Fantastic book. I loved the storyline, the characters and I was up all night reading this. The only bad thing was that it had to end. Definitely 5 stars for this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jillian's best friend disappears when they were young. Ever since Jillian has been on the lookout for her. One day at the grocery store she sees a woman that looks like her friend Becky.
On Jillian's family land there is a truck trailer filled with girls that have been killed. Is Jillian's husband Tucker involved?
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher Joffe Books.

The Girls In The Basement: by Steena Holmes was an excellent psychological thriller full of shocking twists and turns throughout and it was so addictive. Once I start to read it I could not put it down, I just wanted to find out what happens next! The Girls in the Basement was told by the point of view of four of the characters, you got a feel of how they felt and the history of them all, which made this book excellent and easy to follow.

I highly recommend it and a great holiday read.

I absolutely underestimated this book! Chapter one, hook, line, and sinker. The rest of this book had me in a chokehold, unable to put it down or think of anything else. The storyline ended up being something completely different than I anticipated- and it was amazing. The fluency of the story, the pacing, the anticipation. I both loved and hated the FMC, Jillian. I wanted better for her and hated the decisions she made, but her character was so likable that you can’t hate her overall.

I cannot recommend this story enough. I’ve been underwhelmed with popcorn thrillers that have so many twists you lose plausibility. I anticipate this to be a crowd favorite among thriller readers! Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC!

The Girls in the basement by Steena Holmes follows Jillian who realises the man she married isnt who he claims to be. A good book that deals with a lot of issues. Thank you for the advanced copy.

Brillaint read. emotional. Character fab and real life feelings. Kept me on the edge of my seat right to the last page. Jillian was a brave women and never gave up on her friend, although cannot understand staying with her husband.

This dark and tragic fictional story is about a very horrific and frightening reality; the kind of reality every parent has talked to their children, especially their daughters, about.

While this covers a tough, tough topic I felt the author did a good job shedding light on how large these cells can be and how the “monsters” who engage in this could be anyone.

Thank you NetGalley, Steena Holmes, and Joffe Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.

This was released April 10th and is available to read for free for Kindle Unlimited members!

What would you do if the man you’d been married to for 20 years, began to give you doubts about the person he claims to be. This is where Jillian finds herself, in Steena Holmes book, The Girls in the Basement. Jillian’s seemingly perfect family life becomes disrupted by the discovery of trailers on her new property that hold the remains of numerous bodies.

I love reading thrillers and this one caught my attention. It was an engaging book that was hard to put down as secrets began to unravel. I also really enjoy books where chapters are written from multiple perspectives, and this book did not disappoint!

The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because I felt the ending wrapped up quickly and left me with remaining questions. Yes, I would recommend this book, and I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC copy.

I am so glad I got into thrillers, particularly psychological thrillers a few years ago. I’ve read so many good ones and I have to say that The Girls in the Basement is firmly in that category. I loved the way Holmes creates nail biting tension while depicting daily life and struggles. I found myself quickly feeling connected to Jillian and her struggles which made it all the more tense.

It’s clear why Holmes is a New York Times bestselling author. They know how to craft a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat while making their characters completely human. I won’t spoil anything but I will say I loved the twist and lead up. I was guessing all the way to the end and despite thinking I’m rather good at being an armchair detective I didn’t guess the twist!

If you are looking for a pacy, thrilling read you will love this one.

As always thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours, Joffe Books and Netgalley for the copy to review. My review is always honest, truthful and freely given.

📱E-Book Review📱

The Girls In The Basement
Steena Holmes

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Back on September, I read The Twin by this author. Having really enjoyed the writing style and content - one of my favourite genres - I knew that I'd love to read more.
When I spotted this new release, it was the perfect opportunity and choice.

Once again, we see some content here that makes for an uncomfortable read.
I actually love this, because it highlights some topics that authors tend to shy away from - but please do check out the content warnings before reading as this does get pretty dark and gritty in places.

I was pretty much hooked from the start of this and felt on edge as the story starts to unfold gradually.
This is told via different pov chapters, which I loved because it really was able to give us a real sense of character as we delve into each of their motivations and their thoughts and feelings start to reveal themselves.

I was quite suspicious in general with this one, just because of the nature of some of the behaviour and the different threads spanning years.
I wasn't sure who to trust and where to look for clues to make my theories and so tended to just get carried along with the story.

