Review Copy

What did you read yesterday? I read RUBY FALLS by Deborah Goodrich Royce. Yes, the entire novel in one satisfying sitting. I was attracted to this book by its gorgeous cover. I couldn't help beginning my judgement there. And I was not disappointed. RUBY FALLS is a psychological thriller that is brilliantly plotted.

From the prologue of the 1960's written in an old fashioned gothic style to the present day story of Ruby which takes us from New York to Europe to California, this is one story worth keeping on your shelf for a re-read to pick up on the clues you must have missed. You did miss them, didn't you? I caught one, I think. But it didn't matter, I think I brushed it off.

Check it out. I loved it.

It took me a bit to get in to this book. I’m not sure if it’s just how it was downloaded for me to read or what but it was hard to follow who said what in many places. I nearly gave up on the book but I liked the ending so I’m glad I finished it

I began reading the novel knowing that it was closely related to Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca, which came to my eyes with the Alfred Hitchchock´s film adaptation.
Ruby Falls is hypnotic, gripping, and weird. The gothic atmosphere of David Lynch's films seems to have inspired this haunting tale that begins with the disappearance of Ruby's father in the caves that happen to have her name: Ruby Falls.
I think Eleanor, as she calls herself after the trauma of her past, is a character that is not meant to be nice but to be a puzzle.

The loose writing and in the first person were ruminating like going back over the steps of Eleanor and rewriting herself all the time, adding details and expanding the story, which has a highly addictive effect. The mystery catches you and you want to know many things such as What happened to Ruby / Ellie / Eleanor's father? What happened to her in the soap opera that she had to give it up? And many other things that will become clear only at the end when the atmosphere is truly rarefied and you distrust of everyone. Every single character is shady because we watch them thru Eleanor’s eyes.

I gave it five stars because it was a reading that shocked and surprised me. Set in the eighties, it has a lot of VC Andrews, (even the cover with flowers) and the timing is very cinematic.
Each chapter if I did not misunderstand has the title or represents a classic film. Which as a movie fan, I think it made it a very attractive characteristic.
I highly recommend this reading because the plot is impeccable and the parallels or recurrences in the plot are everything to give it that strange and terrible climate. So poetic it hurts.
I made many assumptions but the plot twists were up to what I expected, which was a good psychological thriller.
I really hope that people will comment on this novel a lot and that everyone gives it a try. It was one of my best reads of the year and I'm really going to wait for the release to buy myself a copy because it got me.
The arc edition that I received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review was a pdf and I must point out that in one of the chapters that is in Spanish there is a typo because it says Meurto instead of Muerto wich is the correct word.
My applause to Debrorah Goodrich Royce and I really hope to read more about her in the future if her trhillers are as effective and as compartmentalized as Ruby's secretary.

Ruby Falls is a ten.

Eleanor Russell is a glamorous actress whose whirlwind romance, to the charming Orland, appears to have been taken right out of a Hollywood film. Her life in LA seems a million miles away from the childhood trauma she experienced when she was abandoned by her father age six. In true motion picture fashion she shrugged off the pain as Ruby and became the successful Eleanor. However, when she is cast in an adaptation of ‘Rebecca’ she immerses herself in the Gothic role and begins to see a darker side to her perfect Orlando: after all how much does she really know her husband?
I really did not know where this book was going to go but I loved the nods to a cinema noir style of suspense entwined with Gothic themes. I feel like Royce handled a really linear story but 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 did get to the end of this novel and feel like I wanted to re-read it after the ending was revealed and to me that is a mark of a great thriller that truly draws you in.

This one didn't work for me, it slipped from unreliable narrator into "WTF is actually going on?" The premise is intriguing but there were too many ominous signs happening around the protag and not enough plot movement or agency from the protag.

What a twisted tale, the pace kept me interested and wanting to see what happened. Easy to visualise with great descriptions, all I can say is I cant believe what happens. Read this now you wont regret it.

thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review such a twisted thriller! I am not talking gore and satonics. I am talking mind boggling road trips. This is the kind of book that when you get to the end and close it, you just say “wow”.

This book is well written and has good character development I just couldn’t personally get into the story and found it a little bit of a struggle to keep reading. Either way it just left a little lacking for me personally. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As a lover of thrillers, I found this book very intriguing. I was happy to have the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone a bit to try this one out. The story was captivating and I never could predict what was going to come next. However, the ending left me with a bit to be desired.

When troubled actress, Eleanor Russell, lands a dream role in a Hollywood remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, life begins to imitate art as Eleanor finds herself newly married after a short, whirlwind romance. As the newlyweds begin to settle into their new life in the Hollywood Hills, Eleanor begins to see cracks in her husband's adoring façade, and she begins to question: What does she really know about her new husband? Is he as perfect as she once thought?

