Was really enjoying this. However the reveal just didn’t make any sense in my opinion. Made the rest of the story kind of convoluted.

I could not get into this book, ultimately it was not form me and I could not finish it. It may be one for other readers

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Ruby Falls by Deborah Goodrich Royce is a gripping and suspenseful novel that takes readers on a thrilling ride. The story begins with six-year-old Ruby being abandoned by her father in a dark Tennessee cave. Fast forward twenty years later, and Ruby has transformed herself into soap opera star Eleanor Russell. After she is fired from her job, she marries the glamorous Orlando Montague and moves to LA to start afresh. However, as Eleanor immerses herself in her dream role in a remake of Rebecca, she realizes that she may not be the only one in her marriage with a secret.

The author expertly weaves the story, paying homage to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. The novel is filled with twists and turns, and the suspense never lets up. The character development is also excellent, and readers will find themselves invested in Eleanor's journey. The setting in LA is also well-described, adding to the atmosphere of the story.

Overall, Ruby Falls is a fantastic read for fans of suspenseful and twisty thrillers. The story will keep readers on edge until the very end, and the well-drawn characters and setting make for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.

I don't know how this became a galley it was poorly written and was messy from start to finish. I am so sad because I was so excited for this book

This is a fantastic blend of mystery, psychology, drama and intrigue, I loved the way the main character was developed and found myself feeling deeply involved in everything that happened, despite not knowing what to believe! I read later that this is inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s masterpiece, Rebecca, and that makes sense. A really compelling read.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. The cover is really pretty. I recommend this novel.

You've got to love a book with secrets piled on top of more secrets. I had a little bit of trouble getting into this book but once I did, it was one that I couldn't put down. I thought the author did a great job of creating really complex characters.

The premise and the cover of the book are what drew me in, However, I struggled to get immerse myself into the story and found it a slog to finish. Strong plot but overall poorly executed and messy.

This is one of the best books I have read in a while. I remember reading Rebecca last year and the only reason why I requested this book was because people were saying that the story of this book resembles the story of Rebecca so I just could not wait and I instantly requested the book and I got approved.

Who here among us has watched Twin Peaks and actually liked it? I have -- in fact, Twin Peaks is one of my all-time favorite shows (yes, even the wacky third season). I love David Lynch's surreal style of storytelling, where you never quite know if what you're seeing is real, or the projection of an incandescent dream. This novel gave me the exact same vibes.

Royce drops us into the mind of Ruby — a recently fired soap opera actress who still hasn't gotten over how her father abandoned her in a cave as a child. She escapes to Europe after her firing and meets the devilishly handsome Orlando and they quickly elope before moving to an idyllic cottage in Los Angeles. When Ruby lands a role in a modern take on Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, what follows is a descent into madness that leads us ever-further into Ruby's mind.

This novel is supposed to be its own surreal take on Rebecca, and while I haven't read du Maurier's classic novel, I can definitely see how its spirit is threaded through Royce's book. I loved Ruby's voice and the fantastic writing that brought her screwball reality to life.

Ruby is definitely an unreliable narrator, and I enjoyed seeing the lies and deceptions she weaves to the reader (and herself) unravel toward the end of the novel. So, if you're not a fan of unreliable narrators, I would definitely pass on this one.

For everyone else — if you enjoy gothic vibes and a bit of surrealist magic, then this wonderfully written character study should definitely go on your list.

A complex and haunting story about ruby was left in an abandoned cave at the age of 6. The story fast forwards to Ruby at 20 years old. An intriguing story but I would not call it a thriller or a mystery I'm not sure how I would categorize this novel. It's an interesting read and one I will be thinking about for a long long time.

Ruby Falls, Deborah Goodrich Royce.. is a unique read. I love a good thriller and this story was just that. Ruby, at the age of 6 is abandoned by her father at Ruby Falls in TN. He leaves her with a very cryptic message and as a young child she spends her days trying to figure it out. She lives with her mother and lives alone time. Because when she is alone she follows her father’s clues.. one by one to solve the puzzle. She does figure it out but she is still an adolescent and the final pieces have to be done when she is an adult. Fast forward to her early 20’s and Ruby has a bit of a break down and she heads to Europe to clear her khans. While she is there, she meets a fellow traveler and heads to Italy with him and gets married. Her mother worries and Ruby convinced her mom she is ok. The couple moves to LA to jump start her acting career and things seem to be going well. The young couple is doing very well, until they are not. Ruby starts to distrust her new husband and their neighbor.. what does she really know about him? How could they have married so quickly? Can she trust him? She finds some peace in her new role and with an older neighbor who calms her..
Ruby’s new role, is in a modern day version of Rebecca and her life starts to resemble her movie role. Ruby starts to think more and more about her father and the riddle. Maybe Orlando (her husband) knows about the riddle and what could be found. The writing is excellent and l really liked the story line and the characters. The twists and turns had me guessing at every point.. I kept reading, late into the night to see how it would end. I was glad I didn’t figure it out..
I want to thank Netgalley & the author for my copy for an honest review.. It was my pleasure to read and read it.. this was a four star read for me and I hope you enjoy it too..

Traumas, secrets, mysteries, a childhood full of tragedy. This is a totally unexpected and great story between reality, fiction and fantasy. Amazing is the correct adjective to describe it.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Ruby Falls by Deborah Goodrich Royce.

This is a tough one to review because the first three fourths of the book were very interesting. Lots of mystery and tension, lots of secrets to uncover. Sure, the characters were a bit vapid, Ruby herself was downright obtuse, but I was into it.

But then we reached the end, and the whole train ran right into the insane wall, leaving zero survivors, including my ability to comprehend where we went so wrong.

I requested this book because I love gothic thrillers and I was immediately invested! the atmospheric writing was great and I appreciated the nods to the classics I love so much. It becomes pretty clear that we can't trust Eleanor but not entirely sure why- is she mentally ill, naïve, flat out lying? Because I couldn't trust her, I became less interested in her story and was not satisfied with the ending/ "twist".

Ruby Falls is a gothic thriller with ties to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier that had me immediately interested. The first half of the novel had me hooked and I was drawn in to Ruby’s life. Unfortunately, the execution of the second half left much to be desired. We catch on pretty quickly that Eleanor doesn’t have a grasp on reality so this wasn’t as shocking a read as I had hoped. The characters also remain mildly flat without much intrigue throughout the conclusion. The story wrapped and I was left feeling unsatisfied.

DNF... I could not get into this one. It was wayyy too long for what it was and did not hold my attention,

A very good idea for a book, but the execution was poor and made this a very tedious read. There were so many times I wanted to abandon this book, but I powered through and I'm afraid to say the effort wasn't worth the pay off. I think some editing could have tightened up this plot, but the comparisons to the "The Silent Patient" and "Rebecca" are grossly exaggerated.

The writing of this book was beautiful and captured my attention. It was gothic and entertaining and was not quite what I expected from this book. I really enjoyed it!