"The Familiar Dark"

“The Familiar Dark”

Written by Amy Engel

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Familiar Dark” is the second book that I’ve read by the fantastic Amy Engel. Her first book, “The Roanoke Girls” is one of my favorite psychological thrillers that I have read in the past five years. In both stories, Engel creates a brilliant level of suspense, as characters revisit the dark side of their families, remembering haunting memories. In “The Familiar Dark”, a mother, Eve, has learned that her daughter, Julie, and Julie’s friend, Izzy, were killed in the park, left to die in a thick down of snow. Eve becomes obsessed with finding the answers and begins to interrogate old ghosts from her past to find the truth.

Eve is a very strong character, in many ways. She is a difficult character to like, because of her past decisions and current demeanor. Wounded, she seeks solace in familiar faces and reconnects with people that have hurt her. She sleeps with another man’s wife, becomes drunk at strip clubs, and harasses people to receive information. Similar to the great Gillian Flynn and V.C. Andrews, Engel creates severely flawed and unlikeable creatures, who we want to succeed and flourish, like dying Venus fly traps.

The plot branches off into many different directions. Possible clues and leads emerge, to be ruined and abandoned completely in the next chapter. By the time we reach the conclusion, the killer was quite obvious. However, the next step after the reveal was one of the grittiest and uncomfortable sequences I’ve read in a few months. For the climax and resolution alone, the book deserves repeat standing ovations.

In conclusion, this horrific and tragic tale was one to be remembered. I wholeheartedly recommend this to those who enjoy characters who return home and reveal dark secrets. This popular trope has always been a favorite of mine. For those who also enjoy that type of book, I highly recommend her first, “The Roanoke Girls”, Gillian Flynn’s “Sharp Objects”, and Lexie Elliot’s books. “The Familiar Dark” is one that you could be frightened of, even if reading at dawn. You’ll lose sleep over it.

I received a complimentary advance edition from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes. Thank you again to Dutton Books.