| Title | : | The Stradivarius |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781957537511 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published April 29, 2023 |
Leading the charge to unravel the mystery surrounding her father’s death is Ollie, a vibrant genderqueer and an outsider in their hometown. Sure that solving the cold case will land them a coveted job in the police department, Ollie gains access to the Victorian by agreeing to do maintenance work on the property.
Inside, Mae is taunted by a feminine specter, soft voices from empty rooms, and distinct melodies of Lady Paola: the priceless, Stradivarius violin stolen the night of her father’s murder.
Forte, mezzo-forte, the measured, andante cadence.
Her hiss, her pull, her scream.
Mae fears the house is haunted by her father’s spirit, her husband believes she’s going the way of her mother–slipping into madness, but Ollie suspects something more sinister is at play. If Ollie and Mae can’t work together to uncover the Victorian’s secrets, Mae will join her mother in an institution or her father in the grave.
The Stradivarius Reviews
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Thank you, Brigids Gate Press via Netgalley, for a copy of Rae Knowles' debut novel that came out in May. A hauntingly twisted tale of psychological horror, The Stradivarius is a modern take on the Hysterical Or Not Heiress trope with some delightfully queer accents.
Mae Pruitt receives a call informing her that she's the sole inheritor of her murdered father's estate, compromised of some money, his crumbling Victorian house, and his prized Stradivarius. Eager to escape poverty, her aunt's trailer and the woman's rampant conspiracy theories, Mae hastily accepts her sketchy older boyfriend's offer of marriage, and they move into her inheritance, cobwebs and all.
But all is not well, and soon Mae is hearing eerie concertos through the walls, menacing voices, and seeing things. Soon unable to trust any of her senses, her only ally is Ollie, a stellar genderqueer character who comes to do maintenance work and stays to do a bit of mystery solving as the situation spirals out of Mae's control.
I enjoyed the contemporary Gothic vibes of this book immensely, and I always love a thriller centered around something like a Stradivarius!Even if the villains and what's going on in this story are familiar, I always wonder how the terrorized character will get themselves out of a mess like this, and the tension was continuously building throughout. The writing was atmospheric and the descriptions very well done. Another winner out of Brigids Gate Press, and well done to Knowles! -
Before writing my review, I want to thank BookSirens and Rae Knowles for gifting me the ARC of this book! It was such a privilege to read this before publication. And I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!!
I really enjoyed this debut novel by Rae Knowles. The title and book cover caught my attention, and once I read the synopsis, I was all in! The plot was fabulous. Definitely reminiscent of the movie, GASLIGHT, one of my all time favorites. It was difficult not to think of Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer as I was reading.
The pacing of the book was superb, helping build the suspense perfectly. The characters were well developed and relatable, making it easy to feel their horror and pain — especially regarding our protagonist, Mae! The fine line between sanity and insanity is deftly walked by this author, as we watch Mae slowly spiraling into an abyss she may or may not escape from. And the animal-loving character Ollie is so darn likable, loyal, and tenacious!! Ollie made me smile so much throughout the book, especially their loving relationships with Hobbes and Lady (our wonderful orange tabby and German Shepherd characters, respectively!). We ALL need a friend like Ollie!!
Fans of mystery and suspense, as well film noir with a twist, will want to give THE STRADIVARIUS a try. The book will really grab you from the first page, with a gruesome, senseless murder, to the final pages with a most satisfying end and bit of revenge thrown in for good measure!
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.) -
At 20 Mae comes into an inheritance she had just about given up on. And just in the nick of time. Living in a trailer with her demanding conspiracy theorist of an aunt while tending to a new whirlwind romance with an older man was all becoming a bit too much. She eagerly marries her new love and they move into the gothic old home with plans to fix it up and start their happily ever after.
But this is a modern gothic novel and you just know that none of that is about to happen any time soon and this is why I love reading them! Before long her ideal life turns nightmarish and she can’t trust her own instincts. Mae is young, naive, and very trusting and comes from a traumatic background so you have to get into her mindset when you pick this up. It’s hard to say more without giving away the entire thing so I won’t. I’ll only say that I knew who the culprit(s) were long before Mae figured things out but the fun of a book like this is the reveal of all the ugly secrets as they get exposed.
Mae is sympathetically written but she probably won’t go down as my favorite character because she spends so much of the story withdrawn and confused but I LOVED her friendship with secondary character Ollie. Each time Ollie and their pets showed up on the page, they stole the show. Ollie is a true crime junkie fascinated with the history of Mae’s home and I’d love to read a book where Ollie was the main character, running around town solving cold cases and collecting stray animals. That would be so much fun.
