Three young women, all charismatic; all damaged; all living a nightmare; all linked by a deranged killer. Three periods in the history of a small Texas town covering events related to several disappearances and a multitude of secrets and lies. A book demonstrating the strength and resolve of frightened women, terrorised women, physically and mentally damaged women determined to search for truth and justice in spite of the towns acceptance of the unacceptable and ability to move on when answers not readily unearthed. A complex story peeling back layer after layer of riveting detail in the search for a perpetrator determined to stay hidden no matter who or what it costs. Well researched, finely drawn out timeline and a pace that allows us to slowly discover, learn and love each of the victims of this richly complex novel. A conclusion full of intrigue and suspense that does full justice to this five star read. Highly recommended book on every level. Many thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The first but definitely not the last I intend to read by this author.

I have read loads of whodunit mysteries this year but We Are All the Same in the Dark has to be my favorite for 2020 thus far. It's not scary, not gripped by tension but, rather, darkly thoughtful and introspective as we work toward solving the cold case mystery of what happened to Trumanell Branson. Trumanell was a popular teen who simply disappeared one night, leaving a bloody hand print behind, a mystery that has kept a Texas town wondering for years. Fingers and blame have always pointed to Wyatt, her brother, though the evidence doesn't seem to support that view. So what really happened? Where is Trumanell?

In this novel Julia Heaberlin does for Texas what Jane Harper and Chris Hammer do so well for Australia. Each author is peerless at making the location a key ingredient of the story. As we bounce back and forth between the past and current day from the perspectives of Wyatt, Odette and Angel, Texas plays as big a role as any of the characters with its state pride, dangerous weather and conservative religious values. Possibly a gentle indictment of this volatile blend or a love story to a place like no other? Regardless, Texas plays its part well as the drama twists and turns yet reluctantly unfurls to share its secrets.

It's difficult to say what I like best about the story. The three points of view give more depth to the story than a single narrator could provide. Ms. Heaberlin is masterful at constructing complex stories that touch the heart - five stars here, especially. The twists are pitch perfect and caused me to gasp but it is the tiniest details from a child's view and the warmth of highly polished memory, no matter how vague, that hit me most. No matter how broken and difficult life may be for some, there is always a ray of sunshine, a reason to hope and strive on. It's that ingrained sense of positive determination that carries this story with a desperate grip on memories, and the legends that spring from them, we hold tight as talismans. Reflections on old memories are true gold here making the story heavily reflective but also more meaningful, too. I just felt it all and was swept up in the story as desperate as everyone else to know what happened that night. An exceptional story well told and full of heart.

Trumanell Branson has been missing for ten years and rumours abound as to what happened to her. Did her brother have anything to do with it. Odette is a policewoman and she doesn't believe so. Then Wyatt finds a young girl missing an eye who says nothing, can Odette figure it out and learn if anything connects the two cases.

Well that was a dark thriller but it didnt hold my interest as much as I'd hoped. Having read other books by the author I had high hopes for this and it was good but I found myself losing interest in the middle. The time jump threw me a bit too. That being said the ending was well done and I enjoyed the mystery but it did leave me with too many questions at the end though. The plot is a slow one with a few twists along the way. A good thriller.

Set in a little town in Texas, #weareallthesameinthedark tries to solve the mystery of the disappearance of the town’s queen- the 19-year-old Trumanell. Although, it happened years ago, Trumanell’s ghost still haunts the town, as well as her brother Wyatt, a main suspect in the murder. But is he?

On the same night Trumanell dies , her friend Odette and Wyatt’s girlfriend at the time, loses her leg. Despite the difficulties she has to face living with a prosthetic leg on daily basis, Odette is the best cop in town. Her personal mission seems to be saving girls and helping them get through life; she does everything she can to restore the confidence of the dark, one-eyed Angel. . Will the town get its closure at last?

Conclusion: we all have some kind of disability- whether obvious or not, we are all broken in one way or another. At the end of the day, we are all the same in the dark.

This ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book is a dark thriller with a complex plot, lots of mysteries intertwined and twists that keep you on the edge until the very end. It’s beautifully written and gives a great insight of life with prosthetics.

