Ehhh. This one did remind me a lot of THE FAMILY PLOT. The writing was suspenseful, but overall everything felt tropey.

This book kept me on my toes and left me guessing until the very end.
I didn't know what was coming next or who to trust. Totally left me feeling blindsided.

I'll be the first to admit that this book had a tough time hooking me from the get-go. The beginning was slow, and with so many characters introduced at once, it was hard to connect with any of them on a deeper level. But once the plot picked up steam, I found myself becoming invested in the story.

The turning point came when the bodies were discovered, and the family's secrets began to unravel. Only then did the book became a page-turner and I became invested in seeing how the mystery would unfold.

If I'm being honest, the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have loved more subtle hints and clues throughout the book to make the reveal feel more earned. It felt like all the explanations were saved for the very end, which made the conclusion feel a bit disjointed due to lack of foreshadowing.

Despite some missteps, I still found this book to be an entertaining read. While it didn't quite hit the mark for me because with the book description, I thought I would be getting a more fast-paced, action-packed read. Still, I appreciate the author's attempt to craft a complex, layered story. With a bit more attention to pacing and character development, I think this book could have been truly unforgettable. As it stands, it's still a 3 star read.

Wanted to like this one but there was not enough happening to keep me invested. Nothing really went on for a good 75-80% of the book. Even thereafter, there were few big moments and it was very underwhelming and not satisfying at all. Very slow pacing and an extremely predictable plot.

I wanted to enjoy this story, however I felt like the pacing became a battle to stay focused and interested in the characters. I don’t think we have enough intrigue or backstory from the characters to truly sympathize with them enough to formulate the halting twist I was hoping for. Decent read but I felt as though it fell flat.

I went into What Remains of Teague House expecting something different. A murder mystery, yes, but something darker. Now, there is a murder mystery, but more than anything, this book reads as a commentary on family dynamics with a sprinkle of dead-bodies-buried-in-the-woods added for some flavor. If that is what I was expecting, I do think I'd have enjoyed this more, so keep that in mind before you jump in.

That being said, Stacy Johns did an excellent job with writing her characters. The reader gets an amazing sense of who these people are ((for better or worse)) and their individual POVs mix so well while still allowing each character to remain distinct. I most enjoyed Maddie's story and Aunt Phil's chapters, but I also really liked that the siblings were shown as flawed people with lives and stuggles outside of the grief and turmoil happening in the wake of their mother's death. ((I'd read a whole spin-off series based around Maddie, or Aunt Phil's travels, for that matter!))

As far as plot, there is a lot happening in this book. Maybe a little too much because some connections feel flimsy, and parts of the storyline feel disjointed. Things seem to be building and progressing fine, then a certain point hit, and I was stuck with a bewildered: "Okay... this is what we're doing?" But even through that, the writing keeps you invested in the mystery at hand, and maybe that's the most important thing.

I think this will be ideal for fans of murder mystery lite and challenging family dynamics. Also, if you love your settings to be atmospheric and feel like they have a life of their own, this book hits the mark.

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Stacy Johns for this complimentary copy.))

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a complimentary early release copy of What Remains Of Teague House by Stacy Johns.

What Remains of Teague House is an interesting but slow story, it is told through various perspectives which I enjoyed. There are quite a few characters in this story and I sometimes found it hard to keep track of relationships but otherwise it was okay. The thrilling bits did feel thrilling but I just thought they could have used a bit more of punch/gory feel to them. Some of the reveals felt rather underwhelming and when stuff eventually gets revealed I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to see how things had played out from other people despite us getting so many perspectives. The ending of the story was a bit disappointing, the work up to that moment felt good and I liked how it was playing out but then it fell flat for me.

Overall the writing is nice and descriptive, while I wasn’t too pleased with some of story elements What Remains Of Teague House was still an entertaining read with interesting characters.

Oh how I wanted to love this book more than I did! Instead it ended up being just an okay read! 🫠

From the start, each chapter introduced a new set of characters which left me trying to figure out how they were all connected and caused a bit of confusion at first. Pace started out slow until the bodies are found and then it picked up! 👏

One specific character and her storyline could have been completely left out as she really didn’t add anything to the story. The ending felt rushed and the whodunnit was predictable. 😒

As I said, it was an okay read and I would still recommend others checking it out! Not every book is for every person! 🤓

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

TW: suicide

I love books about big houses full of mysteries, and I love family dramas. This delivered on those fronts, I loved the premise and setting for this book.

