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Confess To Me
Somewhere between OZARK and SHARP OBJECTS, there is Sharon Doering’s Confess to Me. Get settled in for a long night of reading, because you won’t put this one down.
-- SAMANTHA DOWNING, International bestselling author
You don't devour this book -- it devours you."
-- P. J. VERNON, author of Bath Haus
Doering writes with exceptional authenticity and imagination, delivering spellbinding plot twists in this small-town psychological thriller. I loved every moment spent with this story!
--WENDY WALKER, best-selling author of Don't Look for Me
A wickedly gripping thriller about family secrets, infatuation and the lies we bury to protect ourselves from the author of She Lies Close.
Heather Hornne is going home.
Haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her family, Heather finds herself back in Hunther, Wisconsin after twenty years running from it.
She returns to finally put the past to rest, but uncovers another tragedy and finds herself in the beguiling grip of a young woman who knows more of her family secrets than Heather does.
To survive this homecoming, Heather must piece together a toxic history that she long tried to forget.
-- SAMANTHA DOWNING, International bestselling author
You don't devour this book -- it devours you."
-- P. J. VERNON, author of Bath Haus
Doering writes with exceptional authenticity and imagination, delivering spellbinding plot twists in this small-town psychological thriller. I loved every moment spent with this story!
--WENDY WALKER, best-selling author of Don't Look for Me
A wickedly gripping thriller about family secrets, infatuation and the lies we bury to protect ourselves from the author of She Lies Close.
Heather Hornne is going home.
Haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her family, Heather finds herself back in Hunther, Wisconsin after twenty years running from it.
She returns to finally put the past to rest, but uncovers another tragedy and finds herself in the beguiling grip of a young woman who knows more of her family secrets than Heather does.
To survive this homecoming, Heather must piece together a toxic history that she long tried to forget.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2021
65 people are currently reading
3762 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Doering
4 books258 followersSHARON DOERING has worked on Wall Street, in a lab, and as a science professor. She has also been a good waitress, a mediocre bartender, and a terrible maid.
She lives in Chicagoland with her family and a big, silly dog. Upstanding Young Man is her third novel.
Follow her on Instagram @sharondoeringauthor
She lives in Chicagoland with her family and a big, silly dog. Upstanding Young Man is her third novel.
Follow her on Instagram @sharondoeringauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
June 1, 2021
It’s no use going back to yesterday because I was a different person then’ says Alice. ‘We’re all mad here ... you must be ... or you wouldn’t have come here’. The Cheshire Cat.
Heather Horne, husband Trevor Bishop, their six year old daughter Emily and her stepson Sawyer are temporarily renting in Hunther, Wisconsin in order to care for Trevor’s dying mother. Heather left the town when she was six years old. This book is about confronting a traumatic past and that’s all I’m going to say as this is one to dive into blind. Trevor and Heather narrate alternately which works extremely well as their insights illuminate each other’s past and present.
There are so many things you could comment on in this powerful novel but one of the aspects that comes across strongly is the sense of place. Hunther is weird, it’s rotten in a multitude of ways even down to the mouldering home they rent (Moldy Mildred) which reinforces the smell of something festering at its core. It’s full of characters that back that up (can you hear the twanging ‘Deliverance’ banjos?), their strangeness even down to their ‘pets’, their out of kilter actions that builds an atmosphere of unease, of waiting for something awful to happen which of course, it does. It has a dreamlike quality to it and I’m talking nightmares, hallucinatory ones that are macabre and surreal and like Alice I feel like I’ve dropped down a rabbit hole into an alien world that makes no sense. Let’s add another layer in of debunked, highly dangerous psychiatry and mislabelling, of manipulation and control which is so evil it beggars belief and this lies at the heart of the premise as it allows more evil to flourish. Little by little we get the backstories and see the truth and it’s shocking in the depth of the malignancy and toxicity of people in Hunther. The novel is a very well written and pacy thriller with unbelievably big secrets and lies, buried memories and tragedies that are confronted and laid to rest. It’s chilling in places, it’s seriously messed up, there’s breathtaking suspense and some very good plot twists.
Overall, it’s an excellent, clever read, yes, it’s dark but also absolutely compelling and I found it and to put it down. It would make a brilliant film but I may peep from behind the sofa on occasions!
Ps. It’s a tad steamy in places too!! 😳
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Titan Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Heather Horne, husband Trevor Bishop, their six year old daughter Emily and her stepson Sawyer are temporarily renting in Hunther, Wisconsin in order to care for Trevor’s dying mother. Heather left the town when she was six years old. This book is about confronting a traumatic past and that’s all I’m going to say as this is one to dive into blind. Trevor and Heather narrate alternately which works extremely well as their insights illuminate each other’s past and present.
There are so many things you could comment on in this powerful novel but one of the aspects that comes across strongly is the sense of place. Hunther is weird, it’s rotten in a multitude of ways even down to the mouldering home they rent (Moldy Mildred) which reinforces the smell of something festering at its core. It’s full of characters that back that up (can you hear the twanging ‘Deliverance’ banjos?), their strangeness even down to their ‘pets’, their out of kilter actions that builds an atmosphere of unease, of waiting for something awful to happen which of course, it does. It has a dreamlike quality to it and I’m talking nightmares, hallucinatory ones that are macabre and surreal and like Alice I feel like I’ve dropped down a rabbit hole into an alien world that makes no sense. Let’s add another layer in of debunked, highly dangerous psychiatry and mislabelling, of manipulation and control which is so evil it beggars belief and this lies at the heart of the premise as it allows more evil to flourish. Little by little we get the backstories and see the truth and it’s shocking in the depth of the malignancy and toxicity of people in Hunther. The novel is a very well written and pacy thriller with unbelievably big secrets and lies, buried memories and tragedies that are confronted and laid to rest. It’s chilling in places, it’s seriously messed up, there’s breathtaking suspense and some very good plot twists.
