A fairly average read about a college student who unintentionally stumbles upon a video downloaded from the dark web of 2 women bound in a room and murdered by a masked man. This student makes it her mission to discover the identities of the women in the video which I find a bit unrealistic especially since she’s in college - you would think she would be more busy with studies and exams and everything else. I just couldn’t imagine someone at her age dedicating most of her time to solve this, and most of all, not even wanting to contact the police later on with further information. The story focuses on 2 main characters - Kayla, the college student, and Amanda, the mother of one of the victims. I understand Amanda’s actions and her involvement in the investigation with another victim’s parent and I did enjoy how her storyline played out. The book is a quick read but I was left a bit disappointed at the end because I wanted to know more about the people behind the mysterious ‘Red Room’ dark web group.

Thank you to netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨

im so grateful i got the arc to this book i could not put it down i was on the edge of my seat the plot was written so well the pacing of the book was great i found myself completely engrossed in this read ive not read a thriller like this in such a long time this book couldnt of been written any better it was so high stakes my nerves am shot after this i will not forget this book and i definately want to read more from this author i will definetly recommend this to friends and family and i will be purchasing the physical copy upon release what a read.

I am excited to provide this first review via NetGalley and Goodreads. This book cover was spooky looking and I was intrigued. This book started out really really good. Dark web, Closed community that pays to view live snuff films. Secluded locations used for filming. Using Uber app to secure victims. Solid premise.
However, there were some things that just annoyed me as a reader. The dialog was written really weird and almost forced. Having a victim tied to a chair and carrying on a perfectly calm convo with the murderer was laughable. Having college-age students basically doing police work was also an eye-rolling moment. I understand wanting young adults to be vigilantes in criminal activity on the Dark Web/Red Room but I kept asking myself "why are they not in classes or working part-time or out at the college parties/bars?"
The ending (whether intentional or unintentional) was a cliffhanger. There was zero resolution other than justice via The Man in White.
Bottom line, it sucked me in but fell flat toward the end. I was seriously thinking there would be a twist that would shake up the book but was let down.

I had the pleasure of reading The Red Room through NetGalley. Bellow is my honest review.

The concept of this book was truly thrilling. You start off following an innocent Tess, who unfortunately unbeknownst to her, finds herself involved in The Red Room. In part two you follow Kayla and Marty, who by happenstance stumbles upon the video which includes Tess in The Red Room. They work together, and with police trying to solve the mystery of what is happening to these innocent people. Which then leads you to part three that includes a victim of The Red Room’s mom, Amanda and her grief and willingness to make these horrific killings stop with the help of Kayla and Marty, and also Sam who was introduced to her by Kayla and is also a parent of a victim of The Red Room.

With them all working together, Sam and Amanda manage to save the next victim and hash out a plan to send all the information they’ve uncovered to the police anonymously in hopes they can stop these murders from continuing in the future.

Overall, I enjoyed the thrilling aspect of the book. It kept me intrigued and wanting more and I read it in less than a day.

What I did enjoy about the book was the unique plot and the inclusion of characters. From victims, to college student/crime solvers, and victims parents. It gave you a well balanced story and idea of how everyone on all sides felt while perusing the dangerous world of the dark web.

I did feel that each chapter was very over scripted, and the use of large, unneeded words to be overbearing and unrealistic. In part three, the timelines kept jumping back and forth, to current events, then back a month, then back to the present, this made it very confusing and hard to follow and kept me having to reread or go back and read to figure out where in the timeline I actually was.

I was left with many questions after finishing the book and ultimately wishing the author had elaborated more on the ending. I would have loved to know how Kayla and Marty felt after Sam and Amanda saved Izabel, since after all, they were the ones who made the plan to find the missing people and location in the first place. I also wish there would have been a follow up with Amanda and Sam and how they were coping with everything they witnessed and done.

Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars. It kept me intrigued enough to continue reading, but with the disappointing ending that left me with more questions than answers, I wish there had been more.

