Member Reviews
Excellent book. I loved the play on "And Then There Were None" with the obvious mention of Agatha Christie added to the storytelling. The twist was wonderful in true Alice Feeney fashion, and I really enoyed the story overall. The narrator is excellent for the audio and I really appreciate having someone who can really get into the story and use pacing while reading to engage the listener in the dramatics of the story.
This was a perfect read for October!
The right amount of dark and creepy.
Recommended for fans of Grady Hendrix
I just don't think I'm into Alice Feeney. This is my second book by her and it was impeccably boring up until around 85%, but by that time I just... didn't care anymore. The twist was disappointing, and it just felt like a far-fetched knockoff of And Then There Were None.
I got 30% through listening to this book and I came to the conclusion it's a case of me and not the book. The audio is well done and story is interesting, but the plot was unfolding so slow I just couldn't stay intrigued. I think I need to try the physical copy of this book. I will definitely recommend it to others! Thank you so much for allowing me to listen.
“The problem with little white lies is that they sometimes grow up to become bigger, darker ones.”
Perfectly ominous and spine-tinglingly atmospheric.
Family drama + a locked room + hourly murders??? Yes, please! And as an added bonus, my family seems perfectly (well, mostly) normal after getting to know the Darkers.
Agatha Christie is the OG of locked room mysteries with good reason. I reread Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None during the pandemic and enjoyed it every bit as much as the first time. Needless to say I was a bit skeptical about this retelling.
But I should’ve know that if anyone could make this work, it would be Feeney!
The Darker family home has always been a welcome respite, even when cut off by the tide. But when the celebration in which they’ve come home turns murderous, the isolated location becomes an eerie setting for a real life game of clue. Daisy was born with a broken heart. Just how will it fare under these circumstances?
Feeney’s ability to write brilliantly cringeworthy characters and build a foreboding atmosphere is second to none and kept me completely enrapt to the final reveal.
Any potential critiques of the book… {There were a few far-fetched plotlines. And I did figure out part of the “who-dun-it.”} …were easily diminished by the uniqueness of a plot that honored Agatha Christie.
Set on Halloween, this is the perfect book to get you in the mood for all things spooky!
The audiobook was skillfully narrated by Staphanie Racine. Her depiction embodied the mood of the text and was exactly what I wanted from this spooky read.
Many thanks to my partner @macmillan.audio for the #gifted l-arc!
I typically love Alice Feeney's books and I was definitely excited for this one - perhaps my expectations were just too high because I sadly didn't love this one. All in all, this book was just ok. I found myself to be pretty bored through most of it (sorry) and my interest wasn't peaked until the very end. What was nice with this one was that you don't have to pay much attention throughout the book, the ending is all that truly matters. I really did not see the big twist coming and I actually loved it, so the ending was definitely redeeming for me. I don't think I would recommend this one, it just felt very drawn out to me but in the end I thought it was worth it for the unexpected twist.
Netgalley's app for audiobooks is also a problem - I started the book on the app and had to stop due to the terrible echo. Macmillan was kind enough to send me a copy to listen to on the Play app which is much better, so thank you for that!
One of my most anticipated thrillers this year was…not thrilling.
If you are into weird little nursery rhymes and a slow Agatha Christie-ish vibe with loads of family angst, this might be the book for you.
Unfortunately, this missed the mark for me. I guessed the big twist very early on (not always a deal breaker), snoozed my way through the next few hours, then was left saying, “Um, yeah, no way that was possible” by the end. 2.5 stars.
This was a fun mystery, very much in the same vein as Agatha Christie! It felt like reading And Then There Were None again for the first time, with a modern twist. Ultimately, this mystery surprised me in the end, and left me feeling satisfied overall with the ending. The only criticism I had for the audiobook was that the narrator, in parts where she was whispering, would sometimes speak too softly for me to hear, even with earbuds. Other than that, an excellent reading and listening experience!
Daisy damn Darker. What an insanely excellent book. I was captivated from beginning to end. I guessed bits along the way, but was never quite sure, and was never expecting all of the pieces that came together at the end. My mouth was gaped when I got toward the end. I actually want to go back and read again to see some of the clues along the way I didn't see before. What a great book to read just before Halloween. Incredible.
