That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally

“She thought she had her life back. She was wrong. It was a mistake to trust him.

Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there―or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives. He's been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos. He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he says.

When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, Drew thought they just needed some time to cool off. Except Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the whole town are convinced Drew murdered his girlfriend. Forget proving his innocence, he needs to find her before it's too late. The longer Lola is missing, the fewer leads there are to follow…and the more danger they both are in.” - taken from Goodreads.

Found bruised and bloodied on the side of the road, a teen has no idea how she got there, what happened or even who she is. A police officer finds and takes her to the station. It isn't long before a frantic man shows up claiming to be her father. He says that her name is Mary Boone.

Drew was the last person to see his girlfriend alive and now she is missing. Everyone in town believes he has something to do with her disappearance. Convinced he is the only one who still holds out hope that she is still alive, Drew still posts missing person flyers around town.

As Mary recovers and tries to remember, it isn’t too long before things don’t make sense, such as her father buying her the wrong size clothing and forgetting her food allergy. Drew is still diligently searching for Lola and a stolen tip gives him a new location where she might have been spotted. Can Drew find Lola before it’s too late and what is really going on with Mary Boone?

Visit Megan Lally’s website.

When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur

“When Dawson Sumter goes missing, all he leaves behind is a smattering of blood in room 4 of the debt-ridden motel owned by Neera Singh's family. Disappearances like this aren't uncommon in the rural Georgia town of Carrion, especially every thirteen years when a periodical cicada brood returns from underground, shrieking their deafening screams.

For Neera, Dawson is another reminder that in this corner of the South, the rich only get richer, and the poor—well, nothing good comes their way.

Neera sets out to investigate Dawson’s whereabouts—if he even still lives—along with three other teens: Isaiah, son of a prominent judge and clandestine true crime podcaster; Reid, son of the wealthiest man in the region; and Sam, estranged daughter of the local hitman. As they find themselves entangled in a messy web of secrets and lies, they discover the riches of the adjacent Lake Clearwater community may have a terrifying source of power dating back to the town’s founding and an ancient urban legend about three devils, each more sinister than the next. How deep does the rot go, and can they find a way to escape its reach?” - taken from Goodreads.

This book reminded me of the Charlie Daniels song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Except in Carrion, Georgia, local folklore has it that there are actually three devils at the crossroads, each one more sinister than the next. They each prey on desperate residents in rural, backwater Georgia where the uber rich live close by who keep their secrets even closer.

Not all is what it seems in Carrion/Lake Clearwater. And as readers dive deeper into the story, the more all of the pieces of this story come together as Sam, Neera, Reid, and Isaiah race to figure out what has happened to Dawson Sumpter, the one person who initially ties them together. This was an excellent Southern Gothic mystery/thriller that will keep readers eagerly anticipating what really is going on in Southwest Georgia. The audio version was incredible.

Visit Xan Kaur’s website.

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti

“It was all her idea. They would get away from their parents and spend the weekend camping. Down by Salvation Creek, the five of them would make smores, steal kisses, share secrets.

But sometime around midnight, she vanished.

Now the four friends who came back are under suspicion―and they each have a very different story to tell about what happened in the woods.

The clock is ticking. What are they hiding? Who is lying? Dark truths must come to light if their friend is to be found...

Told entirely through first-person police interviews, this riveting mystery asks: what really happened that night? - taken from Goodreads.

This story is told from four different points of view as they are each being interviewed by the police. Each chapter is a different question that has been posed to each suspect by the police. As Petra, Nolan, Abigail, and John recount the night in question, the surprising details about Maylee’s disappearance begin to unfold.

Visit Chelsea Sedoti’s website.

Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis

“Eighteen-year-old Mirabella “Mira” Owens grew up in Timber Plains, Kansas hearing all about the local legend—that werewolves had, many years ago, traveled to their small Midwest town to protect humans from the growing threat of a vampire enclave. Just a story of course, a fairy tale, one Mira had stopped believing in when she was young—just like she stopped believing in the idea of her mom returning, after she up and left without a trace when she was only thirteen.

