Unfortunately I have decided to DNF this one, it wasn't for me.
I will continue to check for future books from this author as I like to give author's a second chance and I won't be put off from DNF this one for my future reads.

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

Liked: Mysterious body found behind the Teague family house, deep family secrets

Disliked: 2 storylines and I was all but uninterested in the non-Teague family storyline

I was immediately drawn in by the premise—a dark family mystery set in a childhood home after the death of their mother. Three siblings return to Teague House to settle her affairs, only to discover human remains on the property, including a freshly dug grave. Secrets from the past begin to surface, and it seemed like the perfect setup for a tense, chilling story.

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the promise. By the halfway point, the story felt stagnant. Conversations dragged on without real confrontation, and the few clues that surfaced didn’t add much momentum. None of the characters were particularly likable, and I especially felt that Maddie’s detective subplot added little to the main narrative. I would have loved to see flashbacks to Val’s earlier life and her connection to Nate Belter—that could have added depth and intrigue.

The setting was atmospheric and, at times, hinted at something truly eerie—almost like it wanted to lean into horror—but then shifted into a political-suspense angle that didn’t fully land. In the end, I was hoping for more tension, more twists, and a creepier payoff.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts are my own.

part mystery, part drama, filled with suspense, weird characters, and nothing is really as it seems to be at first. a wild ride of a gripping read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an advanced copy for an honest review.

*What Remains of Teague House* really pulled me in with its mix of family drama and small-town mystery. It starts with three siblings—Jon, Sandra, and Robby—returning to their childhood home after their mom dies. They’re not just dealing with grief and old tensions, though. Pretty quickly, a shallow grave is found in the woods behind the house, and things spiral from there. That creepy discovery leads to even darker truths about the past, and suddenly the Rawlins family is at the center of a decades-old mystery.

One thing I really liked was how the story unfolded through different perspectives. You get the siblings' views, their aunt’s memories, and the insight of a private investigator named Maddie. Her chapters were my favorite—she’s got her own baggage, but she’s sharp and not afraid to stir things up. The book does take its time setting everything up, but I didn’t mind it too much because the characters felt layered and real. The house itself almost felt like another character—full of tension, secrets, and history. It was the perfect setting for all the slow-building unease. Some twists genuinely surprised me, and even the ones I saw coming still worked because of the emotional impact behind them.

Final thoughts: This isn’t a fast-paced thriller, but more of a steady burn that pays off with mood, atmosphere, and family secrets that hit hard. If you like mysteries that dig into relationships as much as they dig up bodies, give this one a shot.

A dark murder mystery family drama is what a good thriller is all about! Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a dark plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn’t bad, but there were a lot of POVs, so sometimes I had trouble following what was happening and needed to re-read. The plot was a bit predictable and I figured out what happened by the time I reached the end.

I think this book had potential, so I would read another one of this author’s books. Not sure I would recommend this one.

This was the perfect, creepy, horror read. I didn't want to put it down and couldn't stop thinking about it when I had to step away!

Told through multiple POVs, this book brings to life the depravity behind the secrets families keep. As the story unfolds, we’re given a window into the lives of each adult child that is mingled with flashbacks that reveal their lack of nurturing or stable parents during their childhood. I really appreciated the layered perspectives and the gradual unraveling of their childhoods, which helps explain who they’ve become. That said, I found myself wishing for more chapters from the mother’s point of view to help better understand her motives. Overall, it’s a thrilling whodunit with haunting family dynamics and deeply rooted trauma.

*Thank you to Stacy Johns, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

What Remains of Teague House was an engaging read with a compelling mix of mystery and family secrets. Stacy Johns does a good job building atmosphere and keeping the plot moving, which makes it hard to put down for long. However, at times the characters felt a bit underdeveloped, and some plot twists seemed a little predictable. Overall, it's an enjoyable book if you're into small town mysteries, but it might not leave a lasting impression.