I recommend The Stradivarius if you’re into gothic stories - and why wouldn’t you be? It has lovely prose, perfectly described creepy settings and interesting secondary characters. The only thing missing was some arsenic donuts because some people truly do deserve them 😈 -
First a confession: I have not read Patrick Hamilton's Gas Light, nor have I seen the film starring Ingrid Bergman, therefore I went into The Stradivarius cold. That said, I'm glad that was the case as I brought to the reading no preconceived ideas about what to expect, and in any case, The Stradivarius is a thoroughly modern version.
Give me a murder in a Victorian mansion, then include elements of supposed inherited insanity, and I'm sold, even before I read it.
Great debut novel, Rae Knowles!
P.S. If you pick up this novel, and I strongly recommend that you do, I suggest you also read the article Healing Through Horror which she had published with Nightmare Magazine as it explains the stimulus for The Stradivarius. It certainly added depth for me. -
Gaslight...but make it QUEER!
Rae is a force in the horror short community and her debut thriller just solidifies her rep as an incredible writer. Twisty and traumatic, THE STRADIVARIUS is unsettling in the best ways! -
Mae has had it rough. She never knew her mother, and she discovered her father with an axe buried in his head when she was little. Mae was forced to move in with her poor aunt who I could only associate with an evil Disney stepmother. It almost felt like Mae should break out signing “Castle on a Cloud” like Cosette in Les Miserables.
Without giving much away, this becomes a whirlwind romance, psychological escapade that had so many similarities to the classic novel, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, which unfortunately I was reading at the same time with my Classic horror book club.
I had a hard time with a lot of this book but the couple of mentions of the “rusted out corvette” got under my skin. I’m sure there are parts of a corvette that could rust but the body of the car has always been fiberglass or carbon fiber and could not rust.
The best part of the book was Ollie. A wonderful character that stole the show whenever they were around.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. -
"All this for a violin."
[2.25 stars]
The Stradivarius is a queer retelling of Hamilton's "Gaslight," and while I absolutely adore the concept, it missed the mark for me in quite a few ways.
I personally think that some parts of the dialogue feel a bit inorganic or shoehorned in, sometimes also sounding a little too YA-ish for the characters. Besides that, there are some unnecessary fillers that only serve to curb the pacing of the book.
I usually love retellings and though I do like Ollie along with the "is the character really crazy or not" trope, I couldn't fully enjoy it.
Thank you Net Galley and Brigids Gate Press for the advance review copy, I'm leaving this review voluntarily. -
Unpopular opinion, but as an avid reader of different genres most especially with thrillers, mysteries, and suspense, there's really nothing new to see here. It was pretty predictable for me.
Her being high most of the time took out the thrill of the fever dreams that she was experiencing because I just brushed it off as "she was high, it was not real, it was just her imagination." It made me indifferent and nonchalant to what was going on around her. (Maybe take out the part where we demonstrated her penchant for weed, perhaps? So the reader will be left wondering if her hallucinations were real or not)
One thing I find revolutionary about her debut novel is the use of they/them/their pronoun in literature! This was the first book I've ever read that took that to the literature level for Ollie and it keeps throwing me off. 😁 My brain was running a mile a minute and like -bam! I felt like I hit a brick wall. There was this incident where Ollie was talking to Mae and the sentence, "They extended their arms." I'm like, why would they extend their arms? 🤔And it takes me a moment to realize that she was talking about Ollie.
Please don't come at me for that, I love my LGBTQIA friends and I am an ally, I'm just saying that what she's doing here is something I haven't read before and definitely something I'll never forget.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. #TheStradivarius #NetGalley -
I have a lot of feelings about this book, which was both well executed and also not for me.
I've been reading a lot of books lately that I loved that I wouldn't recommend to my friends. This title is actually the reverse situation, where I would confidently recommend this to just about everyone in my personal life, even though I had a tough time getting into it myself.
There were elements that I loved, and moments that resounded deeply. I requested an ARC because, aside from already being a fan of Knowles' writing, the premise had me hooked right off the bat. Queer psychological mysteries centered around string instruments? Yes, please. The plot and the atmosphere both delivered perfectly.
What I liked less was the pacing. Even in Chapter 1 there is a lot happening. This style is one of the main reasons I would recommend the book. It's engaging from page one, there aren't a lot of lapses in action, and it makes for an incredibly quick and immersive read. If this is what you're looking for, you have no need to look further.
