When Cassie and Ana return to their childhood home in rural Connecticut, among their deceased mother’s belongings they stumble across an unpublished manuscript: a murder mystery, written by their mom’s girlfriend AJ —and featuring their mother as a key character.
Cassie, a writer, wants to turn the old story into a bestseller. Ana, fearful of what they will learn, wants to destroy it.
As the sisters delve into AJ’s story, they uncover a disturbing trail leading to an abandoned village the locals call Grabtown.
As AJ says, “Small towns are great for scolding the kids who throw too many snowballs, but not always good at spotting real evil.”.
When Cassie’s volatile husband Marsh demands they stop digging, and a retired detective arrives asking dangerous questions, the twins realize someone believes AJ’s story isn’t fiction—it’s a confession.
What’s really behind Marsh’s highly successful rare-motorcar enterprise? Why does the past refuse to stay buried? And why is a major crimes detective now urging them to flee?
This literary thriller literally has the perfect balance of slow-burn suspense/dread and family drama—and it feels unsettlingly realistic! If you haven’t read Sarah P. Blanchard before (like I hadn’t), this is the place to start, as it showcases her great writing and ability to structure a story to keep you always engaged. With a dual timeline cold-case murder mystery, a story-within-a-story narrative, and 40-year-old twin sister protagonists, this book feels so original. Woven into the story is some disturbing (and sadly very relevant) contemporary subject matter, along with compelling themes of family secrets, trauma, buried violence, control, and monsters hidden in plain sight!
The book opens with an intense prologue showing two individuals in a frightening situation that immediately sets a tone of unease. The story then shifts to Cassie, who’s returned to her childhood home after her mother’s death to begin clearing out the house with her twin Anna. From there, the narrative shifts between Cassie’s POV and AJ’s first-person POV in the manuscript describing events from 1985. AJ was close to both sisters and even lived in the home with their mother for a time, and she reveals her connection to a cold murder case that becomes more disturbing with each chapter.
At the same time, Cassie is dealing with grief, reconnecting with her twin, and “check-in” phone calls from her controlling husband Marsh, who’s away on a confidential business trip. It’s clear that Cassie is in denial about her husband’s gaslighting and control—and it has fractured her relationship with her sister, making you want to shake some sense into her early on! As disturbing family and town secrets surface, the twins’ bond grows stronger, and they’re forced to make high-stakes decisions. What also feels SO real is how different the two sisters are despite being born minutes apart. The gradual reveal of Cassie’s tumultuous childhood—being labeled, diagnosed with ADHD and oppositional defiance disorder, and later turning to drugs and alcohol—adds another layer to the story and really shows how generational behavioral patterns can destroy families if left unaddressed!
I had a really hard time putting this book down because both timelines are always moving forward. There aren’t any repetitive moments or dialogue, aside from Cassie’s internal second-guessing—especially regarding her husband—which still feels authentic for someone who’s been controlled for many years. You’ll notice connections linking the 1985 manuscript and present-day timelines. If you’re paying close attention to small details, you’ll be able to predict the major twists, but they still have emotional weight because of how disturbing the subject matter is.
By the final act, Cassie and Anna are pulled into a race-against-time situation where avoiding the truth isn’t an option any longer—and you’ll be flying through the pages to see how it all ends! The ending gives some closure but also leaves questions unanswered that will have you thinking about the characters’ outcomes—just like in real life! For all these reasons, the book is a great option for a book club or buddy read to unpack everything afterward!
Narrator Performance
Grabtown is narrated by award-winning narrator Meghan Kelly. She portrays Cassie with a restrained voice layered with uncertainty and vulnerability, reflecting the grief over her mother’s death and everything she’s carrying under the surface. In her dialogue with her twin sister Anna early on Kelly makes the strain in their relationship evident, especially Anna’s resentment over Cassie’s relationship with her controlling husband, Marsh.
In contrast, Kelly portrays Anna with a steadier, more matter-of-fact tone that makes it clear she sees things more clearly than Cassie. But as the story unfolds, Kelly softens her tone to reveal her vulnerability, making the sisters’ reconnection feel heartfelt. Kelly portrays Marsh with a calm and slightly detached voice that makes him feel immediately questionable and unlikable. The phone call scenes between Cassie and her husband are especially effectively—you can hear the quiet tension in Cassie’s responses that makes her husband’s hold over her so obvious..
