The Weight of Lies: A Novel

A nicely constructed mystery/thriller. The story centers around Meg, the estranged daughter of a famous horror writer, as she decides to get the other side of the story to the true life events that inspired the novel that vaulted her mother to fame (Kitten, set in a hotel on an island off of Georgia). The author does a nice job of increasing the tension and creepiness by interspersing Meg's investigation on the island (where the now-closed hotel is managed by Doro, who was the eponymous Kitten of the original novel) with excerpts from her mother's book. That book, which purported to be mostly fiction, centers around an 8-year-old Kitten and the mysterious deaths that occur on the island -- with the child as prime suspect with supernatural overtones. Nothing is as it seems and there are lies told by all participants. The story kept me hooked, though the "poor little rich girl" line got a little old (though the author cleverly had the characters in the book point this out) and the climax strained credulity. That said, worth the time and entertaining.

As other reviewers noted, the narrator, Megan, is unrealistic. She's estranged from her bestselling-author mother, but still lives off the money provided by her. The pacing is slow and the suspense wasn't enough to keep my interest. I did not finish the novel. I don't agree with the rave reviews cited in the book description. Life is too short to try to finish an uninteresting book.

The book had an interesting start.... then it became tedious, confusing and long winded. The story within the story, the background story was unnecessary and frankly only created for me confusion. The twists had the end... thank goodness there was a reason I finished the book really were not credible. A waste of my time.

If memory serves me correctly, I enjoyed this book, but it was very much like having a heavy snack rather than a meal. I didn't feel like there was a satisfactory conclusion at the end. The characters were very complex, but the conclusion really failed to explore what, I feel, would have become of them. All in all, the writing was good, but I just felt there should have been a better wrap-up.

I truly wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded wonderfully intriguing, but with each turn of the page I was unsure which character was which, which book, past or present, was being referred to and why I should continue trying to go back and forth trying to put the story line, timeline and character pieces together. I finally decided to give up. Maybe I will pick it up in the future and try again but there are so many books...

Meg travels to a remote Georgia island to solve a decades-old mystery, and find out the truth about her own, difficult mother. Meg is an appealing, sassy heroine, but what i enjoyed most was the atmospheric , creepy setting. The author also did a great job of keeping the surprises coming!

I truly wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded wonderfully intriguing, but with each turn of the page I was unsure which character was which, which book, past or present, was being referred to and why I should continue trying to go back and forth trying to put the story line, timeline and character pieces together. I finally decided to give up. Maybe I will pick it up in the future and try again but there are so many books...

Meg travels to a remote Georgia island to solve a decades-old mystery, and find out the truth about her own, difficult mother. Meg is an appealing, sassy heroine, but what i enjoyed most was the atmospheric , creepy setting. The author also did a great job of keeping the surprises coming!

In my opinion, this sophomore novel by Emily Carpenter is (dare I say it?) EVEN BETTER than Burying the Honeysuckle Girls. It has all the Southern gothic and suspense elements of BTHG, with the addition of a wonderfully atmospheric, chillingly creepy coastal Georgia island; a swoon-worthy male lead to die for (ahem); and a mother-daughter relationship as colossally screwed-up as you'd hope after reading BTHS.

Meg Ashley has been running away from her mother's bestselling novel KITTEN her whole life, and then (as we do), she finds herself running headlong toward everything she's been spending her life avoiding. She uncovers secrets from both the real and supposedly fictional past, and puts herself in no small amount of danger in the process. I seriously had trouble putting it down. I loved the interplay between the action of Meg's story and the excerpts from KITTEN, and the way the suspense of both stories builds to a slow, satisfying, creepy boil before making you a teeny bit afraid to sleep with the lights off. (No? Just me?)

If you're looking for solid suspense with a colorful Southern backdrop and characters you can practically reach out and touch, Carpenter is your girl. Now, off to buy a nightlight...

