Author: Nalini Singh
Title: There Should Have Been Eight
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Publication Date: Nov. 21, 2023
Number of Pages: 408
Geographical Setting: New Zealand
Time Period: Present day (2023)
Series (If applicable): N/A
Plot Summary:
Seven friends gather for a reunion of sorts in a secluded partially destroyed gothic mansion in New Zealand. It’s been nine years since their lives changed forever because of the death of one of their group, and this reunion may be the chance for Luna to understand what happened. Luna is searching for understanding while losing her sight, and as a photographer she is photographing everything around her to try to capture the memories in her mind forever.
The reunion begins happily but there are always menacing undertones surrounding the death of their friend. As the long weekend continues the tension builds. People have accidents that are life-threatening, the weather worsens and communication with the outside world is cut off. Darkness is descending on the group.
Luna must find out who is causing these “accidents.” Could it be one of the seven friends? The new fiancé of one of the friends? An outsider hiding in the huge mansion? Or has the dead girl somehow returned, to exact revenge on her friends?
Subject Headings: Friendship – Fiction
Blizzards – Fiction
New Zealand - Fiction
Appeal:
Pacing: “The rapid speed at which the story unfolds is the contral appeal of these novels; all else is secondary” ( Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p.5).
The pacing of the story intensifies as the story proceeds, and the timeframe is only a few days. The author does use memories by the main character to give the reader background information, but we stay "in the dark" about what happened in the past until the end of the book.
Story Line: “The common story element of all Adrenaline novels is survival” ( Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 6).
Singh uses an interesting parallel to develop the story line. Initially Luna is concerned about losing her sight and resolving what happened to her friend. But as the story develops and the pace intensifies she is focused on staying alive as her sight continues to diminish. As the story ends Luna knows what has happened to her friend (she “sees” the answer to her original question), and her eyesight has become very limited.
Setting: Physical setting is “used to great effect to enhance the feeling of danger and threat that authors want to establish in their novels” ( Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 9).
The story takes places largely within a decaying gothic mansion built in a remote mountain area. This bleak and brooding setting, along with the blizzard that develops during their stay, creates a mood that adds to the tension the story line and pacing create.
3 terms that best describe this book:
atmospheric, suspenseful, foreboding
Similar Authors and Works:
Shiver, by Allie Reynolds
Friends are stranded when attending a small reunion; psychological thriller, fast-paced, locked room.
Common appeal: intensifying pace, suspenseful and atmospheric tone
One By One, by Ruth Ware
Co-workers are stranded in a mountain chalet.
Common appeal: intensifying pace, suspenseful and atmospheric tone
An Unwanted Guest, by Shari Lapena
Guests are trapped in a hotel and are being killed one by one. Trapped room, suspense,
Common appeal: suspenseful, locked room mystery
3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors
Blind Spot, by Teju Cole
Explores photography and memory, touching on semi-blindness.
Where Hell Freezes Over, by David A. Kearns
Genre: adventure writing
Common appeal: suspense, snowstorm, survival
The Great Pretender: the undercover mission that changed our understanding of madness, by Susannah Cahalan
Genre: science writing, history writing
Common appeal: mental illness, mental institutions
3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors
A Mansion for Murder, by Frances Brody (historical mystery)
Common appeal: atmospheric and suspenseful tone, mansions
Before You Knew My Name, by Jacquesline Bublitz
Common appeal: suspense, New Zealand author.
Rebecca, by Daphne DuMarier
Genre: gothic fiction
Common appeal: atmospheric and moody tone
References
Wyatt, N. & Saricks, J. G. (2019). The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (3rd ed.). ALA Editions.
I love that you caught the double meaning of "sight" and "seeing" in this novel. Mine had a similar theme that I failed to mention in my annotation- it was titled Blingsighted. The first victim was literally blind, but other characters were blind-sighted during the story. I wonder if these double meanings are common in the adrenaline genre?
ReplyDeleteI don't read enough in the genre to know. I thought it was really cool, though. Because I like mysteries I do step into thrillers sometimes. And I can't say I've seen that much. Then again - what if it was there and I missed it? I think I focus a lot on plot and character development and sometimes these more literary devices get past me (I'm not happy admitting that!).
DeleteExcellent job on your first annotation! This is not a title I was familiar with! You did an amazing job with your summary and appeals. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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