Halcyon: A Thriller
Written by Rio Youers
Narrated by George Newbern
4/5
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About this audiobook
From the author of Westlake Soul and The Forgotten Girl
HALCYON is the perfect haven for all Americans who want to escape the dismal state of the U.S., but paradise isn't what it seems...
A beautiful island in the middle of Lake Ontario--a self-sustaining community made up of people who want to live without fear, crime, or greed. Halcyon seems like a dream come true. The utopia is run by Valerie Kemp, aka Mother Moon, benevolent and altruistic on the outside, but hiding an unimaginable darkness inside. She has dedicated her life to the pursuit of Glam Moon, a place of eternal beauty and healing. And she believes the pathway there can only be found at the end of pleasure.
On the heels of tragedy, Martin Lovegrove moves his family to Halcyon. They can't take any more pain or fear. Especially sensitive Edith, whose nightmares have an eerie way of becoming reality. A couple of months, he tells himself, to retreat from the chaos and grind. No smart phones. No TV. No internet. No TV. Back to a simpler way of life. But something doesn't feel right. Martin begins to suspect deception beneath Halcyon's perfect veneer. And when something feels too good to be true... it usually is. Martin wants to know the truth--however terrible--behind the island and its mysterious founder, Mother Moon.
Halcyon is Rio Youers' page-turning race against the clock in a world that eschews the limits of time.
Rio Youers
Rio Youers is the British Fantasy and Sunburst Award–nominated author of Lola on Fire and No Second Chances. His 2017 thriller, The Forgotten Girl, was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel. He is the writer of Sleeping Beauties, a comic book series based on the bestselling novel by Stephen King and Owen King. Rio lives in Ontario, Canada, with his wife and their two children.
More audiobooks from Rio Youers
Lola on Fire: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5No Second Chances: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Forgotten Girl: A Thriller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for Halcyon
16 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The cover of Rio Youer's new book Halcyon appealed to me. And every so often I try to read outside of my usual genres. The premise of Halcyon? An island that's the answer for those who want to escape. "...but paradise isn't what it seems."The opening prologue introduces us to Edith - a young girl who suffers from nightmares. But those nightmares seen to be more than bad dreams - could they be premonitions? After an unexpected tragedy, father Martin decides to move Edith and her sister Shirley to Halcyon - a seemingly idyllic island - where they can heal as a family.But. Yes, there's always a but isn't there? The island is run by Mother Moon. She has for years been searching for what she calls Glam Moon - a utopia on a higher plane, a place of eternal beauty and peace. She sees Edith's affliction as a gift.......I found Martin and his wife Laura's actions a bit off in the beginning chapters. They entrust their daughters' mental health to some somewhat sketchy 'therapists'. As a parent, I questioned these actions. But, I put those doubts aside and continued on. I found I really started to getting into the story once they arrived on Halcyon. (Who doesn't want to find an idyllic island?) But the pragmatic me still wondered at Martin's acceptance of this leader, her ideas and interactions - especially with his oldest daughter. I was seeing neon signs flashing, Don't Drink the Kool-aid! But of course, that just adds to the growing tension, doesn't it?Good vs. Evil is the prevailing premise here. Billed as a thriller by the publisher, the island is where I found the thrills. And the kernels of good. The backstory of Mother Moon delves in the horror genre. And I found the evil here to be somewhat cliched. Two words. Animal masks.And without revealing the details, Halcyon mirrors some recent, disturbing newspaper headlines.Halcyon was a distinctly different read for me. It raised enough what ifs and what's next to keep me turning pages. And a little bit of me wonders if there's more in store for Edith.