ARC REVIEW: The Girl In The Cabin – by Stacy Green

Title: The Girl In The Cabin
(Lucy Kendall #3)
Author: Stacy Green
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: June 23rd 2015
Publisher: Bookouture
Finished reading: January 23rd 2023
Pages: 301
(Originally published as ‘Gone To Die’)

“Black and white sounds like it would help everyone sleep at night, but you know what? That’s just an illusion.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

REVIEW

It’s been a while since I last binge-read a series, but I’m sure having a fantastic time with the Lucy Kendall books. The series is being republished today with new shiny covers, titles and blurbs, but it’s still the same old Lucy Kendall I now wish I had met years ago. What a twisted and entertaining ride it has been so far! It’s not often you come across a story where the main character is basically a sociopath serial killer, and this unique angle is one of the reasons this series is working so well for me. Book three ended up being another excellent crime thriller!

Before I continue, a little warning. This is definitely a series to read in order, both to avoid spoilers and to properly understand the characters, their background and their dynamics. It is also a series that isn’t afraid to go dark and seriously twisted, so definitely not for those with a weak stomach… In The Girl In The Cabin the plot goes a little lighter on the (child) abuse element than the first two books, but that doesn’t mean that the story is less brutal. You will find a focus on multiple serial killers as well as the hunt for a missing person (and character we all know very well) and a cold case investigation angle. The stakes are high as they try to find Chris in time and catch his mother… It’s all hands on deck with multiple agencies involved, and of course that includes Lucy, Todd and Kelly.

It was interesting to see the dynamics between the main characters further evolve, and there is so much new to learn about them in The Girl In The Cabin. The main focus is on Lucy and Chris of course, which is understandable with him being missing and Lucy trying to find him before it’s too late. We learn a lot about Chris and the secrets he’s been keeping, but the development in Lucy’s character is also fascinating. True, she does feel a bit different than in the first two books, but there is still a fire in her that won’t stop burning. We also get to learn more about Chris’ mother Mary… And boy, things are even more twisted than I could have imagined!

The main focus in The Girl In The Cabin is on the man hunt and search for Chris, and this ment a lot of instant tension, suspense and action along the way. I literally flew through the pages, keeping my fingers crossed everything would work out in the end while being shocked by revelation after revelation about the past. High speed, pitch dark and most definitely disturbing indeed! There is no big cliffhanger this time around, but the way things ended still made me glad I have the next book lined up to read straight away.

I still think this is one of those series where it’s better to go in without knowing too much about it though. Just make sure to prepare yourself for a seriously twisted, unique and disturbing ride. It’s not a series I will be forgetting easily, that’s for sure!