The king of domestic suspense returns following Her Last Hour with his latest highly entertaining game of cat-and-mouse psychological thriller, THE BThe king of domestic suspense returns following Her Last Hour with his latest highly entertaining game of cat-and-mouse psychological thriller, THE BRIDE TO BE —an inside look at what goes on behind closed doors of two couples headed for the altar.
Set in London: Prologue—a clever, wicked twist of misdirection for readers—A wedding. Not sure whose marriage at this point, but a bride is being arrested during the ceremony. Another woman is onlooking as the bride is being hauled off in a police car. Someone had not heeded the warning.
Hurst knows how to grab your attention from the get-go and holds you captive until the satisfying conclusion. From here, we go to Before the Wedding.
An anxious bride is looking for the dream wedding dress at a bridal shop. However, it would be the day she saw something else she wanted.
Something forbidden. Someone else's groom.
Chrissy is the clerk, with champagne in hand, ready to assist. Her job is to help brides choose the perfect wedding dress.
Kate is engaged to Mark. She is desperate to get married in her late thirties, but Mark is verbally abusive and controlling. How will she get out of this wedding?
At the bridal shop, she spots another couple. The woman and the man are stunning. The man seems so lovable and attentive. This couple would be Tess and Tristan.
Kate becomes OBSESSED with Tristan. Kate wants Tristan. She is delusional. She stalks his social media, follows him, and returns to the dress shop to gather more intel for her devious plan.
She tells Chrissy she wants to order a dress like the woman in the store the day she was in. The clerk looks it up, and the dress costs $6K! She excuses herself, and Kate quickly looks at the book to find their names and addresses.
From here starts the wicked game of cat a mouse. Let the stalking BEGIN.
From texting, lies, betrayal, and anything to get closer to this guy. However, Kate does not realize she has met her match. Tess is as controlling as Mark.
Kate is unaware of this and sets up a meeting. However, Tess shows up instead of Tristan. She had his phone and the one bantering with her. She warns her to stay away.
This warning does not deter Kate. She reverts to looking in the windows and witnesses the abuse from Tess firsthand. She must help Tristan. She and Tristan must find a way to leave their abusive partners. They cannot get married.
When Kate confides in her BFF, they develop a plan for her to tell Mark she is leaving and cannot marry him. However, her BFF Molly winds up DEAD!
Now, Kate knows Mark is dangerous. She also knows Tess is dangerous. Mark tracks Kate's every move with software and hacks into her emails. Tess is also controlling Tristan's every move.
They think they have a PLAN; however, the partners know more than you think.
Someone winds up dead. Someone is getting married. Someone will stop the wedding with a video.
Who knows what happened outside the pub that night?
Mr. Hurst knows how to write twisty, addictive, witty, and binge-worthy thrillers! This was a quick read in one sitting, a fun popcorn thriller. The twist at the end leaves something for the characters and readers to consider. SOMEONE always knows the truth.
A terrifying tale of duplicity that will have you side-eyeing your spouse. Wildly entertaining—and FUN!
Thanks to #InkubatorBooks for an e-ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The king of domestic suspense returns following Her Last Hour with his latest highly entertaining game of cat-and-mouse psychological thriller, THE BRIDE TO BE —an inside look at what goes on behind closed doors of two couples headed for the altar.
Set in London: Prologue—a clever, wicked twist of misdirection for readers—A wedding. Not sure whose marriage at this point, but a bride is being arrested during the ceremony. Another woman is onlooking as the bride is being hauled off in a police car. Someone had not heeded the warning.
Hurst knows how to grab your attention from the get-go and holds you captive until the satisfying conclusion. From here, we go to Before the Wedding.
An anxious bride is looking for the dream wedding dress at a bridal shop. However, it would be the day she saw something else she wanted.
Something forbidden. Someone else's groom.
Chrissy is the clerk, with champagne in hand, ready to assist. Her job is to help brides choose the perfect wedding dress.
Kate is engaged to Mark. She is desperate to get married in her late thirties, but Mark is verbally abusive and controlling. How will she get out of this wedding?
At the bridal shop, she spots another couple. The woman and the man are stunning. The man seems so lovable and attentive. This couple would be Tess and Tristan.
Kate becomes OBSESSED with Tristan. Kate wants Tristan. She is delusional. She stalks his social media, follows him, and returns to the dress shop to gather more intel for her devious plan.
She tells Chrissy she wants to order a dress like the woman in the store the day she was in. The clerk looks it up, and the dress costs $6K! She excuses herself, and Kate quickly looks at the book to find their names and addresses.
From here starts the wicked game of cat a mouse. Let the stalking BEGIN.
From texting, lies, betrayal, and anything to get closer to this guy. However, Kate does not realize she has met her match. Tess is as controlling as Mark.
Kate is unaware of this and sets up a meeting. However, Tess shows up instead of Tristan. She had his phone and the one bantering with her. She warns her to stay away.
This warning does not deter Kate. She reverts to looking in the windows and witnesses the abuse from Tess firsthand. She must help Tristan. She and Tristan must find a way to leave their abusive partners. They cannot get married.
When Kate confides in her BFF, they develop a plan for her to tell Mark she is leaving and cannot marry him. However, her BFF Molly winds up DEAD!
Now, Kate knows Mark is dangerous. She also knows Tess is dangerous. Mark tracks Kate's every move with software and hacks into her emails. Tess is also controlling Tristan's every move.
They think they have a PLAN; however, the partners know more than you think.
Someone winds up dead. Someone is getting married. Someone will stop the wedding with a video.
Who knows what happened outside the pub that night?
Mr. Hurst knows how to write twisty, addictive, witty, and binge-worthy thrillers! This was a quick read in one sitting, a fun popcorn thriller. The twist at the end leaves something for the characters and readers to consider. SOMEONE always knows the truth.
A terrifying tale of duplicity that will have you side-eyeing your spouse. Wildly entertaining—and FUN!
Thanks to #InkubatorBooks for an e-ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The queen of psychological thrillers, Miranda Rijks, returns following, The Concierge (5 stars) with her latest twisty domestic suspense, THE OTHER MThe queen of psychological thrillers, Miranda Rijks, returns following, The Concierge (5 stars) with her latest twisty domestic suspense, THE OTHER MOTHER. A child goes missing, and this group of friends—all suspects and connected in this riveting cat-and-mouse game.
Dark and twisty, blended with dark humor, white-knuckle tension, and MR's signature jaw-dropping surprises.
One of my favorite psychological thriller authors—every book is highly creative and twisty. I drop everything when I see a Miranda Rijks thriller coming out.
OK, let's talk about these CHARACTERS:
The star of the show and heroine is Jane Wildman. A therapist and a secret (Dear Aurora Rae), Dear Agony Aunt advice columnist. A wife and mother of two teens.
Poor Jane! She is NOT, unfortunately, surrounded by people who care or support her. If she calls these friends, I would hate to have enemies.
~Her teenage daughter, Elsa, 17 yrs old (total brat)—is mean to her mother —evil and manipulative. ~Her teenage son, Alex, 15 (almost 16 yrs old) is not the warmest, influenced by his friend, Hari. ~Her husband, Robert, was unfaithful (she learns). ~Her clients are NOT nice or loyal. ~Her Agony Aunt letters are from people with hidden agendas. ~Her friends: Nala, Amir, and Cameron. Horrible! She needs to start over fresh!
Jane Wildman is an Agony Aunt (for those in US, we call Dear Abby; whereas British, Agony Aunt). No one knows her identity except for her editor and a select few. Jane is also a psychologist.
Some letters are old fashioned, handwritten, sent via snail mail, some typed, and others emailed. Normally it takes her less than ten minutes to pen a response. (However, in the book, we see letters but no responses). This would have been fun to see.