Eerie shades of the suspenseful classic, Rebecca, casts a gothic thriller vibe on this novel that punctuates the thin line between reality and imagination.

This book is what I would call and atmospheric mystery. The atmosphere is one of brooding and melancholy while the story gradually unfolds. I was intrigued in rapt and astounded.

Within its title alone Ruby Falls gives insight into two key points in the novel, Ruby is the main character's name; and Ruby Falls is the setting that starts the story in motion. Ruby Falls is near Chattanooga, TN a tourist attraction built a around caverns and a set of falls set in Lookout Mountain. I grew up visiting Chattanooga every summer to visit my grandmother there, and I can attest to the sheer darkness of the place. I remember the tour guide saying dramatically, "this is the darkest place on earth". True or not, that's where we find our protagonist as the story begins, a six-year-old in the darkest place on earth with her Dad. Suddenly, he lets go of her hand and is never seen or heard of again (at least by Ruby and her Mom).

Cut to present day - late '80s Los Angeles. I had to keep checking that this story was set in that decade because it has distinct 1940s noir feel to me. Ruby - who now goes by Ellie - is an actress who has fled NYC after an "incident" on the set of the soap opera she starred in led to her leaving the show and the city. On a flight from Zurich to Rome, she impulsively meets and marries a dark, handsome and (naturally) mysterious stranger, Orlando. She and Orlando are settling in LA so Ellie can reboot her acting career with a part in a horror film.

As the story progresses, Ellie starts to question her decision to marry this stranger so quickly, meets her quirky psychic older neighbor Dottie and the line between her film and real life starts to blur. As Ellie' starts to unravel, so do the threads of her past and we the reader slowly learn what's fact and what's fiction in our protagonist's tale.

The story builds to a breaking point that is fast-paced. It reminded me a lot of books like The Silent Patient, where we're wondering if our storyteller is completely trustworthy or if they have only the slightest grip on reality.

As I mentioned before this has a real slick 1940s Hollywood noir film to it, despite the 80s time setting. It's a riveting, haunting read that at times feels as dark as the darkest place on earth - but we eventually come out of the caverns and into the sunlight of day and learn the truth behind Ruby's story.

P.S. - If are in Chattanooga, do go visit Ruby Falls and Rock City. Worth the look for the vistas. :-)

Ruby Falls
Deborah Goodrich Royce

On a brilliantly sunny July day, six-year-old Ruby is abandoned by her father in the suffocating dark of a Tennessee cave. Twenty years later, transformed into soap opera star Eleanor Russell, she is fired under dubious circumstances. Fleeing to Europe, she marries a glamorous stranger named Orlando Montague and keeps her past closely hidden.

Together, Eleanor and Orlando start afresh in LA. Setting up house in a storybook cottage in the Hollywood Hills, Eleanor is cast in a dream role—the lead in a remake of Rebecca. As she immerses herself in that eerie gothic tale, Orlando’s personality changes, ghosts of her past re-emerge, and Eleanor fears she is not the only person in her marriage with a secret.

In this thrilling and twisty homage to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, the story ricochets through the streets of Los Angeles, a dangerous marriage to an exotic stranger, and the mind of a young woman whose past may not release her.

📚Review📚

Ruby falls was an interesting read and was well engaging, vivid descriptions and the chapter titles were intriguing they didn't connect so well for me.

The lead character is an uprising actress and she has a whirlwind wedding so they didn't talk about each other's past lives but the past has unexpected ways to come bite you in the butt right.

It was a tale of unexpected twists and turns and even though it didn't click for me it might be interesting for some!! At the start it pretty much gave me there but not there vibes but the characters were good and the word play was good.

Overall it was a good book and it gets 3.8 stars from me.

I just reviewed Ruby Falls by Deborah Goodrich Royce. #NetGalley
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Thank you for giving a chance to review Ruby Falls. Thank you to the publisher who approved this.

For this book, the plot was a good one. It has that mystery shrouded in it. Those who loved mystery can try to read this and maybe able to jump into theories. It's simple yet intriguing. Wondering what's happening behind all of this.

However I wish it was more complicated or twisted. I wish it was longer. Make more gory or something. But in the end the explaination is so easy to be told. I wish for more. The end of this story wraps too quickly. It is still a good read.

I was mesmerized throughout Ruby Falls. I could not dream where the author was going with this story.

All kinds of thoughts ran through my head as I read this. Is she crazy? Is she imagining those sounds? Or is someone/something really there? Who is Orlando? Who is Dottie? I eagerly read page after page. What a great story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Ruby Falls. Well done, Ms. Royce.

So, is she crazy?

