Book Review: Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
Laney had hurried to the island to check for damages after complaints from bad tenants. That sounded like trouble. What she found there was strange, but as she and her niece looked around, Laney’s ex, friends, and frenemies unexpectedly arrived to “help.” The plot meshed well, complications quickly escalated, and I was hooked.
Laney’s heart is still broken over her ex and she’s still mourning the loss of her sister, but she’s a tough female lead. Her resourcefulness and drive to keep and care for her beloved island home are admirable. She’s loyal to friends and devoted to her orphaned niece. Her niece displays a similar courageous spirit. Rooting for them as they contended with trouble was easy. For a few of the others, not so much.
Trapped on an island in Lake Superior, the storm blowing up was hair-raising enough that they took cover without time to consider who else may be on the island with them. As the winds blew and rain came down in sheets, that someone or something was there became apparent.
The unusual twisty turns and jump-scares had me turning the pages frantically until the shocking conclusion. Hemlock Island may have a romance at its heart, but the near-Lovecraftian elements made me remember that I’m scared of the dark.
I selected this novel because I’ve read other excellent books by Kelley Armstrong. Her style often features strong female characters in plots packed with supernatural horror-fantasy and romance. Her excellent Otherworld series was made into the SyFy series, Bitten. Those books were great but I must say, this novel was even scarier.
Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the free advance reader’s copy. My freely-given honest review is uninfluenced by my gratitude. Kelley Armstrong’s skillful writing made Hemlock Island original, startling, and terrifying. I am sleeping with a nightlight again.
Cat's Game 