Did not finish. The story did not hold my attention. The synopsis sounded interesting and I can see why people would like it, but the story was not working for me.

Eh, it was okay. Unfortunately didn’t grab my attention like I’d hoped for

“It’s been a decade since Trumanell Branson disappeared, leaving only a bloody handprint behind. Her pretty face still hangs like a watchful queen on the posters on the walls of the town’s Baptist church, the police station, and in the high school. They all promise the same thing: We will find you. Meanwhile, Tru’s brother, Wyatt, lives as a pariah in the desolation of the old family house, cleared of wrongdoing by the police but tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion and in a new documentary about the crime.

When Wyatt finds a lost girl dumped in a field of dandelions, making silent wishes, he believes she is a sign. The town’s youngest cop, Odette Tucker, believes she is a catalyst that will ignite a seething town still waiting for its own missing girl to come home. But Odette can’t look away. She shares a wound that won’t close with the mute, one-eyed mystery girl. And she is haunted by her own history with the missing Tru.

Desperate to solve both cases, Odette fights to save the lost girl in the present and to dig up the shocking truth about a fateful night in the past—the night her friend disappeared, the night that inspired her to become a cop, the night that wrote them all a role in the town’s dark, violent mythology.”

I went into this book expecting to enjoy it based on the high number of positive reviews. And it was ok. But I also found it needlessly confusing. And I didn’t really relate to either of the main characters.
It starts with an interesting premise. Trumenell and her father both went missing in 2005. The police initially suspect her brother, but he is never charged. Odette, Trumenell’s best friend, has a car accident that same night and loses her leg. Now, it’s ten years later and she’s a police officer just like her father. Wyatt, Trumenell’ brother, finds a one eyed girl on the side of the road and turns her over to Odette.
Five years later, it’s Odette who’s missing and the story is being told from the viewpoint of Angie, the one eyed girl.
I am definitely in the minority on this one. But I found it slow and lacking in true suspense. The ending was decent, and took me by surprise, but it was too little, too late. It also felt almost anti-climatic.

I give it an extra star for me not guessing the twist...but overall it was too slow and didn't keep my interest like I wanted it to.

Julia Heaberlin's thriller, "We Are All the Same in the Dark," skillfully unravels the mystery of Trumanell Branson's decade-old disappearance. The narrative, richly woven through the perspectives of her brother Wyatt and town cop Odette Tucker, captures the haunting impact on their small town. Wyatt, an outcast, stumbles upon a mute, mysterious girl, reigniting the town's obsession with the past. Odette, connected personally to the case and battling her own demons, is a relatable protagonist, embodying resilience and determination.

Heaberlin excels in creating a suspenseful atmosphere, though the complex narrative can occasionally overwhelm. While some secondary characters lack depth, the main protagonists are well-developed, making the story engaging and emotionally charged. This novel, despite its minor flaws, is a compelling read for those interested in psychological thrillers and the intricacies of small-town secrets.

Overall, the book was fine. However, it definitely was a slow build and took me awhile to get into. The tension did ratchet up, which kept me interested enough to finish it, but it took a bit to get there.

One thing I did enjoy was the differing viewpoints. Though I wish Wyatt’s section had been longer. The ending was strong and I appreciated that we got some resolution to what had happened.

If you’re looking for a slow build and atmospheric thriller, this is for you.

4.5 Stars

Right before my big reading slump started in 2020, I got approved for an ARC for this book. Fast forward two years and I see this gorgeous cover at a bookstore and promptly buy it. Little did I realize I already had it at home on my Kindle. When I got back into reading this year and was updating my Goodreads’ shelves, I saw I had this book twice. But you know what? I don’t regret the purchased second copy at all.

We Are All the Same in the Dark is a wonderfully atmospheric book told in multiple parts with three narrators. We start with Wyatt, the brother of missing girl, Trumanell, and whom many think guilty of her disappearance or murder. Part two transitions us to the point of view of Odette, the local cop who returned after leaving for college in order to finally close Trumanell’s case. And finally, Angel, a girl Wyatt finds on the side of the road who forms a connection with Odette.

To say much more would be to give away some twists that I mostly didn’t see coming and that had me turning the pages as quickly as possible to see what would happen next. Like the characters, I could never figure out who was trustworthy and who I needed to keep my guard up for. The ending definitely surprised me and left me satisfied. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a perfect mystery-suspense-thriller.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This book follows two strong, if broken, women through their hunt for the truth about tragedies in their past. The author, through her striking plot/setting painting, allows the reader to find themselves completely enveloped in the story. It isn't often that plot twists catch my by surprise, but We Are All the Same in the Dark succeeded multiple times!

