Review: Burden Falls by Kat Ellis

Author: Kat Ellis

Publisher: Dial Books

Publication Date: August 2021

The town of Burden Falls drips with superstition, from rumors of its cursed waterfall to Dead-Eyed Sadie, the disturbing specter who haunts it. Ava Thorn grew up right beside the falls, and since a horrific accident killed her parents a year ago, she's been plagued by nightmares in which Sadie comes calling—nightmares so chilling, Ava feels as if she’ll never wake up. But when someone close to Ava is brutally murdered and she’s the primary suspect, she begins to wonder if the stories might be more than legends—and if the ghost haunting her dreams might be terrifyingly real. Whatever secrets Burden Falls is hiding, there's a killer on the loose . . . with a vendetta against the Thorns.

Burden Falls features Ava, whose had to give up everything she knew when her parents died.  Even selling her parents house and moving in with her aunt and uncle.  The town has might be cursed and haunted by a ghost names Dead-eyed Sadie.  Then there is a murder in town, Ava becomes a suspect and someone seems to be setting her up.

I thought this was a solid YA mystery.  I enjoyed the characters.  Ava was a strong and smart heroine who didn't back down despite all that had happened to her.  The little bit of romance wasn't annoying. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. There were a lot of creepy scenes that really added to the atmosphere of the story.  I was genuinely surprised at the end when all was revealed.  I didn't call that ending.  I won't go into detail because I don't want to spoil anything.  Definitely give this one a try.