When I first read Amy Engel's The Roanoke Girls, I was intrigued by how she managed to take such a dark and taboo subject and turn it into a story which was, if not what you would call entertaining - stories of abuse seldom are - then at the very least intense and compelling to read, or in my case listen to. I was drawn to the complexity of the characters and of the way in which the author captured the essence of the small town existence. with The Familiar Dark we are treated to a story which is just as chilling, just as complex and completely engrossing from the very start.

This is the story of single mother Eve, whose daughter, Junie, is attacked and left to die in the town park, alongside her best friend Izzy. Two twelve year old girls struck down by an unknown killer, but was it someone that Eve knows or just a random stranger who took their lives? As we navigate the days following the murders, Amy Engel takes us on a roller coaster ride of emotion and suspense which had a devastating impact on not only the characters, but me as a reader too.

Eve is a very complicated character. Raised by a mother who had little compassion for her or her brother, Cal, she was someone who fought hard to do better by her daughter. Turning her back on the negative influences in her life, she was someone you could see rally tried and in spite of the fact that she could come across as emotionally distant, unable to display her feelings in the same open and git wrenching way that Izzy's parents did, I really did feel for her. The author has made her a character I could understand, even in her atypical reactions, and someone I was swilling to find the truth. She is strong, determined and focused, a product of her upbringing - perhaps even more fierce because of it.

She was a stark contrast to the people around her. Her brother, Cal, was a far more emotional character. He had. the caretaker role over his sister, stepping up when their mother wouldn't and stepping in when her attentions became violent. It was quite fitting that he became a police officer, the most together and honest of the lot of them, or so it appeared. He was the polar opposite of the Chief, a man who made the right noises about finding the killer, but someone who, nonetheless, makes the skin crawl.

This book has all the hallmarks of a dark domestic noir, the author keeping the reader on the hook with a variety of shady characters, skin crawling situations and suspense that kept me guessing until the last pages. There is a strong theme of family here - both the positive and the negative - Amy Engel never once shying away from portraying all aspects of family life. There were so many aspects that I could identify with, so many elements of the story that I feel will resonate with, and in some cases shock, the reader, that it gave a really authentic feel to the tale. It is a tough story when the murder of two children is not necessarily the hardest part of the story to read.

This is not a story of hope. There are few warm and fuzzy moments within the story, those that do surface relating to the warmth of the bond between Eve and Junie, rendered all the more emotional and powerful when put in the context of what she has lost. This is a story of the powerful nature of unconditional love, of how people may surprise you when pushed and the sacrifices that people are willing to make for those they love the most. The author keeps those surprises coming, right to the last page when it finally becomes clear that the motives of certain characters are not what you may have expected.

Yes this story is harsh at times, the narrative tinged with a deep melancholy that will have an impact upon you long after you turn that last page. There is an strong sense of place that is derived from the text and a truly authentic voice that is also tragically beautiful. In spite of everything, the very tortured nature of the story, I found that I didn't want to turn away. I wanted to keep reading - needed to know that Eve found justice for Junie. I knew that this would be a challenging read but it is a book I definitely recommend that you pick up.

Dark gritty thriller which kept me gripped the whole way through. This book is full of raw emotion and suspense. I was totally blindsided by the ending. It is shorter than a lot of stories but every word counts.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

My thanks to Hodder and Staughton, Amy Engel and NetGalley for the Arc.
Not a word wasted here, utterly raw, grief heart-breakingly observed. I suspected who carried out the murders but the story is so well told it didn't matter. Brilliant.

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel opens with an unusual start to this harrowing tale, it begins at ‘the end’, it’s a powerful and haunting start to the book, and leaves the reader in no doubt that it will not be a ‘happy ever after’ kind of read. The authors poetic prose seem almost at odds with this stark plot, that features drug abuse, rural town poverty and abuse, and yet the two blend perfectly together creating a spellbinding story about the complexities of family relationships, and how even the most dysfunctional families can pull together in the face of adversary.

