Let me just say this started out as a spooky locked room thriller as 6 people are stranded on an island when they discover a body. Laney, the owner of the island, is estranged from her ex Kit without a clear answer why, and their friend Sadie seems to hint there's a darker background between her and Laney as well. To add to the cast of characters is Laney's niece, who she is a guardian of, her ex-BF and ex-husband's sister, and Sadie's very angry brother Garrett, who brings with him some very bad vibes.

The story is set up very nicely for an 'everyone is a suspect' whodunit. Then things start to get weird. Like totally go off the rails weird. Laney thinks she's seeing shadows. People are going missing. Unexplained things are happening. Dead bodies become reanimated (yup, I said what I said). I was desperately trying to figure out what was going on...

And then the reason for all of it just came out of nowhere. I don't mind a book with a supernatural twist but it has to make sense. And this one just didn't. Yes, the book did sufficiently creep me out and it could have been a good reveal if it had been set up properly. However, to spend most of the book assuming this was caused by someone doing this for revenge or to gain property, and then to just throw in a supernatural entity honestly made me feel like I was reading two different books. Maybe more than two. There were A LOT of different ideas thrown into this one.

Also TW for sexual assault and victim blaming.

This veered more into horror than I was expecting from the synopsis. I enjoyed the isolated island setting, the complicated personal histories between all of the characters, and the way the author slowly ratcheted up the tension. There are supernatural elements in this, and it definitely has some scary (and gross) moments. Overall, I liked it a lot!

Great for fans of Jennifer McMahon, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Ware.

Many thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book confuses me slightly, like I want to love it but it also took me a bit to get through it. Not sure why. Like I love the premise of it, but things seemed to happen fast and yet it also seemed to be drawn out. The ending, that was something. Don't worry, you will always know where the characters are located. Lake Superior. Laney's time on the island is insane and then running into everyone. Once they all stay in the house, things take a turn even more, like I said I love thriller books but I am not sure why I didn't vibe with this one.

This was definitely a horror romance! It got pretty creepy and at times cringeworthy slasher. I enjoyed it and the characters very much. Being trapped on an island with no way off, with people dying and then rising, was so creepy, and the concept of what was happening was shocking and intriguing!!

The romance aspect wasn’t front and center of the plot, but really added to the story, along with friendships and family.

The narrator did a really good job of capturing the creepiness of the story!

Im very surprised. i liked this book as much as I do. I read a book by the author earlier this year. Sadly, it was a romance, and i didn't care for it at all. But this author is good at horror. Who knew i would enjoy bodygore as much as i did. This book does take place on an isolated island, which is one of my favorite tropes in a book.

It was really easy to get into this book! While I did enjoy it, I was expecting to like it a lot more than I did when it was over.

This horror book was just alright!! I was spooked throughout but had a hard time connecting with the characers. I do love a supernatural element though!

2.5 stars

Kelley Armstrong's "Hemlock Island" started out well enough, to where I was invested in the characters and the story, curious to see how Armstrong would resolve the evil happenings on the island. But then the final act came around, and the story spiraled into absolute ridiculousness.. The last straw was when the protagonist, Laney, actually tried to reason and negotiate with the demon. It almost made me cringe from embarrassment, it was so comical and unbelievable.

This is my second Kelley Armstrong read, and I still will try a third, though. I enjoyed "A Rip Through Time," so I'm hoping "Hemlock Island" is just a bad one off.


My sincerest appreciation to Kelley Armstrong, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong is an engaging and atmospheric thriller that delivers on its promise of suspense and intrigue. Set on a remote island, the novel plunges readers into a world of isolation, where the line between reality and the supernatural blurs, creating a tense and eerie backdrop for the unfolding drama.

Armstrong’s writing is vivid and immersive, painting a detailed picture of Hemlock Island’s haunting beauty. The sense of isolation is palpable, adding to the tension as the characters confront their surroundings and inner demons.

The characters in Hemlock Island are well-developed, each bringing their complexities to the story. Their interactions and the secrets they harbour add depth to the narrative, making it more than just a straightforward thriller. Armstrong explores themes of trust, guilt, and redemption, weaving them into the fabric of the plot in a way that feels natural and organic.

One of the strengths of the novel is Armstrong’s ability to balance the supernatural elements with a grounded, psychological tension. The eerie occurrences on the island are unsettling, but they never overshadow the human drama at the story’s core.

That said, there are moments when the pacing slows, and certain plot developments might feel familiar to readers who are well-versed in the genre. Overall, Hemlock Island is a solid 4-star read that combines atmospheric storytelling with a gripping plot and memorable characters. Kelley Armstrong has once again proven her ability to craft a thrilling tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Kelley Armstrong for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is a stand alone horror novel that takes place on an isolated island. Laney is renting out her vacation home to strangers, but this continues to give her panic attacks. The island and home are the only things she owns after her divorce. And bad things continue to happen on the island: out of control campfires, bloody bones, hex circles, and claw marks.

Laney shows up to investigate with her teenage niece and finds her ex and his sister/her former best friend there to help. There is tension, secrets, sabotage, whispers, and then a dead body. Something is on this island with them, and it is making sure none of them leave alive.

