Book Review: Dark August by Katie Tallo

By Kaylie Seed

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Canadian author Katie Tallo’s debut novel Dark August will be published on June 30, 2020 and lovers of fast-paced thrillers need to get their hands on a copy. Dark August follows Augusta (Gus) Monet as she begins to uncover parts of her past that were buried deep in her mind after the death of her great-grandmother which leads her to things that her late mother left behind seemingly for Gus to discover. What Gus isn’t prepared for is the dark past of her mother, an RCMP officer, who was suspended in her last years on earth and how she became intertwined with a wealthy family who lived just outside of Elgin, Ontario - a town that would later burn to the ground due to an explosion. With her loyal dog Levi by her side, Gus becomes her own detective as she tries to fit puzzle pieces together so that she might be able to make sense of what happened to her mother and the family she was so obsessed with.

Tallo has taken the traditional thriller book and made it into something new and fresh. Dark August is filled with twist after twist and the reader will always be wondering what is going to reveal itself next. As the story progresses Tallo introduces a slew of characters that are all somehow connected and it is up to Gus to figure out where all the pieces fit together. While the amount of characters can seem overwhelming, they all play an important role for both the plot and character development and once they serve their purpose they aren’t necessarily brought back in. What is so nice about this is that the reader is able to learn new information while being able to move forward with the story and not feel like they are missing anything. Tallo ties everything together so flawlessly leaving the reader satisfied with how Gus’ story ends.

Dark August is an exquisite debut that is sure to have readers holding their breath as the plot develops and more twists are unveiled. Tallo makes sure to reveal information to the reader on her terms and often leaves the reader with their jaw dropped. Dark August is an easy-read-thriller that is engaging and hooks the reader from the very beginning. Dark August can be read over a weekend spent outside enjoying the summer sun. I cannot wait to see what Tallo brings into the world next; she is an extremely talented writer and storyteller so she is bound to create another twisted thriller down the road.

Readers who enjoy Gillian Flynn’s work such as Sharp Objects and Gone Girl will absolutely enjoy Dark August. Dark August is also reminiscent of the TV show The Killing that is on Netflix, created by Søren Sveistrup (author of The Chestnut Man).

 

*Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for the gifted E-ARC of Dark August by Katie Tallo*