Heather Evans has returned home after her mother's suicide. As she's sorting through the attic, Heather discovers a pile of letters from serial killer Michael Reave, the "Red Wolf", known for a series of particularly grotesque murders over twenty years ago. Desperate to know what her mother's connection was to Reave, and attempting to help the police catch the person now committing copycat murders, Heather agrees to visit Reave in jail in hopes of getting him to talk. But Heather may not like what the Red Wolf has to say.

At first, I had a hard time getting into this book. The start was a little slow and confusing, and I had some trouble settling into Wiliams' writing style. But the plot intrigued me enough to keep going, and I'm glad I did.

The story progressed into a suspenseful, scary tale containing complex characters, big reveals, creepy forests (stay out of the forest, fellow Murderinos!), serial killers, a commune that may be a ritualistic cult, families that are not okay, dark fairytales, very spooky birds, and a lot of secrets from the past. While this may not be the best book I've ever read, this certainly was a unique and creepy story that I couldn't put down.

My very first thoughts after reading this book was “what the F just happened?!”. This books was told from several different perspectives with one of those being from “before”. The before chapters were some of my favorites as it slowly gave the reader a more in depth picture of what had happened in the past. This book kept me on the edge and was spooky AF at times. I found my heart racing throughout this book. Williams knows just how to draw the reader in and keep them wanting more after each chapter. This book is creepy, captivating and fast paced. Like mentioned, I really enjoyed the dual timelines. I also really liked the main character Heather even though some of her decisions were outright stupid. One of my favorite things about this book was the mystery of the “red coat”. Even though I really enjoyed this book, I am only giving it 4 stars because I feel the ending came very quickly and a lot was thrown at the reader (however, I did like the “breadcrumbs” left throughout the book that somewhat led us to the end…if that makes sense). Also there was one aspect of the book that wasn’t wrapped up for me AND I NEEDED MORE. Overall, I recommend this book if you like a creepy, captivating thriller that will have you quickly turning the pages.
 
TW: Animal abuse, suicide, kidnapping, incest, child abuse, murder
 
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley and Jen Williams for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I read quite a bit of thrillers and mysteries so I love when I can find one that I don't know the ending! I also love True Crime so this felt like a great combination of both! I didn't find this one too spooky until the end! It did capture my attention the whole time though! I found Heather a little scattered, She just almost kept running around in circles instead of stopping to think and try to figure out her mom. I found the ending so .surprising! I never saw any of it coming!! It really makes you feel so differently about everything that Heather's mother did during Heather's childhood.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This book was set in a creepy, haunted wood; it has the atmosphere of a dark disturbing fairy tale. The scene was set perfectly for a fantastic read, but in some ways it fell short. There were lots of things I liked and don’t get me wrong, it was creepy, I didn’t read it at night lest I have a barghest chasing me in my dreams.

When Heather returns to her childhood home after her mother’s suicide, she is unsettled, she cannot figure out why her estranged mother would do it; sure they weren’t close anymore but could her mother have changed that much? The suicide note is also confusing, it refers to ‘you both’, then Heather discovers her mother has been writing to an infamous serial killer, the self named, Red Wolf. She has been writing to him since before he went to prison; did she know her mother at all?! Then she discovers that a copycat has been murdering women in the same fashion as the Red Wolf, or perhaps he was innocent or had a partner.

Heather joins forces with the police as Michael Reaves, the Red Wolf, will only speak with her, and that is fine with Heather, as she wants answers about her mother. As Heather meets with Michael, he tells her dark and disturbing fairy tales and tidbits about her mother. Heather keeps delving deeper into her mother’s past and the history of Fiddlers Mill, the deep dark woods of our story but is she getting too close? Will she live to tell the tale, as someone is surely watching her and more women keep going missing.

This was a good summer read, kept me on the edge of my seat. There were a few moments of surprise and lots of twists and turns. I would definitely read more books by this author.

This was one of those books that haunts you well after to close the cover and follows you into dreams that won’t soon be forgotten.

I’ve read this one twice which is unusual for me. I normally read through a book once and put it away until I can recommend it to others but not this one.

Heather returns home to take care of her mother’s funeral arrangements and wrap up loose ends and although her mother’s suicide rocked her and was the last thing she thought her mother was capable of, she soon learns there was a lot more about her mom that she wishes she didn’t find out.

