana announces that she has changed her will. As a successful children’s book writer and illustrator, she has done quite well for herself. Her book Daisy Darker, named for her favorite granddaughter, is especially popular. Daisy’s father, Nana’s son, is hoping for an inheritance so he can keep his orchestra playing. He had chosen them over his family many years ago, divorcing Nancy when the girls were still young and spending their childhoods traveling and dating young female musicians. But Nana leaves him no money.

Nancy, who gave up her acting career to have children, is also hoping for an inheritance from Nana. She doesn’t get any money either. Rose was hoping for an inheritance to grow her veterinary practice and Lily for her shopping habit, but neither are given a dime. Nana does leave her house to Lily’s daughter, Trixie. Daisy is disappointed, as she loves Seaglass and was hoping that Nana would leave it to her. But she is happy that at least it didn’t go to her parents or her sisters. And Daisy has the book, which is named for her. Written in verse, it tells the story of a happy family.

In reality, though, Daisy’s family is not happy. It’s broken, like Daisy herself. She was born with a broken heart. She had died many times before she was even a teenager. The first time was on the beach at Seaglass, where Rose’s quick thinking kept her alive. And now the family is back together at Seaglass, but each one is broken, and each one has a secret that they might kill to keep quiet.

Shortly after midnight, Daisy hears a shout downstairs and goes to see what it is. She finds Trixie in the kitchen, standing over Nana, who is lying on the floor. It looks like Nana had been writing a new version of Daisy Darker on her chalkboard when she fell off the chair. But when the family gathers to see what she’s written, they wonder if it really was an accident.

The new poem speaks of the evil that lurks in the hearts of each of Daisy Darker’s family members, and Nana’s death is just the beginning of a night filled with terror. As the clocks strike each hour, another family member is found dead, and more secrets are revealed. The killer leaves old home videos for them to watch, to reveal the nature of their character, and as the tides keep them on the island, and a bad storm rages outside, they wait to see who might survive the night.

Daisy Darker is the latest thriller by master storyteller Alice Feeney, and it is a dark homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. As this story unfolds, and the secrets are slowly revealed, there is a growing tension that gets more and more chilling as clearly someone is moving among them who wants to destroy them all. But who could it be? Going back and forth between Daisy’s memories, revealed by the old home movies and photos, and what Daisy is experiencing in the present, Daisy Darker presents the truths of a family town apart by its secrets and lies.

I listened to Daisy Darker on audio, and I thought that narrator Stephanie Racine brought the story to life with a voice that brought Daisy herself to life. I loved this new twist on a locked room mystery, but I also found myself feeling so much sadness for certain members of this family. Watching a bad family fall apart should be rewarding, but Feeney writes with such understanding and pathos that I found myself feeling sorry for them. I loved the intricate mystery she created here, but I was genuinely surprised at how sad this book made me feel. But if you are a spooky season kind of person, this is an amazing read heading into the Halloween season.

A copy of the audiobook for Daisy Darker was provided by Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I adored every minute of Daisy Darker on audio, perfectly narrated by Stephanie Racine. This is my kind of thriller - smartly written with little gore.

Set in an old gothic home on a tidal island, three generations of the dysfunctional Darker family gather on October 30th to celebrate the family matriarch's 80th birthday the next day ... Halloween.

At the stroke of midnight, the family is shocked to find a dead body, but the death appears to be accidental. The real panic begins at 1:00 a.m. when a member of the family is found murdered, thus beginning the pattern of a tragic event happening at the top of every hour. Plus there's no way to get help since the tide in is and there's no phone service.

I loved the incredibly strong sense of place in this novel. I could see Seaglass and all its quirky furnishings - the wall of 80 clocks (one for every year of Nana’s life), the punch in/out board for visitors, the chalkboard wall, etc. The poems describing each family member were so well done - I'd love to know more about the author's process of creating them. I also enjoyed the clever uses of wording with the Darker family last name.

I correctly guessed the killer but (of course) didn't anticipate the big twist. I'd love to share the 90's movie that also used it, but that's too big of a spoiler.

Alice Feeney is now an auto-read author - I plan to read Rock Paper Scissors this fall.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy of the audiobook. I highly recommend adding this to your spooky season reading list.

I did not see the end coming. When I read that she was dead, I was really shocked. Hopefully she would be able to tell her story and move on. I also couldnt believe she was alive when they threw her over! Lastly that her mother would not get her the surgery she needed.

"DAISY DARKER is just one more reason why Alice Feeney tops my favorites list!"

My full review can be found on FreshFiction.com. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review one of my favorite authors!

With a silent nod to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Daisy Darker starts her story where her family gathers, on a remote island of course, for her Nana's 80th Birthday. With eight hours of high tide, her family is cut off from the outside world! With no way to escape, this murder mystery begins…

If you have read And Then There Were None and enjoyed it, you will fully enjoy this book as well. Full of characters that all have their negative characteristics, although none are worthy of death. You are stuck wondering who the murderer is and in true Christie fashion, they are right under your nose.

