A gothic house on an island off the coast of Cornwall, a dead body, and a family trapped with a killer among them — Daisy Darker offers all of this and more, The Darker family has all come to celebrate Nana’s 80th birthday, but when Nana is found dead at midnight, accusations, suspicions, and fear dominate as there is no way off the island until the tide comes in at dawn. Family secrets are exposed as the past is seen through Daisy’s eyes, reflecting on her life on the island as the youngest child with her family, neighbors, and Nana, while in the present the Darker family navigates the horror they are living, trapped on the island — one of them a murderer. Feeney’s novel keeps the reader guessing until the final end. The audiobook narration was beautifully matched to the gothic atmosphere of the book.

Read/Listen if you Like:
❤️ Thrillers
❤️ Family Reunions Filled with Drama
❤️ Murd3r Mysteries
❤️ Watching Old Family Video Tapes
❤️ Creepy Poems

Book Review:
I went into this one pretty much blind not knowing really what it was about, and so glad I did as Alice Feeney never fails to serve a wonderful thriller.

In the authors note Alice indicated much like parents, authors shouldn’t have favorites but Daisy was a favorite for Alice and I have to say I wholeheartedly agree! This was my 4th book by Alice Feeney and I have to say it is easily my favorite thus far.

I loved the telling of this dark & twisted family reunion with no escape as they are trapped together due to high tide not knowing who is trying to kill off the Darker Family one by one.

I have to say that this one absolutely had me in the dark and I didn’t even come close to guessing the reveal though I did wonder towards who the murderer might have been but wasn’t ever feeling confident in my pondering. I absolutely loved the big reveal, how it was done, and the snark that Nanna served in her Last Will & Testament that was the precipitating factor for the deadly Halloween night.

If you listen like I did, make sure you are able to focus as there are sprinklings of clues that if you aren’t paying close attention you will surely miss because of how subtly and masterfully they were weaved in with little deceptions along the way.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this audiobook & Macmillan audio for the gifted final copy of the audiobook! I am so thankful to obtain a copy to listen to it in advance of its release!

#qotd What’s your favorite savage delivery by a character?

Mine has got to be the smack down Nanna gave her family members in the notes for them each in her Will.

Well, this is the third book I have read of Alice Feeney's, and she never disappoints! I was so excited to see this title come up for review. Her twists always really shock me and leave me going, "WHAT?! Wait....that isn't possible!!" On her last title, I pulled out my airpods and left the room. She has the kind of twists that you just have to process. I thought this time I was paying close attention and ready to see whatever big shock she had coming. Of course, I was wrong. Just when I thought, this must be a different kind of book than the others; it won't have that upside down shock, it happened. And I was left going, "oh, well....I guess I hadn't considered it could be that."

I like the classic premise of being trapped in a house with no way to get back to the rest of the world, in a storm, no phones, sometimes no power and people start dying. It just builds that spooky atmosphere. On top of that mystery, the characters were so unique and intriguing. It reminded me of stories like Malibu Rising or Apples Never Fall where you have large families with very specific and engaging characters. I don't think it is my favorite Alice Feeney book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and, as I do with her other books, I will be thinking about it for a long time.

Daisy Darker is Alice Feeney’s newest thriller and it delivers twists and turns until the very end. When the Darker family reunites for Nana’s 80th birthday on Halloween night, they are trapped overnight in Nana’s old gothic mansion. Everyone in this family holds many secrets and it’s clear none of them trust each other. As the evening progresses, the members of the Darker family turn up dead, one by one. At high tide, Nana’s mansion becomes an island, which means no one can get away from or to Seaglass. That means that as the bodies begin to pile up, the killer is among them. But how are they killing right under everyone’s nose?

I really enjoyed this story! After I received this arc audiobook, I was apprehensive because the story sounded good but I am still working on my audiobook skills and I didn’t want that to mess with my enjoyment of this book. But right away I liked the narrator—her voice definitely immersed me in the Darker family’s drama and made me want to keep listening. I liked how Fenney weaved character development into Darker stories of the past throughout the book as clues to the current story. Overall, I really enjoyed this audiobook!

4.5 stars
When you read a lot of thrillers, as I do, it can be hard to be surprised, but "Daisy Darker" is a near perfect thriller. The mysteries are so beautifully woven that even if you were to guess at one twist here or there, you'd love the ride. But I promise you, you'll come up short. It's not just the ending that I keep coming back to, but scene-after-scene. Alice Feeney's writing is dark and atmospheric in all the best of ways. It's a rare book that keeps you guessing till the end and satisfied when you get there. An excellent read.

My excitement to read this book was through the roof. Rock Paper Scissors is top tier thrillers and I couldn’t wait to ready what Alice Feeney created next. Daisy Darker follows a dysfunctional family who have been invited to their grandmothers house for her 80th birthday. That night the grandmother is found dead and an hour later another member is found dead. Who is killing off the Darker family?

I throughly enjoyed this thriller and found my self making so many incorrect guesses. However, this thriller made me so emotional. The treatment that was given to Daisy by her own family was heartbreaking. I found myself crying twice (again this is a thriller). I was so surprised how I wanted to protect Daisy from everyone. I never felt connected to characters in a thriller novel but this one did it. The reveals weren’t something I guessed and I was so pleased by how this novel wrapped up.

And Then There Were None is one of my all-time favorite books, and I always pick up a mystery that promises guests at an island mysteriously being murdered one-by-one. I also really enjoyed Alice Feeny's precious book Rock Paper Scissors.
My favorite thing about this book is the atmosphere the author creates, the isolated, rocky island and the ecclectic, rambling house. The cast of characters is interesting, and I suspected most of them of being the murderer at one point or another.
The real reveal did take me totally by surprise. Alice Feeny is exceptional at giving readers a twist.