Set in the small rundown down town of Barren Springs in the Missouri Ozarks, tells the heartbreaking and brutal story of Eve, a young mother whose daughter is one of two 12-year-old girls found murdered in the towns dilapidated park. The only way Eve can stop herself drowning in grief is to seek vengeance for her daughter's murder, a path that leads Eve to the town’s seedy criminal underbelly. A path that will open up old childhood wounds, as Eva’s own traumatic past comes back to haunt her. Eve’s relationship with her mother is based on neglect and abuse, she’s always been determined to become her mother’s daughter, but without Junie, and with vengeance firmly on her mind, Eve finds that she is more like her mother than she cares to admit.

The author vividly describes the experience of growing up in Barren Springs, a dirt poor town, where people live in trailers, patched up with tape, it’s town people are mostly drug addicts, and people live hand to mouth, living for their next fix of crystal meths and heroin. The town is as much a character as Eve. The town feels claustrophobic, seedy, and unclean, it’s a town everyone wants to escape from, but poverty and addiction keeps them in its clutches, it’s a place where the life is sucked out of you.Eve is a character that immediately finds her way into your heart, as her grief takes her through a spectrum of emotions, you feel her anger, and her pain, and her need for vengeance, these emotions are raw and intense, The relationship between Eve and her mother is a difficult one, and yet a bond is created through grief and wanting to do the right thing in the most appalling situation.

Despite its subject matter this book has a hidden depth, it explores the complexities of relationships, and dysfunctional families with sensitivity and incredible insight. Amy Engel’s visceral style of writing makes each of her novels very memorable, and The Familiar Dark And Eva tragic tale will stay in my thoughts for a long time. If you are looking for the ‘usual whodunnit’ then this may not be the book for you. If you enjoy a book that is very much character driven, with a dark heart then look no further. Highly recommend.

This review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

I really loved The Roanoke Girls so was thrilled to get a chance to review Amy Engel's next novel The Familiar Dark which was equally brilliant..

The book starts with the devastating news that Eve Taggert’s daughter, Junie aged 12, and her best friend, Izzy, have been murdered in the local playground. Eve is a feisty, single Mum who is close to her brother, Cal. They grew up in abject poverty in a trailer park in Barren Springs, Missouri where their mother, Lynette, a meth addict, still lives with various boyfriends coming and going over the years. Eve has worked hard to become a different person since she had Junie and has kept her daughter apart from her grandmother.

Eve is overwhelmed with grief and distress at the loss of her only child and vows to find out who did it. Cal can help somewhat as he is in the local police force but when things aren't moving as fast as Eve would like she frequently gets herself involved in dangerous situations as she becomes more and more desperate and more and more determined to find out who killed these two girls.

There are lots of twists and turns in this book and it’s very fast paced. I did guess who the killer was about a third in which was a little disappointing and I felt the writing could have disguised this better. Or maybe I have just read too many books of this genre and now sense where things are going. I do love this author though and can thoroughly recommend this book and I look forward to many more by her,

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely phenomenal story. I loved the Roanoke Girls. It was and still is one of my favourite books Ever. This book is as equally as great. Highly recommended xx

Set in a small rundown down in the Missouri Ozarks, this is a heartbreaking and brutal story, mostly centred on Eve, a young women whose daughter is one of two 12 year old girls found murdered in the down's dilapidated park.  
This is a quite short book but not a single word is wasted.  The descriptions of the town are incredibly atmospheric and the history of Eve's life and family situation is devastatingly sad.  I usually see twists and endings coming a mile away but not this time.  A brilliant book and one that will stay with me for some time to come.

this book is a gripping read and I read it in one, engulfing go. I don't necessary agree with the actions Eve, her Mama, her brother. but I understand them. so I think that's worthwhile. this book will leave you on its tenterhooks. Engel has a fantastic ability to pull you in, to leave you feeling gritty and dirty. if you loved her last book, you'll surely love this one.