A complex mother daughter relationship centered around a forty years old book what is the truth and it is stranger than fiction Megan goes to Bonny Island and discovers herself immersed in secrets and lies

The daughter of a famous author uncovers a decades-old murder mystery between the pages of her mother’s international bestseller in this thriller. THE WEIGHT OF LIES is a slow-building page-turner with a great setting, but the slower pace may not please all readers.

Kitten is the book inside of The Weight of Lies that made author Frances Ashley a household name—think of it as a novel inside of the novel. Throughout the book, Emily Carpenter places excerpts from Kitten every few chapters, the scenes often a parallel to what’s happening in the present day with her daughter Megan as she separates matches fact with her mother's fiction.

Much of the novel takes place on an isolated island deep in the Georgian marshes. On the island is a Gothic mansion owned by the Kitchenses that was open to guests visiting the island. But Kitten’s thinly veiled fictitious names and setting point straight to a very real place and real people, causing a dip in guests and forcing the Kitchen family to close Ambletern's doors. The novel’s setting made it that much more compelling, creating a darker atmosphere which was great. The idea that Meg was completely at the mercy of the people of Ambletern was unsettling, especially when neither Megan nor the reader knew who to trust.

But like I said before, in thrillers don’t trust anyone! The novel had a lot of twists and turns and red herrings that take the reader on a journey towards the truth. While I did like that it kept me engaged to put the pieces together, there were several scenes—especially in the middle section—in the novel that didn’t really add anything to the overall plot. It made the story drag a little.

I admired Meg’s resilience and drive to make something of herself away from her mother’s big shadow. She’s justifiably resentful and has a healthy dose of mommy issues, but the “mommy issues” was the only trait used to give her character depth. For a protagonist, Meg needed to have something more than this one thing to make her feel like a real person. Instead, Meg’s character felt flat.

The novel’s constant pulse is the fantastic whodunit at the center of a nearly forty-year murder mystery. It’s this element that kept me engaged for the most part and curious to find out who killed that little girl. Is Meg in danger? Could her mother really be to blame? But the novel took a little time getting off the ground, which may cause some readers to not feel as connected to the story.

Audiobook Comments:
Kate Orsini’s performance in The Weight of Lies was good but her delivery was not as expressive or emotional as it could have been. Sometimes when a novel’s plot might feel stagnant, the audiobook narrator can pull the reader back in with a compelling delivery. That didn’t always happen here, but I would still recommend this audiobook. Orsini’s performance never took away from the story but it didn’t always add that sparkle that audiobook narrators sometime can.

* Thanks to Brilliance Audio for sending me this audiobook for review. Receiving this audiobook for free did not affect my opinion.

The first noticeable thing about Emily Carpenter’s “Weight of Lies” is the gorgeous cover! This spellbinding suspense family drama is based on a 1970’s mysterious crime that resulted in death of a child, on the lush marsh on Bonny Island, Georgia. The crime inspired the blockbuster cult classic horror novel “Kitten” (1976). The wealthy celebrity novelist that wrote Kitten, Frances Ashley, maintained the book was entirely a work of fiction. Many fans and followers thought otherwise.

The story opened with Frances socialite daughter Megan, returning from partying in Las Vegas with her “Glitter Girl’s” posse. At 24, Meg was maturing, eager to get a real job without the support of her mother’s money and influence. Estranged from her mother, after not speaking for three years, Meg received a formal invitation to her mother’s birthday bash, and decided to attend.
Oddly, when Meg arrived at her mother’s penthouse, the only person present was her mother’s quirky assistant, Icelander, Asa Bloch—who had an enticing proposal: he suggested she write a “tell-all memoir” revealing her conflicted relationship with her famous mother. Bloch told Meg that he secured an exclusive invitation for her to travel to Bonny Island and get the full story surrounding the murder and Kitten Cult horror novel and following. After initially refusing, she agreed to accept and work with Bloch as her advisor and agent.