Jane has three close friends: again, if you call them so. ~Nala (physiotherapy practice) ~Amira (does not work). Gives Jane's teenage son alcohol. ~Carmen (mobile beautician) nail and beauty treatments.
They became friends seven years earlier when they took rooms in the commercial building in Horsham set up for independent professionals running health and wellness businesses. Amir's son Hari is best friends with Jane's son, Alex.
Her friend, Nala, is married to Lorenzo with a daughter, Florrie (four-year-old), and another baby on the way. Nala is a physiotherapist and a little younger than Jane. Florrie attends Bluebell Primary School in West Sussex.
Nala is stuck at a training seminar and calls Jane to see if she can pick up Florrie from school and meet her at the dentist. However, upon arrival at the school, she is told she was picked up by another woman named Jane. What the heck is going on?
Four-year-old Florrie Moretti is officially MISSING. Something is terribly wrong. She does not have her favorite toy, Elo, a saggy, worn elephant.
What occurs next is an investigation—a kidnapping. DS Grainger and Det Constable Krish Chandra are on the case. But no demand for money comes. What is the motive? The security cam image looks like a woman, but very blurry, so difficult to identify.
Lorenzo, Nala's husband, travels and has a bad temper. We later find out their marriage is not so great. But Nala's little girl is missing, and she is pregnant, so she sticks it out with him.
We hear from POVS: Jane, Nala, and Carmen. We also get a few letters to Dear Aurora Rae, with possibly fake names. Are they connected?
Secrets of the past are slowly unraveled. One of Florrie's little socks shows up at Jane's house in the laundry. Jane starts suspecting everyone. Is there a pedophile among them? All the families are connected in mysterious ways.
In the meantime, Jane's life is slowly UNRAVELING due to the fact she was the one who was supposed to pick up Florrie, and now her husband, Robert is a suspect. A media frenzy. Something in Jane's past with a patient (a baby abduction) comes to the surface and is used against her.
A journalist wants her to tell her story, then gaslights her. Her clients turn on her, her so-called friends, her daughter, and now her business and reputation.
Someone is taking out credit cards and an apartment in her name. Who has stolen her identity or is trying to set her up for kidnapping and possibly murder? Her life is crumbling before her eyes. She has been betrayed.
What about poor little Florrie? Will she make it out alive?
Jane dives deeper to find the kidnapper because she feels little Florrie is in grave danger. The closer she gets, she is in danger. The letters to Dear Aurora Rae become more sinister. Her clients are getting creepy.
The truth is slowly unraveled about Florrie's bio father. Then we hear from little Florrie, which is heartbreaking, left alone all day locked away by a psycho. I loved her.
Drum roll: It is not until we get to the 50% into the last POV that your JAW begins to DROP. Fast and furious, things get complex and very INTERESTING, keeping you glued to the pages to the conclusion. This is where the book SHINES! This person is a psychopath hiding in plain sight and has Florrie's future in her hands.
WOW! As usual, yet another wicked evil twist (diary) is thought-provoking at the very end. I call this the second psychopath.
THE OTHER MOTHER is an addictively suspenseful and tautly written domestic thriller that reveals how nothing is as it seems, even in a perfect family.
Rijks is a pro at twists and turns, but these characters are NOT likable. The only ones which you have sympathy for are Jane and little Florrie.
A propulsive journey through a winding maze of secrets and lies. A shocking look at how even the most innocuous secrets between happy couples and beloved friends— in tightly knit neighborhoods— can sometimes turn so unexpectedly and terrifyingly deadly.
COVER AND TITLE: I know the author has little say-so regarding covers and titles; however, I feel this cover image and the title do not fit the book.
I would have LOVED the book to be titled "Dear Aurora Rae" with mysterious letters on the cover. I can envision it. As a publisher for many years, "covers matter. It would have set the book apart from all the other thrillers about "mothers."
If you have not read Miranda Rijks, she has a vast backlist, and you cannot go wrong with any of them.
Thanks to #InkubatorBooks via #NetGalley for an ARC for review purposes.
Also, check out my #AuthorElevatorSeries with Miranda, THE CONCIERGE, if you missed it, where we go behind the book and the author. So much FUN!
The queen of psychological thrillers, Miranda Rijks, returns following, The Concierge (5 stars) with her latest twisty domestic suspense, THE OTHER MOTHER. A child goes missing, and this group of friends—all suspects and connected in this riveting cat-and-mouse game.
Dark and twisty, blended with dark humor, white-knuckle tension, and MR's signature jaw-dropping surprises.
One of my favorite psychological thriller authors—every book is highly creative and twisty. I drop everything when I see a Miranda Rijks thriller coming out.
OK, let's talk about these CHARACTERS:
The star of the show and heroine is Jane Wildman. A therapist and a secret (Dear Aurora Rae), Dear Agony Aunt advice columnist. A wife and mother of two teens.
Poor Jane! She is NOT, unfortunately, surrounded by people who care or support her. If she calls these friends, I would hate to have enemies.
~Her teenage daughter, Elsa, 17 yrs old (total brat)—is mean to her mother —evil and manipulative. ~Her teenage son, Alex, 15 (almost 16 yrs old) is not the warmest, influenced by his friend, Hari. ~Her husband, Robert, was unfaithful (she learns). ~Her clients are NOT nice or loyal. ~Her Agony Aunt letters are from people with hidden agendas. ~Her friends: Nala, Amir, and Cameron. Horrible! She needs to start over fresh!
Jane Wildman is an Agony Aunt (for those in US, we call Dear Abby; whereas British, Agony Aunt). No one knows her identity except for her editor and a select few. Jane is also a psychologist.
Some letters are old fashioned, handwritten, sent via snail mail, some typed, and others emailed. Normally it takes her less than ten minutes to pen a response. (However, in the book, we see letters but no responses). This would have been fun to see.
Jane has three close friends: again, if you call them so. ~Nala (physiotherapy practice) ~Amira (does not work). Gives Jane's teenage son alcohol. ~Carmen (mobile beautician) nail and beauty treatments.
They became friends seven years earlier when they took rooms in the commercial building in Horsham set up for independent professionals running health and wellness businesses. Amir's son Hari is best friends with Jane's son, Alex.
Her friend, Nala, is married to Lorenzo with a daughter, Florrie (four-year-old), and another baby on the way. Nala is a physiotherapist and a little younger than Jane. Florrie attends Bluebell Primary School in West Sussex.
Nala is stuck at a training seminar and calls Jane to see if she can pick up Florrie from school and meet her at the dentist. However, upon arrival at the school, she is told she was picked up by another woman named Jane. What the heck is going on?
Four-year-old Florrie Moretti is officially MISSING. Something is terribly wrong. She does not have her favorite toy, Elo, a saggy, worn elephant.
What occurs next is an investigation—a kidnapping. DS Grainger and Det Constable Krish Chandra are on the case. But no demand for money comes. What is the motive? The security cam image looks like a woman, but very blurry, so difficult to identify.
Lorenzo, Nala's husband, travels and has a bad temper. We later find out their marriage is not so great. But Nala's little girl is missing, and she is pregnant, so she sticks it out with him.
We hear from POVS: Jane, Nala, and Carmen. We also get a few letters to Dear Aurora Rae, with possibly fake names. Are they connected?
Secrets of the past are slowly unraveled. One of Florrie's little socks shows up at Jane's house in the laundry. Jane starts suspecting everyone. Is there a pedophile among them? All the families are connected in mysterious ways.
In the meantime, Jane's life is slowly UNRAVELING due to the fact she was the one who was supposed to pick up Florrie, and now her husband, Robert is a suspect. A media frenzy. Something in Jane's past with a patient (a baby abduction) comes to the surface and is used against her.
A journalist wants her to tell her story, then gaslights her. Her clients turn on her, her so-called friends, her daughter, and now her business and reputation.
