“Itsy Bitsy Spider” by Willow Rose was one of the most disturbing books I’ve read in a long time. It has two storylines that collide in a horrific way.
Fanoe Island, just off the coast of Denmark, has long had distinct social classes. In 1977, young Astrid crossed that line by becoming pregnant by the son of the island’s overbearing matriarch. No one knew that the woman had lured Astrid into the old bomb shelter in her back garden and locked her in. The bunker may have been clean and well stocked, but poor Astrid was utterly trapped.
As the months went by the old woman would occasionally deliver supplies, but there was no way for Astrid to escape. Alone and terrified, Astrid gave birth to Sebastian. As he grew, Sebastion’s only “pets/toys” were the many spiders that shared the bunker. Along the way Astrid told him all about how she came to be locked in the bunker and who had caused it. She told him that if he ever got the chance, he should run — run as fast and as far as he could.
The other storyline finds Emma Frost arriving on Fanoe Island. She has inherited a big house from her paternal grandmother and decided to move into the old mansion with her 13-year-old daughter, Maya, and 7-year-old son, Victor. As a typical teen, Maya is furious about being uprooted, but Victor is thrilled.
Victor has several medical conditions on the autism spectrum. He hates to be touched and occasionally suffers seizures. Victor is happiest when he’s outdoors, so the huge, tree-filled “back garden” is paradise to him.
The next morning Emma wakes to sirens. Someone has been killed. While waiting for information she is introduced to the slightly odd man across the street, Jack, and his neighbor Sophia. She quickly learns that Jack is an artist who stuttered when nervous and Sophia is a free spirit raising five children from five different men. Emma decided they could be friends.
Using her ex-husband’s computer skills, Emma hacked into the police files and found photos of a gruesome murder. As a writer, Emma decides to use the death as a basis for a book. Within days another older woman is murdered in the same way, so Emma digs deeper, leading to a final confrontation with an unexpected perpetrator.
Fanoe Island has lots more secrets so I’m sure Emma will have many more adventures to read about.
AT A GLANCE
Book: Itsy Bitsy Spider (Emma Frost, Book 1)
Author: Willow Rose
Publisher: Buoy Media
Year published: 2020
Number of pages: 230
First Emma Frost book is creepy