During her stay at the Bonny Island hotel, originally built in the 1860’s, Meg sensed a sinister foreboding, as the hotel was no longer open to the public for business. Dorothy Kitchen owner of the hotel, agreed to share her untold story, and Meg uncovered many disturbing connections to the case involving her mother. The murder was listed as solved by the authorities, a cover-up was likely. Could Meg finally uncover the truth? When Bloch suddenly stopped returning her calls, Meg was deeply troubled and became concerned for her safety on the island.

The elements and crush of thrilling crime suspense combined with the cleverness of literary intrigue, (including the Kitten segments at the beginning of each chapter) define the storyline. Carpenter is a skilled novelist and storyteller, keeping readers on a prickly edge until the final pages in a startling conclusion that no one can see coming….. ~ With thanks and appreciation to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for the direct e-copy for the purpose of review.

From the beginning of this book, I felt very little sympathy for the heroine, she actually kind of got on my nerves. Had I been reading this, I probably would have put it down after about Chapter 5. But, I was on a long road trip and had it on Audible so I listened. There were moments when I started to really get into the story line (even with the heroine's whining). Towards the last 10 chapters I really wanted to fit the pieces together to solve the big mystery, but I didn't want to listen to it anymore to find out. I found myself saying "just effing tell me what happened already so I can get this over with". A friend was riding with me who felt the same way. I did manage to finish it, and was relieved it was over.

Up until the very end, I would have described this novel as spellbinding. I could barely tear myself away. It's a long novel, but there are no "draggy" sections. This is a very complex, layered novel. There are a lot of characters, but they are all clearly defined. It doesn't bog things down. The writing is outstanding. It's told in the first person by a 24 year old named Meg. Her mother, Frances, is just turning 60. When Frances was only around 19 or 20, she wrote a best-selling, cult classic named "Kitten". The fortieth-year anniversary of "Kitten"'s publication is approaching, and it's still a pop culture phenomenon. Frances has written many successful books since then, but nothing that has garnered the rabid fan base of Kitten. "Kitten" was a novel about a murderous little eight-year old who kills her friend and several other people. The way this novel, "The Weight Of Lies", is set up is really effective. There is an excerpt from the "Kitten" novel, then a chapter about Meg, alternating that way throughout the book. The thing is, the "Kitten" novel was based on a real-life event. (A real event in the novel, not in real life). When Frances was a college student, she spent the summer at a hotel on a small, isolated Georgia island. There was a young girl there who was the daughter of the hotel's owner---Dorothy, a.k.a. Doro. Doro's friend, a little girl named Kimmy, really was murdered. Over the years, Kitten fans flocked to the hotel, to see Doro, and to try to solve the mystery of who really did kill the other little girl. It was good for the hotel's business, not so good for Doro's psyche. In the meantime, Meg has grown up as a neglected rich girl. Her mother is adoring in public but otherwise too busy , writing and getting married and divorced, to pay much attention to Meg. Frances is also a control freak and a drama queen. As the novel opens, Meg hasn't spoken to her mother in three years. Then Meg is persuaded to write a book of her own---a tell-all memoir about her awful childhood and what her mother is really like, plus her own investigation into the real Kitten murder mystery. She wants to get back at her mother, and also to earn some money on her own so she won't be financially dependent on her mother, and also, she realizes, to sever her relationship with Frances once and for all, so she agrees. She goes out to the island and the hotel where Doro still lives. The hotel is now closed to guests, but Doro still lives there with just a few employees. So then we read about Meg's investigation, the different versions of events she gets from different people, her impressions of Doro, etc. At the end, we do get all the answers. But it just seemed like everything happened so abruptly. There is a confrontation between a couple characters where the truth comes out. Maybe it's just me, but I found that kind of annoying. It seemed contrived. One of the characters seemed to all of a sudden act out of character. It's still a mostly fantastic novel, I would just have hoped for an ending with the same end result, just written differently. I did like the very last chapter, though, where we find out what becomes of Meg and the investigation.

