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Good Half Gone
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Never Never and The Wives
Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?
Iris narrowly escaped her twin sister’s fate as a teen: abducted in broad daylight and long gone before she could convince the cops there was anything to investigate. With Piper presumed a runaway and no evidence to go on but Iris’s scattered memories, the case quickly goes cold.
Ever since that terrible day, Iris’ search for Piper has bordered on obsession. Chasing leads across years and following clues that all seem to point to a single name, Iris does everything she can to get close to the only person who might know the answer to the question that still haunts her: where did Piper go? And if the police still won’t help, she’ll just have to find the answer herself--using her criminal psychology degree to intern at the isolated psychiatric hospital on Shoal Island, where secrets lurk in the shadows and are kept under lock and key. But Iris soon realizes that something even more sinister is simmering beneath the surface of the Shoal, and that the patients aren’t the only ones being observed…
Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?
Iris narrowly escaped her twin sister’s fate as a teen: abducted in broad daylight and long gone before she could convince the cops there was anything to investigate. With Piper presumed a runaway and no evidence to go on but Iris’s scattered memories, the case quickly goes cold.
Ever since that terrible day, Iris’ search for Piper has bordered on obsession. Chasing leads across years and following clues that all seem to point to a single name, Iris does everything she can to get close to the only person who might know the answer to the question that still haunts her: where did Piper go? And if the police still won’t help, she’ll just have to find the answer herself--using her criminal psychology degree to intern at the isolated psychiatric hospital on Shoal Island, where secrets lurk in the shadows and are kept under lock and key. But Iris soon realizes that something even more sinister is simmering beneath the surface of the Shoal, and that the patients aren’t the only ones being observed…
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2024
About the author
Tarryn Fisher
31 books25.1k followersI would like to write a novel that every, single person loves, but not even J.K. Rowling could do that. Instead, I try to write stories that pull on people's emotions. I believe that sadness is the most powerful emotion, and swirled with regret the two become a dominating force. I love villains. Three of my favorites are Mother Gothel, Gaston and the Evil Queen who all suffered from a pretty wicked case of vanity (like me). I like to make these personality types the center of my stories.
I love rain, Coke, Starbucks and sarcasm. I hate bad adjectives and the word "smolder". If you read my book-I love you. If you hate my book-I still love you, but please don't be mean to me; I'm half badass, half cry baby.
I love rain, Coke, Starbucks and sarcasm. I hate bad adjectives and the word "smolder". If you read my book-I love you. If you hate my book-I still love you, but please don't be mean to me; I'm half badass, half cry baby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,592 reviews
December 1, 2023
What in the actual hell? I must first tell you that this whole book plays out with little suspense until the last 20% of the book. The beginning had a fantastic start, only to take a few left turns. Okay…..
The story starts where Iris Walsh is on a call with 911. She just witnessed her twin sister’s kidnapping right in front of her eyes. Years later she is traumatized from the events that unfolded that night. She just can’t get over the disappearance of her twin sister, Piper. What happened to Piper and is she still alive?
Determined to do her own investigating, and with years of school behind her, she takes an internship at a state hospital on an island. Why? The man she believes is responsible for Piper’s disappearance and or possible murder has been sentenced there. Iris is so obsessed for answers that she will stop at NOTHING to get them.
Sounds juicy, right? I was hopeful too….. only to be taken down a long distracting road. This story starts bringing in other plot lines that really didn’t do much for the story. Yes, we learn Iris and Piper had a shitty drug fueled mother….. life wasn’t fair. Then we take a tour of some possible romance that I really couldn’t care less about. Then we have the strong willed grandmother who has raised these girls, only to find out Gran is hanging on a thread with her health. Finally, that ENDING TWIST…. Pfffffff. What? Nope, doesn’t work for me, sorry folks. 😳😳😳
I wanted suspense and a brain teaser and that just wasn’t in the cards. After The Wives and this one, Fisher just isn’t for me. However, many people love her and maybe so will you.
I’d like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and Tarryn Fisher an ARC. All opinions are my own. Expected Publication date March 19, 2024
The story starts where Iris Walsh is on a call with 911. She just witnessed her twin sister’s kidnapping right in front of her eyes. Years later she is traumatized from the events that unfolded that night. She just can’t get over the disappearance of her twin sister, Piper. What happened to Piper and is she still alive?
Determined to do her own investigating, and with years of school behind her, she takes an internship at a state hospital on an island. Why? The man she believes is responsible for Piper’s disappearance and or possible murder has been sentenced there. Iris is so obsessed for answers that she will stop at NOTHING to get them.
Sounds juicy, right? I was hopeful too….. only to be taken down a long distracting road. This story starts bringing in other plot lines that really didn’t do much for the story. Yes, we learn Iris and Piper had a shitty drug fueled mother….. life wasn’t fair. Then we take a tour of some possible romance that I really couldn’t care less about. Then we have the strong willed grandmother who has raised these girls, only to find out Gran is hanging on a thread with her health. Finally, that ENDING TWIST…. Pfffffff. What? Nope, doesn’t work for me, sorry folks. 😳😳😳
I wanted suspense and a brain teaser and that just wasn’t in the cards. After The Wives and this one, Fisher just isn’t for me. However, many people love her and maybe so will you.
I’d like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and Tarryn Fisher an ARC. All opinions are my own. Expected Publication date March 19, 2024
April 5, 2024
I've always adored Tarryn Fisher’s creative dark side, even when she was writing dark romance novels. Lately, she has chosen a path to work on twisty thrillers, some of which I truly enjoyed, such as “The Wives” and “Honest Lie”. Unfortunately, “The Wrong Family” was a miss for me.
My expectations were so high before starting this novel, and I prayed to the thriller angels that it would be a hit. Thankfully, my prayers were answered. Especially the last twist made me scream “no freaking way”—it was an amazing touch! Well done, Fisher! This is a gripping psychological thriller with shades of Shutter Island, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Sound of Freedom. It hooks you from the first page and keeps you on your toes till the end. You barely breathe, questioning so many puzzle pieces, including where is Piper, what really happened to her, and how Shoal Island Hospital is the final piece of the puzzle. What is the thin veil between reality and madness?
Enter Iris Walsh, in her early twenties, raising her 8-year-old son Calvin with the help of her eccentric and lovable grandmother—a former stripper, librarian, caretaker, mother of a drug addict, and guardian of twins.
