This was my most anticipated read this year so I was so happy to be able to listen to the audio before reading my copy in August. This book was phenomenal! The narrator did a great job of bringing this creepy unsettling story to life. Alice Feeney once again does a great job of developing her characters, flaws and all. That twist-I DID NOT SEE IT COMING. My jaw literally dropped. She really got me with that one as always. I loved the character of Daisy Darker. She was so innocent in this dysfunctional family. Her relationship with her Nana was really sweet and pure. The story was not typical Alice Feeney but as many have said pays homage to Agatha Christie and it's a really well written murder mystery. I'd highly recommend it!

THANK YOU to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for granting me access to this audio ARC!

My favorite Alice Feeney story and I’ve been a fan since the beginning! Everything here worked for me. I loved the gothic and eerie setting. I loved the estranged family members gathering for Nana’s 80th birthday in a place where no one leaves until morning. The secrets revealed and the big twists were terrific. At one point I wondered…and then shook my head and said, “Nah, she won’t do that.” And then she did! Brilliant. The narration on audio was also superb.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy. Congratulations to the author for what I feel is her very best book (so far)!

All Alice Feeney books are not created equal.

And "Daisy Darker", an atmospheric locked-room mystery that pays homage to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", is no exception.

After years of avoiding each other, the entire Darker family travels to a tiny tidal island to celebrate their Nana's 80th birthday.

At the stroke of midnight, a storm rages, a blood-curdling scream is heard, and Nana Darker is dead.

More dead bodies follow.

Who is killing off the Darkers, one by one?

The story is narrated by Daisy Darker, Nana’s favorite granddaughter, a baby born with a heart condition that caused her to die eight times before the age of thirteen.

I commend Alice Feeney for choosing the last name "Darker" for this book's dysfunctional and eccentric family. The author's decision to write a book about a "darker family" was brilliant.

I also enjoyed the author's sense of humor and poetry.

Overall, this book lacked the element of suspense that I was seeking.

Since I was familiar with "And Then There Were None", I easily guessed the book's twists and turns. The book also featured too many far-fetched, eye-rolling moments.

I listened to the audiobook and narrator Stephanie Racine did a superb job with the narration.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

Often when a book is finished the reader has a ton to say - either good or bad, but words and opinions. With Daisy Darker, I am sitting here quietly stunned. Well done Alice Feeney. This one literally was the rare "unputdownable" thriller. I loved it all. I loved the setting - an old family home on an isolated tiny tidal island only passable during certain times of day. Really one of the keys to this book was the setting which was described beautifully and used smartly for the plot. I loved the characters - each with layers so you never quite know what you are getting. I loved the poems used to give clues and set the tone. All of this was great.

The family gathers for matriarch Nana's 80th birthday, and a very Agatha Christie "And Then There Were None" vibe begins. Although I'm not usually a fan of screen adaptations, I believe Daisy Darker would make an excellent film. I can't say more. It would be unfair to the reader. Add this one to your TBR. You will not regret it.

Narrator Stephanie Racine was the perfect choice - she became the characters and her beautiful accent was the ideal choice.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for allowing me to listen in advance of the August 30, 2022 release. With this one, I feel I've been given a real gift to know the story ahead of so many future readers.

(3.5) Alice Feeney is one of my favorite authors. Her ability to throw in major twists I never see coming and smaller twists along the way is unlike any other author. I have loved the last three books of her I've read, but this one fell a bit flat for me. I was whole heartedly invested in this story as it played out to be a bit more of a family focused drama with an underlying mystery then turned sinister. But when the big reveal comes... I didn't feel the shock in the way I had hoped. It was shocking, no doubt, but just not the path I thought/was hoping for and I couldn't really buy into it. The story is unique yet familiar and she had me guessing the entire way through. I really did love the atmosphere I have no doubt this book will be highly rated and received among other viewers, especially those who enjoyed Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. I will absolutely be reading anything and everything she writes in the future.

A family full of secrets is brought together again for Nana's 80th birthday at her secluded beach home. While things don't exactly go smoothly, it is all thrown through a loop when Nana is found dead just after midnight. Things only escalate from there when the next family member is found dead an hour later. Stuck until the tide goes back out, they are utterly trapped with someone who clearly wants them dead. They must face their secrets and their dark past if they hope to make it off the island.

My enjoyment of this book came from not taking it seriously. The Darker family is horrible. Knowing this was a take on And Then There Were None, I was reading to find out how they were going to die because they all deserved to die. No one was trustworthy. Especially, our narrator.

Good thing I wasn’t taking it seriously because that ending plot twist was so stupid it should have been illegal.

The narrator was very good and helped my enjoyment.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

Oh snap, crackle, pop! The queen of twists is back at it!

Now, full disclosure when I first saw this was going to be a "And Then There Were None" retelling, I was disappointed, because I was SO OVER that trope. I've read far too many retellings (The Guest List, One by One, An Unwanted Guest, etc. etc.) Safe to say that I was PLEASANTLY SURPRISED and this is my favorite of all of them (even ATTWN, sorry Agatha)

For me, the difference is in the details and Alice Feeney really set the mood, developed the characters and nailed the creepy details! She definitely kept me guessing and while I wish I could say I saw the ending coming...I didn't! I was never bored and I loved how she spent time in the present and in flashbacks to keep adding new information and more dimension to the mystery.

