Review: Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

Cold as Hell (Haven's Rock, #3)

by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: February 18, 2025

2025 Minotaur Books

Ebook ARC & Audiobook; 341 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250351791

ASIN: B0D1PQ139V

Audiobook: B0D9R884VJ

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Haven’s Rock is a sanctuary town hidden deep in the Yukon for those who need to disappear from the regular world. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, she lets nothing, including her worried husband, stop her from investigating what happens in the forbidden forest outside the town of Haven’s Rock.

When one of the town's residents is drugged and wanders too close to the edge of town, she’s dragged into the woods kicking and screaming. She’s saved in the nick of time, but the women of the town are alarmed. Casey and Eric investigate the assault just as a snowstorm hits Haven’s Rock, covering the forest. It’s there they find a frozen body, naked in the snow. With mixed accounts of the woman's last movements, the two begin to question who they can trust—and who they can't—in their seemingly safe haven.

 

My Thoughts

Cold as Hell is the third book in the sequel series that features Casey and Eric as they navigate a new environment and a different location in the Yukon.  This book started off somewhat more slowly than the previous ones in the series, but when it took, it certainly didn't let up at all until the end and I continued to work on my puzzle while listening to the story as I just couldn't put it down.  I haven't been as much of a fan of this author's horror novels, but I really do enjoy these mystery novels and look forward to when each book is released.

 

I didn't think there was a lot of character development in this book, but the author definitely allowed each character to shine on their own and let their distinct and unique personalities come alive. A lot of time and effort is spent fleshing them out which makes what happens in the book seem so much more realistic as you can relate to their actions even if you don't agree with them.  I do think the characters are truly the backbone of this series and I always look forward to learning more about their backgrounds and what brought them to Haven's Rock in the first place.  

 

The plot, once it picked up, moved along rather quickly, and once the tension built up, it didn't let up one bit.  I really enjoyed the mystery in this one and as always, the author delivered some nice twists and turns that I wasn't expecting.  Because Casey was pregnant, and a high-risk pregnancy at that, there was this underlying tension throughout the book that something might go wrong with the pregnancy and this feeling of dread permeated the story. 

 

Now, I do have to say, the last quarter of the book, I did roll my eyes a few times and I did have to suspend all disbelief. Having had two children, I was a bit skeptical of the events that occurred, but chose to go with the flow and just ignore some of the impossibilities of the situation.  The author is just so good at creating tension and developing realistic world-building, that I listened to what happened with baited breath even though I was questioning the events.  In the end, I just chose to go with it and enjoy what happened.  But, it was a bit...absurd? inane? Whatever you want to call it. 

 

Verdict

Cold as Hell had a really good mystery and I did enjoy it quite a bit.  I really enjoyed the world-building and the tension that was created throughout the story as well as the way the author allowed the personalities of the characters to shine.  Even though I think the final scenes went a bit too far on the dramatic side, the plot did move swiftly, was full of twists and turns, and the actual conclusion was really good.  I highly recommend this series to those who are looking for a good mystery novel. And even though it's a sequel series to the Rockton/Casey Daniels series, I don't think you necessarily need to read that series in order to enjoy this one. Looking forward to book 4 when it is released in February 2026.

 

 

 

Review: Murder on the River by Janice Frost

Murder on the River (Warwick & Bell, #5)

by Janice Frost

Release Date: October 2, 2025

2025 Joffe Books

Ebook ARC; 290 Pages

ISBN: 978-1805732815

ASIN: B0FSKR688R

Genre: Fiction / Murder

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars 

 

Summary 

Detective Steph Warwick is halfway through her Christmas shopping when she gets the call. The body of a young man has been pulled from the icy River Witham.

The victim is Max Barsby, a quiet, hardworking archaeology student with no enemies — or so it seems. But Max didn’t drown. He was murdered. Bludgeoned over the head and left for dead.

Meanwhile Special Constable Jane Bell is investigating a routine break-in when she stumbles across an unexpected link to Max. Their enquiries unearth a mysterious girlfriend, a controversial dig site, and a discovery someone will kill to protect.

 

My Thoughts

Murder on the River is the fifth installment in this series and personally, I thought it was the weakest of the series. The mystery itself was actually interesting, but while I love investigations, this one felt rather repetitive, and I was getting rather annoyed with Jane Bell and her interfering family.  

