Twenty-four-year-old Charlotte Stahl would do anything for her older brother, Ian. After all, he’d done everything for her growing up.He played Burken with her—a hide-and-seek game they made up as kids.He comforted her when their mom deserted them. He raised her when their dad went to prison for murder. To Charlotte, Ian is the only reason she’s still alive—he’s her rock. So when Ian asks her to … to play Burken in the isolated woods of Cadillac, Michigan, Charlotte feels she could use the nostalgia and agrees. Burken—it’s the one thing that never changes…
…until Ian threatens to kill her in the middle of the game.
More than the rules have changed as Brother turns to Predator, Sister turns to Prey, and she’s navigating the forests of Northern Michigan on foot with nothing but the clothes—and a target—on her back.
If Charlotte wants to stay alive, she knows she has to untangle the web of her haunting past to find out where things went wrong, and at what point she lost sight of reality. With no other choice but to reopen old wounds—and with Ian hot on her trail—Charlotte learns that sometimes evil has to manifest in order for good to succeed. Which makes her wonder…
Is Ian really a monster? Or her savior?
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This book blew my mind. Every twist and turn kept me flipping the page. Traci is killing the word game.
“The truth will set you free, but sometimes… you have to set yourself free from the truth.”
It’s fun to play with your brother as a kid. And when you have a whole forest in the backyard, the possibilities are endless. And when you become adults, and your brother asks to play in the name of the old days, there is no problem … until he chases you with an ax and tells you to run for your life.
This is how Charlotte’s life changes completely. As well as the reader’s. With a narrative that alternates past and present facts, the reader gets stuck on the web that surrounds her. A web of traumas, losses and fear. Where goodness and badness mingle affectionately and also sickly.
By revisiting the memories of her past and reopening the old wounds, with each new perspective and revelation, Charlotte begins to discover that Burken’s rules are much more than they always seem.
An electrifying thriller, emotionally dark and impossible to let go. I found the ending a little open and I expected at least an epilogue, but for the author’s first book, if it was her mission to entice the reader and almost bring him to the brink of madness with the myriad theories that will be imagine, all I can say is: mission acomplished.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest Review *
This story is all kinds of crazy. I don’t even know how to say anything without giving stuff away. I loved that I could picture some of the towns being a Michigander. However I was taken aback by a jab at Yoopers, since I am one. I do recommend this read if you are into Psychological Thrillers.
Sick and twisted and I loved it.
I have to give this 3.5 stars. While I loved the “current” chapters I felt that the “past” chapters slowed down the story. I loved the anxiety and chills the hunt gave me and how twisted it all was. I wish we had more of that!
Overall this was a solid great debut novel for Traci! I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next as she fine tunes her writing and develops her craft further.
This is a solid debut for Traci Finlay. I was on the edge of me seat wanting to get my hands on it as soon as she released the cover. The cover is perfect for this story and really ties in perfectly to everything.
This book started out really strong for me and for the most part stayed strong throughout. There were a few times the story dragged for me and I almost got comfortable thinking it was all over even when I knew I still had half a book to read. I think those parts took a bit away from the story as a whole but those times were fleeting and the story would pick up pace again.
The other side of the book slowing down a bit was there was so much going on. Pasts being unraveled, Charlotte trying to figure out what is happening in the present and just all around trying to see Ian for what he truly is. The author did a great job of showing the readers Ian but also letting us see him through Charlotte’s eyes and why she defended him for so long. Finlay balanced out those two worlds in a way that I feel like we get a good feeling on what a true sociopath is and how they can control people around them. It was fascinating to watch unfold and I almost wish we could have gotten a few chapters in Ian’s head. I think that would have really rounded out this story for me.
I will definitely be watching out for the next book by this author as I think she has a great career ahead of her in writing. You can tell she put the work in for her first novel and it’s going to be a beautiful thing watching as she hones her craft. The plot, writing, everything really, for her debut is everything you wish to read when picking up a new author.
4.5 stars
Charlotte and Ian Stahl had been through a lot growing up. As kids, they played Burken, a modified game of hide-and-seek in the deep woods of Cadillac, Michigan. Now an adult, Charlotte agreed to play one more session for nostalgia. What she didn’t realize was the rules had changed, the goal turned deadly and it was certainly no longer an innocent child’s play.
This book intrigued me right from the beginning and got me clutching to the pages until the very end. I could feel Charlotte’s fear and desperation in anticipating Ian’s next move.
I love the premise of the book and how things unraveled. However, it was more of a revelation to the characters instead of to the readers. I also wanted more answers regarding Ian.
The two of them had an interesting dynamic. My feelings for both of them were opposite and it evolved as the story progressed. I also liked how the supporting characters echoed the main one and opened up a different perspective.
The Rules of Burken is a chilling tale of family secrets. It would appeal to readers who enjoy delving into the complexity of human psyche.
A totally dark and twisted thriller that will keep you riveted until the very end.
Charlotte grew up loving her brother. He was the guy who she made up the game Burken with. It was just their own game to play together. It was what bonded them and it made her feel loved.
