Not planning to dress up, hand out candy, or spend Halloween partying with the ghosts and goblins? Then I have a better idea. Turn down the lights, grab a cozy blanket, pour yourself a glass of wine, and prepare to be thoroughly creeped out! I absolutely devoured The Unknown by Riley Sager! This deliciously eerie, spine-tingling thriller is packed with sinister secrets, unsettling discoveries, and enough supernatural shenanigans to make you seriously reconsider every little noise in your house. And believe me, I heard a few! This book did exactly what I wanted a Halloween read to do: it gave me genuine chills. More than once, I had to remind myself that it’s only fiction. Or is it…?
The story takes us to New Avalon, a remote island in Vermont with a particularly disturbing history. In 1926, five women living in a commune of spiritual mediums mysteriously vanished without a trace, leaving behind five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree. Creepy enough for you? Fast-forward one hundred years, when struggling actress Marin Keane lands a role in a movie about the unsolved disappearances. Unfortunately, filming requires spending a week on the very island where the women vanished. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently, plenty! Strange noises, mysterious symbols, ominous warnings, and increasingly terrifying events begin to plague the cast. When people start disappearing again, Marin turns to an old diary for answers. But is something truly supernatural lurking in the shadows, or is someone very much alive orchestrating this nightmare?
Riley Sager knows how to create an atmosphere so dark, menacing, and deliciously unsettling that you practically feel the cold fingers of something sinister creeping up your spine. I loved the isolated setting, the haunting mystery, and that constant, nagging feeling that something dreadful was lurking just around the corner. I kept turning pages, determined to uncover the truth, while simultaneously wondering whether I really wanted to know! This book got the job done! It delivered genuine goosebumps, a few nervous glances over my shoulder, and the kind of suspense that makes you reluctant to turn off the bedside lamp. So, if your idea of a perfect Halloween involves staying home and scaring yourself silly, this is your book. Just remember to lock the doors, check the closets, and perhaps leave a light on. After all, some things are better left in the dark. Happy Halloween! 🎃
Hi Maria, have you read Whistler by Ann Patchett? I thought it was really well done. XxTasha
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