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Covert
After seven friends take a trip to a secluded log cabin, what should have been a drunken weekend of fun end ends in the tragic and brutal murder of two of them.
Mackenzie Keaton and four of her friends wake in a disorientated state to find the bodies of Josh Harper and Courtney Young on the kitchen floor.
With the police determining that there was no forced entry or signs of a struggle, suspicion turn to the five survivors. And everyone’s finger is pointed to Josh’s estranged brother, Blake.
Mackenzie refuses to believe any one of them could have done it and embarks on her own investigation to prove their innocence, but after a few shocking revelations, she is forced to face the fact that one of them is the murderer.
Mackenzie Keaton and four of her friends wake in a disorientated state to find the bodies of Josh Harper and Courtney Young on the kitchen floor.
With the police determining that there was no forced entry or signs of a struggle, suspicion turn to the five survivors. And everyone’s finger is pointed to Josh’s estranged brother, Blake.
Mackenzie refuses to believe any one of them could have done it and embarks on her own investigation to prove their innocence, but after a few shocking revelations, she is forced to face the fact that one of them is the murderer.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2013
33 people are currently reading
4017 people want to read
About the author
Natasha Preston
49 books16.2k followers#1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Cellar and The Cabin. Romance and YA Thriller writer, boy mum, Tom Hardy enthusiast. Always buried in a book and a glass of wine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 7, 2014
I don't give out 1-star ratings often. I save them for special books. Ones that hit an all time low in the field of literature. Ones that really impress me with their trite ness and stupidity. THIS was one of them
Let me give you a detailed, comprehensive overview of the characters personalities:
Mckenzie - stupid, gullible, glutton for punishment
Blake - smart ass, whiny, emo
Aaron - smokes weed, might have blue eyes...?
Kyle - uh...??...
Megan - wanna be lesbian
Gigi - dead non-lesbian (although she did make out with Megan on occasion)
Tilly - dead lesbian
Wright - flighty detective
Now, add a lame murder mystery plot line and wah la!: you have "Covert"
At the end (and all during the story), I didn't give a rat's ass about ANY of the characters. The author didn't invest in them, so why should I?
P.S. The author gave props to her friend Mollie for the cover. I'd like to echo that thanks - the cover was the best part of the book.
Let me give you a detailed, comprehensive overview of the characters personalities:
Mckenzie - stupid, gullible, glutton for punishment
Blake - smart ass, whiny, emo
Aaron - smokes weed, might have blue eyes...?
Kyle - uh...??...
Megan - wanna be lesbian
Gigi - dead non-lesbian (although she did make out with Megan on occasion)
Tilly - dead lesbian
Wright - flighty detective
Now, add a lame murder mystery plot line and wah la!: you have "Covert"
At the end (and all during the story), I didn't give a rat's ass about ANY of the characters. The author didn't invest in them, so why should I?
P.S. The author gave props to her friend Mollie for the cover. I'd like to echo that thanks - the cover was the best part of the book.
February 22, 2017
The ebook I read was actually called The Cabin. Oh well, the characters in this book really annoyed me. I honestly didn't care who the murder was and I hate the ending! I also wouldn't have cared if the main character died and the book ended there. The Cellar was really good so I was hopeful. I'm disappointed though. And this book was left unresolved at the end. So annoying.
December 8, 2016
This book started out very interesting and the first half of it had a lot of potential. Somewhere around that halfway point, however, everything started going downhill with not just the plot, but the editing. Facts were contradictory (the protagonist's age, for example, kept changing), there were names used for the wrong people, words were misspelled, etc.
Towards the end, the plot just fell apart. I think the author had a great idea and either executed it poorly or wasn't sure how to neatly tie up the loose ends - or maybe it was a rushed job. This is a problem that definitely could have been solved with better editing or more time devoted to the book, though.
Really unfortunate. Two stars because while I have issues with the story, it wasn't so unreadable that I couldn't finish it.
Towards the end, the plot just fell apart. I think the author had a great idea and either executed it poorly or wasn't sure how to neatly tie up the loose ends - or maybe it was a rushed job. This is a problem that definitely could have been solved with better editing or more time devoted to the book, though.
Really unfortunate. Two stars because while I have issues with the story, it wasn't so unreadable that I couldn't finish it.
January 12, 2018
This book had its moments of being good and grabbing my attention but really most of the book is kind of boring and not much happens. And the main character kinda just goes back and forth like "my friends couldn't have done it" "well maybe it was them" "no no it can't be." This book could have been much better but it was all over the place. It was decent enough though.
