I wanted to like this more than I did. A dark thriller that probes family ties, belonging. and knowing yourself? Seems like a winning combination to me! However, I think what threw me off was the back and forth between the past and present. Most of the flashbacks to the past didn't reveal much of anything that was related to the story in a meaningful way. There were only a couple that felt necessary, so they really slowed down the flow of the novel. Other than that, I found it hard to form a strong opinion about most of the characters. Since the pacing was off and the characters we're super compelling, nothing really sucked me into the book. Regardless, it was still a fun and very creepy thriller, but just not something to go out of your way for.

A slow building, and intense psychological thriller with some dark and disturbing scenes

How well do you know your family?!

Heather Evans returns home after her mother, Colleen's shocking death. Whilst going through her mother's belongings, Heather discovers letters between Colleen and the notorious serial killer Michael Reave AKA The Red Wolf! Michael is in prison, who has started killing women in the same way again? Why was Colleen writing to him? Is Heather in any danger?

I really liked the premise of A Dark and Secret Place because I have been both fascinated and horrified by serial killers since hearing about Fred and Rosemary West. I liked that this was set in the UK, and that it mentioned infamous serial killers from here, if you don't recognise the names, do look them up!

Jen Williams has written an incredibly atmospheric and sinister tale, incorporating ancient fairy tales. Parts were very creepy and chilling, giving me goosebumps. The sense of being watched was so powerful, and full of suspense! The parts written in Colleen's house, and in the woods were particularly menacing!

I enjoyed the scenes in the prison between Michael Reave and Heather, with his cryptic fairy tales inspired by the Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales, although it was clearly wasted on Heather!

Speaking of Heather.. The book switched between Michael's early life, and Heather's POV in the present. As a main character, I found her to be quite irritating! She was a volatile mess, even before her mother's death, and came across and quite selfish and unlikeable. I rolled my eyes at the predictable and unrealistic relationship she started, and sighed as she decided to investigate the crimes because of course she would do a better job than the police! Heather then made one bad decision after another, ignoring ominous signs, neglecting to inform the police that someone may be watching her, and going to all sorts of places on her own, quite obviously putting herself into dangerous situations! It grated on me!

The ending didn't satisfy me either. It felt too over the top, just too much!

*There were also a few graphic murder scenes described, and some mentions of animal cruelty*

So although I did like the fairy tale links, and thought the gritty atmosphere and build up was deliciously dark and eerie, I just didn't feel this book as much as I thought I would.

🌻🌼🌺 stars

After Colleen Evans dies by suicide, her estranged daughter, Heather, returns to her hometown for the memorial service. She is shocked and dismayed to find decades worth of correspondence from Michael Reave, aka The Red Wolf, the UK’s most notorious serial killer who in in prison for violent murders of women with a disturbing signature.

When a woman’s dismembered body is found stuffed inside a tree, echoing The Red Wolf’s MO, Heather cooperated with DI Ben Parker, sharing the letters she found and agreeing to meet with Reave—partly for information about the new killer but partly to learn more about her mother.

Speaking cryptically through fairy tales he manipulates, Reave intimates he holds the key to Colleen’s—and Heather’s—past but Heather has to decide if learning the truth is worth the price she would have to pay.

🐺 I thought Williams did a good job creating a very creepy setting, and there were times I was very scared!

🐺 There were some twists that took me by surprise!

🐺 I’ve read lots of mysteries/thrillers set in the UK but not many within the prison system, so that was interesting!

The premise is fabulous but the book did leave me with a lot of unanswered questions, so the ending wasn’t completely satisfying to me.

This will appeal to readers who like dark and macabre serial killer stories with dual timelines!

Thank you NET GALLEY for the ARC

Twisty read with a unique plot.

This was no dreamscape but more of no escape as the letters and reality blur for a daughter all alone. I would read another book by this author for sure.

Heather is returning home to bury her estranged Mother. While she is searching for clues to her Mother’s suicide she is suddenly caught up with a serial killer and an old cult. Will she be the next victim?
This story is intriguing and thrilling. A real page turner.

