Simone St. James has become the Queen of ghostly tales. A Box Full of Darkness delivers a suspenseful, gripping mystery thriller about siblings who return to their childhood home in Fells, New York, when the ghost of their long-lost brother calls them home.
by Simone St. James
Genres: Thriller
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm *affiliate
Siblings return to the house they fled eighteen years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request to come home.
Strange things happen in Fell, New York: A mysterious drowning at the town’s roadside motel. The unexplained death of a young girl whose body is left by the railroad tracks. For Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie the final straw was their little brother's shocking disappearance, which started as a normal game of hide-and-seek.
As their parents grew increasingly distant, the sisters were each haunted by visions and frightening events, leading them to leave town and never look back. Violet still sees dead people—spirits who remind her of Sister, the menacing presence that terrorized her for years. Now after nearly two decades it’s time for a homecoming—because Ben is back, and he’s ready to lead them to the answers they’ve longed for and long feared.
A call from the landscaper, who tends the family homestead in Fell, New York, has siblings Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie returning home. If you are a fan of James, the town will be familiar to you, as it is the home of the Sundown Motel and the site of unexplained deaths.
Told from the perspectives of Violet, Vail and Dodie, James does an excellent job of sharing what drove the then-children and parents from their childhood home after their younger brother Ben went missing during a game of hide and seek.
This atmospheric thriller beautifully portrays sibling relationships as it fleshes out our characters and ramps up the creepy, ghostly suspense. What happened to Ben? What is he trying to tell us? We learn that each of the siblings is haunted by visions and frightening events that cannot be explained. Violet sees dead people, including the sinister woman she referred to as sister when she was a child.
I love a little supernatural woo-woo wrapped in mystery, and James makes it feel so believable as the tension built. She held me captive and had me fully invested in the events and characters. A Box Full of Darkness is a must-read for fans of supernatural mystery thrillers.
About Simone St. James
Simone St. James is the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare, which won two RITA awards from Romance Writers of America and an Arthur Ellis Award from Crime Writers of Canada. She wrote her first ghost story, about a haunted library, when she was in high school, and spent twenty years behind the scenes in the television business before leaving to write full-time. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and a spoiled cat.
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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
Katherine
I may have to use one of my Libro.fm credits on this one. It sounds fantastic and I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by this author. Love the little bit of supernatural too!
Ethan
Her books are always so hit or miss to me. I love the way she weaves supernatural elements into her mysteries, but sometimes it can feel a bit forced. This one sounds fantastic, though!
Bree @ BibliophileBree
Awesome review! I am super excited to read this one.
hena
I have read a few Simone St.James books. Will be adding this as well. Thanks for sharing.
Sophia Rose
This one captivated me, too.
Mary Kirkland
All the siblings have visions sounds scary. This sounds good though.
Laurie | Bark
I am SO excited for this one!
Anne - Books of My Heart
This author certainly has a talent with these style of stories.
Tammy
I adored this too! And it was so emotional.
Jessica @ a GREAT read
OOoh I love me a good supernatural thriller! I still have a few of St. James’ books on my TBR pile and this one was immediately on my watchlist as I read what it was about! Definitely cannot wait to give this one a try…at some point! Lol. Great review!
Melissa
I can’t wait for this novel. I love Simone St. James.