It’s been a while since I’ve read a book I’d give a full five stars across the board, but E.L. Westbury just ended that drought with Drowning in Paper Flowers.

Suspenseful, layered with trauma, and packed with characters you’ll love to hate (and hate to love), this book truly has everything.

Ruby is a housewife stuck in a loveless marriage with her successful husband, Jack, raising their two children. Their teenage daughter, Millie, despises her – and for reasons Ruby can’t understand, that hatred runs deeper than typical teenage angst. Meanwhile, their six-year-old son, Mason, is still coping with the trauma of being kidnapped as a toddler, leaving him with a lisp and lingering emotional scars.

Mason’s best friend is Jet, the son of Ruby’s best friend and next-door neighbor – but Jet is also the school bully.

And then there’s Ivy.

When Jack begins an affair with a younger woman named Ivy, everything begins to unravel. Ivy is hiding a secret connection to the family’s past – one that neither Ruby nor Jack sees coming. Without giving anything away, her true identity is one of many twists that will genuinely leave you stunned.

This is the ultimate psychological thriller for anyone who loves domestic drama with dark, tangled secrets. You’ll constantly find yourself switching sides, questioning everyone, and never quite sure who to trust.

I genuinely could not put this book down.

That said, there are some heavy and disturbing elements, including a descriptive SA scene and power imbalances between a teacher and students, so be mindful if you’re sensitive to those topics.

But if you can handle that, and you’re looking for a fast-paced, completely absorbing read, this is an absolute must.

This is going straight onto my “always recommend” list. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited (with a bonus epilogue!), and I already know I’ll be revisiting it.

If you’re looking for a wild, twist-filled story to completely lose yourself in this weekend, I can’t recommend this one enough!