Iris cannot get through the day when she was fifteen, witnessing her twin sister Piper’s kidnapping in front of a movie theater. The officers didn’t want to believe her, thinking her sister had run away, but she never gave up on her. Nearly a decade later, she graduates from school to be an intern at Shoal Island Hospital because the monster who hurt her sister might be one of the violent patients there. But what if she's wrong? What if she's about to punish an innocent guy, or worse, put her life in danger to become the next prey of a very brutal man?
She finds herself developing a crush on Dr. Leo Grayson, who acts extra helpful and flirty around her. This might solve the problem of reaching the secluded unit where the monster gets treatment, but what if mixing her vendetta with her blooming romance puts more lives at risk? Could she finish the job she's planned for so long and bring justice for her sister by finding out what happened to her?
This is one of my fastest, extra riveting, and exciting reads that I devoured in one sitting. So much happens in a short time that I had a hard time absorbing each thrown curveball, but it was still a well-executed winner that I truly enjoyed.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Graydon House for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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My expectations were so high before starting this novel, and I prayed to the thriller angels that it would be a hit. Thankfully, my prayers were answered. Especially the last twist made me scream “no freaking way”—it was an amazing touch! Well done, Fisher! This is a gripping psychological thriller with shades of Shutter Island, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Sound of Freedom. It hooks you from the first page and keeps you on your toes till the end. You barely breathe, questioning so many puzzle pieces, including where is Piper, what really happened to her, and how Shoal Island Hospital is the final piece of the puzzle. What is the thin veil between reality and madness?
Enter Iris Walsh, in her early twenties, raising her 8-year-old son Calvin with the help of her eccentric and lovable grandmother—a former stripper, librarian, caretaker, mother of a drug addict, and guardian of twins.
Iris cannot get through the day when she was fifteen, witnessing her twin sister Piper’s kidnapping in front of a movie theater. The officers didn’t want to believe her, thinking her sister had run away, but she never gave up on her. Nearly a decade later, she graduates from school to be an intern at Shoal Island Hospital because the monster who hurt her sister might be one of the violent patients there. But what if she's wrong? What if she's about to punish an innocent guy, or worse, put her life in danger to become the next prey of a very brutal man?
She finds herself developing a crush on Dr. Leo Grayson, who acts extra helpful and flirty around her. This might solve the problem of reaching the secluded unit where the monster gets treatment, but what if mixing her vendetta with her blooming romance puts more lives at risk? Could she finish the job she's planned for so long and bring justice for her sister by finding out what happened to her?
This is one of my fastest, extra riveting, and exciting reads that I devoured in one sitting. So much happens in a short time that I had a hard time absorbing each thrown curveball, but it was still a well-executed winner that I truly enjoyed.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Graydon House for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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Shelved as 'read-audiobooks'
April 17, 2024Earhole read. It's like listening to a very lonely senior citizen give you a play by play of everything they did in the summer of 1973. And I mean EVERYTHING. You had to endure approximately 37392929 insignificant details for every 1 morsel of relevant info about the mystery.
February 20, 2024
Good Half Gone by Tarryn Fisher beckoned me with promises of intrigue—a twin sister torn from her sibling's grasp, the eerie backdrop of a desolate mental hospital. Eagerly, I delved into its pages, ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotions and revelations. And yet, as I journeyed through its twists and turns, I found myself grappling with a tangle of conflicting emotions, ultimately emerging from the experience with a sense of both admiration and disappointment.
From the outset, Fisher masterfully plunges the reader into the chaos of Iris Walsh's world, where the specter of her twin sister's abduction looms large. The rawness of Iris's grief is palpable, her determination to unearth the truth a beacon in the darkness. I found myself rooting for her, holding my breath with each revelation, desperate to uncover the secrets hidden within the shadows.
As Iris immerses herself in the labyrinthine corridors of the state hospital, her quest for answers becomes my own. I hang onto every clue, every whispered rumor, my pulse quickening with each step closer to the truth. Fisher's prose is hypnotic, drawing me deeper into the mystery even as I struggle to untangle its threads.
And yet, for all its promise, Good Half Gone ultimately falls short of its potential. The narrative loses its way amidst a maze of unnecessary detours, the momentum grinding to a halt just when it should be hurtling towards its climax. I find myself bogged down by superfluous subplots, longing for the clarity and focus that initially drew me in.
The ending, when it finally arrives, is a bitter pill to swallow. What should have been a moment of catharsis feels rushed and unsatisfying. I'm left with a sense of disillusionment, mourning the untapped potential of a story that seemed poised to soar.
And yet, even in my disappointment, there are moments of brilliance that I cannot ignore. Fisher's exploration of grief and obsession is hauntingly beautiful, her characters flawed and human in ways that resonate long after the final page is turned. Despite its flaws, Good Half Gone remains a testament to the power of storytelling, a reminder that even amidst darkness, there is beauty to be found.
While Good Half Gone may not have lived up to my expectations, it has left an indelible mark, a reminder of the complexities of the human experience. And for that, I am grateful, even as I mourn the story that could have been.
From the outset, Fisher masterfully plunges the reader into the chaos of Iris Walsh's world, where the specter of her twin sister's abduction looms large. The rawness of Iris's grief is palpable, her determination to unearth the truth a beacon in the darkness. I found myself rooting for her, holding my breath with each revelation, desperate to uncover the secrets hidden within the shadows.
As Iris immerses herself in the labyrinthine corridors of the state hospital, her quest for answers becomes my own. I hang onto every clue, every whispered rumor, my pulse quickening with each step closer to the truth. Fisher's prose is hypnotic, drawing me deeper into the mystery even as I struggle to untangle its threads.
And yet, for all its promise, Good Half Gone ultimately falls short of its potential. The narrative loses its way amidst a maze of unnecessary detours, the momentum grinding to a halt just when it should be hurtling towards its climax. I find myself bogged down by superfluous subplots, longing for the clarity and focus that initially drew me in.
The ending, when it finally arrives, is a bitter pill to swallow. What should have been a moment of catharsis feels rushed and unsatisfying. I'm left with a sense of disillusionment, mourning the untapped potential of a story that seemed poised to soar.
And yet, even in my disappointment, there are moments of brilliance that I cannot ignore. Fisher's exploration of grief and obsession is hauntingly beautiful, her characters flawed and human in ways that resonate long after the final page is turned. Despite its flaws, Good Half Gone remains a testament to the power of storytelling, a reminder that even amidst darkness, there is beauty to be found.