Overall, it’s an excellent, clever read, yes, it’s dark but also absolutely compelling and I found it and to put it down. It would make a brilliant film but I may peep from behind the sofa on occasions!
Ps. It’s a tad steamy in places too!! 😳
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Titan Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
June 18, 2022
The first thing that is important to note about Confess To Me by Sharon Doering is that it is a very unique thriller, and it will probably be unlike anything you have read before. For this book, you do NOT want to read the author's note at the back first but reading it afterward will be awesome. I was really happy that Doering included it, and I love hearing where authors get their ideas from. This was a pretty pacy read, and if I would have had the time, I definitely would have easily been able to finish it in one sitting. The audiobook is just under 10.5 hours and is also super easy to finish quickly. I really enjoyed reading from both Heather and her husband Trevor's viewpoints and liked the inclusion of transcript excerpts that are dotted periodically throughout the book. The way Doering slowly brought Heather's past and secrets to the surface was both engaging and mysterious, and it is safe to say I didn't want to put this down.
I did listen to the audiobook which is narrated by Caroline Price & Joe Hempel, and I was perfectly happy with both of them for their corresponding characters. Price felt like she was a good fit to voice Heather, and Hempel aced his parts as well. There were quite a few surprises for me in this one, and it had an ending that I really didn't expect at all. It gets a little wild and crazy which is exactly the way I like my thrillers. It also felt like Confess To Me had a little bit of everything as far as genres go, even though it was mainly a thriller, Doering managed to touch on quite a few different topics including family bonds and how they can be damaged. If you are in the mood for a thriller that is different from the rest, I definitely recommend reading this!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I did listen to the audiobook which is narrated by Caroline Price & Joe Hempel, and I was perfectly happy with both of them for their corresponding characters. Price felt like she was a good fit to voice Heather, and Hempel aced his parts as well. There were quite a few surprises for me in this one, and it had an ending that I really didn't expect at all. It gets a little wild and crazy which is exactly the way I like my thrillers. It also felt like Confess To Me had a little bit of everything as far as genres go, even though it was mainly a thriller, Doering managed to touch on quite a few different topics including family bonds and how they can be damaged. If you are in the mood for a thriller that is different from the rest, I definitely recommend reading this!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 10, 2021
It’s hard to describe the premise of this book without giving anything away—and that’s a good thing. The bit-by-bit discovery of the main character’s past is such an exciting and delicious part of the story, but I can safely say this: Heather Bishop returns to her hometown, the setting of a trauma that still haunts her, with her husband and children in tow, and she’s determined to piece together the bits of her childhood she no longer remembers, including a local girl’s murder and her family’s possible involvement. In the process, though, she learns so much more than she ever bargained for, and finds herself in more danger than she ever could have imagined. After her debut, SHE LIES CLOSE, I knew Sharon Doering was a writer to watch, and her sophomore novel, CONFESS TO ME, has made me even more of a fan. It’s enticing and exhilarating, how Sharon unspools Heather’s history for the reader—and for Heather herself—giving us just a bit more to hold onto by the end of each chapter. The twists surprised me every time (in fact, my jaw dropped open more than once), and the story is infused with palpable atmosphere, making it easy to lose yourself in its pages. I loved the exploration of a multitude of family dynamics, and the ways in which Heather has to reconsider everything she thought she knew about her mother, her siblings, and even herself. The writing is sharp, witty, and thrillingly fast-paced, and the story, with all its dark secrets and suspicious characters, is one you can’t help but devour.
March 2, 2021
Brilliant, vicious and wildly compulsive, CONFESS TO ME is a masterpiece of a thriller. Through stunning prose and an almost unbearable sense of dread, Doering delivers a truly menacing tale one elegant twist at a time. You don't devour this book -- it devours you
June 15, 2021
Dark, twisty, sinister, chilling, mind-bending, thought-provoking, emotional, and raw!
A horrific unsolved murder...
Stories of satanic ritual abuse...
The exotic pet trade...
Misunderstood mental illness ...
A doctor with a strange practice...
Heather Hornne is going home. She came back from the dead once in Hunther, WI.
Master storyteller Sharon Doering wowed us last year with her smashing debut, She Lies Close. She returns with her sophomore novel, the latest spine-chilling thriller (with a Gothic vibe), weaving a dark and deliciously evil spell —CONFESS TO ME.
A harrowing tale of a world where little is what it first appears to be. The author skillfully builds suspense and adept at drawing believable characters and relationships. A masterful job of depicting small rural town claustrophobia, dysfunctional family dynamics, horrors, and the dark secrets that haunt the characters.
Haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her family, Heather finds herself back in her hometown, after twenty years running from it.
She returns to finally put the past to rest but uncovers more tragedy and finds herself drawn to a young woman who knows more of her family secrets than Heather does.
Heather does not have many memories. She wants desperately to find someone who can help her sort out the past and, in particular, her mother. And family. Has she blocked out painful memories? A tragic childhood, she seeks to learn more about the past.
However, some people in this town may want to keep those dark secrets of the past buried. (and there are many!)
The family is driving from Chicago to the rural area where Trevor's mom is dying with cancer. They decided to rent a house nearby, and the entire family tags along. Trevor and Heather grew up in this small town even though she is much younger than her partner. Their children Emily (six) and Sawyer (sixteen) are getting a culture shock.
She was only six when they moved. Heather does not like this place and sees it as toxic and poisonous. She is also getting strange texts.
A young girl Dawn was murdered in '91 and gutted. They say it was her mom that was the killer. She also has siblings who died in mysterious ways.