Heather finds herself face to face with a serial killer in prison doing time for his horrific crimes as she tries to piece together how her mother was involved and why.

I can’t give a way too much but if you’re looking for a true mystery/horror read, this might be the one for you.

I loved how creepy this book was! The atmosphere is soaked in creepy atmospheric suspense. The red wolf as a serial killer was detailed creepy and gory. I loved following Heather as she discovers her mother has been in contact with a serial killer and discovering why her mother killed herself in the end. The story had plenty of twists, some I did not see coming at all like who the new red wolf was. There is plenty of suspense and action to keep the story moving forward and to keep a reader hooked. The only thing I could wish for is the ending to be longer, it ends so quickly. I wanted more. This was a really great dark and suspenseful read.

With an attractive cover and an intriguing premise, this one drew me right in. The book opens when Heather returns to her mother's house after her sudden death. The two hadn't been close in years, but when Heather arrives, she uncovers a box of letters that her mother had been sending for nearly her entire life - letters to a serial killer both before and after his incarceration.

Wanting to learn more about her mother, Heather begins putting her journalism skills to use as she learns more about the murders of the past - and the eerily similar new string of murders just starting to take place. It's a fast-paced read with some real surprises to the plot as it moves in both a "Before" timeline around the original murders and Heather's present. The characters, for the most part, come to life - although I must admit that Heather herself is not always very likable. I do wish that the ending had a bit more closure to it as well. and while I wish the there had been more room for Heather to grow in her own relationships. But, otherwise, it is an entertaining and quite engaging read - there are some twists that definitely took me completely by surprise!!

After her mother’s suicide, a young woman struggles to deal with what happened. When she discovers a secret her mother held, the woman gets tangled in an ongoing police investigation and must try to figure out what responsibility, if any, she has toward the situation. Author Jen Williams frightens readers in the best ways meant in the genre with her newest novel A Dark and Secret Place.

Heather Evans is fighting to accept her new reality. A reality where her mother has committed suicide in a gruesome way—by throwing herself off a cliff—and left few clues behind as to why she would do such a thing. Heather didn’t even have an inkling of any distress in her mother’s life, but, then again, she and her mother didn’t exactly speak that frequently.

In fact, after the sudden death of her father when she was 16, Heather and her mother seemed to fight about everything. When she couldn’t take it anymore, Heather left home. After that she and her mother, Colleen, only spoke on family occasions and the holidays during awkward, tense conversations that lasted mere minutes. Now there’s this, her mother’s death, with no explanation at all.

The situation becomes even harder to handle when Heather starts going through her mother’s personal items and discovers dozens of letters hidden away. The letters are from a prisoner serving a life sentence for multiple murders in a case that shocked everyone in England. The man, Michael Reave, has always claimed he was innocent, but the available evidence named him guilty. The media named him the Red Wolf.

Heather contacts the police about the letters, and DI Ben Parker has an unusual request for her. He wants Heather to come to the prison and talk to Michael about a new spate of murders that has begun. Someone is attacking young women again, copying the Red Wolf’s signature ritualistic killing style, and Parker believes Michael is connected to the killings even though he’s still in prison.

Despite her reluctance, Heather agrees. She wants to know why her mother was writing to Michael and why they shared this secret relationship no one else knew about. Although she was dismissed from her last job as a reporter, Heather’s instincts kick in as she tries to get Michael to share some scrap of information that will help the police catch the new killer.

Yet Heather can’t help feeling like the crimes of the Red Wolf as well as those of the copycat criminal are both connected directly to her somehow. She discovers more of Colleen’s secrets, making her question what she knew about her mother. In time Heather realizes she won’t get any peace until she helps solve the case.

Author Jen Williams takes full advantage of everything the psychological thriller genre has to offer, which will make readers squirm in discomfort and also keep flipping or swiping pages. Heather’s newfound melancholy at not knowing her mother like she thought she did is grounded and three-dimensional. Readers will identify with her grief and confusion as she tries to navigate both.

While some of the tropes of the genre might feel a little trite—the customary romantic entanglement; weird signs that show up meant only to scare Heather and not really offer clues to the larger mystery—Williams doesn’t lean too heavily on those things to drive her mystery forward. The book’s strength lies in the fact that the characters are fully developed, fully realized people. By mixing generational angst with modern-day trappings, Williams has found the perfect blend of the times to offer a compelling plot.

