Title: Hemlock Island
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Published: September 12, 2023
Format: e-ARC
My Rating: 5 stars/5
Synopsis: Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it’s the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who’ve fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out…and failed.
When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who’s now a cop.
There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it… But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they’re trapped with someone—or something—that doesn’t want them leaving the island alive.
My thoughts from the Vault
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book. I chose to review it and this in no way impacts my opinion of it.
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of Hemlock Island from a contest held on Kelley Armstrong’s Facebook page and no one will understand just how excited I was to win a copy. For those that don’t know me, I am a huge lover of horror and frequently watch horror movies and am always on the look out for good horror novels. When I learned that Kelley Armstrong, my favourite author, was releasing her first horror novel, I was ecstatic.
The story begins with Laney being awoken by her niece, Madison, in the middle of the night. Four missed calls greet her on her cellphone, all from the campground near her vacation home on Hemlock Island. Upon answering the next call she learns that the couple who have rented out Hemlock House have vacated the isolated island due to finding a closet covered in blood and nail scratches. Deciding that an animal must have gotten trapped in the house, Laney gets ready to head to the island to investigate.
When she arrives at the boat launch to head to the island with Madison in tow, she finds her ex-husband Kit, and his sister, Jayla. The last thing Laney wants is to spend time with her former best friend and her ex husband but she can hardly tell them to leave. It only gets worse when upon arriving at the island, another of her former best friends and her brother arrive.
I found this novel to be deliciously spooky, and creepy and I loved every minute of it. I could not put it down. I felt so terrible for the situation Laney was going through, not only with the pranks that seemed to be happening at her favourite place on Earth, but also because of the awkward situation she was finding herself in and having to deal with her ex-husband and ex-best friend.
This novel kept me guessing from the start until the very end and I loved the ending. It was totally not what I was expecting and totally different from how I thought Armstrong’s first horror novel to go.
If you love spooky reads and being scared to turn out the lights, this novel is for you!
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