Than you Netgalley for this ARC. This was a teal page turner,creepy and gruesome. If you have a weak stomach or very squeamish this isn't for you

This was such an atmospheric read. The creepy vibes are real, the fairytales told just tie so well into the story of Heathers mom and what happened on the compound so many years ago.
Micheal Reeeave is the red wold serial killer and he is the one who holds the answers to that time and Heather was determined to find out his connection to the new murders and her moms suicide.
I loved the way the story was weaved with Heather, her mom , and the small pieces Micheal reveals, I was sucked in.
I had pieced together some of the ending but not all of it. but it took so many twists and turns. It was a fantacticly twisted and creepy tale.


Thank you to Crooked Lane book and Netgalley for my copy for honest review

This was a page-turner! Communes, secrets, vengance and more! This thriller was a puzzle waiting to be solved.

Heather Evans has returned home to deal with her mother’s suicide. Everyone is acting sketchy about the whole thing. Cryptic notes, people following her, it’s not what she expected to be dealing with. But with her gut telling her it wasn’t just a suicide, she plunges into the mystery.

The first thing she finds is a stack of letters her mother had been writing to a serial killer! Called the Red Wolf, Michael is in prison for the grisly and ritualistic murders of many women. And the thing is, they are still happening. So what is going on? Is he as innocent as he claims?

In order to figure this mystery out, she is going to have to go to Michael for answers. Unfortunately, those answers may get her killed.

This was a twisty one and I loved it!

NetGalley/June 8th, 2021 by Crooked Lane Books

This was a pretty enjoyable book. I'd like to give it a re-read when "real life" is a little more settled. The overall story was pretty good, but the creepy parts definitely had my stomach in knots. NOT something I'd try reading if you have insomnia. 😉

Heather returns to her childhood home following her mother's death by suicide. What she finds is very disturbing as it appears that her mother had lots of secrets. This is a spooky read with twists and turns and I really enjoyed it. Heather's experience upon returning home to a house full of secrets is so well written and had me checking under the bed before sleep!

It's very well constructed as the book takes you both on Heather's personal journey as well as her interactions with a serial killer who has always maintained his innocence and both the writing style and construct maintained my interest throughout.

Overall, a strong 4* read and thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to preview.

A Brilliant Psychological Thriller filled with shocking and gruesome murders ! Wow ! I highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book ! #Netgalley #CrookedLaneBooks #ADarkAndSecretPlace

A dark and creepy thriller that I found somewhat gripping. I do have to say that I was a little disappointed by the ending, although I can't put my finger on why or what I was hoping for.

I found the main character, Heather, quite annoying. She constantly seems to talk out loud to herself which I just found a little irritating. She is also very predictable in a horror film sort of way, quite obviously running into danger and never stopping to call the police when things happen. There was the beginning of a romance between her and another character which seemed to completely dissipate and it felt a little like the author couldn't be bothered to continue that part of the story.

I did find the plot quite intriguing though, and I didn't figure some of the twists out until they were explained which is always a positive. All in all, I thought it was a good read.

I was drawn in from the first pages.Heather a really well written character whose mother dies.The secrets she discovers leads to a chilling thriller add in a serial killer different povs and this book kept me reading late into the night.Really good debut novel will be recommending,#netgalley#crookedlanebooks

This was definitely not the read I expected but it was superbly written with twists and turns and some scary parts! Characters are well developed and meaningful. This is a book best read with the lights all on and don't jump out of your seat if the door bell rings!!!!

I received an ebook ARC from Netgalley and this is my voluntary, honest review.

3.5 stars. An interesting, disturbing, creepy tale. Good, dark atmosphere. Not too impressed with main character but she was ok. Contains gruesome parts that might be disturbing to some readers (child and animal abuse, dismembering bodies). The identity of the murderer was a total surprise for me! Overall, I thought this was a good book but somehow the ending wasn’t quite satisfying.

2.5 stars!
Heather is returning to her hometown after her mother has recently committed suicide. She is preparing for the funeral and getting her mother’s affairs in order so she is staying in her house. While she is sorting through her mother’s things, she discovers some handwritten letters. She realizes her mother has been corresponding with Michael Reave, an infamous imprisoned serial killer known as the Red Wolf, for many years. What else can Heather uncover about her mother’s past that she didn’t know?