She meets many creepy strange characters and animals as she desperately tries to piece together a toxic history that she long tried to forget. You do not know whom you can trust in the novel, from blackmail, manipulation, deception, cruelty, guilt, lies, and more.
Infused with chilling notes and transcripts from a psychologist regarding the childhood traumas, brainwashing, programming, murders, and manifestations added a bit of mystery, intrigue, and suspense.
WOW, there are many flawed characters in the book, so do not feel you will sit down, get cozy, and have coffee with them. Sharp and witty, there is a much bigger and more profound side to the novel, and I was blown away by the author's skill, research, and incredible insights into these highly charged, thought-provoking dark topics.
Thoughtful and compelling, Doering's psychological thrillers are characterized by their deeply wrought characters and objectively harrowing situations.
I loved the letter from the mom - very moving. I also enjoyed the author's note at the end of the book. (THANK YOU) I am a colossal research nut and always want to break down every book and learn the inspiration.
In fact, I wish that I had read the author's note first, which further enhanced the overall reading experience. Highly impressive. Not only is this an excellent thriller with the creep vibe, but it also is a deep dive into the evils and complexities of humanity (even more so, based on a true story).
The disgusting and shocking malignancy, manipulations, and toxicity of these psychologists, doctors, priests, and law officials will haunt you.
As she mentions: The inspiration was based on The Search for Satan documentary (1995) and the women's horror stories. As we see firsthand in the novel, the cruelties due to professionals (or ones that practiced as such). They held so much control, and many were victims of their greed.
FRONTLINE untangles the mysterious web of satanic ritual abuse, psychiatric treatment, and insurance claims that escalated into millions of dollars. Were these professed victims of secret satanic cults really helped by the psychiatric care they received?
Like brainwashing and cults, dangerous psychiatry, making people puppets controlling their thoughts and actions from conspiracy, manipulation, and multiple personalities. As Doering reiterates, truth is typically stranger than fiction.
"This is widespread folks. It is systemic and organized. The brainwashing, the programming, the murders, it no joke."
There are many topics and themes discussed in the novel and, importantly, self-identity. The author does a great job of breaking out other documentaries that were part of her inspiration, including animals, exotic pets, PTSD, memory loss, and more.
A thought-provoking powerful read. I enjoyed her notes and found myself doing more online research into these topics. She not only shows the dark side of humanity but their journey with her lyrical writing, metaphors, and symbolisms and the light from the troubled places of abuse and darkness, and how they shape and define our lives as adults. Giving it life and healing from the character's experiences while confronting their past with courage and forgiveness.
There is so much more to discuss, but I must stop since I appear to be all over the board here with my thoughts. I really enjoyed the mom's character with her artistic talent and tormented life while trying to balance motherhood in a misunderstood world and treated unfairly with cruelty. (great character development).
Sharon Doering's writing is spellbinding. She also blends literary suspense with psychological thriller, which is something I enjoy reading.
If you are a fan of Jennifer Hillier, Laura McHugh, Ron Rash, David Joy, Randall Silvis, and Lisa Unger (notably her Hollows series) and most recently, The House of Crows, you must read this author. You will also think of Ozark (where the Chicago family relocate to the Ozarks.)
You may find yourself turning the page with one eye closed, afraid of what will jump out at you because the writing is so vivid and descriptive. I love how the author uses humor to balance her darker writing. CONFESS TO ME is a perfect title and would make for a chilling movie or TV series.
Get CONFESS TO ME on your summer thriller list and an ideal for book clubs and further discussions. An author to get on your RADAR now! Well done.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the much-appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
REVIEW BLOG POST: #JDCMustReadBooks
@JudithDCollins
www.JudithDCollins.com
Pub Date: 6/15/21
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A horrific unsolved murder...
Stories of satanic ritual abuse...
The exotic pet trade...
Misunderstood mental illness ...
A doctor with a strange practice...
Heather Hornne is going home. She came back from the dead once in Hunther, WI.
Master storyteller Sharon Doering wowed us last year with her smashing debut, She Lies Close. She returns with her sophomore novel, the latest spine-chilling thriller (with a Gothic vibe), weaving a dark and deliciously evil spell —CONFESS TO ME.
A harrowing tale of a world where little is what it first appears to be. The author skillfully builds suspense and adept at drawing believable characters and relationships. A masterful job of depicting small rural town claustrophobia, dysfunctional family dynamics, horrors, and the dark secrets that haunt the characters.
Haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her family, Heather finds herself back in her hometown, after twenty years running from it.
She returns to finally put the past to rest but uncovers more tragedy and finds herself drawn to a young woman who knows more of her family secrets than Heather does.
Heather does not have many memories. She wants desperately to find someone who can help her sort out the past and, in particular, her mother. And family. Has she blocked out painful memories? A tragic childhood, she seeks to learn more about the past.
However, some people in this town may want to keep those dark secrets of the past buried. (and there are many!)
The family is driving from Chicago to the rural area where Trevor's mom is dying with cancer. They decided to rent a house nearby, and the entire family tags along. Trevor and Heather grew up in this small town even though she is much younger than her partner. Their children Emily (six) and Sawyer (sixteen) are getting a culture shock.
She was only six when they moved. Heather does not like this place and sees it as toxic and poisonous. She is also getting strange texts.
A young girl Dawn was murdered in '91 and gutted. They say it was her mom that was the killer. She also has siblings who died in mysterious ways.
She meets many creepy strange characters and animals as she desperately tries to piece together a toxic history that she long tried to forget. You do not know whom you can trust in the novel, from blackmail, manipulation, deception, cruelty, guilt, lies, and more.
Infused with chilling notes and transcripts from a psychologist regarding the childhood traumas, brainwashing, programming, murders, and manifestations added a bit of mystery, intrigue, and suspense.
