Paperback, 113 pages
Published January 3rd, 2023 by Timber Ghost Press
4/5 Stars
After receiving a phone call from her adoptive parents, Dakota finds out that her agoraphobic brother has passed away. She quickly packs her things and heads back to her hometown, where not only her brother's belongings wait for her, but also a sinister force that has been dormant for over twenty years. The question is: Can evil ever truly go away?
When I first started reading Mouse Trap I knew it was going to be a book full of grief, but I wasn't prepared for how beautifully Caryn Larrinaga would portray Dakota's emotions as she deals with the death of her brother. Sure, in its essence this is a book about a supernatural monster, but the true horror lies in the way humans punish themselves over the death of our loved ones. Not only is Dakota devastated that her brother passed, but she is also riddled with guilt and regrets. And to be quite honest, these emotions can be way scarier than a specter waiting in the dark. That is not to say, that the supernatural elements weren't scary, they were just more of a slow, creeping burn.
All in all, I really enjoyed Mouse Trap and I hope to read more from the author in the future.