July 20, 2014
Nineteen year old MacKenzie and her friends plan a weekend away at a cabin in the woods, but their weekend of drinking, fun and frolics ends tragically in the gruesome murder of two of the group. With no evidence of forced entry suspicion falls on one of them as the murderer but who and why would they do such a thing? Whilst under suspicion herself MacKenzie decides to investigate what actually happened and uncovers secrets hidden deep within her treasured friendships.
Having read other books by Natasha Preston I thought I would give Covert a read and although the mystery part kept me turning the pages I have to admit the book irritated me in places too. The murder mystery core is strong and what kept me persisting through the cringeworthy bickering between MacKenzie and Blake. I was disappointed with the one dimensional characterisations and unfortunately did not identify with MacKenzie enough to like the book from her narrative.
A passable thriller but with no memorable characters nor a feeling of satisfaction once the mystery is solved. I have mixed feelings about this one but give kudos for keeping me reading to the last page.
Having read other books by Natasha Preston I thought I would give Covert a read and although the mystery part kept me turning the pages I have to admit the book irritated me in places too. The murder mystery core is strong and what kept me persisting through the cringeworthy bickering between MacKenzie and Blake. I was disappointed with the one dimensional characterisations and unfortunately did not identify with MacKenzie enough to like the book from her narrative.
A passable thriller but with no memorable characters nor a feeling of satisfaction once the mystery is solved. I have mixed feelings about this one but give kudos for keeping me reading to the last page.
April 19, 2016
I found this book really difficult to rate. Originally I was going to give it 4 stars as I really enjoyed reading it but when I thought about I realised that the killer was made quite obvious throughout the story so I decided to lower my rating. Really this book is more of a 3.5 for me but unfortunately who can't give half stars on Goodreads.
The plot is quite basic and one that has been done many times before. A group of friends go for a weekend away and two of them end up dead. The police quickly reveal that it had to be one of the group that killed them. Throughout the book, we learn that all of the characters had a motive for killing them and we learn many secrets along the way.
When the killer was revealed I was surprised however when I thought about I realised that it was quite obvious and that there were a lot of clues throughout the book that pointed towards this character. I really want to read more from this author to see what else she has written.
The plot is quite basic and one that has been done many times before. A group of friends go for a weekend away and two of them end up dead. The police quickly reveal that it had to be one of the group that killed them. Throughout the book, we learn that all of the characters had a motive for killing them and we learn many secrets along the way.
When the killer was revealed I was surprised however when I thought about I realised that it was quite obvious and that there were a lot of clues throughout the book that pointed towards this character. I really want to read more from this author to see what else she has written.
March 22, 2015
Covert simultaneously infuriated me, bored me and intrigued me and I'm still not entirely sure how that's possible. At first, the story intrigued me and after the first few chapters, I was hooked. It quickly went downhill from there.
The book follows a group of friends who take a trip to a cabin in the woods where they planned on drinking a lot of alcohol and forgetting about society. When the main character, Mackenzie, wakes up to two of the group stabbed to death on the floor, a murder investigation begins that is both boring and predictable. Each character has a motive (that is presented to us in a dull way) but which one could commit murder?
The ending was ridiculous, including the explanations for the murders and it overall left me feeling as though I had wasted my time by reading the book. It's fairly safe to say i wouldn't recommend reading this book.
The book follows a group of friends who take a trip to a cabin in the woods where they planned on drinking a lot of alcohol and forgetting about society. When the main character, Mackenzie, wakes up to two of the group stabbed to death on the floor, a murder investigation begins that is both boring and predictable. Each character has a motive (that is presented to us in a dull way) but which one could commit murder?
The ending was ridiculous, including the explanations for the murders and it overall left me feeling as though I had wasted my time by reading the book. It's fairly safe to say i wouldn't recommend reading this book.
February 14, 2015
Yet another great book by Natasha Preston! This one was quite different from the others I've read so far.
This story is about a group of friends who go to a cabin to spend the weekend partying. When the awaken that first morning, they discover two of them have been murdered while they slept. There are many twists in this story and each time I thought I had figured out who did it, I was wrong. I will admit that some of the thoughts running through my head were quite far fetched, but then again I really do read to much! I enjoyed the story and the characters, as each one brought a new dimension to the book. I did think the main character was too naive and trusting, but honestly so am I when it comes to those I love, I'm quite sure many people are. I really enjoyed this little murder mystery and welcomed the change.
