A missing husband? A wife and kids abandoned on an island while camping? This book had all the beginnings of a good story. I was intrigued right away wondering where the story would go. I soon found myself not engaged. I really enjoyed the flashbacks that showed us red flags from the beginning and how they built up all the way through to the ending. I can’t say I’m terribly satisfied with the ending. I was hoping it would be a different outcome, although I appreciate things being wrapped up. Rating this one 3 stars. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Mystery | Adult
[Image of the cover of the mystery novel Into the Fall, by Tamara L. Miller (2025)]

When Sarah Anderson wakes up in the tent, her two kids are sleeping as usual, little mummies in their sleeping bags keeping them warm against the late-season chill, but her husband Matthew isn’t there. She gets up, pushing down a sense of unease, and enjoys the beauty of the lakeside wilderness still so accessible from their Ottawa home. Matthew is nowhere to be found. A sunrise swim, she surmises, annoyed that he left her to manage the family breakfast alone, especially since the moody fall weather has made Bella a sullen camper and irritated older sister to Charlie. Eventually Sarah discovers the canoe is gone too, leaving her and the kids stranded until he returns. He never does. Thus opens Miller’s first novel about marriage, family ties, loyalty and deception. The cover describes it as a thriller, but it’s more of a mystery, though even that is a bit of a stretch. I liked this one a lot – the author has created a complicated plot that is slowly revealed. The story heads off in one direction and then takes a sudden turn more than once, making this an entertaining read for me. The ending was both surprising and a wee bit of a letdown, leaving me feeling quite sad, which was not at all what I expected to feel. Sarah as a character is fascinating, though I have a feeling I wouldn’t choose her as a friend … My thanks to publishers Thomas & Mercer for the advance reading copy provided digitally through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210481961

I had a hard time getting into this book. It might be the mood I am currently experiencing. As I have written with other reviews, I am a major mood reader.. I may give this book another shot when I am in the mood for a good thriller.

Sarah and Matthew have hit a rough spot in their marriage, but when Matthew suggests a family camping trip to one of his favorite spots, Sarah is hopeful that things are improving. It’s fall, and with a storm on the horizon, Sarah is a bit apprehensive, but Matthew knows what he’s doing. After turning in early, Sarah wakes the next morning with Matthew gone. Did he go for an early canoe ride, a swim? When he doesn’t return, Sarah sounds the alarm. Matthew is missing. When the search turns up no trace, Sarah and the kids must face a life without Matthew. The search into Matthew’s private life brings up more questions than answers. Who and where is Matthew? Is Sarah hiding something? The investigators seem to think so, but Sarah remains adamant that she knows nothing. Will they ever have definitive answers? A nice debut by Miller. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book was not it. I struggled through the whole thing. The back and forth stories got confusing and it just feels flat in the long run.

This was a very average run of the mill thriller, but I really did enjoy the writing style and my favorite thing was the descriptions of the scenery and the lush forests mixed with the water. I would read again just for the vibes, however if you have read a lot of thrillers/mysteries this will not shock you. So depending on what you are looking for, would determine if I would actually recommend to you or not.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for my early e-arc.

Thank you Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer Publishing for an eARC ♥️

_Oh, The Secrets We Keep!_

The story follows Sarah Anderson, a woman who seems to have it all - a thriving career, a beautiful home, and two adorable kids. But, as we all know, appearances can be deceiving.
Sarah's marriage is on shaky ground, and her world is turned upside down when her husband, Matthew, vanishes during a family vacation in the breathtaking (and terrifying) Canadian wilderness. As Sarah searches for her husband, she must navigate treacherous terrain, both physically and emotionally.
With the help of a kind-hearted rural lawman, Sarah embarks on a yearlong journey to uncover the truth about Matthew's disappearance. Along the way, she must confront her own dark secrets, reconnect with her estranged sister, and dodge the suspicions of a slick city police officer who's watching her every move.

My Thoughts:♥️

Honestly, I was hooked from page one! The author's writing style is engaging, and the characters are so well-developed. I loved how the story unfolded, with secrets and twists popping up at every turn. The Canadian wilderness setting added an extra layer of tension and suspense, making this book a true page-turner.
I appreciated how the author explored themes of marriage, family, and identity. Sarah's journey is not just about finding her husband, but also about discovering herself and confronting her own demons.

Sarah Anderson has a career in the world of theatre, a nice home in Ottawa, Canada and two young children, but then her husband Matthew vanishes without a trace during a family camping trip up north. Eventually the trail goes cold, launching Sarah into a quest to find her husband.