Someone is taking out credit cards and an apartment in her name. Who has stolen her identity or is trying to set her up for kidnapping and possibly murder? Her life is crumbling before her eyes. She has been betrayed.
What about poor little Florrie? Will she make it out alive?
Jane dives deeper to find the kidnapper because she feels little Florrie is in grave danger. The closer she gets, she is in danger. The letters to Dear Aurora Rae become more sinister. Her clients are getting creepy.
The truth is slowly unraveled about Florrie's bio father. Then we hear from little Florrie, which is heartbreaking, left alone all day locked away by a psycho. I loved her.
Drum roll: It is not until we get to the 50% into the last POV that your JAW begins to DROP. Fast and furious, things get complex and very INTERESTING, keeping you glued to the pages to the conclusion. This is where the book SHINES! This person is a psychopath hiding in plain sight and has Florrie's future in her hands.
WOW! As usual, yet another wicked evil twist (diary) is thought-provoking at the very end. I call this the second psychopath.
THE OTHER MOTHER is an addictively suspenseful and tautly written domestic thriller that reveals how nothing is as it seems, even in a perfect family.
Rijks is a pro at twists and turns, but these characters are NOT likable. The only ones which you have sympathy for are Jane and little Florrie.
A propulsive journey through a winding maze of secrets and lies. A shocking look at how even the most innocuous secrets between happy couples and beloved friends— in tightly knit neighborhoods— can sometimes turn so unexpectedly and terrifyingly deadly.
COVER AND TITLE: I know the author has little say-so regarding covers and titles; however, I feel this cover image and the title do not fit the book.
I would have LOVED the book to be titled "Dear Aurora Rae" with mysterious letters on the cover. I can envision it. As a publisher for many years, "covers matter. It would have set the book apart from all the other thrillers about "mothers."
If you have not read Miranda Rijks, she has a vast backlist, and you cannot go wrong with any of them.
Thanks to #InkubatorBooks via #NetGalley for an ARC for review purposes.
Also, check out my #AuthorElevatorSeries with Miranda, THE CONCIERGE, if you missed it, where we go behind the book and the author. So much FUN!
The "Queen of revenge plots," Author Emily Shiner, returns following her sizzling (Dec, 2022) I'm Following You (5 Stars) and (Jan 2023) The ForgottThe "Queen of revenge plots," Author Emily Shiner, returns following her sizzling (Dec, 2022) I'm Following You (5 Stars) and (Jan 2023) The Forgotten Boy (5 Stars) with YOU CAN'T HIDE —another addictive domestic psychological suspense of revenge/obsession mixed with dark, twisted humor.
Shiner is on FIRE! Her BEST yet.
It is difficult to write a short review because I have so much to discuss, and I love her books! I want everyone to read them.
Two storylines converge for a heart-pounding explosive showdown. You can RUN, but you cannot HIDE. The past and dark secrets rise to the surface.
A cautionary tale: Note: WATCH OUT FOR THE CAMERAS! Also, REVENGE has no expiration date.
LIZZY: As the book opens in rural Turkey Pen, Alabama, we meet Lizzy, a young woman down on her luck after being stranded on the roadside. A trap of a car, and she has no money to call a tow truck or AAA.
She needs to get to Pop's Diner for her shift and hopes someone will stop and help. After several cars pass, she starts walking. A good-looking guy in a suit stops. Wow, how did she get so lucky? At least he is not a killer. ...What she does not know yet.
His name is Zachary. He says he borrowed the truck since he is getting new tires on his Lexus. He is the new doctor in town— A doctor? And he looks like he could be on the cover of G.Q. For real?
He takes her to the Diner and then asks for her keys. He will see if he can repair her car and drop it off for her before her shift ends. Who is this guy? He indeed does what he says.
It turns out he is a REAL doctor. Dr. Zachary Pierce, Board-certified family practice, went to Duke University and completed a residency in Chicago. What is he doing here in this small town? Usually, men have an ulterior motive, but what is his?
Unfortunately, she will find out, but only when it is too late. Also, Lizzy has a dark past. One that she wants to stay buried.
BLACKMAIL. This guy is PURE EVIL! A monster. A master manipulator. He knows about her past. If she does not do what he says. He will tell the world. He knows what she did. He wants someone to fix. She is the victim.
He wants the perfect wife. The perfect marriage. The Perfect life. Perfect wins. Lizzy wants the perfect murder!
She soon learns (after the marriage) her husband is a control freak and a psychopath. A devil in disguise. He is abusive. Tortures. He keeps her prisoner in her own home with cameras everywhere so she cannot leave the house. He makes sure she has no friends. He planned this very carefully. He knows her every move. Then when she disobeys, she is moved to the basement as a prisoner. He wants to make her body perfect. A sicko.
How will she ever escape? She has killed before to save herself and she will do it again, given the chance.
BETH: In alternating chapters, we meet Beth.
Beth, a florist, and her husband, Ian Myers (very sweet guy), a high school teacher/photographer. She is very private due to her past, but her husband does not know about her past and he puts it all out there on social media.
They live in the N.C. mountains, but they are headed to upstate New York near Canada in the middle of a snowstorm. Of course, N.Y. snowstorms are nothing like N.C.
The reason for the urgency is that Ian inherited his family's mountain cabin and wants to clean the place to prepare for putting it on the market. They need to sell the cabin to help finance the costly IVF treatments. They want children, and it has not been easy.
He says she does not have to go, but she goes along. Once there, she sees the cabin is nestled way back in the woods, in the middle of nowhere. They must walk through the woods to get to it from the main road. This is difficult since it is night and the snow is so deep. They can barely see in front of them.
Once they finally arrive, a dead deer is next to the cabin. Then inside, it appears someone has been living here. There is a cat, food in the refrigerator, a book (The Art of Never Letting Go), a hunter, and someone who has built a fire recently. Weird!
She is concerned, but Ian thinks the property manager/caretaker may be looking after it. They have no cell phone coverage or internet.
This makes no sense to Beth. What if who had been staying here comes back? Who is this person he is referring to named Ryan, the caretaker?
Then things become very weird and freaky at the cabin, and Beth thinks something sinister is happening. They must get out of here. They will clean and then leave. But with power problems and other things, they are delayed. They took a week off from work and Ian is not in a hurry to leave.
She is not wrong for worrying. They are trapped. She feels like she is in the middle of a horror movie. She feels like someone is watching them. Is there a squatter? There is also a shed outside the cabin. They must leave the cabin. Start their family and leave New York, and never look back.
However, the mysterious intruder returns, and he has a PLAN. Beth is about to come face to face with her past. One she thought was long buried. What happens next will blow your mind. What he is demanding. It is sick and horrifying.
Now she and her husband are both in danger. How will they escape? Who will live, and who will die?
At first, you are unsure where Emily is taking you with Lizzy (as this part is not in the book description summary). Be patient, and enjoy the journey.
All will come together at the cabin. Oh, and then wait. Just when you think all is tied up with a bow at the end. Watch out. There is another signature Shiner jaw-dropping wicked twist to leave you smiling.
I was dying, before this twist, saying GET THE CAMERA!! PLEASE.
OMG! Between the evil Zachary doctor, the basement, and the creepy Ryan property manager at the cabin in this claustrophobic snow setting in the woods, this book is spine-chilling! The vivid settings and the characters jump off the page.
Around 50% into the book, readers will learn about Lizzy's past. You will sympathize with her until the end. She reminds me of Freida McFadden's, Millie (The Housemaid & The Housemaid's Secret. She cannot catch a break and her past keeps surfacing and being used against her.
This book was so good and I read it in one sitting. The way the two stories came together was quite clever, and that ENDING!
YOU CAN'T HIDE pulses with suspenseful twists propelling the reader to the explosive end. Cameras are a big part of both storylines. I loved it! It would make a great movie!
