Joy Reads Books

Tag: thriller

  • Tensions grow “Into the Fall”: A Review of New Psychological Thriller

    My interest was initially piqued by Tamara L. Miller’s “Into the Fall” because she’s Canadian, and there’s something to be said for supporting local talent but this did not disappoint and is in no way Can-Con filler! Miller’s debut novel is a tightly woven tale that she expertly and finely unravels until the very end. Based out of Ottawa, Miller is the President of Ottawa Independent writers and her website can be found at by Tamara Miller.

    “Into the Fall” is a suspenseful psychological thriller about a family broken apart overnight by the disappearance of husband and father, Matthew in the wilds of northern Ontario. The family has traveled north of Ottawa into a part of the country that is undeniably beautiful, but also incredibly dangerous. We are constantly reminded of this by Officer Rob Boychuk, a veteran of the force and though reserved with our title character, he consistently shows Sarah and her children kindness. I laughed out loud at the name of Boychuk’s partner – Chantal Dubé, Miller couldn’t have possibly used a more French-Canadian name and in a world of books written by Americans, it was like a secret joke for the Canadians (truth be told, I think I know a Boychuk. Canada is small).

    In a former life, Miller was a policy writer and it is evident in the complexity of this story and the background she is able to create for each character. The world she builds for each scene and interaction is complete and well-thought; we feel the growing tension and begrudging respect between Boychuk and Sarah with each subsequent meeting. 

    Entertaining and well written, “Into the Fall” is an elevated thriller, perfect for readers looking for a complex story that draws you in and holds you captive until the end. “Into the Fall” hits bookstores 21 January 2025. Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy to Netgalley.

  • Book Review of Psychological Thriller: After Image

    Intricately and beautifully woven, “After Image” by author Jaime deBlanc is a tale of loss and the unbearable not knowing when a loved one disappears. Jaime deBlanc pulls us into this world through Natasha – a young woman traumatized by the loss of her (step) sister four years prior. The novel opens with the discovery of human remains in the nearby hills and Natasha’s visit to the police station to identify belongings found with the remains. 

    It is here we learn that Natasha has suffered from Conversion Disorder since Allie went missing. In another time, this temporary blindness caused by the brain’s response to trauma was called ‘hysterical blindness’. It plunges Tash into darkness when the anxiety and stress builds to an unbearable level. Despite this, Natasha appears to be a reliable narrator, as she takes us back and forth between her present (2017) and 2013, when Allie went missing and everyone’s lives changed. 

    Over time, deBlanc carefully doles out tidbits of information and hints subtly at the depths of each character’s identity. She carefully dropped Tesla into the timeline – Isabel, the missing girl’s mother, is seen driving a Tesla Roadster in a 2008 flashback. The first Teslas were released in February 2008, and of course the unbelievably wealthy and vapid Isabel would be among the first to have this car. A cutting yet subtle indication of her insipid grasp at being elite. 

    A few elements I predicted and in another writer’s hands might seem overdone (the brief affair Natasha has – really?), but there are only so many ways to fit all the pieces together and the difference is in the telling. Jaime deBlanc has crafted a story that is breathtaking in its careful handling of Natasha’s grief and the relationships undone by a disappearance. I was continually gripped by the story but also deBlanc’s writing, it is truly a delight to read.

    Highly recommend to readers who enjoy a mystery and want to be absorbed in its telling. After Image by Jaime deBlanc hits bookshelves October 8, 2024.