Nora got her mojo back! Her last couple of standalone books to me were good but they weren't great. This book was better than great! 
 A stormy night. A root cellar. Her father. A monster. Serial killer. Naomi lost part of her innocence days before she turned 12, discovering a horror within her own family. She saved a young woman's life, which in turn, destroyed the foundation of hers. The 12 year old girl had to be brave and stoic, for her brother, and her mother, who have been so manipulated and controlled by her father that she couldn't see beyond the truth of his actions. 
 The story follows Naomi from that stormy night through to her high school years, then to Sunrise Cove. A place with a house on a bluff that has possibility and potential to be called her own. Nora written books that involve details of renovating a house and at times, it could be tedious and detract from the story. But in this case, I enjoyed every nuance and change that was happening to the house she bought. It was part of the process of setting roots, creating that foundation again and making something hers. The secondary characters really add strength and charm to the book as we see Naomi build friendships through working on her house. 
 And then there was Xander and the stray dog that she found by the side of the road. Xander and Tag can both be described as loyal, protective, and dependable. I love the both of them. Tag pretty much stole all the scenes he was in. Seriously. Adorable. The romance between Xander and Naomi was great. I thought they really balanced each other out. 
 As to the killer, my suspicion clicked immediately as soon as one scene unfolded but that did not make the story any less suspenseful. Nora built up the background and the present events really well and it just drew you in page by page. 
 A very gripping story that makes it hard to put the book down. Highly recommended!