This book was so predictable. I found the plot to be boring due to this.
Also the pace was so slow and it never really got going.
A disappointment

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I really loved the sound of this book and went into it full of excitement and anticipation! For me however, it took a while to get into and wasn’t until half way through that I felt invested in the book.

I liked the writing and the way the author included police interviews and press clips was brilliant!! I really like that mixed media and find it quite engaging.

For me I think the story was slightly too long and would have had more impact if things happened slightly quicker!

Thank you for the ARC of this book and I apologise for the time taken to read this, but a great book.
I read it during Storm Eunice to take my mind off things! This was a good psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns. I really liked the characters and the way the store flowed and was written. . Highly recommend.

I love all of Megan Miranda’s books and this one is no different. Another excellent book from an excellent author!

This is such a book and was full of twists and turns! I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a fast paced thriller!

I really enjoyed this book, it took me a while to read but that's just because I've been so tired this week. I would have binge read this otherwise.
The storyline was really original and I love that it wasn't what you thought it would be. The format was really interesting to read too, with a different news clipping from the past at the end of each chapter. I think the characters were written really well and there was a constant sense of unease when you weren't sure what was happening or what the truth is, even right down to the very end. It was very cleverly written with misleading sections so the truth wasn't obvious and made you want to find what happened.
At times the pacing was quite slow and there were some characters I would have liked to seen more of or found out how they related to the story but I think that the length of the book was good and adding more to it may have made it less enjoyable anyway.

A psychological thriller filled with twists. Read this over a few days and couldn't put it down. I got really invested in the characters. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, what a fabulous cover. A well-written mystery thriller the plot stays with you long after the book is finished. Gripping and a much-recommended read.

Bit fo a slow burner this one for me but I enjoyed it all the same, I thought the plot was great and the characters were believable, creepy in parts and I didn’t guess the ending which is always a bonus, in all a good book and I’ll defo look for more from the author.

The Girl from Widow Hills probably isn't going to be a book for everyone as it is a very slow burner of a thriller, with multiple red herrings and a shock ending that I certainly couldn't see coming. I have to say, I personally didn't mind the slow pace of the novel, but I did find the ending to be absurd enough to detract from the careful plotting and build up that had gone before. I came away feeling rather cheated, which is often the case when authors pull a surprise left hook with little build up or expectation right at the end of a novel. I suspect it's a case of trying not to be predictable, but I'd far prefer a novel to be predictable than unbelievable and that's what I got from this.

There are mixed reviews on this novel and I can see why; for some it is the slow pace of the first half of the novel that detracts from the novel, whilst the fast paced conclusion actually caught their attention. For others, like myself, the slow and atmospheric build up really drew us into the novel, but the conclusion came from the left field with none of the believable build up we had anticipated from the first half. It's almost as though Megan Miranda has tried to straddle two very different audiences and for me, it didn't quite work. There were various angles that the body outside Arden's house could have led down and it felt like the author took the most far-fetched and most absurd she could think of.

I also felt more could have been done with the uncertainty of the event that propelled Arden to childhood fame; inconsistencies are only really brought in towards the end of the novel, so it felt artificial and forced. Because Arden has complete amnesia of events, the only clues we get throughout the novel are in the transcripts of interviews and emergency calls and that just isn't enough to go on to build up to the final conclusion.

I did really enjoy the slow and atmospheric writing of the first half of the novel though. And whilst some of the side characters could have been built up in more depth, I engaged well with Arden and her neighbour, Rick. I really liked how their relationship grew and developed and how Miranda built up the suspense and tension through his troubled background in addition to Arden's own mysterious past.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.

At the age of just 6 years old, Arden Maynor became a miracle. One night, she sleepwalked out of her home, and was swept away in a storm, only to be found clinging to a storm drain 3 days later. She became The Girl from Widow Hills; the girl who survived. 20 years later, Arden has become Olivia, and she's determined to escape the notoriety of her past. Until she sleepwalks from her home, and wakes with the corpse of a man at her feet.

