Megan Ashley is the daughter of famous novelist Frances Ashley who wrote an horror novel that was a bestseller in the 1970s. Frances' novel, called Kitten, is set on Bonny Island, off the coast of Georgia, and it is based on the murder of a young girl that happened while Frances was there on holiday. Megan's childhood was difficult and she and Frances have a very complicated relationship. When Megan is asked to write a tell-all book about Frances and the truth behind her cult novel, Megan sees it as her chance to finally break free from her mother. On Bonny Island, Megan finds out not only the truth about her mother's past and the murder and the people that inspired her novel, but also the truth about herself.
This book is full of suspense as it revolves around an horror novel and an unsolved murder. I loved that the author included chapters from Frances' books and by setting the novel in a run-down hotel on an almost uninhabited and isolated island, the author creates a gothic atmosphere perfect for an horror movie (scary but not in a Stephen King-kind-of-scary). It is not only the story of a crime and mystery, but also the story of the difficult relationship between a mother and a daughter as Megan digs into her mother's past hoping to better understand her. If you are looking for romance there is a bit of that, too, as Megan falls for the handsome handyman working at the hotel. Dark, twisty and completely addictive, I read this novel in two sittings. (NP)
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