 

Throughout the series, I have actually enjoyed Steph's character development as she was dealing with a lot of personal issues and was trying to work through them. No, she's not the most outgoing person and she struggles to develop personal relationships, but not everyone is warm and fuzzy, and that doesn't necessarily make her character uninteresting. There weren't really any new developments or breakthroughs for Steph, but I do like it when I see her trying, something that isn't easy for her.  As someone who is very much an introvert, I get where Steph is coming from and I enjoy seeing the baby steps she is taking. She doesn't need to be friends with people to do her job well.

 

I usually enjoy Jane and her family, but lately, the way she interferes in investigations actually got on my nerves. And in this one, it wasn't really Jane, but her know-it-all son.  Having him help out with the archaeological dig was one thing, but when you don't listen, get yourself in major trouble to the point where you can die, and there are really no consequences to your actions, that is where I have a problem. In all fairness, Steph typically has a reason to be angry with the Bell family and I was on her side the entire time.  

 

The plot itself was a bit repetitive this time round, but I did enjoy the reasons behind what happened. I did manage to figure out the culprit quite early on, so I just kind of sat back and read to see how the author would lay out the twists and turns for readers.  I did find the book to be one more of the telling variety this time round though. However, I did find the archaeology aspect to be quite interesting. 

 

Verdict

Murder on the River was not my favourite book in the series, but it did have an interesting mystery and I enjoyed learning more about the archaeological element.  I did find the pacing to be somewhat erratic, and I wasn't a fan of the interactions between the Bell family and Steph this time around.  However, I did really enjoy the earlier books in the series and would recommend them, so I will be continuing with the series when the next book is released.  

 

Review: Photograph by Brian Freeman

Photograph

by Brian Freeman

Release Date: October 7, 2025

2025 Blackstone Publishing Inc

Ebook ARC; 306 Pages

ISBN: 978-1665109765

ASIN: B0DZ7YJMNR

Audiobook: B0DXQH9M33

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Shannon Wells is a private investigator who helps women with nowhere else to go. Last year, a woman named Faith Selby came to Shannon with a strange Find out who I really am.

Shannon soon discovered that Faith was hiding a whole other life, but was unable to penetrate the web of mystery the woman had built around her past. Now Faith is dead. The only clue to who she was and why she was murdered is an old photograph of a little girl in the rain outside a Midwestern motel.

The hunt for answers takes Shannon from the hot beaches of Florida to a remote small town in Michigan as she peels away layer after layer of a shocking cold case that has rippled violently into the present. With each secret she uncovers, the danger around her grows—and forces Shannon to confront the demons hiding in her own past.

 

My Thoughts

Photograph is a standalone mystery novel by the author who has brought us some new thrilling novels in the Jason Bourne universe (ones I have thoroughly enjoyed), so I was intrigued to read something that was completely original by him.  And I was not disappointed. With characters that were intriguing and fully fleshed out to a plot that was fun, but also full of twists and turns, this was one enjoyable mystery.

 

The MC Shannon was a complex person who had experienced personal trauma in her life, an experience that made her decide to open a private investigation agency to help other women. There were a lot of depths to this character and I personally liked the exploration of how the trauma has impacted her life as I thought it was done with sensitivity and compassion.  Shannon is a determined person who cares deeply for others and it shows in her interactions throughout the story.  Now I wasn't a complete fan of Shannon at the beginning of the book as she came across as a bit spoiled, especially when dealing with her estranged father, but she did grow on as the book progressed, to the point where I really enjoyed her personality. She is not gullible, and I appreciated how she took the time to ensure she was safe when she did certain things. It always bugs me when a main characters does something stupid, with no regard to personal safety, puts others at risk as well, and there is not much said about such behaviour.  This book didn't take that approach which suited me. 

 

The plot moved along relatively quickly, even if the beginning was a bit slow.  However, the 'slowness' is a relative term as it was necessary to build up certain relationships and understanding of certain situations, but once that was done, it took off and the tension never let up, throwing the reader twist after twist. I changed my mind about who was responsible a few times, but did figure it out before the end. And it was just a random statement that caught my eye and made me think the way I did, otherwise I would not have clued in to who it was.  I totally loved how the mystery and the plot revolved around a single photo taken years ago and how the author managed to link everything in this book to that photo. 

