Barbara Dullaghan’s Secrets in the Hollow is a mesmerizing journey. She will take you through the layers of guilt and redemption. Carrie Peters is the protagonist, she is a delicately crafted character. I think a lot of readers could find Carrie relatable, I did. The dynamic between Sleepy Hollow’s hauntingly beautiful backdrop and Carrie’s haunting past adds so much depth and mystery to the story. Barbara Dullaghan’s writing and the way she used actual history and mystery made this a very compelling read. It felt real! The novel’s pacing keeps you on edge too, with each chapter revealing a new facet of Carrie. This is absolutely a must-read for readers like myself, who relish a carefully written tale blending nostalgia, suspense, and introspection.
Secrets in the Hollow
Carrie Peters is a forty-year-old riddled with guilt and secrets, struggling to understand how she and her ex-boyfriend could have gotten things so wrong. Carrie’s life is complicated when she returns to her hometown of Sleepy Hollow after her parents die. She still feels tremendous guilt for the deaths of her high school friends as a result of her indiscretions. Her best friend, a homicide detective, grows increasingly concerned about her erratic behavior.
Carrie has no one to turn to except her ex-boyfriend because he shares her secrets. But she finds it too painful to connect with him. He is a constant reminder of the life she lived and tried to leave behind. Carrie needs to deal with her guilt, but to do so she may have to confess her part in a life-changing incident and possibly risk her freedom.
