This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

In the Beautiful Dark is a beautifully written, haunting mystery with a touch of the supernatural. Set in the Sunny Pines Retirement Community, the story follows Birdie Allen, a grandmother with a long-buried secret—the unsolved murder of her unrequited love from over fifty years ago. When a string of recent murders stirs up old memories, Birdie decides to finally seek the truth, with the help of her quirky retirement home friends—and some watchful spirits from her past.

Melissa Payne masterfully weaves mystery, nostalgia, and the weight of regrets into a compelling story. Birdie is a wonderful protagonist—strong, determined, and deeply human. The novel balances eerie moments with heartfelt ones, making it both suspenseful and emotionally rich.

With its mix of mystery, friendship, and ghostly whispers from the past, In the Beautiful Dark is a poignant and engaging read that reminds us it’s never too late to chase the truth—and find closure.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to Sunny Pines Retirement Community!

This book hooked me right from the start! In 1972 Birdie finds her roommate Allison dead and because of her job and being a single mom, it was investigated seriously. Fast forward to present time and Birdie is the newest resident at Sunny Pines.

Yes, this is a mystery book, but it felt like so much more. It was a beautiful story that was touching, yet haunting and somehow heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. There are some very long held secrets that come out that really affects the characters.

I Loved the Sunny Pines residents! They were quirky and unique and so full of life. I love how they band together to help Birdie solve the mysteries. It’s emotional and sweet and I really love the friendships we see.

I really felt for Birdie as she tried to solve the decades old mystery of Allison’s death. But Allison was so much more than just her roommate and we really feel how her death has haunted Birdie her whole life. She has these secrets and regrets and I was really rooting for her!

✨What To Expect:
🔍Mystery
⁉️Suspense
🤫Secrets & Regrets
🔪Serial Killer
⭐️Found Family
💙Quirky Characters

Two best friends work together in the 1970s. 50 years later, one is in a retirement village obsessed with solving the murder of her best friend. The other is a ghost haunting her.
This was a great set up and I did want to solve the mystery. But unfortunately I just couldn't get through this. There was something about the writing style that was just very off-putting.

Loved it!!! The book was simply beautiful. Magical!!! I loved everything about it- the story, characters and writing style. Melissa Payne is one of my favorite authors and her books never disappoint!!!! The Sunny Pines retirement community would be my ideal place. These are my kind of people. They love murder mysteries and solving crime. Just because you get older doesn't mean you still love Dateline and true crime stories. I don't think Felix ever realized how much Birdie truly loved Allison. Birdie couldn't stop fixating on the Vampire Killer because she wanted justice for all the women he killed, especially Allison. Birdie was one tough cookie but also helped people in need. Without her, Allison wouldn't have had anyone to help her. Then there was Everly and her pugs. Birdie didn't want anything to happen to the girl and invited Everly into her home. Pretty much everyone took Everly under their wings to help her out. She was a wonderful addition to Sunny Pines. Glen was the one resident I wasn't sure of. I kept wondering if he had dementia. I was extremely suspicious of his brother Richard. Glen did not paint the best picture of him. Plus, Richard always seemed to be at Sunny Pines when something odd/strange happened. Loved all the shenanigans that they all seemed to get up to. Joseph, Birdie and Glen practically break into Faith's apartment and steal a cat. Birdie refuses to ride the Sunny Pines van because then she would be old. Did she not look around at her fellow neighbors? Everything eventually all fits in place and you finally see the big picture and how everything is connected. Once Birdie opened herself up to the other residents and finally made some friends, Sunny Pines was exactly the place she was meant to be living at. You finally learn what happened to the blood from the Vampire Killer's victims. This was beyond creepy.

