Quick Synopsis – Sarah Carpenter is running away from her emotionally abusive ex and starting over by joining an artist residency program. The program is on the grounds of a defunct medical spa from the late 1800s where rich people will take a restorative dip on the waters of a nearby waterfall. As Sarah settles in and rediscovers herself, she’s starts noticing things are a little off. When she discovers a dead body in a shallow grave while digging a hole for a pit kiln, Sarah starts wondering what other secrets Tranquil Falls is hiding and how far someone would be to keeping them hidden.

Song This Reminded Me Of – A Little at a Time by The Band Loula

Publication Date – Oct. 22, 2024

Content Notes – This is a dark gothic novel and there are supernatural elements, violence, and a lot of gaslighting. There is also on page depictions of rape, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and emotional abuse.

Rating – ⭐⭐⭐.5 out of 5

Review – This book includes depictions of domestic violence, rape, spousal rape, and emotional abuse. I wouldn’t normally include that at the beginning of my review, but those topics are central to the book’s themes, and I understand some readers like to avoid those topics. I will say the abuse isn’t gratuitous or male-gaze-y.

I really liked this book. The main reason it wasn’t a 5-star read for me is that I felt like there were too many unknowns left. In gothic horror, it’s common for there to be doubt, but there was so much plot left to interpretation that it just felt messy instead of interesting. I also thought the inclusion of Sarah having a negative relationship with her mom was unnecessary. It didn’t further the plot and was such a blip in the story. I think it was included to make it easier for Kyle (the abusive ex) to isolate Sarah, but really it didn’t add anything. The mom could have just been absent, and it would have served the same purpose. Honestly, it would have been more insidious if the mom had been supportive and dismissive of any concerns Sarah had with her boyfriend. In some cases, that would have been more realistic. The only other issue is the timeline; I had a hard time figuring out how old Sarah was and what her background was. At one point, I thought she had an undergrad art degree and had been in a master’s program when she met Kyle, but then it mentions she was actually a junior in college. Maybe I misunderstood, but that part was wonky for me.

Sarah arrives at an artist residency program to escape her abusive ex and start over. The residency program is at Tranquil Falls, a defunct medical spa. While the old hotel and spa is off-limits, the artist residency program is on the grounds of the old facility. There are whimsical cabins and historic buildings; everything seems perfect until someone puts a dead bloated possum on Sarah’s bed. From there, the story escalates as Sarah discovers the horrors of the so-called medical spa and her own past.

Part of why I liked this book is that it really outlines how far people are willing to go to turn the other cheek. Multiple characters are willing to aid or ignore the abuse that is going on around them. Not just men, but women are willing to ignore or outright aid in the emotional or physical abuse of others. There’s also the disgusting nature of medical spas and asylums, which I could write whole novels on.

If you like gothic horror, I think you’ll enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.