I fell for the tale woven by Ruby Eleanor, and what a story that was. A soap opera actress has a whirlwind romance is believable. The bungalow in Hollywood with the yard filled with roses is like a fairytale. The marriage to Orlando ...well, I won’t give anything away. I was hooked to the end.

What a treat! This book has everything, mystery , intrigue, suspense and a really good plot. Ruby is abandoned on a day out to a tourist attraction cave by her father, and from that day on her life is troubled. She becomes a young actress in a soap opera and things are good until one day events take a turn for the worse. The story is so well told and the twists and turns in the plot are amazing. The book is well written and keeps you guessing right to the end. Thoroughly enjoyed, a great page turner, thank you NetGalley. Looking forward to the next Deborah Goodrich Royce offering.

Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain in 1968 is where Eleanor Ruby Russell is abandoned by her father whilst they are deep inside the cave. Fast forward to 1989, she’s now a successful soap star, is married to Orlando Montague, they are moving to Los Angeles where Eleanor is cast as the lead in a remake of Rebecca. Ruby/Eleanor narrates her own story .... reliably? Only time will tell.

First of all, this is very well written and easy to immerse yourself in. It’s very colourful and descriptive, you can almost smell the roses and taste the food! The characters are really good - Eleanor is very damaged by her terrifying childhood experience and loss of her father, Orlando is a controlling enigma who creates a veritable emotional rollercoaster of twists and turns. I really like the Rebecca angle (it’s one of my favourite books) and through the film the book does have a gothic vibe and some spooky elements to it. The story unfolds well, there is growing mystery and tension as you get one bombshell revelation after another although at times you do feel like you’ve tumbled down the rabbit hole with Alice as it’s very riddle-me-ree!! I like the titles of each chapter which are clever and usually film references and you do get the feeling that it’s all very Hitchcockian or Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap - who is the mouse in the conspiracy I wonder??!! I love the puzzle of Ellie’s father and the clues that we get are interesting and we learn the truth about him towards the end.

However, on occasions it’s a bit repetitive as Eleanor turns things over in her mind although I’m certain this is true to life I’d still have preferred less. The ending feels a bit rushed too and didn’t entirely do justice to the rest of the book.

Overall, though it’s a well written and surprising read that keeps you gripped and entertained. The cover is amazing and I love it!

Ruby is abandoned as a child in the pitch black Ruby Falls cave by her father. As an adult, Ruby prefers to go by the name of Eleanor and moves to California to star in a movie. This story enchanted me and had plenty of twists and turns to keep me turning those pages. Once this book comes out in May 2021, I know my book club will love it. I can't wait to discuss this book (and the ending) with my friends! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publish date in exchange for an honest review.

This might be my favorite book of the year. Once I began, something came over me and within 24 hours I had devoured Ruby Falls, enjoying all the twists and turns and psychological warfare along the way.

Comparing a book to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is a sacrilege. Rebecca is one of the best gothic style thrillers ever written, and certainly one of my favorites. Even invoking a comparison to Rebecca is a dangerous idea, because how do you compare something to a great work of art without resulting in disappointment. This book is nothing like Rebecca, even though its movie-star heroine stars in a highly modified adaptation of it. In fact, this book is so much of its own creation that it defies comparison.

Our heroine, a term I use loosely, is Ruby, who now goes by Eleanor. As a child she was abandoned by her father at the famous Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, never to see him again. Now grown and recently married, we follow Ruby (Eleanor) as she and her newlywed husband move to LA as she begins filming a new movie. Told from her point of view, we experience the inner world and dialogue of Ruby (Eleanor) as she grows increasingly suspicious of her new husband, embarks on a magical realism fairytale with her elderly neighbor, and gradually degenerates into her own form of madness.

Or does she? Unlike the unnamed heroine in Rebecca, this character is highly self-aware. As even she notes, “Why are these gothic heroines always so blind to the facts that surround them?” This heroine has not only one, but two, names, again showing the reader that this book is no anemic knock-off of a great novel. I imagine the author chuckling to herself as she weaves into the story classic tropes of film noir and gothic romance, and then twists it all on its head. It’s no coincidence that each chapter pays homage to popular culture, ranging from “Gaslight” to “The Red Shoes” to “The Woman in White”. In this way, I found Ruby Falls to be a love letter to the darker side of literature and film.

However, to think of Ruby Falls as only an homage to classic gothic and noir is doing the book a disservice. It is truly interesting and captivating on its own, even if the reader had no former knowledge of any of these classics. I know little of the author, Deborah Goodrich Royce, but she has fine taste and I expect we would get along rather well. She is certainly someone I will be paying more attention to.

I will say little more about the story itself, to allow the reader to experience the roller coaster for themselves. I will just say: buckle up, darling. You are in for one magical, dreamy, and twisty ride.

Thank you To Post Hill Press for the ARC. I am quite honored.