Bestselling adult horror author Darcy Coates enters the cut-throat world of YA with an absolute 5/5 banger! I’ve read a few of Darcy’s adult titles (would highly recommend both From Below and Dead of Winter) but Where He Can’t Find You was probably scarier than both those adult titles. Actually, do not be put off by the YA tag, there is more than enough horror and creepiness in this novel to keep most adult readers happily, mainly because the boogieman creature ‘The Stitcher’ who dominates the novel from the shadows has such a clever mythology built around him. I loved the fact that Coates pretty much tells us who The Stitcher is very early in the novel, you might think that might ruin suspense, far from it, instead it adds to the intensity and nothing is quite as simple as it seems. Rarely have I seen ‘smalltown horror’ done as effectively as it is in Where He Can’t Find You, where the activities of the Stitcher serial killer dominate every waking moments of the inhabitants of the town Doubtful. When a murder is anticipated technology begins to fail and red thread is often discovered close to the victims, who have often been dissected and sewn back together with the pieces of other bodies. Ritualistically, it is seen as bad luck to move the belongings of those who have been killed, so cars can sit abandoned with the wallet of the dead untouched on the car seat.

Instead of trying to solve these horrible crimes the police force takes bets on who the next victim might be! I already said, the probable identity of the Stitcher is made very early and that just makes this clever page-turner even more gripping. Abby and Hope Ward live with their ill mother and have a solid group of friends (the Jackrabbits) around them, they follow a mantra to keep themselves safe from the Stitcher and keep in regular text contact, including do not walk alone and do not stay out late. The friendship dynamics was outstanding, particularly including Rhys who lost his parents to the Stitcher some years earlier. The story revolves around the arrival of a new policeman who has a daughter the same age as the Jackrabbits who joins their friendship group but does not believe in the Stitcher. This novel had outstanding pace and when it morphed into a creature feature in the second half was hard to put down as the group (these kids were brave!) came face to face with the Stitcher. Darcy Coates has delivered an outstanding YA horror novel and I hope this finds the audience it deserves and that there are many more to come. AGE RANGE 13+

This wasn't my favorite Darcy Coates. While the concept of the Stitcher was interesting, there were many characters that were involved but had little character development. I had a tough time identifying with the characters because there were so many. Overall was a decent read but didn't stand out to me as a "must read".

Where He Can't Find you
by Darcy Coates
Pub Date November 07 2023
3.5⭐⭐⭐

DON'T WALK ALONE OR THE STITCHER WILL FIND YOU.
DON'T STAY OUT LATE, OR THE STITCHER WILL TAKE YOU.
DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES, OR THE STITCHER WILL REMAKE YOU.

Creepy, supernatural, serial killer, monster whatever it is I am here for it! This is my first ever read by Darcy Coates and I can't wait to grab another. It took me back to my younger years when this type of book was all that I read.

Can you imagine growing up in a town where people go missing, only for their bodies to be found dismembered and stitched back together in a ghastly way? This is how Abby and Hope Ward grew up, and why they followed a strict set of rules to keep themselves safe. But even their rules couldn't protect them. Hope is taken and Abby's world comes crumbling down. She is determined to do whatever it takes to find her before it is too late. Abby and her friends team up to take on the Stitcher and rescue her sister, but they have no idea what they are up against. A killer or something far darker than any of them even know.

This book had all the feels for me, I loved it! Creepy, twisty, and unsettling are a win in my book. It is rated as a YA which is exactly what it was.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Darcy Coates & Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC of Where He Can’t Find You. This review is wholly my own and may not be reproduced (except quoted synopsis).

“DON'T WALK ALONE, OR THE STITCHER WILL FIND YOU.

Abby Ward lives in a town haunted by disappearances. People vanish, and when they're found, their bodies have been dismembered and sewn back together in unnatural ways. But is it the work of a human killer…or something far darker?

DON'T STAY OUT LATE, OR THE STITCHER WILL TAKE YOU.

She and her younger sister live by a strict set of rules designed to keep them safe―which is why it's such a shock when Hope is taken. Desperate to get her back, Abby tells the police everything she knows, but they claim their hands are tied.

DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES, OR THE STITCHER WILL REMAKE YOU.

With every hour precious, Abby and her friends are caught in a desperate game of cat and mouse. They have to get Hope back. Quickly. Before too much of her is cut away. And before everything they care about is swallowed up by the darkness waiting in the tunnels beneath the home they thought they knew.”

We read Darcy Coates because we love Darcy Coates! She is an author that I am going to read every single time and enjoy her books.

Like most of her others, this is a solid 4 stars from me. I know I can always count on her for at least a 4-star read. It will be gripping, fast-paced and an easy read.

No exceptions here. I highly recommend for all Darcy Coates fans and for those who have never read anything by her, I’d highly recommend they start ASAP!

*3.5 stars rounded up*

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I had been meaning to try a book by Darcy Coates, so I was very excited to see this one pop up. Overall, it was a good read. However, some of the characters were definitely more compelling than others, and the pacing was a bit off. I was happy to see the book jumped straight into the action, but then things seemed to drag out for quite awhile. The story was engaging enough without the book needing to be as long as it was. Also - this book could use another readthrough for typos before publication, as there were more than an in the average ARC I've read (including using the wrong character name at least once, which was confusing).

Abby Ward lives in a town haunted by disappearances. People vanish, and when they're found, their bodies have been dismembered and sewn back together in unnatural ways. But is it the work of a human killer…or something far darker?

Where He Can’t Find You was such clever and creepy read! YA Horror fans are going to love this!
I’m never going to look at red thread the same ever again. But damn, that whole aspect was wholly unique and pretty sadistic! Just the term “The Stitcher” gave me the chills🙌🏼

Coates describes the setting & scenes so well; the small, rundown town with all its neglect and abandonment, the rules that accompany the setting sun and the mines! Reading about the tunnels…ooph! It was so clear to me, it felt cinematic!

Oh yea, this was fun!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: 11.7.23.

FINALLY!!! Darcy Coates deserves an award for this one! It's been a long time since I've read any horror that I would classify as scary, but this book was truly terrifying. Not going to lie, I was scared to read this in the dark. I had to turn on the lights and force myself to put down my Kindle. I even watched TV for a little bit to take my mind off of it before going to bed. And the tension and creepiness never wavered throughout the story. It was 400 some pages of terror. This book is classified as YA but could have fooled me. It was filled with all sorts of delicious creepiness. It gave me classic Stephen King vibes, too. I loved every minute of it! Highly recommend!!

Thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC! I was so excited to read something from Darcy Coates. Unfortunately, this one fell a little short for me. It was hard to get into. I am a huge fan of horror and YA, maybe the apocalyptic scenario was strange to jump into? Not horrible by any means. Worth a recommendation.

"Hide somewhere he can't find you."
I am a big fan of Darcy Coates' writing. I love how detailed her stories are; she builds a creepy and tense atmosphere wonderfully. The characters are well-written and you feel for them. You want them to make it out safely. The book reminded me a lot of It by Stephen King - the monster reminded me of Pennywise and Doubtful reminded me of Derry. The endings had similar vibes as well.

I found that the first 100 pages were slow and a little boring. There is a lot of exposition given and it jumps around the characters a lot. After the 100-page mark though, the story picks up and I flew through the rest of it within a few days. The finale was fantastic and it wrapped everything up nicely. The comic strips at the beginning of each part were a nice touch as well.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of "Where He Can't Find You" in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Darcy Coates with her haunted house books. I would gladly read a thousand of those and never get bored with them. But I am so proud of how much she has grown as an author. I’m still reading and I’m still obsessed.

First she scared us with malicious ghosts in haunted house. Then she terrified us with the underwater horror, From Below. Now she’s got us traumatized over underground tunnels. Honestly in my opinion Darcy Coates is one of the best horror authors in the game. She makes a wide variety of books for different ages but everyone can still enjoy them. The jacket says this is intended as young adult but it scared me!! I actually had a horrible nightmare after reading the majority of the book. That’s a good sign!

The Stitcher is absolutely terrifying. I’d love to see this as a movie but I also know they wouldn’t be able to do it justice. I’m not sure what inspired this twisted monster but it’ll stay with you.

