atmospheric

Review: A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke

~ megs14malloy

A Haunting in the ArcticA Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙

Ooo, this was very, very clever. Cooke delivered the exact level of unsettling atmosphere I was hoping for.

In this story we are treated to two very distinct and very memorable perspectives. We follow Nicky, whose story begins for us in 1901, as well as Dominique, who offers us a more present day perspective.

There are a few other, one section, perspectives we get every now and then just to help buff out some of our action. Cooke’s execution of this was fantastic, IMO. It sounds like a lot, but when you are reading it, it flows so well.

All of our drama sort of surrounds a ship known as the Ormen. In 1901, Nicky was attacked one night and wakes aboard the Ormen, a ship her father owns, where she is then kept and abused throughout an entire sea voyage.

Over a hundred years later, the wreck of the Ormen has washed ashore in a remote area of Iceland. It’s scheduled to be destroyed, but explorer Dominique feels compelled to document its last days.

I don’t want to say too much. This is so cunningly done, it’s best to just know the basics from above, or the publisher’s synopsis, and let the rest wash over you as it comes.

Some aspects of the story are absolutely gut-wrenching, particularly all that Nicky was subjected to aboard the Ormen. Her evolution as a character is horrific and also broke my heart. I loved being on this journey with her. It felt like honoring a memory in a way by bearing witness to it all.

I really enjoyed the back-and-forth between Nicky and Dominique. As the story was building, I was so curious how it was going to intersect. You could feel the past influencing Dominique, but how would it ultimately play out?

I was sad for Nicky, chest-achingly sad, and scared for Dominique. My emotions were all over the place. The stark atmosphere, cold and desolate, def got under my skin.

Additionally, the audiobook was fantastic. I felt like the narrator’s accent brought a certain level of authenticity to it that enhanced my experience.

I would 100% recommend this to Horror fans, particularly fans of Historical Horror, or Arctic Horror. The way this beautifully-blends those 2-subgenres is top shelf indeed!

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I have truly enjoyed Cooke’s work thus far, and am definitely looking forward to more.

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Review: Six of Sorrow by Amanda Linsmeier

~ megs14malloy

Six of SorrowSix of Sorrow by Amanda Linsmeier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up **

💕✨️💕✨️💕✨️💕✨️💕✨️💕😊💕

Six of Sorrow is a YA Dark Fantasy story from Amanda Linsmeier. This is the first novel that I’ve read from this author, but I’m excited to get to more.

This story is set in a small town, where six girls, all with the same birthday, have been thick as thieves since they were kids. More recently though, a misunderstanding has caused a fracture in their once tight group.

Our main character, Isabeau, who goes mostly by Iz, only has one friend left from the group, her best friend, Reuel, who would never abandon her.

On the night of their 16th-birthday, Iz and Reuel are hanging out at Reuel’s house, when Iz has to leave suddenly. When Iz leaves, Reuel is sitting on her front porch. The next morning Reuel is gone.

News of Reuel’s disappearance shakes the close-knit town and massive search efforts are put in place. This incident brings out the other girls from the friendship group and they begrudgingly begin talking to Iz again.

After all, one of their own is missing. It’s time to put petty differences aside in order to find her.

Three days later, Reuel reappears. She’s unable to express where she has been, or what has happened to her since she’s been gone, but it’s clear something is off.

She’s in rough shape, very sick and it’s unclear as to why. The girls are all concerned and this concern ends up bringing them even closer together. Then another one in their group disappears…

We then follow the remaining girls as they try to figure out the mystery of their town and what’s happening to them. They end up researching town history and local lore.

Soon it becomes clear that they might all have more in common than just their birthdays. They’ve been connected by something much deeper, and darker, than that since before they were even born. Now they must stop an evil force before it destroys everything they love.

I had a lot of fun with this. Linsmeier quickly drew me into the story with the development of this quirky town. It’s apparent that something is special about this group of girls as well. I mean, how can a group of six all have been born on the exact same day in the same small town?

The town was also atmospheric in an unsettling, yet intriguing way. There’s a legend of a local witch and other things that just seem a bit peculiar. It’s definitely a unique setting that added a lot of substance to the story.

There were some interesting occult elements and I loved to see how the author used those to explain everything that was going on. There’s even a Book of Shadows!

For me, the star of the show though was the friend group. They had interesting dynamics and I liked watching them band together and work towards a common goal. They had much more power together.