This one really grabs you. I couldn’t put it down and I just wanted to keep going all night. But of course I do need to sleep. Definitely a nail biting read

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review and I like for my reviews to help the authors.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this and read it in a day.
My rating would be higher had the POV’s included more from the victims of the Red Room and their experiences, because this is marketed as a “heart pounding thriller” and missed the mark, coming off as a crime novel. Now, as a crime procedural novel I would give it a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, but since it’s a thriller it honestly falls in the ⭐️⭐️⭐️ category for me because I did not find it to have the thrill factor. But, like I said, including POV from multiple of the Red Room victims giving more details of their experiences would get it there. The ones it did include felt rushed and basic and not edge-of-my-seat thrilling. I needed to feel the emotion of the victims in those moments.

I really enjoyed Kayla as the FMC, but I feel like maybe the author could have gotten some feedback from college age girls on the emotional aspect of her experience. While I do love a mature FMC, her being threatened by these criminals did not leave her responding with adequate emotions. And I would have loved for Marty to have portrayed a little more of that “knight in shining armor” behavior the played around with for him. I needed a deeper emotional connection between them in that aspect.

I think an epilogue here showing Sam, Amanda, Marty, and Kayla together several months down the road would have been great. Maybe expanding on their sleuthing together or the progression of their relationships. The romance was built up but not concluded and I needed that. Even with the inclusion of Becker working with them to investigate these crimes that couldn’t have been solved without them.

This has potential to become a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, especially considering the authors experience in the field. There are just a few holes that I needed filled. I would absolutely recommend this book though!

I loved this. Maybe it was the intrigue that comprises the dark web, or the mystery, but this was one of those all night reads. I could not put it down. Imagine being away from home and getting a text and photo of your loved one in handcuffs. I won’t say anymore because I don’t want to spoil the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Brandon Hughes for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Please be aware that this review contains *spoilers* in the form of unresolved inquiries.

The following literary piece, entitled "The Red Room," serves as my first foray into the genre of crime novels, skillfully crafted by a writer well-versed in the realm of criminal justice. It delves into the gripping events that unfold in the depths of the dark web during the late hours, with a focus on the gruesome practice of murder for entertainment at a steep cost.

Kayla came across the video by chance and, being a college student, she felt a strong connection to the victims depicted. This prompted her to launch her own investigations into the "Red Room". Along with Marty, a bartender she met one evening, they soon find themselves immersed in a complex and expansive mission, as the true intentions of the room are revealed.

This book will resonate strongly with crime readers, as it delves into the connections with the relatives of past victims, explores budding relationships, and exposes unsettling acts of violence.

Being a passionate reader of non-fictional stories, suspenseful novels, and complex plot turns, I was left with some lingering questions after finishing the book. Although I did like it, I do wish there were more explanations.



What is the origin and leadership structure of The Red Room?

Who is the individual responsible for its management, considering their involvement with a larger organization?

How does one gain entry into The Red Room and who comprises its audience?

What was the ultimate fate of the victims' remains?

Who is the man in White?

What happens with Kayla and Marty?



Thank you for the Arc.

The Red Room definitely hooks you in right from the beginning. I have to say though that this is not for the faint of heart as some of the events are something that I could see happening in real life. It makes you weary of your surroundings, for sure. It is definitely fast paced and I wanted to find out what happens next.

When I started this book, I didn’t think about how much it was going to stick with me. This book is a hard hitting thriller. It’s exceptionally written and it deals with so many different issues. It makes you think about what is truly going on in this world. How there’s a possibility that there is a real ‘red room’ out there. It addresses the challenges women face. How easy it is for a woman to become a target of a man. It deals with grief. I honestly really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the journey all these characters went on to try to find out the truth and to bring justice to these girls and their families.

The Red Room is a book about the horrors of the dark web and the perverse nature of some people in the world. That is about all I can give you about this book because you have to just dive in and trust me that you’re in for a ride!

I felt like I was watching an extremely gripping and fast paced thriller series in my head and I hope to God that there will be a book two of this because I have SO many questions. The ending left me wanting more. I want to know what happened to all the characters that were introduced in this book.

