Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Once I read the synopsis it sucked me right in. Started out great, had some weird added in stories that didnt need to be there and the last quarter just flew! Definitely a thriller based on that. I didnt figure anything out until closer to the end and even then I still had my doubts.

Wow. I can usually figure out what is going on and I came so close but a snappy twist (excellent) proved me wrong. The twist made perfect sense too.
This is a very dark and well written read. The reader is right on Heather's shoulder throughout. The story travels back and forth between her present day to the past of the serial killer, Michael, who is a dark yet very human character. The 'career' path of this person is extremely disturbing. It's kind of scary to contemplate that this story could be real.
There is language in the book for those who do not like that. There is also a few descriptive passages relating to the action and results of a sick individual that lives to take the lives of others.
The human element of this fictional world is steeped in sadness in my opinion. The stunning ending almost makes me think there could be a sequel. It's a grab you by the elbow read that kept pulling me forward.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my early copy of the book which was perfect for a Halloween weekend read!

(Posted on Goodreads but for some reason the link won't copy.)

This story starts a debate on whether or not a serial killer is born or made. So powerful and true to life. It would make for a great movie. The story comes alive when I read it. Each character has a special style to them that I can't describe. Something so captivating. The ending seems like it's finished but there are questions that is still up in the air for a true book club discussion.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of twisted serial killer tales, and this one will stay with me for a long time. I was drawn in from the first chapter, a “before” section where we first meet Michael. This is the first book in a while that has actually creeped me out. I loved the spooky setting of an old house in the dreary outskirts of London, and the author did a great job of painting a dark, gloomy picture of every situation.

A Dark and Secret Place brings up haunting thoughts about not really knowing someone you have known your whole life. It is always unsettling to learn facts about a person close to you, such as a parent or spouse, which make you question whether you know them at all.

I thought Heather was a good protagonist. Her journalism skills served her well as she attempted to uncover the truth about Michael and about what her mother had known. She is clearly trying to reconcile the complicated relationship she had with her mother with how much she misses her now, while also figuring out where this new information fits in. I especially like how she doesn’t take shit from men talking down to her because she’s a woman!

The scenes between Heather and Michael were very well written. Strong Silence of the Lambs vibes here! The way Heather drew Michael out of his shell was fascinating. I thought Michael’s character was really well done, and found myself wanting to know more and more about him.

The only aspect I disliked was the romance. I don’t think it added anything to the story, and found myself skimming those pages. I think doing away with them would have helped the pace of the book move along a little faster and held my attention better.

This was my first book by Jen Williams, and it did not disappoint. I definitely will be looking into more of her novels in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of A Dark and Secret Place.

I'm always up for a mystery/thriller from a new author so I was excited when my request was approved.

When Heather Evans returns home after the unexpected death of her mother, she discovers her mother was corresponding with a famous serial killer, aka The Red Wolf. Michael Reave was a man her mother had a deep familiarity with from a past she kept from Heather.

When the body of a murdered young woman with the same ritualistic aspects of The Red Wolf turn up, Heather is enlisted by the investigating detectives to speak with Michael, seeking for clues behind her mother's suicide and answers for the family of the victim.

But, Heather's amateur investigation leads her down a path of secrets, and the shocking revelation behind her own origins.

I enjoyed the narrative for the most part, though I felt toward the end the story kind of dragged. This could have used an edit, which would have added more suspense and urgency to the events.

I did like the flashbacks into Heather's mother's past and how events from the past led to the present circumstances Heather found herself in.

The parts where Heather and Michael converse were the most interesting and compelling.

This wasn't a bad read and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for this ARC! This book is EXACTLY what I was looking for.

Heather moves into her mothers house after she commits suicide, only to find out that her mother has a strange past. She has been writing letters to a notorious serial killer in prison. Odd things from Heather’s past keep showing up, almost as if haunting her..

This book is the first thriller/suspense by #jenwilliams , and I was a little hesitant to start it because of that. But she NAILED IT. it was spooky in the right places and I definitely did not predict the ending. One of my least favorite things about this genre is that the heroine always does something stupid to willingly put herself in danger (you know the ones I’m talking about!) and this book was a breath of fresh air. This book will definitely stick with me for a while.

Put it in your TBR list for June 8, 2021!!