Thank you #Netgalley and @juliaheaberlin for this lovely book

Thank you to Ella Watkins at Michael Joseph for my invitation to the tour and for my copy of the book via Net Galley in return for a fair and honest review.

The story begins with an introduction to Wyatt, brother and son of two missing people. Trumanell Wyatt’s sister disappeared with her father but in Wyatt’s mind she is still very much alive. This and living in a small Texas town has made him the prime suspect for their disappearance for many years but no-one has ever been able to prove it.

Odette was brought up in the town to, as Daughter of the Police Chief and had an accident on the same night of the disappearance where she lost her leg. Now a police officer herself, she has recently separated from her husband due to her being unfaithful.

She gets a tip off that Wyatt is seen with a young girl and he goes out to the ranch to investigate, where she meets Angel. Determined that she will find out the story behind the one eyed girl found abandoned in the desert, she breaks the rules and takes her to a place of safety.

People in the town, including Odette’s partner Rusty are looking for any excuse to get Wyatt locked up and a when an incident is reported he leaves no time in bringing Wyatt in. Odette finds something in her Father’s old desk and it appears that someone else had been looking for it too.

When she asks Finn her husband to represent Wyatt and he agrees she is conflicted she still doesn’t understand why Finn loves her especially now. She is desperate to find out the truth whatever it takes.

This is really addictive read, I read it in two sittings, its dark and suffocating and the writing draws you right into the centre of the mystery. I liked the links to local folklore and customs. I always wondered about the salt over your shoulder that I was taught to do as a child by my catholic Nanny. The characters are complex and deep and you need to read every snippet so that you do not miss anything.

You need to keep reading to find out what happened to Tramanell and Frank Branson are they dead and if so who killed them? This book keeps you guessing whilst slowly uncovering the layers of the Branson family and the tension rises. If you like a tense psychological thriller you will love this !

'Loving dark men is a seesaw.They never tell you everything.You always wonder if the tiny red spot on a shirt is really from a spaghetti dinner like they claim.Byt then they put a bird back in a nest.They pull a drowning kid out of the water.''

Odette Tucker is a narrator with a distinct, and unique voice which pulls you into her life, pulls you into the back story of her family, and it feels like drowning-but you don't mind it at all.

Her personal history is forever intertwined with that of Wyatt Branson, she can never shake their connection as both his sister,Trumanell, and father,Frank, vanished the same night that Odette lost her leg.

A mystery which was never solved, but did not stop the townspeople blaming Wyatt , nor Odette obsessing over the case, comes to a simmering , rolling boil as a girl who shouldn't be, appears in Wyatt's path. Coming to the rescue, Odette takes the one eyed girl whom she names Angel, to her cousin's halfway house, intrigued and perplexed by her appearance and where she was found.

The link between the physical body and the metaphysical self is a constant theme throughout the novel-the insubstantial nature of flowers and plants who exist for the season juxtaposed with the constant craving for resolution in the Trumanell case. The stories and legends which build up around the people in the town are more important than the actual facts-the names Odette's grandmother used to nickname people becomes their identity, attached to a story, which has roots and continues to dig down deeper as generations pass.

Odette's missing leg is a symbolic of her missing past, her destroyed future and the constant itch of the Trumanell case-the police and fire department were so busy cutting her free from the wreck of her truck that they were delayed in the search for Tru and her father, Frank.

A decade later, Odette is now a policewoman, occupying her place in family and town history. Her marriage is on the rocks, her obsession with her father's death overwhelming and suddenly, this girl, this Angel has appeared. Forcing herself to face the black hole of her past and calling on all of her resources, it's like a dark, gothic fairy tale where Odette is determined, once and for all, to secure her legacy by bringing Trumanell home, smashing that glass on her framed 'Missing' poster and setting her free, once and for all.

A deeply personal character study wrapped up in a engaging mystery, all presented like the most glorious, decadent wedge of Southern Gothic, this is a book which, unlike the dandelions which become symbolic with Angel, stays longer than a season and leaves a marked impression of a writer, who gets better with each successive novel.

