Right from the intriguing start with such powerful images, a trademark of Julia Heaberlin, I was in thrall to the storytelling. This is a mystery wrapped in a deeper mystery, covered up with layers of secrets, lies and hate, surrounded by supposition, judgement and prejudice with an ultimate layer of obsession. I don’t want to say too much about the plot except it starts with a ten year old mystery of the disappearance of Trumanelle Branson and her father Frank. The Texas town believes son Wyatt is responsible for the deaths but with no bodies or cast iron evidence he is proclaimed innocent. It is a town that thrives on and builds up legends surrounding Trumanelle. The story is told by Wyatt, police officer Odette Tucker and teen ‘Angel’ who Wyatt finds abandoned at the roadside.

This is a slow burner, dark mystery which is creepy in places, the kind of creep where you hold your breath in fear, the atmosphere is so intense you could cut it with a knife and which seizes and squeezes your heart. It is almost Gothic in places with ghostly images and biblical, divine references which adds another dimension to the storytelling and makes you feel like you are under the spell of a Grimms fairytale. The characters are flawed, they are far from perfect as many have traumatic backgrounds and perceived disabilities which they use to their advantage and which makes the title very profound. All the characters are well depicted, they feel real and have to face up to danger often head on. The novel is extremely well written, full of powerful imagery and is beautiful in places. The end is unpredictable and not what I expected which I really like. My only negative is that sometimes the pace drops off which I think it does at the start of Angels section with Odette’s story containing more octane. Thankfully the tempo builds again and we race towards the conclusion which philosophically ponders on the title and poses further questions about the perpetrators.

Overall, I’m a fan of Julia Heaberlin’s work and this latest is another best seller in my opinion. It’s different, powerful and a gripping read. 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an advance copy of We Are All the Same in the Dark, a stand-alone set in a small town in Texas.

Small town cop, Odette Tucker, is still obsessed with the disappearance and suspected murder of homecoming queen, Trumanell Branson so she’s suspicious of Trumanell’s brother when he finds a young girl and takes her home with him. Determined to protect “Angel” she finds that this spurs her on in her hunt for the truth about Trumanell.

I enjoyed We Are All the Same in the Dark although it takes some getting used to. I have not read Ms Heaberlin’s work before so I was not expecting the stream of consciousness narrative it has. Structurally the novel is told by three consecutive narrators, Wyatt, Odette and Angel in a linear progression. I like this as it keeps the storyline moving forward and offers different perspectives without the distraction of trying to keep track of who is speaking. What they have to say, however, takes some sorting out.

This is as much an odyssey of self discovery on the part of Odette and Angel as it is a crime novel so the crime part can get lost in the self analysis. I must admit that apart from peripherals, I didn’t see so much difference between the two women, so the voice doesn’t vary overly much, just the timeline and focus. The conclusion when it comes is fast, almost like a bolt from the blue, and not particularly credible but it has a lovely irony to it.

I’m not particularly enthusiastic about reading about damaged women trying to find validation and I did find Odette’s portion of the novel slow and her thoughts rather cryptic at times. Angel’s portion is faster moving, due mainly to unfolding events but I can’t pretend to fully understand her motivation. What they do present is an extremely atmospheric narrative, full of fear and determination. It’s quite hypnotic in parts.

We Are All the Same in the Dark is an interesting read that I’m glad I tried.

I wanted to love this, and really thought I would. It just wasn't for me- it gripped me straight away but then i found it slow, confusing and not engaging.
Other people may like it, but I expected more.

I enjoyed this book, but I found it a bit of a struggle at times. The story is compelling, but rather predictable, and the narrative seemed to move very slowly at times. I didn't feel that I could relate to any of the characters, but that could just be a cultural difference, as the book is clearly aimed at the US market.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars.

