The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle is an intense, stunning debut novel. It is perfect for fans of E. Lockhart’s novel, We Were Liars. It cannot be summed up into one genre alone, as the plot spins in multiple directions. It is a spell-binding novel that once you pick it up, you will be unable to put it down.

The “Accident Season” visits Cara’s family every October. Every year. In it, bizarre, unexplainable accidents happen, leaving behind cuts, scrapes, broken bones, and even fatalities. This year is no exception. Cara’s mother prepares the house to be free of sharp edges and objects, unplugs the stove, hides the tea kettle; however, accidents still find Cara, her sister Alice, and her ex-step-brother Sam.

A community and family’s dark secrets come unburied in Moria Fowley-Doyle’s debut novel.

One day, during this particular Accident Season, Cara notices that a young girl named Elsie is in every single one of her family pictures – no matter where they are taken. She embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the identity of Elsie and the reason for the Accident Season. While on this journey, Cara and her best friend, Bea, along with her siblings, soon discover an old, abandoned house. They believe it is perfect for the ultimate Halloween party and begin planning. As the plans come together and as the party comes to a climax, the four teens are left with more questions than answers.

Moira Fowley-Doyle writes an ending to this tale that is breathtaking and leaves readers in awe. It is an ending that is nearly impossible to predict and when you finish the book, you almost want to read it again immediately to see how this twist played into so many foreshadowed parts of the novel.

Fowley-Doyle’s writing is crisp, clean, and reads in a lyrical fashion that lures readers in from the very beginning. The Accident Season will appeal to both young adults and adults; it contains mystery, suspense, a hint of romance, and a touch of the paranormal. I was so enthralled with her writing that I am already eagerly anticipating another novel.