I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

EVERY SWEET THING IS BITTER is a suspenseful and well-written story about a woman's disappearance. It's also about so much more. The author does a superb job of exploring themes of generational trauma, friendship, and family ties. I especially admired how the author portrayed the development of Providence's relationships with Sara (who takes her in) and her younger sisters. These relationship change over time, which seems realistic. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep mystery lovers satisfied. At the same time, this novel should appeal to fans of literary fiction and women's fiction given the importance of the relationships to the narrative, especially Providence's struggles to deal with past (and present) trauma. There is also a great sense of place, which the author conveys with just the right amount of details. The mood here is gritty but never overwhelmingly dark. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Crewson's novel is dark and gritty, but also a very tender look at familial relationships and queer coming of age in a small town. She strikes the right balance of literary exploration of those relationships with a very compulsive and well-paced mystery. This book could appeal to both literary fiction and crime thriller lovers!

4.5 stars

A captivating debut! Providence Byrd left her hometown in the back of a police car 13 years ago and never returned. Now out of prison, her mother has gone missing and she is returning to the Nebraska sandhills to assist in the search.

Being from the UK, I actually learnt a lot from this book! I think it captures a moment in time in the midwestern US, with discourse on religion, reproductive rights, racism and republican politics (unintended alliteration here). The context of the majority white town and the neighbouring reservation community was really interesting, particularly the links to alcohol and addiction.

It reminded me a lot of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects - but with an LGBT main character! The story explores various complex relationships, from family to law enforcement to ex-lovers. Through great twists and brutal writing, we learn about Providence’s traumatic past. Ultimately, this book is a question of healing - but through revenge or redemption?

“𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴?”

Overall, this is a domestic/crime/queer/suspense novel that gives you a little bit of everything!

“𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦. 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸.”

This is the type of book that I want to read for the first time a few times.

Providence has returned to her hometown to help try and locate and figure out what exactly happened to her mother. But even just driving into down, all of her old secrets and problems push right up to the surface. Being faced with them, and faced with the memories of abuse she just keeps pushing forward and digging harder in what could have happened to her mother.

The suspense in this book was top notch and something about it reminded me of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, there were points where I felt like the pages were turning themselves. An absolute must read if you ask me.

4.5 /// Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter by Samantha Crewson is a striking and emotional debut that masterfully blends mystery, thriller, and literary fiction. The story follows Providence, a deeply introspective protagonist who returns to her rural Nebraska hometown to face her past and search for her missing mother. The vivid descriptions of the setting draw you into the stark beauty of the landscape. This is a novel best approached with little prior knowledge (as I often view mystery/thriller), as its twists and turns are part of the allure. The pacing of the revelations kept me hooked from the first chapter, though one significant twist felt slightly rushed and underexplored towards the end of the novel. It was also left mostly unresolved, which was obviously a decision made by the author but I kind of think it could have deserved a bit more page-time. Despite that, Crewson's prose is captivating and full of poignant reflections on grief, trauma, and resilience.

Providence's relationship with her best friend (and true sister) Sara, an Oglala Lakota woman, is a highlight of the book. Their tender moments and shared understanding bring emotional depth to the story, shedding light on the familial trauma that haunts Providence. The representation of Indigenous culture feels respectful and thoughtful, although I did not see if Crewson has a direct connection to the Oglala Lakota or the region.

This novel delves into heavy themes, including familial trauma, cycles of violence, and the struggle to forge a new path amid pain and loss. Crewson balances these weighty topics with a narrative that's as gripping as it is heartfelt.

Content warnings are essential to note: the book includes depictions of violence, self-harm, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and references to physical and sexual abuse.

If you’re drawn to emotionally charged, introspective stories with layers of suspense, Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter is a compelling and memorable read.

Thank you to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for an Early Reading Copy!

Providence Byrd’s mother has been missing. She returns home after having spent many years locked up in prison for having run over her mother. Her hometown is a place she wishes she did not have to go back to; haunted memories, trauma and an abusive father await her there. But there are also her sisters, who she feels guilty to have left behind all these years. She wasn’t able to protect them. 


I appreciated how this book includes a content warning right at the beginning and how it described complex trauma in such a raw, human way. Providence’s rage and jealousy as she observes those around her having safe and loving parents felt so real; the grief of a lost childhood suffocates her throughout the whole novel. Her relationship with her sisters was complicated and thankfully not sugarcoated, which made their story feel so real and intentional, showing how trauma affects every person differently and how there isn’t just one way to look at situations.