For a story such as this, I would have preferred a slower burn, however. The main thing I felt I wanted from the story that I didn't get was that sense of tension. I'm the sort of reader that wants characters to feel the full discomfort of their situation and exhaust all their options in a scenario. I know a lot of my friends who read thrillers (or even paranormal fiction) get tired of having the same dire circumstances over and over again in stories. I think Knowles did a fantastic job of stepping right over some of the elements that we've seen repeatedly. I just wish I'd had more time to work through some of my own feelings about the situations presented before they were changing -- and that comes down to personal preference.
The other big pitfall for me was that I didn't connect well with the protagonist. I didn't understand her relationships to the other characters well enough to fully comprehend some of her actions. While I sympathized with her, there were many points in the story that I simply couldn't follow her rationalizations, because we are such different people. To her credit, Mae felt like a real person with flaws and very human emotions, but I wish I could have known her better.
The characters were, otherwise, a strength of the book. There was a certain major character who made me happy, not just for representation reasons but also because I felt I could relate very strongly. Surprisingly, I also found that one of the contributing antagonists had one of the most empathy-evoking scenes in the entire book. It was not only a subversion of their role as they had been introduced, but also just a strong, well-written scene. (Sorry for the vague language here, trying to keep this spoiler free.)
I also love the end. Without giving anything away about the plot, I will just say that it was satisfying. The story ties up beautifully, the characters felt like they had their highest level of agency just in time. All in all, it was the perfect climactic resolution to the narrative.
Although my preference is still for the more tortured, slow-burn of a haunting, I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read The Stradivarius. It plays with themes, settings, and even a couple tropes that are my favorites, and it approached them all in such a fresh way. If you're looking for heavier horror, this is probably not the read for you. But if you're looking for a haunting mystery that will hook you right away and offer some much needed LGBTQ+ representation, then I would suggest giving this one a go.
I cannot wait to see wait to see further work from Rae Knowles. -
A thrilling murder mystery that becomes increasingly tense with every page. I finished this in a day and could not put it down. Knowles understands how to structure a mystery so well that even when you think you have it figured out, there's another twist, another surprise waiting for you.
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At 10 years old may prude‘s dad was murdered and she was sent to live with her aunt her aunt was a big-time conspiracy theorist and lived in a trailer park but always found the money for May to have her violin lessons. Although May liked playing the violin and was even talented she didn’t have the drive nor dreams of becoming a musician like her dad. So when her new boyfriend Carter asked May to run away it was perfect timing because May had just learned from her father‘s lawyer that she inherited the old Victorian she grew up in. Around town it was known as the murder house but to May it was home she wanted to re-create that cozy feeling for her and Carter but soon after moving in he hires two workers Eva and Ollie she instantly gets a bad feeling from Eva but also has the opposite reaction to Ollie Who she feels an instant connection with. Eva is the housekeeper The dress is like she is going to the club Ali is to do repairs around the house soon after moving in May find the letter for an appraiser telling her dad he would come soon to appraise the item and she instantly knows he was coming to appraise her fathers treasured violin but when she shows Carter the letter he bundles it up and throws it go on the floor and tells her they shouldn’t live in the past and to look towards the future. She finds his reaction to the letter odd but move on it isn’t until she starts hearing movements on the third floor and may knows no one can be up there because they blocked that floor off but it doesn’t explain why she starts hearing noises invoices talking to her on the nights Carter is out it gets even scarier when Eva and Carter tell May she’s done things she doesn’t remember doing. Even though May is skeptical of what they tell her it seems the only one who will listen to her without doubt is Ollie. They become so concerned for me that they even go talk to their friend Brian who is the detective for the small town in what he on covers could break the case if only May and Ollie can live long enough to figure it out. OK I’m going to start my summer here even though there is way more to the story than what I put I’m talking about missing people, murdered people, paranormal happenings gas lighting physical abuse the list goes on and on and it all makes for one grade 5 star read! The Stratovarius is one Valley awesome book that I could see being a movie. I wish I could convey in words how great this book is but if you love a good thriller and I mean a really good on put down to do thriller you need to read the Stradivarius you will not be disappointed it is such a great book I loved it I fell asleep listening to it and woke up and started it over it is so so good! I received this book from Book Sirens but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
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The headline: If you like dark books with engaging prose and young, queer protagonists, you will like this! But there are some weaknesses here.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This started very strong. The beginning had me intrigued and the characters were interesting. Then we fast-forwarded ten years. The book often fast-forwards and it messes with the pacing and doesn't give you much chance to get to know the characters. The glimpses I got of the characters were nice, and showed promise, but no one really got enough time to flesh out.
