ARC Review--Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

 

Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it’s the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who’ve fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out…and failed.

When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who’s now a cop.

There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it… But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they’re trapped with someone—or something—that doesn’t want them leaving the island alive.

 

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

 

For as long as I can remember, if I see Kelley Armstrong's name on a book, I am definitely buying it! Hemlock Island is her latest release this year and is just in time for the spooky season! This is a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, held riveted by its mysteriousness and madness! This was a read that kept me hooked pretty much from the get go and is not one to be missed!

Laney is semi-recently divorced, a writer and teacher, and she just came into custody of her niece after her sister died. In order to help make ends meet, she rents out the cabin she and her ex owned on a remote island off the lake. Things were settling into their new normal when she receives a call from the current renters complaining of bizarre happenings, finding ritualistic markings throughout the cabin and basically ruining their stay. This isn't the first incident of bizarre things Laney has had, so she's decided to pay a visit to the island and check the cabin out, with her niece in tow.

While getting the boat together, Laney discovers that a few more people have come to the party, her ex husband, Kit, his sister and her best friend, Jayla, then her estranged friend, Sadie, and her cop brother, Garrett show up, making for one extensive Mystery Inc crew, if I do say so myself. When they get to the island, at first nothing seems terribly off. There's the usual disarray of seeing people living in the cabin as the current renters didn't necessarily clean up after themselves. They take a look around and start to see a few weird things that do seem rather occult like, but nothing as bad as the severed hand they see sticking out of the ground.

It quickly becomes clear that they are not entirely alone on the island as they once thought.

This was a very well thought out thriller read! The spooky and eerie happenstances were slowly doled out as the group tries to figure out what is going on. But tensions are running high with the group themselves as well. There's the air of a long dark secret that hangs between the women, Laney, Sadie, and Jayla. It takes awhile for this to come to light. It gets hinted at briefly here and there, but nothing concrete, just enough to let the reader know that all is not right between the once friends.

Then before the sun rises on the next day, they discovered that one of their own is missing...along with every possible watercraft that can get them off the island. And that is when things are cranked up to an eleven and don't come back down at all!

This was a very intense and somewhat sinister read! Told from Laney's first person point of view, we basically stick with her throughout this mysterious journey. There's definitely something dark and sinister in the air to this one! While we do get details of past histories weaved into the story, it was hard to try to pinpoint exactly what could be happening here. I had a few theories of course, but nothing concrete as I felt like I didn't have enough to go on or what I was dealing with in this world. It's very much a modern day setting, but even that leaves lots of open doors.

I won't get into the details too much, because I found them to be very surprising and I want you to have that same experience. Just let it be known that this book is not for the faint of heart! It does get very dark, and horrifying but I found myself highly engaged with the story and eager to unravel the mystery that is lurking in the shadows. Scooby jokes aside, this book does have a decidedly adult Scooby Doo vibe going on when you take a step back.

The pacing to this one was incredibly done as we are drawn to the island slowly in the beginning, but we're there before you know it and what the group will uncover also unfolds in a step by step kind of pace. But it is done in a way that will just keep you hooked, not waiting for something to happen, if that makes sense! It draws you in ever so slowly and will not let you go. Even after reading it, I am still trying to puzzle it all out and try to erase the chills I still have.

The characters were a very diverse and detailed group. They were very fleshed out and all had their own personas. Some you hated, some you liked, some you just wanted to give a good slap to. They were likable or loathable but in the best possible ways.

If you're looking for an eerie and pretty sinister read this spooky season, I highly recommend Hemlock Island! There's something to be said for not always wanting to get away from it all. Isolation and peace is overrated for sure after reading this one! Kelley Armstrong has come a long way with her writing and I am pretty much convinced there is nothing she can't write that will blow me away whatever the genre!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

 

Hemlock Island releases September 12, 2023