Overall, this was a quick, compelling read. I like how the story evolved and played out. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely a great time. As mentioned above, I’m looking forward to more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. If you enjoy a Dark Fantasy story with strong friendship vibes, you should definitely pick this one up!

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Review: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

~ megs14malloy

One Perfect CoupleOne Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙

One Perfect Couple is the latest from one of my favorite Mystery/Thriller authors, Ruth Ware. As I normally do with Ware’s books, I did listen to the audio, narrated by the always fabulous, Imogen Church.

Church’s narration style if perfect for Ware’s stories, IMO. I believe she’s narrated all of them. She always has a bit of trepidation in her voice, which works so well for Ware’s MCs.

With format notes out of the way, let’s get into what this one is about, shall we?

Blending a classic Christie’s And Then There Were None set-up, with the chaos and drama of modern-day reality television, One Perfect Couple, follows five couples trapped on a remote island with a killer on the loose.

Our MC is Lyla, who has begrudgingly agreed to join her boyfriend, Nico, a struggling actor, on a new reality show, The Perfect Couple. Nico is hoping it will be his big break, with nothing but stardom following shortly thereafter.

Lyla, a research scientist, is opposite to Nico in many ways. She thinks the premise of the show sounds terrible, but she wants to be supportive of him, so she agrees.

The show itself is quite mysterious. Since it is new, the creators don’t want any information leaking out about it, its filming, prizes or participants. Lyla and Nico are whisked away to a private tropical island, where things immediately seem off; at least to Lyla.

It’s not half as lush as she was expecting and the show is run with minimum crew. Each couple is given their own villa, that’s a blessing at least, and the full expectations of their participation is finally revealed to them once they are settled in. It all sounds quite icky.

There’s immediately tension amongst the couples, with individuals seeming to be vying for Alpha status, and Lyla is feeling incredibly out of place. It is a competition show, and honestly, Lyla cannot wait to be eliminated.

The first challenge takes them by surprise. Things get a little nasty and everyone leaves shaken and angry. They retreat to their villas for the night, ready to unwind after the stressful and tiring events of the first day.

Mother Nature has other plans though, and a devastating storm wracks the island overnight. The contestants find themselves cut off from the mainland with no means of communication, their phones having been confiscated.

There’s also no crew remaining on the island, as they had retreated to the mainland for the overnight, so the contestants must band together and try to survive for God only knows how long.

When no crew or rescue shows up after the disastrous storm, and the days go by, their resources dwindle. Fresh water is in very short supply, truly making this a life or death situation.

With those sort of stakes, the already tense relationships are taken to a dangerous level. All agree, this is not what they signed up for. Will anyone make it off this island alive?

Apparently, Reality TV show-based Thrillers are something I am super into now. This is my third one this year, and I’m loving them all. This had a great, mysterious set-up.

I enjoyed how secretive the creators of the show were about what participation was going to entail, yet everyone was chomping at the bit for the opportunity to be selected.

Lyla was the only one who seemed to express any doubts, and she ended up ignoring her own instincts in order to try to make her partner happy.

I know some Readers may disagree, but I loved Lyla. I vibed so well with her perspective. I enjoyed being with her on this insane adventure that she didn’t even want to be a part of.

I loved the island setting and felt it was so well done. It did feel remote and as the tension climbed into the stratosphere, it gave me such a sense of unease. It felt claustrophobic. I could feel how desperate the characters were.

I also found all of the relationships interesting. Each couple had its own dynamic, and then watching how they evolved, and how the contestants came to relate to one another over the course of the story was enthralling.

Ware did include a mixed media element as well via journal entries that take you through the events happening on the island. They way this was used to enhance the plot, and help to bring it to its ultimate conclusion, was so clever and satisfying. I loved that part.

My only slight critique, is that I was let down by the why. I loved the who, the where, the what was happening, but the why, after all that occurred, just seemed silly and anticlimactic. 100% personal opinion though, so take it with a grain of salt.

With this being said, the rest of it was so enjoyable and I would highly recommend this for your Summer TBR. If you are an audiobook person, I def rec that format as well!!

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Review: Oracle (Robert Grim #2) by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

~ megs14malloy

Oracle (Robert Grim #2)Oracle by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oracle is the 2nd-book in the Robert Grim series by Dutch Horror writer, Thomas Olde Heuvelt. The 1st-book in the series is Hex, originally published in 2013.

If you are like me, and read Hex more than a few years ago, I read it in 2019, you may not fully remember exactly who Robert Grim is. In fact, even after reading this one, I can’t really remember the role he played in Hex.