This story is about a group of friends who go to a cabin to spend the weekend partying. When the awaken that first morning, they discover two of them have been murdered while they slept. There are many twists in this story and each time I thought I had figured out who did it, I was wrong. I will admit that some of the thoughts running through my head were quite far fetched, but then again I really do read to much! I enjoyed the story and the characters, as each one brought a new dimension to the book. I did think the main character was too naive and trusting, but honestly so am I when it comes to those I love, I'm quite sure many people are. I really enjoyed this little murder mystery and welcomed the change.
January 16, 2017
I was beyond excited to read this book, because I love books like this with murders and mysteries. I was kind of disappointed. The main character Mackenzie goes camping with friends and her bestfriend and her bestfriends boyfriend get murdered. It sounds like a creepy and sad concept but it just sort of happened. Like she is like oh ok, and the author tries to make it sound like she's upset, but she doesn't seem like it, it's more of an "that just happened" thing. Everything happens to fast and it was very predictable.
January 25, 2017
I wouldn't even give this book one star. This book was honestly shit lmao. The main character was extremely annoying and everytime she looked at Blake, her descriptions about him were the same thing, "hot. different from Josh, mysterious, broken" I wanted to punch her in the face. Not going to lie, I didn't finish the book. It was extremely boring and couldn't even catch my attention the first two pages. I don't recommend this book at all.
April 16, 2014
Unexpected
Almost trashed this book, after reading 3 chapters and no action except stupid, drunken, and over sexed teenagers fooling around. then happened the murdered ! Almost a "locked room" crime, the writer had me to the end. still think it belongs to a younger reader than this 64 year old woman. But enjoyable for murder mystery.
Almost trashed this book, after reading 3 chapters and no action except stupid, drunken, and over sexed teenagers fooling around. then happened the murdered ! Almost a "locked room" crime, the writer had me to the end. still think it belongs to a younger reader than this 64 year old woman. But enjoyable for murder mystery.
November 7, 2013
I absolutely loved this book! I followed it on Wattpad and I have to say this was probably one of the best murder mysteries I have ever read. it was fast paced and full of jaw dropping cliffhangers. Would recommend to anyone who wants a quick suspenseful read!
November 9, 2016
Eh...it was decent when I was bored. I liked the aspect of it; I liked the ending; and I liked Blake. But God I had a lot of hand banging moments with Mackenzie that I have a headache now. Good enough in my opinion to read while you're waiting on other books.
November 23, 2013
This story has one of the most irritatingly stupid main characters ever. Very anti climatic ending too.
December 3, 2016
It's like watching a B movie with a ridiculous ending. Save yourself the time and skip this title. Her book called the Cellar was way better.
February 2, 2017
““No,” I cried, pressing my hand over my mouth as bile rose in my throat. Courtney and Josh lay on the floor in a pool of crimson blood” (Page 38).
The Cabin, by Natasha Preston, is a thrilling murder mystery with many twists and turns, secrets, love, and loyalty. This fiction book was so amazing I finished it in two days. I couldn’t put it down because I was dying to know (no pun intended) who the murderer was!
In this fast-paced novel, seven teenagers go to a cabin on a weekend getaway before they go off to university. One morning, when Mackenzie goes to get her friends some tea, she finds Courtney and Courtney’s boyfriend Josh stabbed to death. When the police investigate, there was no forced entry to the cabin, therefore pinning the murder on Mackenzie or one of her friends. As the book goes on we learn many dark events that happened in the past and that there is more to the murder than meets the eye. For example, the tragedy eight months before that left two more of her friends dead. This is a key part of solving the present murder.
Mackenzie keeps denying that the murderer was one of her friends because they had all been friends since middle school and she can’t bare the thought of one of them being a killer. Eventually, though, she is forced to face the facts. Is the murderer Kyle, Aaron, Megan, or MacKenzie’s love - Blake?
MacKenzie feels it is her duty to prove her and her friends innocent, so she sets out on her own investigation to catch the killer.
My favorite parts are the intrigue and the big reveals; you have no idea who the murderer is because not many clues are given at the start. You also don’t know that much about the characters, but as the book goes on, you learn each character has a dark secret that could serve as a motive. I loved how much was revealed as the book progressed. This book is so mysterious you keep turning the pages.
Another thing I loved was the ending. It was action-packed, revealed the murderer in an unsettling way, and left you with a myriad of questions. It totally left me in shock. I love how it ends on a cliff-hanger and how not everything is solved.
I thought it was interesting how the author incorporated a love story into a murder mystery. The murder brought MacKenzie and Blake together because they always had to be there for each other; it was nice to know something good came out of all the deaths that happened.
The theme I found most prominent was loyalty. MacKenzie was so loyal to her friends that she started her own investigation to prove it was someone else who was the killer.
