A decent locked door type mystery thriller with dual timelines. My favorite thing about this book was the fun cliffhanger chapters that left you hanging. I would have loved for there to be more of that. There were a few twists. One was pretty predictable and I figured it out about halfway through and one that was a complete surprise. Overall, a good, creepy read.

The premise of this book is so interesting and that first chapter immediately grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, from there, the pacing became a little slow and it took a while for me to get into the story as a whole. The main character, Eleanor, has a unique condition called prosopagnosia (more commonly known as face blindness), which becomes a problem when she sees her grandmother's killer but cannot identify him later. Her grandmother leaves Eleanor a house called Solhaga, and she decides to visit to with her boyfriend, her aunt, and the lawyer in charge of her grandmother's estate.

This story is told in two timelines and secrets start to be revealed as the book progresses.. I did really like the audiobook narration as I thought it made the book flow more smoothly. The familiar relationships became a little too confusing at one point. I will say though that this book comes together really well at the end and a lot of the loose ends are tied up. I would recommend this one to thriller fans, but I did like Camilla Sten's previous book, The Lost Village more.

My imagination can see so many creepy, eerie things that face blindness could cause. It was very easy for Camilla Sten to give me goose bumps when Eleanor, the MC, actually sees her Grandmother's murder but her face blindness means she can't identify the killer. Then the story charages right into a haunted house where Eleanor and the three people who accompany her to the house she has inherited must face decades worth of family secrets. THE RESTING PLACE is a horror story perfect for this fall season.

Apologies for sending this review so late. I read this back in 2021.

Here is the Goodreads review:

I read The Lost Village earlier this year and really enjoyed it along with all of its creepiness. This novel though, had some sort of creepiness in it, but it came across more as a mystery/thriller. I kept telling myself that Camilla Sten can write whatever she wants. Not everything she writes has to be creepy. Keeping that in mind, I gave The Resting Place a clean slate and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.

I think the only thing I did not like is that no one finds out the truth. I actually felt bad for everyone who suffered from not knowing the truth. The truth died with Vivianne and Mats. It was like they were robbed of something that is a part of their own identities, and that was not fair to the people it affected. They honestly needed the closure, and that is not something Sten granted to them.

This was a really good book. I turned the last page and knew it was a good book I enjoyed. I think Camilla Sten will continue to be on my repeat author list.

Thank you, Minotaur Books for the advance copy.

This was very interesting! The setting was so eerie and chilling. The two storylines were a little confusing especially with the characters that go by different names. I really enjoyed the overall buildup even though it wasn't a fast paced story. The underlying sense of anxiety keeps you on your toes! Camille Sten did a great job at creating such a suspenseful and creepy filled story.

The pace of this novel really matches the cold, snowy, stuck in a house vibe — it’s very chill. Slow, actually. So many chapters drag and opportunities to build momentum are wasted. There are multiple timelines, the past presented as diary entries that became tedious for me, pulling down the pace even more. The setting was lacking, the characters were flatter than a crêpe — Eleanor in particular I found grating — and all the female characters had names that started with V, which was annoying. Like, giving distinct character names is one of the easier ways to keep your readers from getting confused, maybe?

On the other hand, the mystery is solid, there are moments of tension and twists, and the family secrets are juicy.

A great premise. The story was a bit predictable in the end, but it does evoke in you that fear of just never knowing the people around you and who you ca. or can’t trust. Good for a quick thriller!

After her grandmother's death, Eleanor has inherited her estate and is shocked to find that it included an estate in the country. Vivianne the grandmother had raised Eleanor when her parents were killed in a car crash and she never mentioned the estate nor had they ever gone there. Eleanor is fighting off anxiety as she walked in on Vivianne's murder and found the body. Now she, her fiance Sebastian, her aunt and a lawyer are headed to the estate to make an inventory.

The estate is grand and has been kept as if the inhabitants had just left yesterday rather than years ago. There is a caretaker but they can't find him. Soon after they arrive a blizzard occurs, trapping them in the house. Then the strange things start happening. Eleanor is trapped in a dumbwaiter. There seems to be someone outside that only Eleanor has seen. The aunt insists that she had letters from her father that the lawyer must have stolen or someone has. What is going on? Before the group leaves, the dark family secrets will be revealed and Eleanor will find that she has been living in a bubble of carefully created lies.

Camilla Sten is a Swedish author best known for her mystery novels. Her debut novel, The Missing Village, was a major hit and this one was released the next year. She has a great ability to portray families with secrets and the psychological damage they do. This novel was told in alternating views of the group now trapped at the estate and those who lived there thirty years before. I listened to this novel and the narrator was able to portray Eleanor's anxiety and determination to find out what was happening. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

Not what I expected after reading The Lost Village, but it was enjoyable! I felt like it was more of a mystery than a horror story and a predictable one at that. It was interesting and kept me intrigued until the very end.

I love a good locked room mystery and this one fit the bill. This story is told in dual timelines and follows Evelyn, a young woman with face blindness who is visiting her grandmother's old estate. I really thought that I had the twist figured out but I was wrong. I love when books surprise me and this one definitely did. It was a bit complicated to follow when the pieces began to fit together but was also clever and all of the loose ends were tied up. Overall a solid but not memorable mystery.

