While this book was a little slow for me to start off with. I did enjoy the spooky, Gothic vibes that the novel was throwing at me. This one is perfect for Halloween / Fall vibes.

4.5 rating up. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book. Highly recommend this book. Trouble Island comes out in December, which I believe is a perfect setting for this chilling winter thriller.

The setting of this book, I thought, would not be my cup of tea at first, but I quickly flipped. Set in 1930's prohibition era, on an island in-between Canada and America on Lake Erie, run by gangsters. There is no way to fully trust anyone or their dealings as a winter storm approaches that could leave them trapped on the island.

The pace of the book was one of the reasons I gave this book high remarks. Some thrillers have a long backstory and drag on at times, and even add things to "fluff" up the story before the big reveal. Trouble Island, however, gave details throughout as well as consistent twists in-between that contributed to a great pace and flow of the book. I never felt I had to push myself to get through the details to find out the main twist. I was intrigued throughout.

I also liked that there was only one perspective as well. There was no jumping through different perspectives and timelines to tie everything together. The simplicity of the one perspective lessened any confusion I may have had on who was telling the story and when it transpired. The main character did reminiscence past memories to explain details of her own past without jumping the time timeline entirely.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've already recommended it to my friends and family and hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

Trouble Island certainly lives up to its title. The presence of a group of individuals, consisting of two notorious mob bosses, a grieving starlet, two aspiring individuals, a convicted murderer, two law enforcement officers, and numerous innocent bystanders, only adds to the intrigue of this gripping tale. Prepare to be taken on a thrilling journey as the mystery of who committed the heinous act unfolds.

At times this was very convoluted and slightly confusing but given the POV, I felt it was very fitting although slightly frustrating going through the back and forth of the whole events. I thought that the plot was great. Pace at times dragged a little to much but over all a great mystery!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Trouble Island by Sharon Short. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. I was excited to read this historical fiction novel. It’s 1932 & we are on a remote island in the middle of Lake Erie. Right away, this Buffalo girl was intrigued. Eddie McGee is a notorious gangster, and he uses his wife’s island, Trouble Island, as a staging point for his illegal booze activities. Eddie’s wife, Rosita, lives on Trouble Island with her trusty maid, Aurelia. There are a few other staff members who stay there all year as well. Eddie suddenly appears with an odd lot of assorted gangsters & their groupies. Rosita is unhappy with pretty much everyone. Her only child was murdered, and she blames many of the people on the island. Aurelia (not her real name) is trying to figure out how to escape the inhospitable island when suddenly Rosita goes missing. The novel had great elements that somehow just didn’t hold together. It was too long & I was happy when it was over. Just eh. #bookstagram #whatiread #sharonshort #netgalley #books #bookgram #reading #goodreads #bookworm #lakeerie

I have found a new mystery author! I really enjoyed this book. Sort of a mobster mystery. I liked the way she started the book---not sure where it was going-- sort of a guessing game from the start. With lots of winding and twisting jumps in a location that was also intriguing. Perfect characters, just one of the best that I have read all the way round.

I wanted this to be a lot more compelling and suspenseful. I did not feel connected to any of the characters. The premise was great, but I thought it needed additional editing to create more suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book to review!

Trouble Island is a locked room murder mystery where not everyone is who they appear to be on the surface. When the owner of Trouble Island is found murdered after declaring that she won't sell her island to the mobster responsible for her son's death, suspicion falls on everyone trapped there on the island, each of whom have a motive for taking the woman out. But as more and more people are found dead, the truth of what happened on Trouble Island becomes even more convoluted until only the narrator remains on the Island.

I really wanted to like this book better than I did. It's set during a fascinating time of American history (the Prohibition!), locked room mysteries are fun to read and try to figure out whodunit before the characters do, and it's set on Lake Erie (which is NOT the most dangerous or deadly Great Lake, Sharon! That honour belongs to Lake Michigan.). However, much like a poorly constructed souffle, the parts never came together to make a delicious whole. The plot was just too convoluted, and I really doubt that the protagonist could survive what she did in the freezing lake, especially when hypothermia sets in so quickly. But at least the bird makes it?

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of TROUBLE ISLAND by Sharon Short from a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and enjoy the rest of your summer!

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Stars: 4.5/5

What I like about this novel is that Short ramps up the suspense from the very first page. You get the eerie sense that something is wrong, not just with the island but for all of its inhabitants. Even the flora and fauna that the author describe are somehow tethered to this ghastly place. You are on edge from the very first page, there’s no slow build (which I don’t mind either). Moreover who doesn’t love secrets and disappearances?

Another tidbit about this novel is how the narrator and protagonist are so comfortable with being ignorant at first. Yet, that same comfort in not knowing anyone’s story, in keeping her own secrets close to her chest, in not getting close to anyone on the island…they are what cause her the most fear and trepidation. She doesn’t know who to trust or where to go. She’s out on her own, even with the few people around her. And what is worse is that she’s stuck on an island near Lake Erie. (As an Ohioan, I can tell you that’s definitely not somewhere you’d want to be.)

One of my favorite scenes is something that the author called “a round robin” and all the blaring accusations are so interesting to see! This is definitely a book that I would recommend to a lover of suspense and mystery! But most of all, I love how Aurelia really comes into her own toward the end of the novel.

