Anna Maybourne never imagined herself living in a place like Harper’s Creek, a nowhere town full of dusty farmland plagued by drought. It’s supposed to be a new start for her and her family, but after dropping out of college, Anna feels stuck in place—working a part-time job, watching her little sister grow up, and taking care of her grandmother with dementia, whose paranoid episodes have started to unnerve her. The only interesting thing about her new town, it seems, is the string of grisly murders attributed to a killer called the Farmhandman—and the clue she discovers that reveals the case is yet unsolved.
Along with outspoken loner Melissa Laverne and handsome deputy Todd Greenbough, Anna fills her hours with the town’s darkest curiosity—but even though the prime suspect is long dead, the Farmhandman murders begin to feel too close for comfort as the anniversary nears. Tension is building in Harper’s Creek, and everyone can feel it. The house is becoming more claustrophobic by the day, and her grandmother is growing stranger. Anna begins to wonder if her delusional moments are somehow the key to discovering the truth about the murders, and if the old house, and her new start, is haunted by its own bloody baggage.
This was my first read from Sarah Pinborough, and although I’ve seen her books around over the years, I finally picked this one up because it’s narrated by one of my favourites, Saskia Maarleveld—and once again, she completely delivered! This is a slow-burn serial killer thriller set in a small farming town filled with lots of suspicious residents. The female lead, Anna Maybourne, and her family move into an old house hoping for a fresh start, unaware of the history surrounding both the house and the town. Right away, I loved how authentic the family dynamic felt. Anna is still affected by a traumatic attack a year earlier while acting as a caregiver for her grandmother, Evelyn, whose Alzheimer’s is worsening.
The story is easy to follow, unfolding via Anna’s POV in a single timeline as she adjusts to life in Harper’s Creek. She quickly becomes consumed with learning more about the Farmhand killer’s murders of teens Lila and Bonnie, who were killed three years apart. With another three-year anniversary approaching, rumours spread that the Farmhand could return despite police insisting the killer is dead. And as you’d expect, Anna becomes the amateur sleuth, only to get herself into danger—but aside from this, the story is very unpredictable. It’s obvious from the start that Anna’s attack a year earlier took a toll on her mental health, and as details are slowly revealed, I understood why she’s so guarded around men and on edge all the time. Unfortunately, her trauma shapes a lot of her decision-making, sometimes pushing away people who can help her while trusting others she shouldn’t.
I really enjoyed her unconventional friendship with Jamie, murdered Lila’s former boyfriend, who’s a recovering drug addict, and whose warnings that another murder is coming are dismissed by almost everyone in town. Anna is one of the few people willing to listen. Anna’s mom, Claire, is trying to rebuild their lives while fixing up the old house and growing close to the handyman, who’s another suspicious character. And then there’s Caroline, Anna’s much younger sister, who Anna becomes increasingly protective of as the stakes rise.
Anna’s grandmother Evelyn’s Alzheimer’s and the strange things she says while “losing herself” for brief periods are really terrifying. She repeatedly talks about people telling her that a girl died in the house, and while Anna initially dismisses it as another symptom of her dementia, unexplainable occurrences and details only Evelyn should know soon make her question everything! And let me tell you, you won’t be able to guess where the story heads next!
The chapters are very short, with many ending on mini cliffhangers that made me unable to put the book down. It’s very addictive! Around the halfway point, the story shifts into something I wasn’t fully expecting. I won’t say anything more, but it quickly became the kind of story that I couldn’t entirely wrap my head around and had me questioning what was real alongside Anna. There are some clever misdirections and red herrings surrounding the identity of the true killer towards the end. And more than once, I found myself very frustrated at Anna’s decisions, knowing they were only getting her into more danger. The climax is genuinely high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat stuff, and the aftermath provides some satisfying justice. The final scenes will leave you unsettled and wanting to discuss them—and the entire book—with others, making this a great option for a book club or buddy read! I’ll absolutely be going back and reading more from Sarah Pinborough’s backlist after this one!
If you enjoy serial killer thrillers and mind-bending stories that leave you thinking about them long after reading them, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up!
Narrator Performance
They Say a Girl Died Here is narrated by award-winning narrator Saskia Maarleveld.
From the opening chapters, Maarleveld gives FMC Anna Maybourne a cautious, emotionally guarded yet resilient voice, reflecting all she’s been carrying since the traumatic attack she survived a year earlier. You hear the hesitation in her interactions with the men she meets and how difficult it is for her to trust anyone. As Anna learns about the murders of Lila Clarke and Bonnie Buchanan and the rumours that the Farmhand killer could soon strike again, Maarleveld subtly shifts her performance to convey Anna’s growing determination to uncover the truth.
