A Suspenseful Thriller: Daisy Darker

 

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Publication Date: August 2022

Number of Pages: 335

Geographical Setting: An isolated island in England

Time Period: October 31st, 2004. 

"It's like a messed up family edition of clue." - Daisy Darker

The events of this thriller take place over the course of only one night leading into Halloween as the hours pass midnight. The Darker family has been invited to celebrate grandma's 80th birthday at her house, Seaglass Manor. Seaglass Manor is the only home located on an isolated island only accessible by a causeway when the tide is low.

Our narrator, Daisy Darker, has had a special bond with her Nana, Beatrice Darker, ever since Daisy was diagnosed with a heart defect at age five. Daisy wouldn't miss her Nana's birthday for anything, even if it means facing the rest of her family that hasn't spoken since a terrible family incident years ago. 

As the tide comes in, cutting the family off from the world, Nana informs the family of the contents of her Will. She doesn't sugarcoat the news that none of them are receiving the money they hope for, but none of them, father, mother, any of the sisters, or Daisy's niece, can storm off the island in anger at this point. When a close family friend, Connor, joins the party by boat as a storm rolls in, his presence only adds to the tension. 

The Darkers head off to bed one by one but are awoken by niece Trixie's screams when she finds Nana dead just after midnight. A series of poems, scrabble letter messages, and handwritten poems are the clues that are left behind and Nana's death is only the first. Is a murderer among them or is someone or something else in the house with them?

Subjects:

Dysfunctional Families

Family Reunions

Murder

Appeal: 

The Tone is atmospheric and suspenseful

The Storyline is intricately plotted 

The Timeline alternates between past and present 

The Pace is compelling

A blend of categories from the Adrenaline Genre from The Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction Third Edition, this book ended up being equal parts Thriller and Suspense, which Sarick notes in the article "At Leisure with Joyce Sarick" that is often the case these days.

Thriller Characteristics 

"Nothing is ever as it seems"

Moves at a rapid pace, driven by the danger faced by the protagonist

Suspense Characteristics

Action takes place in a narrow time frame

Dark, menacing atmosphere that emphasizes the danger to the protagonist

3 terms that best describe this book:

atmospheric, secrets, suspicion

Related Non-Fiction Works

The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum -  Since several murders and near murders in Daisy Darker are caused by poison, this book on how toxicology and forensic science started ties in nicely.

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen - Both stories involve three sisters and siblings that share a family secret as they grow up in a dysfunctional family.

Fiction Read Alikes:

The Guest List by Lucy Foley - both are atmospheric, and set on a remote island with guests brought together for a special event: a wedding in the case of the Guest List.

The Wildling Sisters by Eve Chase - both have three sisters in an old family home after a family tragedy has occurred. There is jealousy and there are family secrets that will test the characters.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewel - The Family upstairs is set in an old English mansion and also has a mysterious family death. Both have families that haven't spoken in years that are drawn together by an inheritance. Both storylines move back and forth in time.