I was in the mood for a quick thriller, and under 300 pages, this one fit the bill. Set in Appalachia, a mother’s world is turned upside down when her teenage daughter and her friend are murdered in their small town. Having overcome the challenges of growing up in poverty with an unstable family, all Eve wanted was to provide her daughter with a life different than her own, but she was not spared the violence and vengeance that runs deep in their town. I really think the author did a great job showing how hard life in rural poverty is, and how it shapes a person and their motivations. It reminded me a lot of The Night Olivia Fell, but I think it was rushed at the end and the reveal was kind of a let down. This book was depressing, aside from the murder of a teenager, it was just a bleak landscape of life.

"Little girls were never safe. I should know; I used to be one."

Eve Taggert is a single Mother whose bright light was snuffed out when her twelve-year-old daughter, Junie was murdered in a local park with her twelve-year-old friend, Izzy. Who could do such a thing? Why would someone want to hurt these two young girls?

Eve's life has not been easy. She was raised by a drug-addicted mother who not afraid to dish out abuse to both Eve and her brother Cal. When she left her Mother's home, she swore she was never going back. When she became a single mother, she knew it would be hard, but her daughter was the bright spot in her life. Now she knows pain, grief, anger and is determined to find answers. Answers that might have her returning to her Mother's home. Answers that have her going places she never wanted to go just to get the answers she seeks. But will she find the truth?

Sometimes the answers are worse than the questions. Sometimes it's better not to know.

Eve's pain jumps off the pages. She has her brother Cal, a local police officer as support but that is not enough. She has lost her child. The one person she loves more than anything in the world. She wants vengeance. She wants whoever killed her daughter to pay.

Mesmerizing, Raw, Gritty, Sad, Heartbreaking, Powerful and Harrowing are just a few words to describe this book. Amy Engel has created a riveting book that I could not put down. This is a story about love, about Motherhood, about family, about loss, about grief, and about vengeance. Engel's writing is powerful and packs a punch. There were some twists that I did not see coming. If you have read The Roanoke Girls, you know Engel writes about powerful subjects and damaged characters. She writes about a mother's pain, loss, and grief.

Wowza was this book good! Hight recommend! I loved this book!!

Thank you to Dutton Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

**This was a Traveling Sisters/Friends Group read

Thank you Netgalley and Dutton for the opportunity to preview The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel. Two young girls, Junie and Izzy, are murdered. A woman, Eve, who has been beaten down by time and bad luck is the mom of Junie. Eve's life was Junie and her murder creates a fire within her that she cannot control - if the cops can't help her, she will hunt for the killer and get justice for her daughter.
Eve's childhood was rough and she vowed to do better for her daughter. Now she is dead, and Eve prepared to do whatever it takes to bring justice to Junie. Eve grew up in poverty with a drug addicted mother. She has never had it easy, but this made her who she is now. But secrets are kept here and only those who know the depth of the hidden holes can dig up all the lies and deceit that has been part of this town for years. Eve must revisit her past to help her find salvation. She may have to deal with those she had left behind as well as a painful past with memories that still haunt her.
4 stars - This book is very good.. Engel's dramatic flair and ability to create characters that make the reader "feel" is a gift. Recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley/Dutton books for the ARC of The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel. I can't say there was anything remarkable about this title. However, since I read the bulk of it while being socially distanced at home, I can say it kept my attention. Which hasn't been easy. I've given up on more books lately than I ever have out of boredom or dislike. So this one had characters and plot that I did get invested in. All of it was shady from the beginning but I really did want to know what happened to Izzy and Junie and when I found out, it was all very satisfying. That's really all I can ask for from a novel. Are there better mysteries out there? Sure. Is this one worth reading? Sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The Familiar Dark releases March 31.

This story follows Eve in the wake of her daughters murder. Junie and her best friend, Izzy, were found in the park with their throats slashed. Eve can't believe someone would murder her daughter, but her town is filled with people going nowhere, doing nothing good. She takes the murder into her own hands, finding out dark secrets about Junie and Izzy, as well as people from her past and her own family. She quickly learns that she didn't know her daughter as well as she thought, but doesn't rest until she has discovered the truth.

I did enjoy this book - the plot was intriguing, I really found myself rooting for Eve, and admiring how strong of a woman she was both before and after her daughters murder. There were characters I couldn't stand, characters I knew were going to surprise me, and the vibe of the town was portrayed really well.

What I didn't like was how predictable I found this book. It seemed like there was no mystery where it was going, and the "thriller" aspect of it was really missing for me. While it was centred around murder and getting to the bottom of it, I just felt like it could have been disguised with a little more intrigue. The "big reveals" were just sort of meh and didn't have me on the edge of my seat turning the page.

Overall, the writing was still really great, and I would recommend this book - just more as a cozy mystery as opposed to a thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dutton Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time putting this down and it was a quick read. Eve is a single mom from a poor family, living in a poor town. When her daughter is murdered she is devastated but determined to find out what happened. She takes it upon herself to investigate and find the answers.