While Good Half Gone may not have lived up to my expectations, it has left an indelible mark, a reminder of the complexities of the human experience. And for that, I am grateful, even as I mourn the story that could have been.
April 28, 2024
Started off all excited for “Good Half Gone” by Tarryn Fisher, but soon hit a bump in the road. Got this subtle hunch pretty early on that maybe this book and I weren't destined for a happily-ever-after. So, being the curious reader I am, I peeked at the one-star reviews and, the spoilers confirmed my fears. The ending, which I shall not spoil here, was the cherry on top of my “nope” sundae.
Let’s just say I’m glad I trusted my bookish instincts. To those brave souls who hung in there till the end, I salute you.
Let’s just say I’m glad I trusted my bookish instincts. To those brave souls who hung in there till the end, I salute you.
March 10, 2024
Twin stories are always tricky, but this one was enjoyable enough for 3 stars. Although this is strictly a mystery I did need more thriller vibes and was left a bit disappointed. Twin sisters Iris and Piper never had it easy, and with an addict mother in the picture their grandmother took them in and raised them. Piper disappears one day leaving Iris and her grandmother searching for answers. The "search" setting takes place at an institution for the criminially insane, which was interesting. There are all these little twists and turns weaved in throughout the book, and that kept me invested till the end to find out what happened. I do feel that Iris's character came across very conflicting. One minute she hates on her sister and the next she can't live on without finding the truth behind Piper's disappearance. I would have liked a solid MC. "Fisher" writes a compelling story, but just a few points shy from her previous awesome works left me wanting more out of this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for awarding me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for awarding me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
March 21, 2024
the setup…
Iris and Piper Walsh are 16-year old twins being raised by their grandmother Betty. Piper is the popular, outgoing one; Iris much more introverted and sullen. One night as they are off to a party that Piper insists they attend, Piper changes the plan and agrees to meet a popular and older football player. Nothing goes according to plan and when Iris’s attention is diverted, she sees her sister being taken away against her will. After a call to 911, the two detectives assigned don’t take Iris seriously and nine years later, Piper is still missing. But Iris now has a lead she wants to explore that takes her to Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane. She signs on as intern��what could go wrong?
the heart of the story…
Piper’s abduction was chilling but even more maddening was how Iris was treated by the detectives assigned to the case. Despite her harrowing account laden with specific details, they refuse to take her seriously. Much is made of law enforcement moving slowly on missing teen cases but this was beyond the pale. The story then begins the transitions between past and present where it just gets bogged down and loses its traction. I never got a clear picture of Piper and the twins’ relationship was confusing. There are loads of details and events that didn’t add to the plot or characterizations and I just got lost.
the narration…
The narrator sounded so much older than Iris who provides the only point of view. I just couldn’t hear her as the character so it was jarring.
the bottom line…
There are good bones to this story and I was hooked quickly. However, it would have helped if more insight had been given about Piper, well before the last quarter of the book. The ending was exciting but there was nothing to lead you there beforehand. The transitions were awkward and there was just too much information about things that never seemed to matter. The twist at the end was jaw dropping but also a bit over the top. I had high hopes but, coupled with a disappointing audio experience, this just didn’t deliver on my expectations. 2.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own)
Iris and Piper Walsh are 16-year old twins being raised by their grandmother Betty. Piper is the popular, outgoing one; Iris much more introverted and sullen. One night as they are off to a party that Piper insists they attend, Piper changes the plan and agrees to meet a popular and older football player. Nothing goes according to plan and when Iris’s attention is diverted, she sees her sister being taken away against her will. After a call to 911, the two detectives assigned don’t take Iris seriously and nine years later, Piper is still missing. But Iris now has a lead she wants to explore that takes her to Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane. She signs on as intern��what could go wrong?
the heart of the story…
Piper’s abduction was chilling but even more maddening was how Iris was treated by the detectives assigned to the case. Despite her harrowing account laden with specific details, they refuse to take her seriously. Much is made of law enforcement moving slowly on missing teen cases but this was beyond the pale. The story then begins the transitions between past and present where it just gets bogged down and loses its traction. I never got a clear picture of Piper and the twins’ relationship was confusing. There are loads of details and events that didn’t add to the plot or characterizations and I just got lost.
the narration…
The narrator sounded so much older than Iris who provides the only point of view. I just couldn’t hear her as the character so it was jarring.
the bottom line…
There are good bones to this story and I was hooked quickly. However, it would have helped if more insight had been given about Piper, well before the last quarter of the book. The ending was exciting but there was nothing to lead you there beforehand. The transitions were awkward and there was just too much information about things that never seemed to matter. The twist at the end was jaw dropping but also a bit over the top. I had high hopes but, coupled with a disappointing audio experience, this just didn’t deliver on my expectations. 2.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own)
April 2, 2024
Good Half Gone by Tarryn Fisher is a thriller novel. The story in Good Half Gone is one that is told by alternating between a past and present timeline but only has one point of view from it’s main character.
As teenagers Iris and her twin sister Piper had gone out to meet some boys/men that Piper had wanted to see. Things do not go well that day when Iris witnesses her sister being taken by the men but when going for help no one believes a kidnapping took place with the police chalking it up to Piper running away.
Now almost a decade later Iris is grown and raising a child of her own with a help from her grandmother, the only other person who believed Piper was taken that day. Iris has spent years studying to be able to take an internship at Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane where she believes she’ll finally find the answers to what happened to Piper.
Good Half Gone is actually the second novel I’ve read by Tarryn Fisher and one that I took a leap of faith before reading since I enjoyed the first. You see, I’m not a huge fan of remote creepy hospital/asylum type settings but I was really curious so I took the chance. Thankfully what I found in this one was the same compelling suspenseful story that drew me in and kept the pages turning that I remembered with the first book. I will say though that if you are opposed to kind of over the top endings where one may have to suspend belief this may not be for you but I ended up enjoying this one more than I was worried I would.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
As teenagers Iris and her twin sister Piper had gone out to meet some boys/men that Piper had wanted to see. Things do not go well that day when Iris witnesses her sister being taken by the men but when going for help no one believes a kidnapping took place with the police chalking it up to Piper running away.