I would recommend this book to any horror fans. There is not a whole lot of gore in this book. But there is a lot of traps and psychological intrigue.

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong – 3 Stars

I was kindly granted an advance copy of Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong, and many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

Hemlock Island centers around Laney, who sees her secluded island home as a retreat for creativity and solace. Unfortunately, after her divorce, she’s forced to rent it out to make ends meet. But the island has become the site of strange occurrences—fires, hauntings, and hex circles—that have spooked potential renters. Laney and her niece Madison head to the island to investigate, only to find their plans complicated by the arrival of Laney’s ex-husband, his sister (Laney’s former best friend), and two more individuals from her past.

At its core, Hemlock Island is a blend of mystery and supernatural thriller, with a touch of horror. However, the balance between genres feels off. The focus on interpersonal drama and romance often overshadows the eerie elements that initially promise a gripping story. By the time the supernatural aspect takes center stage, it feels somewhat diluted, lacking the impact it could have had if it had been more consistently developed.

While the book offers an intriguing premise and some engaging moments, its attempt to juggle multiple genres results in a plot that doesn't quite excel in any one area. It’s not a bad read, but it falls short of the potential it hints at.

I have mixed feelings about Hemlock Island, but I have to admit Armstrong has a way of drawing me into her stories. I love the ominous feeling of the book and trapped island scenarios always create a sense of panic. Since it was an Armstrong book, I did expect some supernatural elements to come into play, but the reveals were a little out there. SPOILER AHEAD: An AirBnB demon revenge story wasn't what I expected at all and not in a good way. And the lawyer negotiating with the demon had me cringing.
There are way better Armstrong books, but if you want a quick Halloween read, this is a good fit. 3.5 stars.

Not my favourite by Kelley, but a good read. Characters were easy to like or hate. The plot was done well. I think the omens could have been expanded upon. The villain was just detestable he was truly bad with good character development. The heroine kept me reading.

I am currently supporting the boycott against St. Martin’s Press until they respond to influencer’s concerns about safety, inequality, systemic issues at hand and also meet the demands of the boycott. I am looking forward to leaving an updated review for this book once the demands are met ❤️

I love Kelley Armstrong!! She is one of my all time favorite authors! I will read anything that she puts out. I’m not a horror girl and I tend to stay away from that genre. But if Kelley writes it, I will read it.
It was so easy to get into this book. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I was so engrossed in the twisty mystery. I needed to keep reading to find out who the culprit was. It definitely kept me on my toes. I could see this as a movie. Hemlock Island was a creeptastic read.

Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin’s press for sharing a digital copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts

Unexplained Terrors

Laney owns a vacation home on an island in Lake Superior. She has the home from a divorce and has been renting it out to strangers. It is a beautiful place, but unexplained things such as broken items, bloody bones, hex circles and a campfire that almost burns down the house keep happening.

When renters flee the island because they find bloody nail marks on a closet door, Laney knows she must investigate and try to find out what is going on.

She arrives at the island with her niece and finds that her ex-husband Kit has also been informed and arrives along with his sister Jayla. Then another friend and her husband who is a cop show up. Then it becomes a nightmare as things happen.

Her friend takes off in the only boat to get off the island and they find themselves stranded on the island. Supernatural events take place and it becomes a very scary place to be.

I am not a big fan of fantasy and the supernatural, but I do like mysteries. This story was okay, but not the best I have read.

I received the book for free and have left the review voluntarily.

I loved the horror and thriller vibes throughout this story, but I felt like some of the subplots muddied the picture, which is why I'm giving this one a "middle of the road" rating.

The synopsis paired with the isolated haunted island setting immediately captivated my attention, and there's definitely drama surrounding past friendships and relationships, too. Overall, I found the book to be enjoyable and binge worthy, especially as things are revealed on the island, but the ending fell flat for me.

All this being said, though, this book would be a perfect spooky season read given that it definitely delivers on blood, guts, gore, and horror components.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ebook copy, in exchange for my review, especially so that I could devour this one no matter the place and switch back and forth with my physical copy

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Kelly Armstrong is a well-known writer who dabbles in super (and supra) natural mysteries. This standalone has lots going for it, though ultimately it didn't completely gel for me.

The setting is great: a vacation home on Lake Superior. Laney is a writer and teacher who was awarded this home after her divorce and is now struggling to make ends meet. After a renter finds some disturbing things in a closet, Laney and a small group of others converge on the home and the island. The atmosphere is definitely one of the books strong points.

Having said that, the ending detracted from my overall enjoyment of the read. As some others have noted, the end goes in a different direction that you might suspect (though the twist surely offers foreshadowing).

Bottom line: a quick read with a great setting. While not my favorite Kelly Armstrong, it's a standalone, so there's minimal commitment. If you like mystery mixed with supernatural, give this one a try.

I really wanted this one to work for me. Possible haunted house, creepy cult like items, a group of friends (so to speak) solving the mystery. What more could you ask for. Turns out a lot. I went in strong until about chapter 5. Things slowly got more goofy, and outrageous. I did not like the ending at all. I was looking more for a haunted house scary story. I feel I got more of a parody of one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review