Here lie the secrets is a book about grief, forgiveness, and dealing with ghosts from the past. But it's also a book about ghosts, which I was not expecting. I thought part 1 was a bit slow, but I got really into part 2 and the scenes in Halycon house, and understand the need for part 1. The actual thrilling parts probably could have been longer, but they did keep me on the edge of my seat and had me scared, so I guess Young succeeded with her thriller writing, even if it was a little short for an almost 400 page book.
All the characters are super interesting and all have their own reasons for being in Halycon House, as well as their own reasons for being suspicious. I definitely went into this book with very different expectations, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as I ultimately wasn't disappointed by the turn the book took. This was a strong book and could have been a five star read had the actual thriller parts lasted just a bit longer.

I personally could not finish this book. I just didn’t get along with the characters / idea of the story. No fault through the book / author I just didn’t click with it. Doesn’t mean someone else won’t love the book though so I do recommend giving it a read if you get the chance to!

“Do you believe in ghosts?”

Mia is visiting her aunt in Brooklyn over the summer and plans on hanging out with her friend, Tamara, as they save up for their planned road trip.

Meeting Rav was not on the agenda, nor was spending time with him and his colleagues from the Parapsychology Research Institute as they investigate a potential haunting.

Mia is already haunted by the death of her best friend, Holly, and is certainly not wanting to cross paths with any other ghosts.

It is clear the author has spent a significant amount of time researching the methods investigators use to hunt ghosts, as well as the various arguments for and against the existence of ghosts, prior to writing this book.

While I was really looking forward to this read, there ended up being a mismatch between my expectations and reality, and this coloured the way I experienced this book.

After learning about Rav, a student of parapsychology, in the blurb, I spent a lot of time waiting for some creepy, needing to look over my shoulder content. Instead I found the narrative to be more of an exploration of grief. Not necessarily a bad thing, but certainly not what I’d been hoping for.

When I read about a ‘Ghostbusters’ belt buckle and found a quote from my all time favourite movie, I began my search for ‘Ghostbusters’ Easter eggs, but never found them. I was initially interested in the discussions exploring why people do or don’t believe in the existence of ghosts but they felt more like info dumps and when the discussions devolved into arguments I lost interest.

I didn’t connect with any of the characters and expected to feel their grief but never did. The information provided about the summer job felt important at the time it was given but seemed irrelevant as the story progressed.

I absolutely loved learning of the existence of the ‘Here Lie the Secrets of the Visitors of Green-Wood Cemetery’ art installation, where visitors write their secrets on paper and place them into the grave.

While this story ultimately wasn’t for me, I would encourage you to check out some of the 4 and 5 star reviews before deciding whether or not this is the book for you.

Content warnings include mention of bullying, domestic violence and mental illness.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow, I really didn’t know that this book was going to be so chillingly scary! I did find it to be on the darker side, which is definitely okay with me; as I love darker and disturbing reads. It hooked me from page one with it’s absolutely intriguing story. Character development really was amazing, making me more vested in the story! Lots of twists and turns, scares, chills, thrills, and shocks await these pages. Unputdownable, realistic! Highly, highly recommend!
I will buzz around platforms and use low amazon reviewer number on release date!

This book is brilliant! I've expected it to be pretty obvious what it is about, but boy was I wrong. I like how the plot twisted during the second part of the story and when it was about so much more then what you may expect.
So many diverse and great characters, maybe too many at some point. F.e. I would have loved to get to know MIa's aunt better.
The main question of the plot is "How do you live on when you know you may be guilty of something that you cannot undo?". Mixed up with a supernatural background this book will keep you reading until you have finished and leave you with a satisfying ending which could have go on for at least a page longer.

I really wanted to like this and I persevered through 75%! The premise sounded great and the opening couple of chapters were Ok but all the characters felt really two dimensional and there was nowhere near the requisite tension or intrigue required to sustain my interest. Great shelf appeal but disappointing overall.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Unfortunately I didn’t finish this book. I found their was too much going on all the time and couldn’t connect with the characters . Maybe at a later date I will try again with this book and again Thankyou

My recent reads have included YA set in the Dominican Republic, Paris and now New York. I am taking full advantage of my lockdown travel options and bringing little glimpses of the world into my tiny English garden. Here are three reasons I would recommend heading to NYC with Here Lie the Secrets:

1. This story was so tense! I had to stay up late to finish it because I couldn't go to sleep until I knew what was going on. It has all the suspense you'd expect from a story about ghosts and the paranormal. Settings are also used to great, atmospheric effect throughout.

2. At the centre of this novel is an exploration of grief, and how we cope with the loss of those closest to us. Believing that a loved one remains close by is a thought that brings comfort to many. Young explores this solace in a way that is touching and heartfelt.

3. I loved the psychology woven through this story, especially the exploration of why we react to certain circumstances in the way we do. The central characters are scientists, rather than 'ghost hunters' and they always consider every possible solution - both scientific and supernatural. There was a great range of characters and view points. Here Lie the Secrets manages to be tense and creepy, without feeling melodramatic.

Thank you Little Tiger Books for sending me a copy to review

Story really meanders with the ghost hunting encounters in particular falling flat with no real tension. Concludes with half baked plot twists featuring barely realised characters while other characters seem to have disappeared entirely.. However the premise and themes do have good teen appeal and the cover will get it picked up so I will likely buy this anyway for teen readers who may enjoy it more than I did!

Given the sensitive subject matter handled within the story, Emma Young deals with it wonderfully, weaving it so casually and thoughtfully in to the plot that it creeps up and resonates with the reader as they read. The characters are well crafted and each has a purpose and adds something to the overall story. Here Lie The Secrets is an enjoyable and thought provoking read.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Unfortunately I didn’t finish this book. I didn’t like how it was written and too much going on all the time. Moreover I didn’t identify with, or believe, any of the storyline.