Are you looking for a creepy slow burn mystery that will raise the hair on the back of your neck? Then The Lost Village is for you. It follows a small group of Scandinavian filmmakers who are investigating the mystery of an old mining town that was found deserted in the late 50’s. The group is unusually motivated to find out what led to the stoning of a woman, the disappearance of its residents and the lone survivor, a baby. Alice, the leader of the group, is driven by a family connection to the town. As they drive into the town they are isolated from the outside world, there is no cell service and the nearest village is hours away by car. When they begin to explore, they are met with lots of signs that the town does not want them there and even that they might not be alone.
I wouldn’t say that this one has a ton of heart pounding action so I’m not sure I get the “thriller” tag on this one. I’d say it’s unsettling and even disturbing at times where you’re very interested in turning the pages to figure out just what is going on. The pacing reminded me in a lot of ways of Get Out. There are small clues and breadcrumbs along the way but mostly you’ll be shaking your head wondering why these people didn’t get the heck out of the town as soon as things began to go awry.
I liked that the story flipped back-and-forth from present day to the time just before the disappearance. You’d figure something out in the present and then go back to the past to see it unravel in real time. I’m not sure in the end that the mystery was that hard to figure out. As always the cruelty of humanity shines throughout this one. The sense of community and tradition and how those things can sweep an entire town away reminded me a lot of The Mercies. How a misunderstanding or old world view of a person who doesn’t conform (read: mental illness) can lead to such cruelty. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions above are my own.
What’s the creepiest book/movie you’ve ever encountered?
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