Definitely recommend the book. I felt like I was right there with Birdie, Joseph and the rest of the crew at Sunny Pines. I was sad to see the story end because I loved reading about everyone and getting to know them. I would definitely be friends with them all. I would also need to meet Joseph's daughter and visit her llama farm. Loved the story, writing style and characters. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In the Beautiful Dark is an evocative and poignant novel with a blend of mystery, memory, and redemption. At Sunny Pines Retirement Community, the novel tells the story of Birdie Allen, a retired businesswoman who is tormented by the unsolved murder of her unrequited love from decades past. As a sequence of recent murders and a disappearance unfold, Birdie, joined by her quirky community, sets out on a quest to find the truth. The story is supported by a double timeline, which provides flashes of Birdie's past and present, making for a deep and engaging tale.

Melissa Payne is a master of crafting rich, multidimensional characters. Birdie is an exemplary protagonist; tough, self-aware, and profoundly human. Her path of coming to terms with regretful pasts and living in the moment is one that is relatable and inspiring. The secondary cast of colorful and lovable Sunny Pines residents contributes to the richness and charm of the narrative. Payne's skill at capturing the nuance of aging and the richness of lived lives is admirable.

The author's prose is vivid and engaging, capturing the emotional depth of her characters and the eerie loveliness of the environment. Her dual timelines are smooth, enabling readers to solve the mystery while exploring Birdie's emotional terrain. The writing is readable yet poetic, and the book is a joy to read.

The novel is a work that delves into love, loss, and the burden of secrets. Payne uses symbolism and an element of the supernatural to give the story added emotional depth. The restless souls provide a mystical touch, an indication of the lingering effect of unresolved feelings and unfinished business.

The pacing is suitably balanced, incorporating intervals of reflection amidst thrilling developments. The dual timeline pattern is effective in sustaining curiosity while offering a well-rounded representation of Birdie's journey. Transitions from the timelines might be somewhat difficult for some readers, though.

In the Beautiful Dark is a beautifully written novel that lingers in one's mind even after finishing the last page. Payne's talent for mixing mystery with emotional intensity makes it an outstanding novel. The novel's exploration of old age, neighborhood, and redemption is both contemplative and warming.

This book is strongly recommended for anyone who likes character-driven mysteries with heart. Its interesting setting and sympathetic protagonist make for a memorable read. Ideal for book clubs, the book provides lots of discussion pieces and moments.

At Sunny Pines Retirement Community, where the “Sixty-Two and Better!” share their golden years, secrets abound. Some scandalous, some haunting, and some dangerous. For Birdie Allen, a retired business owner and grandmother, her secret is the only thing she’s got left. Getting old isn’t the hardest part about life. It’s the memories from more than fifty years ago of the death of her unrequited love. And Birdie’s abandoned quest to root out the killer.

With retirement comes a lot of time to revisit old ghosts, so when Birdie ties together a string of recent murders, and a woman disappears, she’s drawn into the same chase she gave up decades earlier. But this time she has the help of an eccentric community of eager new friends. And they’re not alone. Restless souls are watching, including Birdie’s lost love, and they sense the danger that lies ahead. They’re not leaving Birdie’s side until she finishes what she set out to do. But will Birdie’s pursuit of a killer finally free her of regrets and allow her to embrace the beauty of the life she’s created?

Beautiful book. Darker than most of the senior sleuth books you see. It deals with heavier topics, but at it's core, it's about love and friendship. The mystery kept me turning pages, but the backstory is what will stick with me. 4.5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Such a great book! The cast of characters is largely people living in a retirement community, an occasional young person and even some helpful spirits. They all work together to solve a decades old serial killer’s crime wave while building friendships and learning to live again. Funny at times but also poignant with regrets and missed opportunities. One that is hard to put down while waiting for what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book is the story of Birdie, whom the death of her past love, Allison, has haunted for more than 50 years. When an employee of the retirement home in which she now lives disappears, Birdie resumes her hunt for answers — both for the recently missing and for who’s responsible for Allison’s death.

It took me a while to get into this story, but it did capture my attention and held it through the end. I enjoyed seeing Birdie’s growing support and help in the retirement home residents.

Slow start, hooks you hard, and then will hold onto you through the end. Definitely recommend it! Don’t give up early. You’ll be glad you didn’t.