This book was a great murder mystery full of exposing the Darker family secrets, where the last few will definitely shock you. It left me mouth agape while driving in my car… I wanted to stop and fully take pleasure in what just happened, but alas, work was calling my name.

I would highly suggest this book to all if you are a fan of good twists and turns. I had theories and tried not to listen to the red herrings, but was still pleasantly surprised at the end. Alice Feeney, you have a new fan!

Feeney does the damn thing again!
Woah! She completely blew me away with Daisy Darker!
Every single time I sit down with one of her books I know I'm in for a ride.
Daisy Darker is twisty, clever and a thriller that kept me reading all night.
As always this is an extremely well written as is every book I have read by Alice with vivid descriptions that really put you in the storyline.
Characters are so extremely well developed and protrayed.
An incredibly, well thought out psychological thriller that I found difficult to put down.


“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Macmillan Audio,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

#DaisyDarker:⁣
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“She stole his joy and he stole her sorrow, and they balanced each other’s emotional books that way for years.”⁣
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Daisy Daisy Daisy. I had extremely high expectations for Daisy Darker as my favorite book of all time is And Then There Were None. With the nod to Agatha Christie, I was worried I would analyze this book more than I would another. I am pleased to say I enjoyed the Darker family and how this story played out.⁣
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We have the ultimate remote location of Seaglass, a home where you can only access during certain tide changes. If that’s not what my dreams are made of, I don’t know what is. A whodunit after a cryptic poem written in chalk is crossed out once each member of the family is gone. It was a wonderful concoction of atmospheric and creepy. The audio, read by Stephanie Racine, was great. She definitely added the elements to assist although the atmospheric vibe.⁣
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There’s always this element in Alice Feeney’s book that always have me doing a double take, re-reading, rewinding audio. No exception here! I did figure out some of the twists, but the why got me for sure. ⁣
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Overall, I honestly felt like this was a little love letter to all of us who have ever felt invisible…. in the most morbid of love letters I mean. 😂 I really enjoyed the audio of Daisy Darker and would highly recommend if you listen to audiobooks! If not, BOTM has this for you to select! Thank you @macmillan.audio & @flatiron_books for the gifted copy. Daisy Darker is out now!

Alice Feeney has done it once again. Feeney is one of the only authors who can create twists and turns that literally makes my jaw drop. I am amazed every time I read one of her masterpieces.

Daisy Darker is an atmospheric and dark (no pun) read. There is a cast of very unlikeable characters and some with very redeeming qualities to cancel out the unlikeability. This is a story that will stick with you for a long time.

I will suggest this book to every library patron I interact with and add it to my library's booklist.

Stephanie Racine's narration is spot on and absolute perfection.

BRILLIANT all the way around!!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of Daisy Darker in exchange for an honest review.**

Thank you so much to @macmillianaudio for giving me the chance to listen to Daisy Darker in advance of publication.

At the beginning of the year I read Feeney's Rock Paper Scissors, and was severely let down compared to all the glowing reviews I was seeing everywhere. I wasn't convinced I should try out any more by this author, but the cover of DD convinced me.

I absolutely loved this book, and flew through it. Secluded island, Halloween night and murders left right and center.

I think my enjoyment of the book was increased because I had the audio version. I felt like I was directly in Daisy's head as the night unfolded.

This is the third book I've read this year that parallels Agatha Christie's Then There Were None, and its the winner in that collection of books too.

I highly recommend picking this one up soon, or save it for Halloween night if you want to read it alongside the events occurring.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/09/01/%f0%9f%8e%a7-daisy-darker-by-alice-feeney/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

Psychological thrillers can be tricky for me to read.  Sometimes I don't like the characters, an unreliable narrator or a lack of closure at the end.   I do tend to enjoy the more realistic  feelings and actions which are portrayed but not always the ambiguity.  Friends have really liked this author so I decided to try <strong>Daisy Darker</strong>.

The descriptions of everything from the storm, to the house Seaglass to the furniture and rooms is all a detailed depiction of the world.  It makes it easy to see the house, the people and everything as the representations are so well written.  The characters are equally well developed with all their little quirks and idiosyncrasies.

I read the blurb but it didn't really resonate until I finished reading.  It is sort of a countdown with deaths on a remote island on a stormy night and creepy nursery rhymes.  It's also Halloween.   As each hour passes, we get someone's death and also their story.  Daisy is our point of view, the youngest of three sisters with divorced parents.  Nana, her father's mother, is the only one with money and they all rely often on her rather than their own efforts. She is a children's author.

Somehow they are all here for Nana's 80th birthday.  A reading told her she would die when she was 80.  She starts the evening by sharing with them her will which pisses them all off.  Except Daisy.  All the reactions and comments from family members begins the story along with flashbacks so we know more of who they are and how they got to now.

There is plenty of creepy intertwined with character development on a suspenseful wait to see who would die next.  Twisty with surprises and reveals of many secrets as the night progresses.  I was on the edge liking a character and feeling protective and then learning more about them, sometimes to understand and sometimes to dislike them once I knew them better.  Nothing was what I expected but this was thrilling and wonderful.  I highly recommend it.