AUDIOBOOK: I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Durante for a spine-chilling performance.
All her books are original. I AM IN FOR AN ENTERTAINING RIDE when I start reading an Emily Shiner book. I always clear my calendar before starting one of her books because they are addictive and unputdownable.
I discovered Emily not long ago and have loved everything she writes. I love N.C. authors (I am a native) and enjoy her crisp writing style. She never takes you on a side trip. It is propulsive all the way. One of my favorite authors, and making my way through her backlist in between all my new ARCs.
This book is unique and unlike any others, but when reading parts of it, I am reminded of these (all favorites too).
~Kimberly Belle: Side of the road pick up Lizzy The Personal Assistant Except K.B.'s gal was a maid at a hotel, and the guy who picked her up was a wealthy businessman instead of a doctor.
The "Queen of revenge plots," Author Emily Shiner, returns following her sizzling (Dec, 2022) I'm Following You (5 Stars) and (Jan 2023) The Forgotten Boy (5 Stars) with YOU CAN'T HIDE —another addictive domestic psychological suspense of revenge/obsession mixed with dark, twisted humor.
Shiner is on FIRE! Her BEST yet.
It is difficult to write a short review because I have so much to discuss, and I love her books! I want everyone to read them.
Two storylines converge for a heart-pounding explosive showdown. You can RUN, but you cannot HIDE. The past and dark secrets rise to the surface.
A cautionary tale: Note: WATCH OUT FOR THE CAMERAS! Also, REVENGE has no expiration date.
LIZZY: As the book opens in rural Turkey Pen, Alabama, we meet Lizzy, a young woman down on her luck after being stranded on the roadside. A trap of a car, and she has no money to call a tow truck or AAA.
She needs to get to Pop's Diner for her shift and hopes someone will stop and help. After several cars pass, she starts walking. A good-looking guy in a suit stops. Wow, how did she get so lucky? At least he is not a killer. ...What she does not know yet.
His name is Zachary. He says he borrowed the truck since he is getting new tires on his Lexus. He is the new doctor in town— A doctor? And he looks like he could be on the cover of G.Q. For real?
He takes her to the Diner and then asks for her keys. He will see if he can repair her car and drop it off for her before her shift ends. Who is this guy? He indeed does what he says.
It turns out he is a REAL doctor. Dr. Zachary Pierce, Board-certified family practice, went to Duke University and completed a residency in Chicago. What is he doing here in this small town? Usually, men have an ulterior motive, but what is his?
Unfortunately, she will find out, but only when it is too late. Also, Lizzy has a dark past. One that she wants to stay buried.
BLACKMAIL. This guy is PURE EVIL! A monster. A master manipulator. He knows about her past. If she does not do what he says. He will tell the world. He knows what she did. He wants someone to fix. She is the victim.
He wants the perfect wife. The perfect marriage. The Perfect life. Perfect wins. Lizzy wants the perfect murder!
She soon learns (after the marriage) her husband is a control freak and a psychopath. A devil in disguise. He is abusive. Tortures. He keeps her prisoner in her own home with cameras everywhere so she cannot leave the house. He makes sure she has no friends. He planned this very carefully. He knows her every move. Then when she disobeys, she is moved to the basement as a prisoner. He wants to make her body perfect. A sicko.
How will she ever escape? She has killed before to save herself and she will do it again, given the chance.
BETH: In alternating chapters, we meet Beth.
Beth, a florist, and her husband, Ian Myers (very sweet guy), a high school teacher/photographer. She is very private due to her past, but her husband does not know about her past and he puts it all out there on social media.
They live in the N.C. mountains, but they are headed to upstate New York near Canada in the middle of a snowstorm. Of course, N.Y. snowstorms are nothing like N.C.
The reason for the urgency is that Ian inherited his family's mountain cabin and wants to clean the place to prepare for putting it on the market. They need to sell the cabin to help finance the costly IVF treatments. They want children, and it has not been easy.
He says she does not have to go, but she goes along. Once there, she sees the cabin is nestled way back in the woods, in the middle of nowhere. They must walk through the woods to get to it from the main road. This is difficult since it is night and the snow is so deep. They can barely see in front of them.
Once they finally arrive, a dead deer is next to the cabin. Then inside, it appears someone has been living here. There is a cat, food in the refrigerator, a book (The Art of Never Letting Go), a hunter, and someone who has built a fire recently. Weird!
She is concerned, but Ian thinks the property manager/caretaker may be looking after it. They have no cell phone coverage or internet.
This makes no sense to Beth. What if who had been staying here comes back? Who is this person he is referring to named Ryan, the caretaker?
Then things become very weird and freaky at the cabin, and Beth thinks something sinister is happening. They must get out of here. They will clean and then leave. But with power problems and other things, they are delayed. They took a week off from work and Ian is not in a hurry to leave.
She is not wrong for worrying. They are trapped. She feels like she is in the middle of a horror movie. She feels like someone is watching them. Is there a squatter? There is also a shed outside the cabin. They must leave the cabin. Start their family and leave New York, and never look back.
However, the mysterious intruder returns, and he has a PLAN. Beth is about to come face to face with her past. One she thought was long buried. What happens next will blow your mind. What he is demanding. It is sick and horrifying.
Now she and her husband are both in danger. How will they escape? Who will live, and who will die?
At first, you are unsure where Emily is taking you with Lizzy (as this part is not in the book description summary). Be patient, and enjoy the journey.
All will come together at the cabin. Oh, and then wait. Just when you think all is tied up with a bow at the end. Watch out. There is another signature Shiner jaw-dropping wicked twist to leave you smiling.
I was dying, before this twist, saying GET THE CAMERA!! PLEASE.
OMG! Between the evil Zachary doctor, the basement, and the creepy Ryan property manager at the cabin in this claustrophobic snow setting in the woods, this book is spine-chilling! The vivid settings and the characters jump off the page.
Around 50% into the book, readers will learn about Lizzy's past. You will sympathize with her until the end. She reminds me of Freida McFadden's, Millie (The Housemaid & The Housemaid's Secret. She cannot catch a break and her past keeps surfacing and being used against her.
This book was so good and I read it in one sitting. The way the two stories came together was quite clever, and that ENDING!
YOU CAN'T HIDE pulses with suspenseful twists propelling the reader to the explosive end. Cameras are a big part of both storylines. I loved it! It would make a great movie!
AUDIOBOOK: I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Durante for a spine-chilling performance.
All her books are original. I AM IN FOR AN ENTERTAINING RIDE when I start reading an Emily Shiner book. I always clear my calendar before starting one of her books because they are addictive and unputdownable.
I discovered Emily not long ago and have loved everything she writes. I love N.C. authors (I am a native) and enjoy her crisp writing style. She never takes you on a side trip. It is propulsive all the way. One of my favorite authors, and making my way through her backlist in between all my new ARCs.
This book is unique and unlike any others, but when reading parts of it, I am reminded of these (all favorites too).
~Kimberly Belle: Side of the road pick up Lizzy The Personal Assistant Except K.B.'s gal was a maid at a hotel, and the guy who picked her up was a wealthy businessman instead of a doctor.
Leslie Wolfe returns following The Surgeon with her latest highly impressive and much talked about psychological crime thriller IF I GO MISSING —A tLeslie Wolfe returns following The Surgeon with her latest highly impressive and much talked about psychological crime thriller IF I GO MISSING —A true crime junkie's paradise, a must-read if you have followed all the TikTok rave #InCaseIGoMissing and the viral binders you can buy to store your secrets in the event you go missing! I loved this!
If you're reading this, I've gone missing.
This opening will have you hooked. A plan. A binder. Tidbits that form a person's existence. From photos, bank accounts, social media, usernames and passwords, fingerprints, and DNA. Twenty-nine years of personal history told in photos—Inside information—bread crumbs left by the binder's owner.