I would not necessarily call this a thriller because the plot was fairly predictable. As soon as the baddy showed up, I called the bulk of the plot. It was tedious watching the characters discover everything after that.
The pacing was strange. The characters spend so much time discovering fairly obvious information. It felt like an odd choice to me, because the characters and setting themselves could have been the most interesting thing, but we fast-forwarded past most of the character development and focused on them discovering information the reader already knew or could easily guess.
Specifically, the main character's development is a bit scattered. The end is satisfying in what it's supposed to stand for but it doesn't feel earned. I don't feel like I know her. She's kind of just a set of reactions, not a full person.
The baddy is also uninteresting, but I'll try not to spoil it. Suffice to say whoever it is, is very one-dimensional. Which, okay, fine, maybe it's just a one-dimensional monster, but then it's hard to really buy the reactions of the people around the baddy when the baddy is just kind of lame and blank.
I'll end with what I thought was great: the imagery and prose itself. Knowles definitely has skill with phrasing, there are so many pretty images aligned with grotesque things. The sentences themselves were consistently fun to read, flowed well, painted startling and gorgeous pictures. I really respect that, the prose flowed beautifully.
My favorite parts of the book were whenever anyone arrived in a new place. Knowles does a great job of describing setting and emotions. I just wish we had spent more time in that, rather than focusing on a plot that really was predictable and too long (the content here doesn't need 500 ebook pages).
Again, if you like thrillers/mysteries/horror with young, queer protagonists, I still recommend this! I also have definitely followed the author, because I'm excited to see what comes next. -
The Stradivarius is one of the most anxiety inducing, claustrophobic books I’ve read in a while. After inheriting her late fathers house, Mae moves out of her aunt’s place with her new husband Carter. As soon as they arrive, strange things begin to happen in the house while Carter is gone. Amongst all of this, Mae wonders about the missing Stradivarius violin her father had likely been killed for.
Carter convinces Mae and everybody around her that she is insane, taking away any chance of other believing the house is haunted. He makes it so no one would believe anything she said.
The story is fast paced and stressful, with a well developed twist planted in the narrative. If you’re a fan of thrillers with a spooky edge to them, this is a must read! -
I debated between a 4 or 5 star rating on this one because there are a lot of overly familiar elements here, including drawing heavily on the classic psychological thriller "Gaslight," and the plotting is a little clunky. I wasn't too into it at first for those reasons. It seemed obvious who the villains were and what was going on, so it was hard to care too much. But then the second half sucked me in because it always pushes all my buttons when someone is being falsely accused of losing their minds. Gets me every time. I ended up rushing through to the end hoping that the much put upon Mae finally gained some power and (spoiler alert) was not disappointed. Also extra points for including a genderqueer they/them character fluidly without making a huge deal out of it. Ollie was definitely my favorite character. I'd love to have a whole series of small town cozy mysteries following their detecting adventures. All in all, this was a fun and satisfying read if the haunted house/driving an heiress mad tropes don't bother you.
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Not my usual kind of book, but it really got its hooks in me. The whole time I wanted Carter to get it in the worst way possible for all the lying, gaslighting, abuse, and just general toxicity,and when Mae finally got the revenge and closure for the murder of her father by his hands, I was absolutely beside myself! Ollie is an Angel, and deserves to wear that badge! ACAB obviously, but Ollie is the one exception.
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✨ ARC REVIEW. I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily ✨
What a wonderful last few weeks for reading it's been! I feel blessed to have had so many satisfying stories to sink my teeth into, and The Stradivarius is most certainly that! It's a gorgeous retelling, lush Southern Gothic, claustrophobic fever dream, examination of toxic relationships, and a slow-burn thriller all wrapped in one. Basically, a phenomenal debut! Knowles knocked it out of the park.
Let's touch on a few specifics! To start, I was thrilled when the story cold-opened in South Carolina. I knew this was going to be Gothic, but finding out it was Southern Gothic specifically was a special treat. I have such a fondness for the sub-genre; it's so creepily cozy, and Knowles handled it beautifully. I was particularly fond of Auntie Bel and her community. Both reminded me so viscerally of my own family and hometown that I was laughing, cringing, and smiling fondly every time she was on screen. Also, a little side note: I love her obsession with conspiracy theory podcasts. Having them playing in the background was a delightful update on the 'You Know You've Entered a Horror Plot When the Radio Flips to Only Picking Up Hellfire Evangelical Broadcasts' trope. Very neat.
