Alice Feeney

Als Adam und Amelia an dem abgelegenen Ferienhaus in den schottischen Highlands ankommen, weicht ihre anfängliche Erleichterung schnell einer beklemmenden Vorahnung. Wie sollen sie ausgerechnet hier einen Ausweg aus ihrer Ehekrise finden? Mit dem Gefühl in eine Falle gelockt worden zu sein, suchen sie verzweifelt nach einem Ausweg. Doch die Schlinge zieht sich sukzessive zu und sie verfallen in eine Art Schockstarre. Viel zu spät begreifen sie, dass sie sich mitten in dem von ihnen selbst inzensierten Lebensfilm befinden …

Fazit
Ein beklemmender und gruseliger Thriller, der einer Hitchcock-Verfilmung würdig gewesen wäre.

The story is told from Daisy's point of view: The main character was born the youngest of three and with a "broken heart". She wasn’t expected to live beyond her childhood years. Her - dysfunctional - family is not exactly supportive, except for her loving and kind Nana.

The family gathers to celebrate the grandmother’s 80th birthday at her mansion on the Cornish coast, inaccessible during high tide. The guest list includes her

• son, the world-traveling musician who never seemed to like spending time with his family 
• ex-daughter-in-law, the self-absorbed mom who picked favorites amongst her children (Daisy wasn’t the chosen one)
• three granddaughters 
• great-granddaughter 
• surprise guest.

Since a palm reader once predicted this will probably be Nana's last birthday she makes a point of discussing her will with the people present at Seaglass. Most of the family members are unhappy about how the successful children's author wants to distribute her considerable fortune. Later that night, Nana is found dead in the kitchen and seems to have left them with a strange poem consisting of lines describing each of the guests - not in a particularly positive light. As there is no working landline or reception, they have to wait for the tide to go out, and more dreadful incidents occur during the long hours of the night. 

I ended up listening to this dark novel (something I generally appreciate, I'm not one for romance or cozy stories) because liked "Rock Paper Scissors" and "Sometimes I Lie" a lot!

But this book was too foreseeable to my taste, and I found the writing not as pleasing as in her other books (I had first thought it was an early work of Alice Feeney). In the acknowledgment, the author tells us of all the books she wrote, Daisy Darker is her favorite. I'm sorry to say it's the one I enjoyed the least. Still, I'm looking forward to reading her next book - hoping Daisy Darker was just an unfortunate, isolated case.

Why's it nobody can't be bothered with searching for Nana's body after it disappeared? Very odd.

The audiobook is - once again - very well narrated by Stephanie Racine (while I found her reading superbly in the other audiobooks).

Firstly, the author has a good writing style and especially her metaphors and comparisons have impressed me. The story itself, however, not so much. The book was very dragged out and I personally could live without some of the flashbacks to the past. In addition, one of the sisters always sang "Mockingbird" by Eminem in the 1980s, which is a nice song, but only published in 2005 and thus does not fit there at all, especially since the story itself takes place in 2004.

It is a pity but for me personally the book absolutely could not pick me up, which is why I would not recommend it to others.