WOW, there are many flawed characters in the book, so do not feel you will sit down, get cozy, and have coffee with them. Sharp and witty, there is a much bigger and more profound side to the novel, and I was blown away by the author's skill, research, and incredible insights into these highly charged, thought-provoking dark topics.
Thoughtful and compelling, Doering's psychological thrillers are characterized by their deeply wrought characters and objectively harrowing situations.
I loved the letter from the mom - very moving. I also enjoyed the author's note at the end of the book. (THANK YOU) I am a colossal research nut and always want to break down every book and learn the inspiration.
In fact, I wish that I had read the author's note first, which further enhanced the overall reading experience. Highly impressive. Not only is this an excellent thriller with the creep vibe, but it also is a deep dive into the evils and complexities of humanity (even more so, based on a true story).
The disgusting and shocking malignancy, manipulations, and toxicity of these psychologists, doctors, priests, and law officials will haunt you.
As she mentions: The inspiration was based on The Search for Satan documentary (1995) and the women's horror stories. As we see firsthand in the novel, the cruelties due to professionals (or ones that practiced as such). They held so much control, and many were victims of their greed.
FRONTLINE untangles the mysterious web of satanic ritual abuse, psychiatric treatment, and insurance claims that escalated into millions of dollars. Were these professed victims of secret satanic cults really helped by the psychiatric care they received?
Like brainwashing and cults, dangerous psychiatry, making people puppets controlling their thoughts and actions from conspiracy, manipulation, and multiple personalities. As Doering reiterates, truth is typically stranger than fiction.
"This is widespread folks. It is systemic and organized. The brainwashing, the programming, the murders, it no joke."
There are many topics and themes discussed in the novel and, importantly, self-identity. The author does a great job of breaking out other documentaries that were part of her inspiration, including animals, exotic pets, PTSD, memory loss, and more.
A thought-provoking powerful read. I enjoyed her notes and found myself doing more online research into these topics. She not only shows the dark side of humanity but their journey with her lyrical writing, metaphors, and symbolisms and the light from the troubled places of abuse and darkness, and how they shape and define our lives as adults. Giving it life and healing from the character's experiences while confronting their past with courage and forgiveness.
There is so much more to discuss, but I must stop since I appear to be all over the board here with my thoughts. I really enjoyed the mom's character with her artistic talent and tormented life while trying to balance motherhood in a misunderstood world and treated unfairly with cruelty. (great character development).
Sharon Doering's writing is spellbinding. She also blends literary suspense with psychological thriller, which is something I enjoy reading.
If you are a fan of Jennifer Hillier, Laura McHugh, Ron Rash, David Joy, Randall Silvis, and Lisa Unger (notably her Hollows series) and most recently, The House of Crows, you must read this author. You will also think of Ozark (where the Chicago family relocate to the Ozarks.)
You may find yourself turning the page with one eye closed, afraid of what will jump out at you because the writing is so vivid and descriptive. I love how the author uses humor to balance her darker writing. CONFESS TO ME is a perfect title and would make for a chilling movie or TV series.
Get CONFESS TO ME on your summer thriller list and an ideal for book clubs and further discussions. An author to get on your RADAR now! Well done.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the much-appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
REVIEW BLOG POST: #JDCMustReadBooks
@JudithDCollins
www.JudithDCollins.com
Pub Date: 6/15/21
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
May 27, 2021
3.5 ⭐️. I’m not really sure how I feel about this one. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. It definitely kept my interest from start to finish. There were some things in the book that I did find odd and they didn’t seem to fit with the storyline, like they were just thrown in there....mainly the sexual references and cougars (yes, actual animals). I also wasn’t a fan of the Satanic and exorcism chapters. There wasn’t much, but it was just weird the way it was added. I think there was just too much going on, and the book was written almost like they wanted you to think every single person was guilty of the murder. Like I said it wasn’t great but it wasn’t horrible either. I also think the first half of the book was better than the second half.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2021
Sharon Doering's stories are messed up in the best possible way!
June 13, 2021
4.5-5 stars for Sharon's latest book! She is a masterful storyteller that is for sure! Her books just suck me right in and I'm along for a thrill ride.
This book is about a young mother who returns to her home town with her husband to care for his sick and dying mother. It's a small town and not one she really wishes to return too. However, she wants to sort through her troubled past- unbeknownst to her husband.
The path of her past is the crazy thrill ride that had me continuously shaking my head and my jaw dropping. Some of the book was a bit predictable but it didn't overshadow the book. Sharon's way with words sucks you in totally and has you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
**It took me so long to finish this book because I was in the middle of starting a new job, however, I read it every chance I got!!!**
Thank you to Sharon Doering for sending me an advanced copy. You are simply amazing girl!
This book is about a young mother who returns to her home town with her husband to care for his sick and dying mother. It's a small town and not one she really wishes to return too. However, she wants to sort through her troubled past- unbeknownst to her husband.
The path of her past is the crazy thrill ride that had me continuously shaking my head and my jaw dropping. Some of the book was a bit predictable but it didn't overshadow the book. Sharon's way with words sucks you in totally and has you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
**It took me so long to finish this book because I was in the middle of starting a new job, however, I read it every chance I got!!!**
Thank you to Sharon Doering for sending me an advanced copy. You are simply amazing girl!
December 29, 2021
📖BOOK REVIEW📖 🌟🌟🌟🌟
“If death were a woman, I’d welcome her into my house, tell her she could keep her shoes on, and share cheap Moscato over ice in plastic cups on my back porch. The best of friends.”
Original and unique! I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this. I read a lot of thrillers, and this one is entirely different.