How does one know the critical information needed to solve a disappearance? This person is afraid for their life, and the binder is meant to be found by the person who will find them. When the truth is wrapped in a lie, it is shielded from the light of day in ways no one can see.
This person must be different and unique. To choose to fight crime, not just be entertained by it in fiction and the news media—someone with an unrelenting passion for improving people's lives at the worst moments of their existence. You were meant for this. Only YOU can find me.
The binder has been hidden from others. This person is strong, resilient, and can endure. They will not give up without a fight. Flip through the pages and find the answers. It is in your power to save me. No one else can.
Two years earlier, we met Alana Blake. She is a teacher in Half Moon Bay, California. Alana is a fourth-grade teacher and married to Daniel. She is nervous about having a baby and fertility treatments. The fear takes her down a winding path of lies from high school.
Chloe was her best friend. All the guys loved her. A master manipulator. Then Chloe steals Ray, Chloe's boyfriend. Alana is forced to leave home and make the most difficult decision of her life. ow, then years later, Chloe and Ray married each other, and now living next door to Alana.
There are multiple mysteries, with Alana sitting in her car watching student Taylor. Is Ray still in love with her? Will Daniel stay with Alana if he finds out about the lies? Does Alana love Roy or Daniel?
Multi-layered and complex, Chloe moves next door to Alana, her old high school friend, Chloe, and her husband Ray (Alana's ex). Then, people close to Alana go missing. Can Alana get to the bottom of this mystery? Who can she trust?
Why would a picture of a dead girl from North Carolina be in Chloe's binder? Ray moved to Half Moon Bay from NC, but she does not see the connection. Another student killed Heather, so she does not think Chloe set foot in NC. Chattanooga, Tennessee, before NC. What was Stella's game? Deaths, Olivia Robinson, and Nikki?
Why didn't Chloe tell Ray about the binder? How did Chloe know she would be the one who found it? Is this just a game to set her up?
A TRUTH WRAPPED IN A LIE.
Put your detective hat on. You will not be able to put this one down! It is told in first person by Alana, an unreliable narrator. You will be sifting to find the truth among the lies and plenty of MIND GAMES. Who is the monster and the murderer? Is Alana a pawn in a sociopath's mind game? Will Alana lose it all?
I enjoyed Wolfe's previous book, The Surgeon , and was delighted to receive a digital advanced reading copy of IF I GO MISSING. For fans of Jeneva Rose and Robyn Harding. Ideal for those who enjoy reading and watching true crime books, podcasts, and true crime junkies.
This reminds me of years ago when I was a bank manager, and we had to put in secret files our daily routines and information if the bank was robbed or there was a hostage situation. My son is now a bank manager; the same thing holds true for me: My other son works for judges, so there is always a possible threat.
IF I GO MISSING is fast-paced, twisty, and well-plotted. It will keep you turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning. From lies, deceit, and secrets to uncover. Flip through the pages to find the answers. Yes, it does have the Gillian Flynn & Freida McFadden creepy vibe.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this fantastic digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I am looking forward to listening to the audiobook narrated by Stacey Glemboski.
From New York City's legendary mystery fiction specialty bookstore, The Mysterious Bookshop y, mysterious short stories from the past year with 2023, From New York City's legendary mystery fiction specialty bookstore, The Mysterious Bookshop y, mysterious short stories from the past year with 2023, THE BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR.
I listened to the audio version narrated by Keith Sellon-Wright, Christina Delaine, and Terrence Kidd.
While I find an anthology series challenging to review, especially when listening to audio, there is always a mixed bag of stories, some better than others, and it is difficult to recall which one was which unless you are reading a digital copy.
Twenty-one stories are collected for the anthology, including two from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, two from Mystery, Crime and Mayhem: Cold Cases, two from Mystery Magazine, and one from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. The other stories first appeared in various collections. Plus, the author notes. A twenty-second story includes a bonus story by Edith Wharton.
While I was not blown away by any of the stories and found it difficult to rate each story, I am giving this one an overall three stars and feeling slightly disappointed.
Thanks to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Blog review posted @ JudithDCollins.com @JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks Pub Date: Dec 12, 2023 My Rating: 3 Stars ...more
Emily Bleeker's latest is a compelling and gripping historical fiction novel, WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES — featuring two women, generations apart, their famEmily Bleeker's latest is a compelling and gripping historical fiction novel, WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES — featuring two women, generations apart, their family secrets, and the choices they make.
Elise Branson's mother, Gracelyn Branson, is an award-winning actress. Her late grandmother, Vivian Snow, is a Hollywood icon.
When Elise's upcoming wedding coincides with a documentary about Vivian, she is in the spotlight— a place she is uncomfortable with.
Alternating timelines, flashing back to 1943, we meet Vivian, a small-town Indiana girl during the war. She was a translator in the nearby Italian POW camp. In addition, a celebrated singer for the USO, the men loved her, and she fell in love with a soldier.
But there is a shocking secret that Vivian needs to keep hidden to achieve the fame she desires.
When the past collides with the present (Elise/Vivian), secrets are exposed and lives to unravel, forcing difficult choices that may change them both forever.
Told from the POV of the grandmother, Vivian, and granddaughter, Elise, from WWII to the present day, a moving story of family, history, and difficult life choices.
The two parallel storylines keep you glued to the pages! WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES is a story of family dynamics, secrets, love, loss, jealousy, racism, and self-discovery. It is a slow-burn, intriguing, well-written tale spanning two generations and two cultures.
The audiobook was narrated by Carlotta Brentan and Eva Kaminsky for a captivating listen/read.
Master storyteller Catherine Ryan Hyde returns following Just a Regular Boy with her latest, A DIFFERENT KIND OF GONE —signature Hyde— a thought-provMaster storyteller Catherine Ryan Hyde returns following Just a Regular Boy with her latest, A DIFFERENT KIND OF GONE —signature Hyde— a thought-provoking, emotional, timely, and compelling story of a teen girl's disappearance, friendship, guilt, regrets, justice, and a heroine who helps change her life.
I loved this book! Of course, I feel the same way about all the CRH books.
Set on the Utah/Arizona border, in the small town of Sloot, a nineteen-year-old woman, Jill Moss goes missing while camping with her boyfriend, Jake. You may think of the Gabby Petito/Brian Laundrie case; however, this story takes a different twist.
Her parents (California) are worried about her after receiving a text from her earlier stating she was leaving Jake and could be in grave danger. They have not heard back.
Norma Gallagher (Late fifties)— a private woman who works at a bar/diner, divorced, with two grown sons that are somewhat estranged, lives alone in a cabin in the woods with her horse, Saint Fred, two hound dogs, Gracie and Lonny, and other animals. She also volunteers with the search and rescue team with her dogs and horse led by Ian.
Norma finds the girl hiding in a cave without a phone or anything, afraid for her life. She begs Norma to help her escape and not tell the others she was found. She is afraid of Jake. She wants Norma to call her parents and come back and get her on her horse later that night and take her to her home until they figure out a way to get away to California.
Against her better judgment, Norma struggles with this decision, but ultimately, she worries about the girl's safety and contacts the parents. She winds up driving her to California, and along the way they get to know one another.
Norma also has a past with an abusive husband and lost her boys in the custody battle (he lied). They are not close as the boys were young and believed their dad's lies. So this case reminds her of her past and she would have wanted someone to help her.
Her parents take her to Oregon under a different name with a different life. She is working for a vet and has a job caretaking land with a cabin and has horses and dogs, similar to Norma whom she looks up to. (inspired by her)
Norma has to pretend to work on the case, but it is getting to her. During all the publicity, Jake comes into the bar and gets into a fight. All the social media are swarming.
