In "The Vacancy in Room 10" by Seraphina Nova Glass, Anna Hartley's world shatters when she learns of her husband Henry's shocking demise. As she delves into the murky waters of his past, secrets unravel, revealing a man she never truly knew.

Glass weaves a web of intrigue, drawing readers into a world where trust is fragile and betrayal lurks around every corner. The rundown motel, The Sycamores, serves as a fitting backdrop for the unfolding drama, its eccentric residents adding layers of complexity to the narrative.
While the twist caught me off guard, and the plot held my interest, I found one of the main characters to be frustratingly weak, detracting from my overall enjoyment of the story. Additionally, the portrayal of love and betrayal felt somewhat formulaic, limiting the depth of emotional resonance.

Despite these drawbacks, "The Vacancy in Room 10" is a solid domestic thriller for fans of unexpected twists and turns. Glass keeps readers guessing until the final pages, and while the resolution may not satisfy everyone, the journey is undeniably gripping.

Thank you NetGalley and Seraphina Nova Glass for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While reading this book, I found myself initially captivated by its promising beginning. The author skillfully drew me into the story with a compelling introduction, sparking my interest and igniting my imagination. However, as I delved deeper into the narrative, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment creeping in.

Despite the strong start, the plot quickly became predictable, following clichéd tropes and failing to offer any surprises or twists to keep me engaged. I found myself anticipating each development long before it unfolded, robbing the story of its potential excitement and intrigue.

As I turned the pages, hoping for a deviation from the expected, I longed for something different, something that would challenge my assumptions and evoke a sense of wonder. Unfortunately, my expectations were not met, leaving me feeling unfulfilled and yearning for more from the narrative.

While the book may not have resonated with me personally, I recognize that others may find enjoyment in its familiar storyline and comforting predictability. It's important to remember that reading preferences are subjective, and what didn't quite hit the mark for me may still hold appeal for others seeking a familiar and comforting read.

Very clever indeed! Kudos to Ms. Glass for a well-developed plot with twisty suspense. This is the first book I've read by this author but now I'm excited to check out her backlist. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I’m a confused by all the incredible reviews. I really disliked the writing and the characters. Painful to get through it, and the ending was completely unsatisfying.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere built up in this book.

The book takes place at an old motel that was converted into apartments called the Sycamores. There is a ragtag cast of characters who live there that you grow to love. Everyone has their own secrets. Anna moves into the Sycamores after the untimely death of her husband. She has suspicions and is determined to get to the bottom of it. Cass moved into the hotel after her fiancé cheated on her and kicked her out. Both women are being threatened by an anonymous source over secrets they keep.

When one of the tenants goes missing, alliances shift and despite having to work together, no one knows who to trust.

This book was a little bit slower than what I am used to but filled with suspense. The plot twist at the end was good, although it was revealed a bit early, and then we had to wait for it to play out.

I loved Cass's character development throughout the book. At the beginning, she was broken, reeling from her breakup. As time went on, she really became her own person and found a new family.

Overall, I liked it.

I really enjoyed this book it kept me on my toes the entire time and the twist at the end had me mind blown definitely recommend!

The Vacancy in Room 10 🏨
Seraphina Nova Glass
🌟🌟🌟🌟 💫

I loved this one! Slow burn drama set in a motel gritty atmosphere and a dead body turns up leading to high stake suspense! As Cassie and Anna’s story intertwine, the reader is compelled to know what happens next at the end of each chapter! The characters of the Sycamores really add to this mystery and although there’s quite a few of them, the author does it without confusion and allows them to add levity and darkness to this twisty thriller! Thank you @netgalley for this E reader copy! (Pub 4/9)

I usually love mystery thrillers, but this one just didn't do it for me. Based on all the high-rating reviews on GoodReads, I was excited to read this and thought the premise sounded great. I ended up DNF'ing around 65% because it was just soooooo slow and I did not care one bit. I also was missing on the dual-POV narrators of two women (was this a pitball of listening to some of it on audiobook and some reading on kindle, or was this the author's mistake?) and really thought it was all coming from one POV/voice. This just wasn't exciting in the least and I was proud that I even pushed through to 65%. I'm not sure what excited these 5-star readers so much...

This story follows Cass recently dumped by her long time love who has now parading around his young 20s fiancée at all the fancy dinner parties and get together. All her friends have taken “his side.” Self proclaimed handy ma’am she is working at the Sycamores as the super in exchange to live there. She fixes things from the electricity to pulling hair out of the drain - a far fall from
The glamour she’s used to. Enter Anna.. she receives an odd emotional confession from her husband, Henry, and then the line goes dead. What’s thought to be Henry’s suicide becomes an investigation into a situation much darker - he had his art studio at the sycamores but what really happened to me! Several suspects and several other secrets later this whirlwind story keeps you guessing and guessing.

