3.5, rounded up

"Real Bad Things" by Kelly J. Ford is a gripping, atmospheric novel that delves into the dark secrets of a small Southern town. Ford masterfully weaves a tale of mystery and suspense, drawing readers into the lives of characters haunted by their pasts and entangled in a web of lies.

The protagonist, Jane Mooney, is compelling and complex, making it easy to root for her even as she navigates through morally gray areas. The supporting characters are equally well-developed, adding depth to the story and keeping the reader engaged.

The novel’s setting is vividly described, with Ford's evocative writing painting a clear picture of the Southern landscape and its unique atmosphere. The tension builds steadily, keeping the reader on edge as secrets are gradually revealed and the truth comes to light.

While the pacing occasionally slows, the rich character development and intriguing plot more than make up for it. "Real Bad Things" is a thought-provoking read that explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the impact of one's actions on others.

Overall, Kelly J. Ford has crafted a captivating novel that keeps you guessing until the very end. "Real Bad Things" is a must-read for fans of suspenseful, character-driven stories.

**2.5 stars**

This was my second novel by the author after They All Fall Down; a book that I loved but many others hated as evidenced by the many negative reviews on Goodreads. So I had high hopes for this one. But I was disappointed. The main character needed a backbone and I guessed a twist very very early on. I’ve never seen the words asthma, anxiety, or inhaler used in a book more than this one. Palmdale was an interesting setting. I figured out the who very early on but not the why completely. But the overall story was very slow and the book was easily 75 pages too long.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was excited to get ahold of this one and see how the story would unfold, however, I think that at this point in my reading journey it's hard for me to feel excited about a thriller. This is no fault of the book itself, which is well written and filled with twists and suspense.

However I find myself growing tired of the typical thriller formula, and my enjoyment of this book suffered because of that. For the average reader that enjoys thrillers Im sure this would be a great read, and I really liked the concept of this book and the story that Rachel set out to tell. I would still recommend it to anyone that finds themselves interested by the premise.

Oh this was a wild ride! Yara returns to her hometown to throw her parents anniversary party but she doesn’t arrive without drama. She receives a suspicious text and the rest of the book flies into motion!
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I love a book with a mystery,
Some family drama and secrets and this has it all.
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Thank you #thomasandmercer and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Howzell Hall is a go to author for dependable mysteries and thrillers, and this one delivers. The setting is integral and vivid, and the characters are fascinating, from complex family issues to trusting your own memories.

Yara Gibson, a TV writer, reluctantly returns to her hometown of Palmdale, California, for her parents' twentieth-anniversary celebration. Her primary mission during the visit is to secure the perfect family keepsakes for the milestone event. However, her plans take a disconcerting turn when she receives an unsettling text message, bearing ominous words: "I have information that will change your life."

The sender of this message is none other than Felicia Campbell, who claims to have been a childhood friend of Yara's mother, even though they've been estranged for many years, surrounded by unresolved drama that had been best left forgotten. Yet, Yara finds herself unable to dismiss Felicia's persistent texts, in which she implores Yara to connect "before it's too late."

Tragically, the following day, it is indeed too late for Felicia, as her lifeless body is discovered in the waters of Lake Palmdale. Prior to her demise, Felicia has entrusted Yara with a key to an isolated cabin by the lake, where a trove of files pertaining to a mysterious and unsolved tragedy dating back to 1998 lies hidden.

While the book's blurb accurately encapsulates the premise, it's important to acknowledge that the narrative is marred by Yara's vexing anxieties, her unwavering obedience to her mother's wishes, and her perceived inability to assert herself. These characteristics appear to clash with her professional life as a successful television show writer in Los Angeles, making her character's portrayal somewhat inconsistent. Yara vacillates between competency and mental instability, frequently judging events through the lens of her mother's opinions, despite harbouring both fear and distrust for her. The narrative suggests a pervasive atmosphere of Munchausen syndrome by proxy and gaslighting that Yara seemingly fails to recognize, whereas readers may discern these elements with clarity.

