Author: Kiersten Modglin
Narrator: Carly Robins
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Publication Date: January 2023
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: You are cordially invited to visit the new Black Hills Manor Writing Retreat.
That’s how it all begins—with a simple invitation.
For five authors, it’s meant to be the start of a restful week, filled with free food, drinks, and likeminded company.
But shortly after their arrival, things take an unsettling turn.
Broken property, missing items, and strange noises are just some of the odd occurrences that have each member questioning their companions. As suspicions mount, the authors are pitted against each other.
Whom can they trust in a house full of strangers?
With tensions rising, the writers find themselves in the middle of their own mystery. Death, terror, and despair are common elements in their books, but at Black Hills Manor, the murders being plotted are their own.
My Thoughts: Good premise that holds a lot of promise, beautiful cover and a good narration that keeps the story moving and the tension high. There were a few moments when I felt I was on the edge of my seat, but they were few and far between. I honestly expected much better from such a prolific author.
Let’s break it down, shall we? The premise of five mystery authors all receiving an anonymous invitation to this beautiful and secluded retreat to knuckle down and write is what initially grabbed me, of course, after I saw the cover. Sounds like an author’s dream. Escape the daily distractions to eat, drink, mingle, network and write.
When personal items of the guests begin to disappear, I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. Honestly, it was such a disappointment that it took practically to the end of the book for anybody to vanish. Way too much build-up and the delivery fell flat. It would have been better if a couple of the author guests disappeared sooner.
There’s a definite Hitchcock feeling here as the group decides they need to split up when they discover all their cell phones are missing and the tires on their vehicles have all been slashed. It’s never a clever idea to split up, but this is where the story kicked it up a notch for me.
I didn’t mind the dual storyline from the past as I knew it would be connected to the current events, but it was never wrapped up cohesively and instead left me with more questions and confusion.
The author does a good job of giving us plenty of suspects to choose from and I was way off base with my picks, but the big reveal was a bit of a let-down for me as the motives behind everything was just plain juvenile and petty.
The narration performance by Carly Robins was very good. She kept the story moving at a good pace with the right amount of emotion and tension in the characters to make them more believable.
My Final Verdict: Overall, die-hard fans of mysteries and thrillers will enjoy this offering, even if they don’t love it. This was not my favorite, but there are so many more in my pile from this author, I’m sure I will find others that are more enjoyable.
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