I purchased this book for my own personal collection. I borrowed the audiobook from the library.
Publisher: One World / Random House Audio
Published: March 28, 2023
Summary:
Blue skies, empty land—and enough room to hide away a horrifying secret. Or is there? Discover a haunting new vision of the American West from the award-winning author of The Changeling.
Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.
The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.
Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.
My thoughts:
This is the perfect book for Spooky Season and while it’s not really the type of book I tend to gravitate towards, I’m so glad I decided to take a chance on it, because I really liked it! Victor LaValle is a new-to-me author and I loved his storytelling.
Horror is definitely not something I pick up everyday, but when it’s mixed with other genres, I tend to like it and that is exactly what worked for me here. The historical and mystery elements woven together with the horror elements kept me totally engaged. I needed to know what was in that box that Adelaide was carrying with her and even though I feared the worst – and of course my fears were justified – and I still found myself captivated by this story.
The writing is so vivid and I loved all the historical detail. I haven’t read too many books set in the American West during this time and so that really appealed to me – I felt I learned quite a bit despite this being a horror story. This book really surprised me in the best way and I’m so glad I read it. Definitely will be reading more from this author!
Audio thoughts:
This was a fantastic book on audio. The narrator, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, was amazing! She really drew me in and had me fully engaged in this story. I had never listened to her before but I will certainly be seeking other books she has narrated!
