Book Review: Book of Knives by Lise Haines

My Rating:

3.5⭐

Nora, a documentary filmmaker and editor, marries her friend Paul, a contractor who had been temporarily renting the loft above her late husband Takeo’s ceramics studio in their home. Soon after, Paul and Nora, along with Leon, Paul’s eighteen-year-old son from his previous marriage, travel to Paul’s family campground, Hidden Lake, which has been closed down for years, to fix it up and eventually sell off the property. Paul, who had left his childhood home almost thirty years ago, does not seem to have too many happy memories of his childhood.

Paul’s parents are still alive, his father terminally ill and his mother suffering from dementia. Nora also meets Paul’s younger brother Gabe and his wife, Salish and their four children. Salish, who takes it upon herself to cook and take charge of the kitchen, shows them a collection of thirteen novelty knives, a proud possession passed down to her by her father. Trouble starts when one by one, the knives start disappearing, despite Salish’s obsessive hiding and protection. Nora, intent on documenting as much as possible on video, embarks on an investigation behind these strange occurrences, often aided by Salish’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Jones.

Book of Knives by Lise Haines is a well-written slow-burn suspense thriller. Haines’s writing is elegant, descriptive and immersive. I was impressed with the author’s characterizations- the adults, teenagers and the children- all the characters, even the immensely unlikable ones are well-developed. The mystery behind the disappearing knives (a few of which reappear under mysterious circumstances), other sinister and paranormal occurrences, hidden rooms, strained interactions between Gabe and Paul, fluctuating tempers, tension and suspicion among the adults, the suffocating atmosphere of the camp, and a decades-old murder mystery make for an engaging read. Yes, there are ghostly apparitions and sinister occurrences, but not enough to scare you silly! (for which I am thankful; otherwise, a scaredy-cat like me would be hiding under the bed instead of writing this review!). The author does leave a few questions unanswered or rather leaves it to the reader to ponder over, but that’s okay.

Overall this is an interesting, albeit slow-moving read, with a climax that satisfies, and a few surprises along the way.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed here are my own.