I received this book for free through Netgalley for my honest review. 4.5 stars for this book, rounding up to 5. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know what happened so badly. The ending left me with a LITTLE more wanting, which is why I'm not giving it a full 5. The change in perspectives depending on the year made me really like this book. I figured it would all be from one perspective, but getting the multiple points of view was really cool.

The first half of this book is narrated by Odette, a small town cop with one leg, who comes home to find her best friend and her best friend’s father. They have been missing for 15 years. The other half is narrated by Angel, a girl with a missing eye that was found in a field of dandelions. This mystery wraps up in a nice little bow at the end. I like how the author ties all these imperfect people together. Odette may be missing a leg and Angel an eye, but we are all the same in the dark. #psychologicalthriller

Another great read by Julie Heaberlin! I felt like I was there within the mystery with her vivid descriptions.

I loved this book! I loved the characters and I love the style of writing! I love Julia Heaberlin and everything she has written so far and í can't wait to read more from her! Read this book and when you are done, go read the rest of her books! You will not be disappointed.

This book was absolutely amazing! It had the feels, twists and turns, and plot twists that were expected but unexpected. It was a bit slow starting, but the build up was payed off and that was the writing style that made this one so great. Definitely will be recommending!!

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. A thriller with a lot of twists and turns, some expected, maybe even cliche, but some that really kept me guessing. Odette is a police officer in the town where she grew up; the town where she lost her parents and her leg, her first love, and where the whole town wonders what went with Trumanell and did Wyatt, Odette's first love and Trumanell's brother, have anything to do with it.

I definitely recommend this book, especially if you like strong female protagonists.

The gothic style of this was fantastic and the flawed well drawn characters added to a well e executed plot that I find absorbing.

Why did it take so long for me to read this one? It came at the perfect time for me - I needed something creepy and slow to sink into! It took a while to get into but the build up and payoff were well worth sticking with. There was so much trauma and the way this tiny town was affected by this case was palpatable. I felt like the hairs on my arms were constantly on alert as I made my way through the story!

3.5 *s. I have enjoyed many of Julia Heaberlin's books, so was eager to pick up this novel. I enjoyed the first half of the book and was very surprised when the point of view shifted halfway. Unfortunately, the ending lost me a bit and just seemed a bit rushed and underwhelming, which dropped the rating a bit of the end. I will still not hesitate to pick up her books in the future, because they are guaranteed to be a fun read.

Julia Heaberlin is a beautiful writer and creates compelling characters. I will read everything she puts out. This is a very unique story and I keep thinking about it long after finishing it.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy. This review is at my own consent and unbiased.

This book was amazing! A dark, slow building and detailed thriller and I stayed for the ride to the end! We get three points of view in the narrative and it adds to the layers of the story. Give it a chance, it takes a little bit for it to get going. but Julia has great way of getting the reader there! I think the best way to go into this one is blind and just let the work take you away. I highly recommend this one if you love dark thrillers

We are all the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin is a 2021 Ballantine Books publication.

One fateful night, that would go down in infamy, Trumanell Branson and her father disappeared. Trumanell's brother, Wyatt, was found wandering around, out of his mind, and ended up institutionalized for years.

On that same night, Wyatt’s girlfriend, Odette, who also happened to be the police chief’s daughter, was in a horrendous car accident that resulted in a leg amputation.

Now Wyatt lives alone, talking to the ghost of Tumanell, and Odette has followed in her father’s footsteps.

When Wyatt finds a girl, with a missing eye, on the side of the road, who can’t or won’t speak, instead of calling the police, he assigns her the name ‘Angel’ and takes her home.

Eventually, Odette gets involved determined to help ‘Angel’, while she also works diligently to discover what really happened to Trumanell all those years ago.

While the town is convinced Wyatt is responsible, Odette isn’t convinced, but the truth may not set her free…

This is an extremely absorbing novel. It’s atmospheric, and very intense!

I added this book because I noticed some reviews mentioned it had a ‘Gothic’ feel to it. I’m a little wary of that sometimes, because what some people call ‘Gothic’ is a bit of a stretch, but yes, this book most has that quality to it, and I loved it!!

I think the foreboding, the inability to trust anyone, and the way the author built the anticipation, is what kept me sitting on the edge of my seat.

But Hearberlin also put in a great deal of detail about living life as an amputee, and it’s obvious she did her homework, something I really appreciated.

Overall, this is my kind of Mystery/Suspense! I know it may have been a slow burn for some people, but it was the slow build that added all that delicious suspense and apprehension and the ‘Gothic feel’ everyone was gushing about. Sometimes good things come to those who wait…

4 stars