Wow! It was the perfect read for anyone who loves mysteries and police investigations where you end up suspicious of every character in the plot, and every bit of detail the author leaves loose. This book had me spewing guesses about everything, who the characters really were, what was going on inside the protagonist's head, what was the reason for each thing and just when I thought I knew where It was going a turn, and it really toke me by surprise
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I read much of the book at night but when I got to that part I was grateful that I had left the end to read in the morning with sunlight. With that in mind I must say that the book did its job.
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The book follows the story of Heather, a woman in her thirties who returns to her childhood home to make the necessary arrangements for her mother's funeral. All the memories of her childhood begin to fill in along with the discovery of an exchange of letters between her mother and a serial killer lock in jail. Soon she begins to question everything he thought she knew about her mother or if she really got to know her at all
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With a series of murders and women disappearing this story has all the elements to leave you spinning and start to suspect everyone around you. It was perfect!
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Especially thanks to #NetGalley and Jen Williams for letting me read #ADarkandSecretPlace before it goes on sale 08 June 2021, I really enjoyed all the thrill, mystery and goose bumps. I will continue looking forward for new books of her

Firstly huge thanks to Crooked Lane for my ARC. I am haunted by this book and darn it what a BOOK!.This book tells the story of Heather a daughter who has to return home after her mother commits suicide and discovers that her mother was in correspondence with a notorious serial killer. Listen,if it was my mama I would have lost my hairline 😂and I did lose an earring reading a book because darn it what was that even 😂This book is intriguing ,entertaining and we'll written

This is a perfect book for this time of year – a creepy, dark, nightmarish kind of read! And it seems I was always reading when it was dark out (being late October, it gets dark SO early). Heather Evans gets a call, telling her that her mom, Colleen, has committed suicide. Heather is the only family member left, so she has to return to her hometown. While cleaning out the home, Heather comes across a bundle of letters from an infamous serial killer who has been corresponding with her mother for decades. To add to the creep factor, Heather decides, encouraged by the police, to go to the prison to meet Micheal, the convicted murderer known as the Red Wolf. At the same time, Heather feels like she is being watched by someone – stalked is a better word, and it makes your flesh crawl just thinking about it. I enjoyed the story and finished it on Halloween, very apropos. Well done, and I will look for more books by this author.

Heather discovers a box of correspondence between notorious serial killer The Red Wolf and her mother as she cleans out her childhood home after her mother’s suicide. Trying to find answers to why her mother killed herself and to how she’s connected to The Red Wolf leads Heather on a dangerous journey, bringing to light shocking facts about her mother’s past and her own life.

I enjoyed this thriller! It flips between before and now, carrying the story along at a good pace. It had just the right amount of suspense and enough questionable characters to keep me guessing. I had a clue about two of the characters being more than what they appeared on the surface, but didn’t completely guess it all. I hate when a book is too transparent!

There were numerous times I yelled at Heather to tell the police what was going on – I’m unsure why she never did. The premise of the commune was different and interesting and went well with the plot line.

If you’re a crime/thriller buff be sure to check this one out when it releases in June 2021.

The moment I read the synopsis for A Dark and Secret Place, I knew I had to get my hands on this book.

When Heather Evans’ estranged mother unexpectedly commits suicide, Heather must finally return to the insular town where she grew up, a place she left at sixteen and never thought she’d return to. But she discovers something horrifying: Colleen Evans has been corresponding with a notorious serial killer for decades.

As Heather struggles to understand her mother’s connection to now-convicted Michael Reave—the Red Wolf who terrorized Lancashire in the 70s—a slew of missing and murdered women are turning up in the present day, bearing eerie resemblances to the killings of decades past.

Interweaving past and present, we gain glimpses into the boy who became the Red Wolf, as well as Heather’s downward spiral into the sinister mystery that surrounds the sprawling lands and lore of Fiddler’s Mill, a place where evil has lurked for generations…

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This is Jen Williams’ first foray into the mystery/thriller genre, as she’s more widely known for her fantasy writing. I’ve never read any of her works before, but after the compulsively readable prose of A Dark and Secret Place, I am more than curious to get a taste of her spec-fic!

Hidden beneath this hella basic thriller title and a cover so sparse I legitimately thought it was a temporary placeholder image for the “real” cover is actually a SPINE-TINGLING mystery, a fresh take on a genre I’ve been reading a lot of lately.

This novel filled me with a pervasive, discomfiting sense of unease: the kind that raises gooseflesh on your arms. From the get-go, I was immersed in Heather’s story and the particular feeling you get when you’re being watched—no, hunted. This is the same feeling that creeps up when you realize that even your most personal, private spaces—your house, your bedroom, your own head—have been trespassed upon.

