30 June 2022

This is a dark tale that is full of scary twists. I found this book to be a slow read, taking my time turning the pages as the horrible events unfolded. There are times when I simply had to pull myself away from this story. At the same time, I had to know how it would end. This book is guaranteed to crawl in under your skin and keep you going back for more.

The author tells this dark, disturbing tale in a manner that might make your skin crawl, but she keeps you engrossed in her young character’s life. She draws a picture of every mother’s nightmare while allowing this young girl to forge her way ahead, finding the courage to deal with the events she has been born into. This is a creative, gripping story that the author brought to light in all its gory detail.

Prue’s mother attempted suicide and her grandmother passed away. Now she is forced to spend the summer with her aunt on an isolated island. Prue does not want to go, but the hope of learning the truth about her biological father motivates her to do as she is told.

Arriving on the island, Prue finds herself in a strange house filled with unusual plants, a curious old woman, an absent aunt and an uncle she battles to get a take on. When locals start sharing rumours about a missing girl, Prue starts digging for the truth. But is she ready to deal with what she is about to discover?

As a mother, I found it hard to wrap my head around the alcohol, drugs and sex that fill this sixteen-year-old girl’s life. Prue is a child, there is no way I can see her as an adult at sixteen. Yet, as disturbing as these details were, I found it impossible to leave this book unfinished, I had to know how it would end.

Prue is a naïve, innocent child who tries really hard to behave like an adult. She is gullible and silly in her trust and need to satisfy everyone around her. As the details unravel and she finally discovers the truth about her father, you think things cannot get worst, until they do. This child discovers so much more than she bargained on and still, she manages to absorb the facts and then continues the family tradition of keeping her mouth shut to protect herself.

This is a haunting read that will stay with you even when you walk away from the book. A coming-of-age story, wrapped into a psychological thriller that will leave your hair standing on ends. It is a book that will keep you engrossed from start to finish.