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Bad Things Happen Here
I Killed Zoe Spanos meets The Cheerleaders in this haunting mystery about an island town with a history of unsolved deaths—and a girl desperate to uncover the mystery behind it all.
Luca Laine Thomas lives on a cursed island. To the outside world, Parris is an exclusive, idyllic escape accessible only to the one percent. There’s nothing idyllic about its history, though, scattered with the unsolved deaths of young women—deaths Parris society happily ignores to maintain its polished veneer. But Luca can’t ignore them. Not when the curse that took them killed her best friend, Polly, three years ago. Not when she feels the curse lingering nearby, ready to take her next.
When Luca comes home to police cars outside her house, she knows the curse has visited once again. Except this time, it came for Whitney, her sister. Luca decides to take the investigation of Whitney’s death into her own hands. But as a shocking betrayal rocks Luca’s world, the identity Whitney’s killer isn’t the only truth Luca seeks. And by the time she finds what she’s looking for, Luca will come face to face with the curse she’s been running from her whole life.
Luca Laine Thomas lives on a cursed island. To the outside world, Parris is an exclusive, idyllic escape accessible only to the one percent. There’s nothing idyllic about its history, though, scattered with the unsolved deaths of young women—deaths Parris society happily ignores to maintain its polished veneer. But Luca can’t ignore them. Not when the curse that took them killed her best friend, Polly, three years ago. Not when she feels the curse lingering nearby, ready to take her next.
When Luca comes home to police cars outside her house, she knows the curse has visited once again. Except this time, it came for Whitney, her sister. Luca decides to take the investigation of Whitney’s death into her own hands. But as a shocking betrayal rocks Luca’s world, the identity Whitney’s killer isn’t the only truth Luca seeks. And by the time she finds what she’s looking for, Luca will come face to face with the curse she’s been running from her whole life.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2022
About the author
Rebecca Barrow
8 books279 followersRebecca Barrow is the critically acclaimed author of Bad Things Happen Here, Interview with the Vixen, This Is What It Feels Like, and You Don’t Know Me But I Know You. She is a lover of sunshine, Old Hollywood icons, and all things high femme. She lives and writes in England. Visit her at www.rebecca-barrow.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
August 10, 2022
2.5 stars rounded up
The more I thought about this in the few days it's been since finishing, I realize that it's not a memorable book to me at all. I barely remembered what happened until I re-read the synopsis, so that's not a good sign.
Basically, this is a YA mystery? suspense? novel. Luca's best friend (girlfriend? I was never totally sure) Polly died three years ago. There have been other deaths on their island, to the point where many people, including Luca, believe that there is a curse. Luca and her older sister Whitney go to a party, and the next day Whitney is found dead. Luca starts her own investigation into what happened to Whitney.
The positives: there's some great representation here: Luca is Black (or biracial, couldn't really tell), plus-sized, queer, has an Asian girlfriend, she's wealthy but recognizes her privilege throughout the book. It was nice to see a good variety of characters and not have them be caricatures but rather seem like real people. There are a couple of great twists, which surprised me.
The negatives: Even though the book has some good twists, it's ultimately forgettable. The armchair detecting is heavy in this book, but it turns out that it's for a decent reason, so that's more of a neutral point than a deal-breaker that it usually is for me. I thought Luca was whiny and full of herself, which is totally a thing with teenagers, I get it, but I don't want to read about it.
Overall, if you're looking for a YA mystery, this one might appeal. It has many positive reviews, I just found it a bit lackluster.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
The more I thought about this in the few days it's been since finishing, I realize that it's not a memorable book to me at all. I barely remembered what happened until I re-read the synopsis, so that's not a good sign.
Basically, this is a YA mystery? suspense? novel. Luca's best friend (girlfriend? I was never totally sure) Polly died three years ago. There have been other deaths on their island, to the point where many people, including Luca, believe that there is a curse. Luca and her older sister Whitney go to a party, and the next day Whitney is found dead. Luca starts her own investigation into what happened to Whitney.
The positives: there's some great representation here: Luca is Black (or biracial, couldn't really tell), plus-sized, queer, has an Asian girlfriend, she's wealthy but recognizes her privilege throughout the book. It was nice to see a good variety of characters and not have them be caricatures but rather seem like real people. There are a couple of great twists, which surprised me.
The negatives: Even though the book has some good twists, it's ultimately forgettable. The armchair detecting is heavy in this book, but it turns out that it's for a decent reason, so that's more of a neutral point than a deal-breaker that it usually is for me. I thought Luca was whiny and full of herself, which is totally a thing with teenagers, I get it, but I don't want to read about it.
Overall, if you're looking for a YA mystery, this one might appeal. It has many positive reviews, I just found it a bit lackluster.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
August 27, 2024
Luca Laine Thomas lives on the island of Parris, a playground for the wealthy and a place with a history of unsolved deaths.
There are rumors amongst the locals that the island itself is cursed. After the tragic death of her best friend, Polly, three years before, Luca fully believes in the curse.
When her sister Whitney goes missing after a night out, Luca believes the curse may have struck again and in this case she's sort of correct.
Whitney is dead. Another mysterious death that the town will no doubt sweep under the rug and forget in no time, but not Luca. She's going to get to the bottom of these tragedies once and for all.
In the midst of all of this, Luca is navigating normal life things like her feelings for the new girl next door. As soon as Naomi moved into Polly's old house, Luca was intrigued.
Initially, due to Whitney's prodding, the two develop a tentative friendship, but after opening up to one another following a few drinks at a party, the friendship quickly escalates.
Luca can hardly believe her luck when this beautiful girl seems to be into her as well.
The two work together to try to solve the mystery surrounding Whitney's death and of the town in general.
What I wrote above sounds interesting, right? I think so. An island town with a history of unsolved deaths, a possible curse, amateur detectives solving mysteries, teen angst; it all sounds great to me.
Unfortunately, the execution of Bad Things Happen Here failed to deliver for me.
I'm not quite sure what happened but this just was not for me. It wasn't what I expected and I didn't enjoy what was served up in replacement of what I was expecting.
I was relieved when it was over and that's never a good sign.
Initially, I loved Luca. I thought it was going to be great because I felt so connected to her right away, but then the narrative just fizzled out.