I think this is going to be a really big hit and you should definitely add it your pre-orders, library holds, etc. etc.

Stephanie Racine absolutely NAILED the audio and I 100% recommend listening to this one! Thank you so so much to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy of this audiobook. This will be available in all formats on August 30th!

Notes while reading…

- Alice Feeney just named my next daughter.

- I’ve never wanted to highlight gems of wisdom in a thriller until now and I’m immediately pre ordering.

I’ve only read two other older Alice Feeney books and I’m definitely going to pick up her others. I devoured this play on Agatha Christie’s Then There Was None. The setting/imagery really makes you feel isolated on Seaglass with these complex characters. Clever and highly quotable I’m beyond excited to order a physical copy.

Y’all, @alicewriterland’s Daisy Darker is amazing 🖤 This novel has major Agatha Christie “And Then There Were None” vibes, but the story is modern and completely original. I did guess part of the major twist early on, but it was still a fantastic read! The audiobook is very well narrated and I enjoyed listening to it during a road trip. I’ve already pre-ordered the hardback since Alice Feeney is an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait for this book to be published!

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

This book has instantly taken the spot of my #1 book of the year. I was absolutely speechless the last 15% or so of the book. These characters were so intricately wound to each other in impeccable webs. As the story unfolded I suspected every single character at least once - which I love! I had no idea what to think and the twist left me absolutely dumbfounded. The Darker family has secrets darker than you would even believe - and everyone has a secret weighing them down that they have worked VERY hard to keep buried. When one by one the members of the Darker family start turning up dead after Nana’s birthday dinner, it’s only a matter of time until the thin sheet of ice the family has been walking on for years starts to crack. You’ll never guess who is carrying the heaviest secret of all…

I am in awe of the writing style and skill that @alicewriterland has. This is the first book that I cannot wait to get in my hands as a physical copy to annotate all of the lyrical and mesmerizing passages. I’ve never had a book move me like that before and I’ve never annotated a book, ever - so you know that means it’s extra fabulous.

Pub date: 8/30/22
Genre: suspense, locked room mystery
In one sentence: Daisy Darker's family has reunited for her Nana's 80th birthday - but this won't be a happy family reunion.

I discovered Alice Feeney years ago with her book Sometimes I Lie, and I've been waiting for another book I loved as much from her. Daisy Darker is that book for me! This is not a perfect book, but I'm giving it 5 stars because I felt compelled to listen to it - for me to get through an audiobook in two days, especially on a weekend when my audio listening is limited, says a lot about how the book sucked me in.

I'm a big fan of locked door mysteries, and if you are too, I bet you'll enjoy this one. I know there have been a lot of locked door stories released lately, but the family drama gives Daisy Darker a little something extra. The Darker family is truly dark, and I loved learning all their secrets.

I think audio is the way to go for this book. The audio performance by Stephanie Racine is top-notch - she makes the story nice and spooky, a la fireside story time at summer camp! I also enjoyed hearing author Alice Feeney read the acknowledgements - she says this is her favorite of the books she's written, and I can totally see why.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! I loved the setting, the mystery, and the main character. It was a dark and eerie thriller with some major twists! Alice Feeney hasn't disappointed me yet!!! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me listen to the ARC!

Spoiler Review Below!

There are very few ghost stories that I actually like, but I would compare Daisy Darker to the movie, The Sixth Sense, which I was obsessed with! This book has the most twisted family with such a unique surprise at the end. I love Alice Feeney, and I cannot believe how good this book was… it is a new favorite thriller for me!

Daisy Darker and her family have had their issues. It's now Nana's 80th birthday and everyone is invited to her gothic home off the Cornish Coast to celebrate. After Nana reads her will and it is time for bed, everyone hears a scream. Nana is found dead lying on the floor! Everyone is a suspect and everyone has secrets. How will the end of this story come together? You must read it to find out!

I was lucky to get an audio version of Daisy Darker and it did not disappoint. It was a solid mystery and I will suggest paying close attention to the beginning of the story so you don't miss anything. I really loved it and didn't expect the twist at the end. Alice Feeney is a clever writer. This is like no other book I've read and I appreciated that. All the stars for DAISY DARKER, this is a must read for everyone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

WOW! Love this book! Alice Feeney does it again with this amazing story that will have you guessing right up until the end. The ending you will never see coming. This book was the one I was most looking forward to reading this year and it exceeding expectations.

The Darker family (love that name) have gathered together to celebrate their matriarch’s eightieth birthday on a Cornish Island at family home, SeaGlass House. It’s both Halloween and the first time the Darker family has been together in a long time and when the tide comes in, the causeway that connects them to the mainland will be underwater, cutting them off from the outside world, and any chance of escape. And now that Nana has shared the new, updated version of her will, tempers and tensions run dangerously high. People will do almost anything for money – even kill. Much has been made of Feeney’s newest novels similarity to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. While the setting, island cut off from civilization is similar, Feeney’s novel is clearly a 21st century thriller with a twist that may well have surprised Dame Agatha herself