 

Verdict

Photograph was a very intricately plotted mystery with plenty of twists and turns, and I really liked the fact that it was so different from the Bourne thrillers he writes.  But, while I did think Shannon had some good character development, I also thought the secondary characters could have been more developed as that would have added to the richness of the story.  However, I highly recommend this to any reader who likes a psychological thriller/mystery, and I also recommend his Jason Bourne novels to those who love thrillers. Personally, I would love to see another book featuring this character.  Hint, hint!!

 

  

 

 

Review: Poison Wood by Jennifer Moorhead

Poison Wood

by Jennifer Moorhead

Release Date: October 28, 2025

2025 Thomas & Mercer

Ebook ARC; 327 Pages

ISBN: 978-1662531439

ASIN: B0DK3XYJK3

Audiobook: B0FB12KNX8

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

As a teenager, Rita attended Poison Wood Therapeutic Academy for Girls in that forest, but the school shuttered its doors after a series of disturbing incidents. Now the man who confessed to the murder of her classmate has recanted, and Rita’s father, the judge who put him away, has fallen ill.

Summoned back to those haunted woods, Rita sorts through the mysteries of a rotting schoolhouse basement. She digs up emotions she buried along with her mother—and secrets she’s tried hard to forget. But when her investigation spreads to her family tree, the TV cameras swing her way. How far will she go for a story that could threaten everything and everyone she loves?

 

 

My Thoughts

Poison Wood is the second book that features this main character, but can definitely be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the creepy elements to this story that was more mystery based rather than horror based, and thought the descriptions were quite good as I felt like I could picture myself being right there. And while I enjoyed the mystery quite a bit, I did have some issues with the character development of the MC.

 

The atmospheric vibe of this story was very compelling and the author managed to keep up that feeling and tension throughout the book, something that I really enjoyed, without descending into supernatural horror elements, something else I appreciated. It's not that I don't like a good supernatural book, but honestly, I get irritated at misleading marketing tactics. The plot moved along rather quickly and while I did guess who was the culprit rather early on, there were enough twists and turns and red herrings, that I did change my mind a couple of times and then went back to my original thought. When an author keeps you guessing like that, even when you think you are sure, I like that the plot can mess with my head a little bit to make me second-guess myself. 

 

The 'academy' was my favourite part of the book and maybe that has to do with my horror loving little side as I found it creepy and unsettling. The author did include some journal entries from the time the girls were there, but you had no idea which girl wrote what so it left you guessing as to what was happening and who was involved. This author's writing style definitely appealed to me as I am a reader who likes to figure things out as they happen and hates being told and explained everything like I can't do it on my own. In mean, isn't that the point of mystery novels? 

 

My main issue with the book was the MC, Rita. Having returned home for several reasons, she is the perfect person to look into what happened at the academy all those years ago as she was actually a student there at the time. However, I just couldn't get invested in Rita as a character and she irritated me to no end. She was supposed to be this award-winning reporter, but she didn't come across that way to me, at all. In fact, she seemed more like a busybody, one who didn't really look at things factually, but more emotionally.  I understand she was going through this crisis, but I also felt the author didn't do her character justice, making her seem more whiny than someone who maybe struggled with the loss of her mother all those years ago as well as the trauma of being sent to a school for wayward girls. And her decision at the end? Where did that come from?

 

Verdict

Poison Wood was a decent mystery with a lot of atmosphere, focusing on the discovery of a skeleton at a school for girls that had been closed years ago. I thought the mystery itself had a lot of twists and turns and was quite interesting, but I wasn't a fan of the character development of the main character which affected my investment in the overall story.  That being said, I am interested enough to want to read the next book to see what happens next.  

 

Review: Old Money by Kelsey Miller

Old Money

by Kelsey Miller

Release Date: September 30, 2025

2025 Hanover Square Press

Ebook ARC; 368 Pages

ISBN: 978-1335000378

ASIN: B0DR8JDPYQ

Audiobook: B0DSLXMJHS

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Twenty years ago, sixteen-year-old Caitlin Dale died unexpectedly on the Fourth of July. Like other affluent families of Briar’s Green, Caitlin joined hers at the country’s club’s annual party. They say she slipped by the pool. A tragic accident.