Then Norma meets a young girl named Wanda and takes her under her wing. Without too many details, Wanda winds up with Jake in a similar situation five years later. Norma is not close with her sons, but now she has two young girls who look up to her. When they get to the point where they are going to charge Jake with murder, she knows she must go to the DA.
However, things turn in a different direction with suspense and tension as these two young women, victims of domestic violence, join forces with Norma. Then, someone takes the law into their own hands.
I loved Norma! She is a wise woman, witty and straightforward. I loved the relationship with Jill's parents, Jill and Wanda, and her friend at the diner.
I enjoy multi-generation stories as there is something to learn from the older generation. The setting, the mystery, the characters, as well as the essential topics of domestic suspense all make this a must-read book!
A DIFFERENT KIND OF GONE is a gripping novel about domestic violence and the lives it touches—one of justice, friendship, wisdom, survival, and impossible choices with compelling, well-crafted, multi-generational characters and, as always, loveable animals.
I always drop everything when I get a Catherine Ryan Hyde book! I have read all her books as a favorite author and a long-time fan. When you start reading a CRH book, you know you will be in for a rare treat; the characters will pull on your heartstrings, and you ultimately will learn something by the end. She writes from the heart about real people, life, and highly charged topics. Triumph over tragedy. Isn't that what all of us are drawn to?
I highly recommend A DIFFERENT KIND OF GONE and all her books. There is no comparison! I look forward to reading Life, Loss, and Puffins, coming May 14, 2024. I have the ARC and cannot wait to read it.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a digital reviewer advanced copy for an honest review.
Kiersten Modglin returns with her 40th novel, HEMLOCK —a chilling suspense of a woman who returns to her hometown, buys a new home that seems to be haKiersten Modglin returns with her 40th novel, HEMLOCK —a chilling suspense of a woman who returns to her hometown, buys a new home that seems to be haunted, and comes face to face with the two men she thought she left behind.
OK, most of you know I dislike romance novels (nor do I read them). However, I thought this was a psychological thriller, and of course, one of my favorites was narrating the audiobook, Brittany Pressley, so I got through it. As always, Brittany delivers an outstanding performance.
Meet our protagonist, Maggie Ellis, who left her small town, Myers, thirteen years ago and never wanted to return. After she inherited money from her mom's death and broke up with her boyfriend, she purchased an old house on Hemlock Street. She thought it looked cozy and was ready to settle down. But there are so many things that need repairing.
Soon after moving in, strange things began happening. She does not want to be scared off. She is independent and wants to love it.
We meet two men who were a part of her past and, like the hemlock plant, toxic! Things happened years ago and there was a lot of miscommunication, someone interfered, and changed the course of her life.
Clayton (disliked) has been her best friend for years but left her years ago to chase his dreams in Nashville. He did not ask her to go.
Then there was Tucker (liked), the bartender who helped her fake date to make Clayton jealous when Clayton returned with a new fiancée.
A love triangle: We get parts with both guys, past and present, and the house, which is creepy. Tucker lives next door and is now a contractor and owns his own business so he can come to her rescue.
Clayton is not trustworthy, whinny and his music career did not go as planned. He did not want her, but now he does not want her with anyone else. Maggie cannot see it even though he is manipulative.
From past to present, we soon learn why these strange things are happening, which wraps up in this romantic suspense meets haunted house mystery.
I thought it was long and drawn out and felt Maggie must be blind not to see what was going on.
fake dating love triangle creepy house with a sinister history dark secrets past & present timelines suspense & mystery romance
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an ALC review copy for an honest opinion.
Blog Posted @ JudithDCollins.com @JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks Pub Date: Dec 5, 2023 Audio: 5 Stars (performance) Story: 3 Stars Overall Rating: 4 Stars Dec Newsletter ...more
The queen of revenge plots, Emily Shiner, returns following The Better Mother with her latest wild twisty thriller, THE WAITRESS —A single mother takThe queen of revenge plots, Emily Shiner, returns following The Better Mother with her latest wild twisty thriller, THE WAITRESS —A single mother takes desperate measures when she realizes her son is a monster.
Anne Marie has had a tough life but is about to get tougher. She got pregnant as a teen and did not graduate high school. Her parents were not supportive, and the baby's father was no good.
A single mom, alone raising her son, Dave (age 16). She wants a better life for him, but his behavior is uncontrollable. She sometimes works two shifts at the Early Bird Diner, has one friend at the diner, and her son disrespects her with his no-care attitude.
Dave is always in TROUBLE! The school always calls her for meetings, and her boss at the diner does not like it. He has warned her numerous times to stop bringing her personal life into work, or she will be without a job —then what will she do?
She drives a beat-up old Camry and barely has enough money for groceries. Dave is either acting out, skipping school, smoking dope, selling drugs, smoking at school, or something. He is sixteen and does not offer to help around the house or with expenses. He takes the car without permission and often damages property. He needs psychiatric help, or jail would be best for him.
His latest stunt, he took her car, and an elderly neighbor man winds up dead. Now the police are at her door. But there are so many dents in the car; what is one more?
To protect her son, Anne Marie gives the cop a fake alibi for her son. Then, the worst, someone saw something, and now comes blackmail letters. Dave even takes her diamond earrings—the only thing worth anything she has.
She says she will help him. Anne Marie finds that when her son is desperate and worried and needs her help, he is helpful around the house. This gives her hope. She likes this, similar to a drug addict. So, she needs to keep him upset, a fix, she thinks, to keep him in line. (absolute madness)!
The blackmailing escalates, and they come up with a plan. However, Dave does not follow the plan, and now there is another murder. Instead of turning her son in to get help, the two seem to be more concerned about getting rid of the blackmailer than feeling any remorse or guilt about people being murdered.
How is Dave supposed to be held accountable for his actions if his mother keeps trying to clean up his messes? How far will she go to protect her son?
The entire town knows he is a troublemaker, and Benji, the guy she was dating, breaks it off because he cannot take the son and all the drama.
In one way, you feel sorry for Anne Marie, but she wears rose-colored glasses when it comes to her son. This is fiction, but she needs to turn him over to the cops and stop enabling him.
Of course, with Emily's signature style, there is a wicked twist at the end. That was the best part. She does a great job of building suspense and the atmospheric setting in a dead-end town. This is one of the craziest books I have ever read. I wanted to call the cops on Dave, put him in prison, and send the mother to a head shrink! No likable characters here.
THE WAITRESS is entertaining, humorous, wild, and frustrating. What an imagination!
Do not take this one too seriously—it is more of a popcorn thriller, and, at times, the plot goes beyond believability. I guessed the blackmailer's identity but kept reading to discover how this would turn out. The novel would be great for a book club discussion with nature vs. nurture topics.
THE WAITRESS is for fans of Freida McFadden's The Perfect Son and Daniel Hurst —readers looking for an entertaining drama-filled wild domestic suspense instead of a serious complex whodunit mystery. A big fan of the author—she always surprises! #CoverLove
Every parent should read this book as a cautionary tale of what NOT to do.
Thanks to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy.
Bestselling author, master storyteller, and queen of twists, Miranda Rijks, returns following The Homemaker with her latest and one of her best, MAKEBestselling author, master storyteller, and queen of twists, Miranda Rijks, returns following The Homemaker with her latest and one of her best, MAKE HER PAY —an intense, stylish, crafty, nail-biting, and compelling psychological thriller that explores guilt and its effects from adolescence into adulthood with all its emotions and horrors.
The author gives us all an early Christmas surprise gift with this powerhouse of a novel. (thank you!) Highly recommend! I am in awe of her talent and how she can write so many books! I think this is her 21st book!
With the author's signature twists, Rijks surprises readers with atmospheric settings, vivid descriptions, compelling characters, and a story that could be ripped from today's headlines—from untrustworthy characters and believable gasp-worthy twists, you will be hooked.