A major highlight of the audiobook is the interactions between Anna and her grandmother, Evelyn. Maarleveld beautifully conveys Anna’s warmth, patience, and protective caregiver nature as she looks after Evelyn. Some of the most compelling scenes are when Evelyn begins having unsettling visions and blurts out strange warnings about a girl who died in the house. Maarleveld perfectly captures Anna’s initial disbelief as she assumes it’s another symptom of Evelyn’s dementia before allowing concern/uncertainty to creep into her voice as things don’t add up. I was fully immersed and wondering where the story was heading!
As the story becomes more mind-bending, Maarleveld adds more tension and increases her pacing in key scenes to make everything even more intriguing. During the tense climax when Anna finds herself in danger, Maarleveld adds urgency to her tone while also showcasing Anna’s courage and refusal to give up despite everything she’s up against. I also loved the distinct voices for the supporting cast, including Deputy Todd, Pastor Keane, Sheriff Adams, Melissa, Claire, and Caroline. Each character feels convincing, making the audiobook feel more like a multi-cast production. If you’re considering this book, or you’ve enjoyed Sarah Pinborough’s previous books, I can’t recommend this audiobook enough. It’s also the perfect addition to your summer thriller listening list!
Narrator Performance
They Say a Girl Died Here is narrated by award-winning narrator Saskia Maarleveld.
From the opening chapters, Maarleveld gives FMC Anna Maybourne a cautious, emotionally guarded yet resilient voice, reflecting all she’s been carrying since the traumatic attack she survived a year earlier. You hear the hesitation in her interactions with the men she meets and how difficult it is for her to trust anyone. As Anna learns about the murders of Lila Clarke and Bonnie Buchanan and the rumours that the Farmhand killer could soon strike again, Maarleveld subtly shifts her performance to convey Anna’s growing determination to uncover the truth.
A major highlight of the audiobook is the interactions between Anna and her grandmother, Evelyn. Maarleveld beautifully conveys Anna’s warmth, patience, and protective caregiver nature as she looks after Evelyn. Some of the most compelling scenes are when Evelyn begins having unsettling visions and blurts out strange warnings about a girl who died in the house. Maarleveld perfectly captures Anna’s initial disbelief as she assumes it’s another symptom of Evelyn’s dementia before allowing concern/uncertainty to creep into her voice as things don’t add up. I was fully immersed and wondering where the story was heading!
As the story becomes more mind-bending, Maarleveld adds more tension and increases her pacing in key scenes to make everything even more intriguing. During the tense climax when Anna finds herself in danger, Maarleveld adds urgency to her tone while also showcasing Anna’s courage and refusal to give up despite everything she’s up against. I also loved the distinct voices for the supporting cast, including Deputy Todd, Pastor Keane, Sheriff Adams, Melissa, Claire, and Caroline. Each character feels convincing, making the audiobook feel more like a multi-cast production. If you’re considering this book, or you’ve enjoyed Sarah Pinborough’s previous books, I can’t recommend this audiobook enough. It’s also the perfect addition to your summer thriller listening list!
They Say a Girl Died Here is narrated by award-winning narrator Saskia Maarleveld.
From the opening chapters, Maarleveld gives FMC Anna Maybourne a cautious, emotionally guarded yet resilient voice, reflecting all she’s been carrying since the traumatic attack she survived a year earlier. You hear the hesitation in her interactions with the men she meets and how difficult it is for her to trust anyone. As Anna learns about the murders of Lila Clarke and Bonnie Buchanan and the rumours that the Farmhand killer could soon strike again, Maarleveld subtly shifts her performance to convey Anna’s growing determination to uncover the truth.
A major highlight of the audiobook is the interactions between Anna and her grandmother, Evelyn. Maarleveld beautifully conveys Anna’s warmth, patience, and protective caregiver nature as she looks after Evelyn. Some of the most compelling scenes are when Evelyn begins having unsettling visions and blurts out strange warnings about a girl who died in the house. Maarleveld perfectly captures Anna’s initial disbelief as she assumes it’s another symptom of Evelyn’s dementia before allowing concern/uncertainty to creep into her voice as things don’t add up. I was fully immersed and wondering where the story was heading!
As the story becomes more mind-bending, Maarleveld adds more tension and increases her pacing in key scenes to make everything even more intriguing. During the tense climax when Anna finds herself in danger, Maarleveld adds urgency to her tone while also showcasing Anna’s courage and refusal to give up despite everything she’s up against. I also loved the distinct voices for the supporting cast, including Deputy Todd, Pastor Keane, Sheriff Adams, Melissa, Claire, and Caroline. Each character feels convincing, making the audiobook feel more like a multi-cast production. If you’re considering this book, or you’ve enjoyed Sarah Pinborough’s previous books, I can’t recommend this audiobook enough. It’s also the perfect addition to your summer thriller listening list!
