I have to confess, serial killers fascinate me. I find the psychology behind their crimes so interesting and as soon as I heard about Truly Darkly Deeply I knew I wanted to read it! The story follows 12 year Sophie, who moves with her mother from Massachusetts to London. There, her mother becomes romantically involved with a man, Matty Melgren, who becomes part of their family and a father figure for Sophie. However, young women, all with a startling resemblance to Sophie’s mother Amelia-Rose, start to go missing and showing up dead. Matty is arrested and convicted of the awful string of murders. Two decades later, the adult Sophie is still traumatised by what happened and when she receives a prison letter summoning her to see Matty again, she just might get some answers about the truth and whether Matty truly is a monster or the father figure she adored.

I loved this book – it drew me in with its unnerving and sinister style and I couldn’t put it down until the very last page. The narrative is split between Sophie as an adult and her teenage years when the horrific events took place that led to Matty’s conviction. As a reader we get to see exactly how the trauma of Sophie’s past has shaped her entire life. It’s a fascinating and illuminating perspective on the manipulation and power that certain types of people can wield and the damage they leave in their wake. Truly Darkly Deeply is beautifully written and carries with it a chilling sense of atmosphere that sent a shiver down my spine. There is something genuinely frightening about this book, a true sense of unease permeates the pages. Dark, disturbing and powerful, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers or true crime.

Truly, Darkly, Deeply is a dark and utterly compelling story of a serial killer.

Sophie is 12 when she moves with her mother Amelia-Rose from Massachusetts to London. Here her mother meets the charismatic Matty Melgren who becomes the father to Sophie that she hasn’t known. The book shows the relationship that built up between the three of them running alongside the story of women found murdered in the local area. A serial killer is at work in the north of London and twelve year old Sophie is fixated.
Matty seems to be the prime suspect for the murders but then so does another man close to the family. But Matty was a killer with no stereotype, he seemed so normal, he was handsome, well educated and well dressed. Now over 20 years later Sophie receives a letter from Matty. He is in prison serving life sentences for the murders of the women. He is dying but he wants to meet with Sophie. Matty has haunted Sophia’s dreams for years, can she confront him and lay the ghost of guilt to rest, will she finally get answers after twenty years of who was really responsible for all those women’s murders?
The book views events through two timelines, the 1980’s (young) and twenty years later (adult) Sophie’s eyes as well as a narrative of blog posts and newspaper articles. The important part of the tale is the family relationship, Sophie’s psychologist and the man living downstairs.
It shows the scars and damage that are left behind by those convicted of serious crimes. It also demonstrates the fascination some people have for serial killers. There are some complex twists in the book which the author addresses brilliantly and is well written and compelling. I absolutely loved the characters, the plot and the tension. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Certainly recommended! Overall, it’s a very well written and well paced mystery thriller which is hard to put down.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to the publisher Quercus Books for the much appreciated eARC.

When Sophie was a child her mother was romantically involved with a man, Matty, who was later convicted for killing several women. Sophie loved Matty because he was the father she did not have before. He was fun and cared for her. But he never committed to her mother and Sophie was always afraid that they would break up. At the same time a serial killer is haunting London. Sophie gets a bit obsessed with the killings and discussed it often with Matty. But something is off about Matty. Sometimes he behaves strangely and disappears for days without calling. He is a weird man but Sophie loves him unconditionally. When she and her mother notice some resemblance between the killings and Mattys behavior they get suspicious. Then Matty gets arrested. Twenty years later Sophie gets notice that Matty, still in prison, is dying of cancer and wants to see Sophie.

It took me a while to finish this book because it never really gripped me until ¾ into it. The story moves back and forth in time and it confused me quite often. After a while the story seems to stand still. We see Sophie and her mother and Matty in the past but for a long time nothing happens that brings the story forward. It was also quite repetitive. I don’t know how often Sophie tells us that Matty is the closest thing to a father figure she ever had and that he drove across London to bring her her favorite ice-cream. The author took her time setting the scene and dragging the part in the present were Sophie is struggling to decide if she should see Matty in prison. Then even after twenty years she is not sure if he really was the killer. He always denied it. So it was a long foreplay until Sophie finally gets her answers and learns about a shocking twist. I liked the ending although it was a bit rushed after all that repetitive telling before. The twist at the end was a surprise for me although I entertained suspicion that Sophie did not get the whole story as a child.

The story was good and I liked the twist. The writing was ok but I struggled with all that time switching. The repetitive style is also a minus. I found it hard to sympathize with Sophie. Matty was a quite interesting character. He is a creep but obviously a charming one that got away with a lot. He was well crafted. I am a bit torn with my rating but I tend to give it a solid 3 stars.

Twelve-year-old Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, move to London from Massachusetts where they meet the charismatic Matty Melgren, who quickly becomes an intrinsic part of their lives. But as the relationship between the two adults fractures, a serial killer begins targeting young women with a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose.