There was a lot of promise in the beginning of the novel - I was really intrigued by the mystery and how it was unfolding - but as time went on I felt like I was waiting for more to happen. There were too many POV characters and not enough focus on the ones that really mattered. The way things were resolved was clever, but it felt rushed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

this book unfortunately fell very flat. there wasn’t much that went on the entire book, which isn’t great for a mystery/thriller. there was finally a dusting of build up about 80% in but even then it was too late and caused the ending to be unsatisfying. there were hardly any big wow moments or events to keep things interesting and moving, and what did happen was so confusing or small it didn’t help the story at all. i also feel like we didn’t get enough backstory on some of the characters, especially ones mentioned more towards the end of the book. it felt like the characters in the story knew things about everyone and what was happening and kept it to themselves, leaving the reader to try to piece it together with nothing but crumbs. the ending of the book gave me whiplash because for one, everything was thrown out at a rapid pace and so far out of left field i wasn’t sure how we got there. and two, basically nothing from the rest of the story added up to us getting to that conclusion. overall, just very disappointed in the story’s execution.

Good read but the ending seemed rushed. The character development was incomplete. Good twist though.

3.5 Family drama, human remains found in a pet cemetery, and murder 🙌

I just finished the arc for “What Remains of Teague House” thanks to #NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All thoughts are my own.

The atmosphere was spot on…moody, eerie, and full of tension. The crime mystery at the heart of the book kept me engaged, especially with the discovery of human remains (a clever nod to the title) in the woods behind Teague House. The family drama was another strong point, with every single member feeling suspicious in their own way. I love when a book gives me a tangled web of characters to question, and this one delivered on that front. The multiple POVs also worked well in adding layers to the story, letting us see different perspectives on the mystery.

Now, onto the parts that didn’t quite work for me. I usually don’t mind a big cast, but this one introduced too many character backstories too quickly. Instead of easing into who these people were, it felt like I was getting bombarded with details about them before I even had a chance to care. That made the beginning feel overwhelming. Another issue was that the book seemed to stretch a few simple plot points over and over. The first 20% set up some intriguing developments, but then those same elements just kept getting repeated instead of the story progressing in a meaningful way. By the halfway point, I found myself getting a little exhausted.

The story had a lot of potential with its eerie setting, mystery, and shady family dynamics. If you love slow-burning crime fiction with an atmospheric feel, you might really enjoy it. But if you need a story that keeps evolving instead of circling the same points, this one might test your patience.

n her debut novel, What Remains of Teague House, Stacy Johns crafts a compelling mystery that delves into the complexities of family secrets and the shadows of the past. The narrative begins with the sudden death of Val Rawlins, the family matriarch, prompting her three adult children—Jon, Sandra, and Robby—to return to their ancestral home in Oregon. As they confront their personal struggles and the strained dynamics among them, a chilling discovery is made: multiple graves hidden in the woods behind Teague House, one of which contains the remains of a recently deceased local woman known to the family.

Johns employs a dual-timeline structure, seamlessly weaving between past and present to reveal the Rawlins family's buried secrets. This approach enriches the narrative, gradually unveiling the events that have shaped the family's current turmoil. The atmospheric setting of Teague House itself serves as a character, its dilapidated state mirroring the family's fractured relationships and the haunting mysteries that lie within its grounds.

The characters are intricately developed, each grappling with their own demons. Jon mourns the loss of his wife, Sandra faces challenges in maintaining long-term relationships, and Robby attempts to conceal his recent separation. Their individual narratives intertwine, creating a rich tapestry that explores themes of grief, guilt, and the enduring impact of family legacies.

While the plot initially unfolds at a measured pace, focusing on the family's internal dynamics, it intensifies with the macabre discovery in the backyard. The introduction of private detective Maddie Reed adds a layer of intrigue, as she endeavors to untangle a mystery that spans decades. Johns' writing is both evocative and suspenseful, keeping readers engaged as they navigate the twists and turns of the Rawlins family's story.

What Remains of Teague House is a promising debut that combines elements of suspense, family drama, and psychological exploration. Stacy Johns' ability to create a haunting atmosphere and complex characters suggests a bright future in the mystery genre. This novel is recommended for readers who appreciate slow-burning mysteries that delve deep into the human psyche and the secrets that bind families together.

After their mother dies, Jon, Sandra, and Robby return back to Teague House their childhood home. But two days before the funeral, they found a shallow grave in their woods, which had a local woman buried beneath. After the police arrived, 5 more bodies were uncovered. The siblings left with uncovering the truth of Teague House.