The synopsis barely touches on all of the elements in this creative and tragic thriller. I’m not going into too much detail, because I don’t want to give anything away.
Heather is in for a whole lot of crazy when she returns to her hometown! A small town that stopped evolving years ago. Hunther, WI is holding the mysteries of the childhood she can’t remember. Twisted secrets, chilling lies, two unsolved murders, and neighbors housing Mountain Lions. Yep, you heard that right. Just down the street from Heather’s family rental is a neighbor that keeps some dangerous pets! And how do they fit into this story, you ask?
Holy balls of hell… YOU NEED to read this one for yourself!
Thank you to Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this e-arc. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#confesstome #sharondoering #mustreadthriller #bookstagram #coloradobookstagrammer #coloradoreader #womenwhoread #cougars #mustreadthriller #thrillerobsessed #somanybookssolittletime #ilovetoreadthrillers #booklove #bookaholic #suspensethriller #thrillersofbookstagram #bookrecommendation #bookreviewer #tbrbingo2021 #bookaddict #fortheloveofbooks
“If death were a woman, I’d welcome her into my house, tell her she could keep her shoes on, and share cheap Moscato over ice in plastic cups on my back porch. The best of friends.”
Original and unique! I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this. I read a lot of thrillers, and this one is entirely different.
The synopsis barely touches on all of the elements in this creative and tragic thriller. I’m not going into too much detail, because I don’t want to give anything away.
Heather is in for a whole lot of crazy when she returns to her hometown! A small town that stopped evolving years ago. Hunther, WI is holding the mysteries of the childhood she can’t remember. Twisted secrets, chilling lies, two unsolved murders, and neighbors housing Mountain Lions. Yep, you heard that right. Just down the street from Heather’s family rental is a neighbor that keeps some dangerous pets! And how do they fit into this story, you ask?
Holy balls of hell… YOU NEED to read this one for yourself!
Thank you to Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this e-arc. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#confesstome #sharondoering #mustreadthriller #bookstagram #coloradobookstagrammer #coloradoreader #womenwhoread #cougars #mustreadthriller #thrillerobsessed #somanybookssolittletime #ilovetoreadthrillers #booklove #bookaholic #suspensethriller #thrillersofbookstagram #bookrecommendation #bookreviewer #tbrbingo2021 #bookaddict #fortheloveofbooks
April 27, 2021
A lot of thrillers these days claim to be “unputdownable,” but this one really lives up to the term! I refused to watch tv with my husband because I wanted to read more and more of this story! What a thriller! I thought I had it figured out, but I was SO wrong. Loved this!
March 14, 2021
I loved this book! The characters jump right off the page, each one so complex, so different, you feel as though you are living in their world right along side them. I couldn't wait to get back to them whenever I was pulled away to see what happened years before, and how it was all going to end. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
July 21, 2021
2.5- I liked this book that I found out about from TIK TOK, it just made the plot sound so intriguing and I had to read it. This book was very easy to read, which is always fun— to feel like you’re flying through a book. Some chapters were like 1.5 pages long, so those short little bites were nice. By no means did it blow me away but it was fun, even if the ending felt super rushed/ convoluted
Read
November 20, 2025Hey there, thriller lover. This is my most "popcorn" thriller. Samantha Downing said it was TIGER KING meets OZARK, and I love that description. Let me know what you think :)
June 15, 2021
This was a dark and twisty thriller that left me with some ambivalent thoughts. I didn’t hate it but I also just didn’t love it either and I can’t quite pinpoint why!
I found it to be a slow burn but I did love diving into Heather’s dark past alongside of her and experiencing the twists as she did! It was fun to join her on her discovery back to the town she grew up in and it was engaging to rediscover what she seemed to have blocked out.
I was certainly intrigued throughout and I’ve been seeing some rave reviews out there so make sure to check out for yourself!
3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4 for goodreads
I found it to be a slow burn but I did love diving into Heather’s dark past alongside of her and experiencing the twists as she did! It was fun to join her on her discovery back to the town she grew up in and it was engaging to rediscover what she seemed to have blocked out.
I was certainly intrigued throughout and I’ve been seeing some rave reviews out there so make sure to check out for yourself!
3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4 for goodreads
March 17, 2021
Step by masterful step, Sharon Doering takes readers on a creepy, mind-bending journey through past trauma and present secrets. She skillfully creates characters whose darkest thoughts mirror our own, and every word is woven with sinister foreboding. Genius twists and winding paths lead to a shocking ending you won't see coming. A chilling read!
August 15, 2023
Doering has done it again! Raw, dark, and explosive, CONFESS TO ME is an alluring and engrossing tale of revenge and redemption.
June 18, 2021
Haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her family, Heather finds herself back in Hunther, Wisconsin after twenty years running from it.
She returns to finally put the past to rest, but uncovers another tragedy and finds herself in the beguiling grip of a young woman who knows more of her family secrets than Heather does.
To survive this homecoming, Heather must piece together a toxic history that she long tried to forget the author...
Huge thanks to the team at Titan who accepted my request to read 'Confess To Me', on Netgalley as I was the biggest fan of her debut thriller, the extraordinary,'She Lies Close'.
And this is in the same vein, it explores the relationship between parents and their children, the hereditary nature of 'evil', and the way that memories are not always what they seem, they are dependent on the prism through which they are viewed.
Having managed to shake the surname,Hornne, and the town which villified it, Heather returns home to Hunther, family in tow, to assist her husband in caring for his dying mother.
Anonymous texts have been arriving daily, forcing Heather out of the almost comfort zone in which she exists with her husband and children, and back into her childhood. The fact that only she and her estranged sister,Holly, are left of the 5 Hornne siblings hints at mysterious events in this back woods place. Her family were known as 'the weird ones', and fractured memories peck at Heather's brain as she seeks to establish a truth she isn't even sure she wants to know.