This book is very impressive for a debut novel and I was quite captivated wondering what could possibly be coming especially after the revelations at about 50%. Not only is there the mystery surrounding Matthew's disappearance but also some family drama as Sarah reunites with her sister and also uncovers some startling information about her husband's past. Personally I wouldn't class this as a thriller but it kept me involved right to the end.

Tamara Miller, the author, is a Canadian and the story takes place in the Ottawa area and points north. I'm glad to add her to my list of favourite Canadian authors. Also, take a moment to admire this cover!

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this debut. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: February 1, 2025

★★★

A family’s weekend getaway turns into a horrific nightmare in the Canadian wilderness. When Sarah wakes up, she cannot find her husband, Matthew. Stranded with her two young children in the midst of a brewing storm, she feels helpless. Fortunately, a widower out on the lake rescues Sarah and her kids, enabling them to alert local rescue teams to search for Matthew.

However, Sarah’s evasiveness during the police interview immediately makes her a suspect, and it’s clear she’s hiding something. When Matthew’s case shifts to a passive search and he is essentially declared a missing person, Sarah reconnects with her sister. Together, they try to shield the children, Bella and Charlie, from the worst of the investigation and the growing suspicions of the police. As Sarah sorts through the family’s documents to make sense of their situation, she uncovers a mysterious key—one that will change her life forever.

This is a strong mystery debut!

Tamara L. Miller does a fantastic job of describing the rugged Canadian wilderness. Her love for and experience with the outdoors clearly shine through. I appreciated the hint of local folklore, but I wish it had been expanded just a bit more, as I believe it could have enhanced the story overall.

There were a few minor inconsistencies that can be forgiven in a debut, but the ending felt a bit flat for me. I also want to address that this is not a suspenseful psychological thriller, as claimed in the blurb. As a reader, I find this kind of mislabeling incredibly frustrating, and I don’t think it serves the author’s best interests.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tamara L. Miller for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

Into The Fall By Tamara L. Miller
Publication Date: February 1, 2025
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

Into The Fall is an atmospheric, tension-filled domestic thriller filled with secrets! I was SHOCKED to learn this was Miller's debut novel, as she really seemed to masterfully share the mystery within this story.

This book is about Sarah and Matthew, who take their two children on a canoeing and camping trip to a remote part of Ottawa, Canada. While camping, Matthew inexplicably goes missing. When questioned by local law enforcement and encouraged to share everything with them, Sarah decides to keep the recent troubles in their marriage a secret because she knows Matthew will be back soon. As time goes on, the reader soon discovers that there were so many more secrets in their marriage than just some recent troubles.

I felt like this book could be divided into two parts: the first half leads up to a massive secret about Matthew... And the second half is about the unraveling that this secret causes in the life of Sarah and the family. This was such a fast read, with multiple timelines and different POVs of the story's characters. I loved the way the multiple timelines shared the secrets in slow bits until everything came together. I wish the ending would have potentially had a little more depth to it - I felt like after waiting so long to find out what really happened, I wished I could have had just a little more. However, I enjoyed the epilogue immensely!

If you're a fan of missing person reads, books that take place in remote settings, or domestic thrillers about shocking family secrets...Into The Fall will easily be a book you'll love!!

#IntoTheFall #TamaraLMiller #ThomasandMercer #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARCs #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #mystery #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

Sarah is loving an average life - work going much better than her personal life. Then, her husband - who plays a role in their failing marriage, goes missing during a family vacation. Eerie vibes as she is lost in the Canadian wilderness. Isolation during a storm coming raises the stakes.

She gets some help from a lawyer to find her husband, but feels she is the only one working to actually find him. She is questioned as the prime suspect at first by the police, and in her search for the truth, she reconnects with other family along the way. You get a glimpse at their relationship with past POV in addition to the present going through the search.

This was just okay for me - I liked the premise and the mystery of what really happened to Matthew. I also love the past to present POV to give the whole picture. I would read more and give this author a change with another novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 2/1/25

Into the Fall by Tamara L. Miller is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the unraveling of both a marriage and a woman’s sense of self. When Sarah Anderson’s husband, Matthew, disappears during a family vacation in the remote Canadian wilderness, she is thrust into a world of uncertainty and danger. As she embarks on a year-long search for him, she faces not only the harsh elements of the Canadian Shield but also the hidden fractures in her own life, relationships, and past. Miller masterfully combines suspense with emotional depth, creating a narrative that’s as much about self-discovery as it is about mystery. With vivid descriptions of the wild terrain and sharp, nuanced characters, this novel keeps readers on edge while exploring themes of loss, identity, and the dark truths we often hide from ourselves.

