What’s Your favorite Scary Movie?
I read a massive number of thrillers—unlike most readers, I’m perfectly happy staying immersed in this genre all month long. I’ve been known to curate TBR lists that journey from “dark” to “darkest,” and this latest read certainly earned its spot. It is an incredibly interesting concept and a fast-paced journey; I finished it in two days, and it likely would have been one if work hadn’t gotten in the way.
The story follows Hazel, who returns to her small hometown in the midst of a divorce to house-sit for her parents and reconnect with her sister, Cathy. When Hazel goes missing just days after her arrival, Cathy teams up with an old friend, Suzie. Their search eventually leads them into a dense forest rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of past murders.
While this is often categorized as horror, the thriller elements truly stole the show for me. Daisy Pearce excels at building tension through close calls and mounting suspicion. A unique aspect of the narrative is that we learn the identity of the antagonist early on, but his motivations are revealed through a slow, satisfying burn. In the meantime, Hazel’s fight for survival kept me on the edge of my seat.
One of the best signs of an engaging thriller is when I find myself wanting to yell at the characters to avoid a certain path or take a specific action. I was reacting to this book just like I do with scary movies, shouting, “Don’t do that!!!!!!!!” in my head. The suspense was handled beautifully, even leading me to suspect several secondary characters along the way.
As for the horror elements, they provided a creepy atmosphere and some necessary context, though I personally wouldn’t have minded if that aspect was dialed up even further. However, because it blurs the lines between genres, I think it will appeal to a wide variety of readers. This was a fantastic introduction to Daisy Pearce’s work, and I’m definitely curious to see what she has written previously.