Piggy-backing off that, I feel like the place Knowles' writing most shines (hard choice!) is in the crafting and utilization of side characters. While this is ultimately Mae's story and her experiences are always central, the extended cast have their own distinct roles and personalities. They're vibrant additions to the world that impart tons of flavor. Auntie Bel is a hometown delight; Ollie has a WHOLE hero's journey; the various police officers have their own motivations and approaches to story's events as they unfold; and even Eva, who I found myself wanting more from (I'll circle back to this) was so intriguing and nerve pinching that I found myself thinking of her even when she was off screen.
This, paired with Knowles being a master of window dressing makes for a rich reading experience. The world of The Strad is deeply immersive, authentic, and grounded, in addition to being reverent toward the Gothic genre. One of my favorite things to do while reading was to pick out the parallels between Mae's home and Hill House ,not just in the descriptions and general vibes but in it's personality. It effected each character differently, playing on their preexisting conditions and motivations in unique ways. Mae, of course, had the most going, but I made lots of interesting notes on Ollie that I'd love to do a whole write up with in the future!
My only criticism is that this could've benefited from a little more b-plot. There were a couple of places where the pacing slowed to a crawl, an issue I think could've been avoided. Given how well Knowles handles POV switches, giving one of her masterfully crafted side characters a little more to do could've taken some of the slack out. Personally, I feel Eva would've been the best choice as she was 1) in the house so often; 2) the least utilized; and 3) had so much potential backstory/personality development that I'd have loved to see explored.
But that's a minor note! Over all, I couldn't be happier to have received an ARC of this. I can't wait to have a physical copy because, as I said, I have write ups on this piece that I'd like to do. I'm looking forward to taking a highlighter and pen to its pages and mining this for even more goodness. Stories like this invite multiple reads, and I'm 100% expecting to get something different out of it each time. -
The Stradivarius is claustrophobia incarnate. Each turn of the page creeps walls closer in with cracks opening in their old, Victorian wood for eyes to peep through; even the air feels too thick for sound to traverse. Set primarily in an old Victorian house whose walls whisper and gas lamps mock, the early chapters of this book confine any who dare let their eyes wander in and traps them within a web of mystery, intrigue, and self doubt; a web that said eyes will be made to weave themselves.
Knowles masterfully constructs a mystery that twists and turns in places one least expects; even when the pieces seem to all fit together, both the main character, Mae, and you the reader will be forced to question everything with the rampant gaslighting that nails self doubt in among the tight wooden walls. With such a visceral and realised world that often feels alive, the rising feminine rage that boils right until the last page, and a well thought out mystery that seems to always be a few steps ahead of you, The Stradivarius is an absolute must have. Do not miss out on this stellar book! -
I enjoyed this overall and found the prose to be beautiful and engaging. I wish we had spent more time exploring some of the minor characters because they were very interesting to me, and I feel they could have contributed to the overall message. I was impressed with the author's use of they/them pronouns in the story. Honestly, I hadn't seen this before, and I believe it is important to have more books that are inclusive.
Ollie has to be my favorite character in this book, hands down. With the inclusion of Ollie, the author has us consider themes involving gender and sexuality, which is relevant in today's society. Love them or hate them, there's a bigger message here, and I'm here for it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. -
It has been a while since I've devoured a book as swiftly as I did with Rae Knowles' The Stradivarius. Riveting would be an appropriate word to describe this novel. It is reminiscent of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1892 short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, but richer, more detailed, and decidedly modern. Who is the villain? Who is the victim? Read it, and find out! Chilling, with a most satisfying conclusion, this novel will stay with me for a long time.
ARC in exchange for review. -
What an incredible read!! Knowles did everything absolutely right with this one.
The story follows Mae, a woman with an unfortunate background who falls into one hell of a Gothic, specter filled adventure.
I truly enjoyed this read and cannot wait for more from this author!! -
Do yourself a favor and just see Gaslight. Wow.
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I loved this book. I was drawn in and hooked, it felt like I was there with Mae throughout. The claustrophobia felt real, along with the confusing madness and twists made me second guess everything. The crescendo of feminine rage was perfect and it's always wonderful to find a book with excellent queer representation that is effortless and isn't patronizing. Even though I've finished the book now, I know I'm not going to stop thinking about it for a while. It was so well executed and everything slotted together perfectly.
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✨I received this books as an ARC - all thoughts and opinions are my own. ✨
Wow! I went into this book with only “sapphic, horror and violin” as the general themes, and I was so surprised with how the events unfolded.