I became so bored with it that I began to lose my focus. I didn't get the atmosphere, or sense of mystery, that I was hoping for at all.
Additionally, I felt the investigation taken on by Luca was weak. It didn't stand out to me as a prominent point to the story and I would be hard pressed to recall any of the clues, or avenues of investigation, she was following.
I wanted a dark mystery with rich island vibes. Atmosphere is so important to me and for me, this was a complete miss. This could have been anywhere U.S.A. The town was a non-factor in this story.
The tone is morose, moody and for me, a little dry. Yeah, it just wasn't a good fit for my tastes.
With this being said, I know a lot of Readers are loving this one though, so just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you.
If the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, absolutely give it a go. What do you have to lose?!
Thank you to the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
While it wasn't quite the book for me, I know it is going to be a big hit with many Readers!
There are rumors amongst the locals that the island itself is cursed. After the tragic death of her best friend, Polly, three years before, Luca fully believes in the curse.
When her sister Whitney goes missing after a night out, Luca believes the curse may have struck again and in this case she's sort of correct.
Whitney is dead. Another mysterious death that the town will no doubt sweep under the rug and forget in no time, but not Luca. She's going to get to the bottom of these tragedies once and for all.
In the midst of all of this, Luca is navigating normal life things like her feelings for the new girl next door. As soon as Naomi moved into Polly's old house, Luca was intrigued.
Initially, due to Whitney's prodding, the two develop a tentative friendship, but after opening up to one another following a few drinks at a party, the friendship quickly escalates.
Luca can hardly believe her luck when this beautiful girl seems to be into her as well.
The two work together to try to solve the mystery surrounding Whitney's death and of the town in general.
What I wrote above sounds interesting, right? I think so. An island town with a history of unsolved deaths, a possible curse, amateur detectives solving mysteries, teen angst; it all sounds great to me.
Unfortunately, the execution of Bad Things Happen Here failed to deliver for me.
I'm not quite sure what happened but this just was not for me. It wasn't what I expected and I didn't enjoy what was served up in replacement of what I was expecting.
I was relieved when it was over and that's never a good sign.
Initially, I loved Luca. I thought it was going to be great because I felt so connected to her right away, but then the narrative just fizzled out.
I became so bored with it that I began to lose my focus. I didn't get the atmosphere, or sense of mystery, that I was hoping for at all.
Additionally, I felt the investigation taken on by Luca was weak. It didn't stand out to me as a prominent point to the story and I would be hard pressed to recall any of the clues, or avenues of investigation, she was following.
I wanted a dark mystery with rich island vibes. Atmosphere is so important to me and for me, this was a complete miss. This could have been anywhere U.S.A. The town was a non-factor in this story.
The tone is morose, moody and for me, a little dry. Yeah, it just wasn't a good fit for my tastes.
With this being said, I know a lot of Readers are loving this one though, so just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you.
If the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, absolutely give it a go. What do you have to lose?!
Thank you to the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
While it wasn't quite the book for me, I know it is going to be a big hit with many Readers!
July 23, 2022
This is the first book I have read from Rebecca Barrow and it certainly won't be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style and it was such a fast paced book, along with the short chapters, which made it even quicker to read for me. The themes of betrayal in this book were so well done, and had me on the edge of my seat. The cliffhanger though, all I can say is WOW. I really hope this becomes a duology or a series so we can find out what happens because that ending has me questioning so much. Please go read this!
February 19, 2024
i was kinda bored. sorry. pretty writing though!
October 2, 2022
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Bad Things Happen Here is a beautiful story with a lot of lessons to give. It has a little bit of everything and just enough to keep you intrigued and melt your heart!
Luca Laine Thomas has lived in Parris Island all her life. And one year ago, she lost Polly, her best friend. Now there’s a new girl that moved into Polly’s house and the curse that surrounds this island strikes again.
Young women keep being murdered and the cases remain unsolved. Now it’s Luca’s turn to do some investigating on her own and figure out what the hell is wrong with this island.
Luca is such a refreshing character. She is mixed-race, queer and plus sized, but most importantly, she’s hilarious, smart, and not afraid to stand up for herself. I was glad to see her embrace her mental health journey and show us how she is dealing with grief. She is not afraid to open about her feelings – and thank God for that – we need more Luca’s in our lives and on our pages, so that people start realising that talking about emotions is okay.
The story is intriguing and captivating. Meeting a log of characters and having those parties on the island gave me some “We Were Liars” vibes. The chapters are short and the way they end prompts you to continue. I stayed up until 2am, finishing this book.
“People lie about where they were when they don’t want anyone to know what they were doing and where they were doing it.”
I liked the mystery elements, although I think there were some flaws. Luca relied on just one source to give her clues, and if that source ceased for some reason, she wouldn’t have been able to reveal anything. Additionally, I think in real life, that person would never reveal anything at all, because of how it relates to them and the connection, in my opinion. And even though we get one reveal in the end, we don’t get answers to the old cases at all. There was supposed to be some connection between all the murders, and it was never entertained afterwards. It left me slightly disappointed from that point of view.
I liked the romantic connection Luca had, and how real it all was. Especially towards the end. It proves to show that you can love and care for someone so deeply, but still cannot forgive or forget if they hurt you bad enough. We don’t always get the happy ever afters. And maybe time will heal their wounds and destiny will guide them to each other again. We’ll never know, and we can only hope, and that’s the beauty of it.
Bad Things Happen Here is a beautiful story with a lot of lessons to give. It has a little bit of everything and just enough to keep you intrigued and melt your heart!
Luca Laine Thomas has lived in Parris Island all her life. And one year ago, she lost Polly, her best friend. Now there’s a new girl that moved into Polly’s house and the curse that surrounds this island strikes again.
Young women keep being murdered and the cases remain unsolved. Now it’s Luca’s turn to do some investigating on her own and figure out what the hell is wrong with this island.
Luca is such a refreshing character. She is mixed-race, queer and plus sized, but most importantly, she’s hilarious, smart, and not afraid to stand up for herself. I was glad to see her embrace her mental health journey and show us how she is dealing with grief. She is not afraid to open about her feelings – and thank God for that – we need more Luca’s in our lives and on our pages, so that people start realising that talking about emotions is okay.