When Matty is eventually sent down for multiple murder, questions remain as to his guilt — questions which ultimately destroy both women. Nearly twenty years later, Sophie receives a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet. It looks like Sophie might finally get the answers she craves. But will the truth set her free — or bury her deeper?

This book was hard to put down! It is oh so creepy, compelling and a very dark story which is told by Sophie. Sophie loved Matty like he was her own father – and now – he is a convicted serial killer. The victims being predominantly young women – all of whom look like Amelia – Sophie’s mother…

My thanks to the author and Quercus Books for my advance copy to review via Netgalley. Due out 7th July 2022.


Four truly dark creepy stars

Sophie is 12 she lives with her mother Amelia Rose they recently moved from Massachusetts in the United States to London. Here her mother meets Matty Mellgren. He becomes the father to Sophie that she hasn’t known. The book shows the relationship that built up between the three of them running alongside the story of women found murdered in the local area.

Matty seems to be the prime suspect for the murders but then so does another man close to the family. Now over 20 years later Sophie receives a letter from Matty. He is in prison serving life sentences for the murders of the women. Matty is dying but he wants to meet with Sophie. Sophie is in turmoil as to whether or not to meet up with Matty but she feels she mau get answers to some of the questions she still has.

I found the book quite thought provoking. And loved the twists thrown in.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an arc.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

Whoa. This book was like a work of art, each chapter finely crafted to keep you hooked and wanting more, dropping clues and leaving just enough of them so that you knew some of what was coming and were just waiting for the other shoe to drop. The suspenseful atmosphere was amazing. I loved it and it kept me reading page after page, simply devouring this book.

In the end, this book felt a bit like an Agatha Christie-ish novel, with all the clues being there, it was just up to us, the audience to see them. I love stories like that, because it shows that the author really thought out the storyline and put effort into crafting the narrative and making it plausible, not just pulling the solution out of thin air.

And, of course, there’s some great twists in there that just make things juicier and left my jaw on the floor. I was blown away. But, as always, no spoilers here!

All I can say is, if you’re into suspense and serial killer mysteries, you need to go pick this one up. It is a must read!

Frustrating! This book grabbed me, made me read the whole thing in a single sitting, with twists and turns involving a potential serial killer and a whodunnit. I loved this until there was a section that seemed, to me, a little exploitative, with the young protagonist faced with a disturbing situation. Then the ending was forced - it’s like eating a McDonalds, desired and easy to eat but ultimately leaves a bad taste. So, this is tough to write as I still enjoyed the novel, it just was a light thriller that demands to be read on lunch breaks or on holiday. Don’t expect to be blown away.

This is a truly creepy, dark and utterly compelling story of a serial killer.
When eight year old Sophie and her mother move from Massachusetts to London for a better life they have a chance meeting with the charismatic Mathew 'Matty' Melgreen.
Sophie is struggling to adapt to life in the UK and is being bullied at school but Matty is always there to hear her woes.
But when a string of murders are committed in London Matty is but under scrutiny.
The book takes place in two timelines from the 1980's then twenty years later.
There are some complex twists in the book which the author addresses brilliantly.

This was everything you need for a thriller and crime story. It is not as black and white as you first think and like most typical thrillers, is full of twists. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This was a compelling read which I really did enjoy. The story kept me hanging right until the end when the author delivered a massive twist that I never saw coming. I felt it was a little slow and in my opinion, it could have been projected as more thrilling and more fast-paced. In certain places, this story was slightly repetitive and dragged a little but this never stopped me from turning the pages to get the answers I needed.

Matty Melgren had woven himself into the lives of twelve year old Sophie and her mother Amelia-Rose following their move to Massachusetts. To be honest Matty was a likeable character who was kind and seemed really loyal, he became a dad to Sophie who idolised him.

Amelia-Rose was a difficult character to like. She came across as closed off emotionally and in my opinion later on in her relationship with Matty she appeared totally in denial of anything that might appear suspicious.
When a serial killer starts to target young woman near enough identical to Amelia-Rose Sophie starts to have doubts about the kind of man he may be.

Told in two eras, the 1980s when they all first meet and then twenty years later, at times the difference became confusing and I had to go back and re-read parts to find out what year I was in. Saying that there was no doubt that this book held my attention all the way through, Did he or did he not kill those women?

This was a thoroughly addictive story and a read I would recommend.

This was a great read. It reads like a true crime book and is very easy reading and jumps from memories to present day. I'd figured out the twists before the end with only one kind of surprising me.