I was so captivated I read in one sitting! The part where she was lured to the secluded Airbnb, the forest, the road, the car—My heart was pounding, and I was on the edge of my seat!
Leonie came from a well-to-do family. Her father is a huge real estate developer. He is also very controlling. He controls her mother, and he tries to control her brother until he escapes.
Like most teens, their family is on vacation in one of their homes and hosting a big party by the pool. They are leaving the following day, and Leonie wants to see this boy she had met over the summer before and say goodbye. Don't we all remember these days? I do.
Leonie still needs to get her driver's license, has no car insurance, etc., steals her mom's SUV, and plans on meeting the guy. She thinks they are in the middle of entertaining and will never miss her.
However, not accustomed to driving, she gets nervous when a car follows her too close, speeding up and blinking lights, blinding her while another vehicle is coming head-on in her lane. She loses control of the car, and there is a deadly accident.
It was her father in the car behind her, trying to get her to pull over after he discovered she had stolen her mom's car. She is afraid someone in the car is dead, but her dad says they need to leave, and there is nothing they can do. They need to cover up the accident and never speak of it again, or it could ruin all their lives.
The trauma has stayed with Leonie her entire life, shunning away from relationships and burying herself in work. She also chooses not to drink for fear of spilling the events that she has buried for so long.
Ten years later, Leonie works for an online real estate company catering to wealthy clients, a division of her dad's company. It is here she met Markus, a homeowner. They have been together for quite a while, and he proposes marriage.
However, strange things start occurring as they plan the wedding, from her wedding dress work appointments and more. She soon suspects someone knows about what happened years ago. Could the person in the car be alive or somehow knows them and is trying to get revenge as the 10th anniversary of the date is upcoming?
Little does she know the complex, multi-layered revenge plot coming for her. She has felt such guilt. But she looked at the car briefly and begged her father to check on the person and call the authorities. But he refused. She was just a kid.
Then it is the day of the wedding. Something is not right. Then, soon, she is caught up in a nightmare. Who is doing this? It has to be someone who knows their whereabouts. Is Markus who he says he is? Things do not add up.
Later, after a tragic event, she is lured to a BnB spa for relaxation and finds herself trapped. She soon realizes this has everything to do with the night of the accident, and now she is fighting for her life!
Someone is determined to make her pay!
Pulse-pounding and deliciously unpredictable, MAKE HER PAY will be every thriller lover's winter obsession. Ratcheting tension and jaw-dropping reveals will leave readers questioning who they can trust – savoring every moment of this delicious cat-and-mouse game.
Oh, my, the author pulls out all the stops in this riveting, dark, suspenseful thriller with a cast of compelling characters. Cleverly constructed, a multi-layered story that will hook you from start to finish, tapping into every parent's darkest fears. With wildly intricate plot twists, it will keep you guessing to the end.
With deceitful characters who are not what they seem, a myriad of unexpected twists and turns, and a story that moves along at high speed and never a lull.
I LOVED MAKE HER PAY. Every page turn leaves you unsettled with a sense of foreboding that something dark is coming. You could feel every fear and emotion—a cautionary tale for parents who try to protect themselves and their children by covering up their misdeeds. The past will come back to haunt you sooner or later.
I also listened to the audiobook narrated by Charlie Albers and Ella Lynch, who made the characters come alive for an engaging performance!
I adore this author, have read many of her books, and love her writing style. I highly recommend The Lodge (another super revenge story) if you enjoyed this one.
MAKE HER PAY is perfect for fans of Mary Kubica, Robyn Harding, and Kimberly Belle. #CoverCrush This well-written, gripping domestic suspense is a total package and would make for a perfect Christmas gift for the thriller lovers on your list!
Thanks to Inkubator Books, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for a digital advanced reading copy and advanced listening audio copy for review.
Liz Lawler returns with her latest domestic suspense, MY HUSBAND'S LIES—a marriage is tested when a husband keeps a secret, but why? Who is he protectLiz Lawler returns with her latest domestic suspense, MY HUSBAND'S LIES—a marriage is tested when a husband keeps a secret, but why? Who is he protecting, and why? Is someone setting him up for murder? It's a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Mark is a respected airline pilot— and a perfect husband and father. Kate is a doctor, and they have a young son, Jacob.
A young blonde woman is murdered.
Mark is suspected of murder? Kate cannot believe this. What is Mark hiding? Why won't Mark tell the truth about where he was that night if he is innocent?
Robert steps in to help Kate care for her son with his friend Olivia. Then strange things are happening with Jacob. Can she trust them? What is their agenda?
Then Mark is attacked, and now Kate is sitting by his hospital bed. Was it an accident, or is someone trying to frame him for murder and now trying to kill him? Is he a murderer?
From lies and deception, MY HUSBAND'S LIES had a great setup; however, I felt it was too drawn out and repetitive, with Kate going over and over about why and trying to figure out what was happening.
I appreciated the author's inspiration for the story, and the narrator, Gabrielle Nellis-Pain, did a great job; however, the story lacked something and fell a little flat for me. It was alright; however, I was impatient with the story and how it was drawn out. Kate's character was highly irritating.
Thanks to Bookouture Audio for an advanced listening review copy.
Blog review posted @ JudithDCollins.com @JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks Pub Date: Nov 20, 2023 My Rating: 3 Stars...more
The reigning queen of psychological twisty thrillers, Alice Feeney, returns following Daisy Darker and Rock Paper Scissors with her BEST YET, GOOD BThe reigning queen of psychological twisty thrillers, Alice Feeney, returns following Daisy Darker and Rock Paper Scissors with her BEST YET, GOOD BAD GIRL— an intricately woven mystery of mothers and daughters, when a past abduction collides with the present in this riveting multi-level mindbending yet heartrendering gripping suspense.
Four women, three suspects, two murders, and one victim. DCI Charlotte Chapman is on the case.
Twenty years ago, on Mother's Day, a baby in a stroller was abducted in a grocery store. The mother is distracted while shopping; she discovers her six-month-old daughter is gone when she returns her attention to her baby carriage. The child was never found.
Twenty years later, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good-bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.
Frankie is a prison librarian struggling to deal with losing her eighteen-year-old daughter, Patience, who has run away. She makes an appointment to see a counselor called Clio.
Clio's mother, Edith, is not happy having been moved into a care home. She wants to escape and move back into her house. She blames her daughter, Clio.
Patience works at the London nursing/care home. She has a special relationship with Edith and goes to the pound to get Edith's dog for her. Can she be trusted?
Everyone has a past. Everyone has secrets. Each is acting good and bad and you will sympathize with both sides. The gripping mystery—what do these women have in common?
Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. Sometimes, good people have to do bad things.
How does this mystery connect these women, both mothers and daughters? Does history repeat itself or will love win out in the end?
What a book! Feeney has outdone herself —cleverly exploring the emotional, unique, complex relationships between mothers and daughters. A relationship that shapes lives.
GOOD BAD GIRL is well-written, fast-paced, engaging, smart, and intriguing, with characters that jump off the page with all the Feeney signature twists and turns. No one writes family and complex relationships better (whether good or bad).
Feeney fans will delight! Also for fans of authors Sally Hepworth and Michael Robotham. An ideal book club pick for further discussions.
Binge-worthy and movie-worthy, you will be on the edge of your seat to discover how all the pieces of this clever puzzle fit together.
I loved Edith with her spunk, humor, and drive. Just because she is old does not mean she is done with living.
AUDIOBOOK: I listened to the audiobook, which was SPECTACULAR! Narrators Katherine Press and Stephanie Racine gave an award-winning performance and perfect voices for all the women. I could not tear myself away.
Heart-stirring, emotional, and suspenseful —I highly recommend GOOD BAD GIRL.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for a gifted ALC via NetGalley for my honest opinion. Also ordered the hardcover copy.