The story is intriguing and captivating. Meeting a log of characters and having those parties on the island gave me some “We Were Liars” vibes. The chapters are short and the way they end prompts you to continue. I stayed up until 2am, finishing this book.
“People lie about where they were when they don’t want anyone to know what they were doing and where they were doing it.”
I liked the mystery elements, although I think there were some flaws. Luca relied on just one source to give her clues, and if that source ceased for some reason, she wouldn’t have been able to reveal anything. Additionally, I think in real life, that person would never reveal anything at all, because of how it relates to them and the connection, in my opinion. And even though we get one reveal in the end, we don’t get answers to the old cases at all. There was supposed to be some connection between all the murders, and it was never entertained afterwards. It left me slightly disappointed from that point of view.
I liked the romantic connection Luca had, and how real it all was. Especially towards the end. It proves to show that you can love and care for someone so deeply, but still cannot forgive or forget if they hurt you bad enough. We don’t always get the happy ever afters. And maybe time will heal their wounds and destiny will guide them to each other again. We’ll never know, and we can only hope, and that’s the beauty of it.
July 8, 2022
4.5 stars
Bad Things Happen here was an incredibly addictive YA thriller, with flawed but compelling characters, twists turns and deadly secrets that had me glued to the page!
It’s set on an idyllic island of, inhabited by the uber wealthy—Parris has hidden its dark and tragic history behind a veneer of glitz and glamour for decades. It’s a place haunted by the unsolved deaths of countless young women-including Luca’s best friend Polly. All Luca wants to do is heal from her grief of her loss, but after a drunken party Luca returns home to find the Police at her house… Her sister,Whitney, is dead.
With the help of the new girl next door (Naomi) Luca decides to take the investigation into her own hands and find out what exactly happened that night. But nothing in Parris, is ever as it seems and the secrets it’s hiding at just be deadly…
I really enjoyed this and loved just how suspenseful it was. I was fully immersed int he small town, close friendship atmosphere and was on the hooked by all the lies and secrets that Luca uncovers—my perceptions of characters was constantly changing and I loved that!
Luca, our protagonist was a really three dimensional character with flaws and emotions that really endeared me to her—I’ve never experienced loss in quite the same way she has but it was heartbreaking to see how the deeply grief affected her. It also puts a spotlight on the lives of the victims’ nearest and dearest and how gossip and malicious rumours can affect them.
But personally it’s the very important (and relevant) issue surrounding privilege and race that I found really significant. It shouldn’t be surprising to know that privilege leads to discrimination when a person doesn’t fit in the boxes already ascribed to them. And on an Island like Parris, wealth and privilege go hand in hand which means the case (and Luca) are unfairly judged based on discriminatory biases which do nothing to help the actual investigation.
Thankfully, Luca does finally get closure, but like real life the truth is messy, complicated and not nearly as satisfying as she hoped it’d be. I really liked the ending (as bittersweet as it was) because it really does capture Luca’s emotional journey and growth.
Overall, a beautifully written and thought provoking, YA thriller that explores the nuance of life—in all it’s messy, complex and morally grey glory.
TW: self harm, suicidal thoughts, death, grief, murder and references to physical and sexual assault
Also a huge thank you to Hot Key Books & The Tandem Collective for the finished copy & for including me in the Readalong—I really enjoyed it!
Bad Things Happen here was an incredibly addictive YA thriller, with flawed but compelling characters, twists turns and deadly secrets that had me glued to the page!
It’s set on an idyllic island of, inhabited by the uber wealthy—Parris has hidden its dark and tragic history behind a veneer of glitz and glamour for decades. It’s a place haunted by the unsolved deaths of countless young women-including Luca’s best friend Polly. All Luca wants to do is heal from her grief of her loss, but after a drunken party Luca returns home to find the Police at her house… Her sister,Whitney, is dead.
With the help of the new girl next door (Naomi) Luca decides to take the investigation into her own hands and find out what exactly happened that night. But nothing in Parris, is ever as it seems and the secrets it’s hiding at just be deadly…
I really enjoyed this and loved just how suspenseful it was. I was fully immersed int he small town, close friendship atmosphere and was on the hooked by all the lies and secrets that Luca uncovers—my perceptions of characters was constantly changing and I loved that!
Luca, our protagonist was a really three dimensional character with flaws and emotions that really endeared me to her—I’ve never experienced loss in quite the same way she has but it was heartbreaking to see how the deeply grief affected her. It also puts a spotlight on the lives of the victims’ nearest and dearest and how gossip and malicious rumours can affect them.
But personally it’s the very important (and relevant) issue surrounding privilege and race that I found really significant. It shouldn’t be surprising to know that privilege leads to discrimination when a person doesn’t fit in the boxes already ascribed to them. And on an Island like Parris, wealth and privilege go hand in hand which means the case (and Luca) are unfairly judged based on discriminatory biases which do nothing to help the actual investigation.
Thankfully, Luca does finally get closure, but like real life the truth is messy, complicated and not nearly as satisfying as she hoped it’d be. I really liked the ending (as bittersweet as it was) because it really does capture Luca’s emotional journey and growth.
Overall, a beautifully written and thought provoking, YA thriller that explores the nuance of life—in all it’s messy, complex and morally grey glory.
TW: self harm, suicidal thoughts, death, grief, murder and references to physical and sexual assault
Also a huge thank you to Hot Key Books & The Tandem Collective for the finished copy & for including me in the Readalong—I really enjoyed it!
June 30, 2022
“Not that she was poor — her dad was a high-up cop, after all — but in Parris, poor is relative. You don’t have the ocean view and the museum benefit list and the housekeeper who you never actually see?
Then you’re not rich.”
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
This book was everything AND MORE. Thank you so much to Hot Key Books for the free proof copy! I literally could not put this book down. I think I read it in just two sittings! It was so captivating and the emotions were flying and I even caught myself nail biting at one point.
The story itself was told really well. From the start the reader is aware that every few years someone dies in Parris, and that there is a “curse”, or so the residents call it. While the main character is constantly trying to work out who or what is responsible, it held me in suspense. I would have loved to see a few chapters from different perspectives, maybe one each from Naomi, Jada, and Madeline, but just having Luca’s perspective did work really, really well. The ending was sort of slightly unresolved, in a way, it ended in utter disaster for a few characters, and I would like to know what happened a few years down the line. Maybe Rebecca could do a sequel from Jada’s perspective, that would be incredible!
