First, never buy an island named after a poisonous plant. Secondly, never travel to poisonous island without backup connection to the outside world and weapons.
It was a weird book and events occurred so fast it was hard to keep track.
The ending was jumbled and stretched reality.

This was a perfect Halloween read, filled with creepy, unexplainable events that keep you guessing until the very end. The character development was fantastic. I grew to love Laney and those closest to her as we learned the secrets from their past and hoped for their future.

Book that is difficult to sum up. Just when you think it's a murder mystery it takes a weird turn into the supernatural. The bisexual plot device seems a bit contrived and doesn't further the story.

I picked this one up without reading the blurb and unfortunately it didn't quite work for me. I had difficulty connecting to the supernatural element and felt the characters weren't developed fully. As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a very obvious message the author is portraying within the story. While this wasn't my cup of tea, this would be good for fans of horror who are looking for a quick read with some gore.

Hemlock Island is Kelley Armstrong’s first horror novel. I have seen some not great reviews but I liked it. It’s quite a page turner filled with a mystery I did not figure out ahead of time and some very creepy moments with fully realized characters. Does the main character do some stuff that’s dumb? Of course, but that’s true for lots of horror novels.

**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.**

▪️ I must start by saying that this story mentioned one of my favorite horror short stories – The Monkey’s Paw written in 1902 by W. W. Jacobs. It is only mentioned briefly, and with no explanation, but if you know the short story you would have understood the reference. I encourage you to go read the story if you have time. You can easily find it online.

▪️ I really enjoyed this book! It was a little gorier than I anticipated, but it wasn’t gratuitous. The scares were good, the plot was great, the relationships were a mess (which makes it more interesting), and the reveals were unanticipated. I was buckled in and enjoying the ride!

▪️ It’s a very visual read! I felt more like I was watching a movie than reading a book. There is a lot of action and intrigue, and the plot moves at a quick pace.

▪️ This is a perfect October/Autumn read! I highly recommend it, particularly if you love horror, and I hope the author continues her venture into this genre.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

An enjoyable story until I got to the zombie parts, which was an error on my part for not looking into the sub-genres. I liked the premise of the story, especially the reflective ending, and the island on Lake Superior had a personality all its own!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this unique story.

Hemlock Island
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Kelley Armstrong

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it’s the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who’ve fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out…and failed.

When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who’s now a cop.

There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it… But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they’re trapped with someone—or something—that doesn’t want them leaving the island alive.

My Thoughts: The reviews have been mixed on this one but I thought it was fantastic. Laney owns an island with a vacation home that was given to her by her ex, the only thing she has left post-pandemic. She has found some hex circles and bloody bones between renters and thought someone was just playing a practical joke on her. She gets a call from the current renter(s) that there is blood all over the closet and scratch marks like someone was trying to get out and they were leaving. So Laney and her niece, Madison head over to investigate. Laney’s ex, Kit, was also alerted of the issue, so he heads over with his sister, Jayla, unbeknownst to Laney. Then Sadie, another high school friend, also heads over with her brother, Garrett, who is now a cop. Upon investigation, they discover a body on the island, so they want to get off right away and let the authorities handle it, however, someone else has taken off with their only means of transportation, leaving them stranded for the night. As whispers in the woods, grave secrets being exposed, and the sense that the island is alive, will they survive the night?

The story is narrated solely by Laney, in perspective, in a third person POV. Laney is a teacher and writer, she has custody of her niece, Madison, after her sister passed away from cancer. Kit is the ex, is wealthy, and is still in love with Laney. Jayla is an attorney, Kit’s sister, and used to be Laney’s best friend, but a riff in college made them estranged. Sadie is selfish, self-centered, and only thinks of herself. Garrett, Sadie’s brother, and currently a cop, thinks he knows everything and likes to boss people around. Sadie and Garrett are the least likable characters, while the most likable is Laney, and Laney is also the most relatable. Laney had an immediate ongoing irritation towards Garrett. This story caught my attention from the very first chapter and I was invested in the outcome and was absolutely engaged the entire story. There was some confusion when the paranormal aspect entered the storyline, however, I think it was wrapped up nicely in the ending with all of the plot holes sealed. The characters were created with depth, were mysterious, were created woven, and kept me invested. The author’s writing style was complex, layered, twisty, suspenseful, and brilliant.