Master storyteller David Baldacci returns with my 'favorite leading man,' Travis Devine, following The 6:20 Man #1 (5 stars) with THE EDGE #2 —and trMaster storyteller David Baldacci returns with my 'favorite leading man,' Travis Devine, following The 6:20 Man #1 (5 stars) with THE EDGE #2 —and true to its title, this riveting whodunit suspense thriller will have you on the edge-of-your-seat from the first page to the last, anxiously awaiting the next in the series!
THE EDGE is an impressive, satisfying, INTENSE, high-octane, action-packed—entertaining and electrifying suspense crime thriller mystery whodunit! Baldacci showcases his star power, from twisty complex plots to keep you guessing, and a cast of intriguing, multi-generational, well-developed characters make this a Top Book of 2023!
The novel grabs you immediately on a train with some action scenes on a ride between Geneva and Milan as they are about to go through a tunnel. Travis Devine knows there are assailants on board. He is ready and prepared and takes them on but leaves a woman, a loose thread that may come back to haunt (hopefully in the #3 series).
Travis was recruited to serve in the Office of Special Projects under the massive bureaucratic dome of Homeland Security.
New mission, Putnam, Maine: Travis' handler, Emerson Campbell, delivers his next assignment. A CIA operative, Jenny Silkwell, was found shot to death in Putnam, Maine, a small town outside of Bangor. Her dad, Curtis, was the senior US senator from Maine—a long line of wealth and prestige. She was murdered four days earlier.
They think there is suspicious activity, and they have not been able to locate her CIA-issued laptop or phone. The family is special to Campbell as he was a friend of the Senator, now on his deathbed.
Travis Devine goes in with full credentials, pretending to be an investigator with Homeland Security. It is hard for Travis to comprehend the lack of investigative skills from the likes of this small rural town investigation consisting of an Andy Griffith/Barney Fife type law enforcement (Chief of Police Harper and Sergeant Wendy Fuss—that asks no questions and believes its own never could do any harm). Are they clueless or pretending to be?
At first, Travis is still determining if he possesses all the investigative skills; however, soon he learns he does. He is sharp and sees things others do not. And what a maze of dark secrets and puzzles! The dangers here are often as bad as the battlefield.
The novel revolves around three Putnam families: ~The Silkwells ~The Palmers (Earl/Bertie & family) ~The Bings
Generations of these well-known Putnam families will connect in ways you cannot imagine. From tragedy, unexpected deaths, and dark secrets that go back years—they want to stay buried until Travis Devine enters as the past and present collide. The closer he gets to the truth, his life is on the line.
The small-knit community is full of dark secrets going back generations. From the Bings (former Sheriff now retired in Naples, FL) on his salary? And the mysterious Bings in the funeral business (Bing & Sons) and the medical examiner (Dr. Francoise Guillaume). The family has plenty of money and control. What are they hiding, and how are the Silkwells, Palmers, and their tragedies connected?
Next, we have Jenny's family. The father, Senator, is dying in Hospice, and her mother, Clare, lives in DC and has remarried to a wealthy man. She said her daughter said she had some unfinished business in Putnam before she was murdered. Did she mean personal or business?
Jenny's brother Dak owns a tattoo parlor, has a shady past, and has invested in local businesses.
Alex, the younger sister, a beautiful, highly talented artist and a recluse, teaches art at the local school and has a troubled past of fifteen years ago when she was a teen. Devine will ultimately be attracted to Alex. She has lost her memory of what happened fifteen years ago that may be connected to the case.
Alex and Dak live in the Gothic-style mansion (Jocelyn Point) handed down from family generations past. The Bing brother, Fred, and sister, Francoise (funeral home owners), also live in a vast mansion (more significant than the former). Both homes are almost another character in the novel that has been handed down from family.
The ultimate task is for Devine to determine if Jenny's death was due to her job as a CIA agent or if it relates to her personal life and someone in Putnam they knew. How are these families connected?
What a thrill ride! The author is at the TOP OF HIS GAME! Conspiracies, corruption, secrets, blackmail, and murder!
A long-time fan of the author, having read all his series; however, the 6:20 Man Series is my absolute FAVORITE! The author has masterfully created Travis Devine, which is prime for the big or small screen. PLEASE!
I did not know how the author could top the first in the series (loved); however, he DOES INDEED —like a rock star on steroids! Baldacci pulls out all the stops, creating his best series yet with a main character that is highly relatable and a show-stopper!
Wow! Travis has the patience of Job— dealing with the incompetent local authorities in a small town with a bundle of dark secrets and coverups. How are they all connected? With a list of suspects, you will be shocked at how all the complex puzzle pieces fit together.
THE EDGE is one of Baldacci's best! I loved the e-book so much that I purchased the hardcover copy and the audiobook (always a pre-order) narrated by Zachary Webber (fav), Erin Cottrell, Will Collyer, Erin Bennett (fav), and Tiffany Smith for a highly entertaining listening experience!
Please do not let this series end! I loved Devine and the small-town mystery. I also hope we see Travis & Alex again in the future! I cannot wait to see what comes next for Travis. I am in for the long haul—LOVE him!
Highly recommend!
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced review copy.
Florida author Margot Hunt returns following Lovely Girls with her latest locked-in thriller, THE GUESTS — A hurricane is brewing on the southeasternFlorida author Margot Hunt returns following Lovely Girls with her latest locked-in thriller, THE GUESTS — A hurricane is brewing on the southeastern Florida coast in this chilling tale of a family and art trapped by a storm and their uninvited guests.
Hurricane Celeste was to make landfall in September on a Tuesday along the Intracoastal waterway as a Category 5 with winds of up to 150 miles per hour and storm surges to up to 12 feet.
Marlowe Davies takes refuge in their waterfront home (Marlowe, Lee, and their teen twins, Tim and June, and their close friends). Lee is an attorney and his heiress wife, Marlowe. As in Florida, it is always stay or go? They will be prepared. The other family is Tim's friend Zack and Marlowe's assistant, Isabel. Staying secretly in June's room is her best friend, Felix.
Marlowe was in the process of facilitating her deceased parent's multi-million dollar donation of paintings to the Norton Museum. Thomas and Katherine Bond loved art with eclectic taste and traveled all around the world to collect it. They dream of donating their collection here in the Bond Wing at the Norton.
The family did not evacuate in time and is now awaiting the storm. Little do they know, one twin is hiding a friend upstairs. Worse yet, uninvited guests with an emergency dock on their property. They have no choice but to take in the three unknown people.
Three strangers dock on the family's shore before the storm descends—Brothers Jason, Bo Connor, and Bo's girlfriend, Darcy. They take them in even though they are uninvited guests, providing them a haven. Who are these people, and what do they want?
At first, they seem okay, but as the storms intensify, so do the tensions. Who will make it out alive? Celeste is a monster, planning to consume everyone in its path. Will the Coast Guard be able to save them>
THE GUESTS is a locked-room thriller, but you may have to set disbelief aside to find it believable or to be entertained. It wraps up in the Epilogue one year later. I also enjoyed the references to the Norton Museum here in West Palm Beach, where I reside.
Told from Marlowe's POV and other characters with some flashbacks for more of a popcorn thriller. While I did not enjoy this one as much as her other books or audiobooks, if you enjoy storms and locked-room thrillers, you may enjoy THE GUESTS.
My eighth by the author, and since I am a Floridan, I always enjoy revisiting the fictional beachside town of Shoreham, Florida. I love her audiobooks as well. I have lived through many hurricanes in Florida, the Keys, and North Carolina, so I always enjoy stories set in the areas. I did not think this one was as engaging as her other books.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the privilege of reading an advanced digital review copy for my honest opinion.
I look forward to listening to the audiobook narrated by some of my favorites with a possible higher rating: Amy McFadden, Sarah Naughton, Michael Crouch, Soneela Nankani, and A.J. Beckles.
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