I couldn't get on with the writing stylr/narrative- I'm afraid I abandodned this after 50 or so pages

Strong women, abusive men.
Found this book difficult to start with, not sure who was who and when Wyatt started talking to his presumed dead sister, this was more confusing.. I stuck with it and was well rewarded with a fast paced story, full of complex personalities. Trumanell, the disappeared girl., beautiful, abused by her Father and idolised by the brother she tried to protect, the tactics and plans they made to avoid their Fathers physiological torture are inventive and original. Odette, who lost her leg in a car crash is also tormented by her past, her kindness and quick thinking are an appealing characteristic. Maggie is also helping runaway girls by keeping them safe in her house with her husband and Odettes assistance.. Angel is the girl with only one eye, the victim of abuse and violence, she repays the kindness she received.
All of these women are well portrayed and believable.
The attention to detail of prosthetic limbs and eyes are interesting and well researched.

I really struggled to get into this book and it was only the encouragement of a friend that kept me going.
As the story moves to a second and then third point of view things become clearer.
The characters were interesting and the plot unusual

I enjoyed this book, and if I wasn't reading slowly and distractedly at the moment I would have raced through it and loved it.

The switch in narrative between Odette and Angel is brilliant, it changes the book from being something you think you have figured out to one you know you probably can't. That said, the twist wasn't everything I wanted/expected it to be having read previous books by the author which floored me.

Having read Black-eyed Susans and been torn as to whether it was a 3 or 4 star read, I was interested to read this title.
I have to admit I struggled with the first part of this book - written from Wyatt's point of view and was not enjoying it at all.
When I started to read Odette's point of view I became more engaged with the story. I liked her character and how she reacted with the other characters in the book.
I continued to be absorbed when time passed and Angel took over the story bringing more confusion and more twists to the tale. BUT then towards the end the tale was suddenly tied up and explained so quickly I felt cheated.
A mixed book for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Julia Heaberlin/Penguin Michael Joseph for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have never read anything by Julia Heaberlin and I doubt I will anytime soon. And I had such high expectations for this book - just look at the cover, just read the first brilliant line ("It takes about eight to ten hours to hand-dig a grave...").

I found "We Are All the Same in the Dark", slow-burning, confusing and not engaging AT ALL. Reasons for actions were not explained, the characters love lives were unbelievable, obsessions were unreasonable. I expected so much more from the bestselling author but struggled hard to finish it.

The ending, final pages of this mystery fell flat.

With many thanks to the publisher and @NetGalley for giving me a chance to review this book.

We Are All the Same in the Dark tells the story of Trumanell, a young girl who goes missing from a small town in Texas. Her brother Wyatt is a suspect, as well as her father who is also missing after an incident one night at their home.

Odette is a young police officer who was involved in the case when she was younger - she was friends with Trumanell and had been dating Wyatt at the time. Despite warnings from her father (who was one of the officers in charge of the case), Odette returns to the town and joins the local police 10 years later. When Wyatt finds a young girl abandoned in a field, Odette knows that the people in the town will destroy him if they find out, having never believed his innocence in his sister's disappearance.

Odette still holds out hope that Wyatt is not guilty and takes Angel in to keep her safe, but as the decade old mystery begins to unravel, both Odette and Angel’s lives are at risk as someone is determined to keep their secrets buried.

We Are All the Same in the Dark is a slow build with mysteries built up layer upon layer, gradually being stripped and investigated over more than a decade. The style of writing perfectly embodies the small-town atmosphere; close-knit, claustrophobic and complicated with all of the characters taking a personal interest in the case and the victims, making it even harder to work out who was involved and who to trust.

Full of twists and turns, the final conclusion was raw and devastating to read, having built a connection with the characters over the course of the story. With a considerable number of characters, and the investigation being pursued in multiple timelines there was a lot to take in. This isn’t a book to rush through but if you take the time to read it thoroughly, it’s well worth the wait!

A missing girl and a rescued girl. Two different mysteries, one man in common. Odette is determined to get to the truth at all costs. An enjoyable page-turner which will leave you guessing to the very end.

This book had me absolutely gripped from cover to cover. Such strong characters and such a twisting plot line had me guessing with each twist and turn! Odette and Angel are both extremely likeable and string characters, as is Wyatt. Still waters run deep and this is a real tale of intrigue set in a small backwater town!

Outstanding thriller that grips you from the start till the end amazing just finished reading it and it was fantastic 💥💥💥💥💥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What can I say about this book? It’s a chilling, intense, beautifully written story of a mysterious case that was never solved, of the young woman who would do anything to find out the truth, and the young girl with no identity and with a secret past.