This was a great read. I’m glad I got the book. An intense story about a mother trying to do right for her daughter.

When Eve discovers her young daughter murdered at a playground, she decides to take matters into her own hands and investigate what happened. Raised in one of the poorest areas of the Missouri Ozark's with a dark sided Momma, Eve is no stranger to violence. Trying to escape her past for her daughters sake, Eve has tried to be a loving and caring mother. But as Eve dives down into the underbelly of a world she once knew, she may need her mother’s hard edge if she’s going to find her daughters killer.

Eve is a badass character. She makes the book what it is because she’s complicated, aggressive and strong. She makes such great points about what it’s like to be a woman involved in a violent crime! Reading about the relationships between Eve and her mother as well as her daughter, make the book more then just a typical murder mystery.

The mystery itself was just okay to me. Things were pretty straight forward and easy to follow but I think the background and the relationships are definitely what stood out for me. What makes the story complex is the personalities behind them. That you never really know someone, that love can be shown in many different ways, it all added to the story!

This one comes out March 31st!! I would love to see this one as a HBO or Netflix show because the characters would be the reason I watch!

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel was a heavy one y'all. I knew that going in, but whoa, it was just a hard read. The story centers on Eve whose 12 year old daughter and her best friend have been brutally murdered. She's determined to find out what happened to get some kind of closure, and she finds the formal processes just aren't moving fast enough. To look into this, it means she has to delve into a painful past she's always tried to protect her daughter from. Her brother who is a police officer keeps her updated on the investigation, and he offers his own ideas to his sister, as well as cautions for some dangerous leads and individuals she should or shouldn't engage with through her process. Throughout Eve is grieving while also feeling the anger of what as happened and remorse about wanting to have protected her daughter more. Again, this was heavy, but well-written. In the end, resolution comes, but given the subject matter, it's a hard ending to digest for Eve and the reader. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this March 2020 release!

OH. MY. GOD! I binged this book in one sitting! If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller that is full of unexpected twists, then you’ll want to add this one to your list!
This was the first book I have read by this author, but it won’t be my last. I fell in love with Eve’s character and felt her pain as she grieved the lost of her daughter and sought justice for her death.
Eve’s journey for answers will come with its own set of challenges and betrayals, but in the end will she come out victorious?!

First of all, I want to say thank you so much to NetGalley, Dutton Books, and Amy Engel for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my free review.

You guys... this book. I was instantly grabbed within the first two pages when two 12-year old best friends have their throats slit. The Familiar Dark features Eve, who's the mother of one of the girl who's murdered, and a tiny town where she grew up and never left. All of the characters had such real emotions and Engel did a great job at really making you feel the grief, anger, and other emotions that all parties were feeling.

I love a "who did it" kind of thriller and this one had me guessing until the very end. I haven't read anything else by Engel before but I'm definitely going to read her other books now! This one is out March 31, 2020 so you don't have to wait too much longer to get your hands on it.

Wow. This is a thriller I can get behind. Right from the start, the characters had me hooked. Thank you to @duttonbooks and @netgalley for this advanced reading copy. I liked it so much I don’t even know where to start. It’s publishing date is March 31st, 2020 and I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up if you are a thriller lover like myself!

Eve Taggert is a poor, single mother who works as a waitress to support her twelve-year-old daughter, Junie. Eve’s world is destroyed one day when she is notified by her older brother, Cal (who is a police officer), that Junie and her friend have been murdered at the park. Eve turns vengeful almost immediately and we follow her as she takes the plunge into the seedy underbelly of the poverty stricken Missouri Ozarks.

On Eve’s journey, we see her rise from the ashes and tackle issues such as domestic abuse, drug addiction, neglect and abuse of authority. Engel paints a cast of characters that are realistic and dark. Things I loved about her novel - the characters, realistic plot lines, the squalid setting, the beginning, middle and end and everything else. Engel navigates the natural relationship that exists between mothers and daughters with poignant commentary. Thank you Amy Engel, I will definitely be adding you to my favourite author list!

This one was a DNF for me. The beginning was fine, but then I just couldn't focus or care about any of the characters.

Publishes 3.31.2020.

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel is a brutal ode to feminism.

Eve, raised by a mama who appeared to be as nurturing as a rabid dog, made a commitment to give her own daughter, Junie, a better life. As a young mother, Eve works hard to create a life completely separate from the chaos and violence her mama cultivates.

When twelve year old Junie is violently murdered, Eve commits to avenging her death, but at what cost? With secrets as warped and twisted as the undergrowth surrounding her Ozark home, Eve must return to the life she tried so hard to shed.

Consumed by grief, her life holds little value. Danger is a constant companion as she searches for answers she may not be ready to hear. Will her mama be the source of Eve's heartbreak or a balm to her wounds?

Fast-paced and compelling, The Familiar Dark will be a welcome addition to your TBR stack!

