I went in majorly blind to the story for this book, even having read the first look impression on Bookish First before reading. I wasn't expecting any of the twists and turns that came and I think I would recommend that everyone go in blind as well. The Cherry Robbers has elements of gothic fiction, family drama, mystery and horror. It should please most readers, even those who usually can't stomach the specific tropes and slow burn of gothic books. That is right up my alley so this was perfect. There are themes of family ties, feminism, revenge. I think the comparisons with Shirley Jackson are apt. If anything, I felt that the first chapter about our main character's later life as an artist really set you up for a red herring and didn't introduce the story at all. The build up to each sister's death felt a bit slow and repetitive and at the end, we're left wondering if we understood anything at all.