Her sister's unexpected suicide rocks Sawyer Stannard's life and slowly leads her down a path of shocking discoveries and dangerous revelations. The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard has all the promise of a great thriller, and while many aspects of it work, something felt missing to me. Kate Robards shows a lot of promise though, so I will definitely be giving her future books a go. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thrillers often work by a formula which each author then innovates through adding their own details, backgrounds, and twists. This formula is part of why I enjoy the genre so much, because the constant innovation is fascinating to witness. New elements will be added to the formula for a while, especially when one author has used them very successfully. After Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl became a raging bestseller there were a lot of mischievous wives and troubled famil dynamics, for example. Lately, there is a strong True Crime element to many thrillers, often in the form of a protagonist trying to unravel a cold case and thereby landing in hot water. I enjoy this kind of meta-approach to crime because it allows for multiple sites of tension in a narrative. A lot of these elements pop up in The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard, such as the troubled family, tense relationships, and a cold case stirring up a storm. The way Kate Robards plays with the formula of the thriller is very interesting and shows a lot of promise, even though some of the connecting tissue felt missing. Willa is a fascinating character, but also a secondary one, which leaves the reader with something missing. The relationship between Willa and Sawyer is thrillingly complex, and yet never entirely worked out. The cold case is intriguing and forms a crucial part of the plot, but overtakes the other elements towards the end. By the end of Three Deaths I still had major questions and felt like some things didn't entirely connect in the way I would have liked them to. I still, for example, am not entirely sure which three deaths the title refers to.

When Sawyer returns home from her job as a spinning class instructor, she is confronted by two police officers with unbelievable news. Her sister, who was always so strong, driven, and perfect, has committed suicide and left an apology note, addressed to Sawyer. Sawyer cannot believe it and refuses to accept it was suicide and not murder. When she visits her sister's apartment she finds out Willa had been working on a true crime book about a child gone missing almost 30 years ago. Surely here will be answers to her sister's death? As Sawyer follows Willa's last steps and picks up the investigation, she begins to unravel not just the case, but also her own family's secrets. Three Deaths is told through the perspectives of both Willa and Sawyer. The former's narrative hops back and forth in time, revealing little clues, while Sawyer's narrative progresses chronologically from her discovery of the suicide onwards. Willa's voice, as befits her character, is very strong and I would have loved to see more of it. A third "voice" emerges from pieces from the book she was writing, which gives us some further insight. While I liked these, I would have perhaps preferred to see them through Willa's eyes directly, rather than the distance of the her writing.

This is Kate Robard's debut novel and, like I said above, I enjoyed the way she brought together various tension points in Three Deaths. The relationship between the sisters is intriguing and one in which I could recognise issues that plague many siblings. I also liked the creepy, woodsy elements Robard brought in and her descriptions of settings were absolutely on point. I also was properly intrigued by the plot and finished the novel in 2 sittings, propelled onwards to the conclusion. It is just a shame that by the end I felt like there was something missing. Questions around Willa's suicide, of Willa and Sawyer's childhood, of Sawyer's own shaky path in life, they were all still swimming around. While a novel is in no way required to tie up every single loose end, it felt like there were too few points of connection between some of these threads. I think Three Deaths could have benefitted from one last, tight editing round in which moments were highlighted that needed just a few more sentences to polish the whole thing into a shining whole. There is a lot of promise here, and Robards shows herself to be in control of the writing and pacing throughout. The plot just needs a little bit of tightening to make sure the different themes that emerge and the different relationships that are established all have their proper place and their time to breathe. I look forward to what Kate Robards writes next.

Rating: 2 to 3.

I have never given a split rating before, but I really found myself split when it came to this novel. While The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard had all the elements of a thriller which I adore, something like connective tissue felt missing. That is how I ended up rating it between 2 and 3, leaning slightly towards three. The novel has a lot of promise, even if partly unfulfilled, and I will definitely be giving future books by Kate Robards a go.

Will update with links on publication day!

igital ARC was provided by Netgalley and Crooked Lane Booksr

This was such a sad book.

Synopsis
Sawyer Stannard tried to find the root of her sister's, Willa, death. She found that Willa was writing about an old missing toddler. Could it be that Willa's suicide wasn't one but murder? Could it be that the case was what Sawyer should investigate?