I can’t believe that this is a debut author! This twisty full of secrets page turner feels like it was written by a seasoned author. I can’t wait to read what Tamara L. Miller comes up with next.

This debut novel was definitely a read in one sitting, page-turner for me. It was a mix of thriller, family drama, and lots of secrets. Without giving too much away, the book centers on Sarah, a married mother of two, who runs a theater company in Canada. One fall weekend she joins her husband and children on a camping trip in the Canadian forest. On the second morning of the trip, Sarah and her children wake up to find her husband Matthew missing from their campsite with no evidence where he went. After calling the police, a forest-wide search starts, leading to more questions than answers.

The book is told in a past and present timeline, which I really enjoyed. When Sarah starts to put pieces together, she is stunned with what her reality could be. Over all this was a great debut book and loved the characters and concept. I highly recommend to my psychological/ thriller friends. Publishing 2/1/25.

I wanted to say thank you to the author, Tamara L. Miller, NetGalley and the publisher Thomas & Mercer for this advanced reader copy of Into The Fall.

This moves back and forth in time to tell the story of Sarah and her husband Matthew who disappears while the couple and their children are on a camping trip. Matthew has secrets. So does Sarah but leaving them without a canoe and with a blizzard on the way, well, that's too much. Veteran thriller readers might not find some of the twists too surprising but Miller has added atmospherics to ramp things up. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

During a family camping trip into the Canadian wilderness, father/husband Matthew disappears in the night without a trace. Some of the details don’t seem to add up in his wife Sarah’s story, and police begin to question her motive. The story is engaging and fast pasted, with several twists along the way to keep you guessing.

Although this book kept my interest, the storyline and mystery fell flat for me. I kept wanting more from it. However, I really enjoyed the setting descriptions, especially as it takes place near my hometown.

2.5 stars. It was okay.

This one took some time to get going, picked up pace, but fizzled out in the end. I felt the husband’s PoV was sort of a cheat; if we were going to see it through his eyes anyway, why drag it out? I wasn’t a fan of the many PoVs, in fact. Also, “ya” instead of “yeah” was oddly jarring!

I was given the opportunity to read this book prior to the release date. I love a good mystery, and the book captivates your attention from the start. The book begins with the Sarah’s husband going missing while they are on a camping trip. I liked that the book hooked you in from the beginning. The story also alternated between the past and present which I liked, and also by the end had the POV of her husband too.


Overall, this is a gripping thriller that keeps you hooked from the beginning to the very end. If you’re looking for a good popcorn thriller, I do recommend this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview Into The Fall. This is a family drama rolled into a mystery.
This novel goes back and forth in time and centers on a Canadian family who go on a camping trip in the ‘wild’ and the husband disappears. At first the there appears to be no issues within the family dynamic but as the book progresses, the cracks are revealed.
Sarah and Matthew on first glance are a loving couple with two children. This trip is a camping adventure made at the spur of the moment is supposed to be lots of fun.
But there is a simmering problem under the current of their marriage. Matthew has been distant lately and Sarah is aware that their relationship is on the brink of collapse. But maybe there is hope.
But Matthew disappeared suddenly and cannot be found. But Matthew has a habit of disappearing in the past. And the police are called to investigate the incident. Where is Matthew. Because he seems to have vanished in the wilderness and there is no evidence he is alive or dead.
And soon the police are starting to question what is going on with the family members because things don’t seem to be quite right.
Very well written. 4 stars

Another reason to avoid camping: you may wake up and your husband is gone. This is a familiar storyline I've read before, yet it's so well done here that I was fully engaged right away and couldn't stop reading. I finished this book in a single afternoon. 

The writing was descriptive and immersive, and the characters mysterious, with increasing depth as the story progressed. The mystery of Matthew's disappearance and the secrets Sarah was holding onto gripped me in a way I rarely encounter with a mystery,  especially a shorter one. With chapters alternating between Matthew and Sarah's past and present day, the story layout kept me invested from start to finish.

This character driven mystery is a fast read and was an excellent way to spend a cold afternoon. I simply adore this author's writing style and will definitely be picking up future books.