I received this book from the publisher/NegGalley to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s not difficult to guess who is behind the creepy violence in this book, since there are so few characters. The plot could have been more complex—instead it just felt simple and tedious. I wanted more of an explanation (and wanted the characters to have more information).

The REsting Place didn't hit as hard as the Lost Village for me, but I still really enjoyed the reading experience.

The Resting Place is the second of Camilla Sten's books to be translated to English, but it disappoints in comparison to The Lost Village.

Featuring Eleanor, who saw her grandmother's killer leave the scene of the crime but has the inability to recognize faces, The Resting Place follows the present in Eleanor's view, as well as diary entries from a girl in the past named Anushka. Both center on a mysterious summer home of her grandmother Veronika, which Eleanor didn't know existed. But things ramp up as the lawyer coming along appears more sketchy, a snowstorm rages outside, Eleanor sees someone out in the dark, and a mysterious missing groundskeeper. Who killed Veronika? And can Eleanor keep from being the next victim? And who is Anushka?

The story itself left something to be desired. I definitely felt the building tension and wanted to keep reading, but the reveal was a little lackluster and I definitely called some of the twists. That being said, if you read this as your first Camilla Sten, I think you'd be happy. It's a fine thriller, but not as amazing as The Lost Village was to me.

What a page turner! I was riveted. I'm not always a fan of the alternating time period style of writing, but Sten is a master, leaving you with a cliffhanger at the end of each section to propel you deeper into the craziness. I loved the setting at a remote Swedish country home in a blizzard. Interesting characters. Twisty plot. My only thought was that it wasn't super necessary to give the main character prosopagnosia. It really only factors in one piece of the story and that could have been handled many other ways. But ultimately that did not take away from my sheer enjoyment I experienced while reading this book.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where horror and thrillers are popular.

Unfortunately this book was not as interesting or surprising as I had hoped. The characters were a bit bland for me and the reveal at the end just felt dull and awkward. My first reaction to the final reveal was "Who?". I feel like there was no real lead up to who it was and I was left confused which took away from the shock value. Overall it was a quick and easy read but I was left feeling underwhelmed and I think this was a pretty average read. *Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress @minotaur_books for the eARC of this!

I'm clearing out my blacklist and finally got around to reading this one. It was an entertaining, popcorn thriller that was a quick read. The concept was intriguing but ultimately I was let down by this one. I was expecting something much more atmospheric due to the desolate, snowy location of the big, creepy house. The book just didn't give me much in regards to the setting or the characters/story line. Overall, very meh and forgettable.

#NetGalley #ARC #SecretsDontDie #review #book #read

This story held promise but ultimately fell a bit flat. Not quite the page turner I was anticipating.

"The Resting Place" by Camilla Sten is a chilling and suspenseful novel that weaves together horror, mystery, and family secrets. With its engrossing plot and well-drawn characters, this book captures the reader's attention and delivers a haunting tale.

The author skillfully combines elements of Crimson Peak and The Sanatorium to create a story that immerses readers in a world of twisted family history and a foreboding house that holds dark secrets. The premise of Eleanor, living with prosopagnosia, adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, as her condition heightens the suspense and blurs the line between reality and perception. Sten's vivid descriptions and atmospheric writing effectively build tension, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere throughout the book.

The characters in "The Resting Place" are well-developed and multifaceted. Eleanor, along with her steadfast boyfriend Sebastian and reckless aunt Veronika, embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind the house and its disturbing past. Their interactions and individual motivations add depth to the story, and the author deftly explores their vulnerabilities and flaws. The dynamic between the characters, particularly within the family, enhances the tension and mystery surrounding the secrets they seek to unravel.

Sten's storytelling is engaging, with a steady pace that keeps the reader hooked. The suspense builds gradually as the characters delve deeper into the dark history of the house. The unraveling of secrets and the revelations along the way add layers of complexity to the plot, providing moments of surprise and intrigue.

However, despite its strengths, "The Resting Place" falls slightly short in fully capitalizing on its potential. Some aspects of the plot feel predictable, and certain plot developments lack the necessary impact to truly thrill and surprise. Additionally, the resolution of the story could have been more satisfying, as some loose ends are left untied, leaving the reader with unanswered questions.

I’m a fan of Camilla Sten’s gothic storytelling, the kind of eerie foreboding that’s constantly persistent throughout every page. However, as with The Lost Village, I felt something was missing when I was done with this book as well, and I’m not really sure what.
The story is narrated from alternate POVs of Eleanor in the present (who suddenly inherits the mansion from her murdered grandmother Vivianne) and Annikka from the past (whose dairy is hidden in the mansion). There are lots of characters to keep up with, and we are left to wonder how is Annikka related to Eleanor, Vivianne and aunt Veronica, which is all revealed in the end, but fell a bit flat to me. I enjoyed the process of reading this eerie book more than the final twists. I will be on the lookout for the next Camilla Sten book.