What I like
Definitely everything! It'd be hard not too. The story gripped me from the start, and I didn't really mind the slow pace because it was enough to keep me interested. It's titled after Willa, but the main character was Sawyer. And of course, in the true spirit of suspense/mystery/thriller, Sawyer was a bit impulsive, simple, and everything Willa wasn't. Fortunately, Sawyer never strayed from being just about annoying, not crossing the border of being very annoying lol.
Reading on, I had my theories, but honestly, nothing was really stood out. When I reached the end, I found that some were correct. But, ah, the ending was quite devastating, considering I've bonded with Sawyer, so, it still gave me a pang of heartbreak.
The format was interesting too, it alternates between the story and some pieces of Willa's upcoming book, police report, and news.

What I don't like
Nothing. Really.

I loved this fast paced and riveting thriller! It was really fun journeying along with Sawyer as she went about solving the two mysteries central to this story. The revelations at the end were especially surprising.

This book… this book was very different from what I’m used to reading and I’m honestly still not sure if I liked it.

An interesting debut novel, The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard by Kate Robards is a suspenseful fiction tale. Two strongly bonded sisters, Willa and Sawyer Stannard raised by their single mother have drifted apart over time. The unexpected death of Willa Sawyer results in the closure of her case and Sawyer’s discontent with the cause of death. As Sawyer retraces Willa’s life, she discovers Willa was writing a book on a young child’s disappearance over a decade ago. As Sawyer digs deeper, she investigates the unsolved disappearance which inadvertently places her in danger. A gentle slowly revealing narrative with a reckoning that is totally unexpected and makes for a three and a half stars read rating. With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard is an exciting debut mystery thriller by author, Kate Robards. It’s hard to believe this is a debut and I’d never have known if it wasn’t written on the blurb. This author knows how to write. The writing style of the book is effortless and its easy to become immersed in the world and story presented here. I flew through the pages eager to uncover the intriguing mystery presented to us alongside our main character, Sawyer. Where I thought this one was going and where it ended up were worlds apart, although I’ll admit that made me just love it more. The characters in this story are easy to love and care about and you feel invested in what happens to them. I’d highly recommend this one and will be on the look out for more, hopefully the author doesn’t make us wait too long until their next release.

Wow it's hard to believe that this is a debut author! Great story with a ton of twists that had me finishing this book in just one day! I loved the character development in this, we get to know both sisters intimately and completely. It's got just the right amount of suspense to keep you wanting more. Will definitely read this author again.

Thanks to Crooked Lane books, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily
I can't believe this is a debut author - this was thrilling from beginning to end. It's been a long time since I have read a mystery so unpredictable. What I liked best was the way the author shows you Willa and Sawyer as people - their relationship with each other and why they are the way they are.
By the end, everything makes sense but there are really poignant moments that make Willa and Sawyer's actions so hard to understand.
I really enjoyed this book and will read more from this author.

I liked this one - not my favourite but solid. I guessed the twist about halfway through, but that didn’t take away from its satisfying ending. I liked the characters a LOT in this one and feel that’s where this book shines. I felt like I really knew each one of them deeply, which is not always the case with other thrillers.

Definitely a slow burn of a book, with some twists along the way. The ending felt rushed, and much of the book could have been shortened in spots. Overall a good read.

It took me a little bit to get into the story at the beginning (that could have just been me being distracted), but once I got into it was pulled in and it turned into a page turner.

The story of two sisters, Willa and Sawyer, and a journey of discovery. I don't want to give any spoilers but know that this book comes with some trigger warnings; suicide, kidnapping of minors, domestic violence.

As Sawyer tries to come to terms with the idea that WIlla might have committed suicide, she dives into the last case her sister was working on before she died hoping it will reveal what could have possible made her sister do such a thing. As she digs deeper into the mystery she discovers the secrets of the small town.and what happened there all those years ago.

There were lots of twists and turns which meant it took a while to put all the pieces together. I felt like I was on the journey with Sawyer trying to work out the what, why and who.

A thought-provoking book that brings up different questions along the way. I think this would be a good book club read because there's a lot to talk about.

ooooookey! How interesting and how many twists did this book take.

*sensitive topics*

The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard is a book that progresses little by little, until at a certain moment it seems that all the information is thrown in your face and you are left recalculating what happens.

The process of getting to know the characters, Willa and Sawyer especially, is slow. And the beginning of the book is quite introductory although things are already happening. That's why it took me a bit to get hooked on the story. However, later it picks up pace and I really wanted to know what was going to happen.

There were some things about the PLOT that didn't end up convincing me much. The way of acting of a certain character (which I can't say because it would be spoiling) and the way in which Sawyer talks about Willa's suicide (or not, that's where the whole investigation begins - it's not spoiler) while the others look on.