As a thriller, the story unfolds with sporadic surges of tension, rather than maintaining a continuous, suspenseful buildup.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun Fact :

I was first introduced to Rachel Howell Hall, when she co-wrote The Good Sister, with James Patterson. It was off to the races at that point and have read and loved, These Toxic Things, What Never Happened, and now, my personal favorite, We Lie Here.

Talk about unreliable narrators. This book is jam packed with characters you will NOT be able to trust. A murder mystery with multiple motives, you'll never guess who did it! The twist? holy moly, it sure is a doozie!

My attention was focused the entire time but I will say the last quarter of the book really took speed and had me at the edge of my seat.

Check out this teaser :

A woman’s trip home reveals frightening truths in a twisty novel of murder and family secrets by the New York Times bestselling author of And Now She’s Gone and These Toxic Things.

TV writer Yara Gibson’s hometown of Palmdale, California, isn’t her first choice for a vacation. But she’s back to host her parents’ twentieth-anniversary party and find the perfect family mementos for the celebration. Everything is going to plan until Yara receives a disturbing text: I have information that will change your life.

The message is from Felicia Campbell, who claims to be a childhood friend of Yara’s mother. But they’ve been estranged for years—drama best ignored and forgotten. But Yara can’t forget Felicia, who keeps texting, insisting that Yara talk to her “before it’s too late.”

But the next day is already too late for Felicia, whose body is found floating in Lake Palmdale. Before she died, Felicia left Yara a key to a remote lakeside cabin. In the basement are files related to a mysterious tragedy, unsolved since 1998. What secrets was Felicia hiding? How much of what Yara knows about her family has been true?

The deeper Yara digs for answers, the more she fears that Felicia was right. Uncovering the truth about what happened at the cabin all those years ago will change Yara’s life—or end it.

Great mystery, I love it when a current crime has deep connections to the past and this one didn't disappoint there. Clues revealed just often enough to keep you interested and the asthma representation added in some drama.

Sadly I struggled to get into this book. I have started it multiple times only to put it down again in favour of something else. I will put it down as a DNF. I am hopeful that the author's next book will be better for me.

Murder and mystery as family ties lead Yara Gibson to discover who murdered Felicia Campbell. First she has to uncover how this mystery woman is connected to her family and the secrets she was ready to reveal. Great read from Rachel Howzell Hall as she unravels the past.

I was so excited to get this but then immediately disappointed. It was all over the place and hard to even want to follow along. Not for me. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this copy for review

Honestly, this book fell short of expectations and I stopped reading after the second chapter. I heard her other books a try so I'll give her a second chance in the future.

I was looking forward to diving into this one. It was a little bland for me and the details were not that interesting. Overall I think it wasn't a terrible story but it didn't have be engaged. I wanted more for this book but It just didn't give it to me.

characters are well-developed and realistic, I found it challenging to connect with them emotionally. While I appreciated the depth of their struggles, there were moments when I wished for more uplifting moments or lighter touches to help balance out the darker themes.

2.5

The plot of this was really intriguing. It started off really strong but lost me around halfway. I got bored with the repetition, the dialogue, etc. The characters were well-developed. It had potential. I didn't but you may love it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted e-book ❤️

Thank you Thomas & Mercer, Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this arc. I really liked the author writing style. It was just the story of the chatacters and maybe a little to much disfuncional that took it away of really loved the book. But it was enough complex to wanting you to know more and more.

Unfortunately Rachel Howzell Hall's writing doesn't seem to be for me. Her books always have interesting plots that I want to pick up but I just don't enjoy the writing style as of yet. I will probably though continue to pick up Rachel's books and continue to try them.

A solid unreliable narrator, domestic thriller. I found the pacing to be a little off, but I enjoyed the second half and sense of place in the story

I really liked the setting to this book and the thrills kept coming throughout! I was so interested in this story from the get-go, and liked the originality and twists.

Super fast paced read. Interesting from start to finish. I would totally recommend this one. I like Rachel's writing it keeps you interested