There are family secrets and then there are family secrets....

Megan Ashley has grown up living a very privileged life. Her Mother is a best selling "Horror" writer - think the female version of Stephen King. There is a lot of angst in their relationship. In public, her Mother, the famous Frances Ashley, is loving and present. They appear to be a happy Mother-Daughter duo. In Private, there is a cold distance, manipulation, secrets, and isolation. Meg is not happy that she was constantly shipped away to boarding schools while her Mother lived in the limelight of her own success.

Success that Frances Ashley found after writing the Novel "Kitten" at the age of 19. A novel that has a cult like following. A novel which tells the story of the murder of a young girl, which happened years ago on Bonny Island, Georgia.

Meg wants to start a new life and be independent from her famous Mother. The two women have not spoken in three years. Then one day, Meg receives an invitation to attend her Mother's Birthday party which is quickly followed by tragic news. Meg, sad and alone, is approached to write a tell all book about her Mother and the story behind her world famous book "Kitten".

Meg goes to Bonny Island and soon meets the real life woman, Dorothy, who everyone believes is the inspiration behind the book "Kitten". She and Dorothy form a kinship and Meg feels like she is at home. She enjoys the people working at the once popular hotel. She begins to ask questions and delve into the murder of the young Native American girl. There are several suspects but who carried out the heinous crime? I like that we are faced with several suspects and theories as to who killed the girl. Will Meg ever get the answers she is looking for? As Meg gets closer to the truth, it appears that not everyone is as they seem. Almost everyone that Meg comes into contact with has his/her own secrets and agendas. Secrets they are willing to do anything to keep. Who can be trusted when the proverbial shit hits the fan?

I enjoyed the novel within a novel in this book. It is not a unique idea but it worked to tell some back story. This book is full of lies, plot twists, secrets, family secrets, long buried anger, suspicion and doubt. Meg is a great and likable character. She is strong yet also flawed and with a much understood chip on her shoulder. All she ever wanted was a Mom but what she got was a celebrity in love with her own fame.

This book is very atmospheric and the island itself feels like a character in this book. There is a plot twist I did not see coming - which I love. The ending had everything tied up nicely. Some may argue a little too nicely but it worked for me. I found this to be a solid mystery/thriller with a little romance thrown in.

I received a copy of this book from the Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Weight of Lies was a very enjoyable read surrounding a forty year old murder and the fallout as a result of the bestselling novel based on the murder.

Meg Ashley leads an advantageous life due to her mother’s successful horror novel written forty years ago that became a cult classic. Meg is offered a book deal to write a tell all about what its’ like being the daughter of Frances Ashley and the truth of what happened on Bonny Island all those years ago. When Meg arrives in Georgia and begins to dig into the past, she discovers not everything is she was led to believe. After her life is threatened, she realizes there are people who will do anything to keep these secrets buried.

Meg is initially hard to like as she comes across as having no substance and is simply a rich girl living a life of privilege. Over the course of the book, we get more details on Meg’s life growing up as the daughter of a famous author. Her life isn’t all it appeared to be when we started the book and her relationship with her mother is strained to say the least. I enjoyed Meg’s dynamic with her mother and their interactions were some of the best in the book.

Meg goes through a lot of changes after she arrives on Bonny Island and I think she comes out a better person because of the experience. I really enjoyed her quest to uncover the truth and how it became about so much more than the book to her. I do think she allowed herself to be manipulated by those around her and she was far too trusting even after she discovered when people were lying to her.

The side characters in this book were excellent and very well done in my opinion. Frances is my favorite side character and I loved how there were several sides to her that Meg discovered for the first time while working on the book. Koa, the love interest, had a number of secrets and I enjoyed watching him and Meg try to establish a relationship while each hiding their motives for being on the island. Dorothy was an interesting woman and I enjoyed learning more about her past as the story went on. Asa, her mother’s assistant and the one who gets Meg to work on the book, was a very manipulative man and I disliked him instantly which didn’t change by the end of the book.