Mira is grown up now, starting freshman year at the nearby Lakeland University. College feels normal, exactly the thing she’s been craving most... except for one particular classmate: Julian Santos, a mysterious boy with long hair, golden eyes, and a coldness that seems directed exclusively at Mira for reasons she can’t understand and he won’t explain.

When Mira receives an unaddressed letter from her mother, she’s told the world isn’t as it seems. She suspects her mom might be telling the truth when she stumbles across strange animal tracks on a hiking trail, and when she’s miraculously saved from a twenty foot drop by the one and only, Julian Santos.

The problem? Julian would have had to jump the length of the cliff to catch her, making him incredibly fast and strong beyond belief. When she confronts him about this, he denies everything.

But when a Blood Moon rises, Mira soon finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient, magical war, with Julian on the other side of the line. She discovers there’s much more truth to the old town legends than she could ever have anticipated—and her family’s historic role in it will change her world forever.” - taken from Goodreads.

What happens when you learn that the folk tales you heard as a child turned out to be true? When Mira discovers that her town is protected from the wrath of vampires by werewolves, her world is turned upside down. Her mother, who disappeared without a trace years earlier, sends her a letter with a mysterious necklace in it. It turns out that her role in the town's history is not what she expected. Who can Mira count on when her life is suddenly on the line? Why has her mother finally made a reappearance in her life?

Book two, Blood Lust, is due out on Sept. 8, 2026.

Visit Britney S. Lewis’ website.

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar

 

“Two sisters went missing on their class trip—Grace, the outgoing athlete who is friends with just about everyone, and Maddy, the wallflower wilting in her sister’s shadow who'd rather absorb herself in her journal than talk to her classmates.

But when Grace is found—injured, with no memory of what happened—everybody thinks she’s lying. It’s hard not to look guilty with Maddy’s blood on her clothes.

Desperate to save her sister—and prove her own innocence—Grace must piece together what happened on that school trip with the help of her sister’s notebook and classmates who may not be telling the police everything that about that tragic night.

She will discover her sister’s secrets can’t stay quiet…but what if her own are the most terrifying of all?” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an unexpected mystery for me, but in a good way. Told by both sisters, Grace in the present and Maddy in the past, readers will be clamouring to discover what Grace is trying to remember about that night. Heartbreaking at times, the ending completely caught me off guard. So glad that I read/listened to this book.

Visit Megan Davidhizar’s website.

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma (Immortal Dark book 1)

 

“It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.

Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.

To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.

When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book does start off slow as there is a ton of backstory and world building to start off this trilogy. Kidan Adane is alone in this world as the only family she has left has passed. Her twin sister June has disappeared. The only clue she has to her disappearance is the name of her family's vampire, Susenyos Sagad. Brought to Uxlay University to lay claim to her family's house, she must live with Susanyos and pass a class in order to inherit. The only cute that Kidan has about June’s disappearance is that she was taken by Susenyos. Kidan must find her way in the Uxlay world as an outsider while living under the same roof as Susenyos. 

As the story unravels, reader's will be anxious to discover who the real monsters are and what secrets lie at Uxlay's gate.

Book two is due to be published on Sept. 11, 2025.

Visit Tigest Girma’s website.

Masquerade of the Heart by Katy Rose Pool (Garden of the Cursed book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Garden of the Cursed, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite stories for you.

“Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs must deal with the aftermath of her fake romance with one of the most powerful nobles in the illustrious—and deadly—Evergarden society , all while uncovering the mystery behind her mother's disappearance. 

Caraza sits poised on the edge of chaos. Tensions rise between the Five Families and trouble brews in the Marshes—and Marlow is at the center of it all. In the tragic aftermath of the Vale-Falcrest wedding, Adrius refuses to speak to her, publicly vowing to find a wife before the year is out. Despite her heartbreak, Marlow is still intent on breaking his curse. To do so, she’ll have to play loving daughter to the man who cast it. But the closer she gets to her father, the more she starts to question if he’s really the villain she’s made him out to be.