This book is the prefect Halloween read. The book takes place during Halloween weekend because it was Nana’s weekend. Something I can relate to having an October 30th birthday. I also liked the surprise ending.
Daisy Darker was born with a weak heart. The doctors didn’t have much hope for her life expectancy. She longed to do the things that her sister’s Rose and LIlly did growing up.Her mother fawned over her and her father, a musician longed for more, and left the family Daisy was closest to her Nana. Fast forward to when they have all grown up twenty years later,they all meet at Glass House for Nana’s birthday which falls on Halloween. One by one the family members start to disappear. While tracking down the culprit the family's skeletons are revealed.
This was a masterful remake of Agatha Christie’s And then there were None. If you like to go in blind stip reading here because I make some specific comparisons here. Instead of strangers on the island ,they are family members. Instead of one poem that the guests are killed by there are individual poems written for each family member at their demise.
Read this if you:
Looking for a good Halloween read
Fan of Agatha Christie
Like a locked room mystery
Surprise ending
Have Enjoyed Feeney’s other books
This book was such a twisty ride and I have to say I loved every minute of it. Alice writes characters that keep me guessing and unable to stop listening.
Firstly, Alice Feeney is a beautiful writer. She has a way with words that I really enjoyed, however . . . the story fell a little flat for me. I was recently burned with a book that presented as other than it was and to have this book come right on it's heels was a big let down. I like a good old fashioned twist as much as the next girl, but paranormal activity is not my jam, so this book took a turn for the worse in my estimation once that was introduced. Although I'm not much of a re-reader, I do think this book might benefit from another effort.
The narrator made this hard to understand. Overall, this book was not very good. The writing was slow, the flashbacks much too long, the ending was boring and not a huge reveal, because I was not invested in it.
Alice Feeney is the Queen of thrillers, and this latest, Daisy Darker, is no exception. The remote setting and complex family structure compels the reader to keep reading. I particularly enjoyed the narrator's POV within the book as Daisy's story was told. The narration was once again exceptional.
This is my first book by Alice Feeney and WOW. Listening to this audiobook got me on the edge of the sofa. That was intense, and the plot twist? WOW. Amazing. Might read more about this author soon! I loved this one.
I'm usually a huge fan of Alice Feeney but this one fell a little flat for me. I was bored for most of it and it moved slower to me than her other books. However, the big twist was very fulfilling and unexpected to me. I enjoyed that element of the book very much. I'm still a huge fan of this author and will read anything she puts out.
Just in time for the spooky season, Alice Feeney doesn't disappoint with her latest release: Daisy Darker.
The Darker family is excellent at keeping secrets, especially from each other! The story of a last-minute family reunion is told by the narrator Daisy Darker whose contributions and accomplishments have largely been ignored by the family for the last decade. While Daisy attempts to re-establish herself within the family, mysterious happenings are going on at the family's ancestral home on a remote island. When poetry starts appearing on the wall, and the family members are plagued with numerous injuries, it is up to Daisy to help them figure out who is at the root of it all.
Filled with plot twists and turns, Daisy Darker will not disappoint!
What a blast! Alice Feeney has been a little hit or miss for me in the past, but along with Rock, Paper, Scissors, this one is a total hit! I was absolutely captivated by this book. I had absolutely no clue what was happening I guessed one small part of the several twists that happened, but I'm not even angry about it.
The narrator was great in this one! My only minor complaint is that some of the whispering parts were hard to hear - I mean duh it's whispering - but it didn't impact my enjoyment of the book at all.
One of the most impressive mysteries I have read. Loosely based on Agatha Christie’s, And Then There Were None, Daisy Darker is an exciting story of greed and family secrets. One by one, each character’s secrets come to light and there are consequences. A must read. A book that begs to be read in one night.
A creepy thriller with a perfect setting, twisted family, and scary story. With the complicated family and twisty chapters, as a reader I really enjoyed this one.
I loved the descriptions of the house setting where the story takes place. It makes the reader feel inside of the house with the characters. The complex characters keep the reader interested and they seem almost relatable until the dark twists unfold. Thriller-readers need to add this to their tar list right away!