Member Reviews
I’m rounding up to 4 stars, but really more like 3.5 for me. This book started off really slow and has you wondering where it’s going for quite a bit. The entire story is centered around Daisy Darker, and at first it felt very Knives Out like, then turned into I Know What You Did Last Summer a bit, and was supposed to be like Agatha Christie. I definitely didn’t guess the twists, but it was just a little too slow for me to not have a huge wow factor in the end. I just felt more drama than any mystery or thriller type feels.
This is my first book I have read by Alice Feeney and now I think I need to read all her books! This book was amazing! I listened to the audiobook version over the course of a few days while painting our stair railing and spindles last month and this made that tedious process fly by. I was hooked from the beginning. The narrator does a great job of making me feel like I was in the story. This story was told from the point of view of Daisy Darker and had me {unsuccessfully} guessing the ending the whole time. The plot twist was incredible.
Wow this book takes you on a wild ride. I have loved all of Alice Feeney's books, but this one is my new favorite. The twists that were thrown in always kept you guessing. I loved the similarity to And Then There Were None, and the fact that Trixie even referenced it at one point. She put a great twist to change it up, but I loved the overall flow of the story and its similarities.
I couldn't quit reading this book. I read it in one day. If you love dysfunctional family dramas mixed in with mysterious thrillers then get to this one ASAP. I am generally not a locked room thriller sort of person but this book might change my mind and give me the confidence to give more of them a chance.
Nana is turning 80 and the family has been summoned to the tidal island upon which she resides. Once the tide is in they are all on the island for 8 hours. The broken family is full of secrets and ill-will towards one another. When nana is found dead at the stroke of midnight the mystery begins and it is a wild ride until the tide goes out and all is revealed.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this one in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
DNF @ 55%.
While the narrator was really great, the book itself was so annoying. The premise was great, murder in a secluded house where they are stuck with the tide, family dysfunctions that shape the reactions to said murder(s). I just was getting so annoying with the constant deviation to the "fourth time I died" and description of things that really were so unnecessary. The main character's constant reminder of her broken heart was overkill and didn't need to be such a main topic.
I really wanted to like the book, but at 55% I thought it would never end!!
Thank you for this ARC!!
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Pub Day: August 30, 2022.
Daisy Darker’s grandmother is about to turn 80 years old. For her birthday, she wants to celebrate with her family at Seaglass, her home. The house is on a small island that is only accessible at low tide. Daisy's parents are divorced and the family doesn't get along, but they agree to go for Nana’s birthday.
Just as the 80 clocks in the house announce midnight, Nana is found dead. They also find a creepy poem about their family written in chalk. After that, every hour a new member of the family dies. They don't know what's happening or what to do. In Daisy’s words: “ It’s like a messed up family edition of Clue.” There's a storm outside, the tide is high and there's no way of getting out. Everyone is a suspect but also everyone is in danger, so they must remain together until they figure out how to get out of there.
The situation feels ominous from the moment they arrive at Seaglass. Their dysfunctionality and the secrets they all keep just keeps adding more suspense to this action-packed locked room mystery.
The story is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. Unlike with Rock, Paper, Scissors, this time I was able to predict the ending, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The prose is beautiful and so engaging! Alice Feeney has certainly become one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to read her future books!
The book is narrated by Stephanie Racine who does an amazing job, adding a touch of suspense to this twisty story. Thank you Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for my review audio copy of Daisy Darker.
If you like Lucy Foley, you’ll probably like Alice Fenney and I’ve enjoyed her past novels. My favorites are Rock Paper Scissors and His and Hers.
I listened to the audio of Daisy Darker and enjoyed the British accent of the narrator tremendously. I would prefer to read next time, though, as I felt the story progressed a bit too slowly and there was a lot of repetition of the poem that I would have skimmed if reading. The plot did seem kind of slow in places, but that might have been due to the audio. (I listened at 1.3 speed…)
Overall, this was an entertaining novel by a gifted storyteller. I liked the format as the narrative had two timelines and as the present progressed the past timeline unraveled back to where we currently were. The level of suspense was therefore a reason to keep listening. I did guess some plot twists, but the ending did give me a bit of a surprise even if it was foreshadowed. All the blanks were resolved, and nothing was left for the imagination. This made for a very satisfying ending. keeps you guessing & fills in some of the blanks.