The plot twists and pacing in this novel were so so good!


A stunning debut that left me crying in bed at 1 am. It is so much more than a crime mystery; it is about generational trauma, queerness, friendship, grief, sister love and so much more.


Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an early copy of this beautiful novel!

very complex and interesting characters, a beautifully done story, and an amazing main protagonist confronting herself, her past trauma, her instinctual self harm, and her sense of identity in this thriller that's more than just a thriller. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

A very impressive debut from Samantha Crewson! This novel is identified as "upmarket crime/suspense," which is not a combination you see all that often, but absolutely nails what to expect from this read.

Crewson's line level writing is absolutely stunning. The tone of the novel is firmly established on page one and stays consistent throughout. Dialogue, setting, and characterization are all spot on, uniting together to make for an atmospheric, immersive, and emotionally hard-hitting read. Tone is so important in a suspense novel, and this novel has it in spades!

This book tackles difficult topics like familial abuse, drug addiction, and the general narrow-mindedness that permeates small-town Americana. The cast of characters is complex - not all (or even most) are likeable, but they are hellishly realistic. The POV character, Providence, has a clear, strong voice, and, despite a charged backstory, is easy to root for. Providence is a product of her circumstances, and she fits solidly within the "willing to the wrong things for the *right* reasons" archetype. This makes for a tense and twisty reading experience.

The storytelling in this debut was masterful - a real page turner that took my breath away with fury one moment, then beauty or pain the next. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down. This is most definitely a debut to watch for 2025!

This is probably my favorite thriller of the year! There were so many different twists. I was hooked from page 1!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Thirteen years ago, Providence Byrd threw the family car in reverse and ran over her mother. Even though her mother survived, that single instant of teenage madness made Providence a felon and irrevocably altered her life. When her mother disappears years later under suspicious circumstances, Providence tells herself that returning home is her chance to find closure after a prolonged estrangement from her family. Never mind that this is only half of the truth: she’s also returning to finally confront her abusive father, Tom Byrd. Nothing can stamp out Providence’s certainty that he is guilty of whatever terrible thing has happened to her mother.

As the search unfolds, Providence is haunted by the wounds of her past, none of which cut as deep as the distance between her and her younger sisters. Harmony and Grace are both uniquely scarred by her attempted matricide, and both have their own idea of what reconciliations might look like – if reconciling is even possible. Harmony urges Providence to make their father pay for his sins; Grace begs her to end the cycle of violence that has haunted their family for generations. As her thirst for vengeance collides with her desire to heal her relationships with her sisters, Providence must decide which she values more: revenge or redemption.

Great character development. This book was very gripping! 4 out of 5 ⭐️

Every Sweet Thing is Bitter is a gripping and poignant crime fiction debut by Samantha Crewson. Providence is a proud single and childless lesbian who reluctantly returns to her hometown when her mother goes missing. After years estranged from her sisters, Providence hates to be back home under the eye of her controlling and violent father. But she is certain that there was foul play, and she won't rest until she finds answers herself about her mother's disappearance.

This novel gripped me from the beginning, and I was amazed by Crewson's character development. Providence is nothing you expect from a female main character in a crime novel. She's a woman who has made serious mistakes in her past, for which she is unapologetic. This crime and trauma from her youth follows her as she tries to solve the mystery and look out for her younger sisters.

If you like out of the box female characters who are badass, resilient, and unafraid to be themselves, this book is for you. If you also like crime thrillers that don't center police or detectives, pick this up. This is a book that will keep you up reading until you finish and pull your heartstrings simultaneously. Already I wait with bated breath for Crewson's next novel. Get this on your TBR!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This book is definitely a must read, I could not set the book down once I started reading it, there are parts where it was not easy to read but that helps the book make its points for sure.
I am normally a really good pattern finder but I was in suspense during this whole book up until right before the twist when I finally figured out what had happened. And then I had to go back and see if there were any signs that I had missed.
The comparisons for this book are spot on they are all raw and the imagery is fully there throughout the book.
I think that everyone should give this debut book a chance and give it all the love it deserves

4.5 stars! This book is so much more than a book about a missing woman. This thriller and mystery had so many plot twists and the ending I did not see coming.

Providence’s story is one of redemption, strength and familial love. It’s a story of how trauma can affect children— I liked that each daughter had their own way of coping and they have been all affected differently.

I thought I was getting a crime story with a queer female character but I got so much more! A definite must read!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Ex-con Providence returns to her hometown to search for her mother who has gone missing. The catch is that Providence has not long been out of jail for running her mother over 13 years ago.

