From the author of The Hollow Inside comes a twisty, thought-provoking YA thriller about grief, family, and what happens when true crime hits a little too close to home.
Roxie Clark has seen more dead bodies than your average seventeen-year-old. As a member of the supposedly-cursed Clark family, most of her ancestors have met tragic ends, including her own mother. Instead of fearing the curse, however, Roxie has combined her flair for performance and her gruesome family history into a successful ghost tour. But her tour never covers the most recent body she’s seen-her sister Skylar’s boyfriend, Colin Riley, found murdered in a cornfield.
A year after the murder, Roxie’s desperate to help Skylar find closure and start to heal. Instead, Skylar becomes fixated on finding the killer. As the sisters dig into what really happened, they discover that more than one person has been lying about that night. And the closer they get to the truth, the more Roxie starts to wonder if some scary stories might be better left untold. Brooke Lauren Davis offers another thought-provoking and eerily satisfying tale, perfect for fans of Kara Thomas and Cruel Summer.
A teen who turns her gruesome family history into a ghost tour? As someone who’s been on several, I couldn’t get my hands on this book fast enough.
With her love of all things spooky and creepy (the girl has a real talent for decorations), Roxie immediately captured my heart. The women in the Clark family seem to be cursed (it goes back for generations) and have met untimely and sometimes brutal demises. As a history lover, Roxie does her research and turns these stories into a popular ghost tour. Maybe she occasionally embellishes a tad, but it only adds to the intrigue. She has a tough outer shell, but I loved how her vulnerabilities are gradually revealed, which only makes it easier to relate to her character.
Roxie’s best friend Travis is also a bit of an outcast – his personality isn’t exactly the warm and fuzzy kind. His brother Riley was the boyfriend of Roxie’s sister, Skylar, and Riley was found brutally murdered a year ago. Roxie has tried being supportive, but she and Skylar are polar opposites and see the world in completely different ways. As a result, their relationship is all kinds of messy and can alternate between loving and combative in the blink of an eye. Skylar is withdrawn and still grieving, but an unexpected discovery inspires her to launch her own investigation into Riley’s death. And it soon reveals wave after wave of secrets and surprises. Even though most of the clues were right in front of me, the mystery kept me guessing. I even yelled at the book at one point because I didn’t want to believe a revelation, and I plowed through it in less than two days.
Charmingly campy at times, occasionally amusing, and heavily atmospheric, this was a perfect Halloween read. I’d take Roxie’s ghost tour anytime.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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Thanks for sharing, Michael!
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Sounds suspenseful and thrilling, Teri.
And that’s a creative way to make money!
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Isn’t it? She really put on a good show, Jina – lots of bookings.
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It does sound like a good Halloween read. Great review, Teri!
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Thanks, Priscilla! Parts of it were really amusing, but the mystery was a good one.
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I’ve never been on a ghost tour or ghost walk, but the idea fascinates me. The campy nature of this book sounds appealing, too. Thanks for sharing, Teri.
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You should give them a try, Staci. We’ve been on tours in Charleston, SC, Boston, here in KY, and Chicago. My son went on some in Savannah, GA and New Orleans (talk about your spooky cities). Some are better than others, but the guide can make a huge difference – and we’ve had some great ones.
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It’s on my to-do list. (I just wish that darn list wasn’t so long!)
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Fab review, this sounds great (and I love the cover!) ❤️
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Roxie sounded so quirky, I just had to request this from NetGalley, Caro. It turned out even better than I’d expected.
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I’ve been on lots of ghost tours, and what a great premise for a book. Thank you for sharing, Teri!
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Isn’t it? Kind of a life giving you lemons scenario, lol. We’ve had tons of fun on ghost tours, Jan. How were yours?
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Well ok you sold me that book Teri. And youwent on ghost tours??
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Yes! We’ve been on some really good ones, Sophie – I listed some above in my comment to Staci. My son went on one in New Orleans where he got some pretty interesting pics – unexplained orbs over the former home of witches. Pretty cool!
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You even yelled at the book. Lol. That’s a sign of a good read, Teri. Thanks for the recommendation!
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Isn’t it? I had suspicions about something, but didn’t want to believe it. When they were confirmed, I wasn’t very pleased.
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Ha ha
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I like the ghost tour angle in this book.
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So did I, Wendy. I thought it was hilarious that Roxie turned her family’s history into a ghost tour. And she stayed booked!
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I’ve never been on a ghost tour but I used to work with a counselor that gave ghost tours in her off time. I love the sound of the mystery that kept you guessing. Excellent review!
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That’s so cool. A guide can add so much to the tours, and we’ve been fortunate to have some good ones. I never could have guessed from the beginning of the book the mystery would take the turns it did, Tessa. Love it when that happens.
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Hi Teri, a ghost tour is a good premise for a book. We went on one in Edinburgh and it was really creepy. There was a circle of stones occupied by a demon. I didn’t see anything but it felt very cold and unwelcoming in that room.
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That tour sounds like one I’d love to go on, Robbie – especially in Edinburgh. We usually look for ghost tours and food tours when we travel.
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