I've never read anything by Megan Miranda, but I do generally like books picked for Reese's Book Club, and I knew that her previous book had been selected, so I automatically assumed that this would also be decent. And fortunately, it was! I will admit, even though I expected good writing, I did assume the plot would probably be a bit underwhelming, purely because I've read so many thrillers, especially psychological ones, that I find a lot of them to be predictable and a bit dull. But boy oh boy, I was totally wrong.

The plot itself sounded a bit bizarre to me when I picked it up (a child in a storm drain for 3 days?!), but the story is so compelling that you're immediately drawn in, and I found both elements of the story to be equally interesting. The present day storyline is told from Olivia's POV, whereas what happened to Arden is interspersed between chapters, and is told through witness statements, 911 transcripts, podcast extracts, and all manner of other types of reports. I personally found this made for a really interesting narrative, as it meant you had a slow reveal of information in both timelines.

Now, there is a lot of misdirection going on here, until you end up completely paranoid and suspicious of every character, purely because you know something must of happened, but you don't know what or who did it! This meant it was for me a very quick read, as I was desperate to find out what happened in both timelines. The final reveal was definitely not one I saw coming, and as such, it made for a really great ending, which is something thrillers often struggle with. All in all, a really great read that gripped me immediately, had plenty of twists and turns, and left you questioning everything!

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

This was a fast paced and twisty thriller which kept me entertained throughout. It tells the story of Olivia, a young woman who was missing for 3 days as a child and has dealt with the ramifications ever since. It is now 20 years later, and things from her past are resurfacing in unexpected and unwanted ways. Firstly, I do have to say that I was initially quite irritated by this book, as I worked out some of the details pretty much straight away. However, the narrative was so compelling and so deftly woven that I had to continue to see just how everything would resolve and I'm so glad I did. I really enjoyed the way the plot introduced layer upon layer of misdirection and intrigue and I also thought that the interludes between the chapters, of 911 calls and reports from the original incident, were very clever. This is one of the those stories where you really don't know who to trust and like the protagonist, you end up questioning everyone's motives. Overall, this was incredibly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Terrors That Follow......
When Arden leaves Widow Hills behind in traumatic circumstances and changes her identity to forge a new life she couldn’t have anticipated the terrors that would follow her. Compelling psychological suspense albeit slow moving in places.

I enjoyed this book, Well written and descriptive it keeps you drawn in. An unusual storyline this is well worth a read.

This was a book that was difficult to put down! The characters were superb and story just kept you guessing right up until the last page. 10/10 would recommend.

When Arden Mayes was six years old she was swept underground in a storm, where she remained for days until she was finally found. After the whirlwind of media coverage and even her mum's book on the event, Arden decides to leave her home town - Widow Hills - and start over. With a new name, Olivia, she sets off to make a new life.
Before long, Olivia receives news of her mother's death. She doesn't grieve, not really. Their relationship was a complicated one.
Everything seems fine until Olivia wakes up outside - next to a dead body. This opens up a *lot* of questions. To complicate things more, it turns out this body belonged to the man who rescued Arden all those years ago. How did he find her? What was he doing outside her house? And why is he dead?
Things only get more complicated from there. Olivia thought she had left her past behind, but it doesn't seem to be true. She begins to dig up secrets, huge secrets. It's about time the world knew the truth about what happened in Widow Hills.
This was a really gripping book, with so many interesting discoveries and twists. There was a good amount of emotion, too, and definitely a fair bit of loss. Definitely a good read if you're into thrillers. 4 out of 5 stars!

To begin with I felt uncertain if I could get into this book, but it soon proved me wrong as after the first couple of chapters I found myself hooked. A dark, brilliantly written storyline which is well paced, and a twist at the end which I certainly didn't expect!.

I am really disappointed that I couldn't get into this book. The idea was good, the writing style was good. I'm hoping I will revisit as I can definitely see the draw but just struggled (this time!) to concentrate! 3 stars for what I've read so far, will definitely re read