Told from three different points of views, We Are All The Same in the Dark revolves around the disappearance of town-beloved Trumanelle Branson ten years earlier. The entire town thought that her brother Wyatt murdered her, but it was never proved. Odette Tucker came back for her father’s funeral five years earlier and she decided to join the police department and solve the case. Odette is obsessed by Trumanelle’s case because the night Trumanelle disappeared her life changed irrevocably. She is sure of Wyatt’s innocence, she just doesn’t know how to prove it. When Wyatt finds a young girl dumped in a field of dandelions, he thinks that it is a sign from his sister. Odette will do anything to protect the girl and prove Wyatt’s innocence.

We Are All The Same in the Dark is a slow-burning, unforgettable story. Having read the author’s previous novels, I really adore her writing style which captures me from the very beginning together with the dark and claustrophobic atmosphere and its vivid and multi-layered characters. The pace is slow, but the tension is high, so, for me, there was never a dull moment while I was reading. I loved the ending. I found it disturbing, but perfect for the story. A fantastic highly recommended read!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the way in which the author wrote from the different character perspectives. Loved reading Wyatt’s, Odette’s and Angel’s stories which were written in such a way you knew the emotions they were experiencing and I found myself getting absorbed in the mystery of it all which is exactly what you want from a good book. Definitely recommend.

It's been a decade since Trumanell Branson disappeared. Her pretty face still hangs on the posters on the walls of the town's Baptist church, police station and high school. Meanwhile, her brother, Wyatt, lives as a pariah in the desolation of the old family house, cleared of wrongdoing by the police but tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion.
Julia Heaberlin creates an atmosphere of suspense and tension. With this part of Texas looking to sort things out themselves, you never know who might take it upon themselves to settle something. You can feel the intent always buzzing and simmering near the surface.
Odetta from the local police department is the one that seems to manage to just about keep a lid on it all. She is biased, she grew up there and has had a closer than she should have relationship with Wyatt. But she uses the law to ensure he gets fair treatment. She also continues to try and solve what happened to Tru, recognising that it was likely someone local. Likeable and solid from the start she is a great character.
Things get more complicated when Wyatt takes home a mute girls he finds in the road. She is named Angel. Odetta does her best to protect her and keep her out of the social system as she thinks she is at risk. What with her strained relationship with her husband, complicated relationship with her police partner, the unknown about Wyatt who says little other than in his own wise prose, things are far from straight forward.
To this the end I found this a compelling read, taught and likely to have twists and unexpected creepy events. However in the latter part of the book it is told from Angel’s perspective and I was underwhelmed with this. It was tenuous, loose, too many occurrences were unlikely to have happened as fortuitously as they did and the reveal therefore felt flat. Up until this point it had been gripping, tight and well played out, but sadly it did lose its way at the end. Notwithstanding this I still enjoyed the read, but had to drop a star due to the disapointing ending.

Well, I was not expecting to fall in love with this book as much as I did, and to then add Heaberlin's entire backlist to my wishlist because I need more of her beautifully, addictive writing in my life.


This is a slow burning, mysterious story around a girl, Trumanell, who went missing 10 years ago, a girl missing an eye who has been found in a circle of dandelions and can't or won't talk, and Odette, the detective who can't get Trumanell out of her head.


The story is woven so well and Heaberlin's writing is so atmospheric and absorbing. Set in a small town in Texas, you can feel the heat and dust coming off the pages. The town is scarred by the disappearance of Trumanell, and despite her brother Wyatt being found innocent by the courts, the town still point the finger at him, driving him to become a recluse with a horrible reputation.


I just loved everything about this book. It draws you in and gets in your head, I constantly wanted to be reading it. There was a twist I wasn't expecting at all and even though I had guessed the ending, it didn't take away any enjoyment at all. The story is told from several points of view and will sometimes drive you mad with frustration waiting for things to be revealed but the ending is brilliant and leaves almost no question unanswered.


If you're looking for a thriller that's a little bit haunting, a little bit mythical and very mysterious, this one is for you! I can't wait to read more of Heaberlin's work and have added her entire backlist to my wishlist!