I enjoyed Meg’s search for the truth of what happened forty years ago when a little girl was killed and Frances wrote a bestselling novel surrounding the events. Meg is led in several directions, not all of which amount to anything but were all interesting paths for her to explore. From Kitty Cultists, super fans of the book, to secret theories found in an old copy of Kitten, Meg uncovers many secrets about the murder and all parties involved. The final reveal was a good one, although I did guess it before Meg figured it out.

There were excerpts of Meg’s mother’s book, Kitten, after each chapter, but I don’t know how well these tied to current events as they irritated me and I began skipping them after the second one. Obviously I missed out on some of the story due to skipping the excerpts, but I enjoyed the book more by not reading them.

Overall, The Weight of Lies was a very enjoyable mystery and I definitely recommend it.

**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher which I voluntarily reviewed.**

I had read the Honeysuckle Girls as a free monthly book and really liked Emily's writing style as well as the story itself so I decided I needed to read some more and WOW I am so glad I did. This book literally had me up all night! I can't remember any other book that had me in its grips quite like this one. I'd also like to mention it is so nice to have a female character who is written as smart, funny and really relatable - so many of the mystery/thriller books these days have female "leads" who are so ridiculously annoying and constantly complaining about whatever dark past they had. In the Weight of Lies you will find Meg is very easy to empathize with. And throughout the twists and turns you will feel like you are actually in her shoes wondering about the WHO and the WHY... Really you have to read it to understand that this story is an experience. I can't wait to read more of her books. I highly recommend it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

In this novel, Meg Ashley sets out to destroy her mother, Frances and in doing so needs to investigate a forty year old murder mystery that her mother, Frances, was involved in. Frances had written a highly successful novel, Kitten, based on the murder but things within the novel take on a life of its own as the novel generates cults dedicated to solving the mystery as well as having been a huge success for Frances. Meg's relationship with her mother is tumultuous and to get even, Meg decides to write a tell all book about her mother and of course this murder portrayed in the novel, Kitten, plays a huge part of it.

Meg returns to Bonny Island, Georgia, where the murder took place. The owner of a hotel Dorothy, and her mother, Frances, were friends as children as Meg's mother spent time there. Other characters involved in the murder come forth in Meg's investigation, many of them being suspects as well in this murder as the supposed murderer died before being brought to trial. Is it possible that the real murderer is still alive? As Meg tries to delve into secrets and lies that have been told, she is immersed in the novel and its peripheral characters to those who are real. The further she investigates the more lies appear and eventually the sinister nature of the book is fulfilled in Meg's life.

This sinister tale left this reader a bit dizzy as it flipped back and forth from excerpts from the original novel, Kitten, to present day and what Meg herself was living through. At times, the story line seemed to get quite murky as it wends its way toward its conclusion. However, it was an interesting read and one in which those who enjoy suspenseful tale that have a somewhat Gothic feel will enjoy.

I was perusing Netgalley a while back and came across this little gem. I was drawn to this book because of the cover - I’m a sucker for a good cover - but I was compelled to request it after reading the synopsis. I could just tell I was going to like it.

In brief:
Megan Ashley was brought up with all the money she could ever spend. Her mother, Frances Ashley, is a famous author – mostly for her book Kitten, which had come out decades ago and has since spawned many editions, movies, etc. In public, they are happy. In reality, Meg hates her mother for never being there. When the opportunity comes up for Meg to write a tell-all and expose her mother, she jumps at it. In addition to just exposing how bad of a mother she was, she needs to dig up more dirt on the ever-famous Kitten. Published as fiction but based in fact with many die-hard fans who think this murder mystery was a somewhat embellished non-fiction. Meg needs some real dirt for her own book otherwise it’s just the whiny ramblings of a rich kid, so like any good author, she heads to the place where Kitten is based and starts her research..