I guess what I am trying to say is that it’s not imperative you read Hex prior to reading this one. They are two completely different stories that just happen to share a common character in Robert Grim.

This story follows a few different perspectives, as well as featuring present and historical aspects. The stars of the show, at least for me, are a teenage boy, Luca, who makes a big discovery, and Robert Grim, an American retired-occult expert, called in to investigate said discovery.

It all begins with Luca, along with his best friend, Emma, stumbling across an 18th-century sailing ship, named the Oracle, sitting in the middle of a tulip field. It’s completely out of place, like it simply dropped from the sky.

Luca’s friend, Emma, actually enters the ship and promptly disappears. As the alarm is raised, anyone else seen entering the ship, such as police officers, never return. Eleven missing people in total. The authorities, unsure what to do, decide to call for help.

Robert Grim has made a name for himself as a sort of expert in this type of unexplainable occurrence. Thus, he gets called in to try to unravel the mystery.

There are so many different components to this story. The overall vibe though is one of unsettling mystery. This ship is so well described and unnerving.

Additionally, the historical perspectives that are included actually shine a light on the past of this ship. I found that aspect very unique and I really appreciated it. To me it made the ship a true character unto itself. I love when an author is able to do that, with a place, or thing, as was done here.

I really enjoyed the characters as well. Robert and Luca in particular. I loved the close relationship that grew between the two of them over the course of the story.

I was also pulled in by the intensity of this government shadow organization trying to cover everything up. Robert and Luca were pawns of a sort for the organizations, but they realized that, so there’s a bit of a back and forth as we try to figure out who the bad guys in this actually are.

While I recognize this book may not be for everyone, I really, really enjoyed my time with it. It’s such a unique blend of things: SciFi-Horror, Folk Horror, Eco-Horror and Cosmic Horror, all in one originally-mysterious tale.

I am loving this main protagonist, Robert Grim, and I’m hoping that this is a series that continues on from here.

If you enjoyed The X-Files, or the Themis Files, and don’t mind a more detailed SciFi plot, or a slower burn, then you should definitely check this out.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to more from this author!

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Review: The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

~ megs14malloy

The New Couple in 5BThe New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The New Couple in 5B follows a married couple, Rosie and Chad, as they try to navigate life in the uber-expensive rat race that is NYC. They’re both struggling artists of a sort, Rosie is a nonfiction writer and Chad is an actor, so they’re just trying to make ends meet any way they can.

That’s why when they receive news that Chad’s recently deceased Uncle Ivan has bequeathed to them his fully-paid off luxury apartment, it seems like they’ve won the lottery.

To Rosie the inheritance is a surprise, but it also make sense. Ivan had been quite ill before his passing and she and Chad took care of him when no one else in the family stepped up, including Ivan’s own daughter, Dana.

The apartment itself is located in the desirable neighborhood of Murray Hill on the East side of Manhattan. The building it is housed in, the Windermere, is well-known as a haven for creative types and boasts a rich cultural history.

As the couple settles in, Rosie, frequently left home alone while Chad is out working, starts to feel unsettled by the building and its other residents.

The doorman, Abi, is always there; as in, it’s like he never sleeps. He’s also always listening, with a intercom within their apartment that he is constantly connected to. There are cameras everywhere, and Rosie feels like her every move is under surveillance.

When people connected to the apartment unexpectedly and suspiciously die, Rosie feels like she could be next. She needs to get to the truth behind the Windermere before its too late. No inheritance is worth your life.

Lisa Unger and I haven’t had the best relationship, but this was quite entertaining. Unger has redeemed herself for me after the mess that was Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.

This does have heavy, HEAVY Rosemary’s Baby vibes, but I’m not mad about it. Those are some solid vibes. We’ll take ’em.

I liked the unsettling feel of the property. Abi, the doorman, was an especially disturbing character, who even I wanted to get away from.

I do feel like the intensity built steadily as Rosie begins to become more and more suspicious of the Windermere and its residents. I also like the way it leaned into the Psychological Thriller genre. It felt like Rosie was on her own, like no one was going to believe her.

Rosie does have some allies, but her husband Chad felt like he could be friend and foe. I really appreciate that mystery surrounding his character. We got to know Rosie so much more than Chad, obviously by design, but I did feel like their relationship was framed perfectly to keep the suspense high.

There was a historical perspective that I wasn’t crazy about, but it did make sense in context with the overall story.

Personally, I just wish we could have received those details in a different way, as I found that perspective more distracting than anything. I just wanted to be with Rosie.

