Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting, I had several familial health challenges to contend with in the past months.

The blurb on this book is seriously misleading - this is by no means a thriller, and the mystery is well-padded with so much extraneous detail that it gets very boring very quickly. While I appreciate the author's attempt to immerse the reader in the feeling of complete unmooredness the female main character must feel when her husband disappears without a trace - at least I assume that was the intention - she should have put her thesaurus back on the shelf, it got much too much of a workout here. And I really, really hated the habit of using "ya" for the word yes. These are not German-speaking immigrants, nor are there any other efforts at any type of dialect in the book. Why? Just so, so annoying!

I'm going to be honest, I actually forgot I read this book. It didn't stick with me at all. I do remember it being easy to read and a fast read.

Thank you to the author/Netgalley for the advanced copy of Into the Fall in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the year of the debuts and I am not mad about that at all! I met Tamara at Thrillerfest last year and was so excited when she reached out to me, wondering if I would consider reading her book. Of course, I took her up on it and I’m just sorry I didn’t get to it sooner – life just got in the way.

I love this type of story – the one where you quickly realize you don’t know the person you are with as well as you think you do when the worst happens. Set in the Canadian wilderness, what unravels is a complex mystery that captivated me from the start, with characters that I could not get enough of. What led to Matthew vanishing while the family is on a camping trip in the middle of the woods, leaving his wife and two young children behind?

I am always a fan of dual timelines, and I loved how this structure added to the overall suspense of the story. With the present focused on the search for Matthew, the past provided the backstory into the relationship between Matthew and Sarah, leading to some questions that may or may not pertain to what was happening in the present.

This is a fast-paced, original story that is as unpredictable as it is compelling. I loved that while the mystery is what initially captured my attention, it’s the secrets that kept me going. And the twists…just when I thought I had it all worked out, the author manages to throw in a curve-ball that shifts everything I thought I knew.

I am so glad I finally got to this one and am going to be keeping an eye out for what comes next from this talented author for sure!

This is a debut mystery, and a very impressive one, by talented new author Tamara L. Miller. This character-driven story has a vividly described sense of place. Sarah has a fine home in Ottawa, a satisfying career in theatre, a husband Matthew and two young children. She suspects all is not well in their marriage. Matthew has become distant and is away from home a great deal. They constantly argue, but both cherish their children. Sarah has wondered if there is another woman, but is mainly in denial of any marriage problems.

Matthew is an experienced and enthusiastic outdoorsman. He loves the wilderness, forests, and nearby lake a couple of hours north of their home. He is an avid hiker and canoeist. He plans a family vacation in the Ontario wilderness. The children are excited, and Sarah agrees to go, hoping to restore some closeness in their relationship. On the second morning in the tent, Sarah awakens to see that Matthew's sleeping bag is empty and his canoe is gone. She cannot believe he would deliberately leave the children. When he doesn't return, they are left stranded.

Two police officers, Boychuck and Ritter, organize a search party but feel Sarah is not telling them everything that happened. Sarah had found some shocking secrets about Matthew's former life, his identity, and lies about his family. Her mood swings from a state of denial to rage. Events leading to his disappearance cause her concern that she and her daughter may be responsible. The girl feels she is to blame, and after Sarah realizes what the child is trying to tell her, she reassures her and is determined to protect her.

The police feel that Matthew may have faked his disappearance because as months go by, there is no trace of him. When they learn the unsettling secrets Matthew concealed in his past, a deliberate disappearance is a distinct possibility. They also consider the possibility that Sarah harmed him. The police conducting a futile search are unaware of two incidents, one by Sarah and another by her young daughter, that may have contributed to Matthew's misfortune.

Throughout the story, there are many startling revelations. Her sister supports Sarah through this upsetting time while awaiting word about search proceedings. The two women had been estranged due to her sister's dislike of Matthew.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC, which kept me in suspense throughout. I recommend it to readers who like a mystery full of twists and turns, well-developed characters, and an atmospheric setting in the Canadian wilderness.