A long forgotten death, for which there was no culprit, a suicide, rumours of Satan worship and the period in which her mother disappeared, then returned, not quite the same, all combine to make a heady mix of past and present. Heather's narrative intersperses with that of her husband Trevor, who has secrets of his own.
As Heather digs deeper into the worn fabric of local history, she risks pulling a thread which could unravel everything.
The sharpness and reality of trying to create a blended family, raising children and acknowledging responsibilities based on blood ties, are so fragile, and spun so thinly that they can look like silk, yet they support such weight. At the heart of this novel, is how you create and maintain a family in safety against intrusions from toxic influences.
But, no matter how hard you work at it, there are influences outside the control of human will.
There is the strange man who lives down the road and keeps randomly turning up, not to mention the fact their neighbour keeps cougars as pets.
Added to that is the lush young woman who prowls the local swimming pool like a naiad, the appropriately named Desiree, who teaches Heather's younger child to swim.
This pool, the first point of contact which Heather has with Hunther, is immensely symbolic as the poorer population of the town are figuratively, and literally, swimming in the tiny percentage of the wealthier parts largesse.
The quasi-philanthropic nature of the community pool means that you could say both rich and poor are tainted alike by obligation and responsibility to each other, one showing their wealth by bestowing it on the other.
'Confess To Me' is a novel of soul searching, a story of a journey into the darkness of a woman's childhood which still has roots that may be rotted, yet stubbornly cling to her legs. If she can manage to shake them free, then she will be able to be the mother that she wishes she had.
Yet again, Sharon Doering manages to subvert the social expectation on women to put up and shut up by presenting women with a veneer covering dark, devious hearts. Beneath the laquer and the make up lie bitter souls...
She returns to finally put the past to rest, but uncovers another tragedy and finds herself in the beguiling grip of a young woman who knows more of her family secrets than Heather does.
To survive this homecoming, Heather must piece together a toxic history that she long tried to forget the author...
Huge thanks to the team at Titan who accepted my request to read 'Confess To Me', on Netgalley as I was the biggest fan of her debut thriller, the extraordinary,'She Lies Close'.
And this is in the same vein, it explores the relationship between parents and their children, the hereditary nature of 'evil', and the way that memories are not always what they seem, they are dependent on the prism through which they are viewed.
Having managed to shake the surname,Hornne, and the town which villified it, Heather returns home to Hunther, family in tow, to assist her husband in caring for his dying mother.
Anonymous texts have been arriving daily, forcing Heather out of the almost comfort zone in which she exists with her husband and children, and back into her childhood. The fact that only she and her estranged sister,Holly, are left of the 5 Hornne siblings hints at mysterious events in this back woods place. Her family were known as 'the weird ones', and fractured memories peck at Heather's brain as she seeks to establish a truth she isn't even sure she wants to know.
A long forgotten death, for which there was no culprit, a suicide, rumours of Satan worship and the period in which her mother disappeared, then returned, not quite the same, all combine to make a heady mix of past and present. Heather's narrative intersperses with that of her husband Trevor, who has secrets of his own.
As Heather digs deeper into the worn fabric of local history, she risks pulling a thread which could unravel everything.
The sharpness and reality of trying to create a blended family, raising children and acknowledging responsibilities based on blood ties, are so fragile, and spun so thinly that they can look like silk, yet they support such weight. At the heart of this novel, is how you create and maintain a family in safety against intrusions from toxic influences.
But, no matter how hard you work at it, there are influences outside the control of human will.
There is the strange man who lives down the road and keeps randomly turning up, not to mention the fact their neighbour keeps cougars as pets.
Added to that is the lush young woman who prowls the local swimming pool like a naiad, the appropriately named Desiree, who teaches Heather's younger child to swim.
This pool, the first point of contact which Heather has with Hunther, is immensely symbolic as the poorer population of the town are figuratively, and literally, swimming in the tiny percentage of the wealthier parts largesse.
The quasi-philanthropic nature of the community pool means that you could say both rich and poor are tainted alike by obligation and responsibility to each other, one showing their wealth by bestowing it on the other.
'Confess To Me' is a novel of soul searching, a story of a journey into the darkness of a woman's childhood which still has roots that may be rotted, yet stubbornly cling to her legs. If she can manage to shake them free, then she will be able to be the mother that she wishes she had.
Yet again, Sharon Doering manages to subvert the social expectation on women to put up and shut up by presenting women with a veneer covering dark, devious hearts. Beneath the laquer and the make up lie bitter souls...
June 16, 2021
Happy pub day to Sharon Doering's Confess To Me! This baby it OUT TODAY!
And holy hell…it’s a good one!
“People didn’t pass through Hunther; they were born here and died here.”
This dual-narrative thriller is a must-read, with an easy and addictive flow that keeps the reader turning pages one after the next. I seriously could not stop reading (in fact, I was annoyed when life got in the way and I had to set it down…). It’s fast-paced and witty, with a stunningly suspenseful plot. This book completely and utterly kicked my ass.
I wasn’t prepared for it—the brilliant writing, front and center foreshadowing and characters that make you question just about everything. If this isn’t already on your TBR, Put. It. There. Now.
Thank you @NetGalley and Titan Books for the gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review!
And holy hell…it’s a good one!
“People didn’t pass through Hunther; they were born here and died here.”
This dual-narrative thriller is a must-read, with an easy and addictive flow that keeps the reader turning pages one after the next. I seriously could not stop reading (in fact, I was annoyed when life got in the way and I had to set it down…). It’s fast-paced and witty, with a stunningly suspenseful plot. This book completely and utterly kicked my ass.