4.5 stars Well, this book hit the ground running, kept the intrigue high, and spat me out at the end exhausted but satisfied. Letting me surface for air a couple of times along the way, for which I am thankful!
We start with Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, moving from Massachusetts to London to start a new life. There they meet Matty Melgren who starts to date Amelia-Rose and becomes a father figure to Sophie. But it's not long before there's a spate of murders in the neighbourhood and all the women appear to look quite a lot like Amelia-Rose. But it couldn't be Matty, could it...?
Well, we all know it was as he is currently in prison for it.. but the story told within this book is twofold... First it's Matty's request for Sophie to visit him, second it's their story of when they met and became a family... and the two weave themselves around and about each other, complementing each other, until, well... you'll see when the truth finally all comes out...
This is a book where it is best to go in as blind as you can. There are so many shocks and surprises to be found herein that any prior knowledge of them will definitely lessen the impact. Suffice to say I didn't guess the half of what was going on and really kicked myself in hindsight. There was certainly a lot going on below the surface for everyone!
I didn't really like Sophie, she didn't come across as a particularly nice character for me, but I empathised with her as she did go through quite a lot both in childhood and as an adult so I guess she is entitled to her pity party and woe is me attitude. Especially as her world was turned upside down more than once.
Pacing was a little hit and miss occasionally, it is a bit of a slow burn in places but then there were a lot of ducks to get in a row before the shooting could begin...
This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be checking out her back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Victoria Selman’s Truly, Darkly, Deeply is an interesting use of the serial killer motif. A letter from Battlemouth Prison informs Sophie that Matty Melgren is dying and wants to see her. Sophie and her mother moved from Boston to London in the 1980s and Matty became part of their family and father figure for Sophie. A serial killer is at work in the north of London and twelve year old Sophie is fixated. The narrative is unusual in its interspersion of events today and of the 1980s, as well as blog posts and newspaper articles. The nub of the tale is the family relationship, Sophie’s psychologist and the man living downstairs. So, will Sophie finally get answers after twenty years and who was really responsible for all those women’s murders? A domestic noir psychological thriller that was somewhat mundane, lacking tension and only a three star read rating. With thanks to Quercus Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

A serial killer on the loose in North London. Their M.O. is very specifc. Brown shoilder length curly hair.

Whilst this may sound like a difficulty in finding victims. Being set in the early 1980’s where perms ruled supreme. There was a plethora of potential victims.

Take an a-typical family. Mum, daughter and a stand in father. The three of them a tight family unit.

There is a murderer on the loose, young women are their prey. The link their hair. That is what ties them to the family. A trophy from the killer to his girlfriend, all presented with a nice little bow around their necks.

This is a fast paced thriller, that is bound within a plot that gives nothing away till the end. It grabs you by the throat and holds you there till you’ve finished. The characters are strong and well rounded, well as long as you don’t take the crimes into account.

This has earned it a very easy book to recommend.

Status: Completed

Rating: 4.9/5.0

When Matty walks into Sophie and her mother’s life things change and 20 years after he was sent down for murder can she get the answers she needs. Oh this was so gripping and I loved the then and now pov. The sprinkling of true crime blogs and reports made this more interesting. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Twelve-year-old Sophie lives with her mother, Amelia-Rose and father figure Matty Melgren in London. During this time, a series of murders occur. Alarmingly, the victims all resemble Amelia-Rose - petite with brown curly hair. Marty is eventually convicted of these murders - but was it really him, or was he framed?


I absolutely inhaled this book! It is so gripping and it fascinated me. It was so well written I felt I was reading a true story!

Absolutely brilliant, I loved this book. A really gripping and immersive read.
The story tells of Sophie who as a child develops a strong bond with her mothers boyfriend, having not known her own father. The story flips between the past and present when it reveals that Matty was convicted of multiple murders he committed whilst Sophie and her mother were seeminglt oblivious. As Sophie gets to grips with facing the past and learning to live with some of her own actions, 20 years on she still questions his protestations of innocence. Matty asks to see her as he is dying. Does he reveal the truth about the murders?
The book throws in some serious emotional curveballs in relation to the experiences of Sophie and her mother and leaves you questioning yourself whether Matty really is what you think he is. Really enjoyed this, great book!

Strong hook, disappointing execution. Truly, Darkly, Deeply started off strong, but after a while, became repetitive and slow. The tone was gloomy throughout and the other characters half-formed, I quickly became bored of the narrators agonising over the horrible thing she’d done. Aka, turned in a serial killer. The final plot twist wasn’t all that shocking, not because I had anticipated it, mostly because I simply didn’t care at that point.

It goes without saying, a book about a serial killer will go to some dark places! This one had a unique spin - we know who was convicted for all those murders, but for his family left behind are still questioning his guilt. And then Marty invite his step daughter Sophie to learn the truth. What a premise!!!

This one takes you to two timelines - the present as Sophie is building up to that prison visit with the hopes of finally learning the truth, and the past as she’s experiencing the aftermath of those horrific crimes and how her life plays out around them.

I was pulled in straight away with this one, and I will say that the prospect of her prison visit really pulled me along. I did find the pace of the book slow slightly with her introspections and internalisations. But overall a really good book with an ending I really didn’t see coming at all! This was my first read by Selman and won’t be my last!