I really enjoyed the writing style, again.
It puts you on the edge of your seat from the off and although it gets quite disturbing in places, these are well written events that just hook you in further.

This one leaves us with some questions at the end. I'm not sure whether this is meant, in keeping with that overall uncomfortableness though.
Overall, another great read and I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.

If you like books where tension grows little by little and where you have no idea where and how far the writer can go... this book is for you!! I loved it and can only warmly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller!

Would I Recommend It?
Yes! If you like books about secrets, missing people, and family drama with a mystery twist, this is a great read.
The story was full of mystery and kept me guessing.

Steena Holmes delivers a chilling and suspenseful ride in The Girls in the Basement, a psychological thriller that grips you from the very first page. With a masterful unraveling of secrets and tension that builds steadily, Holmes pulls readers deep into a web of intrigue, trauma, and hidden truths.

The pacing is sharp and deliberate, keeping you constantly on edge as each revelation peels back another disturbing layer. Holmes excels at crafting complex characters and emotionally charged scenarios, making the suspense feel personal and intense. The twists are not only unexpected but skillfully executed, leading to a climax that is both shocking and deeply satisfying.

What stands out most is Holmes’ ability to balance fast-paced plotting with emotional depth. Her writing draws you into the minds of her characters, making their fears and discoveries feel incredibly real. By the time the final twist lands, you’re left reeling in the best way possible.

The Girls in the Basement is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers who crave a story that keeps them guessing until the very end. Steena Holmes proves once again that she knows exactly how to keep her readers on the edge of their seats.

The way my anxiety skyrocketed? Unreal. Sweat. Panic. Heart pounding like a drum in my chest. Y’all—you don’t understand. I was on edge, silently begging that boy to stay put, praying the bad guys would just go away. And B? It felt like our hearts were beating in perfect sync—every thud echoing in my ears like a countdown.

This book had me in a chokehold.

10/10 do not recommend reading it in public or listening while driving unless you want to scare strangers or miss your exit—because you will be gasping out loud.

But…

100/10 recommend it to a friend who lives for twisty, psychological thrillers that grip you from the first page and don’t let go.

The Girls in the Basement by @authorsteenaholmes is out today (grab it on Kindle Unlimited or paperback), I’m still recovering.

Yes, it deals with dark themes—human trafficking is part of the plot—but it doesn’t get graphic. If you love Criminal Minds, SVU, or true crime stories with a pulse, this one’s for you.

I was lucky enough to read and listen to the advance copy—and let me tell you, the audiobook is stellar. The narrator had me hanging on every word.



Huge thanks to @joffebooks—y’all are on fire with these releases.

rounding up from 4.5 stars

When I received the chance to read this as an ARC I jumped on it. I had read it's predecessor, The Sister Under the Stairs, when it was originally published as Lies We Tell Ourselves. That being said, this book reads really well as a standalone so no worries if you haven't had the opportunity to read it.

I actually enjoyed this one even more! I found it more engaging. It continues the search for Andrew Rawlings but that's more of a backstory. This book focuses more on a young family with secrets of their own that have you questioning whether they are victims or perpetrators. As well as the motives of the local sheriff and townspeople.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Girls in the Basement by Steena Holmes is a chilling domestic thriller that explores the question " What if the evil you fear isn't on the outside.. but already inside your house?"

For Jillian Harper the move to a farmhouse in Montana was supposed to be a fresh start for her family. But when a tip off to the local police states that there are bodies buried on the Harper's property, Jillian's world quickly spirals into chaos. Jillian's husband Tucker was the one who bought the property for a great price in cash, but says he had no idea about it's past or the bodies. Soon Jillian notices Tucker acting strangely, having hushed conversations, periods of time when he is just gone, etc. Does Jillian truly know her husband and what he is capable of?

This is definitely a dark and emotionally layered novel so check out the trigger warnings because some topics are traumatic. This was such a solid thriller layered with an ominous sense of tension and dread. The suspense is well placed even though this is a slow burn type of thriller. There are a lot of characters but as you read on everything comes together. I would have liked a little more resolution at the end but still I enjoyed this novel. I will definitely check out more work by Steena Holmes!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Steena Holmes, and Joffe Books for this ARC!! Publication date is April 10th 2025.

