This was a perfect thriller. I loved the close door aspect since they were stuck in a cabin. I also loved how many times my mind changed about who was a killer. And the ending 🤯🤯

I recently had the pleasure of diving into She Left, a gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The author's skillful storytelling and ability to create tension and suspense had me hooked from the very first page. What I particularly enjoyed was the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. The pacing was perfect, making it hard to put the book down once I started reading. Overall, I highly recommend She Left to anyone who loves a thrilling ride filled with suspense, mystery, and unexpected surprises.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the novel! A solid locked-in, “who did it?!” murder mystery. I went into it thinking it would go back and forth between present and past, but with the amount of characters, it wouldn’t have worked. However, for having so many suspects (10!!!), it surprisingly wasn’t hard to keep track of who was who, and how they related to those from the past. The only downside of so many characters, however, is it’s hard to get really invested in any of them,

Overall, still a quick and enjoyable read! Will be available for purchase May 2014.

I love this type of whodunnit. Not only is everyone a suspect, but bodies keep dropping at the same time. This one was thoroughly entertaining. And I have to say, as a writer, I loved what the author did with the chapter headings! It was really unique, so one of these days I may have to borrow her idea! As far as the characters, she did a great job of inserting just enough suspicions on all of them. A fantastic story that I definitely recommend!

Huge thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

This book has the classic makings of a locked door mystery to solve a decades old crime.

A group of people, invited to a secluded location, no cell service or outsiders, they start dying one by one. You get the picture.

I found the beginning of this book promising, and the end wrapped everything up nicely. However, the middle portion left me a bit bored. Overall, I wouldn’t discourage this read, but I wouldn’t add it to my list of regular recs.

She Left by Stacie Grey is like an island mystery who dunnit of the classic kind but with a modern twist. Amy Therese Brewer belonged to a group of dysfunctional friends and she left a party in a cabin early. Shortly, after they all die. Amy moves away with her family to avoid the innuendo about why she left and if she killed them. Fast forward 20 years later when a magazine reporter wants to do a story about the incident and invites people with connections to the victims. From there, things take a dark turn as one of them may have been the killer and may want the story to stay forgotten. Unfortunately, they are stranded and vulnerable without outside communication.

Each character has a back story related to a victim. As they recount some of them, they may realize that their perspective as a teenager/child may differ when viewed through their now adult eyes. The author also offers the perspectives of each of the characters to give some insight as to what they may be thinking. It makes for a richer experience. Everyone is accusing everyone and everyone is suspect. It really is an entertaining read and I would highly recommend it.

Initially, I had trouble keeping track of the victims, the guests and their connections to the victims, then their own memories. This would be the only reason not to give it 5 stars but that is probably more related to my bad memory than a flaw in the writing. In fact, I enjoyed Ms Grey’s style of writing. It wasn’t too flowery or overwhelming. It was very approachable and easily engaged with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this Advanced Readers copy. I leave this review voluntarily.

Therese was the only survivor of a massacre two decades ago, she has since become a FBI agent and gets an interesting invite to a mountain lodge. This is a great who done it, and leaves you guessing till the end! What a great read, thank you for the ARC, Poisoned Pen Press!

A good first novel from this author. The beginning had me hooked in. It’s about a massacre and the survivor. A bit of a who done it!
It had me guessing, but the ending was a fizzle for me. Just not that believable.
However, I would read another book by this author. There is a lot of promise here!
Thank you

The beginning of this book quickly caught my attention, but I lost interest along the way. It was a quick read that I think if reworked a little to make all of the connections and characters a little more clear would be 5 stars!

I wanted to love love this book but after the first few chapters I lost interest. I lost track of who was who and then I stopped caring about the plot and the characters.

The beginning was so great! I was immediately engaged and was rooting for the characters until after the first big reveal. Maybe it came too soon? I'm not sure.

The writing was very good and maybe we needed less characters? I'm not sure where it fell apart for me but with this all said, I would read this author again and recommend others to read this book. Perhaps it just wasn't for me at this time.

I haven't read anything by this author, but I was sold the second I saw the cover. The story was good, it it had me interested from the very beginning. I did struggle in the middle when it slowed down a bit. Overall, I thought it was a quick, fun, popcorn thriller.

Both too much and also not enough. Too many characters, too much of the same talk in circles, too little variance in plot or locations. I think the market has been saturated with these closed room thrillers.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This has promise but I just could not get into it or keep the characters straight. It was a no from me.

I think locked room mysteries are by far the best form of mysteries. Each character played a vital role in the continuation of the crime and solving it later in the novel. Excellently written.

I really liked the idea of this book. I thought the first chapter gave way of how the book would go, but unfortunately, the rest of it was a huge let down for me.

