Darkrooms by Rebecca Hannigan review: Shocking but beautifully written

Darkrooms by Rebecca Hannigan: The review

Secrets. Darkrooms is full of secrets. The kind of secrets that define you, that shape your entire life. Secrets so big that, sometimes, you even hide them from yourself, not really realising the weight of them until it’s too late. Secrets that can tear entire lives apart. The very worst secrets you can think of.

It’s not a light tale, then. This debut from Rebecca Hannigan is heavy, loaded. It’s beautifully written; a slow burn that oh-so-very carefully unravels into something hideous, but something you can’t look away from. Unlike most other crime fiction I usually read, it forces you to be uncomfortable, to think about things you’d rather not think about. It’s dark, it’s sinister, it gets under your skin.

This is the tale of Deedee and Caitlin, both today and 20-something years ago. These girls grew up in small-town Ireland. A fairly unremarkable place, but a place filled with dark shadows. In 1999, Deedee’s sister Roisin went missing. Today, Deedee is a police officer and she’s still searching for answers. Caitlin hasn’t been home since, but the death of her mother brings her back. Deedee wants answers from Caitlin. She was there that day: she knows Caitlin knows what happened to Roisin.

Both women are flawed, barely likeable characters. Caitlin is clearly troubled; she steals, she sleeps around. Does whatever she can to get through the day. Deedee isn’t much better. She isn’t much respected in her police role. She drinks to cope.

But they aren’t the only flawed people living in the town. They might not be thrilled to be face to face again after all these years, but their reunion is going to be hard to forget.

Darkrooms isn’t a high octane, fast paced thriller. This is purposefully glacial; the slow pace gradually creeping around you, unsettling you just a tiny bit more with every page turn. It’s beautifully written; weaving together both Deedee and Caitlin’s subconscious thoughts, the suggestive actions of those around them. The tiny details that you might miss if you’re focusing on the bigger picture. It unravels shockingly, beautifully, in the last 20% of the book. An ending so well woven but unsettling that you won’t be able to put it down.

It’s not an easy read at times, and some elements of Darkrooms are upsetting if you’re sensitive to certain topics. But Hannigan has taken a very difficult subject matter and crafted a very real, monstrous tale out of it. These protagonists might not be likeable, but it’s so very difficult not to emphasise with them over the course of the book. Their pain feels so very real, and ultimately, that’s what keeps you turning the pages.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an eARC of Darkrooms for the purposes of this review.