The main character was a plus-size, mixed-race, queer girl with a firecracker personality! She was utterly relatable, made the story compelling and incredibly unique. You were always rooting for Luca!
This book was a work of art and I highly, highly recommend for anyone! Would make a great film too!
Then you’re not rich.”
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
This book was everything AND MORE. Thank you so much to Hot Key Books for the free proof copy! I literally could not put this book down. I think I read it in just two sittings! It was so captivating and the emotions were flying and I even caught myself nail biting at one point.
The story itself was told really well. From the start the reader is aware that every few years someone dies in Parris, and that there is a “curse”, or so the residents call it. While the main character is constantly trying to work out who or what is responsible, it held me in suspense. I would have loved to see a few chapters from different perspectives, maybe one each from Naomi, Jada, and Madeline, but just having Luca’s perspective did work really, really well. The ending was sort of slightly unresolved, in a way, it ended in utter disaster for a few characters, and I would like to know what happened a few years down the line. Maybe Rebecca could do a sequel from Jada’s perspective, that would be incredible!
The main character was a plus-size, mixed-race, queer girl with a firecracker personality! She was utterly relatable, made the story compelling and incredibly unique. You were always rooting for Luca!
This book was a work of art and I highly, highly recommend for anyone! Would make a great film too!
March 19, 2022
An intriguing and beautifully written YA murder mystery set on an island of rich people where bad things happen but the consciousness of the society sweeps it all under the carpet.
It is a twisty tale indeed both of story and character, the lead protagonist is flawed, engaging and haunted by loss. This keeps you with her through her journey towards an understanding not only of herself but of the place she lives.
I found it to be a page turner, unpredictable in outcome and overall written with a strong sense of melancholy.
It is a twisty tale indeed both of story and character, the lead protagonist is flawed, engaging and haunted by loss. This keeps you with her through her journey towards an understanding not only of herself but of the place she lives.
I found it to be a page turner, unpredictable in outcome and overall written with a strong sense of melancholy.
September 4, 2022
This had potential, but the ending was ridiculous. There was no justice, and the other murders Luca wanted to investigate remain uninvestigated. Also, this book blabbers on about a curse the whole way through, and ends up concluding the people are just screwed in the head - like okay???? This genuinely could’ve been good, there were too many loose strings and the fact that the true murderer gets away with it is incredibly irritating. Also, she didn’t actually solve the murder, she just overheard a conversation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2022
Thank you to Colored Pages Blog Tours and the publisher for my review copy in exchange for an honest review and promo. All opinions are my own.
Oh my god!!! I LOVED THIS!! Could not put it down. I did not want to stop reading it.
Luca Laine Thomas lives on the gorgeous island of Parris. Parris seems like an idyllic escape, but its history is marred by a curse—the scattered unsolved deaths of young women. Luca has felt the island’s curse watching her for as long as she can remember. Three years ago, the curse took her best friend and she feels the curse lingering waiting to get her next. When the police show up to Luca’s house to tell her family her sister has died, Luca decides to take matters into her own hands.
I’m new to the thriller genre, but whew queer thrillers? I love them so much. This one, Dead End Girls, Ace of Spades, The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester? Sign me up for all of them immediately. When I started Bad Things Happen Here, I didn’t expect to inhale the book in one sitting. The story and writing were so gripping I did not want this book to end! I loved the journey and investigation we go on with Luca at the head.
Luca was such an easy character to root for. She's fat, queer, Black/biracial, disabled and constantly feels like she doesn't belong in Parris. The curse only makes it more apparent. I loved seeing her explore her sense of self and become more confident in who she is and what she deserves.
This was my first book by Rebecca Barrow, but it certainly won’t be my last!
Rep: Black/biracial fat sapphic cis female MC with depression and intrusive thoughts, Asian American sapphic cis female side character, Black/biracial cishet female side character, various white side characters.
CWs: Murder, death, death of child, blood, violence, injury/injury detail, mental illness (depression, intrusive thoughts). Moderate: Racism, infidelity, police intimidation, self harm, grief, suicidal thoughts, drug use, car accident and DUI, vomit. Minor: fatphobia.
Oh my god!!! I LOVED THIS!! Could not put it down. I did not want to stop reading it.
Luca Laine Thomas lives on the gorgeous island of Parris. Parris seems like an idyllic escape, but its history is marred by a curse—the scattered unsolved deaths of young women. Luca has felt the island’s curse watching her for as long as she can remember. Three years ago, the curse took her best friend and she feels the curse lingering waiting to get her next. When the police show up to Luca’s house to tell her family her sister has died, Luca decides to take matters into her own hands.
I’m new to the thriller genre, but whew queer thrillers? I love them so much. This one, Dead End Girls, Ace of Spades, The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester? Sign me up for all of them immediately. When I started Bad Things Happen Here, I didn’t expect to inhale the book in one sitting. The story and writing were so gripping I did not want this book to end! I loved the journey and investigation we go on with Luca at the head.
Luca was such an easy character to root for. She's fat, queer, Black/biracial, disabled and constantly feels like she doesn't belong in Parris. The curse only makes it more apparent. I loved seeing her explore her sense of self and become more confident in who she is and what she deserves.
This was my first book by Rebecca Barrow, but it certainly won’t be my last!
Rep: Black/biracial fat sapphic cis female MC with depression and intrusive thoughts, Asian American sapphic cis female side character, Black/biracial cishet female side character, various white side characters.
CWs: Murder, death, death of child, blood, violence, injury/injury detail, mental illness (depression, intrusive thoughts). Moderate: Racism, infidelity, police intimidation, self harm, grief, suicidal thoughts, drug use, car accident and DUI, vomit. Minor: fatphobia.
November 15, 2024
it’s giving the tv show outer banks but i do think she could have taken things maybe one step further with a little murder of her own at the end (for justice)
July 6, 2022
My feelings after reading this story are somewhat conflicted, because while the writing was beautiful and I loved the complexity of Luca's character, I don't think it quite made up for a lacklustre reveal at the end, or the lack of depth of love interest Naomi.
I liked that this tried to explore the class divide of a small town, where everyone lives side by side, knowing everything about one another. Old murders become new ghost stories, something creepy to tell in the night but never to worry about, even when the next girl is murdered.
