3.5 Stars

This was a very quick read for me, one sitting. Not only because it is a fairly short book but an absorbing one too. I liked the way it introduces various gothic elements - menacing visions, female paranoia, a slight supernatural edge - without them ever taking over.

My one criticism (and, hence, the dropping of half a star) is the incredibly clichéd final reveal. That aside, this is an absorbing homage to the classic du Maurier Rebecca. If you like domestic thrillers with a gothic edge this is likely to be a good choice. Deborah Goodrich Royce writes eloquently yet in an unobtrusive way and I was soon gripped by this book and reluctant to put it down.

I always love a good unreliable narrator. This book takes you on a journey and then you find out in the end that the narrator made the whole thing up in her head. I really enjoyed this book and the ending. It made you guess the whole way through what was going on. It was a little slow in parts but the ending made up for it. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Ruby Falls, loved the idea and the premise. A young abandoned girl grows up to be an actress, She travels to Europe and marries a very handsome man, a beautiful life in a fairy tale cottage doesn't last long when many secrets come to the surface. Lot's of drama ensues! I thought it a bit jumpy in that the story was there but did jump around. Happy to have read this story. Thank you #NetGalley

A fast-paced mystery, an unreliable narrator, and strong imagery. An incident from childhood haunts a young girl who's been left at Ruby Falls by her father. Unfortunately, I liked the premise of the story more than the actual story.

#Netgalley #RubyFalls
Reviewed by : @bookishsoftie
Firstly, let's take a moment to appreciate the beautiful piece of artwork that is this book's cover. Very eye catching and full of vivid colours! I personally love how perfectly it contrasts with th storyline.
Secondly, the storyline provided everything that it promised. The story of a girl who goes through the trauma of loosing a parent mysteriously, and years later when she thinks everything is going to be fine now that she has a new home with her husband, that man turns out have secrets of his own!
I totally loved the premise of the book. When things were normal in the book, I could feel a sense of eeriness, an uneasiness with the ongoing events even when it was not much of import. That is what made this a successful thriller for me, The book makes you grip the edge of your seats thinking whats going to happen next?
The book is said to be a homage to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Fans of the classic gothic tale should definitely go for this one.
Also, if you are looking for a gothic, intense and nail=biting tale, do go for this book and enjoy the ride.

***ARC provided by Netgalley and Post Hill Press in exchange for an honest review***

An homage to classic suspense and mysteries.

A beautiful, intelligent, flawed actress marries a beautiful, intelligent man with a bit of a past.

As they attempt to build a new life together, old memories and experiences threaten their new found happiness.

Can trust and new love survive suspicion and old pains?

This is a hard one for me to rate... On one hand, I found the author's writing beautiful and became invested in Ruby. It was like being in a Hitchcock film- dark, twisty, glamorous, with a touch of snark. I could easily envision her world and her feel her emotions. And there are so many ways that the story could end up going that it was a fun ride for most of the book- you've got a psychic cat lady, the Mafia, hidden identities, love affairs... my mind was whirling with where everything was going!

On the flip side, I'm really over the unreliable narrator trope. To be fair, the reader learns early on that Ruby is dealing (but not well) with past trauma and doesn't even trust herself. In the end the reveal just felt cheap to me, and I closed the book wishing it had lived up to the hype I was building up in my head for it. Ruby Falls feels very much like a fever dream that leaves you with a bit of a what-the-hell-was-that hangover.

Eleanor Ruby Russell was abandoned in a cave known as Ruby Falls at 6 years old by her father in 1968. This is a question that has haunted her, why did she get left, did he not love her? If he didn’t love her why, is she that unlovable?

In 1989 Ruby is now known as Ellie, and is a soap actress, but her character gets written out of the show, as we know can happen to any soap star at anytime. Ellie flies to Zurich, where she meets Orlando Montague and within 6 months they are married. They move to Hollywood and Ellie is offered a role in the upcoming adaptation of Rebecca.

After only 6 months of knowing someone how well does Ellie really know her husband? It may be more of a case what doesn’t she know about him?

I liked the main character, maybe she was a little naive, but! The plot didn’t have me as gripped as I had hoped it would, a few things a little bit too predictable for me, and a couple of things that you just couldn’t believe which let it down a little.

Overall well written, but just a little bit disappointing, I will be watching out for what this author produces next.

Thank you to #netgalley and #posthillpress for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

The first half of this book was intriguing and suspenseful, but as I went along I became frustrated with the perception of reality/delusion by Ruby/Eleanor, the protagonist.

Ruby suffered an horrific event at age 6 that affected everything about her future life. We follow her through some childhood instances before we find her as a somewhat immature 26-year-old newlywed, hastily married and living in California working as an actress. She begins to suspect her husband is not all that he seems, and the story progresses from there, while also giving the reader bits and pieces of her past life.

While tension-filled with a few surprises, I was disappointed with the denouement. By then the story had become tedious, and I was a bit befuddled and unsatisfied by the ending.

Even though I had a few issues with it, it was still an original premise and worth reading for the suspense factor alone.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #PostHillPress for providing me the early ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

First I want to mention the cover of this book is breathtaking and I find the author has a talent for writing a believable lead in Ruby, but this story was not for me.

