This was just an okay read for me. There were so many characters to keep track of, the pacing was slow, and the ending felt rushed. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Really really dark and not the book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The night Andre Villiers was murdered in the woods near Southport, New York, allegedly as part of a Satanic ritual five teenagers went into those woods. Only three came out. Erin Sloane was sixteen at the time and she was friends with all five of those involved.

Sixteen years later she’s now a journalist and she’s been assigned to write a story about what happened that night. As she searches for the truth is she in danger?

This was a bit of a mixed bag for me as there were definitely things I liked about it - this was not your standard thriller and Erin is a messy heroine…and I like that. But it’s a little all over the place and at some point I think I started to lose sight of who had done what to whom…the first half is far stronger than the second. I believe this is the author’s debut novel, so not bad for a first outing.

I enjoyed reading this, it had the horror element of this book and how it showed the intensity of someone getting murdered in his friends. The characters worked in this universe and I felt like the characters dealt with this situation, it was a realistic take on them. I enjoyed the way Ruth McIver wrote this and it left me wanting to read more from her.

Five people went into the woods that horrific night almost 20 years ago, but only three came out. Erin Sloane was just 16 years old when high school senior Andre Villiers was murdered by his friends. Now she's being asked to write a story for her local paper about Andre's death. The deeper Erin digs into the past, the more her own repressed memories start to emerge, and she quickly realizes there are some willing to keep the truth hidden at all costs.

This is a truly dark and twisted thriller. The author wasn't afraid to shy away from even the most horrific of topics, so it's important to note the trigger warnings. It was a unique storyline and definitely not a bad book, but ultimately it just wasn't the right read for me.

TW: drug use, rape, abuse and satanism

Thank you to NetGalley & Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions are my own.