I’m in trouble. Come get me. On a remote island off the coast of Maine lies a secluded estate. There, behind wrought iron gates and rock walls, sits Halcyon Hall. Today, it is an exclusive spa catering to wealthy elites and pampered celebrities. But once, it had another name—and a terrifying reputation . . . Rosemary Tulle has come to Halcyon Hall desperate to find her younger sister. … desperate to find her younger sister. Seventeen-year-old Genevieve left a brief, troubling message on Rosemary’s phone, begging to be picked up. But Rosemary is not on the visitor list, and no one will let her in . . .
Halcyon Hall was once Bainesworth Manor, an asylum for the insane. Such places often draw whispers about gruesome treatments and tortured inmates. In the case of Bainesworth, the reality may have been far worse. Now, staff insist that Genevieve ran away, but Rosemary’s instincts say otherwise. Rosemary and Genevieve share an unusual bond, and she knows Genevieve wouldn’t have just left. Compelled to turn for help to a man she hoped never to see again, Judge Whit Lawrence, she tries to learn the truth about Genevieve. But it will mean uncovering secrets about Bainesworth Manor, and about Rosemary’s own dark past—secrets with the power to kill . . .
“Childs knows how to keep readers riveted.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Grabs you from page one . . . Lisa Childs paints an eerie, haunting suspense that will keep you riveted until the very last page!”
—Rita Herron, USA Today bestselling author
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This was my first book by Lisa Childs but will not be my last. There is intrigue on every page; you will not want to put it down until the very end. The writing is exceptional in that it keeps you enthralled from the beginning until the end and the characters seem like real people you could meet on the street. I LOVED, LOVED this book and highly recommend to mystery/thriller/suspense fan. Enjoy!
In this exciting new read from Child’s we meet Rosemary Tulle. Rosemary gets a upsetting phone call from her younger sister Genevieve asking her to come get her. Genevieve was sent to Halcyon Hall by their parents, they hoped her stay there would help straighten her out. Once she gets there she isn’t allowed in because she is not on her sisters visitors list. Once she does finally get in the staff tells her that her sister ran away. Rosemary truly doubts her sister ran away, especially after she called her asking her for help. She soon asks for help from a man from her past who she had hoped would stay there but with her sister missing she is willing to do anything. Soon secrets are uncovered that Rosemary had hoped would stay in the past but finding her sister is more important. Follow along as a sordid tale from the past is exposed. Will Rosemary find her sister and will her past come back to bite her in the end?
Rosemary Tulle is trying to gain entrance to Halcyon Hall, a so-called new age treatment center, to see her sister Genevieve. When Rosemary arrives at Halcyon Hall she is denied entry. Her name is not on “The List.” Many years ago Halcyon Hall was known as Bainesworth Manor, an insane asylum. Have things really changed there? Rosemary is determined to see Genevieve. Will she find a way to get in?
What an edge-of-my-seat, bone-chilling read. The Runaway by Lisa Childs is filled with action, suspense and mystery. I liked how Ms. Childs kept me guessing throughout this story. I’m glad I got to read about one of the mysteries being solved.
A gripping psychological, atmospheric thriller. This is a book I would have liked to have read in one or two sittings so I could keep the many characters straight in my head. Great read. The romance was definitely as secondary story line. It kept me guessing to the end only to find out that there is a cliffhanger. Sneaky!
I received a free copy from Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.
This is the first book in a new series so I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was a really excellent book! Grabbed me from the start and had a lot of twists kept me guessing. Really thought out storyline and the descriptions made you see the story in your mind .I have put this series on my want to read list looking forward to reading more
The Runaway
By Lisa Childs.
This is a perfectly written
Book I totally enjoyed.
A perfect Suspense book.
This one will keep you on the edge of your seat with every page you turn.
Rosemary Tulle,
Big Sister Receives a call from her sister Genevieve, a voicemail left come get me..
Begging to be picked up from this hall of horror.. What rosemary finds is not what she expects.. She’s not on the list. Will she be able to get to her sister.