I was drawn into the plot and was excited to read this novel about childhood trauma, Hollywood, and mystery, but sadly it felt like a chore to read. I would take days off from reading and had forced myself to pick it once again. I just didn't like Ruby or her story. I stand by Ruby is well written and to me felt real, but I just couldn't get hooked on her.

The story was written in a matter that felt a dizzying way and while I feel for some it would be a draw to me it worked more as a repellent. I was confused and not in a fun way. I love mysteries and figuring out what was going on, but with this one, I felt like I was misleading just to confuse me because the real story was a bit weak and needed red herrings to fill the book space.

But as harsh as I feel I may be it is because fully believe this author can write well and given the chance would read her work again, but this one just disappointed me.

I still recommended giving this book a try if you like mysteries and misdirection, but for me, it was 2/5 or 2.5/5.

Unfortunately Ruby Falls was a struggle for me. Ruby, or Eleanor as she comes to be known, is an unreliable narrator and although some readers may be intrigued enough by her story of a father who abandons her and how this blights her entire life, I became increasingly irritated by her chattering voice. The ending just didn’t work in my view. Thanks to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for the ARC.

Ruby Falls - Deborah Goodrich Royce

I found it hard to get into this book at the start but then when I got to about halfway I started to enjoy it. Can’t really give a proper review though as the book expired when I was on 85% so didn't finish it, typical 🙄 Maybe I'll finish it some time and update my review.

This was fast paced thriller that definitely had me hooked from start to finish. I was able to connect with the characters and I thought the book was really well written. The ending was a little bit a let down for me but I did enjoy this book as a whole.

Then ~ 1968 Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain: Is where and when Ruby’s Father disappears. Eleanor Ruby Russell was six years old when she and her family were on vacation. She and dad went on a tour of nearby caves. Tourists remember a little girl with a man they assumed was her father but now she is by herself. He has disappeared. Aww but the press loved this
Little Ruby Left in Ruby Falls!
Did Ruby’s daddy fall in Ruby Falls?
Poor Ruby took the fall in Ruby Falls!

Now~1987, Los Angeles: Eleanor AKA Ruby is almost 26, an actress (actually a daytime soap opera actress but yes an actress!), she is married and living in the Hollywood Hills. Additionally just got the role in a ‘new’ gothic version of Rebecca! Living a fairy tale dream come true
This was a wow read. I am a big psychological thriller fan. Love Dark & Twisted! ~ when I say I didn’t see THAT coming ~ I love it more.
I had to stay up and finish this; I thought I am going to reread tomorrow to make sure I read what I think I read!
This isn’t much of a review ~ if you are a psychological thriller fan, you will total enjoy the ride you are about to take!
BTW: I seldom give a 5 star rating ~ but this is close!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐++
This is my first Deborah Goodrich Royce ~ I certainly am looking forward to another!

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review.

The cover caught my attention and the description brought me in. It had me in suspense and was a thrilling, edge of your seat read...until the end where it seemed to fall to the wayside.

That's not to say it is a bad read or one to skip. It was a great read that just didn't follow all the way through for me. I was expecting more, which is more my fault than the author's. The book did have my imagination running to different conclusions, trying to sort out what all was being portrayed. So it did its thing, and did it well.

The very intriguing description and the beautiful cover attracted me to the book right away, but honestly, the question of what happened to Eleanor's father kept me reading. The connection to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier was also interesting, and the setting, but I did not love the ending. The story had just built up so well and the ending felt rushed but also it seemed fitting to have the story all come crashing down at once. I went in blind and had no idea where this book was going to go, but I was loving the nods to a cinema noir style of suspense entwined with Gothic themes. I feel like the author created a linear story with these dark undertones that builds up the suspense in true Hitchcock style. As a fan of this style of films, I also appreciated that all of the chapter titles were film titles giving little hints along the way. I will read Royce again and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to read this.

I was intrigued after reading Ruby Falls be compared to the chilling psychological thriller, The Silent Patient, and while I wouldn't go that far, this is a short suspense that I do recommend.

I can't say that I was all that pulled in or that I enjoyed the ending all that much but I liked the writing and story-telling. It was fun despite being ultimately underwhelming.

Thank you to NetGalley publishers for the ARC

This was a good quick read, i felt the ending wasn't what i was expecting felt rather rushed

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my honest review. The author cites the classic novel Rebecca as her inspiration and the influence of that novel is strong throughout Ruby Falls. Eleanor Ruby Russell was abandoned by her father at the age of six while on a trip to Ruby Falls. This proved to be a turning point for the girl who chooses that her father's disappearance was mysterious rather than tragically mundane.

Author Deborah Goodrich Royce paints a beautiful picture of Hollywood in the late 1980's as Ruby is cast in a horror movie based on Rebecca. Ruby balances her film obligations with her new marriage to the mysterious Orlando. Or does she? Ruby is an unreliable narrator and the lines between fiction and reality are delightfully blurry.

Tragic and beautiful Ruby Falls is a doozy of. a novel that will lead readers on a winding road towards a heartbreaking conclusion.

This was a well written, suspenseful, dark story.

I was engrossed from the beginning... I turned page after page to see what happened next.. But then something happened.... She got on my nerves and started to feel too whiny. Then the ending - really? It felt way too rushed.

This was a well written book and the author has real talent. I will read more by her. However, this actual book went from really good...., to it's ok .... to what the heck?

I do want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC. This did not impact my review.