I'm not really sure it had a good payoff though. In the end, it wasn't quite resolved and while I admired Luca's decision in the final chapter and rooted for her, it left the story feeling somewhat unfinished, and I think it needs a sequel to wrap it up better.
I liked that this tried to explore the class divide of a small town, where everyone lives side by side, knowing everything about one another. Old murders become new ghost stories, something creepy to tell in the night but never to worry about, even when the next girl is murdered.
I'm not really sure it had a good payoff though. In the end, it wasn't quite resolved and while I admired Luca's decision in the final chapter and rooted for her, it left the story feeling somewhat unfinished, and I think it needs a sequel to wrap it up better.
June 30, 2022
An easy, gripping, fast-paced YA mystery/thriller that is basically We Were Liars x A Good Girl's Guide To Murder.
This book has a plus-sized, mixed-race, bisexual main character who also experiences intrusive thoughts (which I thought were presented in a relatable way).
This is a really nice read read if you want to get out of a reading slump - plus, it has the betrayal trope, one of my favourites!
This book has a plus-sized, mixed-race, bisexual main character who also experiences intrusive thoughts (which I thought were presented in a relatable way).
This is a really nice read read if you want to get out of a reading slump - plus, it has the betrayal trope, one of my favourites!
July 5, 2022
This is an addictive book, with short chapters that make you turn the page constantly. It definitely has something to it, and the themes woven into this story are ones I wish we saw more often in books. There's much to like about BAD THINGS HAPPEN HERE, but my overall feeling says this: it was good enough, but it missed something.
There are a lot of things this book does well. The foreshadowing was amazing and the writing is full of emotion that leaps off the page right to the reader, but in the end BAD THINGS HAPPEN HERE did underwhelm me a little. I liked the idea of the ending so much, yet it left me unsatisfied since we didn't get answers to something that is literally in the premise of this book.
I did ADORE the representation. Black fat lesbian main character? More of that please! The mental health rep was also just amazing and hit really close to home for me.
I'd still recommend this because I really did appreciate the themes it explored, but personally I wanted more of it. Rebecca Barrow is definitely an author to follow, though!
There are a lot of things this book does well. The foreshadowing was amazing and the writing is full of emotion that leaps off the page right to the reader, but in the end BAD THINGS HAPPEN HERE did underwhelm me a little. I liked the idea of the ending so much, yet it left me unsatisfied since we didn't get answers to something that is literally in the premise of this book.
I did ADORE the representation. Black fat lesbian main character? More of that please! The mental health rep was also just amazing and hit really close to home for me.
I'd still recommend this because I really did appreciate the themes it explored, but personally I wanted more of it. Rebecca Barrow is definitely an author to follow, though!
May 5, 2022
I'm back to Novelist appeal factors (plus whenever I feel like it, my own terms and appeal lists) because I'm going to read a lot this year and don't want to forget everything.
Genre: Contemporary fiction/mystery
Storyline: Character-driven, twisty
Themes:
Tone: Atmospheric, melancholy, haunting
Representation (main character): biracial, fat, queer (sapphic)
Some thoughts on the ending:
Genre: Contemporary fiction/mystery
Storyline: Character-driven, twisty
Themes:
Tone: Atmospheric, melancholy, haunting
Representation (main character): biracial, fat, queer (sapphic)
Some thoughts on the ending:
June 14, 2022
This is a young adult thriller, but to be honest I didn't find it very thrilling. None of the characters were particularly likeable and the main character was a very spoilt and a bit of a bitch. The actual murder mystery was a bit long and drawn out although well written at times, especially the descriptions of mental health and self harm. However, the big reveal at the end was a bit "really?? Is that it?"
It was also irritating that Polly was mentioned so often but we never discovered what actually happened to her.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK.
It was also irritating that Polly was mentioned so often but we never discovered what actually happened to her.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2022
I absolutely bloody love a good YA thriller murder mystery WHODUNNIT with an island setting, so imagine my absolute joy at getting a proof of this baby?! It’s an incredible read. I found it was one of those books that once you pick it up, you don’t put it down again until you’ve finished it. I was gripped, I was hooked, I was titillated. The characters were all wonderful and easy to connect with, and damn if you don’t love Luca then we will have issues. Massive heart vibes to that sweet little popcorn cherry apple.
Thank you so much to Eleanor at Hot Key Books for sending me a proof of this one. I loved it!
Thank you so much to Eleanor at Hot Key Books for sending me a proof of this one. I loved it!
March 16, 2022
Bad Things Happen Here is a story about the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface of seeming-glamorous world–and the girl who is determined to dig them up.
Seventeen-year-old Luca Laine Thomas lives on Parris, an island home to a community of rich elites. Parris is also an island that’s haunted by a history of dying girls. From house fires and drownings to back-alley assaults, girls keep dying on Parris in terrible, unsolved ways. Luca, who lost her Polly best friend three years ago in what was ruled an accidental drowning, thinks it’s not just a series of deadly coincidences, but a curse. Most people on Parris think of the curse as nothing more than a schoolyard story, content to ignore it in favor of a life of careless decadence on the island, but Luca believes otherwise. When Luca’s sister, Whitney, is found dead and her death is ruled a murder, Luca decides it’s time for her to investigate the curse herself.
Rebecca Barrows is one of my favorite YA contemporary authors (I adored her novel This Is What It Feels Like), so I was super excited to get an ARC of her upcoming thriller Bad Things Happen Here. While the genre is a big shift from her previous novels, her new novel has a similar character-focused, emotional feel. There’s certainly tension, murder, and mysteries, but Bad Things Happen Here is also a novel about grief. Three years after Polly’s death, Luca is still haunted by her memory–and even more so by the idea that she might begin to forget. When Luca’s sister is torn from her in an act of shocking, unsolved violence, she vows not to let Whitney become another forgotten name in a string of dead girls.
Luca as a main character was probably my favorite part of Bad Things Happen Here. She’s really easy to root for and the grief she feels for Polly and Whitney is very well-conveyed and nuanced. Luca has always felt more out-of-place on Parris: mixed-race in a very white community, queer but not very open about her sexuality, mentally ill in a world that’s not understanding about that. I also appreciated that Luca’s mental health was never used for shock value. She has depression and anxiety and deals with intrusive thoughts regarding self-harm, but the novel never uses her mental health as a twist or an attempt to make her an unreliable narrator like other thrillers I’ve read in the past. Instead, mental illness is something that Luca has learned to live with, a much more nuanced and realistic depiction of mental health than is sometimes found in the thriller genre.