Whit Lawrence.
an old Friend of rosemary past
But someone she thought she could trust. Time will tell.
Halcyon Hall, Once was called bainsworth manner..
Halls of horror now rebuilt or so they say, Things that happened in the past. They say no longer happen. But family still owns the manner.
This story has so much going on so many twists and turns that it was just amazing I would love to tell more about this story but it’s better if you pick up the book and read it…
Thank you Lisa Childs
For another Fabulous Book
The Runaway by Lisa Childs is a mysterious start to The Bane Island Series. This psychological thriller is filled with mystery and suspense. It is unpredictable from the very start and will keep you reading until you get to the twisted ending. It is filled with secrets….oh so dark secrets, family drama, complicated relationships and so many twist and turns! There is even romantic suspense mixed in there. The characters are complex with each having their own hidden agendas. I found this one spooky and creepy at times!!! In addition the heartbreak and tragedy will definitely pull at your heartstrings! I highly recommend this dangerous story. It is a wonderful and exciting beginning to a chilling series!
Thank you Lisa Childs, Zebra Books and Kensington Publishing for a copy of this fantastic story in exchange for my honest review. I am so looking forward to The Hunted.
#therunaway #lisachilds #zebrabooks. # kensingtonpublishing
This was my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be the last. With a forbidding environment set on an isolated island, covered with snow and ice and stalked by a killer, this book was fast-paced and totally engrossing. I enjoyed all of the characters, especially the dedication of Rosemary to find her missing sister Genevieve, a wayward teen locked away in Halcyon Hall and who called Rosemary to come help her get away. I loved the dedication of the sheriff and the tender character of the judge, an old beau of Rosemary’s named Whit. There was so many twists and so much danger at every turn that I almost got whiplash. Fans of psychological thrillers mixed with romantic suspense will devour this book.
Disclaimer
I received an autographed copy of this book from the author, but I had also previously purchased the book from Amazon for myself. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
The Runaway by Lisa Childs brings plenty of mystery, atmosphere, and secrets to the first book of the Bane Island mystery series. It’s set on an island off the coast of Maine during winter and is dark, disturbing, and atmospheric. It features Rosemary Tulle who travels to Halcyon Hall on the island desperate to find her younger sister, Genevieve. 17-year-old Genevieve had left a voice mail for Rosemary begging to be picked up from the estate that is an exclusive spa catering to the wealthy and celebrities. However, when she gets there, Rosemary isn’t allowed in the gates. She begs for help from a high school friend that she never wanted to see again: Judge Whit Lawrence.
Rosemary is independent, well respected in her career, and not about to be deterred in finding her sister. Whit is successful and getting set to run for governor. Both have secrets, but so do the owners of Halcyon Hall and many of the residents of Bane Island. The secondary characters play pivotal roles in the story. Some are supportive and some provide conflict. But who can be trusted? Who will survive?
The prologue captures a reader’s immediate attention and pulls one into Rosemary’s struggles. The old name for the estate was Bainesworth Manor where unseemly things happened to young girls before the state shut it down. Are the current owners legitimate businessmen and above board or are they following in their grandfather’s footsteps? The world-building was perfect for this novel. Readers can almost feel the cold, wind and snow as Rosemary braves the hazards of the island. I was drawn into Rosemary’s life and enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery and the secrets held by many. The story has several twists and turns and periodic action. There are some switches in points of view and the reader doesn’t know who they are other than Rosemary. However, the transitions worked well for me. The pace isn’t a race, but a journey that kept me turning the pages. Will you solve the mystery? While the main story line is resolved in this novel, there are threads that can be unraveled in future books. Themes include murder, relationships, family, physical abuse, secrets and much more.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which was suspenseful, engaging, and somewhat creepy. I found the writing style relatable, vivid, and irresistible. I can’t wait to find out what happens during the next book in the series. I recommend this to those that like amateur sleuths and romantic suspense.
Kensington Books – Zebra and Lisa Childs provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date was October 27, 2020. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.