Ahhh...this is such a fun twisty thriller that follows Agatha Christie's And There Were None. Narrated by Stephanie Racine, the voice she uses when reading the poems sets the perfect creepy tone to the story. I did not see where this one was headed and I loved the ending. Thrillers that can still surprise me deserve all the stars!

I adored the atmospheric writing! The closed-door mystery nods to Agatha Christie, and the descriptive writing coupled with the tidal island setting was a *chef’s kiss*. But, for me endings are everything, and this one left me feeling a little disappointed. Will recommend to Agatha Christie fans.

3.75 rounded up to 4.0

A classic mystery trope told in a very original way. The characters are seen through the experiences of Daisy, an often neglected and medically, fragile third daughter. The three-generation family backstory and gothic setting, adds layers to the unsettling novel. The plot crosses back and forth through time, with a large part in the 1980s.

Racine’s voice acting is excellent and propels listeners to keep reading. Her voice lowers during suspenseful scenes and lifts for excitable moments. Chapters that end with cliffhangers are even more compelling with the voice trailing off into the next chapter. Racine’s singsong tone when reading repetitive, rhyming text is spine-chilling. Readers will start guessing after the first death, but the “how and why” will make many gasp and then gasp again.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.
My reviews and ratings are my own.


Spoilers Below:








TW and CW: murder; mentioned physical abuse; addiction; blood; bullying; uncomfortable scene of kissing and groping between an older teen and younger teen, which ends in a declaration of non-consent; divorce; killing of sick animals; medical content;

4.25 stars

This book was exactly what I wanted and needed. I didn’t love the last one I read by the same author, but this one really worked for me; honestly, it was what I wanted but didn’t get out of the most recent Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware novels. The whole “snobby rich family comes together to read the will of an aging matriarch and everyone, all of whom are kind of terrible, starts getting systematically killed off in increasingly suspicious ways” classic mystery thing just hit in all the right ways. I wasn’t expecting the supernatural twist at the end, and I didn’t love all of it, but it was a good conclusion that kept me guessing. This one was a total hit for me and will probably be what makes me go back and revisit previous novels from the same writer. So glad I came across it!

Daisy Darker's dysfunctional family is gathered in an old house on a remote tidal island to celebrate her grandmother's 80th birthday. As the story unwinds, family members are dropping dead. It sort of has an And Then There Were None vibe. Dark and twisty right up to the end.

Darker indeed!! I took every minute I had to pick up this book. Totally wasn't expecting the twists - Feeney does not disappoint with these thrillers. Daisy's story needed to be told and what a story. The whole family harbors secrets and man what secrets they are!!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Alice Feeney writes fantastic and diabolical twists! I haven’t rated any of her books lower than 4 stars and this one is no exception.

“His & Hers” is still my favorite Feeney book but this psychological thriller with a touch of paranormal has a grim appeal.

Beatrice Darker is turning 80 and she expects this to be her last birthday. She is a children’s author that wrote books titled after her favorite granddaughter, Daisy Darker. The entire Darker family will be celebrating with Beatrice at her eccentric, old house, which she’s named Seaglass. The only house located on a remote island that is only accessible during low tide.

After dinner, she takes everyone by surprise and reads her will. The family is shocked and angered by the contents and Beatrice is found dead later that evening. But the murderer doesn’t stop there. The story focuses on the broken and damaged Darker family while looking for the killer. The extent of their dysfunction is slowly revealed as they are murdered during the night. Is it a family member or is there someone or something in the house?

Thank you to Alice Feeney, Macmillan Audio, and Flatiron Books for the gifted ARC. All opinions are my own.

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Another really solid Alice Feeney novel! I think her writing is really clever, and I really loved this classic mastery style story. If you have enjoyed other Alice Feeney books, I think you will enjoy this one, too. The audio was also fantastic, so if you are a listener, I really recommend that route.

The narrator of this story was great. I could listen to her all day. Pace, pitch, lilt, all we’re perfection.
This was my second attempt at Alice Feeney's books, and I think I am just not a fan of hers. I found this book predictable and the characters were unlikable. That in itself is usually not a problem, but they weren't really even interestingly flawed. There were some good and sweet parts to it, but overall, not a fan.

A deliciously creepy homage to Agatha Christie's famous locked door mystery, And Then There Were None. Daisy Darker, the titular main character, has come to celebrate her beloved Grandmother's 80th birthday in a remote island home, inaccessible during high tide. Her grandmother is a famous children's author, who wrote a book series about little Daisy. Also in attendance for the gathering are Daisy's divorced parents, her two older sisters, teenage niece, and a male friend from their childhood.
Without giving too many spoilers, the guests begin to die in mysterious ways. There was a heck of a twist that I did not see coming.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC audiobook.


Description from NetGalley:
After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. Then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.

I am not sure 100% what I can say about the plot because I feel like it would give it all away. I felt endeared to Nana and Daisy’s niece while I definitely did not like the rest of the family. The atmosphere was great, especially the countdown to when the tide would be low enough to leave the house. The narrator did a great job. This one had me guessing all the way through to the end.

Overall: 4.5/5

Loved it, Alice Feeney at her best. The woman is a mystery thriller queen. I will continue to read anything she writes. This was an easy five stars.

Daisy Darker gives homage to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" Even though I read "And Then There Were None", Daisy Darker kept me guessing until the end. At times throughout the book, I correctly guessed what was going but every chapter made me change my mind. It is a mystery with thriller and suspense in each chapter. A dysfunctional family with a dark, twisty tale that engulfs the reader or listener.

I listened to the audiobook version of Daisy Darker. Stephanie Racine has a narrator gave voice to each character and their unique personalities. At times, you would forget it was one narrator doing the reading of the novel.