Book Buzz
By: Jill Gunderson
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Bring on all the pumpkins, fall décor, pictures of your kids in their costumes, and all the Halloween movie marathons because just like that…it’s October! Can you believe it? I am so here for it!!
That said, I wanted to start off the spooky season with one of my FAVORITE spooky stories—Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney. This book is absolutely everything you’ll want for the perfect fright night, and more.
Let’s get right to it, shall we? Daisy’s family doesn’t get along, and it’s been years since they all got together. But
they put differences aside to gather for Nana’s 80th birthday (yes, her birthday is on October 31st) at her home, called Seaglass. Sounds picturesque, doesn’t it? It's anything but! Set on a private tidal island off the coast of Cornwall, the 1800s gothic Victorian mansion is surrounded by the rocks the island is made up of. The whole family must arrive before the tide comes in because once it rises, there is no way on (or off) the island for 8 hours. (Already!! This setting is perfection!)
But it gets better. The first night is super awkward as every family member holds tight to their own secrets that pushed the family apart to begin with. Later on, during the storm at the stroke of midnight on her 80th birthday, Nana is found dead. If that’s not scary enough, every hour on the hour, another family member follows.
(Are you not hooked yet?!?)
Now, the Darkers have to come together while they’re trapped on this island, push through their grudges and secrets to find out who among them is the killer before it’s too late.
Friends, my heart is even racing as I write this! I still feel the fear and every emotion they went through and can’t even express how excited I am for you to get to the mind-blowing ending. You will be completely floored, and then want to read it again through a different perspective!
This is a book that I want to dive into again just to get myself in the spooky spirit. Already knowing what happens doesn’t take away from the thrills of this unforgettable story.
My recommendation? Turn the lights off, light a few candles, pour yourself your drink of choice, grab your fav blanket and cozy up for the night. I guarantee that you will not want to put this book down. Or even better—buddy read it with a friend to text all of your “aha” moments to! (You’ll need someone to debrief with…over wine, of course).
Ready for a fun tidbit? Daisy Darker is a wickedly delicious nod to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None with its unforgettable twists and turns!
With that…happy reading, Neighbors!!
Jill Gunderson
@ThatShelfLove