This book was completely different in that there are stunning twists and turns starting from the very beginning of the story. The author dives so deep into the character background, and really draws on the readers emotions at times. I really liked the story being told from multiple different character view points and different points in time. The family drama was crazy, but also had an underlying message that to be a family doesn’t require blood relation. A gripping read, couldn’t read it fast enough to see the end! Loved it!

“One Dark Summer” is by Saskia Sarginson. I found this to be a light mystery overall. The beginning was rather slow, but the pace picks up in the second half of the book. The characters were well thought out and I enjoyed them. I did find the time jumps to be a bit jarring - they weren’t smooth and lacked tying the past with the present. I think that if you’ve read other books by this author and/or like light mysteries, this book would be one to pick up.

After her mother went missing Meg spent a summer with her three cousins in Deben Manor. Now, years later she assumes a new identity and comes back to her cousins house in order to solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance.

Although I personally love a thriller with a dark, mysterious house in a center of the story and a family secret I hate to say I didn't love this book. The story is very slow, especially in the first half. It felt really choppy to me that there were constant jumps back and forth which felt very artificial. I feel that usually there should be something that brings the character to the past and here those kind of transitions were often missing. Those jumps were really pulling me out of the story. Another thing that I didn't love were multiple characters with different names. This made it more difficult to connect with them and the story.

The plot twists also didn't feel all that much surprising, I figured some things out before the story came to them.

The aspect I liked were actually the characters. Once I got used to the writing style and time jumps I really enjoyed how Meg, her mother and even the cousins were written and how they changed throughout the story.

Overall I would say it was an okay book, it did have it moments, but I unfortunately didn't end up loving it. I'd also wouldn't classify it as a thriller, it's a good mystery with some light suspense, but was missing the keeping you on the edge of your seat feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC of this book.
#OneDarkSummer #NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of One Dark Summer by Saskia Sarginson due to be published April 13, 2025.
Also recommended by Saskia Sarginson: Identical.
Meg knocks on the door of the large manor house where she is to be the nanny to two children. It looks like she remembers from when she was little the summer her mother went missing. Will her cousins recognize her, or will she find out exactly what happened to her mother?
Wow – this book had so many secrets, twists, and turns it was hard to keep up with all of them. It had me hooked from the beginning as it alternated between two timelines and revealed more of Meg’s life. What a great thriller!

#NetGalley #SankiaSarginson #BoldwoodBooks #OneDarkSummer

Written in multiple timelines and POV’s this is an easy read psychological thriller/ family drama. The book opens with a short prologue where an unnamed person is trapped in a metal box, if that doesn’t hook you I don’t know what will. The book then moves into the first of three parts.

Briefly, Meg goes back to Deben Manor where she was part of some terrible event when she was just 11 years old. She returns 15 years later, hiding her identity, as Margaret, a nanny to Ophelia’s two children, determined to fine out what happened to her mother. Ophelia is the eldest of her three cousins, the others are Clem and Thea. Meg’s mother just walked out on Meg and her father leaving her father struggling to cope which is when Meg went to stay at the manor. However, after the tragedy she returned to live with her father but she has never seen or heard from her mother since she left.

I thought this was a compulsive read and I finished it in one sitting. There were some good twists and turns, some of which I had guessed, but some I got totally wrong! There is a bit of a gothic feel to the book which I enjoyed and I thought the character development was good. All in all an enjoyable and entertaining read.

This book was not at all what I expected! I loved the back & forth between the past and the present. The ending was jaw dropping. I loved watching the story unfold with Meg. I will definitely be recommending this book and reading more by this author!

This is one of those crazy books that has you off-balance the entire way through! It begins with Meg returning to the estate where she grew up and will now be the nanny to young children. But there's something "off" about the house and its creepy hallways, attic where she hears noises, and her young charges who seem innocent enough but the adults seem to be hiding things. You may not want to read this late at night as you may hear voices from your own attic or have nightmares about family members who are keeping secrets!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Meg spent One Dark Summer with her three cousins when she was a child. Her mother had disappeared, and for reasons not entirely clear to her, her father chose to send her to stay with his sister. Flash forward 15 years and Meg is masquerading as Margaret the nanny to try to uncover reasons why her mother disappeared. I enjoyed the unexpected twists in this one, sad as some were. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

✨3 stars✨

I found this to be an okay thriller. I enjoyed the jumps in time while following different characters in order to work out the mystery.

