Seventeen-year-old Grey is returning to her childhood home for the summer - the tiny, isolated, bayou town of La Cachette, Louisiana, "Psychic Capitol of the World". Everyone in the town has some kind of supernatural gift. Grey spends the summers with her grandmother and helps her out in her spiritualist store. Six months before, Grey's best friend, Elora, disappeared on a dark night. No body has been found despite an extensive search. Grey is traumatized by the loss of Elora and hopes to solve the mystery of her disappearance. At the same time, she discovers a psychic ability beginning to manifest in herself, and must come to terms with this new power.
The swampy, hot, humid, coastal town of La Cachette is so lush, eerie and atmospheric, it is like another character. Darkness and rot fester under the surface. The town's people have been holding on to many secrets, which Grey uncovers in her search to find the truth about what happened to Elora. The first half of the novel was a bit of a slow burn, then the pace picked up in the second half, as the danger escalated and the secrets unraveled. There were misdirections and unpredictable twists. Dark and Shallow Lies was immersive, addictive and compelling. The creepy, unsettling atmosphere persisted throughout the story. This will be a popular fall/Halloween read, and deservedly so. #BookishFirst
The swampy, hot, humid, coastal town of La Cachette is so lush, eerie and atmospheric, it is like another character. Darkness and rot fester under the surface. The town's people have been holding on to many secrets, which Grey uncovers in her search to find the truth about what happened to Elora. The first half of the novel was a bit of a slow burn, then the pace picked up in the second half, as the danger escalated and the secrets unraveled. There were misdirections and unpredictable twists. Dark and Shallow Lies was immersive, addictive and compelling. The creepy, unsettling atmosphere persisted throughout the story. This will be a popular fall/Halloween read, and deservedly so. #BookishFirst