The Spires: A Thriller

Written by Kate Moretti

Narrated by Siiri Scott

A troubled woman becomes consumed by a past she’s desperate to forget in this unsettling psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year.

Strung between two teenagers, an unemployed husband, and a tenuous career, Penelope Cox barely has her life together when the past comes knocking at her door. Willa Blaine, her old roommate, needs her help: refuge from an abusive husband. “Two weeks tops,” she says—but it’s not the imposition that bothers Penelope; it’s the memories Willa brings with her.

Twenty years earlier, Penelope, Willa, and three friends lived together in a converted church. Insular and closed off from the rest of the world, the five roommates formed their own dysfunctional family, celebrating the pinnacle of their lives; they called themselves “the Spires.” But nights of wild parties gave way to a darker undercurrent: jealousy, resentment, unrequited love, and obsession. Tensions boiled over during a night of debauchery that ended in a deadly fire, leaving the Spires scattered and forever changed.

Now Willa is the perfect houseguest: accommodating, helpful, bringing a newfound sense of excitement to the Cox household. Yet Penelope can’t help but feel the cracks in her life widen as she begins to question Willa’s motives. Everyone has secrets, it seems—and the fire may have brought down the Spires, but not everything burned was forgotten.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Sep 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781713568070

Kate Moretti

Kate Moretti is the New York Times bestselling author of Thought I Knew You, Binds That Tie, and While You Were Gone. She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two kids. Find out more at KateMoretti.com or follow her on Twitter: @KateMoretti1 or Facebook: /KateMorettiWriter.

Reviews for The Spires

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

20 years earlier, college friends decided to live together for a year after college in a house that had been converted from a church. There was a devastating fire there, and after that, the friends drifted apart. There was Pip or Penelope, Willa, Jack, Bree, and Flynn. Since they lived in an old church, they nicknamed themselves The Spires.Now, Penelope receives a note from Jack asking for a reunion. The thought makes her sick. When Willa shows up at her home, claiming she is running from an abusive husband, Penelope agrees to let her stay. Initially, she thinks Willa is helping her family find itself again. But, then strange things start happening and Penelope starts to wonder if she is imagining things. This was an interesting story, and a fast read. The ending was a bit of a surprise, but not totally unexpected.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Spires by Kate Moretti is a 2021 Thomas & Mercer publication. A group of young adults, all move in together in an old, converted church. Unfortunately, their little utopia ends in tragedy. Now, twenty years later, Penelope is married, with two teenagers, and stretched thin, especially since her husband lost his job. It seems almost like a blessing when her former roommate, Willa, shows up out of the blue begging for a place to stay after leaving an abusive husband. Willa picks up the slack, taking care of things Penelope has a hard time keeping track of. But things sour quickly when Willa begins to overstep her bounds. As Willa’s invasiveness grows, Penelope becomes paranoid, and suspicious of her old friend. Her investigation into Willa’s life produces some interesting results, but no one believes Willa has nefarious motives, causing Penelope to second guess her instincts…This book is written in the typical psychological thriller fashion, moving at a steady, even pace. While the story is engrossing, Penelope annoyed me a great deal, and I thought the story was becoming too transparent and predictable, right up to the end when Moretti blindsided me a very nice, neat twist. Maybe that’ll teach me not to get so complacent. Overall, I think the author did a nice job with this book. I was strung along, thinking I knew ‘what was what’, even rolling my eyes on occasion- so I guess Moretti put me in my place. LOL! I thought the dual timeline was effective, and the surprises, revelations, and twist were well-timed and kept in check, which I greatly appreciated!! 4 stars

[she_climber · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fun psychological thriller which gets off to a slow start. It didn't really grab me until about halfway through after which it got much more interesting and picked up some speed though though it continues to be a slow burn. The ending was good and satisfying if not somewhat foreseeable. I didn't guess it 100% but I was definitely in the right ballpark.Penelope and 5 of her best friends from college decide to live together in an old church for a gap year after college. They form a family that none of them really have anywhere else. But like any family there will be conflict. Fast forward 20 years and Penelope is married with 2 children living a somewhat typical suburban life. Her husband was laid off a year ago and seems to be spending his time finding and bettering himself, spending money they don't really have on wellness retreats, gyms, yoga sessions, and all sorts of various new age treatments. Things have gotten tense between them and then one of Penelope's college friends shows up on her doorstep without a word in the past 20 years looking for a place to hide from her abuser. At first it seems to be the answer everyone needed: Willa gets a place to stay and regroup while the day-to-day care of the children and the household gets some much needed attention. Then things start to get weird.This story goes back and forth between present day and back to the church house. There is a lot of time spent laying the groundwork for what happens next, most of which seems like overkill and bogs the story down. But when things start getting weird is when you grab your bowl of popcorn and hunker down to find out the truth.I would like to thank #NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced copy of #TheSpires in exchange for an honest review.