An interesting story, with twists you don't expect and others you can see coming. I would love to read more from the author!

I post the review on Goodreads and in the future on Instagram (magui.world)

I looked at the premise of the novel based on the description provided that discusses the death of Willa a journalist, her sister Sawyer who will not accept Willa’s suicide, their personal health and mental problems, Sawyer’s research on Willa’s true crime story she wrote about a missing child from a small town, Willa’s research, and how this all tied in to Willa dying 3 times. It took to the end of the book to fit that idea into the story. This was a real slow read for me, at times frustrating as I wanted to find out why this book attracted me in the first place. Finally the second part arrived and it was a fast, demanding, mystery solving end to the story. Now the ending did not take me quite by surprise but a worthy twisting conclusion. As for the characters, knowing Willa is gone and Sawyer, to me, more the focus of the story I couldn’t like or dislike them as the main characters, they were just OK. Though their opposite personalities were well built by Robards I think that is what slowed me down, the development of them. This will be a popular read for many, for me a good read but not a 5 star which I so wanted it to be. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

This book starts off really slow. But what an ending. Due to the subject matter , I found it hard to read at times. Never the less the authors writing style had me glued to the pages and I couldnt stop reading.

Wow! This book was difficult to read at times (subject matter) but very well written and original.

Sawyer Stannard will stop at nothing to investigate her sister Willa’s suicide. Willa was investigating the disappearance of a toddler decades earlier. Why was Willa invested in this case and what sent her over the edge? Sawyer is determined to find out.

This story was more of a slow burn. It picked up with twists and turns about half way or so through and then was twisty and surprising! Twists I didn’t see coming and some I couldn’t believe.

I would say there are some trigger warnings associated with The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard that are worth mentioning. A toddler disappearance/murder, suicide, and some minor discussions of harming animals.

Overall, this book was an original read and I would certainly recommend it to the more seasoned thriller reader as the topic may be difficult for some.

Thank you to NetGalley and KeyLight Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thankyou to NetGalley, the publisher and author for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first title by this author and I will be reading more from them in the future.
This story line is as very unique and I found it interesting.
I enjoyed the styles with multiple POV.
There were so many twists that you didn’t see coming and you were sitting here like “what the heck”.
I found the characters well written and well set out.
This book was fantastic.
I highly recommend this book.
Thankyou again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard is a fine debut crime novel by journalist Kate Robards. I already want more by this author because with this first book, she made me feel, believe, think, and empathise, on top of the “usual” emotions of a good crime story. This book is a compelling tale about a missing child, a small town’s tragedy and somebody who will kill to keep their secrets. It starts with the apparent suicide of Willa, a determined investigative reporter who has struggled since her on-air meltdown. Her younger sister Sawyer seems to be the polar opposite of Willa and yet she turns out to be just as determined to get to the truth when it comes to her sister’s death. She doesn’t believe Willa killed herself. Especially when she discovers Willa was working on a true crime book about the decades-old disappearance of a toddler. She retraces her sister’s footsteps to the small town that has never recovered from the tragedy of the child’s disappearance. Digging up the past could kill Sawyer too.
The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard is a strong debut and a compelling page-turner. It questions criminals and victims and the sometimes-blurred line between the two. Its message that looking back doesn’t take away from what comes next is still tugging at my heart. Highly recommended read.

If you like Samantha Downing or Gillian Flynn don't miss this twisty mystery!! Kept me up till 4AM with a shocking end which I will think about for months!! Eagerly anticipating getting physical copies as gifts so I can talk about this wonderful fun and tense story with friends! Thank you crooked lane and NetGalley for an Arc of this

Started out a slow burn but the last few chapters sure did make up for it. Absolute bonkers of a twist I did not see coming. A story of two sisters, their complicated relationship, untimely death and a quest to find the truth. Loved it.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

THANK YOU to #netgalley and #crookedlanebooks books for this eARC!

"Shattered by grief—and obsessed by the idea that her sister’s death was not a suicide—Sawyer plunges into a search for the truth."

This one started off strong and intriguing. It had all the promises of a 5 star read. Sadly, it went downhill fast. At 255 pages, I felt like it was too long and I was losing interest in the middle. There was a twist at the end, and I will admit it was a good one! I did NOT see that coming. I wish more content was put into wrapping up the ending instead of rushing to finish it. There were some unnecessary characters and conversations that probably could have been cut. I'm rating it a 3 star, because I do think some people will enjoy it, but it was just "okay" for me.

You can check it out June 20, 2023. Let me know what you think!