I did really enjoy how Unger kept me guessing though. It gets especially wild towards the end, but overall, yeah, I feel like this is engaging and entertaining, which was exactly what I was hoping for.

I did listen to the audiobook and would highly recommend that format. I did feel like the narration was very well-done, particularly as a voice for Rosie.

At the end of the day, I had fun with this.

I’m glad I picked it up and won’t hesitate to pick up more from this author in the future. I couldn’t say that before this book, so we have progress!

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Review: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

~ megs14malloy

The Midnight FeastThe Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Midnight Feast is easily one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, coming from one of my go-to Mystery/Thriller authors, Lucy Foley. I love her classic style, her sense of place, as well as her dramatic characters.

The moment I read this synopsis, I needed it.

This story follows four different perspectives: Francesca, the founder, Owen, the husband, Bella the mystery guest, and Eddie the kitchen help. On first observation, you may think four perspectives it a lot, but honestly, it never felt like it here.

They’re all equally interesting in their own right, and so well developed. Additionally, each play an important role in the events that play out over the course of the story.

We join these characters on the first night of the grand opening weekend at The Manor, a luxury retreat that Francesca has created, along with the help of her husband, Owen, upon her familial coastal estate.

The unique property is sold out for the weekend and all guests are expecting the best of the best, to be pampered and low-key treated like royalty. Francesca is pulling out all the stops, no expense has been spared, but will it all come off without a hitch? She’s beyond stressed.

It doesn’t take long after you meet all the characters for the ominous tone to set in. There are some mysterious things happening and the property itself seems to be mired in a darkness. It’s unsettling; wicked and wild.

The abutting woods feel like they are looming over the resort, like they may harbor secrets and other disturbing things. The local lore surrounding these woods certainly doesn’t help matters. This atmosphere got under my skin fairly quickly and I was eating it up.

Further, I loved the construction of this story. The chapters are short and you alternate between all of these perspectives. With each chapter you’re learning more and more about what is actually going here, the history and connections.

We also get some journal entries, which take us back to the property, I believe, 15-years prior, and the horrific events that happened there at that time. Through these journal entries we learn a bit more about some of the players in our modern timeline. Enlightening stuff.

I was at the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading this. I found the story to be so gripping. As each chapter ended, it felt like another puzzle piece falling into place.

I was scrambling to get through it. I had to know the truth behind all the connections and what was going to happen on the night of the Midnight Feast. It was a real race to figure everything out. I had so much fun with it.

I’m trying not to give too much away about what happens. It’s best to just go in and be surprised. This definitely went places that I wasn’t expecting.

I can’t stress enough how great this atmosphere felt though. I’m an atmosphere-girlie through-and-through. That’s the number one thing I want out of my stories and Foley delivered it in spades here.

It felt rich, dangerous, hedonistic, and a bit pagan in nature. It almost toes the line into Folk Horror territory, if I’m being honest, and you know I love that.

This was wildly-engaging and non-stop entertainment. There’s no lulls ever in the forward progression of the narrative and mystery of The Manor. The conclusion was exciting and included more than one jaw-dropping moment.

In my most humble opinion, this is Foley’s strongest work yet. Everything about this gets top marks from me. I literally have no complaints.

It comes with my highest recommendation. If you haven’t already, you need to add this to your Summer TBR. If you love atmosphere, clever plot development and non-stop twists and turns, you are sure to enjoy this as much as I did.

Thank you so, so much to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy to read and review. As mentioned above, this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it far exceeded my expectations.

Well done, Lucy Foley. Well done!

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Review: When She Was Me by Marlee Bush

~ megs14malloy

When She Was MeWhen She Was Me by Marlee Bush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

When She Was Me is an enticing, and compulsively-readable Psychological Thriller centered around twin sisters.

Cassie and Lenora are permanent residents at a campground in rural Tennessee, Cabin Two to be exact. For the most part, their day-to-day life is peaceful, and they can almost…almost…forget the events of their troubled past.

After the death of the long-time campground owner, a new woman, Sarah, takes ownership and charge. Cassie and Lenora are initially concerned that Sarah will want to change things, thus disrupting their quiet life.

Much to their surprise, she actually seems pretty cool, implementing only minor changes, and Cassie, in particular, ends up interacting with Sarah more. Their life does end up disrupted though, after a teen girl, who’d checked into the cabin next door with her family, goes missing.