I also found that trust was an important theme because throughout the book; MacKenzie formed a relationship with Josh’s brother Blake, and she trusted him almost the day she met him.
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery. If I were to rate it out of ten I would give it a nine, because there were some cheesy parts of the writing but it was overall a good story. There are some parts that are a bit adult, so the recommended age was 14+ and I agree with that.
“Someone isn’t telling the truth. And MacKenzie’s first mistake? Assuming the killing is over…”
317 pages, Sourcebooks Fire.
Merged review:
““No,” I cried, pressing my hand over my mouth as bile rose in my throat. Courtney and Josh lay on the floor in a pool of crimson blood” (Preston 38).
The Cabin, by Natasha Preston, is a thrilling murder mystery with many twists and turns, secrets, love, and loyalty. This fiction book was so amazing I finished it in two days. I couldn’t put it down because I was dying to know (no pun intended) who the murderer was!
In this fast-paced novel, seven teenagers go to a cabin on a weekend getaway before they go off to university. One morning, when Mackenzie goes to get her friends some tea, she finds Courtney and Courtney’s boyfriend Josh stabbed to death. When the police investigate, there was no forced entry to the cabin, therefore pinning the murder on Mackenzie or one of her friends. As the book goes on we learn many dark events that happened in the past and that there is more to the murder than meets the eye. For example, the tragedy eight months before that left two more of her friends dead. This is a key part of solving the present murder.
Mackenzie keeps denying that the murderer was one of her friends because they had all been friends since middle school and she can’t bare the thought of one of them being a killer. Eventually, though, she is forced to face the facts. Is the murderer Kyle, Aaron, Megan, or MacKenzie’s love - Blake?
MacKenzie feels it is her duty to prove her and her friends innocent, so she sets out on her own investigation to catch the killer.
My favorite parts are the intrigue and the big reveals; you have no idea who the murderer is because not many clues are given at the start. You also don’t know that much about the characters, but as the book goes on, you learn each character has a dark secret that could serve as a motive. I loved how much was revealed as the book progressed. This book is so mysterious you keep turning the pages.
Another thing I loved was the ending. It was action-packed, revealed the murderer in an unsettling way, and left you with a myriad of questions. It totally left me in shock. I love how it ends on a cliff-hanger and how not everything is solved.
I thought it was interesting how the author incorporated a love story into a murder mystery. The murder brought MacKenzie and Blake together because they always had to be there for each other; it was nice to know something good came out of all the deaths that happened.
The theme I found most prominent was loyalty. MacKenzie was so loyal to her friends that she started her own investigation to prove it was someone else who was the killer.
I also found that trust was an important theme because throughout the book; MacKenzie formed a relationship with Josh’s brother Blake, and she trusted him almost the day she met him.
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery. If I were to rate it out of ten I would give it a nine, because there were some cheesy parts of the writing but it was overall a good story. There are some parts that are a bit adult, so the recommended age was 14+ and I agree with that.
“Someone isn’t telling the truth. And MacKenzie’s first mistake? Assuming the killing is over…”
317 pages, Sourcebooks Fire
The Cabin, by Natasha Preston, is a thrilling murder mystery with many twists and turns, secrets, love, and loyalty. This fiction book was so amazing I finished it in two days. I couldn’t put it down because I was dying to know (no pun intended) who the murderer was!
In this fast-paced novel, seven teenagers go to a cabin on a weekend getaway before they go off to university. One morning, when Mackenzie goes to get her friends some tea, she finds Courtney and Courtney’s boyfriend Josh stabbed to death. When the police investigate, there was no forced entry to the cabin, therefore pinning the murder on Mackenzie or one of her friends. As the book goes on we learn many dark events that happened in the past and that there is more to the murder than meets the eye. For example, the tragedy eight months before that left two more of her friends dead. This is a key part of solving the present murder.
Mackenzie keeps denying that the murderer was one of her friends because they had all been friends since middle school and she can’t bare the thought of one of them being a killer. Eventually, though, she is forced to face the facts. Is the murderer Kyle, Aaron, Megan, or MacKenzie’s love - Blake?
MacKenzie feels it is her duty to prove her and her friends innocent, so she sets out on her own investigation to catch the killer.
My favorite parts are the intrigue and the big reveals; you have no idea who the murderer is because not many clues are given at the start. You also don’t know that much about the characters, but as the book goes on, you learn each character has a dark secret that could serve as a motive. I loved how much was revealed as the book progressed. This book is so mysterious you keep turning the pages.
Another thing I loved was the ending. It was action-packed, revealed the murderer in an unsettling way, and left you with a myriad of questions. It totally left me in shock. I love how it ends on a cliff-hanger and how not everything is solved.