Marlow has learned by now that in a city steeped in secrets and lies, not everything is as it seems. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Marlow must decide who to trust—and how high a price she’s willing to pay for the truth.” - taken from Goodreads.

A satisfying conclusion to Marlow's story as she attempts to stop her newfound father's magical aspirations. With help from old and new friends, the race to stop Vale and save the city of Caraza is heart pounding until the very end. Fans of this duology will be happy with the ending.

Visit Katy Rose Pool’s website.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

 

“Lights. Camera. Lies.

18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.

But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.

Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

Bel has never known her mother, only what she knows about the day she disappeared and left her behind. Now, sixteen years later, a documentary filmmaker is in town telling the story of the disappearance of Rachel Price. Bel cannot wait for the nightmare to be over and get back to her normal life. Having left filming one day, she comes across a woman who looks like her mother. Running home to safety from her worst nightmare, Bel realizes that she cannot hide from the truth, her mother has come back from the dead. 

The reunion isn’t what Bel expected and everyone’s reactions seem to be of relief. The more time Bel spends with her mother, she begins to realize that Rachel’s story doesn’t seem to add up. Why has Rachel Price suddenly reappeared after sixteen years? And is Bel justified to question her mother’s return?

This book kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! Definitely my favorite book of 2024.

How to Find a Missing Girl by Victoria Wlosok

 

“A year ago, beloved cheerleader Stella Blackthorn vanished without a trace. Devastated, her younger sister, Iris, launched her own investigation, but all she managed to do was scare off the police’s only lead and earn a stern Once she turns eighteen, more meddling means prison-level consequences.

 

Then, a year later, the unthinkable happens. Iris’s ex-girlfriend, Heather, goes missing, too—just after dropping the polarizing last episode of her true crime podcast all about Iris’s sister. This time, nothing will stop Iris and her amateur sleuthing agency from solving these disappearances.

 

But with a suspicious detective watching her every move, an enemy-turned-friend-turned-maybe-more to contend with, and only thirty days until she turns eighteen, it’s a race against the clock for Iris to solve the most dangerous case of her life.”- taken from Goodreads.

This book reminded me of Courtney Summers’ Sadie. With the podcast aspect from Heather, the second missing girl who was trying to uncover information about the first girl who disappeared. For Iris Blackthorn, it’s personal. Her older sister Stella went missing just before the homecoming dance, never to be heard from again. Along with her friends, Samy and Imani, the trio start their own amateur detective agency in order to find some answers. After getting nowhere with Stella’s case, including a warning to stay out of the matter from the police, the trio work small cases at their high school.

When Iris’ former girlfriend Heather hires them to see if her boyfriend is cheating on her, Iris and her friends stumble onto their biggest case yet when Heather goes missing herself.

Visit Victoria Wlosok’s website.

Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool (Garden of the Cursed book 1)

“Since fleeing the gilded halls of Evergarden for the muck-filled canals of the Marshes, Marlow Briggs has made a name for herself as the best godsdamn cursebreaker in Caraza City. But no matter how many cases she solves, she is still haunted by the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

When Adrius Falcrest, Marlow's old friend and scion of one of Caraza's most affluent spell-making families, asks her to help break a life-threatening curse, Marlow wants nothing to do with the boy who spurned her a year ago. But a new lead in her mother’s case makes Marlow realize that the only way to get the answers she desperately seeks is to help Adrius and return to Evergarden society—even if it means suffering through a fake love affair with him to avoid drawing suspicion from the conniving Five Families.

As the investigation draws Marlow into a web of deadly secrets and powerful enemies, a shocking truth emerges: Adrius’s curse and her mother’s disappearance may just be clues to an even larger mystery, one that could unravel the very foundations of Caraza and magic itself.” - taken from Goodreads.

I loved this book! Marlow is a cursebreaker and when Adrius comes to her for help, she wants nothing to do with the boy who rejected her. She soon realizes that by helping Adrius, she may uncover what happened to her mother. Drawn into the politics of not only the upper crust of Evergarden but the Marshes, Marlow will need to do her best to keep from the same fate as her mother, missing. With the killer ending, readers will be eagerly waiting on the next book. 