IT WAS SO DELICIOUSLY SINISTER.

My only complaints are that Heather made some seriously dumb decisions sometimes (like not telling ANYONE about clearly being stalked by someone who was leaving her notes and dead birds).

Also, as some reviewers have mentioned, the backstory behind the Red Wolf and Fiddler’s Mill—and subsequently Colleen, Michael, and Heather—seemed to cram in a gazillion different spooky elements. Ritualized murder, fairy tale lore, cult-like fanaticism, grooming, disappearing babies… it’s a lot. Maybe too much?

In all, though, I’m pleased by this story (that I managed to finish on Halloween, no less). This is my fourth book from Crooked Lane Books, and I’m starting to be VERY impressed with this publisher.

Four for four: I’ve given four stars to every ARC I’ve received from them. Each novel has been a mystery or thriller, but each very different from the other. There was the hilarious YA black comedy, Teen Killers Club; the contemporary thriller, They’re Gone; the Gilded Age mystery, Deception by Gaslight; and now A Dark and Secret Place, in which the mysterious circumstances surrounding a serial killer’s brutal murders has perpetuated a cycle of bloody violence for decades.




Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the best suspense novels I have read. Creepy and full of atmosphere, I was kept guessing to the end. The suspense was there right from the start but towards the end it was full on and had me on the edge of my seat. Dark and full of twisted secrets, I especially like how the ending is not what I have come to expect from this genre. I did predict a couple of the reveals but not completely, as the secrets were so complex and twisty. An original story that excels by not following a formula. I will definitely be purchasing this for the adult readers of our library and I am sure it will be very popular.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Well. This has got to be one of the most enjoyable crime thriller novel I have read this year. I finished it in 1 sitting.

The whole book centers around the main character (Heather) discovering that her mum isn’t who she thought she was after she died. Mainly because it turns out her mother was pen pals with a serial killer.

This book really had me guessing at every point, the twists and turns experienced by the main character Heather were written really well.

It was definitely a chilling read, one that is crazily eerie, but the dark nature of the story between the characters is what draws you in. The whole characterization of Heather and her feeling her mother’s constant ghost was very masterfully done!

The graphic imagery, strung together through jumps between past and present were perfectly intertwined which gave me constant goosebumps.

Overall, I 100% recommend this one to all my fellow crime thriller fans. It’s really not one or the faint-hearted, but if you like novels that get down to the nitty-gritty then this one is for you!

A Dark And Secret Place is an exciting thriller, that has lots of twists and turns, with bits of fantasy played into the plot.

Heather, a middle-aged daughter is forced to return to her family home when her Mom, Colleen Evans commits suicide. Heather discovers a pile of letters exchanged between her mother and a dangerous serial killer known as the Red Wolf, who was well known for ghastly murders of young women. Hearther goes crazy over this disturbing discovery and decides to meet up with the convicted serial killer in custody, to find out what pushed her mom to suicide.

Heather starts finding flower petals and bird feathers scattered around the rooms and shadows at the back garden close to the woods watching her moves and vanishing into thin air as soon as they are noticed by her. Is Heather safe or is she the unwitting target of becoming a victim?

All the bits of the puzzle pieces came together well in the end but the ending was pretty long drawn out, but still worth a read!

I would like to thank Jen Williams, Crooked Lane Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Summary:
An entertaining novel dotted with eerie elements, a good spooky read !!

3.5 stars!! I did love this story but overall it was a slow read for me. I love how it came together at the end but I was left wanting more! I really enjoyed the true crime plot line and characters.

Thank you for the chance to read and review this :)

I have mixed feelings about this story. It didn’t grasp my attention as I thought it would and that disappoints me. My mind wandered and I found myself unable to focus on what was happening. Not as much as suspense or intrigue for me and I was confused a bunch. While the story wasn’t for me I am sure that others will enjoy so I encourage you to give it a read.

The ending of this book took me by surprise but it explained so much that was left unexplained previously. Tied it up in a nice little bow but NOT in a hasty way.