There’s also a bit of romance as Luca falls for Naomi, a new girl on the island whose family moves into Polly’s old house. Naomi has also lost her best friend back on the mainland and the two find a shared understanding of grief, neither willing to buy into Parris’s beautiful veneer but still trying to find some comfort with each other. (Though, being a thriller, there’s also some further layers to that relationship.) Luca’s complicated relationship with her ex-friend Jada, who she was in with love but no longer talks to after Polly’s death, was another relationship I was really intrigued by and liked seeing teased out over the course of the novel.
There are also some good twists since this is a thriller, after all. Luca, unwilling to see Whitney’s death reduced to another tragic accident like Polly’s, takes the investigation of her sister’s murder into her own hands and begins trying to track down her sister’s killer. Parris is an insular, exclusive community of wealth and pleasure, but there are plenty of dark secrets being kept beneath the surface, even by people Luca has spent her entire life among. There were quite a few reveals that genuinely surprised me, though I won’t go into them here since the novel isn’t out yet. I also enjoyed the book’s atmosphere quite a bit, probably because I’m a sucker for stories about glamorous worlds with dark secrets and seaside settings, which Bad Things Happen Here delivers in spades.
Overall, I would recommend Bad Things Happen Here to readers with an interest in a character-driven thriller with a nuanced portrayal of grief and mental health.
Note: I received a free advance reader copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for a review.
Representation: biracial Black/white, fat, queer main character with depression and anxiety, sapphic biracial Filipino/white love interest, biracial Black/white side character
Content warnings (taken from the back of the book): themes of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and physical and sexual violence
Seventeen-year-old Luca Laine Thomas lives on Parris, an island home to a community of rich elites. Parris is also an island that’s haunted by a history of dying girls. From house fires and drownings to back-alley assaults, girls keep dying on Parris in terrible, unsolved ways. Luca, who lost her Polly best friend three years ago in what was ruled an accidental drowning, thinks it’s not just a series of deadly coincidences, but a curse. Most people on Parris think of the curse as nothing more than a schoolyard story, content to ignore it in favor of a life of careless decadence on the island, but Luca believes otherwise. When Luca’s sister, Whitney, is found dead and her death is ruled a murder, Luca decides it’s time for her to investigate the curse herself.
Rebecca Barrows is one of my favorite YA contemporary authors (I adored her novel This Is What It Feels Like), so I was super excited to get an ARC of her upcoming thriller Bad Things Happen Here. While the genre is a big shift from her previous novels, her new novel has a similar character-focused, emotional feel. There’s certainly tension, murder, and mysteries, but Bad Things Happen Here is also a novel about grief. Three years after Polly’s death, Luca is still haunted by her memory–and even more so by the idea that she might begin to forget. When Luca’s sister is torn from her in an act of shocking, unsolved violence, she vows not to let Whitney become another forgotten name in a string of dead girls.
Luca as a main character was probably my favorite part of Bad Things Happen Here. She’s really easy to root for and the grief she feels for Polly and Whitney is very well-conveyed and nuanced. Luca has always felt more out-of-place on Parris: mixed-race in a very white community, queer but not very open about her sexuality, mentally ill in a world that’s not understanding about that. I also appreciated that Luca’s mental health was never used for shock value. She has depression and anxiety and deals with intrusive thoughts regarding self-harm, but the novel never uses her mental health as a twist or an attempt to make her an unreliable narrator like other thrillers I’ve read in the past. Instead, mental illness is something that Luca has learned to live with, a much more nuanced and realistic depiction of mental health than is sometimes found in the thriller genre.
There’s also a bit of romance as Luca falls for Naomi, a new girl on the island whose family moves into Polly’s old house. Naomi has also lost her best friend back on the mainland and the two find a shared understanding of grief, neither willing to buy into Parris’s beautiful veneer but still trying to find some comfort with each other. (Though, being a thriller, there’s also some further layers to that relationship.) Luca’s complicated relationship with her ex-friend Jada, who she was in with love but no longer talks to after Polly’s death, was another relationship I was really intrigued by and liked seeing teased out over the course of the novel.
There are also some good twists since this is a thriller, after all. Luca, unwilling to see Whitney’s death reduced to another tragic accident like Polly’s, takes the investigation of her sister’s murder into her own hands and begins trying to track down her sister’s killer. Parris is an insular, exclusive community of wealth and pleasure, but there are plenty of dark secrets being kept beneath the surface, even by people Luca has spent her entire life among. There were quite a few reveals that genuinely surprised me, though I won’t go into them here since the novel isn’t out yet. I also enjoyed the book’s atmosphere quite a bit, probably because I’m a sucker for stories about glamorous worlds with dark secrets and seaside settings, which Bad Things Happen Here delivers in spades.
Overall, I would recommend Bad Things Happen Here to readers with an interest in a character-driven thriller with a nuanced portrayal of grief and mental health.
Note: I received a free advance reader copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for a review.
Representation: biracial Black/white, fat, queer main character with depression and anxiety, sapphic biracial Filipino/white love interest, biracial Black/white side character
Content warnings (taken from the back of the book): themes of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and physical and sexual violence
July 30, 2022
One of my favourite YA books is This is What it Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow, so when I saw Barrow was coming out with another sapphic YA title, I knew I had to pick it up. But while This Is What It Feels Like is a heartwarming slice-of-life story, Bad Things Happen Here is a sun-drenched murder mystery about the dark side of a postcard-perfect island getaway.