This book surprised me in the best way possible. What starts as a story about a grandmother in a retirement community quickly turns into a gripping mystery filled with secrets, regrets, and even a touch of the supernatural.

Birdie Allen is such a compelling character. She’s lived a long life, but the one thing she can’t let go of is the murder of her unrequited love decades ago. When a string of new murders happens and a woman disappears, she realizes the past might not be as buried as she thought. I loved how determined and sharp she was—she’s not just a sweet old lady; she’s smart, brave, and refuses to let go of the truth.

The side characters in the retirement community were fun, quirky, and added so much charm to the story. It was heartwarming to see Birdie gain unexpected allies in her search for justice. And the paranormal element? It was subtle but gave the book an eerie, haunting feel. The presence of restless souls, especially Birdie’s lost love, added an emotional depth that made the mystery even more powerful.

The pacing was perfect—it kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover the truth. The mix of past and present was well done, and the mystery itself had twists I didn’t see coming. But more than that, the book was about healing, second chances, and learning to live without regrets.

If you love books with strong female leads, small-town secrets, and a little ghostly intrigue, this is one you don’t want to miss.

I enjoyed this view into a retirement community and seeing the dynamics at play as this group of retirees continue to lead their lives. The characterizations and dialogue keep me reading page after page and I loved the subtle humor at play between all these individuals. But this book is not just about the daily lives, loves, and adventures of Birdy and her core group, there is a mystery that haunts her as well..what happened to her 'friend' Allison who took her own life over 50 years ago. Was her death what she was told, or is here is a killer lurking in the shadows that needs to be discovered and a murder that must be answered for?

This book has a slow start, but this was necessary for this book to truly reach me as a reader and allowed me to fall into this book and understand the characters. Everything needs to be established, questions, relationships, and even the readers own uncertainties to ensure that this book draws the reader in and, in my case, captivated me. Once I was about a third of the way into the book I couldn't put this mystery down.

I enjoyed this book with a group of people in a senior living home. They grow together as they learn to navigate life in their new situation. This book has some tragedy and darkness though as a serial killer has been killing women in their town for decades. I loved Birdie's character and the support cast she has. There is some humor but this story is more about the character development in their village. This is the 2nd book I have read by this author and I have liked both and will continue to read books by this author! TW: dead animals being found but minimal descriptions

This is absolutely superb fiction, for all lovers of a good story. Sad, humorous and hopeful in one cover. A murder mystery, romance, old folks shenanigans, looking out for each other, never giving up hope, being depressed, fighting through depression, not listening to family, found families and a lot more. Even has questions for reading it in a book club. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

In the Beautiful Dark by Melissa Payne is a beautifully written fictional story that takes place in Sunny Pines Retirement Community, an independent-living community,

The characterization is extremely well done. The book focuses for the most part, on Birdie's point of view. She is an elderly female with a walker who has led a rather lonely, independent life as a single female who has often been hurt by others because of her sexual orientation. Her initial time at Sunny Pines is spent by herself; however, she is encouraged to become more social, and as time goes in, she finds herself drawn into a group of friends because of women who have been murdered over the years, including someone she loved very much.

The author's writing completely captures what life is like for someone like Birdie.

This is a uniquely captivating, character-driven mystery, that had me hooked from beginning to end!

Set at Sunny Pines Retirement Community, an independent-living community, for the “sixty-two and better!”, although “there is not a soul under the age of seventy-five”. There is a fascinating mix of characters in this story, each with decades of lived experiences, and each wading through the complexities of ageing, as “getting older is not for the faint of heart”.

This story is told with a dual-timeline narrative, largely from the perspective of our elderly protagonist, Birdie Allen, who is haunted by the suspected murder of her ‘friend’ Allison, more than fifty years ago. Birdie has remained determined to uncover the killer and when another woman disappears, she gathers her eccentric community to attempt to uncover the truth about the death of Allison.

