4-5 stars

A town called Malice.

Quinn Wilde is a British senior war correspondent, injured in the “line of duty“ who is less than thrilled to be assigned a story in Stowebury, Vermont fifteen months ago. However, this turns out to be a really big story. A pretty town, perhaps it’s looks belying a rotten core, twenty one teenagers dead, one missing and one in a coma. A high school graduating class virtually wiped out. The authorities throw an ironclad ring around the town and the story and now over a year later, Quinn is certain she can blow the story out of the lake and get to the truth about how the high school prom aboard the boat Lady of Champlain goes so disastrously and tragically wrong. The story is told via several perspectives including two mothers who are also sisters, Amy and Iris.

There’s definitely something rotten in the state of Vermont, specifically Stowebury, to say the least there’s a pact or conspiracy of silence. Who’s to say what other conspiracies or corruption lurks beneath those deceptively benign waters?

The scene setting in this very atmospheric place is most revealing as there’s definitely trouble in paradise. The vibes are odd, the tones are off, there’s obvious dysfunction, it’s moody, malicious, there’s evil and hatred with plenty of hints of what to come. This inevitably has me reading on eager to seek out the nuggets of truth.

There are quite a lot of characters to get familiar with, but once I do, I have no problems sorting out who’s who as the characterisation is strong. There are some wolves in sheep’s clothing and one who is weaving evil at the centre of the murky waters. It’s really intriguing as things start to connect and my heart sinks and breaks along the Lakeside. There are so many layers to peel back to get to the heart of it all as the fear levels rise alongside the tension, secrets, lies and betrayals. It propels and twists itself towards an exciting, suspenseful and unexpected ending.

A times it’s a very emotional read, not only about incredibly tough choices that characters have to make but also because of some of the themes including the rawness of grief and the impact of bullying. There are some trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.

Overall, this is another exceptionally good read from Tessa Stimson in my opinion.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline, Mountain Leopard Press for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

Will post to social media near publication.

A very clever and engaging psychological thriller that is a right old page turner.

A tragedy, small town secrets, an intriguing cast of characters and twists and turns along the way make this an entertaining read that delivers on many levels.

A satisfying finale too. Really enjoyed this, will happily recommend.

An amazing, heart-racing thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The tension builds brilliantly, and the multiple timelines and characters add real depth to the story. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist appeared. AMAZING!!!!

I swear this boom had me hooked!!! Literally couldn’t put it down! I was desperate to find out what had happened. My heart was pounding in fear throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Wow, this is one of the best books I've read in a while. The twists and turns, the heartbreak, the sadness, the fear, all rolled into one book. It had me turning pages all through the night. I read it in one sitting. I've enjoyed many Tess Stimson books but this has got to be one of her best ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A perfect suspenseful shocking book. I felt so bad for Maggie. Her character was so sweet and loving. All the characters were great with some twists I didn’t suspect. A book that stirs so many emotions. Characters that will make you fall in love and hate fiercely.

This book is diabolical in an amazing way. Obviously all psychological thrillers are dark but this one was even more disturbing than most. Without revealing spoilers, I will just say that there were numerous parts of this book which left me feeling uncomfortable. That's how psychological thrillers should be! If a book doesnt grab my attention right away, I have a hard time focusing through out the rest of the book. I love the fact that this story had me in its grip the whole way through. Great work.

A great read. I loved Vermont as the setting and was jealous of Quinn getting the assignment!

This is blink and the tragedy happens novel, the aftermath is completely thrilling to read. There are no moments when the plot slows down and the characters are just as well written as if they were in real life.

How a small time can change in a heartbeat. One devastating event that leads to the death of so many youngsters. In a small town everyone is going to be impacted. Family relationships are put under pressure and marriages that appeared strong are falling. And then there is Quinn who is certain there is more than meets the eye and who is like a dog with a bone. Brilliantly written book. There is some difficult content at times. It took a little while to get to know all the names and who was in what family but think that was my brain rather than the book. This book will keep you up reading.

What an amazing book. Breathtaking, terrifying, gripping, it has all the ingredients of a best seller. I loved it.

Amy is a High School principal in Vermont. Just before prom she is forced to make a decision which will have devastating repercussions for many of the families living in the small town. Instead of holding it in the school gym it will be held on a boat. Some aren't too happy about it - there's been a big storm and there may be debris on the lake but Amy decides to go ahead anyway. When the boat sinks she has to make a terrible decision and believe me, it is a horrific choice she has and you wouldn't wish such a situation on your worst enemy. The horror is hinted at throughout tyhe book as it is written partly as flashback but when you get to the scenes in the sunken boat. Wow. So detailed, so heartrending, so vivid.

There are trigger warnings at the beginning of the book so be aware, this is not an easy read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was a fantastic novel, one of those books where you are teased along by the author, kept on the hook, before she delivers an absolute knock out twist. Can't recommend highly enough