by Heather Mihok
Overall: In this supernatural thriller that will be released on October 27th, 17-year-old Temperly has run away from a life that’s gone unbearably wrong. She plans to hide in the mountains of rural Virginia and figure out what to do next while earning as small fee as a temporary caretake (or inn-sitter) for a couple with an isolated property and a family emergency. But she quickly feels as trapped in the inn as she did in her past life, with strange noises in the night and no one to confide in but the owners’ sweet dog, Skippy. Is the inn haunted? Or is Temperly just imagining things due to the traumas of her past?
Likes: I liked a lot of things about this one; it’s a challenge to write this review without spoilers! The Inn-Sitter successfully combines elements of the thriller genre with the supernatural, no easy feat. Some of the characters are quite creative, especially a boy with an unusual hobby. There was a big twist that I didn’t see coming, as the author had successfully distracted me from some carefully placed clues! The conclusion was satisfying without being too neat and tidy. Temperly is a sympathetic character, and her actions mostly made sense for a naïve teenager who’s off on her own for the first time and in denial about her need for emotional connection, healing, and help.
Dislikes: Again, I’m trying to avoid spoilers! Although there’s an eventual explanation for their behavior, for much of the book I found it hard to credit that Raina and Bob would leave their inn in the hands of a complete stranger. And I’m not sure I bought that a character didn’t know someone could be tracked through a phone or social media. Something bad happens to an animal, and while it wasn’t completely gratuitous, I also didn’t think it was necessary. The pacing of the book felt uneven to me.
FYI: abusive relationships, death of a parent, terminal illness, murder, assault, stalking, invasion of privacy, drug use. References to kidnapping, torture, imprisonment
Thank you to the author, Heather Mihok, and Katie and Brey PA for providing an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Liz Helfrich 