Now they are all grown up and Ian wants to play. However, this time the stakes are higher than ever. This time Charlotte is running for her life.
Everything has changed and Charlotte is on the run. So many questions. So much deceit. Now it’s all about survival.
This story was nothing that I expected. It will keep you guessing and leave you wondering. Great characters that you will either love or love to hate. I was sucked in from the beginning and couldn’t wait to find out where the author was taking me. I hope there will be more.
4.5 Stars ~ Reviewed on behalf of KindleFriendsForever
This debut novel had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning of the story and by the time I finished reading it I felt like I just got off from a rollercoaster ride. This is an impressive first attempt by the author and I am hooked.
Charlotte and Ian are siblings and Ian has always looked after her. At the age of twenty-four, Charlotte is still very close to her older brother who has been her rock ever since their mother walked out on the family when she was only eleven-years-old. A few years later, their father was convicted of a horrific crime and Ian gave up his college scholarship to take care of his sister. He’s an over-protective but creepy older brother to Charlotte, and she is totally clueless of his scheming.
Nikka, Charlotte’s new friend, has also an older brother Jack. These siblings grew up in the foster care system, passed from one family to another and they learned how to trust only each other. Their relationship can’t be any far more opposite than Charlotte and Ian’s seemingly ordinary but messed up family tree.
“The truth will set you free, but sometimes… you have to set yourself free from the truth.”
This psychological thriller is written in first person narrative and one that will screw with your head. Two pairs of siblings: one brother is a master manipulator and the other is caring but doesn’t know how to express it. Ian’s character is especially a very interesting study of human behaviour; the psychology of the twisted mind, he is amazingly sharp, fascinating and a master manipulator.
Fast-paced with a tightly woven plotline, I just couldn’t put this book down. I felt sorry for Charlotte for being the only normal one in the family, but it gets tiresome when she can’t see the forest for the trees. Her budding relationship with Jack gives her the push to grow a backbone and maybe just maybe clear the scales from her eyes.
From a young age, Ian and Charlotte had always played the Burken, a darker version of hide n’ seek, and it’s only when you read further along that you find out why Ian always pushed for it. This author successfully creates complicated characters, some are sympathetic, some are screwed-up and some are just pure evil. Ian and Charlotte’s childhood game becomes a deadly sport that will give your heart a complete workout. An adrenaline-pumping adventure with no need to go to the gym. Highly recommended!
Sometimes Queen B steps outside her box and reads a romance. Most times it’s about her second love…forensics and murder.
This is exactly why I was drawn to The Rules of Burken. Quick plot summary: girl and her brother played hide and seek as kids. Girl and her brother replay as adults…then brother adds a new rule – if he catches her, she dies.
*queue Pikachu shocked face*
We spend the next few chapters alternating with past and present (present being Charlotte literally running for her life). We get to see past events in Charlotte’s POV, so you get to understand her inability to see her beloved brother as a sociopath; get to see why she defends him for so long.
The Rules of Burken was a whirlwind. I felt on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. I kept reading because I needed to know what happened, both in the past and present.
But it did feel a little jumbled and all over the place. We have additional side characters that honestly feel unnecessary, and ridiculous back stories (for everyone!). I wish we could have had some chapters or sections told in Ian’s POV – I wanted so much to know what he was thinking. His last dialogue felt stilted to me, and I wanted much more.
For a debut author, it was a decent read. I look forward to more from Traci Finlay.
This was a unique book for sure. If you’re up for an NA thriller, this is one for you. It starts out with the characters playing their childhood game, which soon turns into something more real. It was such a quick flip in the character that I was questioning his motives too, alongside the character. I was slightly disappointed in the lack of romance between her and Jack; I really expected more but I also can’t hate this aspect, because it means they put more effort into the mystery of her murderous brother and their past. We see their past in alternating chapters for the first half of the book, which lets out hints about what her brother really is. In her POV, we see what she sees, but knowing what we know as the reader, we also can see the truth hidden between the lines. Overall, it’s good book with a lot of thrills.
This book made me tired. So much running. So much running. The pages kept turning but never fast enough. The twists were ridiculous. The characters were gems. I’d read Traci’s grocery list.
2.5 Stars
This book was just okay for me. It had some great on the edge of your seat moments, but a lot of it was slower paced. She finds out stuff that I had already guessed. I think this book was less thriller and more psychological. Maybe if they had promoted it that way I would feel different.
I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review.
5 Stars
It’s not very often I discover a new author who makes such an impact right off the bat. But that’s exactly what happened when I embarked on The Rules of Burken by Traci Finlay.
This book looked quite intriguing when it showed up on my feed- so I snapped up a copy to explore. While I knew I would probably enjoy the story from what I’d read from the blurb, what I didn’t expect was to discover a ‘gem’ amongst the rubble. I took so many notes while reading this book, to incorporate in my review, but now I’m writing it I have put them aside as I’ve realised that anything I say really isn’t going to do this book the justice it deserves.