I thought it was interesting how the author incorporated a love story into a murder mystery. The murder brought MacKenzie and Blake together because they always had to be there for each other; it was nice to know something good came out of all the deaths that happened.
The theme I found most prominent was loyalty. MacKenzie was so loyal to her friends that she started her own investigation to prove it was someone else who was the killer.
I also found that trust was an important theme because throughout the book; MacKenzie formed a relationship with Josh’s brother Blake, and she trusted him almost the day she met him.
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery. If I were to rate it out of ten I would give it a nine, because there were some cheesy parts of the writing but it was overall a good story. There are some parts that are a bit adult, so the recommended age was 14+ and I agree with that.
“Someone isn’t telling the truth. And MacKenzie’s first mistake? Assuming the killing is over…”
317 pages, Sourcebooks Fire.
Merged review:
““No,” I cried, pressing my hand over my mouth as bile rose in my throat. Courtney and Josh lay on the floor in a pool of crimson blood” (Preston 38).
The Cabin, by Natasha Preston, is a thrilling murder mystery with many twists and turns, secrets, love, and loyalty. This fiction book was so amazing I finished it in two days. I couldn’t put it down because I was dying to know (no pun intended) who the murderer was!
In this fast-paced novel, seven teenagers go to a cabin on a weekend getaway before they go off to university. One morning, when Mackenzie goes to get her friends some tea, she finds Courtney and Courtney’s boyfriend Josh stabbed to death. When the police investigate, there was no forced entry to the cabin, therefore pinning the murder on Mackenzie or one of her friends. As the book goes on we learn many dark events that happened in the past and that there is more to the murder than meets the eye. For example, the tragedy eight months before that left two more of her friends dead. This is a key part of solving the present murder.
Mackenzie keeps denying that the murderer was one of her friends because they had all been friends since middle school and she can’t bare the thought of one of them being a killer. Eventually, though, she is forced to face the facts. Is the murderer Kyle, Aaron, Megan, or MacKenzie’s love - Blake?
MacKenzie feels it is her duty to prove her and her friends innocent, so she sets out on her own investigation to catch the killer.
My favorite parts are the intrigue and the big reveals; you have no idea who the murderer is because not many clues are given at the start. You also don’t know that much about the characters, but as the book goes on, you learn each character has a dark secret that could serve as a motive. I loved how much was revealed as the book progressed. This book is so mysterious you keep turning the pages.
Another thing I loved was the ending. It was action-packed, revealed the murderer in an unsettling way, and left you with a myriad of questions. It totally left me in shock. I love how it ends on a cliff-hanger and how not everything is solved.
I thought it was interesting how the author incorporated a love story into a murder mystery. The murder brought MacKenzie and Blake together because they always had to be there for each other; it was nice to know something good came out of all the deaths that happened.
The theme I found most prominent was loyalty. MacKenzie was so loyal to her friends that she started her own investigation to prove it was someone else who was the killer.
I also found that trust was an important theme because throughout the book; MacKenzie formed a relationship with Josh’s brother Blake, and she trusted him almost the day she met him.
This is one of the best books I have ever read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery. If I were to rate it out of ten I would give it a nine, because there were some cheesy parts of the writing but it was overall a good story. There are some parts that are a bit adult, so the recommended age was 14+ and I agree with that.
“Someone isn’t telling the truth. And MacKenzie’s first mistake? Assuming the killing is over…”
317 pages, Sourcebooks Fire
January 30, 2017
Just started with this book and I'm liking it. However, it's a little corny and unrealistic. I mean come on. The police are circling the wagons and are working a double murder investigation, so why would Wright smirk at Kenzie when she turns in the bloody wrapper to him? The fact that he's not pissed at them for breaching a crime scene is so not real. I'm just so I sure he's going to allow anyone to do any investigating on their own, especially when they are walking all over, and touching all the evidence. Sounds like it's written by a naive and dreamy teen, and while Natasha tries to paint Wright as cocky and incompetent detective, she doesn't quite make the case that he would allow such blatant interference in a an official murder case - at least not for me. If he's so cocky and over-confident, then he wants the glory and will allow no one into his circle that might receive the credit due him. Anyway, it does get better once you overlook that basic fact and get on with it, the story is very good. The ending is killer and I wish it was a series because I want to find out the next step! The characters are great and I hate to see them end.
