Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of This Little Dark Place by A.S. Hatch.

In a moment of feeling lost and alone, Daniel begins an email exchange with Ruby, a convict in prison. But what starts out as friendly conversation, quickly moves to romance, at least on one end, causing Daniel to flee. But through this simple exchange starts a chain of events that Daniel never could have bargained for.

I don't know exactly what it was about this book, but I could not put it down. It's unique, it's creepy, it's suspenseful, but not too over the top. I devoured it whole. The writing flows really well and it has the most deliciously subtle twists. I've been sitting on this one for way too long.

There was nothing too noteworthy about this book for me, it hit the notes I expected it to, and although the pacing and characters were fine, it did nothing to excite me sadly

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

DNF - I struggle with both LONG chapters and books told in letter format...so this wasn't a win for me. It just didn't keep my attention and I never wanted to pick it back up.

This was a quick and easy book to read, fast paced and enjoyable. I enjoyed the writing style and the premise. Would recommend to those looking for a thrilling ride!

This was an instering book to read but I honestly loved it. I couldn't put it down. 5 star book. Kept me pulled into it. Cover fits to what the story is about. Already know a few people who read this book and I have told them about it. So hopefully they read it. Might reread this book next year 🤞

Nothing is as it seems with this thrilling read that keeps you entertained from beginning to end! I haven't read any other of Mr Hatch's books, but I will definitely rectify that in future! Recommended for anyone that likes an entertaining read that keeps you thrilled!

Overall, The Little Dark Place was suspenseful and a great book to read. Quite enjoyed Hatch’s storytelling. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I enjoyed this book, I got through it quickly and easily and I enjoyed the characters. It raised a lot of interesting point about loyalty, betrayal, and the difference between who we are and who we pretend to be. It was fast paced and definitely held my attention.

I did initially struggle with the narration style (told by letters), if you do too, then persevere, it is very worth it. Cant wait for the next book by this author!

A fun book but I did find it quite predictable, that might be due to the wealth of thrillers I've read, it just didn't surprise me like I hoped it would. Though I do like that it offered a unique form of storytelling.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller. The plot was really good and the characters were so likable. I have never read a book with a storyline involving an inmate, surprisingly I took to it and it kept me engaged. Some parts of the book dragged a little but I also appreciate that. Sometimes I need a back story. I thought I had it figured out a few times while reading, but I was wrong.

I really liked this authors writing style and look forward to looking at more of his work.

A dark and twisty psychological thriller. It would be easy to term this a simple cautionary tale about prison pen pals but it's much more. A very good read.

A well-written debut thriller from the author, A.S. Hatch. I was deeply intrigued by the synopsis of this book. Although, the story jumped from one timeline to another without any indication of the transition which can be off-putting and confusing. I especially like the story being told through letters but I'm not a fan of the very long chapters. I also felt that the first half is a bit slow and boring. But I thoroughly enjoyed the other half as the mystery and suspense keep on building up, coupled with the satisfying conclusion. A great read, overall.

This book wasn’t what I was expecting. I loved the unusual format of the book.
The timelines jump around a lot which made it difficult to follow.
A good debut but not very thrilling

A great read! Couldn't stop reading. I thought I knew what was happening, but some great twists near the end threw that up in the air. Very clever.
Looking forward to seeing more from the author!

**Thank you Netgalley, A.S. Hatch, and Serpent's Tail/Profile Books for an advanced reader copy of this book.**

Daniel and his new wife Victoria seem like a great newly married couple trying for their first baby. But Daniel has secrets and so does Victoria. Add in Ruby, a woman in prison for assault, and the book begins to get a bit far-fetched. Daniel and Ruby begin communicating through a pen pal program and eventually reveal more about themselves than either probably wanted to. When Ruby comes looking for Daniel he has to make a choice.

This book's premise was a bit off-putting from the beginning, but I decided to give it a go since I love thrillers. The letter format was interesting and added depth to the book, but for me, the book just wasn't a great read. I feel like the book wasn't broken up well and at 300 pages, it should have had more than two chapters. The book had good build up, but the writing wasn't that great and it really took away from what the book could have been.

I wanted to like this one but the pacing was slow. It began slow and never picked up. I was hoping for the storyline to develop a bit more but that never ended up happening.

This one was such an interesting read and I honestly didn't know what was going to happen. It left me on the edge of every page.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.