The girl, and the unsettling circumstances under which she disappeared, brings back a lot of memories for the mysterious sisters. Both Cassie and Lenora suspects that the other may know more about the events surrounding the disappearance then they’re letting on.

The narrative cycles between the two sisters, filtering in a past perspective as well and with a past that eerily mirrors the present, and everyone’s motivations a little unclear, this story is rife with unreliable narrators.

Both sisters try to figure out what happened to the missing girl, but it feels like a helpless race against the clock, as well as their own personal demons.

When She Was Me is a very promising debut from Marlee Bush. Even though the writing style wasn’t great for me, I still found the story to be incredibly compelling; I couldn’t stop. The characters were well done and I appreciated the way Bush delivered the twists!

When I mention writing style, it’s no shade against the author, it’s just preference. It was more obscure, more stream of consciousness narrative than I tend to prefer.

Nevertheless, the content and the character work kept me flying through. The atmospheric setting was fantastic as well. I loved the isolating feel, not just of the campground itself, but also of the sisters’ way of life.

They had essentially cut themselves off from the outside world and as the intensity increased, you could really truly feel their solitude.

The characters were all so interesting. I had a ton of theories over the course of the story about what was really going on; some panned out, others didn’t. I always appreciate it when an author can keep me on my toes.

Ultimately, I didn’t see the final resolution coming by a mile. It was clever and unexpected, leaving me with a big, sinister grin on my face. I had fun and definitely recommend the audiobook as the format for taking in this story. The narration fit it so well.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m really looking forward to reading more from Marlee Bush!

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Review: Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin

~ megs14malloy

Murder by CandlelightMurder by Candlelight by Faith Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Murder by Candlelight is a Historical Cozy Mystery set in the village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh, in the Cotswolds, in 1924.

Arbie Swift is an author, who has found new found success after the publication of his book, The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting. He’s the kind of famous now, where since he’s an expert in all things ghost,has individuals seeking him out, asking for assistance with their own hauntings.

For example, he gets asked to the Old Forge, where the lady of the house, Amy Phelps, believes she is being haunted by a spectre. Arbie should know what to do, right?

Hesitant at first, both with his new-found fame, and with the idea that he can actually help Amy with her problem, Arbie finally agrees to go stay at the Old Forge. After all, it could provide good content for his next book.

Unfortunately, while Arbie is there, Amy is murdered. Now Arbie finds himself in the unlikely position of detective, along with his dear friend, Val.

As the two dig into Amy’s life and family, they discover all sorts of potential suspects and motives. It’s a race against the clock as they try to discover the identity of the killer, supernatural or not, before anyone else falls victim…

I have been in such a mood for Cozy Mysteries lately. I’m not sure what it is, the changing of the seasons, or the amount of stress that I have been under at work and in my life, but either way, I am eating them up.

I picked this one up on a whim and devoured it in a day. I loved the quaint setting and Arbie as a main character. I think this story set-up a perfect jumping off point for a potentially long-running series.

As with many other Mystery series, I feel like this is the kind of story where you would just get more and more attached to the characters as the installments add up. It also had a distinct Christie vibe, which really worked for me.

I loved that Arbie was an author of a ghost-hunting book, and whether or not he truly believes in all that, is something you’ll have to discover for yourself upon reading. However, whether he does or not, it certainly sets him up to meet a lot of interesting people.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Arbie and Val, which definitely deserves some more attention. I’m not sure if there are plans for this to be a series, or not, but I certainly hope so. I would be genuinely excited to continue on.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Cozy Mysteries, particularly if you enjoy Historical Cozy Mysteries, Mysteries set in a small town/village, or even if you are just a fan of Agatha Christie’s work.

I feel like Martin did a great job plotting this story, and keeping the Reader engaged, while also creating likable, believable characters.

Thank you to the publisher, HQ Digital, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly hope this isn’t the last I see of Arbie and Val!!

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Review: She Left by Stacie Grey

~ megs14malloy

She LeftShe Left by Stacie Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s been twenty-years since the Memorial Day Massacre that claimed the lives of five of Amy’s friends. It happened at a small house party they’d been enjoying together.

After Amy was made to feel like she didn’t belong though, she left. Little did she know, that was the luckiest choice she could’ve ever made. Within an hour, all of those left at the house were be dead.

In the present, Amy, along with ten other people connected to that night have been invited to a cliffside lodge by a journalist preparing to do a piece on the murders.

After arriving at the home, and being introduced to one another, events quickly take a dark turn. With inclement weather closing in, isolating them even more from the outside world, it becomes clear that this weekend isn’t what any of them expected it to be.

