You’ll Be Sorry | Book Review

By Lisa Gardner

A MUST-READ ATMOSPHERIC THRILLER

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY

The large, remote, and mysterious Dixon Family lodge with breathtaking views, has stood vacant for over thirty years in a small mountain town in New Hampshire.  Now it’s overgrown and run-down, a shell of its former self.  All six members of the Dixon family—mom, dad, and their four children—disappeared from the house late one August night during a major thunderstorm, never to be heard from again.

Now, outsiders Raquel and Theo Collins, fresh off a whirlwind romance and marriage, have moved in and have started bringing the lodge back to life.  However, not everyone in the town is happy about a new couple in the old home, and as hidden mysteries are uncovered, the Collins receive threats, giving them reason to worry about their own safety.  Within weeks of moving in, a stray dog uncovers an abandoned well on the Collins’ property, and after further excavation, Theo finds human skeletal remains at the bottom.

Amanda Grady (Mandy) is following in her father’s footsteps as the recently appointed Shereford police chief. Her father was the one who originally investigated the Dixons’ family disappearance thirty years ago; the case was never solved, and haunted him. Now it is Mandy’s turn,  not only to continue investigating the Dixons’ disappearance but also to determine who is at the bottom of the abandoned well.  And who is threatening the Collins and why? Is Amanda Grady up for the challenge?

REVIEW

You’ll Be Sorry is an immediately compelling and immensely satisfying atmospheric thriller. Author Lisa Gardner weaves a riveting tale, drawing you into a mystery that is equal parts tragic and hopeful. Themes of marriage, grief, buried secrets, and the hidden history of a small New England village unravels across the pages.

The story is told delightfully from multiple viewpoints, mainly those of Mandy, Raquel, and Theo. The town’s characters are plentiful, colorful, and well-developed…especially the dog that Theo calls Mr. Man, who seems to disappear without a trace and communicates better than some of the residents. One of my favorite characters is Isla McLean, an old, reclusive woman with long, unkempt black hair streaked with gray who lives in a dilapidated shack in the woods. Isla makes soap; she may be a Wiccan, and she doesn’t need anyone or anything. I love this fierce and memorable character!

You’ll Be Sorry is a must-read. Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Publisher    Grand Central Publishing

Published   August 4, 2026

Review       www.bluestockingreviews.com