But her cousin Alice knows the truth.

Caitlin was murdered. And Alice saw who did it.

Twenty years later, Alice returns to her childhood hometown of Briar’s Green, seeking answers. The club where Caitlin died has barely changed. But its secrets, Alice soon discovers, are carefully hidden—and there are powerful people in Briar’s Green who would like them to stay that way.

 

My Thoughts

Old Money is one of those books that I thought would be fun to read as I am always intrigued when it comes to hidden secrets by the wealthy and by something happening at one of those annual parties, and they mystery is still unsolved many years later.  However, this one just didn't seem to work for me, and I had to push myself to read through to the end.  

 

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a fan of unreliable narrators, especially in a book where the author does so much telling instead of letting the reader figure things out as the story progresses. I was not a big fan of Alice and thought her character development was one-dimensional at best.  And she was quite annoying. I know the book was supposed to be about ripping out those dark, buried secrets, but it was mostly about Alice insisting that everyone else was wrong about what they did and saw and that she, Alice, was the one who actually saw what was happening. Again, preserve me from an unreliable narrator who deems themselves to be the only one who saw something and is not being listened to. UGH!

 

The first half of the book was a bit slow, but I typically don't mind that as it can be good to slowly build up the tension for the big reveal.  However, I never really felt like there was any tension and never thought Alice was in any real danger, at least by the interactions she had with any of the characters. There should be this thought that the MC should not be doing this or that because it could put her in danger, but the author chose to go the telling route which totally destroyed any of the tension for me.  Plus, it gave away the culprit, at least in my eyes, quite easily.  However, because we swiveled so much, I didn't buy the ending and thought it was sloppy.  If you are going to try and include a major surprise, at least make it believable, and this so wasn't.

 

Verdict

Old Money is one of those books that had an interesting premise, but didn't live up to its potential.  And while the book was supposed to dive into the super rich, I don't think it even accomplished that.   I thought the plot was very disjointed and the character development was one-dimensional. Maybe someone else will find this more interesting than I did, but by 80% in, I just wanted this book to be done so I could move on to something else. 

 

Review: Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley

Softly, as I Leave You: Life After Elvis

by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (with Mary Jane Ross)

Release Date: September 23, 2025

2025 Grand Central Publishing

Hardcover Edition; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-0306836480

ASIN: B0F3JFWH99

Audiobook: B0F5RN1K5L

Genre: Non-Fiction / Memoir

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Softly, As I Leave You, is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered – and survived – seemingly unbearable loss.

 

My Thoughts

Softly, as I Leave You is the story about Priscilla Beaulieu Presley's life after she decided to leave Elvis Presley and start a new life that was different from the one she experienced while living at Graceland. While I was reading the book however, I was really questioning the motive behind the book, so it took me quite a while to write this review as I wanted my thoughts to be clear and respectful, but it is hard. On the one hand, I did feel like I learned a couple of new things with respect to her relationship with Elvis and her personal life, but on the other hand, I felt like I was reading about someone who was just telling a story about someone else instead of their own personal story as it felt unemotional and disconnected. What that her way of protecting herself over the loss of her daughter and grandson? It's hard to say without really knowing the person which is why this review is difficult to write.

 

There were a lot of interesting parts to this book, and even though I had read Lisa Marie's biography, there were quite a few things that I didn't know. Which made me wonder. Was this some type of damage control, something in response to the other book? There were parts of this book that questioned Lisa Marie's truth and that sort of made me feel...icky, to say the least.  I realize there are always two sides to a story, and I'm not saying that I am taking Lisa Marie's side or anything, it's just that the writing didn't feel authentic in the same way as it lacked the emotional power, that raw feeling when someone is speaking from their soul. The author does spent a lot of time defending her actions, repeating quite often how difficult it was to raise Elvis Presley's child and what that entails, but doesn't really go into any details.  She also mentions a lot of people who were in her life, but again, doesn't really mention how they continue to play a role in her life in meaningful ways. And that is probably what this book lacks, meaningful discussion.  

