Beckett Bowery never thought she’d return to Wyatt Valley, a picturesque college town in the Virginia mountains steeped in tradition. Her roots there were strong: Beckett’s parents taught at the college, and she never even imagined studying anywhere else—until a tragedy her senior year ended with two local men dead, and her roommate on the run, never to be seen again…

For the last two decades, Beckett has done her best to keep her distance. Then her daughter, Delilah, secretly applies to Wyatt College and earns a full scholarship, and Beckett can only hope that her lingering fears are unfounded. But deep down, she knows that Wyatt Valley has a long memory, and that the past isn’t the only dangerous thing in town…

This was my second book by this author, and for me, it landed somewhere in the middle. I did not dislike it, but I also did not love it. It kept my attention and delivered enough intrigue to keep me turning pages, yet I suspect it will not be a mystery I vividly remember months from now.

The story is very much a slow-burn mystery, with the pacing only picking up around the halfway point. I did enjoy the small-town atmosphere and that slightly unsettling sense of being watched, where it feels like everyone knows each other’s secrets. The dual timeline, alternating between past and present, worked well, and I found myself equally invested in solving both mysteries. Twists and turns kept me guessing, and the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the story to life.

The setting was one of the highlights. This would make a perfect autumn read (or transitioning from summer to fall), especially for fans of dark academia. It was immersive and atmospheric, with an eerie edge. The college’s hazing ritual, “The Howling,” added a chilling element. When the wind whistles, undergraduates must run from home base through dense woods and back to campus while evading masked Seniors. One year, the tradition takes a sinister turn. The hidden underground tunnels and surrounding dense forest, with unreliable cell service and patchy Wi-Fi, amplified the suspense.

I also appreciated the mother–daughter dynamic, especially how fiercely Beckett protected Dahlia once things began to unravel.

That said, I wanted more action and a stronger sense of urgency. At times, the pacing felt tedious, and a few plot points either did not make sense or felt underdeveloped. There was a semi-romantic subplot that was not fully fleshed out, and I think it would have been stronger either as a more developed storyline or omitted altogether.

Overall, this was a decent mystery with a compelling atmosphere, perfect for curling up with on a crisp fall evening. It may not be unforgettable, but if the premise appeals to you, it is worth a try. I plan to keep exploring this author’s work and hope the next one will align more closely with my reading preferences.