Now almost a decade later Iris is grown and raising a child of her own with a help from her grandmother, the only other person who believed Piper was taken that day. Iris has spent years studying to be able to take an internship at Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane where she believes she’ll finally find the answers to what happened to Piper.
Good Half Gone is actually the second novel I’ve read by Tarryn Fisher and one that I took a leap of faith before reading since I enjoyed the first. You see, I’m not a huge fan of remote creepy hospital/asylum type settings but I was really curious so I took the chance. Thankfully what I found in this one was the same compelling suspenseful story that drew me in and kept the pages turning that I remembered with the first book. I will say though that if you are opposed to kind of over the top endings where one may have to suspend belief this may not be for you but I ended up enjoying this one more than I was worried I would.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
March 9, 2024
Ummmmm wow. The initial setup to this starts off promising, but the pacing is so bizarre that the last 40 pages or so takes an absolutely bananas turn and wraps everything up with some of the most "suspend your disbelief" twists I think I've ever read? And I don't really mean that in a good way.
Like I'm sorry but I'm supposed to believe that a patient in a mental hospital has someone blackmail a plastic surgeon to change his face to allow him to believably impersonate, kill, and replace the very famous Doctor at said mental hospital??? And then also managed to install several other patients in staff positions without anybody noticing and reporting what was going on?? WHAT.
Like I'm sorry but I'm supposed to believe that a patient in a mental hospital has someone blackmail a plastic surgeon to change his face to allow him to believably impersonate, kill, and replace the very famous Doctor at said mental hospital??? And then also managed to install several other patients in staff positions without anybody noticing and reporting what was going on?? WHAT.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2024
2.5 Stars
I love these kinds of premises so I was hopeful I would love this one. The story itself was fine but I felt that it played it safe and simple. I have read a lot of similar plots and this one paled in comparison. The characters were hollow, lacking depth or complexity.
It's usually easy for me to love these kinds of stories so the fact that I found it so dry is incredibly disappointing.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I love these kinds of premises so I was hopeful I would love this one. The story itself was fine but I felt that it played it safe and simple. I have read a lot of similar plots and this one paled in comparison. The characters were hollow, lacking depth or complexity.
It's usually easy for me to love these kinds of stories so the fact that I found it so dry is incredibly disappointing.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
March 16, 2024
Come to Shoal Island Hospital where patients aren’t the only ones being observed!
It took me a while to offer that invitation. This is one of those cases where both time and distance from this story helped me see it in a different light. At first, I almost DNF’d it as so many things rubbed me the wrong way or freaked me out. When I came back to it, those things were still there, but I didn’t have such an emotional response. I saw things/clues the author had placed that I’d overlooked previously. Fisher is clever!
Know this: Your ‘strangeness barometer’ will start to beep slowly, then with more frequency and pitch, and when it falls off the charts you may realize that this narrative is really about something much different than you first imagined. The premise may have intrigued you, maybe even the pull of the author’s name, but you may be confused with how the plot is carried out. I encourage you to step back and see the story arc for what it really is, a fairly accurate and admirable examination of ‘what happened’. You’ll close the book reminded why Fisher is such a fantastic psychological thriller writer. She got me. I didn’t see it coming. My emotions were on full throttle.
This is a great suspense thriller about a woman searching for answers. Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, being kidnapped but the police didn’t believe her account of the events. She decides to take matters into her own hands but soon discovers that there’s something very sinister going on.
Piper was the ‘good half,’ the popular one, and Iris is convinced that she was kidnapped and trafficked. The lack of evidence results in the case going cold, but Iris doesn’t give up. She’s determined to find answers and get revenge. Finally, years later, her internship at a hospital for the criminally insane provides answers, but are they the ones Iris is looking for?
Nothing is as it seems.
It’s riveting, it touches on the nitty-gritty uncomfortable things, it stretches believability, it has a powerful twist, it’s creepy, chilling, has uneven pacing, frustrating time hops, many loose ends and at times choppy. Yes, there was a huge discrepancy between what I was prepared for and what direction the author took. BUT! Tarryn Fisher could offer a masterclass in atmosphere. This unseen thread binds her whole narrative together and shapes her readers’ experience.
If you love Shutter Island vibes, an examination of psychopathy/sociopathy, and plots that make you yell out loud, this one is for you! Buckle up.
I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
It took me a while to offer that invitation. This is one of those cases where both time and distance from this story helped me see it in a different light. At first, I almost DNF’d it as so many things rubbed me the wrong way or freaked me out. When I came back to it, those things were still there, but I didn’t have such an emotional response. I saw things/clues the author had placed that I’d overlooked previously. Fisher is clever!
Know this: Your ‘strangeness barometer’ will start to beep slowly, then with more frequency and pitch, and when it falls off the charts you may realize that this narrative is really about something much different than you first imagined. The premise may have intrigued you, maybe even the pull of the author’s name, but you may be confused with how the plot is carried out. I encourage you to step back and see the story arc for what it really is, a fairly accurate and admirable examination of ‘what happened’. You’ll close the book reminded why Fisher is such a fantastic psychological thriller writer. She got me. I didn’t see it coming. My emotions were on full throttle.
This is a great suspense thriller about a woman searching for answers. Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, being kidnapped but the police didn’t believe her account of the events. She decides to take matters into her own hands but soon discovers that there’s something very sinister going on.
Piper was the ‘good half,’ the popular one, and Iris is convinced that she was kidnapped and trafficked. The lack of evidence results in the case going cold, but Iris doesn’t give up. She’s determined to find answers and get revenge. Finally, years later, her internship at a hospital for the criminally insane provides answers, but are they the ones Iris is looking for?
Nothing is as it seems.
It’s riveting, it touches on the nitty-gritty uncomfortable things, it stretches believability, it has a powerful twist, it’s creepy, chilling, has uneven pacing, frustrating time hops, many loose ends and at times choppy. Yes, there was a huge discrepancy between what I was prepared for and what direction the author took. BUT! Tarryn Fisher could offer a masterclass in atmosphere. This unseen thread binds her whole narrative together and shapes her readers’ experience.
If you love Shutter Island vibes, an examination of psychopathy/sociopathy, and plots that make you yell out loud, this one is for you! Buckle up.