However, the reveals fell flat for me and “plot twists” felt predictable.

I would recommend if you like this authors other books and it was a quick read but I just didn’t feel it as engaging as other thrillers that I have read.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

It took a few chapters for me to get into this book, but once I was in, I was hooked. This book had me double checking that all my doors were locked. I thought the ending was perfect as well.

Also Fred is just the perfect character.

I didn’t want to put this book down.. every page made me want more! Definitely put this on your reading list :)

In One Dark Summer by Saskia Sarginson, Meg was 11 when she was sent to live with her cousins over summer break because her father was struggling after her mother/his wife suddenly left one recent day, never to return. During that summer of getting to know her cousins and uncle, she tries to fit in but is left out more often than in. Then tragedy strikes the family one day and their lives are shattered. Several years later, Meg returns but goes by Margaret when she is hired by the oldest cousin as a nanny. Margaret is determined to piece together what happened in the walls of the manor that fateful summer.

Positives: The transformation of the characters - Meg, the sisters, even Meg’s mother. The sisters were an unknown on how they’d end up being as I read the book.

Struggles: Meg/Margaret’s first part was a bit slow, but then part 2 turned to her mother’s story and twist one happens. I don’t know that this is a hard core suspense/thriller. I would say more light suspense/mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on April 13, 2025. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #OneDarkSummer #SaskiaSarginson #BoldwoodBooks

This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish
The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making it impossible to predict what will happen next.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.

'One Dark Summer' has a brilliant atmosphere that really sets the plot alight. The whole way through there was an intense, dark feeling to the book which only increased as the plot progressed. This kept me interested and hooked and meant I could not tear myself away from this for long. This also has surprises in it, one of them being this is told by multiple perspectives and in different timelines. As a result, the plot was more involved than I initially thought and I enjoyed discovering the different elements to the book.
The characters are fantastic too and support the plot brilliantly. This has plenty of dark secrets to uncover that will keep you guessing and keep your interest.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.

I was so excited to read this book! Megs mother left her when she was young and she decides to take a job under an alias to try to get some answers. I absolutely loved the plot and the writing was so good. I was hooked from the start and was not disappointed. I also loved that this book was so much more than just a mystery/thriller. There’s other aspects and genres apart of this book, which made it very interesting.

This is the story of Meg who needs answers and disguises herself to find them. Its compulsive and captivating plot had it playing on rewind in mind when I wasn't reading. The beautifully written words are informative and vivid creating a haunting tale.

This was an engaging book. There were twists in it that made the story very captivating. I felt many emotions when reading and I could not put this book down. I hadn't read a book by this author before, but I hope to read another in the future because of how it kept me engaged until the end. I highly suggest this book to anyone who likes a mysterious and suspenseful book.

It was the summer that changed everything…
With trembling hands, Meg knocks on the door of the large manor house. Behind her, the view down to the river is spectacular. She’s here to be the nanny to two young children. It’s not the job Meg is anxious about, though. It’s the house itself that scares her, and the secrets lurking inside. Not only that, but will her new employer recognize her?! Great read!!! Lots of dark family secrets! It had great suspense, mystery, murder, gaslighting, intriguing, and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This thriller kept me up my bedtime to finish it. Loved how it played with my head to figure out the twists and plot in this.

Totally recommend to read ASAP.

Meg returns to Deben Manor where she stayed with her cousins as a young girl when her mother abandoned her. She is now calling herself Margaret, and is nanny to her cousin's children. She needs answers to her past.

This novel has a gothic feel to it. The characters are well developed, and the story is well thought out. Very well written and I enjoyed it thoroughly, needing to see what Meg finds out and remembers.
Meg feels she is being constantly watched, and it feels quite chilling.

Being a crazy cat lady, I love the part where Fred saves Meg's life!

There is everything in this book, mystery, suspense, romance, emotion, all of which make it a compelling read.

4/5 stars from me, highly recommended.