This is the follow-up to Mikayla Davids’ “The Christmas Party,” which I reviewed just last month HERE. I loved it, and I loved the follow-up for many of the same reasons.

About the Book

Three sisters. A dangerous secret. And the perfect murder…

It was meant to be the perfect escape, a gorgeous winter vacation for sisters Sasha, Erin, and Leah Bailey in the snowy French Alps and a chance to put their complicated pasts behind them.

But when the body of someone close to them is found in an abandoned chalet nearby to their own luxurious accommodation it becomes clear this is going to be a family vacation to remember for all the wrong reasons.

All three sisters are hiding their own dangerous secrets…

Sasha is a woman on the edge.

Erin has the most to lose.

Leah isn’t as innocent as she looks.

Which woman is prepared to destroy their family to stop the shocking truth from surfacing? Which one of them would kill to protect their lies? And who will end up dead?

This totally gripping psychological thriller will keep you glued to the pages until the final jaw-dropping twist. Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, T. M. Logan, and Lisa Jewell.

My Thoughts

In this book, the Bailey women are trying to recover from the horrible events in the first book “The Christmas Party.” So, they escape to a ski chalet in France owned by middle sister Erin, who has just returned to the family fold after a ten-year absence. Unfortunately, new horrible secrets have been added to the family, hence the name of this book. The secrets begin to eat away at the family, and I could feel it in the atmosphere around what should have been a beautiful, wintery scene. Instead, it was a close, almost claustrophobic feeling.

This book had even more surprising twists, and darker secrets, and resulted in more deaths. I read it in less than 24 hours and could not put it down. It was so good, and now I can’t wait for the third book. Hopefully, Ms. Davids is steadily writing! Gah, just looked at the release date and almost a year until the third one comes out. Well, good things come to those who wait.

There are a ton of loose ends and mysteries to be solved in book three. All of the characters in this one were returns from Book 1, except for a few minor characters. After book one, I wasn’t sure I liked anyone, but I did grow to like Leah and Sasha a little more after this book. The depth and complexity of their characters shined through. I always liked Freya, Sasha’s daughter, and Jasper, Erin’s son. Really all of the children in Book One. But now I’m concerned that Ophelia, Erin’s daughter, might have a little too much of her mother in her.

The complex characterization of so many characters is beautifully done, and juggling so many points of view was handled so well. I also really enjoy her unique use of media res – which is actually something I have utilized in my own writing. Teasing us with an important later scene, without giving away context, then revisiting it with the answers later.

I loved this book and can’t wait until the conclusion! I am so grateful to Ms. Davids and Love Books Tours for including me on this tour. Hopefully, I’ll find some time between other reads to get some other reads from Ms. Davids before the next book comes out in the meantime.

Who’s It For

If you love a good mystery or psychological thriller, this is a great book for you. Also, if you love a good family drama, the Baily ladies are fantastic for getting that fix. I literally turned to my husband and said, wow, you thought YOUR brother was bad. Definitely not a book for young or sensitive readers though.

Content Warnings: This book touches on several topics that sensitive readers may find triggering, including but not limited to, stalking, attempted murder, murder, stabbing, lying, infidelity, stealing, missing persons, alcohol abuse, adult language, and more.

About the Author

(Written by the Author)

I’ll let you into a little secret… Mikayla Davids isn’t my real name, it’s just the pen name I write under. I could be the person sitting opposite you on the train, furiously tapping away at a laptop, or the woman scribbling in a notebook on the table beside you in Starbucks. Everyone has their secrets. And this is mine.

But I will tell you I’ve lived and breathed fictional worlds all my life. I’ve been the child who spent hours in the library, the teenager who stayed up turning pages way into the night. Now I’m the secret writer.

I write psychological thrillers about family dramas, complicated relationships, and ordinary moments that can suddenly turn into nightmares.

I hope you’ve been gripped and entertained by my novels. I’d love to hear from you. (You can visit her website for links to her social media and newsletter.)

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