I wasn’t prepared for it—the brilliant writing, front and center foreshadowing and characters that make you question just about everything. If this isn’t already on your TBR, Put. It. There. Now.
Thank you @NetGalley and Titan Books for the gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review!
July 22, 2023
This was just an OK read for me. I didn’t really care for any of the characters. I also found some aspects irrelevant to the main storyline (Cougars/Satanic stuff, etc). I enjoyed the first half of the book. The second half started to drag and I just wanted it to end. 😂
I enjoyed the author’s wit and sense of humor. That part helped keep me engaged and I laughed outloud several times. I also enjoyed some of the Chicago/Wisconsin references! 3⭐️.
I enjoyed the author’s wit and sense of humor. That part helped keep me engaged and I laughed outloud several times. I also enjoyed some of the Chicago/Wisconsin references! 3⭐️.
June 8, 2021
This was a thrilling novel!
Heather Hornne returns to her hometown of Hunther, Wisconsin with her husband, Trevor, whose mother has fallen ill with cancer and only has a short time left to live. Here they rent a house with Trevor's teen son and their young daughter Emily. During her stay in Hunther, events begin to happen that bring up her family's shattered past and she remembers why she ran away from them to begin with. Discoveries are made about her mother and a death that occurred in Hunther when she was just a young girl.
I really enjoyed this book, it was very engaging. The author did a great job building up the suspense and left me with a satisfying ending. If you enjoy a good mystery/suspense, then this one is for you!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) on June 15, 2021.
Heather Hornne returns to her hometown of Hunther, Wisconsin with her husband, Trevor, whose mother has fallen ill with cancer and only has a short time left to live. Here they rent a house with Trevor's teen son and their young daughter Emily. During her stay in Hunther, events begin to happen that bring up her family's shattered past and she remembers why she ran away from them to begin with. Discoveries are made about her mother and a death that occurred in Hunther when she was just a young girl.
I really enjoyed this book, it was very engaging. The author did a great job building up the suspense and left me with a satisfying ending. If you enjoy a good mystery/suspense, then this one is for you!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) on June 15, 2021.
May 24, 2021
I found the story to be slow and anticlimactic. I almost gave up, but pushed through because of all the great reviews…and wish I hadn’t. I didn’t really like any of the characters, nor was there any real character development for any of them. Overall, not impressed with this one.
September 28, 2021
This book DOES NOT get enough recognition! To be completely honest I'm not sure how I even came across it and put it on my TBR list but DAMN am I glad I did.
I strongly suggest going into this one blind - that's what I did (aside from probably reading a description months ago when it was added to my list). So many times I found myself saying "What is going on? What's going to happen?" in one breath and then "Ohhhh I know what ...." ... only for my attempts to figure it out to be completed thwarted. This is definitely a twisty ass bonkers ride so buckle up!
I don't want to give anything away so I'll stop but READ THIS BOOK!! I don't think you'll be disappointed. :)
I strongly suggest going into this one blind - that's what I did (aside from probably reading a description months ago when it was added to my list). So many times I found myself saying "What is going on? What's going to happen?" in one breath and then "Ohhhh I know what ...." ... only for my attempts to figure it out to be completed thwarted. This is definitely a twisty ass bonkers ride so buckle up!
I don't want to give anything away so I'll stop but READ THIS BOOK!! I don't think you'll be disappointed. :)
April 27, 2023
Confess to Me is the definition of a slow burn BUT it's a good slow burn. This story took awhile to build up, but once we got there I was absolutely hooked. Heather is returning to her childhood home, she moved away at a young age for a reason. She blocked out most of her childhood years and she is determined to find out what happened. However, she quickly discovers that some things are meant to stay in the past, and certain people are making sure of it.
This is definitely a dark, compelling read and one you aren't going to want to put down until you have finished the story. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't already read
This is definitely a dark, compelling read and one you aren't going to want to put down until you have finished the story. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't already read
April 29, 2021
First, thank you to the publishers at Titan Books via Netgalley and Sharon Doering for providing me with an advanced Kindle copy of Confess to Me.
What an amazing thrill ride of a book! I was instantly sucked in. Doering has a way with words. Her descriptions were flawless, her sentences flowed. Sometimes it takes me some time to really get into a book. Not here. I was instantly enthralled.
The premise of the book is about a young mother, Heather, 37, who returns to her hometown with her husband to care for his sick and dying mother. There’s another reason she’s there though - to figure out her own troubled past. Her memory is fragmented, a sea of trees that have been partially chopped down as she so puts it. So what from her scattered memories is real and what’s not? That’s what she plans on finding out.
Some people may not find it realistic that Heather is able to get so many strangers to open up to her about her and her mother’s past, but I think it was believable. She’s in a tiny town, she’s well known because of her family history, and people love to gossip. The ride Heather takes to get to the bottom of her wretched past is nothing short of crazy, and completely full of, wow, I did not see that coming! Near the end, it was a little obvious of how it might end, but nearly the entire story had me on my toes, wanting to read more. I finished this in less than two days. It truly is a book you can’t put down.
Doering’s prose, her pacing, and her descriptions will have you on the edge of your seat. 5/5 stars. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in thrillers based in small towns.
What an amazing thrill ride of a book! I was instantly sucked in. Doering has a way with words. Her descriptions were flawless, her sentences flowed. Sometimes it takes me some time to really get into a book. Not here. I was instantly enthralled.
The premise of the book is about a young mother, Heather, 37, who returns to her hometown with her husband to care for his sick and dying mother. There’s another reason she’s there though - to figure out her own troubled past. Her memory is fragmented, a sea of trees that have been partially chopped down as she so puts it. So what from her scattered memories is real and what’s not? That’s what she plans on finding out.
