THE SHADOW HOUSE

4 stars out of 5

My overall impression? This is a perfect read while lounging at a sandy beach sipping an umbrella-topped margarita. Or in a recliner in front of a roaring fire sipping an Irish coffee while snowflakes tickle the windows. My personal scenario was nothing so dramatic, alas, but I made the best of my circumstances and enjoyed it just the same.

Living in Australia, Alex has run away from an abusive husband, taking her kids Ollie, age 14, and Kara, 8 months (by two different fathers). They've landed in what's called an ecovillage - a commune of sorts that's under development outside of Sydney. There, she hopes to find peace, love and safety but not divorce - at least that wasn't mentioned at the outset nor anywhere else in the book that I noticed. Love (or the potential thereof) comes early in the form of project developer Kit - a handsome hunk who's single and immediately wants to strike up a relationship with the beautiful Alex. She's interested, but she's got issues to deal with first - not the least of which is that her son - hardly an angel in his own right - is just plain angry about being dragged away from his home and friends - not for the first time, apparently.

The situation goes from bad to worse; amid rumors of supernatural occurrences experienced by other residents, Alex herself becomes a target. Meanwhile, readers (and Alex) learn about similar incidents half a dozen years ago involving a nearby family that led to the rumors. Alex is understandably upset, but she's also curious - and sets out to get to the truth before someone or something gets to her family. In between, she interacts with some of the locals, mostly with skepticism as to whether they really want her to join the community. Between her suspicions about them, the Twilight Zone goings-on and misgivings about Kit, she waffles over whether she should just pack up her kids and meager belongings and run once again.

With a little help from her friends (she's not sure they're really friends, but at least she trusts them enough to let them babysit), everything comes together in the end. And thankfully, most of that Voodoo-type stuff fell by the wayside fairly early on - for me, a little of that goes a long way unless Stephen King wrote it. What bothered me most, I guess, is that none of the characters is especially likable, and a couple of them seemed to be red herrings - thrown in the mix as nothing more than a diversion. Overall, though, this is an engaging story that held my attention (really!) throughout. And I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review.

The Shadow House by Anna Downes (Minotaur Books, April 2022); 314 pp.

THE SAFE PLACE

4 stars out of 5

When emotionally damaged people find each other and start to play games, it can be hard to find a winner. Such is the case here as three "adults" and one child - all with serious issues - come together trying to live in their own special world. Instead, they end up in a world of trouble.

Emily is a loser - if you don't believe that, just ask her. The actress wannabe just flubbed her umpteenth audition, lost her office temp job because she's so inept, and was  kicked out of her apartment - all in one day. What's more, she's  burned so many bridges between herself and her parents that she can't go home again. 

Her boss at the company that just fired her, Scott, is on the surface a highly successful financial CEO who's married to a beautiful wife, Nina. Nina and their mute young daughter, Aurelia are living in secretive luxury in France. Even as he brokers deals, though, Scott is terrified that something he's been trying to hide will spring up and destroy his precious family. Suddenly, he sees an opportunity, and its name is Emily. Yes, she's flawed; but Scott is convinced that they're the perfect flaws to complement those of his wife and daughter, and adding her to the family as his wife's personal assistant will bring the stability they all crave.

Or not. Yes, the vast property is eye-popping, the money flows freely and Emily is enchanted with Nina. Even the shy Aurelia takes a shine to Emily (more like a dull luster, but for this child, that's saying a lot). But the longer she lingers, the more Emily starts to think something's amiss (not the least of which is no access to WiFi or cell phone service). Nina's reaction to accidental visitors instills even more doubts in Emily's mind about what she's signed up for.

Also clear, though, is that if Emily asks too many questions - or ventures too far from the complex - the consequences may be dire. Put another way, she's not sure she really wants to stay, but she's afraid of what might happen if she tries to leave. All told, an intriguing, hard-to-stop-reading book, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

The Safe Place by Anna Downes (Minotaur Books, July 2020); 368 pp.