There were too many characters to keep track of, and the main character fell flat. I didn't think any character was relatable or likeable.

The plot almost seemed like the author was trying too hard. Finally, while the big reveal at the end went along with the story, I had already guessed who the killer was (fairly early) so there wasn't any shock factor for me, which was disappointing.

At the start of this book, the reader is introduced to a character named Amy, and I wanted to know more about Amy and how she came to be in her situation. As I read on though, the story didn't really hold my interest, and I didn't really warm to any of the characters or connect with them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Holy Hell Batman, what was that?

I have feverishly obsessed over She Left, since I read the short teaser on NetGalley.

My obsession grew with each and every review I read.

But

And there is a big BUT....

Then came my approval, and my world literally flipped upside down.

How will I ever find a book that will ignite my soul as this one had?

This book sucked on my soul…

I will now start out on a search to find a book that will compare to what I have just read. Stacie Grey, set the bar with this one !

This book rains down one heck of an ending and it’s left me grappling with my thoughts in a ball on my floor. I have so many questions and I demand answers!!! I’m shrieking through my tears.

Check on me, I’m not ok.

Teaser :

Twenty years ago, she survived. This time she may not be so lucky.

On the night that changed everything, Amy Brewer walked out of a house party, trudging angrily away from the friends who made her feel like she didn't belong. Within the next hour, all five of those friends would be dead.

The Memorial Day Massacre, as it came to be called, rocked their small California community and Amy―the girl who had walked away just in time―couldn't escape the media circus...or the guilt.

Twenty years later, ten people with connections to the crime have been invited to a remote cliffside house by a journalist looking to do a story on the murders. But the group quickly learns the event is not what it seems. As a storm closes in and guests begin to die, Amy realizes there is someone in the house who knows more than they admit about what happened that night long ago… and they will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.

This was an engaging read but the characters could have been better-developed. Pace picked up considerably at the end but was very slow for the first part of the novel.

Thank you to NeGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"She Left" by Stacie Grey: A Mystery with Untapped Potential

Firstly, a heartfelt thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for generously providing me with an advance copy of "She Left" for review.

Let's rewind twenty years: Amy Brewer, amidst a Memorial Day weekend celebration with her high school crew, abruptly leaves after a heated argument. Later that fateful night, tragedy strikes, claiming the lives of five of Amy's friends in what becomes known as the Memorial Day Massacre. Amy, the sole survivor, grapples with the weight of survivor's guilt and the relentless media scrutiny.

Now, fast forward to the present day: A varied group of individuals, each with ties to the long-ago murders, receives invitations to a secluded Cliffside retreat. The aim? An investigative piece by a renowned journalist seeking to unearth the truth behind the killings. However, as the storm clouds gather and tensions escalate, it becomes evident that danger lurks within the confines of the isolated house.

Grey's narrative grips you from the outset, particularly with its vivid portrayal of the Memorial Day weekend. The anticipation builds as you're drawn deeper into the mystery. However, the momentum falters in the middle, primarily due to the sheer number of characters vying for attention. With ten individuals navigating the labyrinthine web of connections, it becomes a challenge to fully invest in each character's backstory and motivations.

While Grey's descriptive prose effectively captures the atmospheric setting and sustains the tension, the characterization suffers from a lack of depth. The absence of flashbacks to the ill-fated weekend and insights from the murdered teens leaves certain aspects of the narrative feeling underdeveloped. Furthermore, some character motivations feel contrived, detracting from the authenticity of the plot twists.

Despite these shortcomings, Grey's writing style remains engaging, hinting at her potential as a storyteller. While "She Left" falls short of its promise, it is not without merit. There's a compelling foundation here, albeit one that could benefit from tighter execution and more nuanced character development.

In conclusion, "She Left" offers a tantalizing glimpse into Grey's talent, but ultimately falls short of its lofty ambitions. With a few tweaks and refinements, Grey's future works hold the promise of delivering a truly captivating reading experience. Therefore, I award this novel a respectable rating of 3.5 stars.

Thanks to @netgalley & Poisoned pen Press for this eArc.

I was really excited for this as the premise sounded so good.
20 years ago, Amy leaves a party and walks through the woods home, meanwhile everyone she left at the party, dies.

It had such a strong opening chapter and then it is ‘20 years later’ where Amy, now known as Therese & others related to the ‘Memorial Day Massacre’ victims are invited to a remote location by a journalist.

For me, there were too many characters to keep track of and I felt my concentrate twindle towards the middle & end.

The level of suspense was there though as I did want to know what was happening but it wasn’t a shock when it is revealed.

Recommend for those that like-
-Locked room thrillers
-Lots of POV