Such a great thrilling book. Very short but I enjoyed the writing style and how vivid some of the gore is in the book.

While this book had potential, I found it somewhat redundant, slow-paced, and lacking in depth. The narrative felt flat and could have benefited from a stronger plot, a more compelling climax, or some unexpected twists to maintain interest.

Several elements or suggestions could enhance the story:

Backstory for Isla: Developing some backstory for Isla or other characters would provide more depth and context, making her journey more engaging for readers.
Realistic Challenges: The protagonist's plan unfolding too perfectly felt unrealistic and predictable. Introducing some unexpected setbacks or complications would add much-needed tension and make the storyline more dynamic.
Conflict and Intrigue: Including a vengeful family member from John's side, an extremely nosy coworker or a suspicious class member could introduce additional conflict and intrigue, driving the plot forward and adding layers to the character dynamics.

These changes could improve the story, making it more engaging and enjoyable for readers.

I really enjoyed 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Although it was a short book it didn’t feel rushed. It made me laugh at the beginning when Isla’s personality and interests were explained and I could see a lot of myself in her. The fascination with true crime and wanting to learn more was very relatable. Don’t panic I’m not planning anything. I liked how the book was broken down into steps, I thought that was a nice way to break it up. You can tell a lot of research went into the book. I will happily read more from Dawn.

This book is an inner monologue of a librarian fascinated by murder. It reflects her internal conflict and repetitive thoughts. The book has a Dexter-feel to it at times. It also shows our obsession with true crime through her research. Where is the line between healthy interest and disturbed? Could anyone commit murder?

I would have liked to read more interaction with others. We only have her POV. Her thoughts are detailed, intense, and thought-provoking.

I would to thank NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for the ARC.

This was a great fast paced thriller. I loved that the protagonist was a librarian! I also had a fascination with true crime, unsolved mysteries, and serial killer growing up, so I found that part to be relatable. It’s scary and interesting to learn all the details of “how to get away with murder”. I was more curious for there to be more of an interaction between the protagonist and the victim but it was still a good book.

I would recommend to anyone interested in reading but I would advise to check for trigger warnings.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

This was a great thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept me guessing until the very end. I loved it.

I received this book as an arc from NetGalley.

A fast paced thriller from the pov of a librarian??? Sign me up. I really enjoyed this and enjoyed the main character. The pov being mostly in her head was interesting and I enjoyed seeing the thought process.

I thoroughly enjoyed this high-energy thriller, which is one of my favorite genres. The fact that the protagonist is a librarian adds an exciting twist. I am always drawn to stories that feature unexpected heroes thrust into chaotic situations. I quickly formed a connection with the main character and eagerly anticipated the unfolding events. This book will capture your attention.

This was such a fast paced thriller for me, which I love.
The fact that the man character is a librarian has me giddy. I love when books like this take someone you traditionally don't see as a adventurous detective and throws them right into the mess.
I bonded immediately with the main character and couldn't wait to see what happened.
This will have you hooked.

When I first started reading, I couldn't put the story down. At some point, I kept thinking, maybe the author should put a disclaimer for herself because the writing started off very convincing and knowledgeable. I read the book within a day simply because it was an interesting and fun read. However, as I continued reading, I found a lot of the book to be redundant. By this, I mean that the author would write a sentence and turn around and rewrite the same sentence in a different way or sometimes even using the same sentence twice. For example without spoilers, in my kindle, Location 1004 of 1160, "The choices I had made had set me on a path that was both thrilling and terrifying, a journey into the heart of darkness," and again at location 1020 of 1160, the exact same sentence. It's this kind of redundancy that almost had me put the story down when I was 89% through. The story just good enough for me to skip past the redundancies or to ignore them altogether and read on.

The story itself is terrifyingly good, I suggest a read at least once. I will definitely recommend to friends and family but with the disclaimer that the style of writing can seem repeating.

I am very much into true crime and serial killers, so this book was something I was excited to get an ARC for. I loved that the character, Isla, was questioning some of the very same things I've questioned myself when it comes to such crimes. This gave me an instant feeling of having something in common with her and therefore, made the book more interesting. I didn't particularly like that some things were repeated over and over and over in the book, so in that sense it became kind of redundant. Overall, this was an interesting book which is told mostly just from the inside of Isla's head. So, there isn't much dialogue or communication with anyone else but herself really. If you've ever wanted to go through the motions of planning a murder and what it takes to do it, this is a book for you.

Thank you to GoodReads and the Author for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Dawn Hemmings and Atmosphere Press for the eArc of My Dark Secret.

First book of Dawn Hemmings, who is a local author to where I am in the UK. My Dark Secret is a quick, fast paced read about Isla, a librarian who has an obsession about the intricate details of True Crime and How to Kill someone.

Over a period of years, Isla collects every detail, researches and explores the dark depths of her own psyche. Will she kill?

I remember an old saying that states that there is a thin line between getting into the mind of a killer and those who track the killers down by thinking like one. Dawn definitely portrays this within the narrative of My Dark Secret. The writing is poetic and has an almost Poe - esque feel to it. You can feel all the emotions that Isla goes through on this dark journey and even though it’s not particularly graphic /details gore. The impression of what Isla explores Is well done. I also loved Apollo, Isla’s cat. Even though he’s not mentioned much, I love his nonchalance and the cat head headers of each chapter. A nice touch.

This book really gripped me and had me turning the page to see what's next, from the beginning. As someone who grew up with family that worked for law enforcement and being an avid watcher and reader of true crime, some of the things that happen and are addressed in this book answer my own questions about whether or not the media is giving the public too much information. Anyone who is a true crime lover as well as an overthinker with a healthy (and sometimes unhealthy) curiosity will enjoy this quick read.