Published: August 24, 2021

Kiersten Modglin

I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Kiersten Modglin is an Amazon Top 30 bestselling author of psychological thrillers, a member of International Thriller Writers and the Alliance of Independent Authors, a KDP Select All-Star, and a ThrillerFix Best Psychological Thriller Award Recipient. Kiersten grew up in rural Western Kentucky with dreams of someday publishing a book or two. With more than twenty-five books published, Kiersten now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, daughter, and their two Boston Terriers: Cedric and Georgie. She is best known for her unpredictable psychological suspense.

“What if we were all monsters deep down, after all?”

Michelle and Jude live a charmed life in their small town. Jude is the sheriff, so there is a certain level of prestige that comes with that position. Stephanie and Ted have a complicated marriage, especially since Ted is missing. Enzo, the mayor, recently lost his wife, Leslie, in a robbery turned murder. Not everything is as charming as it seems in Cason Glen, and everyone has secrets deeper than Lake Genevieve.

Holy. Smokes. This book has it all beautiful scenery, privileged lives, twists, turns, and secrets. This story was so tightly intertwined and deviously plotted, with characters that left you unsure which way is up.

The setting for Cason Glen was stunning. The neighborhood sounded gorgeous, with picturesque homes featuring stunning lakeside views. In a very Stepford wives element, I enjoyed that all of the houses were cookie-cutter versions of one another. The level of wealth and privilege was so eloquently presented.

The characters were such intricate pieces of this puzzle. Everyone was connected, small town and no one truly had any secrets- did they? Michelle and Jude were beautifully crafted. Michelle living the image of the perfect Sheriffs wife and doting mother. She volunteered for everything, was the president of the PTA, and was known as the town gossip- behind her back, of course. Jude was a golden boy from town, and he took pride in protecting the town. Stephanie was presented as an emotional yet deeply complex character. Her husband is missing, her teenage twin sons are acting out, and then there is Enzo. The mayor who recently tragically lost his wife.

The twists and turns build subtly; just when you think you’ve figured everything out, another angle gets exposed. I loved the complex focus on relationships throughout this novel—the dynamic between husband and wife, mother and child, friends and neighbors. The web between love and lies is dangerously deep, and the bridge between truth and justice is increasingly thin.

KMod wove an intense, complex, dark tale that is impossible to put down. In what may be KMod’s most intricately complicated display of relationships and what a parent would do for their child to date, this novel is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.