This is the latest release from Seraphina Nova Glass, an Edgar Award-nominated author. The Vacancy in Room 10 is her fifth book and has been named a New York Times Book Review Summer Read and an Amazon Editor’s Pick in Mystery & Thrillers.
When Anna Hartley’s husband, Henry, frantically calls her, confessing he’s done something terrible, she is in disbelief. They’ve had their marriage problems if late, but the mild, predictable artist she married is incapable of violence, let alone committing murder. But her confusion turns to horror when police find his body washed up on the banks of the Rio Grande, which is being viewed as a suicide.
In a desperate act to find answers to all the questions behind his sudden death, Anna checks in to The Sycamores, the rundown motel turned apartment Henry rented as an art studio. The Sycamore is run by Cass, a woman who was recently booted from her house by her cheating boyfriend after years of living together. As Anna begins to search the boxes that belong to her husband and interrogates the eclectic mix of residents about her husband and each other, she begins to piece together a picture of a very different man than the one she married and the secret life he concealed from her. Anna also discovers that Henry was having an affair with a mystery woman, and she is adamant about discovering this woman’s identity. At the same time, Cass, who has been blackmailing men to make money, makes a poor judgment about her next target and ends up with a dead body on her hands. In an attempt to cover her tracks, she partners up with a fellow resident, Calem, who had previously been fighting with the dead man, to dispose of the body. As Anna is keeping a watchful eye on the residents, she quickly becomes suspicious of Cass and Calem’s secretive relationship. Cass, who also knows more about Henry than she’s letting in, is determined to keep Anna in the dark. When threatening letters start appearing at her door, Anna becomes determined to discover the truth of everything before she becomes the next target.
This is a fast-paced, suspenseful story that gets more interesting with each new chapter. The story alternates back and forth between the perspectives of Anna and Cass. They are very different characters, but both women are strong female characters who don’t back away from confrontation. The backstory of each character is very well laid out in the novel, and we get an intimate understanding of the motivations behind some of their extreme actions, especially in the case of Cass. There are also a wonderful myriad of eccentric and entertaining characters that make up the residents of the Sycamore apartments. Case’s dialogue with the ladies who spend their time by the pool is very entertaining, especially when they all venture out to the upscale house party and confront Cass’s ex, Reid. Cass’s perspective on her living arrangements at the Sycamores dramatically shifts over the course of the story as her character evolves, and she finally comes back to herself with a new-found family by the end. The second half of the story escalates in drama and includes quite a few pleasing twists and turns. The ending, although satisfying in plot points, felt a bit rushed after such a dramatic buildup. It would have been more interesting to have a few scenes showing Calem’s final fate and perhaps an epilogue of the aftermath of the trial, giving further details of Anna’s new life.
Narrators Brittany Pressley and Stacey Glemboski both deliver outstanding performances as Cass and Anna. Pressley’s performance of Cass gets more intense and captivating with each chapter, and she convincingly portrays an unhinged “rough around the edges” woman with the perfect amount of rawness, tension, and cunningness. Glemboski’s performance of Anna is more subdued in the beginning, but she really brings out the dramatic flair and intensity in the second half, when Anna is faced with shocking revelations and is in danger. In summary, this is another excellent original thriller from Nova Glass that is having people talking. If you haven’t read or listened to anything from this author before or are looking for your next great, thrilling dual POV book, then grab a copy of this one right away!