Into the Fall was a debut psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. Sarah and her family go on a camping trip in the Canadian wilderness, but what happens when her husband ends up vanishing without a trace? This will keep you turning pages and keep you guessing until the very end. The author did a great job writing this one and all of the characters in this were good. The book will have you hooked from the beginning. Overall, I highly enjoyed this one and would recommend it to any reader who likes thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this read in exchange of my honest review of Into the Fall by Tamara L. Miller.

Into the Fall by Tamara L. Miller keeps you hooked till the very end.
A well written suspense filled with twists that kept me hooked from the very beginning.

I had fun with this! I wasn't sure how it was going to end which I liked. This is a great mystery story. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Tamara L. Miller, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

📚: Into the Fall by Tamara L. Miller
⭐️: 3/5

Sarah wakes up one morning during a fall camping trip to find her husband, Matthew, vanished into thin air. As the case grows cold, she finds that Matthew held a few major secrets - alongside her own - but the biggest one remains… where did he disappear to?

This one took me a bit of time to get into with a few pacing issues at the start. And as much as I wanted to love this as it picked up, Sarah’s character fell flat for me. Points for a solid twist that I didn’t see coming, but this ultimately ended as an average suspense read, with an epilogue that feels extraneous and ends on an odd note.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Into the Fall is out now.

Sarah and Matthew are camping with their kids. When Sarah and the kids wake to find Matthew and the canoe gone, they think he’s gone for a bit. But as the day progresses he never returns and the weather is taking a turn for the worse. Months go by and as Sarah searches for answers, she runs into more questions - questions about her husband’s secrets, and his true identity! A great read that kept me interested from beginning to end.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the chance to read Into the Fall by Tamara L. Miller. I was drawn to this book by the description of the plot, the gorgeous cover and the main character lives in the same city as me, Ottawa. Even though the pacing was slow, it worked for this two timeline mystery about the disappearance of Matthew on a family canoeing trip. I found myself turning the pages to find out whether Matthew drowned, disappeared, or was murdered. The standout character for me was Boychuk, the local detective who can't stop searching for the truth, even when the case is turned off to city police. This is the debut novel for the author and I look forward to reading her next book.

Told from a MPOV in a dual timeline from past/present this debut novel takes you on a long, mysterious adventure as a women and her family goes on a vacation to the Canadian outdoors. When on a Camping trip the husband suddenly vanishes and the wife is left to put the pieces of the puzzle back together. While searching for her husband, the wife unravels a variety of issues and secrets the husband has been keeping. Will the husband be found or will he stay gone? Where did he go? This book is captivating and atmospheric written in a fashion that has the reader flipping through pages to find out what happened. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others as well.

I really enjoyed "Into The Fall." It was well-written and easy to follow through the different timelines and perspectives of each character. I especially loved that it took place in Ontario, which is where I call home, as I could clearly visualize what Tamara Miller was depicting through her words. I appreciate a great mystery novel, and this one definitely lived up to my expectations!

A missing husband? A wife and kids abandoned on an island while camping? This book had all the beginnings of a good story. I was intrigued right away wondering where the story would go. I soon found myself not engaged. I really enjoyed the flashbacks that showed us red flags from the beginning and how they built up all the way through to the ending. I can’t say I’m terribly satisfied with the ending. I was hoping it would be a different outcome, although I appreciate things being wrapped up. Rating this one 3 stars. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Mystery | Adult
[Image of the cover of the mystery novel Into the Fall, by Tamara L. Miller (2025)]

