I love dual timeline books and this thriller had a lot of intrigue, plenty of twists and turns and a great final showdown. I would recommend for lovers of twisty thrillers. It started off quite slow but did pick up towards the end.

Ok so if you have never read a psychological thriller before then start with this.
It has all the twists and turns thriller should have but more. I could not work out what was going to happen and more than once I sat mouth open like I was catching flys. Gobsmacked at what I had just read. It was absolutely brilliant. One I will always recommend.

This takes you on a slow journey of unravelling a family's terrible secrets.

Meg is quite rightly looking for answers but they don't come easy. She's determined and persistent and I like that she doesn't give up.

Ophelia and her sisters are initially quite annoying but they grew on me in the end. I think they were all just naive which wasn't their fault given the lengths their mum went to protect herself and her husband. There's a lot of skeletons in the family's closet!!

Fred is my favourite character and a little hero 😁 Glad he gets a better chance to live with love and warmth.

Meg's ending is much more positive than what we are presented with which does tie things up quite nicely. I think she gets the ending she deserves!!

★★★ 3.5 stars

A missing mother...a forgotten child...a house full of deadly secrets...

I'm not sure what I expected when I dived into this one but it wasn't what was delivered. It is a dark, twisted and atmospheric with a real claustrophobic tension throughout. Though a slow burn (not usually my favoured type), that tension is palpable from the first page as we, the reader, try to unravel the mess left behind at Deben Manor. The mystery that Meg has come looking to uncover.

Meg was just a child when she first came to Deben Manor after her mother disappeared, her father depositing her there with her cousins while he tried to get his life back together again after his wife, Irene's, departure. Meg missed her mother terribly and her three cousins - Orphelia (17), Thea (15) and Clementine (12) - were not entirely nice to her. Her uncle Lucian came and went as she saw fit whilst her aunt, the girls' mother, Calista floated about in her own little world. Neither parent did any parenting and the three sisters pretty much brought themselves up. And Meg? No one really cared about her or what happened to her. When she disappeared one morning and then reappeared after a boating accident, the sisters were glad to see the back of her.

Now fifteen years later, Meg's back at Deben Manor. This time under the guise of nanny Margaret Danby (her mother's maiden name) to Orphelia's two children >b>Artemis (5) and Kit (3). Her primary goal is to find out what really happened to her mother all those years ago, believing she had been to Deben Manor at some point though she didn't know why. Or what the connection was. She has done her best to disguise herself, fearing that one of the sisters will recognise her and end her mission. So every chance she gets, she sifts through Orphelia's study, searches her room and even tries to gain access to the forbidden attic...where strange sounds emanate from there at night. Footsteps on the floorboards, whispers behind the walls, cigar smoke filtering through the floors. But the attic has been locked up tight since Lucian's time. And no one has been up there since. Calista forbids it. Although she's in France where she's remained ever since Lucian's boating accident fifteen years ago, for which Meg was blamed. The problem is, Meg has trouble recalling what really happened that day...and why.

But someone knows what Meg is up to. They know her real identity and have been watching her, logging her movements and following her when she goes into the village, spying on her in the summerhouse. The question is who? And why? Meg isn't sure who she can trust and when she finds a pair of Orphelia's diamond earrings in her belongings, she knows someone is trying to set her up. Then she begins to receives notes warning her to leave...or else. But how can she? When she's this close to finding out what really happened to her mother fifteen years ago during that one dark summer. When she left for school one day only to return home to find her mother had gone for good.

The scene is set for an atmospheric and chilling thriller that will keep you guessing...even when you think you have it all worked out. The book takes on a gothic air of melancholy reminiscent of those that have gone before such as "Jane Eyre" or "Wuthering Heights". Though the air of romance in those takes on something else entirely in this one as the years peel away the trauma, the abuse, the cruelty and harm at the hands of those in a place of trust.

When I started this book, I found it slow moving and dragged on a little but I stuck it out and it did get better and yet it still felt lacking in something though I'm not sure what. I was definitely intrigued enough to continue reading and did so in one evening.