I can’t write down my questions here because I can’t ask them without spoilers.

The best advice I can give you is that pick this one up and go into it as blindly as possible! It is an epic ride!

I didn’t love the ending and that’s why it’s a solid 4 stars for me.

What a spooktacular book.

I really liked the idea of exploring modern-day urban legend and horror concepts, and so coming across this book, I was immediately intrigued.

You follow several different characters who are all tied to a horrible event in one way or another and their paths to dealing with what they know and what they've experienced.

While it is fiction, there were times when it felt too far out of the realm of reality, which left me annoyed with some characters.

The horror elements are set sparingly but are horrifying enough to leave you shocked, and more than a little nervous about venturing onto the world wide web without ample caution.


The narrative is a little messy, and often has long drawn out over descriptions that feel almost like they were placed there to beef up the word count, but the events are fast paced and your always left waiting for the next shoe to drop.

Overall, I liked this book. I feel it could have benefitted from more time to cook, to flesh out characters and trim down filler, but I still found myself wanting to finish the story. A solid 3.5 out 5 spookies 👻

The Red Room is riveting. I couldn't put it down. Tracking down murders done for "entertainment" on the Dark Web is a rich ground for suspense and horror. Fabulous, well-written book.

This is only the 2nd thriller I have read all the way through and I really did enjoy it! I have tried over many years to get into thrillers but it has never meant to be... Until now. This book is my first Dark Web Thriller. The cover first struck my interest which, obviously, lead me to read the description, and I decided to give it a go, and I am so happy I did!
There was one moment I could really REALLY picture it (due to seeing horror movies when I was younger), and it made me CRINGE... Job well done!
I gelled well with the characters, and found that it was action packed and kept me thinking about what might be happen next and who the killer is. I really did have a hard time putting this down!
I recommend this book if you can stomach it.
#theredroom #netgalley

This is my first NetGalley ARC - shoutout to them and Mr Hughes for letting me read this for an honest review.

This novel follows a series of murders streamed live to many depraved characters who enjoy watching 'The Red Room' on the dark web. Eventually, this video is seen by amateur sleuth Kayla, who enlists the help of others as she begins her journey to seek justice for the victims and put an end to the snuff films.

I liked the concept of this book and I really wanted to love it. But this novel was devoid of personality and the narration was not dissimilar to an audio description narrator on a dull TV show. It was all so matter-of-fact with drawn out and laborious descriptions of irrelevant points. For most of this novel, I couldn't help but think of much more stylish and subtle ways to convey a point - as much of this writing was clunky and shallow. There are so many pages and chapters where the same phrases are used and reused and repeatedly reused again... it was just really basic writing and that's putting it politely.

The plot is generally good and it did interest me enough to push through despite really disliking the writing style. However, you do really need to suspend your disbelief as it's all very far-fetched from the start.
Do I believe 'red rooms' really exist in the dark corners of the internet? Yes. But it seems all the characters act so foolishly - I just can't believe that anyone in their situation would be as cliché as that.
And Kayla's involvement in this case (and Marty's) is just ridiculous and laughable that this is supposed to be realistic. Even the way the amateur sleuths respond to the events is so unrealistic and the whole time I just felt bewildered that this was actually a novel ready to be published and not just a draft copy.

I'm really trying to be kind but there isn't much to compliment here. I'm disappointed as I expected better.
The countless iterations of:
Kayla: ".......", then she said "........."
Marty: "..........." a pause, then Christina said: "......."
Christina then said: "........." to Kayla, who replied and said: "........."
This is just an example but interactions like these happen all throughout the book. Like come on, are you writing a script?! It's just so tedious to read and devoid of any tension or atmosphere.

The ending was pretty predictable and probably the most far-fetched part of the book. I wouldn't say it was satisfying as I feel the level of unbelievable really reached its peak by the end. Becker is described as 'an intelligent police officer', even though he basically had nothing to do with solving the case.

