I really enjoyed my time with this story. Crime, supernatural and culty vibes. Just my thing. There is some repetition but overall a great read. Also, the cover artwork is amazing. I recommend the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher.

This review is really about the narrator, not the book, so I want to be clear on that. I know this narrator is used a lot for audio books, but I have a very hard time listening to her baby like lisp. If I had noticed she was the narrator, I wouldn’t have downloaded the title. I will try to find a copy of this book to read so I can give a fair review of it

Imagine for a moment an S.A. Cosby book joining forces with King’s The Outsider. Got it? Great. Now sprinkle in a little pinch of Dilouie's The Children of Red Peak and now you are ready for A Mask of Flies; full of crime and violence and grit and supernatural terror.

This novel is insanely well thought out and the prose is that which comes from someone who is clearly a very talented writer. The story is so devilishly creepy, gritty, and grisly; complexly layered with intense, dark scenes and flawed, dynamic characters driving it all forward. My attention waned some throughout as we followed Anne around—the plot started to feel scattered about. I think I would have liked a little more of the supernatural and a little less running around (literally and figuratively). By the last quarter, I had ratcheted my listening speed up to get to the end because I felt myself thinking “get to it already”, which speaks to the length of the book which felt larger than necessary.

When all is said and done, A Mask of Flies is an incredibly imaginative story with wicked good writing but suffers at times from a bloated narrative and trying to take on too much.

Excellent narration by Saskia Maarleveld who I felt really fit Anne’s character well and who brought the story to life through proper tone and inflection.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Available 08/06/2024

This was an amazing story that was full of action, a cult, a being/creature, and childhood trauma. I absolutely devoured this book and did not want it to end. Ann begins this story by robbing a bank and is double crossed. She hides in her childhood cabin in Colorado as it cannot be easily traced back to her. Throughout this book there are constant issues that occur, and Ann is an amazing FMC who is a force to be reckoned with! I will be looking for more works by Matthew Lyons. Definitely a 5 star read!