by Megan Miranda
Narrator: Rebekkah Ross
Length: 9 hours and 57 minutes
Genres: Psychological Thriller
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.3x
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest—a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick—comes a riveting new novel of psychological suspense about a young woman plagued by night terrors after a childhood trauma who wakes one evening to find a corpse at her feet.
Everyone knows the story of “the girl from Widow Hills.”
Arden Maynor was just a child when she was swept away while sleepwalking during a terrifying rainstorm and went missing for days. Strangers and friends, neighbors and rescue workers, set up search parties and held vigils, praying for her safe return. Against all odds, she was found, alive, clinging to a storm drain. The girl from Widow Hills was a living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book. Fame followed. Fans and fan letters, creeps, and stalkers. And every year, the anniversary. It all became too much. As soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and disappeared from the public eye.
Now a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden goes by Olivia. She’s managed to stay off the radar for the last few years. But with the twentieth anniversary of her rescue approaching, the media will inevitably renew its interest in Arden. Where is she now? Soon Olivia feels like she’s being watched and begins sleepwalking again, like she did long ago, even waking outside her home. Until late one night she jolts awake in her yard. At her feet is the corpse of a man she knows—from her previous life, as Arden Maynor.
And now, the girl from Widow Hills is about to become the center of the story, once again, in this propulsive page-turner from suspense master Megan Miranda.
For me summertime screams psychological thrillers and mysteries. The Girl from Widow Hill by Megan Miranda was the perfect fix. Miranda delivered a suspense, twisted and clever-murder mystery.
Grab your earbuds, an iced coffee, and check out my thoughts on the audiobook narrated by Rebekkah Ross.
Ross is a new to me narrator, but she quickly captured our unreliable character’s voice and pulled me into this twisted tale.
The skinny latte…
Arden Maynor now known as Olivia was quite famous as a child when she slept walk one night and went missing for three days. The girl from Widow Hills put the small sleepy town on the map as the nation watched the search for her.
Olivia, now an adult, still doesn’t remember what happened during those missing days. She just remembers the endless dark and dampness, along with the excruciating pain of a broken shoulder.
A package with the personal effects of her dead mother brings back the memories and trigger a night walking episode. When she awakens to see a dead body in her yard it triggers doubt, raises questions and leads the listener on a nail-biting adventure.
The iced frappé …
I’ve enjoyed Megan Miranda’s books before, and The Girl from Widow Hills delivered a well-crafted tale from pacing to red herrings. Olivia was an unreliable narrator with memory loss and troubled childhood who has managed to pull herself together only to find herself confronted with the past and fearful of what may or may not have happened in her front yard.
Friends, detectives, her neighbor and people with connections to her past drag us in and make us doubt not just Olivia but others around her. When evidence seems to fall one way, Miranda twists and reveals to hold the listener captive.
The narration enhanced the story, giving another dimension to the characters and helping to build the suspense. Rebekkah Ross nailed the narration, particularly with the voice of Olivia. I could hear her uncertainty and taste her fear.
Fans of Ruth Ware and Greer Hendrick will want to add The Girl from Widow Hills to their bookshelves.
Grab your earbuds and check out The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda, a suspenseful psychological thriller. #audiobook #Thriller #NewRelease Share on X
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Hena Tayeb
That sounds like a great read.. love how you described it.
Kimberly
Thank you. I hope you get a chance to listen/read it.
Carla
I was going to read this one, but I think I will try to find the audiobook instead. Wonderful review. Although I don’t think of psychological thrillers when I think of summer, this one might be a perfect read/listen in those hot, humid summer nights.
Kimberly
Yes, I think the audiobook enhanced the story 🙂
Olivia-Savannah Roach
I love when I find a book which has a character that shares my name! I also really like hearing about things from an unreliable narrator. I am trying to get more into thrillers so I am going to have to check this author out.
Kimberly
Yes… It doesn’t happen often with Kimberly, but I agree 🙂
Tyler H. Jolley
This is sounds like such a great thriller! Great review!
Kimberly
Yep, well paced and just enough edge to keep the reader listening.
Katherine
This sounds really good and I love the sound of the narrator! This author has been on my radar and I’m definitely going to have to get this on audio.
Kimberly
Check the library, Katherine. I would be curious to see what you think.
Sophia Rose
I listened to an older book of hers and loved it. I’m definitely going to grab this one up at some point. Spooky how she is missing three days of memories.
Kimberly
Right…I hope you get to find out!
Anne - Books of My Heart
I haven’t read this author. I love thrillers so I might have to check this out.
Kimberly
I think you’d enjoy the pacing.
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters
I haven’t read this author before! And this is the first time I see this novel. It definitely sounds enjoyable!
Kimberly
Glad I could share it with you. Hope all is well with you 🙂
Melliane
I haven’t read this last book but I enjoyed the previous ones by the author so I should try!
Kimberly
Good to know!
Debbie Haupt
OOh this gives me shivers just reading the blurb and your review Kim. I haven’t read Megan yet but I’ve seen her reviewed around and I’m tempted
thank you for telling us about this.
Kimberly
I hope you get a chance to try this one 🙂
Felicity Grace Terry
Whilst I rarely find books written by ‘best selling’ authors or those books recommended by ‘celebrity’ book clubs anything special I have to admit that I do like the sound of The Girl from Widow Hills.
Kimberly
There are hidden gems everywhere.
Laura @ Library of Clean Reads
I’ve been seeing this book everywhere so I was curious about your take on it. Great review!
Kimberly
I hope you get a chance to listen; the narration was creeptastic.
Nadene
I love a good thriller and this sounds perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly
Me too, especially in the summer.
Ailyn Koay
i am glad she’s unreliable for different reasons, not like being alcoholic/ drugged or all of the above…
Kimberly
You crack me up. An unreliable character adds a touch of intrigue to the tale.
Ailyn Koay
yes, unreliable characters add another layer of complexity to the overall story. There are many many ways a person can be an unreliable character. It is just that I had found drunk/ drugged person route is way tooo overused and therefore some one like Arden sounds really interesting and makes people want to crack that nut
Kimberly
You are completely right. I’ve sat here thinking about stories with an unreliable narrator, and quite a few had an addiction or were unknowingly being drugged.