One Dark Summer is about Meg, who visited her cousins in the manor one summer after her mom went missing. She believes her mom was linked to the other women who lived in the house, due to a painting where she was wearing a family heirloom.

I thought One Dark Summer was a solid mystery thriller. The time jumps confused me briefly, but it was easy to fall back into the story. It kept me entertained and it read pretty quickly.

I received One Dark Summer through a book tour through Boldwood Books. My thoughts and opinions are my own

One Dark Summer is a slow-burning mystery that takes time to get into, but don’t give up on it because, trust me, it gets better. Sarginson has a talent for rich, immersive storytelling, which, as the story progresses, becomes addictive. You feel for the character of Meg and want to believe that she will get the answers she has been searching so hard to find.

This is a novel that not only explores the impact of parental loss at an early age but also the unreliable nature of memories and how trauma can cause barriers to retrieving them.

I love a plot that provides insights from multiple perspectives, and One Dark Summer is cleverly written in this respect. It helps to not only fill in the blanks but also compels the reader to continue; you need all sides of the story to complete the narrative and work out what happened in the past and what is happening at Deben Manor now.

Identical was my first introduction to Sarginson's books, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was drawn to One Dark Summer by the blurb and the prologue had me hooked!

Moving between the past and present the story is narrated from multiple POV, and split across three parts.

I found the characters beguiling, making me doubt their credibility, while the twists had me doubting myself.

The setting of Deben Manor was perfect. Old houses always tend to be hiding secrets behind their doors and they're not always pleasant.

The perfect binge read.

‘One Dark Summer’ is a great psychological thriller. There are quite a few twists throughout the book. Though I figured most of it out, it was still a fun read. Shorter chapters added to the suspense. 4 stars

This was a good book with so many twists and turns! I like how it was told through different viewpoints!

One Dark Summer
by Saskia Sarginson
Pub Date: Apr 13 2025

One Dark Summer is a nail biting thriller that moves between the past and the present. The first half is rather slow but after that it is definitely worth the wait! It's a house full of deadly secrets, a missing mother and a forgotten child. The book takes on a gothic air such as "Jane Eyre". Many twists and turns, a book I'm sure you will love!

Synopsis: It was the summer that changed everything… With trembling hands, Meg knocks on the door of the large manor house. Behind her, the view down to the river is spectacular. She’s here to be the nanny to two young children. It’s not the job Meg is anxious about, though. It’s the house itself that scares her, and the secrets lurking inside. Not only that, but will her new employer recognize her?

Many thanks to #OneDarkSummer #NetGalley and #BoldWoodBooks for providing me an E-ARC of this 5 Star psychological thriller!

Saskia Sarginson's One Dark Summer audiobook is a gripping psychological thriller that immediately plunges the listener into a world of buried secrets and simmering tension. As Meg arrives at the imposing manor house under the guise of a nanny, the sense of unease is palpable. Sarginson expertly crafts an atmosphere where the stunning scenery is juxtaposed with the sinister undercurrents of the past.

The premise itself is instantly captivating: Meg returns to the very place where her mother vanished fifteen years prior, a summer haunted by her own chilling belief that she committed a murder. Disguised as Margaret, the nanny, her mission to uncover the truth is fraught with danger, particularly the unsettling possibility of her employer recognizing her.

The audiobook format amplifies the suspense. The narration effectively conveys Meg's internal turmoil, her fear of discovery, and her unwavering determination. The descriptions of the manor and its surroundings become almost characters themselves, imbued with the weight of past events. Sarginson masterfully withholds information, slowly revealing fragments of memory and suspicion that keep the listener guessing alongside Meg.

One Dark Summer is a compelling exploration of memory, trauma, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. Sarginson creates a claustrophobic atmosphere within the grand setting, where every interaction is laced with potential threat. This is a well-paced and absorbing thriller that will keep you hooked until the final, unsettling revelations.

This was a quick and fun read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written suspense filled with twists that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
An intriguing story with characters who draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself gripped, turning the pages, not knowing what was to come next.
It was suspenseful, mysterious and unpredictable.

Deben Manor holds secrets that refuse to stay buried in this atmospheric, emotionally rich mystery that pulled me in with its layered characters and slow-burning intrigue. After her mother’s mysterious disappearance, Meg spends a formative summer at her cousins’ sprawling estate. Years later, under a new identity, she returns—determined to uncover the truth that has haunted her for years.

What begins as a quiet re-entry into a once-familiar world gradually unravels into a complex exploration of grief, memory, and the shadows families keep hidden. I loved how the story wove between past and present, gradually revealing the emotional threads that bind these characters. While the transitions between timelines felt a bit jarring at first, they ultimately added to the fragmented, unsettled tone that suits a mystery of this kind.

The characters truly shine in this story. Meg is a deeply compelling lead, and the evolution of her relationships with her mother and cousins is heartfelt and beautifully written. The emotional growth across timelines gave the story a sense of depth and authenticity that made the quieter moments feel just as meaningful as the reveals.

Though it leans more toward mystery than fast-paced thriller, the atmosphere, character development, and emotional undercurrent make this a standout read. If you love stories that center around old houses, long-buried family secrets, and the quiet unraveling of truth, this is a book you won’t want to miss.