 

What was difficult for me is how she never really admits to her faults and the mistakes she has made which is what makes a memoir usually so poignant and wonderful.  No one is perfect, something she points out consistently about Elvis. But she tries to justify everything she has done, which is fine, but at least own up to your part in what happened. And one of those justifications is about how and when she met Elvis at just fourteen years old and moved into his house at 17. Sorry, but you can't hide behind the 60s as this being a normal thing as it wasn't.  She mentions how she was a dutiful daughter in one sentence, yet in another, how she threatened to run away if she didn't get her way. In a way, this sort of represents a lot of the contradictions in this book. However, I definitely could not imagine living in the environment at Graceland as it would have been difficult living with the constant attention surrounding Elvis. something I think she actually downplayed in the book. 

 

If Elvis had died in bed at ninety, surrounded by his daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, his last years would have been treated with respect. But instead, he died face down on the bathroom carpet with an overload of drugs in his system. That reality has colored the public understanding of him ever since. It created a false perception. Elvis was a remarkable human being. Yes, he was flawed, as all of us are, but he was a flawed diamond. He was passionate, loving, generous, artistically brilliant, and utterly unique. I want the world to remember the man I remember, ever more clearly with the passage of time. I want to give Elvis a voice, to say the things he never got to. I want to represent him publicly for the man he was.  

 

I highlighted this passage because I was like, what? Yes, the man died of a drug overdose, but there are many who admire Elvis for his music. I think it's Priscilla who maybe has the issue, and personally, it sounds as if she never moved on, but because Elvis is not here to share his side of the story, we will never really know what happened. The people I feel sorry for in this situation are her children, Lisa Marie and Navarone. Her son doesn't have a drop of Presley blood in his him, but I felt like she really, really wanted to make it so, even talking about his inherited musical talent. Um, he would not have inherited that from Elvis, that's for sure.  Personally, I was wondering how Navarone felt about the entire situation and what his relationship was with his sister and the rest of the family.  

 

Verdict

Softly, As I Leave You was definitely a mixed bag for me as I appreciated learning some new things about Priscilla and her life, but at the same time, I felt like this was such a superficial retelling as the emotion was somewhat lacking considering the book felt more like a justification for her actions rather than a memoir.  Yes, this woman had been through a lot, but I still felt like this book was written in order to make herself look like a better mother in light of Lisa Marie's book. Now that is a book I would recommend reading. And while this wasn't a complete waste of time as many of the anecdotes were interesting, especially the ones about the animals, and I liked learning about her animal activism, at the same time, nothing was mentioned in this book about how she sued her granddaughter for rights over Graceland, but consistently talked about how they were this big, happy family. I couldn't get past the fact she always seem to paint Lisa as the person with all of the personal issues while painting her son as perfect, and just couldn't acknowledge how her actions affected those around her. 

 

    

 

Review: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow

by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: October 14, 2025

2025 St. Martin's Press

Ebook ARC; 276 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250360564

ASIN: B0DPV1KXGX

Audiobook: B0DRPRQ641

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. 

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. 

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. 

 

My Thoughts

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is another horror attempt by an author whose other series I really enjoy, such as A Rip Through Time and Haven's Rock.  However, I haven't had as much luck with the horror novels, and this one is my third standalone one. The plot was interesting enough for me to finish the story, but it lacked character development, the MC was quite annoying, and I still have no idea what the 'ritual' was all about. 

 

The story is told through Samantha's POV and while I sort of understand her misgivings at returning to a place that has a negative history with her father, she constantly mentions her 'happy' memories in the house, so I was not sure why there was this complete negativity about staying there as it didn't make sense. For someone who is drowning in debt, you would think she would be somewhat grateful to be given a chance to earn $10 million dollars.  She also made some really silly decisions, ones that made no sense at times, and she wouldn't listen to anyone else who has lived there and knows the area. Here's looking at you Ben! I don't know how Ben put up with her. His character is the only one I enjoyed, but in fact, he stood out because everyone else was so one-dimensional.  

