I acquired a assessment copy from the writer. This doesn’t have an effect on the contents of my assessment and all opinions are my very own.

Haven by Ani Katz

Mogsy’s Score: 3 of 5 stars

Style: Thriller, Science Fiction

Sequence: Stand Alone

Writer: Penguin Books (March 10, 2026)

Size: 256 pages

Creator Data: Web site

Haven by Ani Katz was attention-grabbing and somewhat bizarre, in each good and barely irritating methods. It has the type of premise I’m often drawn to, type of a mixture of near-future science fiction and thriller components, however on the identical time, the story leans closely into an uncanny, surreal environment that leaves you with the nagging sense that one thing is off, even if you happen to can’t fairly put your finger on what.

The novel follows Caroline, who arrives on the island group of Haven along with her husband, Adam, and their toddler son, Gabriel. The previous few months have been difficult, marked by the stresses of latest parenthood and monetary uncertainty whereas Adam looked for work. Issues lastly appear to show round when he lands a place at a strong tech firm known as Hall. Although it means lengthy hours and time away from his household, the promise of stability and safety makes all of it price it. And with Haven serving each as the corporate’s base of operations and a summer time retreat for its workers, the couple decides to make the most of the chance to unwind and strengthen their bond. Apart from, Caroline is interested in Adam’s new pals and colleagues, hoping to steadily combine into their world.

However Haven shortly proves to be something however stress-free. The group feels overly curated, the residents well mannered but distant, and there’s one thing in regards to the island’s tradition that appears somewhat too polished to be real. Adam’s new colleagues are pleasant sufficient on the floor, however beneath that geniality runs an undercurrent of detachment, their relationships each unique and vaguely performative. Caroline senses the strain, and though she will’t absolutely make sense of it, she feels an odd pull towards these social dynamics. When Adam leaves for work, leaving her alone to care for Gabriel, that temptation solely grows. Then one morning, she wakes as much as discover the infant lacking, and that lingering sense of unease all of a sudden snaps into one thing way more instant and terrifying.

I wish to reiterate how a lot I actually preferred the e book’s idea right here. Nevertheless, the execution had a means of stumbling throughout itself. The mix of tech tradition, the seemingly idyllic isolation, and an nearly cult-like elitism among the many characters was compelling, however at instances, it was just like the plot was circling itself with out figuring out what it needed to say. One thing about management? Affect? Complicity? Caroline’s perspective provides to this haziness, as a result of in a means, she is an unreliable narrator, filtering every part by her personal nervousness, isolation, and worry that she is perhaps lacking one thing simply out of attain. I’ll say this works wonders for the environment, however relating to readability? Nope, I’m nonetheless very confused.

That very same high quality extends to the world-building. There are a number of attention-grabbing concepts baked into Haven as a setting, this polished and nearly synthetic group formed by Massive Tech. Once more, the vibes are spot on. There’s simply sufficient strangeness within the residents’ behaviors, the manicured landscapes, the absurd commercials on the tv, and so forth. to be appropriately creepy and off-putting. However on the identical time, the small print by no means absolutely coalesce, leaving you with questions on why a few of these eccentricities even exist or how this world really features.

For example, the inclusion of medically assisted suicide is one other component that feels prefer it’s reaching for one thing weighty and provocative, however in actuality, it’s already one thing occurring in some elements of the world, and the e book’s presentation of it as stunning or ethnically excessive comes throughout as a bit overdramatized, including to the sense that the story is gesturing towards themes which might be large and profound with out absolutely grounding them. Characters fall into an analogous sample. Caroline’s motivations are stable in concept, being a brand new mom who’s navigating an unfamiliar surroundings. However because the story progresses, she drifts farther from us, in order that by the top her reactions really feel more and more untethered and tougher to know.

Even so, there was one thing about Haven that stored me studying. There are moments, particularly after Gabriel goes lacking, the place the suspense is sharpened and the story begins to return collectively in a extra satisfying means. Nevertheless, the ultimate sections ship a decision that, whereas tense and dramatic, feels somewhat rushed and leaves a number of of the novel’s greater questions solely partially answered.

All in all, Haven is a kind of books that lingers in your thoughts extra for its environment and concepts than for a completely coherent story. It’s uneven, often irritating, and doesn’t fairly ship on all its guarantees, however on the identical time, there’s a sure magnetism that made it arduous to place down. If you happen to’re drawn to tales that blur the strains between thriller and speculative fiction, there’s quite a bit right here to take pleasure in, however don’t count on every part to be neatly tied up by the ultimate web page.