This is an ABSOLUTELY PERFECT spooky read for the Halloween Season. It checks all of the boxes for a horror/thriller novel. It was spooky, creepy, dark, disturbing, twisty, and thrilling with a touch of paranormal added. I had the pleasure of having both the digital and audio ARCs. The narrator was amazing and she had the best voice variation, her voice is easy to listen to, she kept me engaged, and she really brought the characters from the page to life, really felt like I was watching a movie. My only qualm, other than the paranormal confusion I already mentioned, was the narration came off as immature and young, not older adults. I highly recommend this spooky read for the season, or any time really.

3 1/2

Hemlock Island was a very strange and unique kind of horror. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable in its own way. I was engrossed and invested along the way, but when family drama hit, I was starting to lose interest. It explained the storyline of characters, but it was a bit much. Took away from the atmosphere of the book. This might be where readers start to lose investment in the story in my opinion. It was a nice twist, but completely unnecessary. What begins as an almost who done it mystery unfolds into a whole new mystery, I loved it up until that point, then it seemed to take a nosedive. I read on to see where it was going and was disappointed as it was coming to its conclusion, the last quarter of the book was such a let down, that it changed my rating. This book seems to me that it may be a hit for some, but not others....give it a try!

Thank you St. Martins and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Very intriguing plot - very involved with the characters and their progress.
Well done twists.
The leadup could be improved - there were occurrences of dark magic as well some hints to the culprit. I feel like it could been more developed - also seemed more like a background aspect rather than driving the plot.

I'm not sure what I expected from Kelly Armstrong's new book Hemlock Island, but by the end of the book I was disappointed. The story started out with a bang, and held my attention. I felt that character development was slim and awkward and the paranormal element overbearing and unlikeable. Once the paranormal element became part of the story I lost interest because I just didn't like it. For me this was not a overall great read.
My Thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, the Author and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. The book was published on September 12, 2023, in all book formats.

I’m always up for reading a horror/thriller that takes place on a remote island, so I was super excited to read Hemlock Island. This was a quick and scary read that I really enjoyed. The isolated island setting added to the eerie atmosphere and made the story even more terrifying.

This story had a lot of gory moments and parts of it felt like The Evil Dead. The main characters didn’t make the wisest decisions and it seemed that the only smart one was Madison. I wanted to shout at many of these characters because they were just really obnoxious and I was just hoping they’d get killed.

I loved Armstrong’s writing and I will definitely be reading more from her in the future. I’d recommend Hemlock Island to lovers of tense, gore-filled horror/thrillers.

4/5 stars

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Listened to this book while working alone in the woods... and it was creepy as hell lmao thankfully it was during the day but yikes! this was a very creepy read for sure! would recommend, buy and even reread in the future!

I was not expecting such a creepy story when I picked up Hemlock Island, but Kelley Armstrong completely blew my expectations out of the water!

From the start of this book, the action, suspicions, and creep factor are present. The setting lends itself to consistently keeping this vibe alive as the story progresses. It’s a pass for me on going to a secluded island where weird events have been happening. You would think because Laney is with so many people you would be able to feel more secure in her safety, but that thought is stolen away after a few short chapters.

Despite being wholly creeped out by the secrets this island is holding, I couldn’t help but be fully invested in discovering what was the cause. The idea that such a serene location with a vacation home turns into the spot of terror and fear was fascinating to watch unravel. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming the way that it did and the ultimate finale which was a pleasant surprise!

Kudos to Armstrong for creating a haunting and eerie atmospheric story within the pages of Hemlock Island.

Laney is raising her niece Madison on her own after her sister passed away.

She's divorced from Kit, but she still cares deeply for him, and can't seem to move on.

Kit is wealthy and he gifted her with an island when they got married.
Hemlock Island, in the middle of Lake Superior, has lovely scenery, a state-of-the-art house, and no way of contacting the outside world. No cell phones, landlines, television, Wi-Fi. It's the one thing Laney kept when they divorced and she loves it. But it's difficult for her to maintain it on her teacher's salary, so she rents it out for a good portion of the year to help subsidize the maintenance expenses.

When her current renters call to report blood on the carpet and claw marks in a guestroom closet, Laney and Madison race to the island to check it out. It’s not the first time unusual things have happened.

Joining them on the island are Laney’s ex-husband Kit (they’re still friends), his sister Jayla (Laney’s kind of estranged best friend), plus her former high school friend Sadie with her cop brother Garrett. It’s not long before chaos ensues – characters disappear, bodies turn up, and bloody bones and hex circles are discovered.

