Book: Daisy Darker
Author: Alice Feeney
Pages: 338
Read on: Kindle
Read in: ~3 hours
Plot Summary:
Daisy Darker’s family were as dark as dark can be, when one of them died all of them lied and pretended not to see . . .
As the leaves of Autumn are falling Daisy Darker is arriving at her grandmother’s house, for eightieth birthday celebrations. Seaglass, the Darker’s ancestral home, is a crumbling Cornish house perched upon its own tiny private island and is at one with the granite rocks it sits on.
The Darker family haven’t all been in the same place for over a decade, and when the tide comes in they’ll be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours. When the tide goes back out, nothing will ever be the same again, because one of them is a killer.
Things I Like:
1. This book's premise is very interesting! A mix of some deep, dark family secrets meets And Then There Were None! So, what's not to like, eh? A dysfunctional family meets for a Halloween/ 80th birthday celebration of grandma and one by one they all are killed! Fun times!
2. The book is taut, well written and fast-paced. It is a quick read and something you can pick up to read during a flight or your commute or on a Saturday. Just get yourself some nice coffee, some yum treats and you can cozy up in bed with this spooky family saga and enjoy!
3. The characters are all well etched out. Through the book we get to know each member of the Darker family- the absentee dad, the self-entered mum, the smug oldest sister, the flaky middle sister.. the grandma, who is long-suffering of all of these people and, finally, Daisy- our protagonist- who suffers from a heart condition, which led to her not being sent to school and so, all she knows is how to read and so, she volunteers at old people's homes to keep them company. She is the only one Grandma Darker likes apart from the middle daughter- Lily's- daughter, Trixie.
4. The messed up family dynamics, which we get to see both in present day (which is 2004, btw) and over the 80s, is really nicely done and gives the reader a sense of who these people are and what are the issues that have driven a wedge between them. If you enjoy reading about dysfunctional family units (as I do), then you'll love this book.
5. The murders are nicely done with each family member dying every hour. Some of the murders are a bit far-fetched, I'll give you that, but it is still interesting enough to keep reading. Plus, with a storm and the little house on a tidal island being cut off from the world, things are super atmospheric and spooky and I just ignored the little voice in my brain saying "how did the killer do this?" and just enjoyed the proceedings!
6. There are a few twists and reveals in the book and some you will guess (as I did) and some you may not but those are nicely done as well.
Rating: 4/5
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