I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
December 24, 2023
Thank you so much to Tarryn Fisher and Graydon House Books for my copy of Good Half Gone. It was about Iris, a girl who watches her twin get abducted and no one takes her seriously. She spends the next decade in a pursuit of justice, ending up with an internship on Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane. She has taken matters into her own hands and is trying to get close to the man she believes killed her sister. Leaving her grandmother and son at home, she works to get into the secure unit where the most dangerous criminals are kept. But there are roadblocks, and Iris has to be careful or she will be in just as much trouble as her sister was.
Thoughts: I AM SO TORN ON THIS BOOK. On one hand, the premise was freaking amazing. I loved the setting of an island with a psych hospital. It felt like Shutter Island in the best way and I couldn’t wait for the book to actually get to that part. I loved Iris’s back story and her search for justice. The book started off fast and kept my attention throughout the story.
Now the other side. OMG. OMG. First of all, there were so many details thrown in that were totally irrelevant and never came back to mean anything. The story was super disjointed and would hop around to different times and locations without warning and that made the story confusing. But mainly, the ending made no sense. There were so many things that I could argue on why this ending is actually implausible and I think Fisher wanted to lead us there, but it was not a good journey. It was thrown in for shock value but literally WHY. There were so many plot holes. Okay. Well anyway, I give it 3 stars but it could have easily been 5!
Thoughts: I AM SO TORN ON THIS BOOK. On one hand, the premise was freaking amazing. I loved the setting of an island with a psych hospital. It felt like Shutter Island in the best way and I couldn’t wait for the book to actually get to that part. I loved Iris’s back story and her search for justice. The book started off fast and kept my attention throughout the story.
Now the other side. OMG. OMG. First of all, there were so many details thrown in that were totally irrelevant and never came back to mean anything. The story was super disjointed and would hop around to different times and locations without warning and that made the story confusing. But mainly, the ending made no sense. There were so many things that I could argue on why this ending is actually implausible and I think Fisher wanted to lead us there, but it was not a good journey. It was thrown in for shock value but literally WHY. There were so many plot holes. Okay. Well anyway, I give it 3 stars but it could have easily been 5!
February 10, 2024
RATING 3.5 STARS
When I was offered an early copy of this I jumped at the chance. I had high expectations for this one because I've really enjoyed previous books in the past by this author, but sadly this one kind of missed the mark for me.
Fast paced/ish in the beginning, slow middle, picks up at about the last 20% or so when the suspenseful nail biting sit on the edge of your seat starts picking up in the story, but was over before it had begun.
The good half gone flits from past to present frequently sometimes too abruptly that I had to go back and see what time frame I was in..
At fifteen years old Iris and Piper (twins) went to the movies with a group of guys, the opening pages are of a 911 call placed by Piper who witnessed three men put her sister in a car in front of the theater and drive off assumed to be trafficked.
The police didn't believe her, they see it all the time, troubled teen mixed up with the wrong gang of guys, unstable upbringing, they brushed off her witness testimony and tried twisting it as a runaway story.
A decade later and still Iris never gave up, regularly she'd ring the police in charge of the case demanding updates, with very few leads but a few theories at the age of twenty four and raising an eight year old boy she's going to take matters into her own hands and bring justice for her twin.
With her sisters disappearance as her driving force she finished highschool, went onto college, got her bachelor's and was accepted into a masters programme where she'll intern at Shoal Island Hospital where the criminally insane are castrated, all her plans are falling into place. She believes the man responsible for her twins disappearance is a patient there who holds all the answers to her questions.
But things aren't all they appear to be on the Island and neither are the people.
As we reached the ending, I wanted to be shocked, I wanted to have the rug pulled out from under me, but I didn't, I'd kind of worked out the plot early on and knew where the author was going to lead us. So it wasn't a surprise what had happened.
March 25, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own
Caption: Iris Walsh saw her twin sister get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?
I do so love a good Tarryn Fisher novel. This was a good read but it didn't thrill or frighten me. On the one hand, I loved the sister trying to get to the truth. Even if it meant putting her life in danger. I enjoyed the setting of a mental institution on an island that could only be accessed by ferry and giving that feeling that there is no escape- for the patients OR the employees. On the other hand, I saw what was coming and it left me a little bit disappointed.
I think if I was recommending a Tarryn Fisher novel it wouldn't be this one.
It would be Atheists Who Kneel and Pray which is a different genre and vibe but it was my first read of hers and I adore it. 😉
Publication Date 19/03/24
Goodreads Review 24/03/24
#GoodHalfGone #NetGalley.
Caption: Iris Walsh saw her twin sister get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?
I do so love a good Tarryn Fisher novel. This was a good read but it didn't thrill or frighten me. On the one hand, I loved the sister trying to get to the truth. Even if it meant putting her life in danger. I enjoyed the setting of a mental institution on an island that could only be accessed by ferry and giving that feeling that there is no escape- for the patients OR the employees. On the other hand, I saw what was coming and it left me a little bit disappointed.
I think if I was recommending a Tarryn Fisher novel it wouldn't be this one.
It would be Atheists Who Kneel and Pray which is a different genre and vibe but it was my first read of hers and I adore it. 😉
Publication Date 19/03/24
Goodreads Review 24/03/24
#GoodHalfGone #NetGalley.
December 1, 2023
Fisher has been a hit-or-miss author for me but i always end up checking out her books hoping for another hit - this one lies somewhere in the middle.
it starts off following Iris, whose twin Piper went missing a decade ago, and she has been trying to get justice for her ever since. The book really started to take off for me once Iris takes a job at a facility for criminals (where she suspects Piper’s abductor resides), this provides a really interesting setting and i personally really enjoy books set in hospitals and facilities.
however, once we start to reach the last half of the book, things kind of wound down for me as a bit of a romance plot is introduced and some other side plots that really didn’t feel necessary - I kept wanting to go back to the main story of Iris trying to find out what happened to Piper, but it kinda fell off the rails for me. some of Fisher’s previous books pulled off some really great out-of-left-field reveals and twists, but this one just seemed tame and predictable
it starts off following Iris, whose twin Piper went missing a decade ago, and she has been trying to get justice for her ever since. The book really started to take off for me once Iris takes a job at a facility for criminals (where she suspects Piper’s abductor resides), this provides a really interesting setting and i personally really enjoy books set in hospitals and facilities.
however, once we start to reach the last half of the book, things kind of wound down for me as a bit of a romance plot is introduced and some other side plots that really didn’t feel necessary - I kept wanting to go back to the main story of Iris trying to find out what happened to Piper, but it kinda fell off the rails for me. some of Fisher’s previous books pulled off some really great out-of-left-field reveals and twists, but this one just seemed tame and predictable
June 13, 2024
I’m not trying to steal Tarryn Fisher’s bag so let me recommend I Can Be a Better You, The Wrong Family, The Wives or the first in The Opportunist series. This one, though????