I would like to thank #SaskiaSarginson, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #OneDarkSummer in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

The twists and turns of this book never ended. It was almost like whiplash, but it kept me going, I couldn't guess!

Absolutely loved this book which delves deep across 2 timelines, into generational trauma.
The story travels through the perspective of Margaret Danby (Meg) who applies for, and is given the job of Nanny to 2 small children , in the estate of Deben Manor, a place where they go through nannies like a knife through butter.
But Margaret has a hidden agenda... she wants to know exactly what happened to her mother, the summer she disappeared and Margaret's world imploded..
Her father had a breakdown following Irene's disappearance and left her in the care of her uncle and aunt and 3 cousins at....Deben Manor.
What happened that summer is pieced together from the fragments of Margaret's memories, but as she gets closer to the truth, things start appearing disappearing in a manner which cannot be explained-there are footsteps heard over head Margaret's room, in the attic, which is locked and no is seen going into or out of. Jewellery is found in her drawer as if to frame her for thieving , and a beloved, hidden phot of Margaret's mum, Irene, disappears.
Is Margaret getting too close to the truth of what happened the summer her mother vanished, her uncle died and her family broke apart?
How far will someone too close to her go to keep the secrets which have been buried for so long?
As Irene takes the narrative in between Margaret's investigation into her employers' past, the sense of overwhelming trauma, abuse and harm done by those who say that they love you, is cruelly exposed.
This is a novel with gothic traits and an air of melancholy over the way generations will pass harm down the years, tainting the children with events and secrets they are actually quite far removed from.
Atmospheric and gorgeously twisty I really loved this novel.

One Dark Summer is a tense and atmospheric mystery with a haunting setting and emotional depth. Meg returns to the estate where her mother vanished years ago, posing as a nanny to uncover long-buried secrets. The narrative shifts between past and present, slowly unraveling the events of that dark summer.

The strength of the book lies in its moody, character-driven storytelling and the vivid, slightly gothic atmosphere of the manor house. The mystery unfolds gradually, revealing emotional layers and complex family dynamics. While some twists were predictable and the pacing in the first half a bit slow, I found myself invested in Meg’s journey and eager to uncover the truth with her.

This isn’t a fast-paced thriller, but rather a suspenseful, emotionally resonant mystery. Perfect for fans of family dramas with psychological twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.
🌟 4 stars

Full review coming soon on Goodreads. My initial thoughts are that I enjoyed being hooked from the very beginning with the mystery of Deben Manor and why it was so familiar to Meg and how she knew the people who lived there. I liked that there were other mysteries introduced that were slowly revealed and resolved as the plot went on (e.g. the necklaces, the cardigan, the room in the attic, the noises heard upstairs). I also enjoyed the different points of view.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"One Dark Summer" is a gripping and emotionally layered thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. Meg, a professional au pair, accepts a job at Deben Manor under the false identity of “Margaret”, but she has a hidden agenda. The manor is owned by her three cousins, and returning gives her the chance to uncover long-buried secrets from fifteen years ago: the summer her mother disappeared...

The pacing is tight and packed with twists. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Sarginson expertly pulled the rug out from under me. The story keeps you second-guessing all the way through.

As readers, we’re given more pieces of the puzzle than Meg’s family has, and it’s fascinating (and tense!) watching her edge closer to the truth. While there are moments where better communication could have unraveled the mystery faster, the emotional weight behind the characters' choices makes their silence believable.

The final twist is powerful, and the ending ties everything together with all questions answered, something I always appreciate in a thriller.

A twisty, suspenseful read that kept me hooked late into the night. Perfect for fans of family secrets, unreliable memories, and slow-revealing truths.

This was such a gripping read right away, the twists and turns were so well done and they had me shocked.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve not read a psychological thriller for a while now and this looked really good when I read the synopsis. It didn’t disappoint.

Meg can’t remember most of what happened that summer, the summer her mum disappeared and her uncle drowned saving her but she wants to and goes back to her home town to try and find out. Taking a job as a nanny to her cousins children seems like the perfect idea at the start, but then strange things start to happen - the feeling of being followed and watched doesn’t seem to leave her at any time.