I highly recommend checking out Where He Can’t Find you by Darcy Coates. Thank you NetGalley, Darcy Coates, and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read it. I have written this review voluntarily.

Review: I really want to know how Darcy Coates comes up with all these stories! She is amazing. While this book did start off slow, it was a slow build to the climax which was non-stop!!! No matter how tired I was, I could not stop reading this book! It was that amazing! I did pre-order this book, but was excited when @netgalley approved me to read it early. I don't like having to wait to read more of Darcy's books! This one is definitely tailored more for a YA, but anyone who has loved her books in the past will love this new one! I mean, a serial killer who has been around for 100 years and called The Stitcher! How can you not be intrigued by that! Would definitely recommend!

Quick paced and creepy! Another reviewer mentioned a Stranger Things and Scooby Doo gang vibe and I think that's spot on. I liked the characters and how they had each other's backs. The story is unique and I would consider it somewhat of an introductory YA horror book. And that cover and the blurb are perfection and set this book up so well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

“This was how you survived in Doubtful.
You watched. You learned.
And you figured out the rules that would keep you safe.”

A mysterious force known as The Stitcher plagues the town of Doubtful. Man? Monster? No one is really sure. He takes people, severs their limbs, and sews random pieces back together in an amalgamation of mixed parts. A grotesque mockery of their former selves. What does he do with the missing pieces? That’s for you to read and find out.

When Abby’s sister Hope is taken by The Stitcher, it’s up to her and her friends to figure out how to rescue her. The reveal of the mystery around The Stitcher was great (and I won’t say too much for fear of spoilers!) and I loved that technology was always in danger of failing. It made the climax a bit more intense. I enjoyed the narrative and especially loved the graphic novel images sprinkled in at the beginning of each separate part of the book. This is probably not something I would label YA, but then again, I would have read it when I was in that age category, so maybe it is! But it is definitely disturbing and is clearly a classic Darcy Coates-style book. If I have anything to critique, I would say it was a bit long. I like horror to feel tense and fraught and sometimes a shorter story can help keep that pace.

I love Darcy Coates and this is no exception!

Darcy Coates will never let me down, another quick paced, unforgettable novel that I couldn’t sleep before I finished.

Great book, loved the story and the different twist and turns. Really liked how different characters stories came into play and it developed and changed through the story. The characters were great and relatable but not over written like some other authors do. The twist of the ending wasn’t expected and overall a really well write book. I would have enjoyed a little more horror however that’s just personal preference.

Like her other books l've read, the writing is great. However, I just wasn't invested in the story. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters and was waiting for a twist that's common in Coates' books -but it never came. I'm also not a fan of monster/cosmic horror, but if you are you will probably like this.

BOOK REVIEW: Where He Can’t Find You x Darcy Coates
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Goodreads Rating: 4.15/5
My rating: 4/5 ☠️ ☠️ ☠️ ☠️
Read this if your favorite show on Netflix is Stranger Things
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Darcy Coates’ books are long but I love them because you can’t put them down. I didn’t know this was YA until I started but hot damn, this didn’t feel YA! It was definitely a spooky book that makes your heart rate increase. I loved the friendship group and I loved the Stitcher serial killer vibes. This reminded me so much of Stranger Things which is the only reason why it lost a star. Very quick read though and I enjoyed it.

I am never disappointed by Darcy Coates. When I started this book and realized it was marked as YA I was hesitant, but within a few pages it had me hooked. It's dark and creepy and has such an atmosphere that I've come to expect with Coates' writing.
I will definitely be purchasing the hard copy when this comes out and passing it along to friends.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was a spooky read that left me scared to get up and go to the bathroom at night! Reminded me of It, Stranger Things, and a tiny bit of Scooby Doo? Fun, gross, and creepy!

What a wild ride I LOVED this book and I couldn’t put it down. Not gonna lie it was a tad long but I can see that if they didn’t include all the story bits and pieces we would miss out. I love the characters and Abby’s development throughout the story. I wonder if there will be a sequel like following Abby as she crime fights, that would be really cool.