Katy Hays

Reviewed on 19th April 2026

I picked this up having read and enjoyed Hays' previous novel, although with a little trepidation as it's not my usual choice of genre.

I was absolutely hooked and raced through it over the course of a weekend (aided by two long train journeys). The story is gripping, the characters compelling, and the mystery itching to be solved.

Some of the twists I saw coming, but many of them were surprises.

That said, it probably is darker than what I'd normally choose to read and I'm definitely on the lookout now for something different to distract me instead.

While I've given it the full five stars, I'm not sure that means I'll keep reading more by Hays - I'm happier in a lighter world of fiction.

read more

Reviewed on 28th April 2024

This was another new book I picked up based on the attractive cover art, and though it turned out not to be my normal thing, I’m glad I did.

It’s the story of a young woman looking for what to do next after college, and to escape her hometown. It’s the story of a friendship she develops with a colleague. And it’s a story of the knowable and the unknowable. There’s a lot of psychology of the characters that someone more knowledgable than me in that area could die into.

I felt lost a few times while reading - the passage of time flowed oddly or I had to go back and check whether I had missed something, and sometimes I had, sometimes I hadn’t. It’s quite a slow burn for a lot of the book, and I sort of feel like the darkness leads to a dampening of emotion.

I did enjoy this visit outside my normal genres, but I don’t think it’s the sort of reading material that could sustain me full time and I suspect it will be a while before I try something similar again.

read more