I really enjoyed this one and once I got into it, I flew through it in no time. Twists and secrets galore all the way through, dual timelines giving the past and present stories life. I’d not read this author before but will definitely keep an eye out for more.

When Meg, who works as a nanny, sees a job advertised at Deben Manor it seems like fate. 15 years previously she spent the summer here, staying with her cousins after her mother suddenly disappeared. Meg, who changes her appearance and calls herself Margaret, is determined to find out what really happened that fateful summer and one that changed everything. When she turns up to nanny two young children she realises that the house and its residents are exactly how she remembers. With so many secrets and not knowing who to trust Meg soon realises that someone knows exactly who she is…… This pulled me in from the very beginning and with so many twists and turns kept me totally hooked until the very last page. This is cleverly written with a brilliant cast of characters , a great storyline and an absolutely cracking ending I can’t recommend it enough. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

One Dark Summer is such a good book! It’s a spooky, mystery thriller with lots of twists and turns. I could not put this book down! Love this author’s writing style!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Meg has returned to the manor house as a nanny. She also hopes to get some answers to what happened to her mother all those years ago.
This book was a slow build for me. There’s lots of twists and turns. Also some surprises I didn’t see coming. It has a bit of a creepy factor to it too. You might want to stay up late to finish this one

Wow. I can’t remember the last time I read a thriller so fast! I could not put it down! One Dark Summer was such a thrilling and fast paced bingeable read.


Thank you, Boldwood Books and Netgally, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

there are questions,secrets and lies from the start. you are led to question your own misgivings ad belief of what could have happened and also the characters. and this is the tell of a good mystery thriller for me. where it lets you and leads you in circles and questioning everything and everyone.
Megs mother disappeared. she doesnt know what happened. but she knows it happened when she was living at the house. the house she has returned to with a fake name and identity. living in the house now is her cousin. they dont know who she is. but she is determined to find out what happened all those years ago so returns as a fake nanny for her cousin children.
things start happening but who or what is the cause. can she believe what happened then or what is happening now? and what is happening now?

This was a great read !! A page turner for real it will be talked about keep me interested to the very last page

What a story of thrilling suspense and a gripping storyline.
Meg returns to an old Manor House under the alias name of Margaret working as a Nanny where 15years previously, this was her home and her mother disappeared without trace not to be seen or heard of again.
Where did she go? Is she alive?
The Manor House is now owned by one of her cousins Mrs Manners who has two children Artemis and Kit. Margaret has been lead to believe she had been involved in her uncles accident and her cousins blame her.
When unusual things keep happening in the house to Margaret she blames one of her cousins thinking they want her gone out the house ( they don’t know Margaret is their cousin) but she is the latest Nanny after the previous ones departing within weeks of employment - reasons unknown.
Mysterious things keep happening to Margaret with no explanation - the strangest of these being the smell of cigar smoke in her room and hearing footsteps in the attic which nobody has entered in many, many years.
Is the Manor House haunted or does somebody want Margaret out that house immediately?
For twists and turns leaving you unable to put this book down until the last page
BUY ASAP

This is a mystery/ thriller with lots of red herrings/twists, turns and surprises. 3.5 rounded up to 4. Meg returns to her cousin's home under a secret identity to try to find out the truth of what happened to her mother, who disappeared that summer long ago. This book does keep you off balance and throws you curveballs, but after all the tension building with each aspect and it just felt a bit anticlimactic with each reveal and too tidy. Overall, the book was engaging and had me intrigued to know what was going to happen, This author has a lot of potential in this genre. I would like to see what she puts out in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Meg returns to Deben Manor 15 years after the incident to learn the truth of what happend that one summer. What really happend to her mum? And did she really kill that man? Most importantly, they can't know who she really is but it seems like someone already knows.

One Dark Summer is an incredible book with many twists and turns you won't see coming.
I absolutely loved it and I couldn't put it down once I got into the story. It really drew me in and kept me on the hook until the end.
With interesting characters and more than one mystery it will make you question everything and everyone!