This novel started off really promising for me. I liked the setup at the start as it hooked you to find out right away what the deal was with Heather’s mom and Michael. It had lots of subject matter that typically piques my interest: serial killers, cults or communes and dysfunctional families. That being said, there was just too much going on here. The story flipped back and forth between multiple points of view and timelines and none of them seemed to weave together very cohesively. It gave the novel a very scattered fluidity that I found hard to keep track of because there were so many little bits floating around. It got pretty slow in the middle and then the ending was jam packed with so many resolutions that it was overwhelming. I wished Heather had some more character development as I just couldn’t connect with her and her poor decisions. It did have some creepy scenes when describing Michael and his victims that made me shiver. Thanks to @crookedlanebooks and @netgalley for my ARC.

Heather and her mother haven’t talked much lately. When Heather learns that her mum has killed herself, she returns to her mother’s house to discover why. Heather’s mum has been corresponding with an imprisoned serial killer for decades—even before he was arrested. What was their relationship? Do the current copycat killings relate to her mother’s death? Heather must talk to the convicted killer to find the answers in A Dark and Secret Place.

The atmosphere is thick with secrets in this suspense novel. The author does a great job creating the mood of a dark fairy tale like those described within the book. There are two third-person narratives: Heather’s and the serial killer, Michael, as a young boy. Michael’s story is disturbing. Its cruelty to man and beast may bother some readers so beware of that when deciding on this book.

My issue with the book is with Heather. She doesn’t feel genuine. Some of her dialogue was stilted. Many of her actions were unbelievable. By the last half, I was definitely sick of her.

Also, this is not a book for armchair detectives. There are no clues to follow. You are riding a dark Disneyland ride to the end with no input required or wanted by the plot. While I didn’t enjoy A Dark and Secret Place, some readers may. 3 stars.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved A Dark and Secret Place! It's dark and creepy in the best way possible. My only complaint is that I don't have another thriller to read by Williams right away!

Serial killer- check
Super mysterious family secrets- check
Super dark story- check
Cult commune- double check

When prodigal daughter Heather Evans returns home after her mother's suicide, she makes a shocking discovery- her mom has been communicating with a serial killer dubbed The Red Wolf for decades. He's been in prison for years, when suddenly someone starting committing murder using his signature. Did they get the wrong man? What's Michael's connection to Heather and her mother?

Fair warning, this book is dark, which is one of the reasons I loved it. I also love anything cult related and am an avid true crime follower so it hit a ton of marks for me as a reader . If you're a thriller newbie, definitely make sure to check out trigger warnings.

I loved the POVs, alternating timelines and the super chilling atmosphere of the book. The dark fairy tales were another highlight for me.

For my dark thriller and true crime fans, this is one you need on your TBR!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Booksand NetGalley for the gifted ecopy to review.

Heather returns to her home after her mother commits suicide and she has spent so many years away.

A man known as The Red Wolf had been locked in prison for murders he claims to be innocent of. But Heather discovers that her mother had been writing to him in prison.

Fiddler's Mill is like a breeding ground for serial killers. It's just a creepy place that others call a commune. The pace is pretty slow for a thriller, I thought.

There are a few surprises at the end of the book but nothing that made me gasp, just think "ok so that's what it is" 🤷‍♀️

A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams

On the fence on this one. I nearly gave up at more than one point in the story and admit that I skimmed more than read the book. The writing was fine, but the story was darker than expected and some aspects were horrific…so perhaps this book is more horror genre than I thought it would be from the book description. That said, I did read enough to get the gist of the story and came away disturbed and that is no doubt the outcome desired by the author.

What I liked:
* The writing style
* The way the past segued with the present portions of the story
* That I didn’t figure it all out before I finished even though I had read the end before I got there
* The convoluted incestuous storyline and family elements
* The creep factor – it was plenty creepy
* That it finally ended, and I was able to see the entire, though horrific, picture
* The dark fairytale element to the story…kind of
* That the story was well plotted and tidily crafted
* The twists, turns and surprises

What I didn’t like:
* The abuse of humans and animals
* The senselessness
* The choice Coleen was faced with...there must have been another…though probably not for this story to have been written
* Not knowing how Heather will end up in the future.

Did I enjoy this story? Yes & No
Who would I recommend it to? Horror buffs
Would I read more by this author? Maybe?

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars (for a book I skimmed and almost did not finish…hmmm…)