This is a dark and slow burning book. It opens with the murder of two young girls in a small town. One is from a privileged family, the other is the daughter of Eve, who grew up on the outskirts in a violent and neglected home. Eve has tried to give her daughter everything she never had herself, and Junie’s death is devastating. As the murder investigation slowly rumbles on, Eve takes matters into her own hands, delving deep into the town’s darkest places and revisiting dangerous people from her past.

I thought I knew what to expect from this book, but I was was wrong. It is gritty and punchy and very dark, with a strong streak of morality running all the way through it, despite the actions of most of the characters not being particularly moral or kind.
Eve Taggert is a woman trying to drag herself out of her harsh upbringing. She only has her brother who is on her side and the kindness of her employer. Her daughter, Junie, is what motivates her to do better than her own mother, a hard and unforgiving meth addict. The drabness and harshness of the Ozark town she cannot escape looms always in the background, but she’s doing ok until the unthinkable happens and Junie is murdered, along with her best friend Izzy.
I was rooting for Eve all the way through this novel and along the way I gained a grudging respect for her mother and her ex partner too.
Exhilarating and graphic, I read this in two sittings, unwilling to break off before I saw Eve find what she was seeking.

This is a powerful, emotional and nerve-wracking thriller, set in the Ozarks Mountains in Missouri. When Eve's daughter is murdered, she has nothing to lose in her quest to find the killer of her daughter and her friend Izzy. With the help of Cal, her police officer brother, Eve sets out to trace her daughter's killer. This book will shock you with it's dark realism but it is unique and well written with some very interesting characters. I have no hesitation in giving 5* and would recommend reading it for the eye opener into poverty and struggle in small town America. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Any Engel follows up the brilliant Roanoke Girls with the equally brilliant The Familiar Dark. Set in the atmospheric Ozarks amid the poor and downtrodden, the drug addicts and the drug makers this story of a mother hell bent on the revenge of her daughters murder on a local playground is unputdownable and a must read. Thanks so much to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

After reading and loving “The Roanoke Girls” I was very excited to get the chance to review “The Familiar Dark” and had prepared myself for a late night!!

Eve Taggert is working in the diner when her brother Cal a policeman, arrives to give her the traumatic news that her Daughter Junie aged 12 and her best friend Izzy have been discovered in the playground with their throats slit!!

Eve grew up in a trailer in the poor area of Missouri in the small town of Barren Springs, her mother Lynette a meth addict with numerous boyfriends. Eve distanced herself from Lynette as she wanted a better quality of life for her daughter, one where she would grow up feeling safe and loved.

Eve’s world is plunged into despair at losing her daughter, how can she carry on without her. Eve wants answers even if it means she has to dig for it herself,putting her own life at risk. Eve’s grief soon turns to anger and she is prepared to do anything to get her hands on the murderer even if it means going to her mom for assistance and returning to her childhood home.

I was addicted to this book and it’s twists and turns along the way. It is gritty and dark but told in a gripping way that you are swept along by the journey desperate for the girls to get the justice they deserve.

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

I had an inkling that this would be good as I loved The Roanoke Girls. It didn’t disappoint. I love the way this author writes, very different from most authors I read at the minute.

Izzy and June, two young girls are found murdered. Why would anyone kill two innocent girls in such a brutal way? This story follows Junies Mum as she tries to work out who’s responsible.

Very well written, and with a surprising ending. This author always reminds me a bit of Virginia Andrews.

Having loved The Roanoke Girls by this author I was really looking forward to reading this. It did not disappoint.

Despite their tough childhood as the children of a cruel, violent, drug-addict mother the book’s protagonist, Eve, became a doting, fiercely protective mother of a daughter of her own, Junie and her brother, Cal, became a policeman.

The story takes place in a very poor small town in Missouri and centres around Eve and what happens following the brutal murder of her 12 year-old daughter, Junie, and Junie’s best friend, Izzy.

Following the murder and despite being grief-stricken herself Eve vows to find out who killed the girls. Once she starts digging, however, she uncovers a lot more than she bargained for. Plenty of local people have secrets, it seems, including some in her own family.