I think that this book fell victim to the fact I read a book very similar to the themes displayed in this book and was able to guess the ending from the beginning. Although, the thrilling and mystery aspects of the story there were aspects that I enjoyed so that is why it received a 3 star rating. The ending allowed for some fun and interesting aspects that was enjoyable. The characters had flaws that were interesting and believable showing a questionable back story to each character as the story was moving forward.

I look forward to seeing what else Stacy Johns brings when there is another book written. They have the abilities to make amazing novels that will become an all time favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an e-ARC for an honest review on the book.

Very interesting story. I enjoyed it, and would recommend it to a friend. I also enjoyed the cover art a lot.

I thought that the plot was interesting and that it had potential.

The pacing felt too slow and there's too many characters so it can be hard to keep up with them and the flow of the story, also to care about them bc I don't think we get to know them enough for that.

It would've been so much better if it focused on the thriller aspect and not so much on the life of the characters.

Wasn't a fan of the ending, felt like an easy thing to do from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

“We are not responsible for the actions of our parents.”

What Remains of Teague House by Stacy Johns
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Siblings return to their family home to bury their mother but end up uncovering something forgotten from their dark past.

FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
Thank you @PoisonedPenPress and @NetGalley for this copy of #WhatRemainsOfTeagueHouse !
This felt slow and fast at the same time. I was convinced I knew exactly what was happening the entire time, which I absolutely did not and I was left with my jaw ON THE FLOOR. Family secrets and difficult dynamics made this all the more enjoyable!

**Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital copy of this book.

This book follows siblings Jon, Sandra and Robby as they return to their childhood home to lay their mother to rest. While there, they discover human remains, one very recent, in the woods. While trying to figure out who the remains belong to, they uncover many dark family secrets. Private detective Maddie Reed joins in on the investigation when she hears about it, as she believes one set of the human remains belongs to somebody very closer to her.

Full of dark secrets, family drama, murder, whodunnit, human remains and a bit of an occult twist. I have never read anything by this author, but after a quick Google search, I was shocked to learn this was her debut mystery/thriller novel. I must say this was not written like a debut mystery/thriller. It was a quick and easy read, the plot was easy to follow, the characters were well developed, and the overall story was really good and something kinda different. This is why I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I look forward to more mystery/thriller books from this author.

What Remains of Teague House by Stacy Johns  is a mystery novel about the Rawlins family and the bodies found on their property.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


I believe this is a debut novel, and I'm always happy to discover a new author.

I struggled at the beginning of this book, as there seemed to be a lot of characters.  However, there weren't really that many, and I believe it was just the method that they were introduced that created the confusion.

The story is told in two time-lines, and through the perspectives of a number of characters. and while this often works well, and adds complexity, this time it again, just added confusion.  However, if you really paid attention, it was okay.

The plot was intriguing, but rather slow moving.  Until the end, which I found to be rushed.

Overall, it was good, but it could have been great.  I will be watching this author.

Another disappointing read. Flat characters and it felt like a slog reading it. I’m on a disappointing streak of reading lately.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.
2⭐️

This was great!! for a debut, it was really good! It was mysterious and spooky. I loved the dysfunctional family. Would highly recommend for spooky season!

I wish I could give feedback on this book. I requested this book when it was still possible to transfer on Kobo.

I'll update this review once I read this book on my own.

ARC/completed with audio

Not bad for a debut mystery novel.

I started out eyeball reading this one and finished with the audio since I found it on Spotify.

I know with a lot of mystery/thrillers there is not always a lot of dialogue. But for me this one was a lot of inner thoughts working their way through the past and whatnot. Maybe that threw my interest off some. I need a little more dialogue between the characters.
So at about 52% I found it hard to hold my interest so I swapped over to audio which helped me through the end.

Now the ending didn’t surprise me too much. I kind of had figured it was one or the other and then as it got closer I had picked my person. And I was right.

Thanks @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the opportunity to read this debut novel.