This is the eighth novel from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager. His novels have been published in more than 30 countries. Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked as a journalist, editor, and graphic designer. He now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
In the summer of 1994, ten-year-old Ethan Marsh and his best friend and neighbour, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up in Ethan’s backyard in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul-de-sac called Hemlock Circle. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. Despite an extensive search, Billy was never seen again.
Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Ethan’s patents have moved to Florida, and he’s temporarily taking over their home while he sorts himself and his finances out. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul-de-sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Suddenly, Ethan wonders if Billy has somehow returned to Hemlock Circle.
These mysterious events prompt Ethan to re-investigate what really happened the night of Billy’s disappearance. Ethan reunites with former friends and neighbours to pry for more information. This leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle, where Billy claimed ghosts roamed and where a mysterious institute did clandestine research on an ominous estate. Ethan has kept silent about venturing out to the same estate with Billy and others on the day before Billy’s disappearance, but now he’s willing to expose this truth to get more answers. When a body is discovered at the foot of the waterfalls by the estate, Ethan decides it’s time to take matters into his own hands. At the same time, Billy’s presence continues to make itself known around Ethan’s house. As Ethan becomes convinced that Billy’s ghost is leading him to the truth, he decides he must reenact the night from 30 years ago to reveal Billy’s killer.
This is a slow-burn supernatural mystery book. The first half of the book includes a lot of character development and backstory. Most of the twists and reveals are presented in the second half, so you’ll have to be patient to see the true value of this book.
The storyline is dual timeline, presenting many flashback scenes in 1994 on the days surrounding Billy’s disappearance. It’s really fascinating to read Ethan’s different perspectives as a young, vibrant adolescent versus a hollow, haunted middle-aged man. There’s also a lot of 1990s nostalgia incorporated into the story, which will definitely please readers who grew up in that era. The story is also told from multiple POVs, mainly from the perspectives of the residents of Hemlock Circle. Each perspective adds further intrigue to the story and gives more pieces to the puzzle in solving the mystery of Billy’s disappearance. If you read carefully, there are many clues that make the later twists more predictable.
The book features some serious subject matter, including trauma, loss, grief, insomnia, and depression, all of which are woven into Ethan’s complicated story. The flashbacks to 1994 provide insight into how all the characters ultimately contributed to Billy’s disappearance and also do a great job at building the suspense. Ethan’s sensing of Billy’s presence in the present day will definitely have you wondering if the book is headed towards a creepy ghost story or if there’s something even more sinister going on. To be somewhat critical, the story does feel repetitive at times, especially with Ethan’s inner monologues and his ongoing suspicions of Billy returning as a ghost. The book could have easily been 40 pages shorter and more effective.
Narrator Santino Fontana does a fantastic job narrating this audiobook. His portrayal of Ethan is haunting, suspenseful, and full of underlying tension as he fully embodies the character. Fontana also provides distinct and authentic voices for all the complex characters and paces the story incredibly well, making the shifting timelines easy to follow and very captivating.
If you enjoy suspense novels that involve a neighbourhood full of secrets, spying trail cameras, secret institutes, and a dose of the supernatural, then this book is definitely for you! This book would definitely translate well to film, especially with its great cast of dubious suburban characters and its elements of paranormal activity. This is also one where the audiobook is the preferred medium for enjoying, as the narration is expertly executed. If all of this sounds enticing, give this one a read or listen!