Title: Girls of Brackenhill
Author: Kate Moretti
Release Date: September 22nd 2020
Genre: Domestic Thrillers
Haunted by her sister’s disappearance, a troubled woman becomes consumed by past secrets in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year.
When Hannah Maloney’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the Catskills and the epicenter of a childhood trauma: her sister’s unsolved disappearance. It’s been seventeen years, and though desperate to start a new life with her fiancé, Hannah is compelled to question the events of her last summer at Brackenhill.
When a human bone is found near the estate, Hannah is convinced it belongs to her long-lost sister. She launches her own investigation into that magical summer that ended in a nightmare. As strange happenings plague the castle, Hannah uncovers disturbing details about the past and startling realizations about her own repressed childhood memories.
Fueled by guilt over her sister’s vanishing, Hannah becomes obsessed with discovering what happened all those years ago, but by the time Hannah realizes some mysteries are best left buried, it’s too late to stop digging. Overwhelmed by what she has exposed, Hannah isn’t sure her new life can survive her old ghosts.
Let’s start with the cons. At times I struggled through the story. It lagged in a lot of places and seemed to drag on. Hannah wasn’t a very likable character but maybe that was the point. I found myself many times putting the book aside and doing something else but I refused to give up on the book! I hoped it wouldn’t disappoint me.
What I DID enjoy about the book, was all the mystery behind Brackenhill. There’s stories and the history behind the families that have lived there. We got just a taste and I wanted more! I did enjoy the “THEN” scenes. The secrets and lies made for some really great twists. One I did not see coming. Nice. I’m really glad I didn’t give up on the book.
All of that being said, this is a pretty good read. If you can be patient, the payoff is worth it. I wasn’t disappointed. I was pleased at the ending! I am curious about more books by this author and will look into them. I give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*
The Literary Vixen 