January 20, 2018
Fast paced who done it. Easy to read. Good story line. Some parts skipped pertinent details and seemed rushed, but overall was a good read. A little sappy about the goodness of the characters. Dont think many people would do anything for their friends. Interesting plot twist though. Would read more from this author. s
Good for anyone who likes a mystery. Definitely written with a British twist. Interesting story line, but not quite plausible. Could use more depth to characters. Overall, a decent read.***
Good for anyone who likes a mystery. Definitely written with a British twist. Interesting story line, but not quite plausible. Could use more depth to characters. Overall, a decent read.***
October 16, 2023
I so wanted to love this book.
But being written by an American author while set in the uk annoyed me. It was written like an American drama.
Not to mention the poor grammar/sentence structure just made it hard to read at times.
But being written by an American author while set in the uk annoyed me. It was written like an American drama.
Not to mention the poor grammar/sentence structure just made it hard to read at times.
July 12, 2025
A good first book from this author. There are plenty of twists and turns that makes you wonder who actually killed them. When you find out, it makes you wonder how far revenge actually can go and who it can take with them.
October 31, 2025
sooo, it was her first thriller and her writing definetely improved since then. I didn't find it good or bad, it was okay. I felt really detached from the characters and it felt too much like a romance for my liking. 2,5⭐️
April 3, 2018
Lame
There really was no point to this book....you had to read all of the book to figure what really happened and there was no logical reason for it.
There really was no point to this book....you had to read all of the book to figure what really happened and there was no logical reason for it.
September 12, 2023
Spellbinding, shocking ending
October 20, 2024
It's a good book-I think.
But it's a little weird that it has the same plot, and storyline as The Cabin.
It's the exact same book.
Just a different title.
But it's a little weird that it has the same plot, and storyline as The Cabin.
It's the exact same book.
Just a different title.
February 18, 2017
WOW!!! Agatha Christie would be proud! Phenomenal mystery!
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer"
A group of friends get together for an end of summer, end of their celebratory youth before they all separate for college/university.
They agree to stay at the cabin that belongs to someone that most of them cannot stand (due to past indiscretions). Within one day of arguments yet agreeing to get along for the sake of the weekend plans & a night of severe alcohol induced debauchery, things go very wrong.
As the group of friends discover a horrific crime, layers upon layers are peeled back to uncover some horribly nasty secrets they have all kept from one another and soon they are all looking at one another with distrust. Friends are no longer friends and trust isn't an option.
Most intense mystery, hard to discover whose the culprit/mastermind and why the crime had to take place; truly chilling and suspenseful; this story had me guessing all the way to the end!!
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer"
A group of friends get together for an end of summer, end of their celebratory youth before they all separate for college/university.
They agree to stay at the cabin that belongs to someone that most of them cannot stand (due to past indiscretions). Within one day of arguments yet agreeing to get along for the sake of the weekend plans & a night of severe alcohol induced debauchery, things go very wrong.
As the group of friends discover a horrific crime, layers upon layers are peeled back to uncover some horribly nasty secrets they have all kept from one another and soon they are all looking at one another with distrust. Friends are no longer friends and trust isn't an option.
Most intense mystery, hard to discover whose the culprit/mastermind and why the crime had to take place; truly chilling and suspenseful; this story had me guessing all the way to the end!!
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April 4, 2014
4 Suspense filled, Gripping Stars
Blurb:
After seven friends take a trip to a secluded log cabin, what should have been a drunken weekend of fun end ends in the tragic and brutal murder of two of them.
Mackenzie Keaton and four of her friends wake in a disorientated state to find the bodies of Josh Harper and Courtney Young on the kitchen floor.
With the police determining that there was no forced entry or signs of a struggle, suspicion turn to the five survivors. And everyone’s finger is pointed to Josh’s estranged brother, Blake.
Mackenzie refuses to believe any one of them could have done it and embarks on her own investigation to prove their innocence, but after a few shocking revelations, she is forced to face the fact that one of them is the murderer.
My Review
There is only one main central character in this novel - Mackenzie. The story is told from her PoV throughout meaning we focus on her more. The other characters are:
Josh - Mackenzie's worst nightmare and her best friends boyfriend
Courtney - Mackenzie's best friend
Kyle - a close friend of Mackenzie & the group
Megan - another close friend of Mackenzie & the group
Aaron - another close friend of Mackenzie & the group
Blake - Josh's older, hot, bad boy brother
They all decide to take a trip to a cabin in the woods one weekend and to cut a long story short, they wake up in the morning to find Courtney & Josh dead on the kitchen floor.
No one has a clue what to do or who is responsible so when the police determine there was no forced entry, they start to blame the group. We know Mackenzie didn't murder the couple, so this leaves 4 possible suspects.