I totally enjoyed reading this story. I tore through it in just a couple of days. This book is the opposite of having an unreliable narrator (which seems to be very popular these days). In this case, Megan is the ONLY one you can trust not to be lying…because she knows nothing. We are thrown into a murder mystery (maybe), learning everything along with Meg, and we can’t believe anything we’re told. We don’t even learn the truth until the end. The suspense, at least for me, was great. I would recommend this to just about everyone.

How well do you really know someone? After reading The Weight of Lies you may ask yourself that question! Meg Ashley, daughter of Frances Ashley, the cult classic horror novelist, is fed up with the neglect and lack of interest her mother has had in her for so many years. For revenge, she agrees to write a tell-all book, the truth about her mom, the famous author, and about her troubled childhood as she prepares to rid her life completely of her self centered mother. While conducting research and digging into the past, Meg begins to uncover some information that has to do with a murder her mother had written about in her best-seller, Kitten, several decades ago. The fictional novel was based on a real murder and actual people, and the cult followers had their theories about who committed the crime in real life. Arriving on Bonny Island, where the murder took place, Meg meets some of the people who appeared as characters in her mother’s book, and while digging deeper she begins to uncover information that leads her to believe she had been told some lies about her younger years. As Meg is trying to understand crucial details about her own past she is also learning particulars about the murder. Everybody is telling lies and Meg is unsure of who to trust, if anyone. When she receives warnings to back off she knew she was getting close to solving the murder mystery and learning the truth about her past but she was in danger.

The Weight of Lies keeps you on the edge of your seat, guessing every step of the way!

Last year I read the fantastic Burying the Honeysuckle Girls by Emily Carpenter and I've been waiting a while now to read her next book The Weight of Lies. So, was this book as good as Burying the Honeysuckle Girls? Yes and no. Yes in that the story is intriguing and frustrating puzzling. But, no in that I was not as taken with the story in the book as in Burying the Honeysuckle Girls. Don't take me wrong, Emily Carpenter has once again proven that she can write a story that keeps your interest all the way until the end. But, I found the chapters from the book Kitten that intervened the story not as interesting as the rest of the book. Can't say why really, it just never really truly got to me in the same way that the rest of the story did.

Nevertheless, The Weight of Lies is a great book. Several times during the books progressed was I frustrated beyond words. I really wanted to find out what happened all those years ago when Meg Ashley mother was staying at the hotel on Bonny Island, Georgia. The events inspired her to write the cult classic Kitten. But, is there any truth to the book? Or is it all fiction? Meg travels to the island to investigate the truth and meets the woman behind the main character Kitten and is charmed by her. But, she keeps discovering lies after lies while she digs for the truth. And, it seems that her quest for answers is perhaps not healthy for her. Could she be in danger?

I liked this book because it's such a fantastic story with lots of twists and turns. Emily Carpenter has once again proven what a fantastic author she is and I can't wait to see what she write next!

First I would like to thank Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and Emily Carpenter for an ARC (Advanced Reading Edition) of "The Weight of Lies" by Emily Carpenter for my honest review.
The genres of this novel are General Fiction,(Adult) Women's Fiction, Mystery and Thriller. The timeline of this story is told in the present with references to the past. Most of this story takes place on Bonny Island, Georgia.
I like the way that Emily Carpenter fits all these genres in the novel. I also appreciate the unique and intriguing way that she tells the story.
The characters are complex, complicated, quirky, peculiar, and at most times not likeable. There is betrayal, secrets and lies. I would consider most of the characters capable of doing something disturbing, and self serving. The motivations of some of the characters are questionable.
Meg is the daughter of an author who has a book that has a cult following. This book will be 40 years old. The book reads like a mystery and thriller, and is supposed to be fiction. Meg goes to Bonny Island to write her own book of her life and her mother.
Meg discovers secrets and lies and starts to belief that this might be a true crime novel,based on real murders on this island.
There are twists, turns and surprises in this story. The ending is something that I didn't expect. I look forward to reading more books from Emily Car

