The formatting of this book was a bit of a challenge for me. I usually prefer shorter chapters and this book did not allow you to have a good pausing point to stop and come back to. Because of this I had to stop at random pages and it made me get lost in the plot a bit. I did enjoy the various plot twists that kept me guessing. Overall, an enjoyable read.

I am in charge of the senior library and work with a group of Reading Ambassadors from 16-18 to ensure that our boarding school library is modernised and meets the need of both our senior students and staff. It has been great to have the chance to talk about these books with our seniors and discuss what they want and need on their shelves. I was drawn to his book because I thought it would be something different from the usual school library fare and draw the students in with a tempting storyline and lots to discuss.
This book was a really enjoyable read with strong characters and a real sense of time and place. I enjoyed the ways that it maintained a cracking pace that kept me turning its pages and ensured that I had much to discuss with them after finishing. It was not only a lively and enjoyable novel but had lots of contemporary themes for our book group to pick up and spend hours discussing too.
I think it's important to choose books that interest as well as challenge our students and I can see this book being very popular with students and staff alike; this will be an excellent purchase as it has everything that we look for in a great read - a tempting premise, fantastic characters and a plot that keeps you gripped until you close its final page.

Twists and turns and chilling story. Everything I was looking for. The netgalley version as a little difficult to read at time but I think it was the e book though and not the book itself. I love when a book can keep me engaged and turning the pages til the wee hours of the morning.

In the wake of the death of his mother, while his long-term relationship seems to be going nowhere good, Daniel writes a short, drunken letter to an unknown convict through a prison pen-pal organization. This is the beginning of his deep connection with Ruby, the inmate who he's paired with. But when Ruby comes to find Daniel, things become too real...or maybe unreal.

If you're looking for a dark, psychological read that will leave you feeling a little unsettled, this is it. If you're looking for a thriller with twisty goodness...maybe not so much.

The book is fully in epistolary format, with the main character Daniel writing letters to someone named Lucy. From early in the book, I had some theories about how the story might unfold. Though things happened along the way that led me to other theories and the anticipation of one or more surprise twists near the end, it turned out that only my first ideas were correct. And there were no real twists. As I read the final pages, I felt let down.

The writing style is easy to follow, and I did at times feel invested in the story. Overall, though, there is no happiness in this book. Nothing uplifting whatsoever, not that I necessarily expect that from a psychological thriller. But it just all felt so hollow and empty. I was depressed for everyone in the book. And Daniel made such stupid decisions all throughout the book, it made it hard for me to care what happened to him in the end.

What this book really made me feel is happy to be a Christian. Grateful to have the hope that comes from knowing that God is real and that He loves me. That He is in control. It's not that Christians are all perfect, always-happy people--far from it. But there is something nice in knowing that tragedy doesn't have to destroy me and that I don't have to try to fill the void in my life by myself.

A note about the story format--it's broken into 3 long chapters, which did not bother me as it did others. There are scene breaks if you need a more definite spot to step away for a while. And at times, Daniel's re-telling of events from years past are broken up by observations of what's going on around him as he's writing. This also bothered other readers, due to not being formatted well enough to be able to follow the jumping back and forth. I fear this was an issue with the ARC digital copy, which is a shame, because that shouldn't come into play in a review. But it can, if it makes the book hard to read (I've been there). I read a physical release copy, and I had no issues with scene breaks or the jumping around.

“This Little Dark Place” by A.S Hatch had a great premise that had me eager to read it. In the end, it was not quite what I was expecting it to be. The writing threw me off just a bit. I typically love books with letters but this one was very confusing. The transitions were jarring, and I often had to reread to try to connect what I was reading. I also did not expect for this book to contain two chapters. Two very long chapters at that. I love to have a stopping point while reading and it is typically the end of a chapter. The overall story though was interesting. I do feel like the ending was a tad bit anticlimactic. All in all, I thought this was an ok read.

A well written psychological thriller that's captivating from page one!
Well developed storyline, good characters, good pace, it keeps you interested until the end.

This was a new author to me and I'm hoping to read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the access to this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I recently bought a new kindle after my old one broke. For some reason I was unable to download this title from the cloud onto my kindle, therefore I will be unable to review this title. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused.

I really enjoyed the unique format of this book!
I was hooked immediately from the synopsis and it proved to be great!
If you want something dark and twisted, I highly recommend this one!
Thank you NetGalley for this e-arc!

I liked this one. Easy to read and a decent story. I'd read further books by the author. I'm rating it 3/5 stars.

