The Stillwater Girls

by Minka Kent

April 9, 2019 · Thomas & Mercer

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Genre: Mystery/Thriller

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I love creepy shit–the creepier the better. The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent promised to deliver some of that creep, but as far as psychological thrillers go, it wasn’t that dark. This book was a little too tame for me, but I think it would be an excellent novel for readers who want to dip their toe into the psychological thriller genre without getting too scared. There is no on-page violence and…

The Stillwater Girls is told from two points-of-view. Wren, a young woman struggling to survive in the woods, and Nicolette, an independently wealthy suburbanite who is beginning to suspect her husband has betrayed her.

When the book opens nineteen-year-old Wren is very afraid. She lives in a cabin in the woods with her sisters Sage and Evie, and their mother. They have no running water, no electricity, and survive by raising goats, chickens and growing their own vegetables. Occasionally their mother trades handmade soaps with a man that the girls have never met.

Wren’s mother tells them that the outside world is full of dangers. Disease, as well as economic and political collapse, have led to a post apocalyptic world. That is why they never leave the woods. Then Evie becomes seriously ill, and their mother breaks down and takes her into town, warning Wren and Sage not to leave their homestead for any reason. Months pass and their mother and Evie never return. Wren and Sage are struggling to stay alive with their meager resources, wondering what happened to their mom and sister, and questioning if they need to brave the outside world.

Wren’s dire situation is interspersed with chapters told by Nicolette, a woman fearing her marriage is on the verge of collapse. Nicolette is married to Brant, a world famous photographer, and the man she thought was her soulmate. Independently wealthy, Nicolette’s trust supplements Brant’s income and allows her travel and not worry about work. Nicolette is ready for children, but an emergency hysterectomy has left her unable to conceive have her own. She and Brant have been going through the process of getting set-up as foster parents, but the further they get in the process the more distant Brant becomes.

Then, while Brant is off working, Nicolette discovers large amounts of money has been transferred out of her trust without her knowledge. She also finds a photograph hidden among Brant’s things; it’s of a little girl who looks so much like her husband that she assumes it’s his child.

There is a relationship between Nicolette and Wren, but I don’t want to explain any more about the plot because I don’t want to spoil it. Part of the fun of this book was wondering what the hell was going on. Was I reading about two different periods in time? Was Wren’s portion truly post apocalyptic? I got answers to all of that about a third of the way into the book.

So why did this book not work perfectly for me? After all, it sounds bizarre and creepy.

Once I reached the one-third mark, a lot of my initial questions were answered. While the book still offers a solid mystery, the creepiness evaporates. I also had to suspend my disbelief a little more than I felt was realistic surrounding a few elements, specifically

I did think the resolution was well done and wrapped up all the loose ends so I wasn’t left with questions. In that respect, the book seems to start off more as a thriller and end more of a mystery, and while it executes both elements well, I was a bit bummed by the tone shift.

In my experience, mysteries are “whodunit” while thrillers are “how do I survive?” A mystery will offer a reader puzzle pieces as the story progresses, and the tension and suspense can build and diminish as these clues are revealed. Thrillers have a constant escalation of tension that reflects the circumstances of the protagonist becoming progressively dire.

I went into The Stillwater Girls expecting a thriller, and the first portion of the book certainly had the suspense and the lingering questions that a good thriller brings. Then when the tone shifted to something more in line with a mystery, some of that suspense dwindled. It created an uneven reading experience, and I felt that my desire for something truly creepy was never met.

Basically this book just wasn’t weird or scary enough for me. What can I say?

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I do think this book will work great for people who want to dip their toe into the psychological thriller genre but aren’t fans of super scary themes.

To that end, I want to be specific about some of the elements in this novel so readers can make an informed decision. Some spoilers ahead.

Seriously, there are spoilers related to the scariness level of this book. They aren’t too plot-specific, but if you don’t want to be spoiled stop reading now.

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Okay, so if you’re trying to judge if this book is too spooky, I can offer these spoilers to help you:

Basically if you want to be a little scared (because the premise is weird and spooky), but also know you’re safe reading about people who will be okay and nothing violent will happen, this book will work for you. While my love for creepy-shit left me feeling a bit dissatisfied with The Stillwater Girls, I did find the resolution to all the mystery elements to be solid. This novel is a good choice for curious readers who aren’t as bloodthirsty as me.