Spoiler free - but this book has the same vibes as the classic “the yellow wallpaper” mixed with a mystery solving non-binary detective.
The prose is fun and witty, and made me have chills more than once.
Underneath you can expect themes that are heavy, and the representation was satisfying and so natural.
Rae Knowles is an auto buy author now, and I highly recommend her work if you love the macabre. -
This book is absolutely worth a read. The cast of characters is excellent. You can get a feel for them right away, but they always seem to surprise you, too. The plot is a ride from beginning to end, and you find yourself rooting for the protagonists, because you just want things to turn out okay. The writing is accessible, but also descriptive, and I enjoyed every minute. Take a moment and pick this book up!
As an extra note, her musical details are all pretty spot-on, when she chooses to include them. This is coming from a former music professor, and I have such a beef when people don't try to portray given niches accurately. Brava! -
loved the book i love how it made me feel like i was in a haunting story even though she was trying to find out what happened to her dad. I love the MC of the story. How she plays violin well also finding what happened to her fathers violin. This story was really well written. I kept turning the pages because i wanted to see what would happen in the story.
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Haunting is the best word I can think of to encapsulate this novel. I really really liked it. It’s hard for me to give my reasoning without spoiling the perfectly crafted mental decline of this gothic tale.
I will say that Rae Knowles clearly went in with a goal and that goal was achieved and surpassed. The characterization was unnervingly accurate at every point.
At several points throughout I felt myself feeling as confused and unsure as the characters and even though I thought I knew what was going on- the depth of it was amazing.
This is all without me even having mentioned the authentic representation of queer and trans characters! 😍
Absolutely suggest! -
A murder mystery in an old Victorian home. A missing rare violin. A woman lost and found.
I was given an advanced reading copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I have not read this author before, and I'm not familiar with their other works. I opted into the advanced copy because I am always looking for queer horror and mystery writers to read, review, and promote.
This book was an interesting mix of elements. I can see where the author took time and care in showing the mental decline of their protagonist. The expression of her innocence, her need for escape, and her reaching out for something she could call her own was written well, even if some of the transitions were a little jarring.
I enjoyed Ollie - the genderqueer small town weird with a love of animals who is trying to establish themselves as a serious investigator and a friend/love interest to the main character, Mae. Watching them struggle with their own motivations, even as they push for a resolution to a decades old murder and for Mae's health and well being.
Here are the things I didn't like:
Some of the transitions were very jarring - so jarring that they didn't make a whole lot of sense in the flow of the work as a whole.
Some of the character introductions felt a little forced (I think somewhere I missed the reference to the dog, Lady, before she was helping Ollie hunt for clues).
The depth of character got lost with some of those transitions - particularly Mae going from milquetoast to determined to stop what was happening to her.
There were several brushes with other issues queer and other vulnerable people deal with: the homophobia and conspiracy theory mongering Aunt Bel, the healthcare system failing them (the doctor was absolutely NAILED - he was my personal worst nightmare). I felt like these were shoehorned into moving the plot forward.
Overall, I think this was a good debut novel. I would be willing to read more by this author, especially given that they are trying to give voice to queer issues in the context of traditional horror stories.
Thank you for the opportunity to review this work! -
Literal Gaslighting & Scary Narcissism! Oh, my!
After Mae’s father is killed during the robbery of his priceless Stradivarius, the traumatized child is shipped off to live with her conservative conspiracy-nut Aunt. Not a nice place to live for a sensitive, artistic, young queer. Is it any wonder she’s the perfect prey when an apparently rich, older man begins to pay her attention? Carter says all the right things. He’s charming. He’s suave and sophisticated; he’s everything a girl raised in a trailer park dreams about. And when he asks her to marry him after they’ve only been ‘dating’ a few weeks, Mae immediately accepts, desperate to escape her aunt and start a real life.
Of course, I hated Carter from his first introduction.
Luckily, this evil villain’s presence is offset by Ollie, the quirky NB handy-person who’s hired to help Mae and Carter rehab the old house Mae inherited from her murdered father. Yay, queer romantic interest! Good thing Ollie is onto Carter almost from the start.
I really enjoyed this psychological drama with a queer twist. Not sure you can really call it a ‘mystery’ though because it’s pretty clear who the bad guy is from the beginning. But I kept reading because I had to know if Mae would ultimately succumb or triumph. You’ll want to as well.
Mind the CWs!
My review is based on the ARC I received of this title.