This novel was fabulous! I found it grabbed my interest immediately and kept it throughout the book. There were several sub-stories happening and they were well integrated. The book flowed smoothly and was easy to follow plot lines. The characters were likeable and relatable. I will bring recommending to my book club and friends/family.

3.5⭐️

The Vacancy in Room 10 is an outlandish but entertaining murder mystery thriller. It’s filled with a wide variety of characters ranging from kooky to sinister to mysterious, however I wouldn’t call them terribly well fleshed-out. But if you can suspend your disbelief, this makes for a fun and suspenseful beach read.

Thank you Seraphina Nova Glass, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was gifted by Netgalley & the publisher for my honest review.

This was my second book from the author and I can now confirm that she is a consistent author for me. Her plot is engaging and the mystery is intriguing enough to keep my interest.

I will say that I can usually guess the reveals before the end of the book, which is probably due to the amount of these types of books that I read. However, I did have a good time and would widely recommend to people!

The Vacancy in Room 10
★★★★ 4/5 stars

» quick synopsis
In a rundown motel that’s been turned into low-budget apartments called the Sycamores, tensions run high when one of the tenants is found dead.

» read if you like
-atmospheric reads
-Blackmail
-nosey neighbors
-murder mysteries
-morally grey characters
-strong, independent ladies!
-found family
-books that are great on audio

» my thoughts
I absolutely loved On a Quiet Street, so of course I was excited for this new mystery. I highly recommend going in blind & just enjoying the ride!

This author proves yet again that she is a master of writing an intricately crafted plot with twists galore & large casts of characters without any confusion.

It was so atmospheric, I felt like I was there! I could picture life in this rundown motel-turned-apartment building in the sweltering summer heat. What starts off slow burn drama quickly turns into high stakes suspense - This popcorn thriller definitely deserves a spot on your summer TBR!

Thank you @netgalley, @htpbooks, @htp_hive, & @graydonhousebooks for this ARC ◡̈

Anna delves into her late husband Henry's secrets by moving into his studio, while Cass navigates rock bottom after being cast aside by her partner and finding solace as superintendent at The Sycamore apartments. Each facing their own challenges, they uncover truths and forge connections in this captivating tale of redemption and resilience within a community bound by shared struggles.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for allowing me to arc read this book in exchange for my honest review

Loved this book!! Very thrilling story that kept me wanting more. I loved all the secrets and tension. The plot moved along quickly but still have great character development and twists.

🔲THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10 by Seraphina Nova Glass is a tense and wild read!

Told from multiple POV's, this story takes a grieving woman whose husband has died from alleged suicide, a woman whose rich partner found a younger option, and a community of others who are just making it work in this hotel-turned-apartment and turns out an entertaining mystery/thriller!

I do have to say this lands in the more campy thrillers. This is not a slight, just an observation. The characters are hilarious at times, and the main action feels a bit like hiding behind the chainsaws kind of decision making! I felt like this made it a bit heavier on the fun side vs the tense side of the scale. I did enjoy the way some of the stereotypes are highlighted and then appreciated!

Thank you to @htpbooks & @netgalley for this ARC which did publish on April 9th! If you are ready to be entertained by a fun suspense, this should be right up your alley!

Seraphina Nova Glass does it again! Such a gripping thrilling read that’s full of twists and turns. It leaves you wanting more. I did find a couple spelling errors but I know that will be fixed prior to the release date. Well done!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Vacancy in Room 10 by Saphira Nava Glass is all about a life gone wrong. When Cass, a brash young woman, gets dumped and finds herself in a dive of an appartement complex, she can’t believe her bad luck. Working as the handy ma’am, she meets several people who quickly welcome her into the fold. Through a series of poor decisions, she finds herself in a tight spot that only her new friends can get her out of. She often even wonders if she’ll live to see tomorrow. The story starts off very confusing as the characters are introduced and the plot lines run parallel to one another and don’t seem to intersect. However, the intensity picks up and the slow burn creeps in. This, ultimately, held my attention until the culmination of the storylines intersected. The story line got more intense and far fetched but I ended up loving it. I would recommend to others who enjoy mysteries.

This was such a fun read! I was hooked from start to finish and just when I thought the story was going one way the author surprised me and took it another way so I was constantly on my toes. I loved the setting of this book and the little community that was formed in this small run down apartment complex. I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a quick, fun thriller.

i did not enjoy this one. a lot of words and details but i think there was no substance to it. i don't understand the high praise this book is getting from so many people/reviews on goodreads. "best thriller of 2024"...don't get it