As Providence reunites under duress with her abusive father and the 2 younger sisters she barely knows, she has to face up to her past and the effect her actions had on her sisters. She also wants answers from those adults who knowingly turned a blind eye to the abuse she lived with at the time of the incident, and that her sisters are still living through.

This book is very well written. The characters have been well presented and the multi-faceted Providence has been written with honesty and grit.

The story is addictive, it weaves its way through complex social challenges such as alcoholism, sexual abuse, racism, and gay rights and does it in a thought provoking way.

A great read but do take notice of the trigger warnings.

This book starts with a content warning, unlike many other books with such a warning, this is absolutely needed. The author tells you what to expect, if you aren’t up for it right now, or maybe ever, don’t read it. We are talking about abuse, self harm, addiction, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The book is well-written, the story never letting you go completely. Providence is a main character you both hate and love, much like some of the side characters do. The book never is an easy read, there are some beautiful moments in, moments that show light and hope in darkness. Overall the book is bleak, but it shows a lot of strength in different ways.

Not a fun and light read, definitely one to recommend for when you want something with substance.

***Do I want to read an “upmarket suspense debut”?***

“Upmarket suspense debut” is the phrase the publisher uses to advertise this first book by Samantha Crewson. I have seen the label upmarket being used for books for quite a while now. But I never looked up what it exactly means. Turns out, the internet and Google come up with a plethora of definitions. All seem to have in common that it means a book that blurs the lines between “literary” and “commercial”, that is, being a compromise between being art for the sake of art and being sellable to the masses. This very much sounds like a book which everybody is currently reading, and which TV hosts and book clubs discuss in public. Also, a book I might be less inclined to read next, since I already missed the hype. But since this comes as an advance review copy und thus not many people have read it already, I give it a shot.

This is the story of Providence Byrd who has not been home for thirteen years, after she committed a brutal crime which threw her in prison and exile. She returns now, after her mother went missing, to participate in the search and potentially to reconnect with her estranged family. The plot is propelled forward through her point of view. It is concise and attention-grabbing and sucks me into the story immediately. The style is visual, the language beautiful. Like describing towns “… across the Midwest [that] comfort travelers with vestiges of a livelier past, like hollowed-out car factories, grain silos rusted from disuse, ...” But not Annesville, Providence’s hometown: “Instead, there are three liquor stores lined up along the main road like unfelled dominoes ...”

Also, the bittersweet chokecherry fruit that keeps appearing throughout the book, being not only the signature fruit of the land but also aligning with the mood of the story. With few exceptions, none of the characters are innocent or pleasant. And one is outright evil, with only one way to redemption: “Our father must die.”

While the story speeds along towards the inevitable climax, many complex characters enter the story and secrets upon secrets turn up. So many secrets, so many plot twists! Turns out that this is exactly the book I wanted to read, and I read it in one long session. I realize it ticks many of the boxes for “upmarket”. But it turns out that the label does not matter. This is simply a good book—get it and read (and do not care about the book club)!

(based on an ARC from NetGalley)

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. WOW! I have not read a new author whose writing was this good in quite a while. A true talent. A heavy storyline that weaves suspense into what is a deep and twisty tale of sisterhood, familial relations, and an all around great mystery.

This was a pretty good book! It had a lot going on at times which made it confusing, but overall it was enjoyable to read! I think the characters were likable

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Providence Byrd’s mother goes missing, and she returns to her rural Nebraska hometown to help search for her. But it isn’t an ordinary homecoming—Providence hasn’t been home in 13 years, and several of those years were spent in prison for committing a felony. Returning to the town where she suffered years of abuse at the hand of her father blends her past and present together in uncomfortable ways.

This novel masters the idea of the grey area. Your hometown can be the place where you won softball tournaments and ate delicious chokecherry pie, and the place that triggers your deepest traumatic memories. The people you know can love you completely, and they can fail to be what you need in ways that actively harm you. Parents don’t always love their children. Soulmates are not always romantic partners. The past happened then, and it’s happening now.

I think anyone who revisits their hometown after moving away can relate to the time warp of going back. The cyclical nature of things, where nothing seems to change except you. Providence’s journey home is more harrowing than most. While the novel doesn’t shy away from visceral depictions of abuse, none of them feel gratuitous; they all exist as experiences that made Providence who she is. I wouldn’t exactly call this a coming-of-age story, but we do get to see Providence grow to inhabit her own power.