A twisty page-turner that takes place during the Prohibition era, with movies stars, mobsters, and murder. Trouble Island is a historical fiction/ mystery with a backdrop and characters that are drawn from the author's own historical background. I appreciated the research Short did to make the reader feel like they were dropped into the island whodunnit - where every character who is snowed in after the murder of the island's owner and heiress is a potential suspect. It took me a bit to get entrenched with the story, as there were more than a handful of suspects, all characters with intriguing backstories of their own.. A page turner with a satisfying end. Highly recommend!

Unlikeable charters on a remote island. This book was good. I liked the plot. It's a real life clue who dun it situation. All inspired by real events and places from the authors family. Full of twist.

“Trouble Island” by Sharon Short is a historical “closed circle” mystery that takes place during the Prohibition era on a remote island in Lake Erie. The novel is based on Ms. Short’s own family history which makes the premise even more compelling. The story follows a young woman who murders her husband and escapes to this tiny isolated Island to become the maid/confident of the wife of the head of a major crime family. At the same time, the wife is grieving the accidental loss of her young son during an intense gun battle between rival gangs and is looking for retribution.
This is a tale of bootleggers, murderers, victims, federal agents and constant double crosses. The book is complex and it takes a lot of concentration to keep up and figure out what’s happening. For those folks who love a Dickson Carr style mystery this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this ARC.
The author has based this book on an event from her family’s history.
I liked the atmospheric setting on an island in Lake Erie off of Ohio. The narrative was descriptive of the isolation that the main character felt. Susan is fleeing from a crime, that leads her to servitude on the island that belongs to her old friend Rosita. Everyone is hiding secrets as the winter storm roles in , trapping the characters on an island, giving this book an Agatha Christie vibe.
The book was a great “locked room” mystery with many plot twists.

I really enjoyed this book. As the island is about to be cut off from the mainland murder is discovered. Everybody there has a motive and everybody is guilty of something. The story is full of twists, turns, and deceptions. I like historical settings and relatable characters. Short has written a very good first book and I will be keeping an eye out for her next one.

This book was amazing and I was drawn in from the beginning. The author painted such a great story with the worlds I could clearly see it all! A solid read

I just couldn't get into this one. I was intrigued by the premise but from the opening pages I struggled with the writing style. I can't exactly put my finger on why, but I couldn't connect with the characters at all and did not feel drawn into the plot. It just wasn't a good fit for me.

Trouble Island, a book of suspense that takes place during Prohibition, tells the story of Susan Walker and others, how they ended up on Trouble Island and working for Rosita McGee and a murder that Susan Walker finds herself in the middle of and her involvement.

This book was riveting from page one! The characters are well developed and portrayed as real. And given that the story takes place during Prohibition, there's a taste of reality in it. We see a murder take place and Susan trying to solve it in a situation where everyone is fair game, which we find out over time. The story kept me in suspense and has such a great twist that you just can't and don't see coming!

A great book for those who love suspense, plot twists and realistic stories from Prohibition!

The era of prohibition, bootlegging, lawlessness, during the thirties is depicted on Trouble Island with gutsy clarity. It’s a time in history most of us don’t remember, hard to even imagine how different times were. I knew about the many shipwrecks and the notorious bootlegging between the US and Canadian borders on Lake Erie. This story really brought to life a mix of ordinary people and the atmosphere into perspective. It was a time when women married to escape poor circumstances only to find it could and would get worse. There’s always been class disparity, even amongst criminals. Trouble Island is no exception, there are hierarchies of wealth and power even amid thieves, gangs, wives and the servants. Each time I thought I knew who was lying, a murderer, a traitor, a victim, a survivor or the one who going to make it out alive, I was jolted by another surprise. There are innumerable double-crosses, betrayals, duplicities and so many prevaricators, I could not find anyone to trust. It’s a dark, gritty slice of Americana and I learned new pieces of history. I believe history and mystery readers alike will appreciate the plot. Thanks so much to Minotaur/St. Martin’s Publishing for providing the Advance Reader Copy (via NetGalley) of Trouble Island by Sharon Short. Publication expected 12/03/2024. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

I want to thank Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-kindle ARC in exchange for an honest review
Aurelia Esclante aka Susan Ward is whisked off to Trouble Island to protect her from arrest and prosecution for a murder she committed, that of her husband. This begins the intrigue to figure out who killed her benefactor’s wife, Rosita McGeee. Taking place in the 1930’s gives you some idea of the times-bootlegging, prohibition, gangsters, murders etc. Trying to keep her true identity secret, she sets out to figure out who the murderer is, since she is the main suspect. There were a great deal of twists and turns since there were a fair number of characters on Trouble Island, that had reason to want to murder Rosita.
Each character had a different tie to Rosita’s husband, a powerful gangster deep in debt. You will have to pay attention to figure things out and follow the narrator (Aurelia) who tries to explain all. You will enjoy the romp through a time your parents or grandparents lived through, that of of the Roaring twenties, depression, and the rise of the FBI.
My only major concerns were that it took about a third of the book to get interesting and there were just too many twists and turns.