Full review can be found at all-things-books.com
Kyle lifted a freshly poured shot glass and “raised it to Josh, his own little fuck you, before knocking it back. I smiled and did the same. And then I regretted it because Josh’s eyebrow arched, and I knew exactly what he was thinking
Blurb:
After seven friends take a trip to a secluded log cabin, what should have been a drunken weekend of fun end ends in the tragic and brutal murder of two of them.
Mackenzie Keaton and four of her friends wake in a disorientated state to find the bodies of Josh Harper and Courtney Young on the kitchen floor.
With the police determining that there was no forced entry or signs of a struggle, suspicion turn to the five survivors. And everyone’s finger is pointed to Josh’s estranged brother, Blake.
Mackenzie refuses to believe any one of them could have done it and embarks on her own investigation to prove their innocence, but after a few shocking revelations, she is forced to face the fact that one of them is the murderer.
My Review
There is only one main central character in this novel - Mackenzie. The story is told from her PoV throughout meaning we focus on her more. The other characters are:
Josh - Mackenzie's worst nightmare and her best friends boyfriend
Courtney - Mackenzie's best friend
Kyle - a close friend of Mackenzie & the group
Megan - another close friend of Mackenzie & the group
Aaron - another close friend of Mackenzie & the group
Blake - Josh's older, hot, bad boy brother
They all decide to take a trip to a cabin in the woods one weekend and to cut a long story short, they wake up in the morning to find Courtney & Josh dead on the kitchen floor.
No one has a clue what to do or who is responsible so when the police determine there was no forced entry, they start to blame the group. We know Mackenzie didn't murder the couple, so this leaves 4 possible suspects.
Full review can be found at all-things-books.com
June 9, 2014
Kein Wochenende wie jedes andere
Fast ein Jahr nachdem ihre Freundin Tilly und Gigi bei einem Autounfall starben will der verbleibende Rest der Clique ein Wochenende zusammen verbringen. Josh und Courtney, Kyle, Aaron und Mackenzie - es soll so sein wie früher, doch das ist es natürlich nicht. schon gar nicht als Blake ihnen anschließt. Blake, der Bruder von Josh, Brüder, die sich kaum kennen, weil sich die Eltern früh getrennt haben. Die Stimmung ist durchwachsen, doch der Alkohol fließt. Mackenzie landet mit Blake im Bett und als die Beiden am morgen erwachen, ist die Welt völlig aus den Fugen geraten, denn Josh und Courtney wurden ermordet.
Eine Situation, die man nicht einmal in den schlimmsten Träumen erleben möchte, zumal die Polizei die Überlebenden verdächtigt und keine Spuren von Fremden zu finden sind. In dieser Situation fangen die Freunde an sich untereinander zu verdächtigen und zu bespitzeln. Zwar wollen sie einerseits ihre Freundschaft retten, doch andererseits beäugen sie sich misstrauisch. Wer könnte ein Motiv haben? Am liebsten würden sie es auf Blake, den Fremden, der seinen Bruder nicht mochte, schieben. Die einfachste Lösung, die, mit der alles so bleiben kann wie es ist, wenn das in der Situation überhaupt möglich ist. Denn schon nach dem Tod von Tilly und Gigi konnte nichts so bleiben und auch nun wird alles anders. Was im Verborgenen ist, muss ans Licht oder besser nicht?
Eine beklemmende Ausgangslage, die in einen spannenden Krimi mündet. Wobei die Polizei allerdings nur am Rande agiert, was etwas realitätsfern scheint. Mackenzies Persönlichkeit und ihr Glauben an Blake trägt den Roman. Auch wenn die Auflösung etwas hergeholt wirkt, fesselt das Buch.
Fast ein Jahr nachdem ihre Freundin Tilly und Gigi bei einem Autounfall starben will der verbleibende Rest der Clique ein Wochenende zusammen verbringen. Josh und Courtney, Kyle, Aaron und Mackenzie - es soll so sein wie früher, doch das ist es natürlich nicht. schon gar nicht als Blake ihnen anschließt. Blake, der Bruder von Josh, Brüder, die sich kaum kennen, weil sich die Eltern früh getrennt haben. Die Stimmung ist durchwachsen, doch der Alkohol fließt. Mackenzie landet mit Blake im Bett und als die Beiden am morgen erwachen, ist die Welt völlig aus den Fugen geraten, denn Josh und Courtney wurden ermordet.