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel is a great new dark mystery thriller. I loved the raw and claustrophobic, slow burn atmosphere of this novel. It totally suits the story, the distinct characters, and the hardscrabble world of the Ozarks that they inhabit. It isn't a fast-paced novel, but it will still totally take your breath away. It's incredibly close to earning five stars from me because it was a little more predictable than I would have preferred in a few key spots. Overall, this new release comes highly recommended from me. I need to read more from this author, especially The Roanoke Girls.

Eve is a young, single mother who lives in the poorest part of Missouri with her 12 year old daughter Junie. Eve grew up here with her meth addicted mother, Lynette, and her older brother, Cal, who is now a police officer. One morning Cal goes into Eve’s work to tell her the most devastating news, Junie and her best friend Izzy have been murdered on the playground. No one knows what has happened, but they believe it’s someone who lives in the area since they don’t get many out of towners. Eve decides to take matters into her own hands and tries to figure out what happened to her daughter.

Eve had a tough life growing up, with her meth addicted mama and never having enough food to eat and hardly getting by. Her mama didn’t treat her or her brother well when they were young, but the lessons she learned helped her today.

This was a dark, gritty book that had me hooked from the beginning. The author did a great job at making you feel so many emotions while feeling heartbroken for Eve. It’s focused on Eve and her grief, but you meet other characters along the way who really impacted the story. There are quite a few of them who you would never want to meet in real life either, which just made the story that much better.

There were also a good amount of plot twists and I didn’t see any of them coming. I love when I get to one and then everything clicks and makes perfect sense, which is what happened here. I would say this is more of an emotional, slow burn kind of mystery but it was a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Canders from Dutton Publicity and Amy Engel for a free electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel is a slow-burning dark and intriguing read, but also absolutely gut-wrenching and heartbreaking. This book opens with the murder of two twelve-year-old girls, Junie and Izzy, in Barren Springs, Missouri. When Eve Taggert, Junie’s mother, learns of her daughter’s death, she stops at nothing to find her daughter’s killer, even if it means that she must do the unthinkable.

What I loved so much about this book is that all of the different characters felt so real, especially Eve; you could feel her grief and pain so vividly as she tried to grapple with the events leading to her daughter’s murder. While I did not love the outcome of the events, I never saw it coming and could not figure out where the story was going (even when I thought I did!). The ending definitely surprised me, shocked me, and will stay with me.

Overall, I absolutely loved this one! It was a good murder mystery with excellent character development and a few sneaky twists!

Dark, Creepy, Unflinching!

A portrait of darkness and an exceptionally well-written novel.

Losing a loved one is the worst kind of torture. Living without them is cruel and unusual punishment. Read this book to explore the darker edges of grief in its most desperate form.

I love discovering interesting stories and new authors. This was a total surprise and a departure from what I normally read. It was refreshing, yet completely heavy. I felt immersed in Eve's grief. I really felt for this character. A mark of a good book: when you actually feel what the character is feeling. I was able to deeply relate to Eve.

Very well done. Two Thumbs Up!

I honestly wasn't looking for this book, but it kind of fell in my lap thanks to the publisher!

What would you do if your young daughter and her friend were found murdered in a local park while walking home? The Familiar Dark explores one mother's response to this unthinkable act.

Amy Engel's development of the main character was nothing short of masterful. I felt like I was walking in the mother's shoes as she takes matters into her own hands to investigate this crime against her daughter. There were so many different layers to her personality, her relationships, and the story in general that made it very enjoyable.

While there is a twist at the end, the conclusion didn't really sit well with me. I had a difficult time believing the outcome, but I understand why the author went the direction she did.

Overall, this was a good murder mystery with wonderful character development (which is always something I look for).

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Engel, and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to review.-

I think I am beginning to burn out on fantasy. My mind is begging for something new. So when Dutton Books gave me the chance to review and arc of this thriller I jumped on the chance.

Eve Taggert’s daughter is found murdered and she need to find who did it. Sometimes it is better not to know the answers. Sometimes you have to face horrible truths. Set in the poorest part of the Missouri Ozarks, justice is rough cut. It isn’t always left to the justice system. Eve learned that from her crude, cunning mother. Eve tried to find a life for herself outside of her mother’s trailer, but sometimes, in the face of tragedy, you return to your roots.

A thing I noticed that I found different than most thrillers is that it actually deeply discussed grief. Grief will completely change your life and this does a great job depicting that. We watch Eve spiral into her grief. She lost everything that she had worked hard for and she wants to make the person responsible pay for it.

Eve digs up the town’s dirty little secrets, but the truth shatters what is left of her world. I did guess the person behind the murders, but I did not guess how it would end. It left me speechless. I read this in a day. If you love thrillers you need to read this!

Eve has grown up poor in the roughest part of town. With only her brother, Cal, as support all her life she has learned to survive with him by her side. Their mother treated their rank trailer as a stop n go for men, drug deals and there was only the toughest of tough love growing up.

Now as single mother of 12 yr old Junie, Eve still struggles, but she has brother Cal who is the town Deputy. When Junie and best friend Izzy are found brutally murdered Eve turns to her roots and cold hearted ways to find vengeance in the most feral way on a mother could.

The murderer may wish they never met Eve....