What remains of Teague was one of those murder mysterious that you were trying to fit together the puzzle peices right along with them only to be completely wrong in the end. The family drama gave the extra depth this story needed, 2 timelines and all the secrets. This book is what I mean when i say i want to read a murder mystery thriller. This book releases April of 2025!

Thank you to @netgally @poisenedpenpress @authorstacyj for an earc in exchange for an honest review

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This book was great, it took a turn I didn't see coming. These 3 adult siblings go home when there's a death in the family, but they start to expect their younger sibling as having something to do with it.

What Remains of Teague House is a mystery thriller that took some time to hook me. The slow start almost made it a DNF, but by the sixth chapter, things picked up with the discovery of bodies and a family under investigation. A private investigator with her own agenda added complexity, making the story more engaging.

I appreciated the multiple POVs and character backstories, though the frequent timeline shifts—jumping between the Teague siblings’ childhood and present-day events—were sometimes hard to follow. I also struggled with how unprofessional the cops and investigator were, which made parts of the investigation frustrating.

The small-town setting was oddly withheld until later in the book, but once the plot gained momentum, it delivered solid suspense and twists. Despite some flaws, I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to murder mystery fans.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, NetGalley, and Stacy Johns for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this novel intrigued me—siblings returning home after their mother’s death, bodies buried in the backyard—but unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite deliver. Maddie’s storyline felt unnecessary and boring, and the ending was a bit far-fetched for my taste. It reminded me of Jeneva Rose’s Home is Where the Bodies Are Buried, though Rose’s book was far more engaging.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC!

This was so good! I loved how it was a blend of domestic drama and murder mystery. Not sure what I was expecting, maybe something really creepy based on the cover. But I am so glad I got to read What Remains of Teague House.

The Rawlins siblings gather together in their childhood home after their mother dies. Not long after, bodies are found in the woods nearby. It's hard not to connect this to their father's suicide years ago and the fact their mother went mute after. But one of the bodies was put there recently. So there's someone who knows about the site and is also a killer.

When the youngest Rawlins sibling is implicated in the more recent murder, his brother and sister have incentive to figure out who else could have done it. To get answers, they also have to finally find out what exactly happened when they were kids. Was their father really a serial killer or was there something else going on?

I thought What Remains of Teague House was so well written and kept me intrigued from beginning to end. There were plot twists and simmering tension throughout. I suspected everyone and was on the edge of my seat! I highly recommend everyone read What Remains of Teague House.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow—this book was dark in the best possible way. From the moment the Rawlins siblings step back into their childhood home, you can feel the weight of their family’s secrets pressing in from every corner. And then, of course, there’s the little problem of the bodies buried in the backyard—one of them fresh.

Stacy Johns does an amazing job of weaving together past trauma, fractured family dynamics, and a mystery that keeps unraveling in unexpected ways. The characters are messy, flawed, and so real that you feel like you’re sitting in the room with them as they piece things together (or fall apart trying). I loved private detective Maddie Reed—she’s tough but deeply personal in her investigation, and the way her own history ties into the case adds another layer of intrigue.

The twists? Fantastic. Just when I thought I had a handle on what was going on, Johns threw in a revelation that completely flipped everything upside down. And the atmosphere? Creepy as hell. The house itself feels like a living thing, full of whispers and long-buried sins.

If you love a slow-burn psychological thriller with eerie family secrets and a mystery that just won’t let go, What Remains of Teague House is a must-read. It’s chilling, emotionally charged, and absolutely gripping until the very last page.

🪦 W I L D W E D N E S D A Y review 🪦 featuring “What Remains of Teague House” by Stacy Johns!

BOOK RATING: 🖤🖤🖤/5

The Rawlins siblings (Rob, Sandy and Jon) have gathered together after the passing of their mother at Teague House (their childhood home). Each sibling had a love-hate relationship with their mother and hope to bury their dark family history along with their mother, sell the family home and move on with their lives.

When a burial site is discovered on the property containing multiple bodies, all eyes are on the Rawlins family. The most disturbing part is that one of the graves looks freshly disturbed and belongs to a local woman that they had ties with. What exactly have the siblings discovered about their parent’s checkered pasts?? And who else has been buried in the woods?? Are any of these bodies tied to numerous unsolved mysteries from the community??

Readers get tangled up in a web of dark family history riddled with secrets, lies and cruel intentions. This story is told through dual timelines AND multiple POVS from the Rawlins family members and a private investigator.

Thank you kindly to @Authorstacyj @poisonedpenpress @netgalley for my #gifted digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on April 8, 2025!