The story will continue with book two, Masquerade of the Heart, out June 18, 2024.

Visit Katy Rose Pool’s website.

One Of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus (One Of Us is Lying book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, One Of Us is Lying and One Of Us is Next, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first two books.

“Ever since Simon died in detention, life hasn't been easy for the Bayview Crew. First the Bayview Four had to prove they weren't killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat. Now, it's beginning again.

At first the mysterious billboard seems like a bad joke: Time for a new game, Bayview. But when a member of the crew disappears, it's clear this 'game' just got serious - and no one understands the rules.

Everyone's a target. And now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are starting to get deadly.

Simon was right about secrets - they all come out in the end.

The thing is, Simon was right about secrets-they all come out, eventually. And Bayview has a lot it's still hiding.” - taken from Goodreads.

OK Bayview, Simon is back. This final book in the trilogy ties up all of the loose ends from the previous two books. Fans of the series will not be disappointed as all of our favorite characters make a return and a new mystery is solved. 

Visit Karen M. McManus’ website.

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

 

“After being jilted by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Jade couldn't be more ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship—and to wedge an entire globe between her and the people who broke her heart.

But when Jade discovers the backstabbing couple are also setting sail, her obsession with them grows and festers, leading to a shocking murder. And as their friends begin to drop like flies, Jade and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they’re trapped at sea with….before anyone else winds up in body bags.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an interesting mystery that takes place on a cruise ship.When the first body is discovered, fingers begin pointing at Jade. Desperate to clear her name, Jade joins forces with Felix to help clear her name as the bodies of those involved begin to pile up. Who is the murderer on this cruise ship of terror? And why?

Visit Diana Urban’s website.

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Inheritance Games book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, The Inheritance Games and The Hawthorne, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first two books.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first book.

“Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an exciting ending to the mystery of why Tobias Hawthorne left his billions to the unknown Avery Grambs. With lots of secrets left to be uncovered and a new danger lurking, will Avery survive to inherit the money? 

And there’s more! Book four, The Brothers Hawthorne, is due out on August 29, 2023.

Visit Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ website.

The Last Laugh by Mindy McGinnis (The Initial Insult book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Initial Insult, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Tress Montor murdered Felicity Turnado—but she might not have to live with the guilt for long. With an infected arm held together by duct tape, the panther who clawed her open on the loose, and the whole town on the hunt for the lost homecoming queen, the odds are stacked against Tress. As her mind slides deeper into delirium, Tress is haunted by the growing sound of Felicity’s heartbeat pulsing from the “best friend” charm around her fevered neck.

Ribbit Usher has been a punchline his whole life—from his nickname to his latest turn as the unwitting star of a humiliating viral video. In the past he’s willingly played the fool, but now it’s time to fulfill his destiny. That means saving the girl, so that Felicity can take her place at his side and Ribbit can exact revenge on all who have done him wrong—which includes his cousin, Tress. Ribbit is held by a pact he made with his mother long ago, a pact that must be delivered upon in four days.

With time ticking down and an enemy she considers a friend lurking in the shadows, Tress’s grip on reality is failing. Can she keep both mind and body together long enough to finally find out what happened to her parents?’ - taken from Goodreads.

After the cliffhanger ending of the first book, I wasn't sure where the conclusion was going to go. Needless to say, it was like a train wreck that was impossible to ignore and I couldn't wait to get to the end. Tress Montor just wants to know what happened to her parents that night, but no one is talking. With the events from the first book playing out over the course of the following week, where the story ends will have readers shocked at the level of deception.

Visit Mindy McGinnis’ website.

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Inheritance Games book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Inheritance Games, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions—including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons. 

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she’s not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, two of the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture—by any means necessary.” - taken from Goodreads.com 

The stakes are now higher after the cliffhanger ending of the first book. Avery is on the hunt to find the one person who may hold the answers to all of her questions about why Tobias Hawthorne chose her to inherit his billions. With the help of the brothers Hawthorne, more clues are discovered and several family secrets are revealed. Not to mention, Avery finds herself drawn to one brother in particular.