“This Little Dark Place” is the debut novel from A.S.Hatch and is indeed a cracking start to his writing career.
This dark and compelling psychological thriller is told entirely through the voice of Daniel, who upon joining a pen pal program for prisoners, befriends a female inmate called Ruby, currently serving a sentence for her violent attack on her abusive partner. I enjoyed how the story was set out in three parts in the form of letters to someone called Lucy, which were clearly written, informative and enticed the reader to want to read more. I found Daniel to be very plausible and likeable, dealing with the female emotions of his wife and their struggles to conceive, through to his trust issues with Ruby and his ongoing situation with the place he is writing from.
The story does have some chilling tension and was rather creepy in places and because it’s quite a short book in length you can keep the continuity going mostly in one go which aids the dark, edgy ambience.
An easy to read, original and entertaining story, I’d be happy to recommend this debut novel and I’d love to read more by this author in the future.

4 stars

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review. This book will take you on a dark, twist filled adventure to the point where all you are thinking about is how it will end.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from This Little Dark Place when I started it. I certainly wasn't ready for the dark and twisty ride that kept me guessing right til the very end. I devoured it in 2 readings, desperate to know what was going to happen next. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a dramatic and fast paced plot.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book for my honest review.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and Netgalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for a unbiased review of these works.

A darky and twisty thrilling read!

I was really excited to read this book as the premises sounded really exciting! I'm sad to say that it just didn't live up to expectations. i found it hard to follow at times and had me pulling faces at my kindle and having to re-read whole chapters just to try and understand. There were a few things in this book that just didn't sit right with me. The timeline being one of them, I think if there was more explanation in regards to the jumps to different timelines then it may have been a very good style, I don't think it was quite pulled off though!

I really enjoyed the letter format in this novel. That style of writing always intrigues me. It kept me engaged and interested throughout the story. It had a lot of mystery too it and I honestly didn’t have any idea on what was going to happen. I really felt Dan’s paranoia and his uncertainty when it came to trusting Ruby. I wasn’t sure if she was who she said she was. It was a quick read and had an interesting conclusion. People do some strange things when paranoid.

This Little Dark Place Review

Thank you to Netgalley and Serpent’s Tail for the copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the letter format in the book. That style of writing always intrigues me. It kept me engaged and interested throughout the story. It had a lot of mystery too it and I honestly didn’t have any idea on what was going to happen. I really felt Dan’s paranoia and his uncertainty when it came to trusting Ruby. I wasn’t sure if she was who she said she was. It was a quick read and had an interesting conclusion. People do some strange things when paranoia hits.

SYNOPSIS

How well do you know your girlfriend? How well do you know your lover? How well do you know yourself? Daniel and Victoria are together. They're trying for a baby. Ruby is in prison, convicted of assault on an abusive partner. But when Daniel joins a pen pal program for prisoners, he and Ruby make contact. At first the messages are polite, neutral - but soon they find themselves revealing more and more about themselves. Their deepest fears, their darkest desires. And then, one day, Ruby comes to find Daniel. And now he must decide who to choose - and who to trust.

⭐⭐⭐💫

While I enjoyed the overall the storyline, I found myself to be a bit underwhelmed by the pacing. It tended to be slow at points, but it definitely has the creep factor and was a compelling debut. It is a book I would still recommend to friends.

With many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is nothing like I have read before. It was dark and twisted, but it was good, It held me from the first page. I really enjoyed the suspense!!
Thank you Netgalley for the copy of this book..

This Little Dark Place by A. S. Hatch is a psychological thriller that definitely had me turning page after page until the very end. This book was so full of twists and turns. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat and I just wasn't sure what was to come next! Bravo A.S. Hatch! I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future!
*Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In A.S. Hatch's, This Little Dark Place, this shocking thriller is so startling and borderline creepy from start to finish. It all started when Daniel told Lucy about how and why he got incarcerated in a letter. We're introduced to Daniel and Victoria, a loving couple who's been trying to make a baby and start a family. But later on, things grew distant when Dan worked in his workshop and Vic paid less attention to him. That's when he started correspondence with Ruby, who spent time behind bars for assaulting her partner Lee. After losing his mother Ivy and a baby, they move into his inherited cottage in the countryside. Before the move, Vic spends more time at the gym and less with him until they grew apart and went their separate way. Time alone in the cottage, he resumed his correspondence until it grew creepier, deeper and darker and a bit more intimate. Later, when Ruby's free, she tracks Dan down at his home and helps decorate it. But he didn't know if he could believe her or trust her. Later, when Vic wants to reunite with him, Dan needed to do something with Ruby. But when he disposes her, things turn deadly with a shocking ending on what happened to Dan.