The climax feels just a touch rushed, but Williams offers a careful, thoughtful explanation for everything. Readers will have no trouble racing through the book, and its pall will linger afterward. I recommend readers Bookmark A Dark and Secret Place.

This is a Mystery/Thriller. I have to say this book took me forever to get into. This is a super slow moving Thriller. I really enjoyed the middle, but I did not like the last part of the book. This was just not a book for me. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Crooked Lane Books) or author (Jen Williams) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

"A Dark and Secret Place" starts with Heather cleaning out her mom's house after the death of her mother. Curious and wanting to know more about the last bits of her estranged mother's life, Heather finds a bunch of letters that her mom kept. Letters from a notorious serial killer, who has been in jail for years, but murders eerily similar to those he committed are happening again.

I didn't dislike this book. I saw the ending coming from a mile away. I just felt like I've read this book or something similar before. It felt overdone to me. It was still a good read, and I wouldn't turn anyone away from it, unless you're burnt out on that particular genre, or looking for a psychological twist that isn't noticeable from a mile away.

I really really liked this in the beginning. It was creepy and I had no idea where the story was going, which as someone who usually sees the twists coming, I really enjoy. But once I hit the 3/4 mark, I just felt like the story was never going to end. I think if the story had been tightened up just a bit it could have been pretty great. Overall I found this interesting, but didn’t love it.

The best part of A Dark and Secret Place for me was definitely the before timeline because I enjoyed learning about Michael Reave’s childhood. I also thought that he was a very intriguing character. I didn’t really connect with Heather but I did like watching her dig deeper into her mother’s past.

There were so many twists and secrets that I never saw coming which kept the story interesting. The ending was surprising but I sort of suspected that a certain character was a little shady part way through the book.

A twisty turnny beautiful book that had me coming and going! I am now a big fan of this author because she consistantly delights and surpises in so many many ways!

Michael Reave, infamously known as the Red Wolf serial killer, is locked up in prison. When women are being murdered again using the same M.O.,it begs the question — if Reave is in prison, who is killing these women?

Heather Evens returns home after her mother took her own life. While she is going through her mother’s things, she finds letters that her mother was receiving from Michael Reave. Heather is confused about her mother’s connection to the famous serial killer, so she starts doing some digging.

I really thought this would be a solid 4 star read, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it. I read a lot of thrillers since it is my favorite genre, and this one just won’t make the cut for my list of ones that are gripping and memorable. The main character wasn’t likable to me, and the pacing moved too slow — I kept finding myself putting this book down and taking breaks.

This is a dark, twisted story. Although well written, with graphic descriptions, it was a bit over the top for me. If you like this genre (horror rather than mystery or thriller), then I would recommend the book. However, for me, it was no more than a three star read. In the beginning, there were a couple of different story lines that seem edto be all over the place, but they all did come together. I did like the retelling of early macabre fairy tales! I don’t like when characters make bad choices, and Heather made quite a few.

What would you do if you found out your mother had been corresponding with a serial killer for a long long time? This is the unique premise that sets off A Dark and Secret Place. This is a dark slow burn of a thriller that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.

I had to read A Dark and Secret Place because who doesn't like a serial killer story?

This is a slow burner but the dark mystery of it really draws you in and you soon find yourself having to read just one more chapter to find out what happens next. I really felt the atmosphere of the woods and found it quite chilling and scary at certain points. I especially enjoyed the folklore and dark fairytale aspects in this book.

I had guessed some of the ending but there were a few twists that I didn't see coming. Overall an enjoyable read from a writer who is new to this genre.

Incredible Thriller. Absolutely loved the book. Jen Williams narration and characters are very strong. One of the best thrillers I've read in the recent times.

Heather returns home to find out why her mother committed suicide, and finds that her mother had been corresponding with a serial killer. Dark, creepy, gruesome. Too much going on at times to absorb.

If you are looking for a thriller which will shock and keep you guessing, this is a good choice for you. If you are looking for a book you will be an,e to set aside before you finish it, choose something else - it’s a real page turner. Nothing is straightforward and you can feel the confusion and frustration seeping through the pages from this well developed main character. It will make you wonder about the secrets all families keep.