With another jaw-dropping ending, fans will be counting the days to August 30th, 2022 for the last book in the trilogy, The Final Gambit.

Visit Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ website.

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis (The Initial Insult book 1)

 

“Welcome to Amontillado, Ohio, where your last name is worth more than money, and secrets can be kept… for a price.

Tress Montor knows that her family used to mean something—until she didn’t have a family anymore. When her parents disappeared seven years ago while driving her best friend home, Tress lost everything. She might still be a Montor, but the entire town shuns her now that she lives with her drunken, one-eyed grandfather at what locals refer to as the “White Trash Zoo,” – a wild animal attraction featuring a zebra, a chimpanzee, and a panther, among other things.

Felicity Turnado has it all – looks, money, and a secret that she’s kept hidden. She knows that one misstep could send her tumbling from the top of the social ladder, and she’s worked hard to make everyone forget that she was with the Montors the night they disappeared. Felicity has buried what she knows so deeply that she can’t even remember what it is… only that she can’t look at Tress without having a panic attack.

But she’ll have to.

Tress has a plan. A Halloween costume party at an abandoned house provides the ideal situation for Tress to pry the truth from Felicity – brick by brick – as she slowly seals her former best friend into a coal chute. With a drunken party above them, and a loose panther on the prowl, Tress will have her answers – or settle for revenge.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Missing parents in a damaged friendship takes center stage and this mystery draws heavily from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe. Told in alternating points of view, readers will be drawn into what happened the night that Tress Montor's parents disappeared and Felicity Turnado is the only witness. Once best friends, the girls are at odds during a Halloween party where things are taken a bit too far. Fans of this book will be eagerly awaiting the final installment after the cliffhanger ending.

This duology will conclude with The Last Laugh in 2022.

Visit Mindy McGinnis’ website.

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick

 

“What happened to Zoe won't stay buried...

When Anna Cicconi arrives to the small Hamptons village of Herron Mills for a summer nanny gig, she has high hopes for a fresh start. What she finds instead is a community on edge after the disappearance of Zoe Spanos, a local girl who has been missing since New Year's Eve. Anna bears an eerie resemblance to Zoe, and her mere presence in town stirs up still-raw feelings about the unsolved case. As Anna delves deeper into the mystery, stepping further and further into Zoe's life, she becomes increasingly convinced that she and Zoe are connected--and that she knows what happened to her.

Two months later, Zoe's body is found in a nearby lake, and Anna is charged with manslaughter. But Anna's confession is riddled with holes, and Martina Green, teen host of the Missing Zoe podcast, isn't satisfied. Did Anna really kill Zoe? And if not, can Martina's podcast uncover the truth?  - taken from Goodreads.com

First of all, this story is loosely based on Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. Next, the points of view are Anna in the past (the summer she nannied in Herron Mils), Anna in the present, and Martina in the present. We soon learn that Anna Cicconi confesses to accidentally killing Zoe Spanos. Readers quickly realize through Anna’s past that she is having serious issues with Deja Vu and that there are plenty of secrets waiting to be uncovered. Come along for a suspenseful tale of who done it. Perfect read for fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

Visit Kit Frick’s website.

Havenfall by Sara Holland (Havenfall book 1)

“A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it--at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds--each with their own magic--together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie's brother. It's where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it's where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens--a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She'll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she's letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie--no one can be trusted, and no one is safe . . . “ - taken from Goodreads.com

Billed as a fantasy story laced with crime, I was reminded of an Agatha Christie mystery novel. Set in a hidden away hotel that hosts guests from fantastical worlds for a yearly peace summit, Maddie shows up unexpectedly to find everything is turned upside down by the following morning. Without giving up too many details, this book was full of twists and turns with shocking reveals that I didn't see coming. Unfortunately, this first book really is a build up for the second part of the story. Very few questions are answered, so expect lots of cliffhangers. 

Book two is expected to be published in 2021.

Visit Sara Holland’s website.