The Rules of Burken was such a great surprise- a true Thriller in every sense of the word! It has suspense out the wazoo!! I was glued to the pages to discover how things would transpire. This is also a dark, twisted mystery with a sociopathic villain, manipulation, action, drama, fear, pain, torment, trauma, emotion, mind games, secrets, lies, discoveries, danger, and plenty of chills.
I highly suggest going into the book blind- let the story shake you up- because, like me, you are going to love every single second!!
Highly recommended!!
Can’t wait for more from Ms. Finlay!!!!!
Thank you, Ms. Finlay!
I cannot explain the feeling of heavenly bliss I feel when my Dark Loving heart stumbles upon an author who isn’t shy of staining her fingers Black with writing a story so dark, it should be cateogarised as “50 shades of Black”. Having peeked into her dark, psycho brain, I seriously wanna camp inside it! This being her first book, I can already see her career graph on the up and up from now on!! Her extensive and meticulous research shows in her finely detailed scene settings. All the towns, cities and locations are vividly described. Very smart language with full use of idioms and ironies, she gives each character befitting vocabulary. Sarcasm is used as a coping mechanism with Stahls and sharp scathing language is given to Swarings. Very aptly decorated, it was such a joy to read the embellished words
On the other hand, the plot left me completely speechless. At loss for words to describe the helplessness and vindication that I felt for myself as a reader when running with Charlotte’s life throughout the book.
The mood is full of dread and thumping danger. I could feel the claw after me, almost touching my clothes, it’s fingers brushing my hair, waiting to tackle me.
“I see you, Little Spider.”
5 words……set my pulse racing full speed like a drumbeat at a sacrificial fire. It’s eerie enough to give you goosebumps and your feet will itch to run.
“The Rules of Burken.
Don’t let me catch you. Because if I catch you, I will kill you.”
That’s the game Ian Stahl traps his little sister- Charlotte Stahl in.
He’s the predator, she’s the prey.
He’s the manipulator, she’s the victim
Traci truly and utterly redefines the term
“Stockholm Syndrome
Alternating between abusive rage and loving gestures?
An addictive cycle?
A hopelessness in the victim?
What does that sound like to you?”
she’s legit Einstein of Mindfuckery. She changes the face of danger in every chapter. Charlotte runs from her brother, then her father, then her mother, then Jack, then herself & then the truth.
“the truth will set you free, but sometimes … you have to set yourself free from the truth.”
Very unusual, complex story of siblings who are tied up in debilitating co-dependency to an extent that it mutates their personalities.
I use the term siblings in plural cause there’s two sets and they are dangerously similar and different from each other in power play
While Ian has -God Complex, Jack has Moses Complex.
That’s the best analogy I can come up with
“I guess that’s what happens when brothers have to raise little sisters when they’re still children themselves? If you think about it, that’s a lot of stress for them.”
This book NEEDS to be read acutely, you cannot rush through it at all. Every Chapter is steeped in sinister energy, there’s no redemption anywhere.
Evil is jet black, all characters are stained grey, you’ll have to hunt for pure goodness.
If somebody asked me how was the story, what is it about, I wouldn’t even know how to explain it to them. It’s a maze of convoluted relationships and it will require your unwavering attention to understand it. It’s subtle in clues and glaring in consequences but you have to read each word carefully
“It’s amazing what the human body is capable of when it’s faced with death.”
I guess Good and Evil are like two dogs Fighting for supremacy in your soul, It all depends on who you feed the most!!
I’m as stumped as I was at the beginning of the story. I couldn’t afford to put this book down for more than a few minutes, the Whodunits and Howdunits and Whydunits kept pulling me towards this book like a magnet. It’s heinous at most places, sickening at few and an absolute pulse pounder at all times. Completely absorbing and engaging..a virtual feast for Dark Lovers.
Tbh at one point the choppy flow had me deducting half a star but the end…Omg THE END JUST pushed my heart over the edge of the cliff..
5 Spider Stars for Folie à Deux -Madness shared by two
Charlotte Stahl grew up idolizing her big brother and knew she could always count on him, especially given her family circumstances. Yet, on the day of her brother’s birthday, the stakes are raised as she’s challenged to a childhood game of Burken and Charlotte doesn’t have any choice but to run and hide.
“His grip on my arm tightens, and he pulls me closer until his breath hits my ear. “Don’t let me catch you.”
Told solely from Charlotte’s perspective, it quickly becomes apparent that her options are rather limited. With the immediate shock of what’s happening to her, the plot pace remains swift as memories from the past are alternated with the present. As Charlotte’s life unfolds, she fights against what she‘s always known.
“You’d be surprised at what people will do when you make them think they’re in charge. When you give them choices.”
While this book has all the good elements of a solid thriller, I was also intrigued as to how these characters experienced trauma. Throughout reading, I had theories, and though some revelations weren’t a complete surprise, these characters remained true to their core. There were times when I wanted to scream some sense into Charlotte, but the depth of her issues was glaring. Overall, I was glued to this book and couldn’t wait to read the final page.
The Rules of Burken is about manipulation and choices. This book will appeal to those who enjoy thrillers and the descent into moral wickedness.