Hey, it’s Diego.

This week, I read The Vacation Rental by Katie Sise.

And it’s a slow-burning gem. It made me think of all the books I read that I almost gave up on, only to find that they became magnificent reads once they picked up.

Here is a list of my favorite slow-burning thrillers I’ve read this year.

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Top Slow Burn Thrillers

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

In The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia, two women disappear after they board an airplane, and their loved ones and acquaintances scramble to figure out what happened.

I’ve mentioned this one before. It almost feels like two different stories mushed together. The first half of the book is full of backstory and barely keeps you interested in the mystery. Then the second half is gripping like nothing I’ve read before.

The Club by Ellery Lloyd

The Club by Ellery Lloyd is a fascinating read: Ned is the visionary behind Home, a global organization of deluxe celebrity clubs, and he’s outdone himself this time with the most exclusive one yet set on an island off the coast of England. But will the launch of this new club go as planned when Jess, the head maid, has a vendetta against one of the guests, Annie, the event planner, wants Ned’s job, Adam, Ned’s little brother, wants out of the business, and Nikki, Ned’s assistant, wants to keep her past hidden?

As you can guess from the premise, we follow so many characters that there is a long introduction to each one. As such, even though it was interesting from the first page, things really pick up speed as we get closer to the midpoint.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth tells the story of three foster sisters —Jessica, Norah, and Alicia— who have to confront their traumatic past with the authorities when human remains are discovered beneath their former foster home.

This book’s true gems are the characters, and to get to know them well, you have to spend time with them, both in the present and in their past. As such, this book takes a longer journey to get to the “meat and potatoes”. It was a great read, though. I teared up multiple times.

And the last one to make the list:

The Vacation Rental by Katie Sise (A Review)

When Georgia rents her country home for the month of August, it’s off to the relaxing Connecticut shore for her, her husband, Tom, and their young daughter. It’s just what they need to ease family tensions and reconnect. All that’s left to do is leave behind their house keys―to a stranger.

The Vacation Rental by Katie Sise is a domestic thriller set primarily in two properties, one vacation rental in Connecticut and a family home in the woodlands of New York.

Sise’s writing is overly descriptive, but the dialogue flows naturally, and chapters are short.

We follow two characters, Georgia, the owner of the country home, and Anna, the guest who stays there for one month. We get alternating chapters for each woman in a single timeline.

As you’d expect from the title of this email, the story doesn’t pick up until 40% (I checked), and everything before it was, unfortunately, borderline boring. But once it picks up, you won’t be able to put it down!

Anna and Georgia are proactive characters to follow. And the multiple mysteries make it an interesting read. We uncover details of the mysteries as the characters do, although we are also blind to some of their intentions, as they are unreliable narrators as well.

There is some romance, although not enough to be confused with a romance story. There is swearing, and no scenes of graphic violence.

So, what about the ending? (No spoilers, obviously)

The ending works great. And the denouement is perfect.

The Vacation Rental is a great thriller that is hidden behind a slow burn. If you are one to enjoy slow burns, this one is a gem of a story. Give it a try.

This Week’s Finds

• Too Old for This by Samantha Downing came out this week, and I thought the title and premise were hilarious: A retired serial killer’s peaceful life is shattered by an unexpected visitor, forcing deadly decisions.

• A new trailer dropped this week for The Man in My Basement, the adaptation of Walter Mosley’s bestselling psychological thriller, starring Emmy nominee Corey Hawkins and Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe. And it looks rad.

That’s all for this week. See you next time.

— Diego Dunne

P.S. Let me know how I did today by replying to this email.