Book Review: Under the Harrow (Released Today)

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Books, and Flynn Berry for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry, Published by Penguin Books, June 14^th, 2016

Under the Harrow was released today! YAY! This book was on my “to be read” for this summer and I was lucky enough to get an ARC from NetGalley! As you know, I am a huge mystery/thriller fan so I was so anxious to begin reading. Not only was it hard to put down, it is one of the most unpredictable mystery novels I have read in a long time- which was FANTASTIC!

Synopsis:

Nora often takes the train from London to visit her sister at her Marlow country home, but one night she arrives to discover that her sister has been the victim of a ruthless murder. Unable to go back to her normal life in London and not wanting to place all of her faith in the local police, Nora begins to do what she can to find her sister’s killer. Secrets from the past are unveiled as Nora becomes infatuated with the case. “Haunted by the murder and the secrets that surround it, Nora is under the harrow: distressed and in danger.” (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Don’t let the size of this novel fool you. It may be a quick read, but that doesn’t take away from the very descriptive and enthralling story. Berry’s writing style was difficult to ease into at first but after a while, I began to appreciate her beautiful prose. Berry’s character development is well, although I feel that Nora’s character was the only one that I felt a true connection to.  This is most likely because the entire story is told through Nora’s stream of consciousness. Berry’s greatest strength is definitely her ability to successfully build tension when needed. About a dozen different scenarios ran through my head as I was reading! Flynn Berry is definitely an author to watch out for. What a fantastic debut!

My Rating: 4/5

Have you read any debut novels lately that you fell in love with? Share in the comments!