The Night Visitors by Carol Goodman

William Morrow | March 2019 | 320 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

I've not read all the books by Carol Goodman but so far I've enjoyed those which I'd read. Her books usually feature a cast of intriguing characters with an atmospheric setting and this book is no exception.

Alice and ten-year-old Oren are on the run. Despite the raging snowstorm and with nowhere to hide, Alice knew she has to run away from the abusive relationship she has with Davis not only to save herself but for Oren as well. The last call she's made is to a social worker and she's promised Alice that she'd arrange someone to pick them up to a local shelter. 

Mattie, a woman in her fifties who lives by herself in the middle of the woods, has been the one who's given the task by the help hotline for circumstances similar to Alice's. Mattie is experienced and is well connected; plus she's always available for a late-night pick up considering she's alone and her only companion is her dog. So Mattie's responsibility is to bring Alice and Oren to a local shelter and let them handle things from there. But an incident at a convenience shop and the bad weather made her bring them home for the night. Mattie's act may be out of kindness and compassion, but she didn't tell them that Oren reminds her of her little brother, Caleb, who died thirty years ago. 

However, Mattie isn't the only one who's withholding elements of the truth. Alice has her own secrets as well and as the snowstorm whirled around them, binding them within the small compound, each woman's past come unraveling and they've to face what they've gone through in order to be free and alive. 

After reading the blurb of The Night Visitors, I'd had a few assumptions how this story direction is going to be, but after reading further those initial thoughts became something else as somewhere along the line there's a hint of supernatural element mixes in this thriller. This little surprise didn't really disconcert me as I know the author sometimes do add in such element in her books which I think is intensifying in another whole new level (and on top of the gothic and creepy atmosphere settings which she usually love to write). As of characterisation, Mattie surprised me in many ways while Alice is hard to grasp at times. Her mistrust in people feels real and believable considering the abusive relationship she's had with Oren's father. And Oren is a smart boy; his love for Star Wars will bring a smile to every SW fans. Overall this isn't my favourite Carol Goodman book but I liked it well enough to recommend it. 

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