While I was compelled to read so I could find out what happened to Trumanell, I was bored by the journey. The 'twists' did not shock me and I felt the book moved at a very slow pace. I struggled to get through the first half, and although it did pick up a little towards the end, I didn't find the reveal satisfying.
Despite this, the descriptions of the hot summer were really atmospheric and easy to get lost in.
Overall, this book was just a little too slow for my taste, but I can see someone else really enjoying the dark and mysterious quality Heaberlin has created.

We Are All The Same In The Dark finds Julia Heaberlin treading familiar ground - atmospheric settings, dark and twisted families, the legacy of abuse - to great effect. It reminded me somewhat of Amy Engel's recent books, with Texas in place of Missouri but with a similar sense of stifling heat and rural small town secrets. Very highly recommended. 4.5 stars

‘We Are All The Same In The Dark’ is a gritty mystery novel with twists right to the end. The writing is beautifully atmospheric and pulls you right into the deep Texas setting. It’s a multiple POV novel, but instead of cycling between characters it follows them sequentially – Wyatt for the start, Odette for the build-up, and Angel for the thrilling conclusion.

Wyatt is the town’s pariah. Ten years ago, his sister Trumanell – prom queen and the town’s sweetheart – disappeared, with only a smear of blood and some glitter left behind. The prime suspects were her father – now deceased – Frank, and her mad brother Wyatt. These days, Wyatt hides out at the house he grew up in, talking to his sister as if she were there and painting the walls Chantilly Lace white – her favourite colour.

Odette is a cop, like her father and grandfather before her. After Trumanell disappeared, Odette left town, determined to start anew – but the town’s secrets dragged her home, Chicago lawyer husband in tow. Odette has history with Wyatt, and with Trumanell, and when Wyatt finds a girl on the side of the highway it sets off a chain of events that might just uncover a mystery that’s been sleeping for ten years.

I’m not American, so I can’t speak for the accuracy of the setting or the characters pictured, but they all felt thoroughly believable. It felt like a typical small town – obsessed with its own secrets. I was gripped by the simultaneous fear and veneration of Wyatt, people’s opinions of Odette always framed by their opinions of his dad, the missing girl never let go by a town which only had one claim to notoriety. The writing was as tough and gritty as the Texan setting and, whilst this made it jarring in places, it wouldn’t have felt quite right without it.

I felt sorry for Wyatt – haunted by the past and unable to move on – but even in his own head he was never framed as an innocent party. Whether because he truly believed it or simply because so many people had told him so, he didn’t think of himself as a nice man. Readers can judge for themselves.

Odette was a fantastic character – brave, feisty, reckless, and never defined by her weaknesses. She made mistakes – and plenty of them – but she was honest, and always determined to do the right thing. The town saw Trumanell as some sort of goddess – Odette saw her as a girl. Spending time in Odette’s head wasn’t always easy but it was fascinating – especially the insights into her disability and how it framed her outlook on life.

Angel was my favourite. Her section flew past much faster than the rest of the book – possibly because it was faster paced, but I think because it gripped me more. It would be spoiler-y to give away too much about her, but she was a fascinating and brilliant character; the epitome of the impulsive teenager but also one who’s had to fight to survive. Her interactions with Rusty and Finn were spectacular, and every twist – of which there were many – had me on the edge of my seat.

Overall, this is a great book – one that really draws you into its setting and complex characters. The disability representation was a bonus. If you like stories with an eerie atmosphere about strong characters and long-buried secrets, you’ll like this. Recommended.

spoiler alert ** I'm going to be that person that doesn't agree with all the amazing reviews aren't I? Again?
This book opens with the mystery of a one eyed girl found in a field... then adds the even bigger mystery of what happened to Trumanell (and her father) years ago.
It was taking a lot time to get that answer... and then another mystery gets thrown in.
I got to the point I just wished something was explained.
Some very interesting characters, which is what made the book more enjoyable.
As a whole though,I wasn't even that surprised by the answers when they finally did come.
Just ok from me.