This is a mystery in two parts: one is the murder mystery of what happened to Whitney specifically, while the other is about what’s going on in Parris in general. I think some people will find them ending frustrating because (Vague spoilers:)
In some ways, this is a great summer read: it is set on an island in the summer, and the rich people murder mystery has lots of reveals and drama. On the other hand, this is a dark read that’s equally about Luca’s isolation and pain. It’s also a novel about the inescapable horrors of wealth inequality and the obscene power that a tiny fraction of the population holds.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
This is a mystery in two parts: one is the murder mystery of what happened to Whitney specifically, while the other is about what’s going on in Parris in general. I think some people will find them ending frustrating because (Vague spoilers:)
In some ways, this is a great summer read: it is set on an island in the summer, and the rich people murder mystery has lots of reveals and drama. On the other hand, this is a dark read that’s equally about Luca’s isolation and pain. It’s also a novel about the inescapable horrors of wealth inequality and the obscene power that a tiny fraction of the population holds.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
July 26, 2022
(3.5)
read my review on instagram
Rep: biracial Black lesbian mc with anxiety & depression, biracial Filipino American sapphic li, biracial Black side character
CWs: murder, mentions of drowning, intrusive thoughts, violence, suicidal ideation, self harm, implied stalking
read my review on instagram
Rep: biracial Black lesbian mc with anxiety & depression, biracial Filipino American sapphic li, biracial Black side character
CWs: murder, mentions of drowning, intrusive thoughts, violence, suicidal ideation, self harm, implied stalking
March 22, 2023
Trigger warnings: death of a friend (in the past), death of a sibling, grief, murder, drug use, self harm, alcohol abuse, car accident (in the past), suicidal thoughts, mentions of vomit
3.5 stars.
I barely even read the blurb before picking this up, so it was a definite (pleasant) surprise when the main character turned out to be Black, fat and queer. Anyway, I enjoyed this but I also expected there to be more of an examination of the "curse" as a whole than just the focus on Whitney and her murder. Like, don't get me wrong. I appreciate and understand why Luca focuses so closely on her sister's murder. But given the prevalence the blurb puts on the number of girls who've died and disappeared over the years, I thought there would be more of a focus on that and, perhaps, some kind of more general resolution.
Anyway, I absolutely flew through this. And while it wasn't always easy being in Luca's head, it was absolutely worthwhile.
3.5 stars.
I barely even read the blurb before picking this up, so it was a definite (pleasant) surprise when the main character turned out to be Black, fat and queer. Anyway, I enjoyed this but I also expected there to be more of an examination of the "curse" as a whole than just the focus on Whitney and her murder. Like, don't get me wrong. I appreciate and understand why Luca focuses so closely on her sister's murder. But given the prevalence the blurb puts on the number of girls who've died and disappeared over the years, I thought there would be more of a focus on that and, perhaps, some kind of more general resolution.
Anyway, I absolutely flew through this. And while it wasn't always easy being in Luca's head, it was absolutely worthwhile.
June 30, 2022
This was a creepy story about a small town that everyone believes is cursed because of the various unsolved deaths of young girls over the decades. Luca is at the heart of the novel and the curse because first it was her best friend and now it is her sister and so she is determined to get to the bottom of her death by any means necessary. She also develops a relationship with the new girl next door while searching for answers and this is a deeply intense and dark novel based in a rich town full of secrets and cover ups. You never know what is going to happen next and so I couldn't put the book down. There is a big twist at the end which made my jaw drop making for an incredible story.
* I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review *
* I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review *
May 26, 2024
*4.5 stars*
I really, really enjoyed this one. Good suspense, and really nice writing. I like the story and the characters, and how it all comes together. Read it in about 1.5 day, so let that speak for itself xD.
I really, really enjoyed this one. Good suspense, and really nice writing. I like the story and the characters, and how it all comes together. Read it in about 1.5 day, so let that speak for itself xD.
March 19, 2023
This was so disappointing, and after the main character talking about Polly for so long, I would have expected to find out what actually happened to her?! Good idea but poorly executed..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2022
To the outside world, Parris is a beautiful town full of people whose lives are to be envied. What they don’t see is the dark side to the town, the secrets that lurk in the shadows and which keep those who live in Parris trapped.
Our main character is Luca Laine Thomas, from one of the wealthy families who everyone knows. Her life might seem easy, but Luca believes in the curse that is rumoured to haunt the town. Her best friend, Polly, was found dead and though it was ruled accidental, Luca is convinced there’s more to the story.
My initial thoughts on Luca and her friends were not particularly positive. While they expressed unease at the events taking place in their town, they seemed to be as much a part of the problem as anyone else. Their behaviour towards the new neighbour, Naomi, felt a little patronising and yet I hoped things would not be quite as I thought.
Once Luca learns that her sister, Whitney, has been found dead after a party, things got a lot more interesting. Luca cannot accept what she’s being told and decides to carry out her own investigation. What she learns shows that nearly everyone has something to hide.
I found myself caught up in this once the story got underway, and fans of The Cheerleaders or Kit Frick will no doubt love the approach taken. The ending left me rather stunned, but it was nice to see Luca grow in self-belief as she made her way through events. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in advance of publication.
Our main character is Luca Laine Thomas, from one of the wealthy families who everyone knows. Her life might seem easy, but Luca believes in the curse that is rumoured to haunt the town. Her best friend, Polly, was found dead and though it was ruled accidental, Luca is convinced there’s more to the story.
My initial thoughts on Luca and her friends were not particularly positive. While they expressed unease at the events taking place in their town, they seemed to be as much a part of the problem as anyone else. Their behaviour towards the new neighbour, Naomi, felt a little patronising and yet I hoped things would not be quite as I thought.
Once Luca learns that her sister, Whitney, has been found dead after a party, things got a lot more interesting. Luca cannot accept what she’s being told and decides to carry out her own investigation. What she learns shows that nearly everyone has something to hide.
I found myself caught up in this once the story got underway, and fans of The Cheerleaders or Kit Frick will no doubt love the approach taken. The ending left me rather stunned, but it was nice to see Luca grow in self-belief as she made her way through events. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in advance of publication.
October 5, 2022
Disappointed! Not what I expected at all!
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the summer. I always love reading thrillers and such during those months (just like how I love reading them during October). And this one? Sounded right up my ally. A murder. More murders have been happening. The island has its secrets. That title just promises so many bad things. And with how the book started I was fully hoping for a delightful but gruesome murder mystery in which ghost stories do come true. Plus, hello, it is set on an island! I just LOVE murders on islands because you can never leave that easy (even if this island has a bridge, but you know, that could be blocked or something happened to it).
