Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly

25 reviews

bonestheartist's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really loved how the mystery took you down different theories, as if you were with the main character Nell trying to uncover the secrets held close within her two families. Absolutely loved this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic

imogenlj's review

dark mysterious tense

3.75

A deftly plotted and complex multi-generational mystery. It feels modern and realistic in post-covid London. I wouldn’t reread but a good holiday thriller.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Infidelity, Stalking, and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Suicide, Blood, Abortion, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

helena01's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

fairymoo83's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

dia_ls's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

rayne_fall's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

alearon's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Cool story but a bit of a chore to finish, too grim for my taste. Themes of morality expressed in the ending aren’t particularly insightful and I found myself hating all the characters, which was maybe by author’s intent. *4*

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child abuse and Pedophilia

wrenl's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I’m not sure why I thought this would be like the 39 Clues series, aka a hunt for the bones, but I did. I didn’t expect a family drama, although I probably should have given the blurb. Regardless, I was engrossed. I was along for the drama. There were moments when I gasped out loud. The scandal! The tea!

It was really interesting that the story was across timelines and multiple perspectives. I understand why it uses multiple perspectives and timelines, but they muddy the story. It is a bit hard to get attached to any character, especially the parents Lal, Bridget, Frank, and Cora because their perspectives are so one-sided and blatant about their meaning. There were a few times I liked this structure, though. I did like the multiple perspectives for the Intimacies exhibit section because it ramps up tension with each person’s tiny bit of the story. The tension doesn’t really pan out when someone is straight up told what happened, though.

The actual plot is just okay. It is a very twisty and dramatic story, but there aren’t strong emotional moments like you’d expect from an intergenerational trauma story.

But honestly I just wanted a hint for bones.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

my_a's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Abandonment

joanasimao's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicide, Abortion, and Murder