"The Hungry Dark" by Jen Williams

 

As a child, Ashley Whitelam could often see odd things nobody else could: quiet, watchful figures she called the Heedful Ones kept a strange vigil wherever she went. As an adult, she keeps these visions to herself, but she’s turned her taste of the beyond into a career as a “psychic”­ – parting people from their money with a combination of psychology and internet research. When the Lake District is gripped by a series of grisly child murders, Ashley offers her services to the police for the free publicity. But as Ashley leads the police on a fruitless search around the small town of Green Beck, she catches a glimpse of those old ghosts of her childhood and, following them into the woods, she finds something she never expected: the corpse of the latest missing child.

The press fly into a frenzy and the police grow suspicious: either Ashley’s psychic abilities are real, or she is guilty of murder. Hounded by interviews and interrogations, Ashley teams up with Freddie Miller, a podcaster covering the crimes. As they investigate, Ashley realises that there’s no way to distance herself from these murders: whoever or whatever it is that’s haunting the Lakes is haunting her, too.

Master of unsettling suspense Jen Williams is back with another chilling, dark read that will draw readers into a gruesome and atmospheric nightmare. ~taken from Goodreads

Another Jen Williams novel for me. It's not my first, and the plot premises always are so unique that I am excited to give them a read! A Dark And Secret Place and Games For Dead Girls are two previous books that I've read by the author, and both I gave around 3 stars. I hate to say that this one was no different. 

There were interesting concepts of this book, but for some reason nothing meshed well together. This was a very slow moving story as well. For a thriller, I need to be wowed here and there, and this just didn't do that. I found myself skimming paragraphs quite regularly through this entire book.

This did have a creepy, eerie vibe, which was enjoyable. The best parts of the story are the glimpses into Ashley's past. 

I am sure there are those who will enjoy this book much more, but this was not for me. 

2.5 stars is what I give this. 

The Hungry Dark is out today, April 9, 2024 here in the U.S. so get your copy today. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me an advanced digital copy to read and give my honest review. 

Happy Reading!