 

At first, I was intrigued by the idea this book was loosely based on the legend of The Headless Horseman, but unless I have completely forgotten how the legend works, it was very loosely based.  The story was a bit disjointed, and as I've already mentioned, I am pretty unclear as to the ritual that made Samantha so special. Sam is a bit of an unreliable narrator, and while that works in other books, I don't think it worked very well in this book, especially since the use of repressed memories were used as plot points.  It always amazes me how repressed memories suddenly comes back just as we need to propel a plot forward. UGH! The story flip with Austin didn't quite sit well with me, not because of the horror of it or anything, but because it just didn't seem to fit with the story all of a sudden. Which is why I had a problem with this book as it seemed disjointed, as if the author wasn't sure in which direction to take the story, but forgot to include some necessary plot points in the beginning and had to just throw them in later.

 

Verdict

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow was somewhat disappointing as I found the plot to be disjointed and the character development was weak.  I actually didn't mind the conclusion to the story, but there needed to be more development of that plot line in the story for it to completely make sense. There were some interesting elements to this book and it definitely had a lot of potential, but it was chaotic and didn't always make sense. That being said, I will continue reading her other series, but this one was not for me. 

 

Review: Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston

Puzzle House

by Duncan Ralston

Release Date: September 15, 2023

2023 Shadow Work Publishing

Ebook; 210 Pages

ISBN: 978-1988819402

ASIN:  ‎ B0F9FTQCMH

Audiobook: B0CGY2BGKR

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

2.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Six strangers arrive at the home of preeminent puzzle master Alexei Vasiliev for the reading of his will. Among them are the deceased's widow, who'd already begun divorce proceedings, a virologist troubled by actions in his past, and a convicted murderer on day release. The potential beneficiaries will split Vasiliev's $150M fortune if they participate in his last great work.

Once there, the participants soon discover Puzzle House is far deadlier than it appears, and that making their way through the rooms may be a matter of life and death. Someone is watching their every move, toying with them, turning them against each other. With their lives on the line, they are forced to wonder, is it all just a deadly game created by a gleeful sadist, or something far more sinister?

 

My Thoughts

Puzzle House had a lot of things that I like in a horror novel; there were puzzle rooms, escape room horror, a big house with lots of secrets,  and lots of secrets amongst the characters. So, what's not to love? Unfortunately, while this was a quick, easy read, I do think the story was pretty predictable and everything seemed to be told to you rather than letting you feel what is happening through one of the character's eyes. Personally, I tend to disconnect when I am told every single thing rather than letting me figure it out as I am reading. And honestly, that is the fun of a horror novel, isn't it? Not knowing what is going on, keeping the tension up at a high level, anticipating what may happen, all earmarks of a fun horror novel that was kind of lacking in this one.

 

We have no idea how the characters were chosen to be the recipients of this inheritance, but three of the characters got their own personal chapters so we got to know a bit about them as the story progressed. I was not a fan of this format as it seemed like a dead giveaway as to what was going to happen to the characters, and in what order.  And while the other three are given some background information, to this day I really couldn't tell you much about them and I have a pretty good memory for books so that should tell you how much of an impression they made on me.  Plus, as I've previously mentioned, I don't like being told every single thing, and I felt like I was being told everything or that I wasn't capable of reading through the lines and figuring out what was happening for myself. 

 

And I love puzzles and puzzle rooms, but this house was supposed to be created by a puzzle master. I would have thought the puzzles would be a bit more difficult, not so difficult the characters couldn't eventually figure them out (maybe?), but much more challenging than what they were. And compared to other books I've read by this author, the horror element was rather light compared to the other books. And I mean, much lighter than the norm. I would have been okay with that if I wasn't being led around by the nose so much though. So while the pace of the story moved rather quickly, it became pretty predictable and formulaic, and I wasn't shocked by any of the twists and turns. Disappointing, really.  

 

Verdict

Puzzle House is a relatively short, easy read, one that can be read in one sitting. It did start off strong and I enjoyed getting to know the characters at they entered the house and began to play the game, but I felt like things sort of deteriorated after that as I felt like what was happening just didn't seem to fit the vibe of the story, as in it just didn't seem to feel believable. There are some interesting twists and turns, but because of the 'telling' nature of book, they didn't have the usual punch they would have. And I also felt like the author couldn't decide which type of horror this book was as it went from a puzzle/mystery horror to some type of body horror to cosmic horror?  I do recommend this one though, to anyone who is looking for a short, lighter horror read. However, I would recommend the Ghostland Trilogy (my favourite) or Helloween by this same author if you are looking for something punchier / more impactful.