Overall, the concept is really good but the execution was poor. I actually would have liked to see more scenes from the Red Room, as I didn't find this novel particularly dark or gritty which is what I'd expected and hoped for when I chose it.
Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review, thank you!
The focus of the story is to uncover the location and operators of the Red Room. In the first part, we meet a brave woman, Tess, thanks to whom the investigation will be able to start. At first I thought she and her husband would be the main characters. Well, no... :')
In the second part, Kayla and Marty start investigating the Red Room after she accidentally stumbles upon the "killer" video. It's exciting how they manage to find out more than the small town detectives.
And just when I thought they were going to be the only main characters, there is a twist and the main roles are given to the parents (Sam and Amanda) of two missing girls. I really liked Kayla's character, but Amanda is a real badass mom :D The solution at the end of the story was awesome. It wasn't too lemonade!
This thriller provides pleasant entertainment, which tries to draw attention to a lesser-known but presumably real problem. Who knows what goes on in the dark recesses of the dark web...
Thanks again for the opportunity! I couldn't put it down, and it can rightly be mentioned alongside the books of the bigger thriller authors. I hope to read more from Brandon Hughes! 🙂

There’s a lot to say about this book, so stay with me!

The Red Room is a haunting rendering of the dark web and it’s secrets. The first few chapters follow Tess as she revisits her family’s old cabin that had been recently sold. She was unprepared for what she found…

The next part of the book follows who I would consider the main character, Kayla, a college student who stumbles upon a video that she wasn’t meant to see. This chance encounter unlocks Pandora’s box and suddenly her life is all consumed with understanding everything about the Red Room. Her attempts to investigate end with a target on her back and under the watchful eyes of this dangerous group.

Lastly, you have Amanda, the mother of a potential victim, who’s hoping her daughter is still alive.

There are many things I want to say about this book, so let’s start with some positives. The author has “two decades of experience in the criminal justice system”, and as I was reading, I felt some of that expertise come through. Nothing specific, not as easy as saying “nailed the police talk/banter”, or “that’s absolutely the protocols for an investigation”. The author seemed to have a believable understanding of how the dark web works and it was evident throughout the story.

Second, I thought the storyline played out nicely, for the most part. I wasn’t left guessing key parts about each narrator or character. I didn’t feel like the author was overly specific or got hung up on details either. The flirting between characters felt genuine- if not a little prudish. And the ending answers all the questions left to ask.

As for my list of cons regarding this book:

My biggest gripe was the use of thesaurus words. Especially in the beginning, a lot of the narration used words that are not only uncommon, but required me to look up the meaning because the context wasn’t there. Conversely, toward the end of the book, the same phrase was used twice within a chapter and felt repetitive, or the use of parenthesis to hint at something was almost comical.

I also felt lost in time. One chapter ends on Dec 23rd, but the next chapter is back to Thanksgiving break, only to return to Dec 23rd later. I was lost on dates and never really felt like I was in the right time frame for what was happening- but it didn’t ruin the book for me.

Overall, his was a good read for what it was. The thrill was there, the suspense, the questions of “what’s next?”. Grammar aside, it was a little fantastical in regards to Kayla’s role, but I enjoyed it none the less.
This book got 4 stars from me because it was a good, suspenseful thriller that kept me wanting more. I finished it in one day and didn’t want to put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

While the subject matter is very dark and might not be for everyone, I was pulled into this book immediately and didn’t want to put it down because I was so eager to find out what was going to happen next. A big part of what made this tale so scary, and exciting, is the idea that things like this could possibly be happening out there. I’m really hoping that it’s all made up but the author makes it all sound so plausible. I’m already looking forward to reading more books by Brandon Hughes. Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this thrilling story.

I was very excited to read this as it was very intense right away, however there were moments through the book where i lost interest. Overall I enjoyed it but would have preferred to be captivated the whole way through.

I found that when reading this book it was very thrilling and it kept me on my toes. However, I do feel there was too much extra things in this book that just wasn’t needed and felt like filler. I also felt that the story itself could have been told better.