I enjoyed the siblings’ relationship and the creepy dysfunctional family where each member has her own secrets. None of the characters are likeable and I didn’t particularly like Daisy. I honestly thought she was going to kill them all!
I don’t get the reference to Agatha Christie mentioned by the blurb but am curious to read And then there were none.
This would be a great movie!
Thanks to Macmillian Audio , the author and NetGalley for the review copy. I will pick up anything written by Alice Feeney!
This was by far my favorite book by Alice Feeney. This was a great who-done-it book with lots of surprises! I loved it!
I wanted to like this one because I love a good locked room mystery, but it just wasn't my favorite of Alice Feeney's. Not a super quick read, not really particularly interesting characters. Just not my cup of tea. However, while reading it reminded me lot of Lucy Foley's books, so this book would probably be best marketed to that audience.
Good story with a twist. Narrator is enjoyable as are the characters. What happens when your lies catch up with you?
Alice Feeney writes another home run and officially takes her place as the queen of twists. I did not see that twist coming at all. This book reminded me a lot of the game clue. You always keep guessing who it is.
Wow, Wow, wow! Daisy Darker is a dysfunctional thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end!
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the audio ARC. #Netgalley #DaisyDarker #AliceFeeney
This book was phenomenal! I loved the audio. There were so many expected twists that went unexpected ways. I NEVER would have predicted the ending. Fabulous!!
This is a great spooky murder mystery for fans of Lucy Foley. I love the setting and the well placed flashbacks. Great narrator for the audiobook!
Fans of And Then There Were None will devour Daisy Darker.
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Daisy Darker’s family avoids one another. It’s what they’ve done for years, but when Nana turns 80 on Halloween, the family gathers at her seaside home to wish her well. However, once the tide rushes in everyone is trapped in the house until the morning, but midnight brings the death of Nana. As bodies begin piling up, Daisy rushes to figure out who is killing her greedy and imperfect family and why.
🫀
Man every time I think Alice Feeney can’t get me with the twists, she does it AGAIN! I’m obsessed with her and believe she continues to get better and better with every book she puts out. I can’t wait for this adult book to release on August 30 so I can talk about it because I need to so badly! TY @librofm for a copy of the ALC. Seriously preorder this one. I promise you’ll love it!
CW: death, murder, heart condition, car accident, poison, animal death (off page), gun violence, sexual assault
It's hard as an American to listen to British narrators on 3X speed. That's my only issue and it's a personal preference one.
Daisy Darker is Alice Feeney’s latest novel and held a lot of high expectations for me since I LOVED Rock, Paper, Scissors. Unfortunately, this book fell a bit flat for a number of reasons, including a repetitive-feeling storyline, poorly-written elements (the poem on the wall drove me insane - IYKYK) and just an overall cheesy feeling to the book. Feeney is well-regarded as queen of the unexpected twist, and this book delivered a good twist, for sure, but I was disappointed with how it was revealed (I won’t say much so as to avoid spoilers)!
Reminded me of Agata Christie a bit. Pretty good plot, characters, and dynamics. This is an isolated mystery thriller with a paranormal twist.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley (thank you NetGalley!) and read the audio book on the way to my vacation house today. Alice Feeney is one of my favorite thriller authors, and the queen of the 'twisty' mystery novel. As I was reading, I was thinking "hmmmmm maybe not her best work" because it was good, but not special. But then I got to the last 15% of the book. I had notes going on on my phone as I read, because I was trying to figure it out and had arguments for what I didn't think made sense, etc. BUT then I got to that place and WHOA everything turned around, was explained, and I had to rewind and listen again a couple of times! HIGHLY recommend this book once it's published on August 30. Put it on your list!!! 4 1/2 stars!
This book was a miss for me. I found the plot to be slow, the characters unlikable, and the ending unsurprising. Although the narrator, Stephanie Racine, was excellent, this wasn't enough to combat the story.
I loved audio version of His and Her by Alice Feeney, so I picked up her newest book. Daisy's family have so many secrets that they almost made this book almost horror. All secrets will come out on Daisy's grandmother's 80th birthday.