“Amanda Pearson was once the hottest rising star in the music world. Not anymore. Washed up, broke and directionless following a public breakdown, she is certain she will never be adored again. But she is very wrong.

Her old manager calls her out of the blue with an opportunity: a week’s stay at an isolated mansion with five strangers, all under constant observation. Every day they must take a pill. Five people will be taking a placebo, but one person will take an experimental drug that they are assured has no adverse side effects. So, what’s the catch? Amanda isn’t sure, but the pay is too tempting to turn down.

However, it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary experiment. Each day Amanda discovers more about her fellow housemates, that the old mansion holds horrifying secrets, and that there is no way out…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of Honeycomb by S.B. Caves. Honeycomb was published by Datura Books on 9th July 2024 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free ARC of Honeycomb but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Caroline at Datura Books for sending me a finished copy.

Honeycomb is a cracking thriller. I don’t know what I was expecting from this book, but it delivered, and then some! It was surprising, had me completely riveted in the characters’ lives and their rather desperate situation, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it (both during my reading experience and afterwards). Before I share my thoughts on this drama-filled psychological thriller, I need to lay my cards on the table (nothing sinister, I promise!). Honeycomb is one of the books I read during a particularly bad blogging slump I had last year/start of this year. It had absolutely nothing to do with this brilliant book (or any of the books I read during that time). It had everything to do with me. I was reading like a woman possessed; I just wasn’t blogging about the books I was devouring. So, I actually read this book a while ago. It feels like yesterday because I enjoyed it so much, and I did take notes, but this review will be a little shorter than my usual rambling thoughts. What a relief, eh?! 😉😂

Honeycomb is a totally engrossing thriller that’s full of surprises. I was on the edge of my seat reading this book. I just couldn’t get enough. Amanda Pearson is a washed-up one-hit wonder. Her career is over thanks to a number of faux pas and irredeemable mistakes. When her manager calls out of the blue to offer her an opportunity, Amanda can’t believe what she’s hearing. Because, disappointingly, it’s nothing to do with the music world. Amanda has been invited to stay in a secluded mansion with five strangers for one week. During their stay, the participants will be filmed twenty-four hours a day. All very Big Brother so far. The difference? Each morning, Amanda and the other five residents will have to take a pill. Five people will be taking a placebo. One person will be taking a harmless experimental drug. The money is good, and the chance to resurrect her withered music career is just too tempting. So Amanda agrees to the terms and conditions. But on arrival, she immediately begins to regret her decision. The mansion holds dark secrets, and the people she’s stuck with seem to have plenty of secrets of their own. Who is behind the twisted experiment? What does the drug actually do? And can this ever end well for any of them…?

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Honeycomb is a dark and twisted tale, involving, shocking and impossible to put down for any length of time. I was drawn into the lives of the characters, their secrets and the overall deceit. The characters are well-written and multi-layered. One in particular was utterly repulsive, and I loved how much I grew to detest them over the course of the book. Caves writes despicable, deplorable characters very, very well indeed! The plot takes a really unexpected, dark turn that blew my mind a little. I really wasn’t expecting the book to head in that particular direction. But it did! Honeycomb is a thrilling, fast-paced, relentless, and violent read. Things become really quite intense for the characters, chaos pretty much reigns, and this reader was 100% there for it! Be warned, this is a dark book and probably won’t be for everyone. All in all, Honeycomb is an addictive, thrilling, unforgettable tale that drew me in and wouldn’t let go. Wow! Sign me up for whatever S.B. Caves writes next, please. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of Honeycomb. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Honeycomb by S.B. Caves was published in the UK by Datura Books on 9th July 2024 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

S.B. Caves was born and raised in North London. He loves crime and thriller novels, classic horror movies, Korean/Japanese thriller films and true crime documentaries. He is also a huge boxing fan.