Remarkable! Couldn’t put down. The ending was a bit rushed, as if the author thought that its getting too far, but managed to end it beautifully. Maybe that was what it needed.

Recommended 100%!!

overall the story dragged a liittle for me, it's about family secrets. it has slow moving start but kept me intrested.

This was a quick fun read! I will admit that I skimmed through a lot of it, as I found it to be somewhat predictable (it reminded me of a Lifetime thriller). Nevertheless, if you're into domestic thrillers, you might enjoy this book.

Looked forward to reading this book as I have enjoyed her previous publications. Was disappointed and find it very hard going and admit to finding this book very hard to get into and just couldn't get into the story. Eventually put aside and started a new book Apologies to the author!
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publishers for allowing me to read and review this book

Saskia Sarginson’s One Dark Summer is a haunting, slow-burning novel that masterfully peels back the layers of a family’s dark and tangled history. From the very first page, you’re drawn into a world where secrets linger just beneath the surface—and as the story unfolds, the weight of those secrets becomes almost suffocating.

What begins as a quiet narrative quickly turns into something far more intense, as lies are exposed and the truth proves more disturbing than imagined. Sarginson weaves tension and atmosphere beautifully, allowing the emotional unraveling of her characters to reflect the chaos brewing beneath their carefully maintained facades.

This is a story about the destructive power of buried truths and the liberation that comes from finally facing them. It’s gripping, emotionally complex, and deeply unsettling in the best possible way. One Dark Summer will stay with you long after the final page—and it serves as a stark reminder that some secrets refuse to stay hidden.

This book will pull you in immediately! I could not put it down, read it in one night and then couldn’t sleep! Definitely recommend if you like a good suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Put down the Freida McFadden and pick up a copy of One Dark Summer by Saskia Sarginson.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the eARC.)

4.25 stars from me—a fast-paced, twisty thriller with big *gothic summer mystery energy* 🖤

Meg returns to Deben Manor fifteen years on, to find out why her mother disappeared and what exactly happened that summer. She thinks she killed a man here. Now she’s back to find answers.

She’s undercover as the nanny to her cousin’s children. But someone remembers her, and they’ll do anything to keep the past buried.

I loved the eerie atmosphere, dual timelines + the slow-reveal secrets. A couple plot points were a bit wild, but I couldn’t stop reading. 🫢

Fans of dark family secrets, rich people drama, and layered mysteries ~ this one’s for you.

This is an average read, but not what I would call a psychological thriller, it’s more of a mystery, as I felt no tension. It’s very slow and ponderous, and I skim read quite a bit of it. The jumps between timelines are jerky, no smooth transitions, and this interrupted the flow of the narrative for me.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This is a dark and twisty thriller. When Meg accepts a job as a nanny at Deben Manor, she's haunted by a secret from her past. Meg has another reason for returning to Deben Manor, and soon after she arrives, she starts to receive anonymous notes that are threatening in nature.

I chose this book because I typically enjoy books with a manor house setting, or something similar. I particularly enjoy this type of setting for a thriller or mystery novel, and I really liked how the author worked with that setting. I found myself questioning the intentions and motives of some of the characters - even Meg herself. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and I thought the author did a wonderful job of building suspense. This book actually reminded me of authors like Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine and Erin Kelly, so I wonder if fans of those authors would enjoy this too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Saskia Sarginson’s One Dark Summer is a slow-burning, atmospheric psychological thriller that pulls readers into a tangle of memory, guilt, and long-buried secrets. With a hauntingly beautiful setting and a protagonist on the edge of unraveling, this novel blends suspense with emotional depth in a way that keeps you turning pages late into the night.

The story centers on Meg, who returns under an alias to the very house where her life splintered fifteen years ago—the summer her mother vanished, and she believes she killed a man. Now, posing as a nanny to the same family, she’s determined to uncover the truth about that pivotal summer. But the house hasn’t changed. Nor has her former employer. It’s Meg who’s different—and not just in name.

Sarginson excels at creating a sense of creeping dread. The house itself feels like a character, holding its breath, guarding its secrets. The tension builds slowly, with flashbacks and present-day clues revealing just enough to keep readers guessing. Meg’s internal conflict—torn between the need to remember and the fear of what she might uncover—is deeply compelling.

The novel also explores themes of identity, trauma, and the fragility of memory. Meg’s disguise isn’t just physical—it’s psychological. As she slips back into a world that shaped her, she must confront not just the events of the past, but who she was, and who she’s become.

While the pacing may feel deliberate at times, it mirrors Meg’s own hesitation, her tentative steps back into the darkness. And when the revelations come, they’re both satisfying and chilling, with a twist that lingers long after the final page.

One Dark Summer is perfect for fans of domestic suspense and psychological thrillers, especially those who enjoy stories where the past never truly stays buried. It’s a gripping, emotional ride that asks: What if the worst summer of your life wasn’t what it seemed?

I love dual timeline books and this thriller had a lot of intrigue, plenty of twists and turns and a great final showdown. I would recommend for lovers of twisty thrillers. It started off quite slow but did pick up towards the end.