Some people may not find it realistic that Heather is able to get so many strangers to open up to her about her and her mother’s past, but I think it was believable. She’s in a tiny town, she’s well known because of her family history, and people love to gossip. The ride Heather takes to get to the bottom of her wretched past is nothing short of crazy, and completely full of, wow, I did not see that coming! Near the end, it was a little obvious of how it might end, but nearly the entire story had me on my toes, wanting to read more. I finished this in less than two days. It truly is a book you can’t put down.
Doering’s prose, her pacing, and her descriptions will have you on the edge of your seat. 5/5 stars. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in thrillers based in small towns.
June 25, 2021
Hidden secrets. Creepy small town. Traumatic childhoods and maybe ...but could it be
.... Satan?
Plus. People with cougars as pets.
AND Sharon Doering rights dark sarcastic female leads like noone's business.
"Because I'd died once, and it didn't seem to be all that big of a deal, most of my life I felt comfortable with death, maybe a little too comfortable.
If death were a woman, I'd welcome her into my house, tell her she could keep her shoes on, and share cheap Moscatos over ice in plastic cups on my back porch... the best of friends."
- Heather
Are you not entertained??!?!?
.... Satan?
Plus. People with cougars as pets.
AND Sharon Doering rights dark sarcastic female leads like noone's business.
"Because I'd died once, and it didn't seem to be all that big of a deal, most of my life I felt comfortable with death, maybe a little too comfortable.
If death were a woman, I'd welcome her into my house, tell her she could keep her shoes on, and share cheap Moscatos over ice in plastic cups on my back porch... the best of friends."
- Heather
Are you not entertained??!?!?
June 7, 2021
6/7/2021 Another delightfully bananas thriller from this talented author. Full review tk at CriminalElement.com.
May 17, 2021
Quick read, good story line.
October 14, 2021
It’s not often that I struggle to get through a book, but unfortunately that was the case with this one. I didn’t think the mystery was very compelling and struggled to get excited as I was reading. I don’t know if that’s because of the family aspect which I cannot relate to, the fact that I didn’t have very strong feelings about any of the characters, or because of some overly graphic descriptions which brought me out of the story.
However, I did feel that the author did an excellent job portraying the claustrophobic nature of small-town communities. Everyone is involved in other people’s business with the characters being the perfect balance of nosy yet secretive.
Although the conclusion made sense, I felt like it was unsatisfying. The whole premise of the story seemed to be focused on a long-forgotten murder which then had less of an impact than I was expecting. In general, a lot of the secrets that people were hiding were not dramatic enough to be given so much attention. I’m all for red herrings when they serve a purpose, but in this case it felt like they were just added unnecessarily to make things even more complicated.
I did enjoy the thread of the unreliability of memories. I felt Heather’s frustration as she tries to put the pieces of her past together. But, ultimately I think there was too much going on with different plot lines fighting for dominance.
However, I did feel that the author did an excellent job portraying the claustrophobic nature of small-town communities. Everyone is involved in other people’s business with the characters being the perfect balance of nosy yet secretive.
Although the conclusion made sense, I felt like it was unsatisfying. The whole premise of the story seemed to be focused on a long-forgotten murder which then had less of an impact than I was expecting. In general, a lot of the secrets that people were hiding were not dramatic enough to be given so much attention. I’m all for red herrings when they serve a purpose, but in this case it felt like they were just added unnecessarily to make things even more complicated.
I did enjoy the thread of the unreliability of memories. I felt Heather’s frustration as she tries to put the pieces of her past together. But, ultimately I think there was too much going on with different plot lines fighting for dominance.
June 25, 2021
Confused with all the great reviews. Obviously I am in the minority. And am I the only prude here? Way too much sexual inuendos that were unnecessary and seemed thrown in just for shock value. Raunchy... I prefer more thriller and less 50 shades of grey... not sure I would try this author again.
January 4, 2022
Confess To Me sucked me in from the opening paragraph. What a wild ride! (Maybe a tiny spoiler ahead.)
Heather Hornne Bishop is back in Hunther, Wisconsin after many years away. Her mother-in-law is dying, so the Bishop family rents a rundown house on the edge of town in order for husband Trevor to be close to his mom in her final months. There is so many things Heather can't remember from her childhood, but she knows there was trauma and family secrets buried deep. Determined to uncover them, the first person she talks to in town tells her that all those years ago, Heather's own mother murdered a teenage girl. She can't believe that's true, so digs deeper, uncovering way more secrets than she ever imagined.
I don't want to say more because I don't want to give anything else away, but this story has more twists and turns than a winding mountain road. Every time I thought I had things figured out, author Sharon Doering would throw in another curveball. I can't tell you how many times I said, "OMG! No way!" The uncovered family secrets and the family dynamics were done so well. It was really interesting the way Heather had always thought she knew certain things about her family only to find out how wrong she was. It's a fast-paced story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last word. Well done!
Heather Hornne Bishop is back in Hunther, Wisconsin after many years away. Her mother-in-law is dying, so the Bishop family rents a rundown house on the edge of town in order for husband Trevor to be close to his mom in her final months. There is so many things Heather can't remember from her childhood, but she knows there was trauma and family secrets buried deep. Determined to uncover them, the first person she talks to in town tells her that all those years ago, Heather's own mother murdered a teenage girl. She can't believe that's true, so digs deeper, uncovering way more secrets than she ever imagined.
I don't want to say more because I don't want to give anything else away, but this story has more twists and turns than a winding mountain road. Every time I thought I had things figured out, author Sharon Doering would throw in another curveball. I can't tell you how many times I said, "OMG! No way!" The uncovered family secrets and the family dynamics were done so well. It was really interesting the way Heather had always thought she knew certain things about her family only to find out how wrong she was. It's a fast-paced story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last word. Well done!
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