Our Take

The VHS tape premise is one of those setups that sounds almost too good—and Rose earns it. The discovery scene lands with genuine shock, and she's smart enough to let the siblings' fractured dynamics do as much work as the mystery itself. Beth's resentment, Nicole's fragility, Michael's distance: these aren't just character color, they're pressure points that the investigation keeps pressing. The family drama and the thriller plot are inseparable, which is exactly what the best domestic suspense achieves.

Rose has a clean, propulsive style that keeps pages turning without sacrificing character. The 1999 timeline adds a layer of atmosphere—there's something particularly unsettling about secrets preserved on tape, concrete and undeniable—and the Wisconsin small-town setting gives the story a claustrophobic texture that suits the material.

Readers who loved The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell or Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng will find Rose working in satisfying, well-executed territory. Also a strong pick for fans of Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose's earlier work. A Thriller Thursday selection built for one long, sleepless sitting.