In the 1985 timeline, Kelly gives AJ a steady, confident voice that portrays her as a determined and independent woman who’s easy to root for, especially given the circumstances she’s navigating. The scenes between AJ and the twins’ mother, Marla, are a highlight, as Kelly gives an emotional performance of both women when secrets are revealed and their relationship is tested.
By the final act, when Cassie is forced to confront buried family secrets and the reality of her marriage, Kelly shifts her performance to give her a determination tone that shows she wants justice no matter what cost, highlighting her growth. Kelly also gives distinct voices to the secondary characters, especially those who AJ interacts with and—namely Mike, Charlotte, and Zach—which makes those scenes feel very immersive. This audiobook will stay with you—not just because of how compelling the story is, but because Kelly’s narration brings the emotional intensity alive in a realistic way that will have you hooked from start to finish. A must-listen for fans of literary thrillers and family dramas!
Narrator Performance
Grabtown is narrated by award-winning narrator Meghan Kelly. She portrays Cassie with a restrained voice layered with uncertainty and vulnerability, reflecting the grief over her mother’s death and everything she’s carrying under the surface. In her dialogue with her twin sister Anna early on Kelly makes the strain in their relationship evident, especially Anna’s resentment over Cassie’s relationship with her controlling husband, Marsh.
In contrast, Kelly portrays Anna with a steadier, more matter-of-fact tone that makes it clear she sees things more clearly than Cassie. But as the story unfolds, Kelly softens her tone to reveal her vulnerability, making the sisters’ reconnection feel heartfelt. Kelly portrays Marsh with a calm and slightly detached voice that makes him feel immediately questionable and unlikable. The phone call scenes between Cassie and her husband are especially effectively—you can hear the quiet tension in Cassie’s responses that makes her husband’s hold over her so obvious..
In the 1985 timeline, Kelly gives AJ a steady, confident voice that portrays her as a determined and independent woman who’s easy to root for, especially given the circumstances she’s navigating. The scenes between AJ and the twins’ mother, Marla, are a highlight, as Kelly gives an emotional performance of both women when secrets are revealed and their relationship is tested.
By the final act, when Cassie is forced to confront buried family secrets and the reality of her marriage, Kelly shifts her performance to give her a determination tone that shows she wants justice no matter what cost, highlighting her growth. Kelly also gives distinct voices to the secondary characters, especially those who AJ interacts with and—namely Mike, Charlotte, and Zach—which makes those scenes feel very immersive. This audiobook will stay with you—not just because of how compelling the story is, but because Kelly’s narration brings the emotional intensity alive in a realistic way that will have you hooked from start to finish. A must-listen for fans of literary thrillers and family dramas!
Grabtown is narrated by award-winning narrator Meghan Kelly. She portrays Cassie with a restrained voice layered with uncertainty and vulnerability, reflecting the grief over her mother’s death and everything she’s carrying under the surface. In her dialogue with her twin sister Anna early on Kelly makes the strain in their relationship evident, especially Anna’s resentment over Cassie’s relationship with her controlling husband, Marsh.
In contrast, Kelly portrays Anna with a steadier, more matter-of-fact tone that makes it clear she sees things more clearly than Cassie. But as the story unfolds, Kelly softens her tone to reveal her vulnerability, making the sisters’ reconnection feel heartfelt. Kelly portrays Marsh with a calm and slightly detached voice that makes him feel immediately questionable and unlikable. The phone call scenes between Cassie and her husband are especially effectively—you can hear the quiet tension in Cassie’s responses that makes her husband’s hold over her so obvious..
In the 1985 timeline, Kelly gives AJ a steady, confident voice that portrays her as a determined and independent woman who’s easy to root for, especially given the circumstances she’s navigating. The scenes between AJ and the twins’ mother, Marla, are a highlight, as Kelly gives an emotional performance of both women when secrets are revealed and their relationship is tested.
By the final act, when Cassie is forced to confront buried family secrets and the reality of her marriage, Kelly shifts her performance to give her a determination tone that shows she wants justice no matter what cost, highlighting her growth. Kelly also gives distinct voices to the secondary characters, especially those who AJ interacts with and—namely Mike, Charlotte, and Zach—which makes those scenes feel very immersive. This audiobook will stay with you—not just because of how compelling the story is, but because Kelly’s narration brings the emotional intensity alive in a realistic way that will have you hooked from start to finish. A must-listen for fans of literary thrillers and family dramas!