Meg Ashley's mom Frances wrote one of the penultimate horror stories of a generation, Kitten. It is supposedly based on some time her mother spent on Bonny Island. Supposedly. It has also spawned it's own cult of readers who are fascinated by the story and trying to figure out just who killed a young girl on the island. Meg's relationship with her mom is strained. Her mother was never really there for her and her life isn't where she wants it to be. When she gets an offer to write a book about her mother, their life and the mystery surrounding the book, she takes it. Meg travels to Bonny Island where she meets Dorothy "Doro", who is supposedly the inspiration for Kitten. (Think the Bad Seed" Things aren't always what they appear to be. People aren't all they appear to be. Meg gets further into the story of the murder and the story of her life.

This is dark and twisty and oh-so-fun. It makes you wonder just what the truth is. I had no clue. At times I thought I did but Emily Carpenter has a way of taking you down dark alleyways and wondering just where you are exactly. I loved Meg. She saw through more than she thought she could. Of course, there are things we might now really want to see. And the cast of characters were equally fleshed out. The side story with the horse and foal was really a good touch into how nature versus nurture works as well. Very good read.

A remote island. A famous mother. Her estranged daughter. A twenty-year-old unsolved murder. An iconic horror classic named KITTEN. The real Kitten—the woman the daughter is about to meet.

I gotta admit that I was intrigued ever since hearing about THE WEIGHT OF LIES last year. When it became available, I eagerly tore through it, and I’m here to say that the wait was worth it. THE WEIGHT OF LIES is devilishly good!
The novel is part suspenseful drama and part little splatters of horror. No, that isn’t red paint dripping from the sky and staining our eyeballs red. It’s only Ms. Carpenter getting her horror on. And it’s good indeed! The novel is broken up into two parts, the chapters undulating between Meg Ashley fighting to find out whether KITTEN is more fact than fiction, and excerpts from the fictional novel that made her mother a household name.

This taut thriller is very much Gothic in feel. It advances stealthily and surely thanks to Ms. Carpenter’s steady hand. She’s fashioned a very crafty cat-and-mouse game that we get caught up, and one guess as to what role we play. That’s right: SQUEAK! The only way to escape is to figure out the solution to all the questions swirling in our head, and we have to wait right up until the end before we can do that.

For those of you like unsettling little chunks of mystery floating around in your reads, this one is for you. I highly, highly recommend it for any suspense, mystery, or thriller junkie out there. The characters are so well-defined and the writing superb! It’s polished gold and such a delicious treat. It’s the perfect beach read, or home alone reward for putting in a long day.

In complying with full disclosure, I received an ARC copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

While scrolling on Goodreads I saw this book with a 5 star review from a popular reviewer. The cover instantly drew me in and I found myself reading the synopsis and then searching on Netgalley for it. Wow, what a gem of a book I discovered!

Frances Ashley, famous author of the book "Kitten" which was a very highly controversial book and is coming up on it's 40th anniversary and her daughter Megan Ashley are the main characters. You get a small chapter from the book "Kitten" from decades earlier interspersed with all the "Meg" chapters. Meg and her mother aren't very close, Meg feels that her mother has always let her down and has never really been there for her as a mother should. Behind the novel "Kitten" is a decades old murder. It is believed that there are many truths to this book. Megan goes to the island where the book was set in search of answers. She stays at the same place her mother stayed many years ago and meets the woman on whom the book is based. Is she the killer of the little girl? Is her mother involved?

This book was so cleverly done. I loved the atmospheric feel to it. I didn't know who to trust and who was trying to harm Meg. Very well written and suspenseful. This is my first Emily Carpenter book and I was very impressed. I will most definitely be looking for others from her.