The fact that I literally just listened to a Freida McFadden with a similar setting made this even more cringe.
The fact that I literally just listened to a Freida McFadden with a similar setting made this even more cringe.
May 15, 2024
It started out promising, but truly fell flat.
January 5, 2024
After getting early access to the first few chapters of Good Half Gone I was so excited for this book. It started off really strong but unfortunately didn't continue that way. The middle felt monotonous and last 20% just had me scratching my head in confusion at the turn of events.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
***PLEASE STOP READING NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE COMPLETE BOOK***
It's pretty clear that Piper was taken by traffickers but what isn't clear is why Iris wants to go work at the Medical Facility/Prison other than to get close to someone there who she believes is involved in Piper being trafficked/kidnapped/killed. In my opinion, not telling the reader who she is there for and why added zero suspense or tension to the story so withholding it just made it frustrating to plod through the middle of the book. From 15% through 80% the story goes nowhere. It's all Iris working at the facility, immediately hooking up with her hot Doctor boss, and having strange interactions with members of the hospital staff that all seem to reek of booze or have yellow eyes. Then at the 80%+ mark we get a bomb explosion and find out that almost all the staff were actually the prisoners who had taken over the facility including Dr. Leo Grayson (hot boss) who *OF COURSE* is actually Jude, the inmate Iris wanted to get close to. Why did these prisoners need to set off a bomb to escape the facility when they were already coming and going as they pleased because everyone thought they were staff members you ask? I ask too because it makes no sense to me. Then Pipers diary is found to give us the Scooby Doo style explanation of what happened from when she was kidnapped, to escaping and choosing to go to Jude instead of back to her family, and then having Cal and deciding maybe she should go back to her family, to the diary ending because Jude killed her. So so so disappointed.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
***PLEASE STOP READING NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE COMPLETE BOOK***
It's pretty clear that Piper was taken by traffickers but what isn't clear is why Iris wants to go work at the Medical Facility/Prison other than to get close to someone there who she believes is involved in Piper being trafficked/kidnapped/killed. In my opinion, not telling the reader who she is there for and why added zero suspense or tension to the story so withholding it just made it frustrating to plod through the middle of the book. From 15% through 80% the story goes nowhere. It's all Iris working at the facility, immediately hooking up with her hot Doctor boss, and having strange interactions with members of the hospital staff that all seem to reek of booze or have yellow eyes. Then at the 80%+ mark we get a bomb explosion and find out that almost all the staff were actually the prisoners who had taken over the facility including Dr. Leo Grayson (hot boss) who *OF COURSE* is actually Jude, the inmate Iris wanted to get close to. Why did these prisoners need to set off a bomb to escape the facility when they were already coming and going as they pleased because everyone thought they were staff members you ask? I ask too because it makes no sense to me. Then Pipers diary is found to give us the Scooby Doo style explanation of what happened from when she was kidnapped, to escaping and choosing to go to Jude instead of back to her family, and then having Cal and deciding maybe she should go back to her family, to the diary ending because Jude killed her. So so so disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2024
*
👧👧Global bestselling author Anna Todd believes that ‘No one writes as authentically as Tarryn Fisher’. This is a big claim, so I was definitely intrigued to see how Tarryn Fisher’s latest would measure up. I have only read An Honest Lie and Never Never (written in collaboration with Colleen Hoover) so I am fairly new to Fisher’s work. A story of twins, a baffling disappearance, a twist or two of fate, lost memories, a police case, locked secrets and dark happenings, Good Half Gone is an enticing tale.
👧👧Twin stories have long fascinated me and if you add in a crime or a disappearance it is bound to catch my full attention. The opening call to emergency services in the first moments of this Tarryn Fisher novel really served to lure me in. It was pretty much like this for the entire length of the book as Fisher delivered twist after twist and uncovered various different layers to this warped story. A plot that manages to negotiate the past and the present with plenty of suspense, mystery and speculative events, Fisher has it covered. There were some elements in this story that had me scratching my head in disbelief, but for the most part it will keep you entertained.
👧👧The cast are set up well, with a shroud of unreliability surrounding many of them. Fisher captures the elements of familial relationships, particularly the link between siblings and twins well. The characters featured are four dimensional and complex. The setting is pretty haunting at times, so buckle in for a wild ride, especially that ending, it was something else!
👧👧Global bestselling author Anna Todd believes that ‘No one writes as authentically as Tarryn Fisher’. This is a big claim, so I was definitely intrigued to see how Tarryn Fisher’s latest would measure up. I have only read An Honest Lie and Never Never (written in collaboration with Colleen Hoover) so I am fairly new to Fisher’s work. A story of twins, a baffling disappearance, a twist or two of fate, lost memories, a police case, locked secrets and dark happenings, Good Half Gone is an enticing tale.
👧👧Twin stories have long fascinated me and if you add in a crime or a disappearance it is bound to catch my full attention. The opening call to emergency services in the first moments of this Tarryn Fisher novel really served to lure me in. It was pretty much like this for the entire length of the book as Fisher delivered twist after twist and uncovered various different layers to this warped story. A plot that manages to negotiate the past and the present with plenty of suspense, mystery and speculative events, Fisher has it covered. There were some elements in this story that had me scratching my head in disbelief, but for the most part it will keep you entertained.
👧👧The cast are set up well, with a shroud of unreliability surrounding many of them. Fisher captures the elements of familial relationships, particularly the link between siblings and twins well. The characters featured are four dimensional and complex. The setting is pretty haunting at times, so buckle in for a wild ride, especially that ending, it was something else!
December 16, 2023
It pains me to give this book only 2 stars but my end statement stands true and I must be honest. I’ve enjoyed Fisher’s past books but this seemed like it was written by a completely different author. The story was very disjointed, jumping from one scene to the next without any points of transition. It was choppy and confusing. There was an abundance of extraneous details that did not enhance the plot and made it seem like it was going in a different direction, but not in a good way. I figured out the plot twist pretty easily but found the ending to be completely implausible to the point of being ridiculous. I won’t go into specifics and I urge other reviewers to make their own decisions since many have really liked this. It just wasn’t for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Graydon House and Tarryn Fisher for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Graydon House and Tarryn Fisher for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
January 23, 2024
Tarryn Fisher is one of my favorite authors. I have read every one of her books. So Good Half Gone was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024.