There is also an external narrator, a shadowy existence, that offers an alternative perspective to the happenings at Sunny Pines Retirement Community. They will not leave Birdie’s side until she has uncovered what she has set out to. This added an interesting element to the story.

I appreciate the addition of the book club questions at the end of the story, particularly as this book would work brilliantly as a book club or buddy read. Also, the author’s note is a must read, as it offers context for the setting of this book.

With many thanks to Lake Union Publishing, Melissa Payne and NetGalley, for the e-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I am excited to read more stories written by Melissa Payne!

I did enjoy this book. Set in a retirement home with the main character, Birdie, a reluctant inmate, continuing to investigate the death (to her mind, murder) of her friend many years ago, the story follows her gradual integration into the community and the development of friendships within the boundaries of that community. Some likeable (and unlikeable) characters which build during the book. Many twists and turns and surprising friendships culminate in the final unravelling. A good read. I'd recommend.

What a stunningly unique and beautiful book! I love Melissa's bold choice for Birdie--an older protagonist, however, she weaves in this non-traditional and unique backstory that reminds us how people reaching the end of their lives have these intensely interesting and unique back stories! I think the characterization of Birdie's past pains with the loss of her great love and the fall out of not believing the law enforcement consensus regarding her death made for a very intriguing premise.
The mystery throughout the novel kept me turning the pages and the mystical aspects were tender and beautifully written.
I think there are many layers to the storytelling which makes this a fun and rich reading experience. I can't wait to read other books that Melissa Payne has written. She's got a beautiful way of telling a story!

I liked the main character Birdie right away. She is kind, cares about others and is willing to put herself in precarious situations when she feels like she can make a difference.

I love that the author wrote this book about the murders that happened over decades. I enjoy how Birdie and the fellow members of the Sunny Pines Retirement Community Home is such a hodge podge of residents from all walks of life. This is a little bit darker than some of the other books with Senior citizens solving crimes. But the author did a wonderful job of showing how the older a person is the more time they have had to amass secrets and some of those secrets are very dangerous.

This book was engaging, the type of mystery that even though you think you know who the guilty party is, and most probably are correct, you still second guess yourself.

All in all a solid 4 star read!

Birdie lives in a retirement apartment home, and is haunted by a time 50 years ago when her "friend" committed suicide. But Birdie never believed it was a suicide, and has spent a lifetime failing at proving it. But when another murder happens that fits the profile from the past, old ghosts urge Birdie to reopen old wounds.
I absolutely loved this author's book, The Secrets of Lost Stones, so I was excited to read this one. The book summary seemed right up my alley. And I loved the cast of personalities from the retirement home, and their comradery.
I do wish this book would have been tagged LBGTQ. There is rarely a time these days that I pick up a mystery/thriller/historical fiction novel that does NOT have a gay relationship in it. It renders a story that uses it as a hinge, as unoriginal at this point. This would have been so much better if the hinge was friendship between two women. I didn't love the voices of the ghosts either. They were sort of creepy to me - and not in a good way.
This was a quick and easy read. 3 1/2 stars

`Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher

Thank you Net galley for allowing me a chance to read this book early. I was very excited as I had previously read "The Secrets of Lost Stones" by Melissa Payne and really enjoyed it. This story starts off with the Birdie and Allison working together at a strip club. Allison is feeling ill, and leaves work early. This wouldn't have been so bad had Birdie not just professed her feelings for Allison. When Birdie gets home that night, she finds Allison dead in their bathtub. Her death is ruled a suicide. Birdie knows in her heart that it isn't due to Allison's love of her son, Felix. The story then jumps in time to when Birdie is living in a retirement home. Birdie is still haunted by Allison's death when news of a new death and a missing cleaner reignites Birdie's interest in Allison's case. Begrudgingly Birdie makes friends with people in the retirement home who form their own little gang trying to solve the mystery of who killed Allison. This story is told with emotional grit and shows the power of found family and friendship in helping people overcome their grief. I really enjoyed this read and would recommend it to others.