However… what I got instead was just a pinch of murder, an investigation by our MC that just felt like nothing and could just have been left out and no one would miss it, an ending that was so open ended that some books I considered open ended could just be a closed one, a cute f/f romance which I shipped, mental health (which I could relate to), identity and sexuality. Really. The last three? Perfect, would read that! Would give the book 4 stars if it was supposed to be about that. But if you come for MURDER! BLOOD! A SCARY ISLAND! Conspiracies! Serial killer or something else spooky going on that would connect all these dead girls together. Whoo! and get this? A book with nothing exciting happening? It is a big fat disappointment.
Plus, the island? I just never got a spooky vibe from it. Plus, given that we barely see anything but parties and maybe a scenery here or two, I just couldn’t picture the island that well. It just felt very generic.
There was a little bit of scariness near the end of the book and I was totally HYPED. Finally something was going to happen! Finally! But well, given how that ended… sighs
As I said, I loved the romance between Naomi and Luca. I loved it. They were so cute together and I just found myself rooting for these girls to tell each other their feelings. To take a step in the deep end. To go for it.
So yeah, this could have been so fantastic. This could have been one of my favourite reads… but it just didn’t deliver what it promised. I could rant more about the book, but you know what, I am just too disappointed to care to write.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the summer. I always love reading thrillers and such during those months (just like how I love reading them during October). And this one? Sounded right up my ally. A murder. More murders have been happening. The island has its secrets. That title just promises so many bad things. And with how the book started I was fully hoping for a delightful but gruesome murder mystery in which ghost stories do come true. Plus, hello, it is set on an island! I just LOVE murders on islands because you can never leave that easy (even if this island has a bridge, but you know, that could be blocked or something happened to it).
However… what I got instead was just a pinch of murder, an investigation by our MC that just felt like nothing and could just have been left out and no one would miss it, an ending that was so open ended that some books I considered open ended could just be a closed one, a cute f/f romance which I shipped, mental health (which I could relate to), identity and sexuality. Really. The last three? Perfect, would read that! Would give the book 4 stars if it was supposed to be about that. But if you come for MURDER! BLOOD! A SCARY ISLAND! Conspiracies! Serial killer or something else spooky going on that would connect all these dead girls together. Whoo! and get this? A book with nothing exciting happening? It is a big fat disappointment.
Plus, the island? I just never got a spooky vibe from it. Plus, given that we barely see anything but parties and maybe a scenery here or two, I just couldn’t picture the island that well. It just felt very generic.
There was a little bit of scariness near the end of the book and I was totally HYPED. Finally something was going to happen! Finally! But well, given how that ended… sighs
As I said, I loved the romance between Naomi and Luca. I loved it. They were so cute together and I just found myself rooting for these girls to tell each other their feelings. To take a step in the deep end. To go for it.
So yeah, this could have been so fantastic. This could have been one of my favourite reads… but it just didn’t deliver what it promised. I could rant more about the book, but you know what, I am just too disappointed to care to write.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 20, 2022
A fascinating tale of love, loss & grief
, and how a community spirit can keep secrets that have far reaching repercussions. I had glimpses of We Were Liars in the way it was written; the descriptions & characterisation if not the plot itself. From the outside looking in Parris is an idyllic island, but as Luca discovers more about the hushed you deaths of several young women it becomes increasingly obvious that something awful is lurking beneath the surface…I really enjoyed this, it felt like a better version of the I Know What You Did Last Summer tv show as the deaths & subsequent reveal as to what had happened to set all this in motion felt much more believable. The descriptions were vivid and easy to picture, it obviously needs a CW for death, murder, violence in general but I read a lot of crime novels so this didn’t put me off as it was all necessary to the plot, it wasn’t gratuitous.
I’d definitely read more from this author! Thanks to netgalley for the advance copy.
, and how a community spirit can keep secrets that have far reaching repercussions. I had glimpses of We Were Liars in the way it was written; the descriptions & characterisation if not the plot itself. From the outside looking in Parris is an idyllic island, but as Luca discovers more about the hushed you deaths of several young women it becomes increasingly obvious that something awful is lurking beneath the surface…I really enjoyed this, it felt like a better version of the I Know What You Did Last Summer tv show as the deaths & subsequent reveal as to what had happened to set all this in motion felt much more believable. The descriptions were vivid and easy to picture, it obviously needs a CW for death, murder, violence in general but I read a lot of crime novels so this didn’t put me off as it was all necessary to the plot, it wasn’t gratuitous.
I’d definitely read more from this author! Thanks to netgalley for the advance copy.
May 17, 2022
I’ve sat on my review of this one for over a week because I have mixed feelings.
It was a good read, the description of mental health conditions was accurate to my experience, there was great diversity and there was a lot of unpredictability to the novel but the ending disappointed me. I was left with a bit of “is that it?” Vibe and felt it lacked something.
So whilst I enjoyed the majority of the book, it was a great whodunnit I wasn't a fan of the ending
It was a good read, the description of mental health conditions was accurate to my experience, there was great diversity and there was a lot of unpredictability to the novel but the ending disappointed me. I was left with a bit of “is that it?” Vibe and felt it lacked something.
So whilst I enjoyed the majority of the book, it was a great whodunnit I wasn't a fan of the ending
July 21, 2022
What would have made for a better plot/ending:
- Whitney caused Anya's death with her DUI
- Naomi kills Whitney out of vengeance
- Luca keeps falling for Naomi while Naomi sabotages potential clues they find during Luca's investigation
- Luca eventually finds out the truth but battles between her love for her sister and her newfound love for Naomi
+ Some answers to the previous murders and the 'curse'?!?
- Whitney caused Anya's death with her DUI
- Naomi kills Whitney out of vengeance
- Luca keeps falling for Naomi while Naomi sabotages potential clues they find during Luca's investigation
- Luca eventually finds out the truth but battles between her love for her sister and her newfound love for Naomi
+ Some answers to the previous murders and the 'curse'?!?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2022
I hate that this one didn't work for me but it just didn't. The plot is interesting and I was fully invested in this small town curse. As the bodies pile up, I was ready for the tension and for details about either a new answer or more about the curse.
Instead, the ending was unfulfilling. It left all the questions sitting out there with next to nothing for answers. I found a few points (especially the police) unrealistic and the love story a bit lacking.
Instead, the ending was unfulfilling. It left all the questions sitting out there with next to nothing for answers. I found a few points (especially the police) unrealistic and the love story a bit lacking.
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