When Sarah Anderson wakes up in the tent, her two kids are sleeping as usual, little mummies in their sleeping bags keeping them warm against the late-season chill, but her husband Matthew isn’t there. She gets up, pushing down a sense of unease, and enjoys the beauty of the lakeside wilderness still so accessible from their Ottawa home. Matthew is nowhere to be found. A sunrise swim, she surmises, annoyed that he left her to manage the family breakfast alone, especially since the moody fall weather has made Bella a sullen camper and irritated older sister to Charlie. Eventually Sarah discovers the canoe is gone too, leaving her and the kids stranded until he returns. He never does. Thus opens Miller’s first novel about marriage, family ties, loyalty and deception. The cover describes it as a thriller, but it’s more of a mystery, though even that is a bit of a stretch. I liked this one a lot – the author has created a complicated plot that is slowly revealed. The story heads off in one direction and then takes a sudden turn more than once, making this an entertaining read for me. The ending was both surprising and a wee bit of a letdown, leaving me feeling quite sad, which was not at all what I expected to feel. Sarah as a character is fascinating, though I have a feeling I wouldn’t choose her as a friend … My thanks to publishers Thomas & Mercer for the advance reading copy provided digitally through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210481961

I had a hard time getting into this book. It might be the mood I am currently experiencing. As I have written with other reviews, I am a major mood reader.. I may give this book another shot when I am in the mood for a good thriller.

Sarah and Matthew have hit a rough spot in their marriage, but when Matthew suggests a family camping trip to one of his favorite spots, Sarah is hopeful that things are improving. It’s fall, and with a storm on the horizon, Sarah is a bit apprehensive, but Matthew knows what he’s doing. After turning in early, Sarah wakes the next morning with Matthew gone. Did he go for an early canoe ride, a swim? When he doesn’t return, Sarah sounds the alarm. Matthew is missing. When the search turns up no trace, Sarah and the kids must face a life without Matthew. The search into Matthew’s private life brings up more questions than answers. Who and where is Matthew? Is Sarah hiding something? The investigators seem to think so, but Sarah remains adamant that she knows nothing. Will they ever have definitive answers? A nice debut by Miller. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book was not it. I struggled through the whole thing. The back and forth stories got confusing and it just feels flat in the long run.

This was a very average run of the mill thriller, but I really did enjoy the writing style and my favorite thing was the descriptions of the scenery and the lush forests mixed with the water. I would read again just for the vibes, however if you have read a lot of thrillers/mysteries this will not shock you. So depending on what you are looking for, would determine if I would actually recommend to you or not.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for my early e-arc.

Thank you Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer Publishing for an eARC ♥️

_Oh, The Secrets We Keep!_

The story follows Sarah Anderson, a woman who seems to have it all - a thriving career, a beautiful home, and two adorable kids. But, as we all know, appearances can be deceiving.
Sarah's marriage is on shaky ground, and her world is turned upside down when her husband, Matthew, vanishes during a family vacation in the breathtaking (and terrifying) Canadian wilderness. As Sarah searches for her husband, she must navigate treacherous terrain, both physically and emotionally.
With the help of a kind-hearted rural lawman, Sarah embarks on a yearlong journey to uncover the truth about Matthew's disappearance. Along the way, she must confront her own dark secrets, reconnect with her estranged sister, and dodge the suspicions of a slick city police officer who's watching her every move.

My Thoughts:♥️

Honestly, I was hooked from page one! The author's writing style is engaging, and the characters are so well-developed. I loved how the story unfolded, with secrets and twists popping up at every turn. The Canadian wilderness setting added an extra layer of tension and suspense, making this book a true page-turner.
I appreciated how the author explored themes of marriage, family, and identity. Sarah's journey is not just about finding her husband, but also about discovering herself and confronting her own demons.

Sarah Anderson has a career in the world of theatre, a nice home in Ottawa, Canada and two young children, but then her husband Matthew vanishes without a trace during a family camping trip up north. Eventually the trail goes cold, launching Sarah into a quest to find her husband.

This book is very impressive for a debut novel and I was quite captivated wondering what could possibly be coming especially after the revelations at about 50%. Not only is there the mystery surrounding Matthew's disappearance but also some family drama as Sarah reunites with her sister and also uncovers some startling information about her husband's past. Personally I wouldn't class this as a thriller but it kept me involved right to the end.

Tamara Miller, the author, is a Canadian and the story takes place in the Ottawa area and points north. I'm glad to add her to my list of favourite Canadian authors. Also, take a moment to admire this cover!

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this debut. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: February 1, 2025