Guilt Trip was first published in 2014 and is Maggy Farrell’s debut novel. It’s a paranormal mystery story about a teenage girl who starts to have strange visions following her mother’s death. The novel stands alone and does not form part of a longer series.
Sixteen year old Melissa was riding with her mother on the day of the accident. Their car skidded on black ice and plunged into a river. Since that day, Mel has been haunted by dreams of the crash. She knows that she could have saved her mother, however in her panic she could only think about her own escape.
A year has passed since then and Melissa has spent a lot of time bonding with her father over his interest in geology. To spend some quality time together, her Dad arranges a holiday to coincide with his business trip. The rural town where they stay is quaint and boasts a number of distinct natural features, including the famous Hellsgate Caverns.
Yet the trip only serves to make Melissa’s dreams worse. Auditory hallucinations begin to haunt her waking hours and she is plagued by an unmistakable sense of déjà vu. While she fears that her survivor’s guilt is worsening, she quickly begins to feel that something more is afoot. How else can she explain the reaction of Luke, the landlord of the hotel, who acts as though he recognises her…
Arkham Reviews 