Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney Narrator: Stephanie Racine
Published by MacMillan Audio on August 30, 2022
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 10 hours, 54 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: NetGalley
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After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.
The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. Then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…
Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.
Psychological thrillers can be tricky for me to read. Sometimes I don’t like the characters, an unreliable narrator or a lack of closure at the end. I do tend to enjoy the more realistic feelings and actions which are portrayed but not always the ambiguity. Friends have really liked this author so I decided to try Daisy Darker.
The descriptions of everything from the storm, to the house Seaglass to the furniture and rooms is all a detailed depiction of the world. It makes it easy to see the house, the people and everything as the representations are so well written. The characters are equally well developed with all their little quirks and idiosyncrasies.
I read the blurb but it didn’t really resonate until I finished reading. It is sort of a countdown with deaths on a remote island on a stormy night and creepy nursery rhymes. It’s also Halloween. As each hour passes, we get someone’s death and also their story. Daisy is our point of view, the youngest of three sisters with divorced parents. Nana, her father’s mother, is the only one with money and they all rely often on her rather than their own efforts. She is a children’s author.
Somehow they are all here for Nana’s 80th birthday. A reading told her she would die when she was 80. She starts the evening by sharing with them her will which pisses them all off. Except Daisy. All the reactions and comments from family members begins the story along with flashbacks so we know more of who they are and how they got to now.
There is plenty of creepy intertwined with character development on a suspenseful wait to see who would die next. Twisty with surprises and reveals of many secrets as the night progresses. I was on the edge liking a character and feeling protective and then learning more about them, sometimes to understand and sometimes to dislike them once I knew them better. Nothing was what I expected but this was thrilling and wonderful. I highly recommend it.
Narration:
This was my first listen to Stephanie Racine. I really enjoyed her voices. I don’t have the knowledge to know if the dialects are accurate but they sounded good to me. Most of the story was from Daisy’s point of view and that fit well. While the voices are distinct, there is very little of anyone other than Daisy, and they are similar in tone. I was able to listen a bit faster than normal at 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Alice Feeney
Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over twenty-five languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including Rock Paper Scissors, which is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in Devon with her family. Daisy Darker is her fifth novel.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 22-COYER
I haven’t written my review for Daisy Darker yet but it was a 5 star read for me too. I loved every twist and turn!
yes, it was twisty for me.
I’m glad you loved it, Anne! This currently sits in my top five books of the year. Maybe it will end up there, we’ll see😁
I’m glad you loved it too!
What is it about being trapped on an island, especially in a storm, that’s so fascinating and fun to read about? Glad to hear this one’s so good. I’m looking forward to reading it. 😀
I hope you do and really enjoy it.
I’ve had my eye on her psychological thrillers since an earlier one’s blurb got my attention, but haven’t done anything about it yet. So great to see how much this one really got to you and had you into the characters and situation.
yes I’d like to read more of this author and her backlist.
Sounds like Gothic mystery meets Agatha. Great review!
Thank you Debbie. It was fascinating. I enjoyed it a lot.
I really like the sound of this one. I read one of her books years ago and enjoyed it but haven’t picked up anymore since then. I should give this one a try.
This was my first try with the author and it is definitely a win. I’m hoping now to read more of her backlist.
I don’t read many thrillers for the same reasons as you. But, I have heard so many great things about this one, and your review is so good!!
Thank you Wendy! I decided to try this author and I really enjoyed it.
Yes! Another one I can’t wait to listen to. Really happy you liked the narrator who’s familiar but I don’t remember if I’ve heard her before. Great review, Anne💜
I think you’ll love it. It has that bit of Agatha Christie plot with the storm and island and continuing deaths but it’s modern and clever.
Sounds interesting. I’m usually leery too about thrillers. I’ll have to think on this one.
The style is very much like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None or Lucy Foley’s The Guest List. It’s creepy but so twisty and good, very much a study of human nature.
I’ve been wanting to read this author for awhile and I think this will be the one I try. I will definitely get the audio!
I hope you love it Katharine. It was creepy and of the “And Then There Were None” trope.