Steena Holmes crafts a chilling domestic thriller in The Girls in the Basement—a story that digs beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect life to unearth secrets darker than anyone could imagine.

Jillian Harper thought she knew her husband, Tucker. After twenty years of marriage, a quiet move to a farmhouse in Montana was supposed to be the fresh start their family needed. But that illusion quickly crumbles when bodies are discovered buried deep in their land—bodies that have been hidden for years. As the small town buzzes with suspicion and law enforcement closes in, Jillian begins to notice her husband’s odd behavior: unaccounted time, evasive eyes, and a phone conveniently turned off during the chaos. The more questions she asks, the more terrifying the answers become.

Holmes masterfully ratchets up the tension, weaving in psychological unease and the dread of betrayal from within. Jillian’s slow unraveling, her emotional turmoil, and the suffocating suspicion that the man she loves may be capable of unspeakable horrors, keep readers glued to the page. The rural setting adds a haunting atmosphere—isolated and idyllic, yet hiding nightmares beneath its soil.

What makes this book especially gripping is its emotional core. Holmes doesn’t just deliver plot twists; she explores the devastation that comes from realizing the person you trusted most might be a monster. The suspense is well-paced, the characters deeply flawed yet relatable, and the final revelations leave a lasting chill.

The Girls in the Basement is perfect for fans of domestic thrillers like The Couple Next Door or Behind Closed Doors. It’s a haunting tale of secrets, trust, and the terrifying idea that sometimes the darkest evil isn’t outside your door—it’s already inside.

It was my first time reading something by this author and it enjoyed it right until the end! It has been a solid thriller, I was engaged, wanted to know more and hem it ended!! A few things were answered but lots weren’t, the ones that were weren’t answered satisfactorily and had there been a few more chapters laying it all out, this would have been 5 stars!

Leaving huge chunks out means 3

Dark Tale Well Told From An Interesting Perspective. First, I gotta give props to Holmes for the way she handled the trigger warning in this book. I personally prefer them to be on the author's website so those (like me) who prefer not to have any spoilers at all going into the book can have that experience, yet those who need/ want trigger warnings can still find that information as well. (Also, to be clear, Kindles automatically begin just after the table of contents in a book, so if a trigger warning is included at that spot, it *cannot* be easily skipped.) This noted, if you as an author are going to put one at the front of the book... maybe use a version of the one Holmes used here. ;)

As to the actual story here, it is one of those slower psychological thrillers where you *know* some *dark* stuff is going on largely behind the scenes... and even get the occassional glimpse of it from other characters... yet getting our main character to the point of seeing that which she has spent a lifetime not seeing.... takes some time.

One good thing that Holmes chooses here that keeps the book from going even more into the darkness is that while *some* aspects of the behind-the-pages darkness make it onto the page - enough to get a glimpse of all that is happening - that particular element isn't shown as much as perhaps some readers may want. Instead, Holmes focuses much more on the views of the wife who thinks her family is finally safe and can live a normal life... except that she keeps catching her husband having hushed conversations about... something. This, to me, is the far stronger storyline as it is one of the *less explored* stories in the genre generally.

There are a lot of characters here, absolutely, and while it can get a touch tough to track them all in the beginning, as the story plays out it does become much more clear who is doing what and when, particularly in the rather explosive climax.

For those who prefer their stories ended in nice little bows that wrap up every single thread... yeah, this aint that. And is actually a stronger tale because of it... and, perhaps, one that means that Holmes intends to come back to this world. Time will tell. ;)

Very much recommended.

The Girls in the Basement isn’t the first book I’ve read by Steena Holmes—and I already have another one waiting patiently on my Kindle TBR queue, which says a lot!

Once again, the author delivers a solid, dark, and twisty suspenseful read that I genuinely recommend to all fans of the genre. I’m not sure if it’s her engaging writing style, the vivid and insightful descriptions, or the powerful, haunting theme she explores—but I could clearly picture each scene playing out in my head.

That said, we don’t get all the answers. There are events from the past that I wish had been explored more deeply, and a few characters who definitely deserved better closure. Were these gaps intentional? If so, all those dark, intriguing backstories would make for a fantastic sequel—and I’d absolutely be on board to read it.

A gripping, dark and twisty thriller. 4 shiny stars!