The book is a thriller with a past/present timeline. It starts with Iris at age 15 calling 911 saying that her twin sister Piper has been kidnapped.
In the present Iris is in her early 20s with an 8 year old son. She has decided to accept an internship on an island that she gets to by ferry. She works at a creepy private hospital for the criminally insane.
I don't always love dual timelines. However in this case both time periods were quite interesting. In the past Iris and her Gram do everything in their power to get the police to find Piper. And in the present Iris is committed to learning the truth about her twin by any means necessary.
Iris was an amazing character who I really enjoyed. Her determination to get information and revenge was chilling. I really liked her relationship with her Gran and her son Cal.
I found much of this book to be quite riveting. I could not put it down. It was definitely very suspenseful. And the eerie setting at the mental hospital was so creepy. And the characters there were so unique. I did like the actual ending, however there were definitely parts of the major reveal that I did not think worked. I loved the premise so much. But I just wish that I felt more satisfied with how things played out.
Thanks to netgalley and HarperCollins Canada for allowing me to read this book.
The book is a thriller with a past/present timeline. It starts with Iris at age 15 calling 911 saying that her twin sister Piper has been kidnapped.
In the present Iris is in her early 20s with an 8 year old son. She has decided to accept an internship on an island that she gets to by ferry. She works at a creepy private hospital for the criminally insane.
I don't always love dual timelines. However in this case both time periods were quite interesting. In the past Iris and her Gram do everything in their power to get the police to find Piper. And in the present Iris is committed to learning the truth about her twin by any means necessary.
Iris was an amazing character who I really enjoyed. Her determination to get information and revenge was chilling. I really liked her relationship with her Gran and her son Cal.
I found much of this book to be quite riveting. I could not put it down. It was definitely very suspenseful. And the eerie setting at the mental hospital was so creepy. And the characters there were so unique. I did like the actual ending, however there were definitely parts of the major reveal that I did not think worked. I loved the premise so much. But I just wish that I felt more satisfied with how things played out.
Thanks to netgalley and HarperCollins Canada for allowing me to read this book.
March 8, 2024
GOOD HALF GONE started off strong! I was very interested in finding out what happened to Piper. There were definitely some twists along the way and the ending was a bit shocking. Overall, I did like Iris' determination to find her sister. The story itself was very easy to follow and a nice quick read.
Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for my gifted ARC and Libro.fm for my gifted ALC.
This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) closer to the publication date.
Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for my gifted ARC and Libro.fm for my gifted ALC.
This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) closer to the publication date.
March 15, 2024
An explosive opening with Iris’s transcript of her phone call to the police had me immediately hooked on this story. In this phone call, Iris’s panic is palpable as she reports her sister’s kidnapping. Yet, the authorities are not interested and do not take her report seriously. Years later, Piper’s disappearance has never been solved and it would appear that Iris has done some of her own investigating, having never received closure about what happened to her twin.
I enjoyed the earlier part of the story as Fisher establishes the narrative and Iris’s character. Switching between the events leading up to Piper’s disappearance and present day, I felt like I could really understand the journey that Iris has been on. Add in the relationship she has with Cal and her grandmother, the obsession that Iris has over her sister’s abduction never really falters and I could see how this informed her actions in present day. Furthermore, I got a real sense of her frustration when the police pretty much accuse Iris of exaggerating the events, never really showing interest in properly investigating Iris’s claims.
Yet, as the story progressed, I think the tension lessened and the revelations were too long in coming. I didn’t get a sense that Iris was making any headway when she starts working at Shoal Island Hospital and I was desperate for Fisher to give readers more clues about the identity of the suspected perpetrator. It wasn’t until the final thirty-odd pages does the tension really crank up again, and as a result, I thought the ending was quite rushed and lacking impact.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed how Fisher manipulates the reader until believing aspects of Iris’s story. I did not predict how the novel would conclude and loved how unexpected this was. Yet, at the same time it felt too long coming and I didn’t get a sense that Iris really believed in what she was doing at the mental hospital. In addition, it didn’t help that this story reminded me too much of 'The Institution', and I could not help but draw some comparisons.
In conclusion, the premise excited me, the opening chapters pulled me in, but this intensity did not continue throughout the story. The ending was shocking (verging on unrealistic but, you can run with it a little bit), but it took too long to get there. I found Iris’s energy towards her investigations became more of a dwindling fire that were often distracted by memories of her sister and looking after her grandmother and Cal.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the earlier part of the story as Fisher establishes the narrative and Iris’s character. Switching between the events leading up to Piper’s disappearance and present day, I felt like I could really understand the journey that Iris has been on. Add in the relationship she has with Cal and her grandmother, the obsession that Iris has over her sister’s abduction never really falters and I could see how this informed her actions in present day. Furthermore, I got a real sense of her frustration when the police pretty much accuse Iris of exaggerating the events, never really showing interest in properly investigating Iris’s claims.
Yet, as the story progressed, I think the tension lessened and the revelations were too long in coming. I didn’t get a sense that Iris was making any headway when she starts working at Shoal Island Hospital and I was desperate for Fisher to give readers more clues about the identity of the suspected perpetrator. It wasn’t until the final thirty-odd pages does the tension really crank up again, and as a result, I thought the ending was quite rushed and lacking impact.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed how Fisher manipulates the reader until believing aspects of Iris’s story. I did not predict how the novel would conclude and loved how unexpected this was. Yet, at the same time it felt too long coming and I didn’t get a sense that Iris really believed in what she was doing at the mental hospital. In addition, it didn’t help that this story reminded me too much of 'The Institution', and I could not help but draw some comparisons.
In conclusion, the premise excited me, the opening chapters pulled me in, but this intensity did not continue throughout the story. The ending was shocking (verging on unrealistic but, you can run with it a little bit), but it took too long to get there. I found Iris’s energy towards her investigations became more of a dwindling fire that were often distracted by memories of her sister and looking after her grandmother and Cal.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2024
I am a mother, a granddaughter and a super sleuth.
