Devil's Lair (Calico Mountain #2) in Aussie Readers

Jun 12, 2019 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-authors, net-galley, 2019-release, mystery, read-on-kindle, suspense, thriller, arc, own-read, psychological-thriller

Callie and Dale were living happily in the Hunter Valley in NSW, working on their vineyard when the unthinkable happened. After a time, Callie needed to get away, so her friend and associate persuaded her to head to Tasmania to Paisley’s property where she could quietly regain her life, grieving in peace. The stone cottage beside the old mansion was a boon for Callie and popping in on Paisley’s dad Cliff with occasional meals wasn’t difficult. When Callie found herself helping Paisley’s friend T ...more

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Jun 08, 2019 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-are, netgalley-reviews

Two years after Callie’s life is devastated by a shocking incident she flees relentless scrutiny to find sanctuary in a rural cottage in the Central Highlands of Tasmania. Changing her name, and her look, Callie hopes to make a fresh start, and when she is unexpectedly offered a job at nearby tourist retreat, Calico Lodge, she decides it’s an opportunity too good to pass up. Made to feel welcome by the owners, particularly Connor Atherton, and slowly winning over her gruff landlord at Waldron Ho Two years after Callie’s life is devastated by a shocking incident she flees relentless scrutiny to find sanctuary in a rural cottage in the Central Highlands of Tasmania. Changing her name, and her look, Callie hopes to make a fresh start, and when she is unexpectedly offered a job at nearby tourist retreat, Calico Lodge, she decides it’s an opportunity too good to pass up. Made to feel welcome by the owners, particularly Connor Atherton, and slowly winning over her gruff landlord at Waldron House, Callie begins to believe she can escape her past...until a psychotic killer revives a long held grudge.

Blurring gothic sensibilities with psychological suspense, The Devil’s Lair by Sarah Barrie is a gripping thriller that kept me compulsively turning the pages until the early hours of the morning. I experienced an almost visceral reaction to the sense of unease that builds as the story unfolds, finding myself startling at every unexpected noise outside my darkened window.

Barrie establishes the disquieting presence of Waldron House with descriptions of ‘shabby green walls and scarred wooden floors’, dim rooms crowded with boxes and dusty antique furniture, and the overgrown, wild gardens. Strange symbols are carved or drawn on door frames, the cellar door sports a large padlock, and chunks of black tormaline are placed on window sills. Add to that the odd noises and other strange occurrences that begin to plague Callie, as well as the disturbing rumours that persist regarding the property’s history, and the grandeur of Waldron House begins to lose its charm.

Callie is a sympathetic character, the tragedy that caused her to flee the Hunter Valley is horrifying to contemplate, and then, just as she begins to find her feet in Tasmania, members of the community are targeted by unspeakable violence, and Callie experiences a cascade of unsettling events that causes her to question not only her safety, but her sanity.

Contrivances were easy to dismiss as I got caught up in the story, and as the truth about the past and present unravels, Barrie stuns with plot twists that reveal shameful secrets, dangerous obsessions, and horrifying acts of revenge.

A compelling and darkly atmospheric tale, Devil’s Lair is a riveting thriller. I enjoyed it so much Ive ordered Blood Tree River, also by Sarah Barrie, which shares the novel’s location and some of the characters though it is not directly related. ...more

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Jun 26, 2019 Helen rated it it was amazing

This story is absolutely fabulous, edge of your seat suspense, fabulous setting and a romance that just made me feel so good with everything else that is going on in the story, fast paced and a must read, this is the second book in this series and we are back in Tasmania, time to make yourself comfortable because you will not want to put this one down until you find out all of the details.

Callie Jones is involved with the death of her husband Dale on a winery in th Hunter Valley, there had been ...more

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May 27, 2019 Tanya rated it really liked it

Sarah Barrie has very quickly become a must read author for me, and I've been looking forward to her newest offering.

Devil's Lair, takes us back to Calico Mountain and the friends we made in her previous book Bloodtree River.

After her husband's violent death, Callie is desperate to start over. Her friend, Paisley, sets her up in a cabin on her family's property in Tasmania. It's a quite place for her to regroup, figure out what she wants and how she can achieve it.
Over at the Calico Mountain ran ...more

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Jun 18, 2019 Jenny (Bookbookowl) rated it really liked it

Thankyou to Harper Collins Australia for providing me with a copy of Devil's Lair in exchange for an honest review.

After her husband dies in horrific circumstances, Callie's life is left shattered. She welcomes an escape to Tasmania, to live in her friend's cottage, away from the media attention and everyone who knows about her past. Despite her fears about anyone learning who she really is, she finds friendship in her new colleagues at a nearby lodge.

But things are not as they seem at her co ...more

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