Within hours, the group finds themselves stranded amid sinister and supernatural occurrences which get increasingly frightening. Their boat is missing, as is one of the group, and now they're completely trapped. A body appears (and disappears), people say and do strange things. Convoluted backstories come to light, while night falls and a storm approaches the island.

I’m a fan of locked room mysteries, and this novel and setting turns up the creep factor, with no communication, no boat, and lots of blood and gore (warning here).

There are scary moments aplenty. The claustrophobic feeling of the isolated island was palpable. But be prepared for some chaos and convoluted backstories that make it hard sometimes to keep up. Plus, zombies and a supernatural entity full of revenge at the end. I didn’t expect (or fully believe) either of those elements.
On the other hand, this is a great horror read for October. There was a lot of action, with some slower sections where the characters and the drama between them is revealed.

If you are a fan of locked room mysteries, tension-filled scenes, and flawed characters with complicated relationships, check out Hemlock Island.

A private island in the middle of Lake Superior, a group of friends with a rough history, and a supernatural force refusing to let them leave.

This book gave all the best creepy vibes I needed this time of year! I stopped reading it at night for fear that I wouldn’t be able to get a decent nights sleep. Great pacing, great building. Highly recommend for anyone looking for something to tickle their need for a horror book!

Thanks to @Netgalley for the chance to jump on this one.This one is out in stores now!

Ever since her divorce, Laney can’t afford to live in her vacation home on Hemlock Island in the middle of Lake Superior. She has been renting it out as a luxury secluded getaway but in the past year, she keeps getting reports of hex circles, broken possessions and all around spooky stuff. When the last renters call her after taking her boat to the mainland, ranting about finding blood in the house, Laney knows she needs to go to the house to see what’s happening.

Unbeknownst to Laney, her niece Madison calls her ex-husband, Kit, to help deal with the situation. Kit shows up with his sister and other acquaintances soon follow. They all leave for Hemlock Island without realizing what’s happening and it all devolves into darkness from there.

And holy crap is there darkness. Hemlock Island is so intense between all the incidents and the relationships among Laney, Kit, et al. It’s a sly horror that creeps up on you. It’s more paranormal than I was expecting but I don’t think it took away from the story. It’s a perfect book for “spooky season.” 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC. Hemlock Island is out now.

I’m a fan of locked room mysteries, and this novel turns it up to an eleven with characters trapped on a secluded island in the middle of Lake Superior while a killer lurks. With no cell phone reception, internet, or boat, it definitely inspires claustrophobia.

After reading this novel you’ll never want to rent your home to strangers. It’s not something Laney wants to do, but with her school teacher and new author salary, she needs the extra cash to cover expenses. After the death of her sister, she’s also raising her teenage niece, Madison. When her current renters call to report blood on the carpet and claw marks in a guestroom closet, Laney and Madison race to the island to check it out. It’s not the first time unusual things have happened. Joining them on the island are Laney’s ex-husband Kit (they’re still friends), his sister Jayla (Laney’s kind of estranged best friend), and two others from her past. It’s not long before chaos ensues – characters disappear, bodies turn up, and bloody bones and hex circles are discovered.

All the characters are realistically flawed, but I felt like teen Madison is a voice of reason amidst a sea of squabbling adults at times. She, rational Kit, and fierce Jayla are probably my favorite characters. The adults interwoven pasts, combative interactions, and complicated relationships provide no shortage of suspicions.

The author is highly skilled at creating atmosphere and tension – I held my breath in some of the scenes and yelled at the characters. Scary moments are aplenty, and many include gore (as a warning for some readers). The big reveal? I have mixed feelings about it, but no spoilers here. Some readers loved it, others also had mixed feelings. Don’t let my opinion sway you. Up to that point, I couldn’t tear myself away from the story.

If you’re a fan of locked room mysteries, tension-filled scenes, and flawed characters with complicated relationships, check out Hemlock Island.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I like the creepiness of this book and it’s a good book for spooky season . I felt it kep you engaged in story especially since I usually font like horror. Overall a good book
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for letting me review book

I really enjoyed this book. First, I loved Kelley Armstrong's Cainesville series and I currently have the Casey Duncan series on my "must read immediately" list so I was excited to see a standalone. The characters are engaging, the mystery pulls you in, the element of supernatural works very nicely and I loved the ending. Highly recommend this as a fun, spooky season read!