When they were fifteen-years-old, Iris witnessed her twin Piper get kidnapped, and felt really helpless. This helplessness was exacerbated by the fact that the police simply did not believe that Piper was abducted, and the case went cold.
As an adult, Iris is still seeking answers. Taking a job at the Shoal Island Hospital for the Criminally Insane is not quite an altruistic effort. In fact, Iris has an ulterior motive for taking the job, a job that will separate her from her eight-year-old son three days out of the week.
As children, Iris and Piper went to live with their grandmother, and now Iris and her son Cal live with their gran. Iris's grandmother stepped in when their own mother did a poor job of raising them. Iris is concerned for her Gran's health at her advancing age, but her main focus is retribution for the kidnapping of Piper. Thus the job on the island with very dangerous criminals, as well as her new workmates who give Iris pause.
Whether it is justice or revenge, Iris doesn't plan on anything or anyone stopping her. This dark and thrilling story by Tarryn Fisher has more than one shocking twist. Jaw-dropping twists indeed.
Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
When they were fifteen-years-old, Iris witnessed her twin Piper get kidnapped, and felt really helpless. This helplessness was exacerbated by the fact that the police simply did not believe that Piper was abducted, and the case went cold.
As an adult, Iris is still seeking answers. Taking a job at the Shoal Island Hospital for the Criminally Insane is not quite an altruistic effort. In fact, Iris has an ulterior motive for taking the job, a job that will separate her from her eight-year-old son three days out of the week.
As children, Iris and Piper went to live with their grandmother, and now Iris and her son Cal live with their gran. Iris's grandmother stepped in when their own mother did a poor job of raising them. Iris is concerned for her Gran's health at her advancing age, but her main focus is retribution for the kidnapping of Piper. Thus the job on the island with very dangerous criminals, as well as her new workmates who give Iris pause.
Whether it is justice or revenge, Iris doesn't plan on anything or anyone stopping her. This dark and thrilling story by Tarryn Fisher has more than one shocking twist. Jaw-dropping twists indeed.
Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
February 1, 2024
When Iris and Piper were fifteen, Piper was kidnapped; trafficked and gone long before the cops cared to investigate.
Iris only wants proof of what happened to her. In order to get it, she gets a job at a remote hospital where she thinks Piper’s killer is detained. However, Iris soon realizes that something sinister is lurking at the hospital, and the patients aren’t the only ones being observed.
This book was entertaining. I enjoyed that there were several twists, but it was just the perfect amount. Not too few that I got bored, or too many that I got overwhelmed. Iris was an interesting character and very likeable. I particularly enjoyed the past and present timelines, though I felt that the past didn’t exactly give me the answers into what happened to Piper that I was looking for. I just think that it should have been handled slightly differently than it was. I did enjoy the reveals once they started coming. The first reveal wasn’t a stretch based on what we knew and while I was surprised, I wasn’t shocked. The reveals at the end were my favorite and a lot of fun where I was on the edge of my seat. The pacing in this book was uneven with the beginning being rather slow, then the ending being almost too fast. I wish that it would have been more even throughout.
This book does wrap up all the loose ends, and the ending was satisfactory. The journey was a little rocky and I wish a few things were different. I did enjoy this read, but it wasn’t a top read for me.
Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Iris only wants proof of what happened to her. In order to get it, she gets a job at a remote hospital where she thinks Piper’s killer is detained. However, Iris soon realizes that something sinister is lurking at the hospital, and the patients aren’t the only ones being observed.
This book was entertaining. I enjoyed that there were several twists, but it was just the perfect amount. Not too few that I got bored, or too many that I got overwhelmed. Iris was an interesting character and very likeable. I particularly enjoyed the past and present timelines, though I felt that the past didn’t exactly give me the answers into what happened to Piper that I was looking for. I just think that it should have been handled slightly differently than it was. I did enjoy the reveals once they started coming. The first reveal wasn’t a stretch based on what we knew and while I was surprised, I wasn’t shocked. The reveals at the end were my favorite and a lot of fun where I was on the edge of my seat. The pacing in this book was uneven with the beginning being rather slow, then the ending being almost too fast. I wish that it would have been more even throughout.
This book does wrap up all the loose ends, and the ending was satisfactory. The journey was a little rocky and I wish a few things were different. I did enjoy this read, but it wasn’t a top read for me.
Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2024
Reading a Tarryn Fisher book is like unweaving a spiderweb. Slowly, slowly, you wind a bit in here and go down a path. Then the turn you took leaves you in a tangle so you retrace your steps and start winding a different path.
Iris can’t get over the disappearance of her twin sister Piper. She wants the blood of the man who took her. The police let her down, now she has to take matters into her own hands.
The search takes her to a mental hospital on an island. There she meets the criminally insane but only there will she uncover the secret of what happened to Piper.
I was completely gripped.
Iris can’t get over the disappearance of her twin sister Piper. She wants the blood of the man who took her. The police let her down, now she has to take matters into her own hands.
The search takes her to a mental hospital on an island. There she meets the criminally insane but only there will she uncover the secret of what happened to Piper.
I was completely gripped.
April 4, 2024
3.5 stars. I am a huge fan of Fisher and still will be. I love her writing and her creepy books. This one started off sooooooo good. A twin sister seeking revenge for her sister’s murder (she thinks murdered). A creepy Shoal Island in the Pacific Northwest, isolated and home to the criminally insane? Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! I devoured this book - but the ending? Huh? Why? It just got to be too crazy and unrealistic. I wish the book ended differently because the journey getting there was great.
May 25, 2024
thorn between 2 and 3 stars, so ill settle for 2.5, I tolerated this book; it just didn't flow and felt disjointed in my humble opinion.
Yes id still recommend it, but I wouldn't read this again
A twin goes missing, and then her other half tries to piece together the puzzle of what happened....I think 🥱
Solid 2.5 stars
Yes id still recommend it, but I wouldn't read this again
A twin goes missing, and then her other half tries to piece together the puzzle of what happened....I think 🥱
Solid 2.5 stars
August 27, 2023
Tarryn Fisher always deliveres a well written masterpiece, and this books start seems to be no different. Was given an arc of the first couple of chapters and now I am impatiently awaiting the rest of the book to see where the characters go.
June 20, 2024
This book had an amazing opening chapter and the momentum really built from there. But somewhere in the middle it lost me a little, despite a couple of plot twists. I am sad to say I expected a lot more, and was left a bit flat from this one.
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