Member Review

Dolores Hawthorne left her small town and loving father 18 years ago with no intention of ever going back. Until a call from the FBI letting her know that her dad is missing sees her back in the Halloween-obsessed town that left her with enough trauma that she's blocked every memory of her childhood. She thought she'd processed and blocked all she had to, but being back and getting involved in the investigation will force her to face a past she'd rather forget.

You get the story of what happened in the past, interspersed with what's happening now, so that the story and the characters themselves are built up as the story progresses. The time jumps got a little confusing, but the way that Adams dropped hints and breadcrumbs that seemed so obvious later on more than makes up for that. Who's guilty of what's happening in either timeframe is not that big of a reveal, but the slow unveiling of the situation gives it a little extra oomph.

The way trauma, memory, and gaslighting play such an integral part of how the characters process things is perhaps my favorite part about how the story is told. The flawed way in which everyone processed the same situation is a powerful story element.

It's a twisty way to tell a twisted story, complete with characters that keep you guessing as to their personalities and motivations.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the fascinating read!