I wanted to love this supernatural thriller but had a hard time connecting with the characters. The story line fell flat for me but maybe I wasn't in the ri9ht headspace to fully absorb it. The premise was good being placed on a remote island with an estranged couple and family and friends and the creep factor ramped up in the second half of the plot but struggled all the same. Possibly another readers cup of tea.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Unfortunately, this fell flat for me and I was not able to finish it. I didn’t connect with the writing style but encourage others to try it!

If you’re looking for a spooky fall read/listen for the season that’s not too scary, I recommend Kelley Armstrong’s Hemlock Island. It’s set on a remote island on Lake Superior where people are dying, disappearing, and seeing visions. There’s a lot of background info to unpack along the way but it all resolves in a satisfyingly unique and spooky tale for our current times!
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio, St Martin’s Press & NetGalley

This was the first book I have read by Kelly Armstrong. This was a very interesting book. I think readers will enjoy this one during Spooky Season. This will pulling you in from the beginning and will keep you wanting more. I definitely didn't see the twists coming!! I found this to be really entertaining . I will definitely be recommending this book!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

I'm not usually a fan of the supernatural or horror, but this book had exactly the right "creep" factor mixed in with an awesome story that kept me reeling until I finished it! Protagonist Laney has taken her niece, Madison to Hemlock Island which was a gift to her when she married her now ex-husband Kit. Madison has been the caretaker since then and has had countless renters there to keep the island funded and running. But there are dark forces at work and when a group of her friends/family congregate there, all bets are off! So go in blind as you can never prepare yourself for this often-gruesome tale of family ties and the lengths some will go to in their quest to right a wrong!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I was pulled into this fast-paced twister of a thriller from the get-go. I stayed up way past my bedtime a couple nights in a row to binge read because I just had to know what would happen next and how it would end.

Laney’s been through a rough few years. Her adoring husband built her an idyllic cottage on a remote off-grid island on Lake Superior for her wedding present. But sadly the pandemic did a number on their marriage and they’ve gone their separate ways. Then Laney’s sister got sick and passed away leaving her as the sole guardian of her teenage niece. Times are tough financially too, and to hold onto her island paradise she is forced to rent it out to pay the bills.

When hex circles and bloody body parts start showing up Laney heads to the island to investigate the strange happenings that are creeping the heck out of her guests. Her ex husband shows up with his sister, and her old friend Sadie tags along for the ride with her cop brother. What follows is a wild ride as the motley crew of friends is stranded on a spooky island in a powerful storm.

I’m a big fan of Kelley Armstrong’s books and loved this one, though the ending was definitely not what I expected. This was a great thriller that had me gasping more than once.

Hemlock Island is both as beautiful and poisonous as it sounds. Located in Lake Superior, the island was a wedding gift from Kit to Laney when they got married. During the pandemic, they got divorced, and Laney got the island. She’s a teacher, but has published a couple books and her dream is to write full-time. Until then, she has to rent out the property to afford the maintenance it requires.

Laney’s sister Anna recently passed of cancer, and Laney took in her teenage daughter, Madison. She takes her guardianship very seriously, and loves their time together. When some rental guests call to complain about a bloody, scratched up door in the house, Laney packs up Madison and heads to the island to see what animal did the damage.

She thought they’d just be in and out after finding a rat’s nest, but as soon as they get there, they are joined by Kit and Jayla, Kit’s sister. As Laney is trying to get over her annoyance, two more people show up: Sadie, Laney’s former friend, and her detective brother, Garrett. Kit had to cancel a business meeting with Sadie to check on Laney and the island, and after hearing about the bloody door, she decided to bring her brother.

Unfortunately for the group, something on this island don’t care how much reinforcement Laney has. The closet door in question? It definitely wasn’t from an animal…it almost looks like a human was inside, trying to claw their way out. This is just the tip of the iceberg though, as that’s only the beginning of what this group finds. Soon, they are all ready to leave and call police from the mainland, but every mode of transportation they have has been ruined. Now they’re stuck together, trying to stay alive.

This was pretty gory, and though it was set on an island, it’s a northern island with a forest that gave this a slight Blair Witch feel. When things in a novel start to turn towards the supernatural/paranormal, reviewing it can make it sound cheesy, but it didn’t feel cheesy while I was reading it - it felt suspenseful and creepy. This is a modern twist on old-school horror, and I very much enjoyed it! Four stars.

(Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Kelley Armstrong and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

While Airbnb often serves as the backdrop for contemporary thrillers, Kelley Armstrong takes a unique approach by placing the owner at the center of the terror in her latest work. Laney, who has recently acquired her cherished cottage in a divorce settlement, finds herself in a remote Lake Superior island without modern amenities like WIFI or a phone signal. To cover the maintenance costs, she decides to rent it out. The story begins with Laney receiving a distressing call from a renter who discovers bloodstains and scratches in a closet.

Laney, accompanied by her ex-husband, niece, frenemies, and a police officer, ventures to investigate. The group dismisses the possibility of a genuine threat, believing it to be a prank by renters aiming to pressure Laney into selling the island. However, things take a horrifying turn when they stumble upon scattered body parts across the island.

This thriller takes an intriguing supernatural twist. While I didn’t mind this departure, I was disappointed that the spirit haunting the island received minimal attention on the pages. Additionally, there were unexplained events that left me with lingering questions and no answers. I love the author's books but this one was a miss for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC of this novel.

Laney Kilpatrick is newly divorced and struggling to make ends meet. She is desperate to keep her luxurious home on Hemlock Island, a place she finds peace and solitude. To preserve her chances to live there, she begins to rent her home to wealthy vacationers. When a series of suspicious events occur on the island, Laney along with her niece go to the island to investigate. Several estranged friends and her husband also end up there in an unlikely reunion.

From there, things begin to get strange and horrifying as Laney uncovers unusual markings around the island and people start to disappear one by one and then reappear slightly different from before.

This story was an easy, fun read, however this story may not have been for me. I found some of the plot trite and familiar, nothing new in the horror genre. As the ending of the story approached there were suddenly some very fascinating twists that I wish were explored much more, and earlier in the story! Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Such a unique take on the island/killer theme. Laney is called to her island vacation rental home as the renters call in the middle of the night stating they found blood and other frightening items in the home. Laney and her niece head to the island, surprised to find when they arrive her ex husband, his sister, and old friend and her brother. Now someone is terrorizing and hunting Laney and her friends or is it one of them?

The killer was so unexpected and a great twist towards the paranormal - one that I would have never seen coming.. The concept was sound, the writing was a bit slow at times and i would have loved to know more about Laney and her ex's relationship.

Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I’ve been in not really a slump but just haven’t been reading many books that wowed me recently. Then this one came along and wow I literally am obsessed with it.
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Hemlock Island is the perfect mix of horror and mystery and I loved everything about how the story unfolded. I was immediately hooked from page one and found myself unable to put this one down. I loved the characters and was super interested in what everyones deal was. What happened with Kit and Laney and Jayla? What did Sadie and Garrett have to do with the story? Why is Laney bringing Maddison to investigate the island? Let’s not forget the setting of the remote island brought on another element of the already atmospheric creepy read.
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I found this to be super fast paced and fun of heart racing, creepy, goosebump producing moments. It was gory and downright gross and I was all for it. The way she had a few of the twists unfold had my jaw on the ground. I loved the unraveling of the mystery and how everything in the end was answered.
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I listened to this while reading it and Angela Dawe was the perfect narrator for Laney. She brought the perfect amount of energy and right vibes to this story to make it one you cant help but want to listen to non stop.
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This will most definitely be one of my favorite spooky reads this year and I will 100% recommend this one to my thriller/horror friends out there. This was just released on 9/12, be sure to check it out!
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I recently read Armstrongs’ Rip Through Time series, and I thought they were great, but this - wow and to be able to cross genres like that. Absolutely amazed. I cannot wait to read way more of her work.

I first want to thank Kelley Armstrong and NetGalley for this ARC eBook edition.

To be entirely and completely honest, I did not care for this book and was struggling to finish, it was supposed to be scary but it kind of fell flat for me. I didn't like the reason for all the spookiness. It did have creepy and intense vibes throughout the book but I just didn't find it scary. Lainey inherits the home, and she is a struggling author. She also inherits her niece. So, she decides to rent this home out to make ends meet. I felt like there was a lot going on and I didn't like the way it all came together.

This was.. fine? I was definitely curious in the beginning but the further in I got the re worried I was about the direction it was heading. It didn’t quite go where I thought but I was still a little disappointed by what happened.

So much miscommunication, or just lack of communication, and Garrett was annoying AF. But I guess he was supposed to be. Not great, not awful, glad I read it.

This is a supernatural horror novel that takes place on a remote island. I went into this thinking it was just a murder/mystery thriller. I wasn't expecting the supernatural element, which is not my typical reading preference.
There was tension between the handful of characters due to some past "events" that were constantly referenced to, but irritatingly aren't revealed until about halfway through, and were only partially worth the wait as they were mostly predictable. There were parts that dragged with conversations about sexuality preferences. I went with it thinking it would be a big part of the finale, but it really wasn't. It was only applicable to a small part of the story.
It started off strong and had small portions that were scary and gruesome. I liked how it kept you guessing so you never really knew what they were dealing with until the end. It's a weird concept and really not like anything I've read before.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this eARC.

