Audiobook Review: Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (September 12, 2023)

Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrator: Angela Dawe

A group of people are trapped on a remote private island on Lake Superior in Kelley Armstrong’s Hemlock Island, a novel which ostensibly starts off as a domestic thriller but then spirals off into something else entirely…but more on that in a bit. The book follows Laney Kilpatrick, a recent divorcee who has been forced to rent her lake house out as a summer retreat to vacationing strangers. It’s not ideal, but the house was a gift from her ex-husband Kit, and after a brief marriage when their relationship fell apart during the pandemic, this was the only way she could keep and maintain the expensive property.

One night, Laney receives an angry call from a renter, this one different from the typical complaint she usually gets. The caller is upset over finding blood all over a bedroom closet, and in light of recent reports about occult activity in the area, Laney decides to check in on the situation herself. With her niece Madison in tow, Laney arrives on Hemlock Island where she meets up with Kit and his sister Jayla who have also come to check on the house over concerns brought to their attention. Four eventually become six when Sadie, an old school friend-turned-enemy, as well as her older brother Garrett, a police officer, turn up uninvited.

Initially, Laney attributes the blood and the other strange occurrences to local pranksters but is quickly disabused of that notion when a dead body is discovered. Not only that, their only means off the island has also been sabotaged, cutting them off from outside help. Things go from bad to worse amidst a storm blowing in from the mainland, meaning that our characters are stuck on the island—right where the killer wants them.

I have seriously mixed feelings over this one. On the one hand, the early sections had me thoroughly engaged with a premise that exuded promise and I was completely hooked on its tension-filled atmosphere. Armstrong can always be counted on to build a palpable sense of anticipation, and her long experience writing mystery and thriller fiction clearly shows. For the first half of this book at least, I felt genuinely invested in the evolving narrative of our characters and curious to see how the plot would unfold.

However, my enjoyment took a nosedive the deeper we ventured into this story. From reading the author’s other books, I know she has the ability to craft characters who resonate with readers, but Laney and Co. are not those. In fact, they almost have a disposable quality to them, like you know this novel is going to be a one-off, so why bother spending too much time on their development? Their personalities and backstories lacked the usual depth, often overshadowed by the relentless pace of the action and thrills.

Speaking of which, the transition from earthly thriller to supernatural horror territory felt awkward and caught me by surprise—and not in a good way. Towards the end, things took a bewildering turn, which wouldn’t have been so bad if it didn’t also feel so rushed. And while I can certainly appreciate the gorier elements of horror, it just felt so out of place here. As a result, this sudden shift in tone after being catapulted into the realm of the inexplicable left me with a sour taste in my mouth and a bad case of whiplash.

Still, I did say I was left with mixed feelings, and they weren’t all negative. Kelley Armstrong sure knows how to write a page-turner, and it’s true I was never bored. While the novel’ execution could have been better, especially when the narrative abruptly shifts from the mundane to the supernatural, this development may very well appeal to readers who enjoy that kind of otherworldly horror. The audiobook version I listened was also highly entertaining, expertly narrated by Angela Dawe. At the end of the day, if you go into Hemlock Island with a ready mindset for unforeseen twists, then you should do just fine.