Heather Evans and her mother have never had a good relationship, so when Heather is called home because of her mother's suicide, she can offer no insight as to why it may have happened. As she begins to go through her mother's belongings, she makes a startling discovery - her mother had been corresponding with The Red Wolf, the notorious serial killer Michael Reave. He has been in prison for almost twenty years and the stacks of letters show that this relationship has gone on for that long. Heather realizes that she may have never really known her mother. To add to the mystery, a young woman has just been found murdered in the same style as The Red Wolf. Is he innocent or is there a copycat murderer. Struggling to make sense of everything, Heather approaches the police with the letters and is asked to speak to Michael Reave in prison.

As you read this story, more and more secrets are revealed about Heather's mother, just reinforcing the idea that Heather really didn't know her mom. The story is written from multiple perspectives at multiple points in time. We see Michael as a child and can identify red flags that will inform his behavior as an adult. The original Grimm's fairy tales are woven throughout the story and give the reader a sense of unease. There were many plot twists and scary moments throughout this book. It was a perfect read for October and I really recommend this book. This was the type of book you read and then check the locks on your doors.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. As soon as I read the premise of this book, I knew I wanted to read it. The book starts off with the main character, Heather returning to her family home after her mother passes away, once going through her thongs, Heather realizes her mother has been writing to a serial killer for years. With similar crimes now starting and Heather wanting to meet the Red Wolf, the story weaves seamlessly current time and before as it’s called. I did find it started off a bit slow, but once I reached 100 pages in, I couldn’t put it down, it had great plot twists and turns, a few I didn’t see coming! Can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.

Jen Williams may be a novice in thriller genre, but she is a well- established author, especially in UK, where she received British Fantasy Award twice. So, let's make that clear right from the bat: this is a well written, well-crafted book. But as far as thrills and chills go, this story was somewhere in the middle for me.
What worked:
-the setting. The connection between human and nature is a big thing in the story, but even without this, descriptions of Fiddler’s Mill are really great. Woods are often used as a background for thrillers and it works in this one as well, adding another layer of secrecy.
-The inclusion of lore into overall bleak descriptions of casual violence, existence of cult and killings in the area gives the book this almost fantastical, sinister vibe. And that's a great thing because without it, Michael Reave and some other important players in this this novel wouldn't be as complex, and thus, as interesting to read. In a sense, it shows where author's strengths and interests lie. Keeping it as far as possible from the genre she usually writes, it's still the lore element that I found incorporated the best in overall story.
-Heather in the culmination scene. I know this sounds very specific, but for majority of the novel, I simply didn't care for her. As main protagonists go, she is not very likeable or a very convincing character. We were told she feels this way or thinks that way, but her actions kept painting a different picture. Until the culmination scene. I was actually pleasantly surprised with this very uncharacteristic turn of dealing with the problem and thinking on the spot when the sh*t hits the fan, because it's not something we often see in this type of novels. I enjoyed that very much.

What didn't work:
-At the end of the book, I actually realized there is so many things included to make it as suspensive, as scary and as twisty as possible: the ritualistic killings, family secrets, creepy cults, serial killer, chapters that sounds like they are straight up from Luther episode, mysterious figure we can't really put a finger on, babies in the woods, creepy dead birds and many more that are spoilery. Individually they all sound interesting, but somehow together they make a far less interesting story than I would think it would be. And that's kind of the issue I had with it, because at the end, beside barely mentioning them, I felt like Williams never really explored any of them further. Hence, there were too many reasons, motives and twists for everyone's behaviour, never truly landing on any of them.
-Dual narrative was kind of all over the place. Heather's chapters were occasionally intersected with Michael's about the events of the past. They were there to set him up as an even more mysterious and intriguing figure in overall story, but his character simply fizzled out with the convoluted resolution.
-Already mentioned this, but Heather is not a great character. I appreciate heroines who are challenging to like, but I don't think this was author's intention in this book. She is just not a good character overall, so I got prickly more easily- there were some scenes that were set up so obviously you get infuriated when she does something stupid.
-The woman in the red coat. I was thinking of simply put this under that complaint of too many scary elements that were not explored enough, but I figured out this one annoyed me for the explanation behind the seeing. Shocking element didn't have an effect on me because it was: 1)one more thing in the line of messed up things happening here and 2) not explained enough for me to understand what was the point of including it.

All in all, this was an ok read, especially for October. There is a lot of scary elements in this novels: cults and murders, strange occurrences in the house, dark and mysterious lore... but, A Dark and Secret Place actually deals with one of the most universal fears out there: the realization that you don't really know anything about the person you knew all your life. And that alone, makes it worth your time.