My only slight disappointment with this book was the murder revelation as it didn’t quite ring true to me. That said, this is a gritty and powerful book touching on abuse, loss, grief, secrets, lies, mother-daughter relationships and much more. It will grab you by the throat and suck you in, even though it may be hard to read at times.

As you know this book begins with death. Engel absolutely shredded my heart with Eve's grief over her daughter Junie. The writing is raw and bleak- there's no sugar coating or fanciful wording, just a solid punch to the chest.

I liked Eve instantly for her strength and determination. I'd hoped from my previous read of Roanoake Girls that Engel would again be generous on character development and I was NOT disappointed. I do love a good underdog so I was invested in Eve from the outset.

I was strangely drawn to Eve's mother too. Though an abusive, neglectful criminal, something about Lynette's loyalty and fierce no-f*cks-given attitude to survival made her an enjoyable character. She is the devil on Eve's shoulder if you like.

Written in first from the perspective of Eve, The Familiar Dark tells the story of a woman raised in a violent abusive home and her fight to avenge her daughter's murder without succumbing to the darkness she believes she has inherited.

My heart ached for the characters in this novel, both the good ones and the ill intentioned.
I absolutely loved it.

One of the darkest, ugliest and inhospitable places to find your self is standing opposite the person charged with uttering the words no parent wishes to hear. Ever.

Something this book does convincingly is harness that acute hollowness, the aftermath of when the brightest light in someone’s life is extinguished, and how the hunger for answers could steer the bereaved toward a path where they risk losing themselves entirely.

Bold Eve Taggart wears the unknowing and helplessness like a coat of broken glass, each point cutting a little deeper into her soul and the affect is sharp and relentless.

Everything that follows feeds off the raw energy generated by her stoic persistence and the harsh lessons taught to her by a mother with rock for a heart. One thing’s for sure, Eve may have been subjected to her mama’s unsettling wisdom during her early years, but she graduated their trailer’s school of life fully prepared for it’s grim reality.

There’s a shockingly real feel to the narration with a revelation to match. All that claustrophobia of a small town community, along with its generations who are tasked with surviving or providing, create an effective backdrop for aspirations to wither.

An edgy and immersive read.

*** Actual rating: 4.5 / 5***

Set in Missouri, the story opens with the murder of two girls - best friends Junie and Izzy - in the town's dilapidated playground. Upon hearing the news, Junie's mother Eve vows revenge at all costs. Amy Engel expertly portrays Eve's grief and pain over the loss of her child, highlighting her abusive and impoverished background to explain her descent as her grief leads to anger.

A very well written, suspenseful and fast paced novel. 4 stars as I guessed the twists which was a little disappointing.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

So tense so chilling so well written.I sat down to read a few pages and wound up so involved so engaged,I could not stop reading.Shocks moments that made me gasp a book I will be recommending this highly,#netgalley#hodderstoughton

Eve and her brother Cal were born into poverty, growing up with a single mother addicted to meth/heroin in an atmosphere of chaotic domestic life, sudden mood swings and casual violence. Together they drag themselves out from under, Cal becoming a policeman. Eve works in a diner, her life turned around by the birth of her beloved daughter Junie. The novel opens with the tragic scene of the murder of two 12 year old girls, Eve’s Junie and her friend Izzy. We follow Eve’s journey through the numbness of grief to a quest for vengeance, torn between the rationality of policeman Cal and the rage that surfaces in her the more she has contact with her mother and her methods of meting out justice. Despite the damage she has done to herself and her children, Lynette remains a charismatic personality and the lessons Eve learned in childhood cut deep.

Amy Engel is strong on atmosphere, characters and relationships and these are central to this story. Why the girls died is a mystery to the last pages and its resolution is not wholly satisfying, but any disappointment I might have felt was overshadowed by this time by my investment in the characters. A really well written book, not my usual fare but I enjoyed it very much and would recommend.