A thriller with surprisingly deep character work and an intriguing mystery. The setup is relatively generic, but the depth of the characters and the mysterious happenings kept me turning pages at top speed. I could not put this book down and when I had to, I craved to return to it.

Lanie’s been renting her island to make ends meet. She recently became the guardian of her niece and the change caused a dramatic shift in her life. There have been weird things happening on the island. Renters are reporting strange things like wind chimes made of bird bones, strange symbols in what looks like blood and other occurrences. Lanie is tired of the vandalism and decides to really investigate. Maybe these pranks are more than they seem? She has to bring her niece, but some old friends also show up. It doesn’t take long for everything to go sideways, and the build-up is enjoyable. These characters have history and though some of it is predictable, the interactions are believable.

One aspect I thought was interesting at first was that the book mentions the pandemic. It helps place this story in the real world despite the mystical scenario and it was welcome. I do think the author mentions it way too many times to carry any weight after the halfway point, but so many other things are going on it doesn’t matter too much.

Lanie is the star of the show and her characterization is quite relatable for me. She tries her best to not inconvenience others while blaming herself for things that are out of her control. She rationalizes things that are irrational and once the evidence is irrefutable, accepts it. Her inner voice is constantly talking and that depiction is spot on. I love her character as well as the others. Her niece is exactly how I would picture a teenager nowadays, her ex-husband is all you could want in a man. Some of them fit specific archetypes, but they are way deeper than that. As a reader, I wanted to discover their relationships and pasts so much that I couldn’t stop myself. I’ll leave the rest of them to your discovery.

The mystery unfolds at a gradual pace, allowing the characters to work through some of their issues. It plays out like a tense therapy session dangling from a cliff. It makes sense too! None of them want to die with any regrets and you’ll be on the edge of your seat wondering who might be next. The reveal behind the happenings is interesting, but nothing that hasn’t been done before. I did enjoy the ride so much that the destination was inconsequential. A great, quick read with significant character depth and a thrilling mystery. I look forward to seeing what else Armstrong has in her repertoire!