This was really good. It was one of those books that manages to be super creepy without being all in your face. Sure there were moments of gore/shock, but it was often the other elements that made it really eerie (and made me leave an extra light on at least once!). Loved the characters - Laney, Madison, Kit, Jayla. Loved that I had no idea what was going to be the outcome for the entire book (really was not expecting the ending). I did figure out the secret pretty early into the book though - almost from the first time it's brought up I had an inkling. I guess it was important for some of those characters to be on the island, but it didn't feel essential to the story for me. I had been about to give this five stars throughout the whole book, but the ending was kind of disappointing. It was SO unexpected (and sort of cool) but the way it all wrapped up, it left me unsatisfied, and I'm not entirely sure why. Didn't love it at all. Would absolutely recommend this book though and am looking forward to reading more from this author!

This is a page turner that kept me reading into the wee hours of the night. I normally avoid horror books because they give me nightmares. I don't even watch horror movies. This is a bit different. Even if it is classified horror, I think of it more as supernatural, in a similar vein to the popular TV Series.

As I think more about this book, it does also give me the same feel of reading one of Edgar Allen Poe's horror stories. Ms. Armstrong gives a nod to one of his stories in this book. Nicely done.

Even though this story has a supernatural element, it feels so realistic in many other aspects. The pandemic is written into this book. It feels like 25% or so of my friends ended up in a divorce. The pandemic exacerbated their underlying issues. This happened for Laney and her ex, Kit. Neither one of them expected to have their relationship fall apart when they suddenly had to work from home together. I especially appreciated this viewpoint and to see it from both Kit and Laney's perspective.

The horror part of this story is not so scary and more creepy. People are dying and trying to understand what is happening in a logical sense is not going to work. This plot and the different sequence of events that caused "bad things to happen" appeals to me. It is not just one event or one person that caused all these "accidents" and killings. I really enjoyed it and honestly, the "big bad" that is killing . . . I cannot say that they are not justified. This grey area makes me like this book even more. This thriller is recommended to readers who like reality boundaries pushed.

I love the whole premise of this book. It has a fantastic set-up, with a sinister feel.

I really enjoyed everything from the backstories of the characters to the physical descriptions of the island. The story really captivated me.

And then it got creepy! There were scary forces at play on this island and it did some really gruesome and hair-raising things to the people there! I thought it was going great…

But it got weird. I think it went just one-step too far. In the vein of Just Like Home, this story just became stranger by the page.

It turned out to feel almost mythological in some aspects, which I really like. I just thought it was a weird way to get there.

Nobody does atmospheric, remote thrillers like Kelley Armstrong, and HEMLOCK ISLAND is a perfect example. Taking place on a remote island accessible only by boat, a group of people are investigating strange happenings at a vacation house owned by one of them, and they must survive the unknown without technology, weapons, or a way out. The location is as much of a threat as the unknown is, and I loved that extra layer of dread and hopelessness it adds to the story. ⁣
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I also love that not only is the setting and the pacing fantastic, the story is also very character-focused. All of these characters have a history together and through the course of their investigating (and subsequent fight for survival), layers of their shared history are slowly revealed. Some of what they’ve experienced is just as traumatic and/or heartbreaking as they what they’re now going through and there’s a lot of distrust involved, which certainly doesn’t bode well for a group who only has each other to rely on. ⁣
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All told, HEMLOCK ISLAND is an immersive and atmospheric horror-thriller with a supernatural twist that will grab readers from the opening pages. Perfect for fans who like their horror a bit more on the subtle side, this is certainly one I’ll recommend. 4 stars. ⁣
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*eARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.

This was a great story! The characters are well developed and it moves at a quick pace. Its unique and well written. The suspense build up is well done. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Kelley Armstrong, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Is there anything more claustrophobic and atmospheric than a remote island with a killer on the loose? Nope. Hemlock Island definitely delivers.

Laney Kilpatrick is a divorced teacher and debut thriller author who, in part to the pandemic and taking on the care of her 16 year old niece, must rent her sprawling island vacation home. Renters have recently reported some very strange occurrences.

She and her niece decide to investigate, and when a cast of compelling characters show up, become stranded on the island for the night. That’s when things get out of control!

It’s full of twists and chills, secrets between the characters unfold throughout, and while the ending wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped, the book still gave me enough fright for ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.