As bodies start dropping, Amy and the others must fight to figure out who orchestrated this event and stop them before they complete their goal; keeping the secrets they’ve been hiding for twenty-years.

Y’all, I really enjoyed this. I went into She Left with zero expectations. I hadn’t heard anyone talking about it and I was unfamiliar with this author’s other works. I was attracted to it purely for the cover and synopsis.

The synopsis was giving me a classic mystery/horror set-up, where people get invited to an event, like a dinner party or weekend retreat, only to arrive and realize it’s not what they thought. It’s very And Then There Were None, amongst others.

Grey succeeded in her delivery of that set-up. I loved how this started off, meeting all the characters and learning how they were all connected to the Memorial Day Massacre.

They’re not all as directly connected as Amy was, so it was interesting to figure out all of that. We do get glimpses into all the various character perspectives, but Amy is definitely our main focus, and as an FBI Agent, Amy really had the most to offer as far as figuring the whole thing out.

Grey also succeeded in really building out her atmosphere. I loved the setting of this. She didn’t just tell us it was remote, it felt remote. The inclement weather, and potentially hazardous mudslides, added an extra element of danger that only aided in the feeling of anxiety and desperation.

This is extremely fast-paced, as well as engaging and easy to follow. I listened to the audiobook and loved that as a format choice. I absolutely flew through it.

At the end of the day, I wouldn’t say there’s anything particularly ground-breaking about this story, but I didn’t need there to be. It was still highly-entertaining and that’s exactly what I was looking for.

Overall, the plot is gripping and fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still delivers a well-plotted, intense mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m pumped to read more from this author!

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Review: Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina

~ megs14malloy

Indian Burial GroundIndian Burial Ground by Nick Medina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After reading Nick Medina’s story, Quantam, in the Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, Never Whistle at Night, I knew I needed to pick up more of his work.

It was one of my favorites of that collection. I loved his storytelling style and couldn’t wait to be immersed in another one of his creative tales.

In this story, we follow two perspectives: Noemi and Louie. Noemi provides us with a Contemporary Mystery. While Louie, Noemi’s Uncle, delivers us a beautifully-executed Coming of Age Horror element.

In present day, Noemi’s boyfriend, Roddy, dies suddenly and tragically. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding his death, but the authorities categorize it as a suicide. That doesn’t track for Noemi though, who feels like something more sinister may be at play upon their tribal lands.

Just prior to receiving this tragic news, Noemi’s Uncle Louie shows up on her doorstep, in town for an upcoming powwow. After more than a decade away, it’s a bit of an awkward reunion, but soon enough Uncle and Niece are bonding just like old times.

When Louie hears the news of Roddy’s mysterious death, it brings to mind for him some very dark memories, all of which occurred in the Summer when he was 16-years old.

We alter back and forth between Noemi, taking us through the current events, and Louie recounting what happened on the reservation, all those years ago.

Medina wastes no time jumping into the intrigue of this story. The very start is fascinating, as we get a glimpse into the events surrounding Roddy’s death.

I was immediately impressed with the writing. IMO, Medina just has a natural storyteller’s voice. The way he delivered this story, specifically the sections from Louie’s perspective, felt like Louie was speaking his story directly to me.

You forget that you are reading a book. It feels that fluid, and comes across as an actual person would tell the story of their life, versus an author trying to impress you with all the big words they know…

This is exactly the type of writing that I like to read!

It was fascinating to go back and forth between the two perspectives. I couldn’t see right away how Louie’s past was going to help Noemi understand her present, and I loved how Medina ultimately wove the two together.

The Coming of Age aspect was the highlight for me, but I think as a genre blend, this worked together so well.

The Horror imagery itself was very well-crafted. There were some truly unsettling moments. Things that gave me downright chills. It was never difficult picturing exactly what was happening to these characters.

I loved the examination of the real life horrors, as well. Particularly in regards to addiction, which really is its own vampire in a way, isn’t it?

Additionally, the family drama and other events occurring on the reservation brought a heavy emotional component to the story. This one definitely moved me and the ending hit me like a punch to the gut.

Ultimately, Louie’s story will live on, rent free in my heart forever, and ever, Amen. This is a special book.

A slow burn mix of Indigenous Horror with a powerful Coming of Age story; what’s not to love about that? The themes explored and rich quality of storytelling are impressive to say the least.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This is for sure on my Most Memorable List for 2024!!!

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