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A review by paulabrandon
Dark Room by Tom Becker
4.0
Darla O'Neill has grown up moving from place to place with her grifter father, until they wind up in Saffron Hills, where her father blackmails his way into a rental. Darla doesn't fit in with the rich, snooty kids at the high school, though she does find friends of sorts in Sasha and Frank. However, her popularity doesn't improve when she starts receiving visions of students being murdered...and often the one who discovers the body. What is the connection between these murders, and the murder of a pageant beauty queen 20 years earlier?
This was an enjoyable slasher-style horror thriller with shades of Point Horror and Fear Street. There's no explanation given as to why Darla starts receiving these visions. It's really just a device to frame a traditional murder mystery thriller. I love a thriller that contains ties between the past and present, and this book did a great job with that angle. There were a couple of really good plot twists along the way. However, the book is lacking in likable characters. Sure, it's nice to see snotty teens get gutted, but it has more impact if we like them, you know? Even Darla's friends aren't all that likable.
The fact that was very problematic. I'm not sure how that would be received now, even if this was only published in 2015. However, I really enjoyed the 90s YA horror vibes this one sported, and the storyline really kept me engaged. Finally, a real winner after a long row of duds!
This was an enjoyable slasher-style horror thriller with shades of Point Horror and Fear Street. There's no explanation given as to why Darla starts receiving these visions. It's really just a device to frame a traditional murder mystery thriller. I love a thriller that contains ties between the past and present, and this book did a great job with that angle. There were a couple of really good plot twists along the way. However, the book is lacking in likable characters. Sure, it's nice to see snotty teens get gutted, but it has more impact if we like them, you know? Even Darla's friends aren't all that likable.
The fact that