Dark and Shallow Lies lures readers into this mystery with a compelling plot, supernatural elements, and a revelation that will make the readers’ jaw drop.

Excellent Storytelling

You know those books that you pick up because you think they sound cool, but you are unsure if you will love them or hate them?

For me, that is what happened when I first received the ARC from the publisher. I thought it was cool, I was drawn in by the premise, but I was unsure if I would love this book and find it memorable.

I did.

Dark and Shallow Lies moves at such an excellent pace, and the elements that Sain uses to construct the story lure the reader in. The story follows Grey returning home to La Cachette, Louisiana, the “self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the World,” where her best friend Elora has been missing for three months. Grey is determined to solve the mystery behind Elora, retracing her last moments through visions.

However, Grey, who has never had any psychic abilities until now, is a daunting task for her. Moreover, with a category five hurricane looming closer and closer, Grey is racing against the clock.

However, nothing is as it seems. Grey soon discovers that there are so many secrets in this place she calls home. Her friends have secrets, her grandmother, her dead mother, all of which connect to the bloody history of La Cachette.

It is a mystery that is slowly unraveling, raising the tension incredibly. Furthermore, it works so well towards making the ending of the story captivating and imaginative. The rising tension, with the looming storm and revelation after revelation, leads the story to be incredibly unpredictable. That ending is jaw-dropping, and the fact that Sain was able to pull that off by giving nothing away, using red herrings and misdirection, keeps the reader on their toes.

Final Thoughts

Dark and Shallow Lies is an incredibly compelling novel. Sain’s execution of the mystery, the way she delved deeper and deeper into the past of this town, was excellent. Additionally, those inserts, Grey’s visions of Elora, break up the story without ruining the tension.

Those segments are small but impactful. Concise and full of tension. Sain, again, gives nothing away as she tells this story, pointing the finger in every direction, making Dark and Shallow Lies a memorable YA thriller.