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<h3><strong>Narration:</strong></h3>
This was my first listen to Stephanie Racine.  I really enjoyed her voices. I don't have the knowledge to know if the dialects are accurate but they sounded good to me.  Most of the story was from Daisy's point of view and that fit well.  While the voices are distinct, there is very little of anyone other than Daisy, and they are similar in tone.  I was able to listen a bit faster than normal at 1.75x speed.

<strong>Listen to a clip:  <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Daisy-Darker-Audiobook/B09PMMFXFG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HERE</a></strong>

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Daisy Darker AUDIO by Alice Feeney is a masterpiece of plotting and character building. The family is gathering at Sea Glass, Nana’s Cornwall home, for her eightieth birthday tomorrow, Halloween. Frank, their dad, and Nancy, their mom, long divorced had both come as well as Rose, Daisy’s oldest sister, Lily, the middle child, along with Lily’s daughter, Trixie, and Connor, kind of an adopted son to Nana. This was the epitome of a dysfunctional family. People were tucked in every corner for sleeping and the weekend was set to begin when shortly after midnight a scream was heard. They rushed to the kitchen only to discovered it was Trixie who had screamed and saw Nana, bloody and dead on the floor. They are trapped on the end of a peninsula until the tide goes out in six hours, there is no cell phone service, and Nana had stopped paying for the landline because it disturbed her peace when it rang. As the night wore on, something or somebody was picking off the members of the family: Nana, then Frank, then Nancy, Lily, and Rose. With each death more of the family secrets were unveiled as each time a video tape of a family occasion was left for the remaining members to view. A dark tribute to Agatha Christe’s “And Then There Were None.”

I read a review that said there was no character development. I disagree as things about the characters were revealed with each death. More of the past, those things that affected each of the characters’ growth was hammered home. In the reveal, everything seemed to make sense, as things were pointed out that had been perfectly obvious, but went unnoticed, for the entire book. I think I am glad I got this in audio as I feel like it made the story more alive than the print version would have. The reveal also underlined the term dysfunctional in describing this family. The plot was beautifully done as it revealed each character and the ultimate reasons for their deaths. I have never read another Alice Feeney book, but this will not be the last.

Stephanie Racine was the narrator and she was perfect. She was serious, had a lovely accent, and treated the whole thing with a dignity that made the listener take it seriously. As the consummate professional she is, Racine gave the book the gravitas it deserved.

I was invited to listen to a free e-ARC of the audio version of Daisy Darker by Macmillan Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #macmillanaudio #alicefeeney #stephanieracine #daisydarker

So I didn't get the obvious but this book was so twisted and good. Alice Feeney does it again and I loved the narration of the book.

My favorite Alice Feeney novel so far 🖤. This locked-room mystery packs in all the thrills and chills.

Daisy Darker’s estranged dysfunctional family has all gathered together at Nana’s ancient gothic mansion for her 80th birthday. The catch? Nana lives on a secluded island, and once the tide comes in, there’s no way out. Also, there’s a killer among them. As the bodies pile up, the remaining Darker family members must find the killer before it’s too late. They won’t be able to solve the current mystery without unearthing dark secrets of the past.

Daisy Darker is an eerie whodunnit mystery with major Clue vibes. It’s also a thriller with twists and turns that left me gasping out loud. The skeletons are all piled high in the Darker family closet. This book is the perfect start to your fall spooky season reads 🖤.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. Stephanie Racine’s narration is absolutely captivating and gave me chills. Could not stop listening🖤🎧.

Daisy Darker - Alice Feeney
4.5/5⭐️

In the style of And then there were none, the Darker family has come together on an island for an 80th birthday, when members of the family mysteriously begin to die. With hours to go until low tide allows them to leave the island, Daisy Darker narrates this creepy thriller. Fans of Ruth Ware and Agatha Christie will enjoy this cast of dysfunctional characters. Fantastic narrator!

This was a pretty great book. I enjoyed listening to the narrator and the story was compelling. I give myself a little credit for figuring a bit out but it is a nice fast paced book. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Did not see the ending coming. Loved it!
Loved the Agatha Christie tie in. Love the narrater. Perfect for the story.

Daisy Darker is part of a pretty terrible family. They ignore and abuse her. Only her grandmother seems to care for her. They all return to grandmother’s home for Halloween. Grandma lives in a pretty inhospitable place. High tide comes and everyone is stuck on an island until low tide returns. No boat and no phone signal, it’s a pretty desolate place. When the entire family finds out that most of them won’t get a dime in inheritance, people start dying off one by one.

Daisy was a little annoying. There was something about her that didn’t ring true. She just wasn’t normal. Sure, she died several times as a child. Her heart just didn’t work. So maybe that was why she was the way she was. I pushed through the book at times to what was at least a good ending.

The Darker family haven’t all been together in quite some time, but it is Nana’s 80th birthday and she wants everyone there at the family house, which is located on a small island and is cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours when the tide comes in. With a nod to Agatha Christie’s hit thriller And Then There Were None, the Darker family is being killed off methodically and secrets are being revealed at every turn. I absolutely loved listening to this as an audiobook. The narrator did a brilliant job keeping the story eerie and and suspenseful.