by Alice Feeney (Compact Disc Feeney)
Daisy Darker showed up on many “Best Mysteries/Thrillers of the Year” lists for 2022 releases, so I was excited to read (or listen to) this for the June 2023 meeting of the libraries’ Just Desserts mystery book group. Indeed, I chose to enjoy this as an audiobook-on-cd, narrated by Stephanie Racine.
It’s a little hard to effective
review this, since Alice Feeney’s stock in trade is mysteries or thrillers with
a shocking twist near the end, that completely recalibrates the reader’s
interpretation of the novel. In a nutshell, however, this novel features an
awkward family reunion on an island off the British coast, isolated until the
next day by changing tides. The novel is narrated by Daisy Darker, seemingly
the only family member who actually loves her grandmother, Nana, a famed
children’s author. When a dramatic death occurs, and it’s only the first of
several, the survivors must come to terms with some unresolved issues from the
past, while scrambling to survive until the receding tides will allow them to
escape in the morning.
The suspense ratchets up
effectively, though jumping back and forth between modern scenes and flashbacks
to the past diminishes some of that building tension. The ultimate twist is
telegraphed somewhat early on in the novel, but several of our Just Desserts
members were still surprised…which may be reason enough to recommend this
title. Personally, I really enjoyed the narration by Racine, so I do recommend Daisy Darker, particularly, as an audiobook. And
if you like twisty, turny plots, check out Feeney’s other novels as well!
( official Alice Feeney
web site )
Recommended
by Scott
C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service
Have you read or listened to
this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?
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