Lisa E

Would your marriage survive if you were suddenly uprooted from the place you loved? Would you pull together and make a wonderful new life? Or would you crash and burn? This novel is about what happens to Lainie and Charles when he announces that he is moving the family out of the city and into a quiet, suburban town. There's not much discussion, and it's all very sudden. Right away we start to see cracks in the marriage and issues with the children. Deep flaws in the characters start to emerge quickly, and it all quickly leads to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion.

Susannah Marren has created a story with a lot of atmosphere and tension, and I was always just a bit uncomfortable reading this book. The characters were unreliable and somehow "off". This was an intriguing read about complex relationships and betrayal. Gripping from start to finish. Well done, Susannah Marren!

House of Echos is a dark and enjoyable debut from Brendan Duffy: a gothic style mystery that has excellent pacing with subtle clues that can be easily missed, and those are my favorite kind. Brendan Duffy leaves us the tiniest of bread crumbs as we read, leading us little by little to the heart of his creepy tale. There is a constant feeling that something ominous is quietly lurking behind every page. Duffy never lets us get too comfortable. There are no tricks and no gimmicks here, just good, old-fashioned storytelling. You know something is not quite right, but just like the character of Ben, it's easier to ignore it and just press on. This was highly readable, perfectly paced, had well-developed, and didn't try any funny stuff. Good job, Brendan Duffy. You're one to watch!