Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

“The real horror of my life is not that I’ve killed some terrible people. The real horror is that the people I’ve loved didn’t love me back.”

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him. In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

Funny story - before "You" became the popular Lifetime/Netflix series, I had read Hidden Bodies several months prior - not even aware that it was a sequel featuring Joe Goldberg, the obsessed stalker boyfriend . And I loved it. Seriously, I was completely drawn into Joe's story and his serial killer ways. After reading "You", I have to say, I did enjoy the first book of the series more..but nonetheless, Hidden Bodies was great. I didn't particularly care for Love, Joe's love interest in the book, and the ending keeps you hanging which makes me wonder - will this be a trilogy? I certainly hope so. It has to be a great book and series when you root for the stalker killer, right? I definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys the thriller genre.

Daughters of the Lake

Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb
After the end of her marriage, Kate Granger has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to pull herself together—only to discover the body of a murdered woman washed into the shallows. Tucked in the folds of the woman’s curiously vintage gown is an infant, as cold and at peace as its mother. No one can identify the woman. Except for Kate. She’s seen her before. In her dreams…

One hundred years ago, a love story ended in tragedy, its mysteries left unsolved. It’s time for the lake to give up its secrets. As each mystery unravels, it pulls Kate deeper into the eddy of a haunting folktale that has been handed down in whispers over generations. Now, it’s Kate’s turn to listen. As the drowned woman reaches out from the grave, Kate reaches back. They must come together, if only in dreams, to right the sinister wrongs of the past.


Man, did I love this book. I read a ton of books, some better than others, and then every once in awhile I stumble across a story I become completely enraptured in and can't put down - this is one of those books. Daughters of the Lake truly has everything for everyone - from romance, to mystery, even a little fantasy thrown in there - who doesn't love a good mysterious sea creature? Oh, and did I mention ghosts?

I especially love books with alternating stories from the past to present and in this case, I was not disappointed with either story. Of course, this book revolves around the main character, Kate, stumbling across a murdered woman, Addie, washed ashore with an infant. If that's not creepy and horrifying enough, Kate has seen this woman before; in her dreams. Kate becomes an instant suspect - because I mean, who has dreams about a dead woman from years ago? Thus begins Kate's quest to find out who Addie is, why she's dreaming of this mysterious woman and the special affinity women in Kate's family have for water.

In addition to Kate's story in the present, I loved Addie and Jessy's story in the past and the shocking secret and surprise we learn involving Addie's murder and how exactly it relates to Kate's own family history and story. There were so many twists and turns, I couldn't wait to find out what happened. Why did Addie wash ashore now when she was murdered years ago? Who is the baby? Who murdered Addie? So many questions which were all answered in the best possible way. Truly a great book which I would recommend to anyone.

Dark Places

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Libby Day was just seven years old when her older brother massacred her family while she hid in a cupboard. Her evidence helped put him away. Ever since then she has been drifting, surviving for over 20 years on the proceeds of the 'Libby Day fund'. But now the money is running out and Libby is desperate. When she is offered $500 to do a guest appearance, she feels she has to accept. But this is no ordinary gathering. The Kill Club is a group of true-crime obsessives who share information on notorious murders, and they think her brother Ben is innocent.

Ben was a social misfit, ground down by the small-town farming community in which he lived. But he did have a girlfriend - a brooding heavy metal fan called Diondra. Through her, Ben became involved with drugs and the dark arts. When the town suddenly turned against him, his thoughts turned black. But was he capable of murder? Libby must delve into her family's past to uncover the truth - no matter how painful...  

Hmm. So, I definitely have mixed feelings about this book. I haven't read much crime thrillers/mysteries, aside from a few here and there (Stephen King, Paula Hawkins), and after reading Dark Places, now I know why. Well first of all, let me just say that I could NOT put this book down, I felt like I was watching a movie and HAD to find out the ending. But as much as I enjoyed Flynn's writing, I was left oddly disturbed towards the end. Seriously. Is she a secret serial killer or something? Who thinks of this crap? I was not a fan of the cow massacre (traumatized), not to mention the descriptive murder scene of chopping up a little girl's body. UGH. I honestly despised all of the characters, including Libby, and don't get me started on Ben. However, I think that says a lot about what a good author Gillian Flynn is - to have the reader react so emotionally towards characters is pretty impressive. In the end, as disturbing as it was I can't take anything away from the actual story. There were so many twists and turns that kept me reading through the night, and I really enjoyed it (if that's the word for it). I'll be on the lookout for more of her stories, but for now I think I'll go back to my beloved chick lit.