Eine Situation, die man nicht einmal in den schlimmsten Träumen erleben möchte, zumal die Polizei die Überlebenden verdächtigt und keine Spuren von Fremden zu finden sind. In dieser Situation fangen die Freunde an sich untereinander zu verdächtigen und zu bespitzeln. Zwar wollen sie einerseits ihre Freundschaft retten, doch andererseits beäugen sie sich misstrauisch. Wer könnte ein Motiv haben? Am liebsten würden sie es auf Blake, den Fremden, der seinen Bruder nicht mochte, schieben. Die einfachste Lösung, die, mit der alles so bleiben kann wie es ist, wenn das in der Situation überhaupt möglich ist. Denn schon nach dem Tod von Tilly und Gigi konnte nichts so bleiben und auch nun wird alles anders. Was im Verborgenen ist, muss ans Licht oder besser nicht?
Eine beklemmende Ausgangslage, die in einen spannenden Krimi mündet. Wobei die Polizei allerdings nur am Rande agiert, was etwas realitätsfern scheint. Mackenzies Persönlichkeit und ihr Glauben an Blake trägt den Roman. Auch wenn die Auflösung etwas hergeholt wirkt, fesselt das Buch.
April 2, 2015
I am sucker for this kind of book. Young adults in a secluded place, murder happens, who was it. Not sure why but I love it. Probably the fault of slasher films like Scream and I know what you did last summer.
I was hooked from the word go. I loved how it started, so many questions, not as to what was happening then but the secrets the group kept. There seemed to be so many I never thought I would find them all out. It took me ages to work out the book was set in the UK, not a big deal but I like to know where I am ready about, makes it more interesting.
The characters were interesting. I never really felt you got to know them since there was so many secrets and things being revealed that did not fit into the previous persona I had worked out for them.
In a way it was similar to those films since it had a false ending as such, there was a year later bit when the true killer was revealed. The motive was weak for me. Very weak.
The killer was actually my first guess since it's someone un-obvious if that makes sense.
I think I would read more from this author but not sure if I would read this kind of book.
3 out of 5 stars
I was hooked from the word go. I loved how it started, so many questions, not as to what was happening then but the secrets the group kept. There seemed to be so many I never thought I would find them all out. It took me ages to work out the book was set in the UK, not a big deal but I like to know where I am ready about, makes it more interesting.
The characters were interesting. I never really felt you got to know them since there was so many secrets and things being revealed that did not fit into the previous persona I had worked out for them.
In a way it was similar to those films since it had a false ending as such, there was a year later bit when the true killer was revealed. The motive was weak for me. Very weak.
The killer was actually my first guess since it's someone un-obvious if that makes sense.
I think I would read more from this author but not sure if I would read this kind of book.
3 out of 5 stars
January 30, 2017
Interesting premise, this book is set up as sort of a Pretty Little Liars/I know what you did last summer mash up, but poorly executed
Pros: The first half of the book is pretty decent, with a nice number of secrets to discover and the mystery is well laid out. There are some surprising twists.
Cons: The plotting in the last quarter of the book is weak. The motive of the killer is pretty lame in comparison to some of the other potential motives. There aren't enough clues (like any) that would allow the reader to figure it out along with the characters. Which may explain why the detective in the story is such a witch. Seriously unprofessional behavior from that guy. Also, the editing is SO sloppy. Names are wrong in places, sentence structure and grammar are horrid, misspellings are many, and main facts are wrong (the main character's age isn't even consistent). Beyond all that, the ending was just awful. Really, really awful. It reveals the true murderer, but nothing else. m
There is only one way for you to save yourself from this horrible book, run.
Pros: The first half of the book is pretty decent, with a nice number of secrets to discover and the mystery is well laid out. There are some surprising twists.
Cons: The plotting in the last quarter of the book is weak. The motive of the killer is pretty lame in comparison to some of the other potential motives. There aren't enough clues (like any) that would allow the reader to figure it out along with the characters. Which may explain why the detective in the story is such a witch. Seriously unprofessional behavior from that guy. Also, the editing is SO sloppy. Names are wrong in places, sentence structure and grammar are horrid, misspellings are many, and main facts are wrong (the main character's age isn't even consistent). Beyond all that, the ending was just awful. Really, really awful. It reveals the true murderer, but nothing else. m
There is only one way for you to save yourself from this horrible book, run.
January 9, 2017
Life can change in an instant. With plans to enjoy their last summer before going off to the university, Mackenzie and her friends have a whole bucket list of things to work through together, starting with a weekend at a cabin. Waking up to find two of her friends dead, Mackenzie is thrown into a reality she isn't ready to face. One of her dearest friends is lying, and Mackenzie is on the hunt to find out who it is before someone else is killed. Loved the story; hated the ending. Throughout the story, Natasha Preston has a way of making you think each character may be the guilty party, leaving you guessing until the end. Truly did not like the way the book ended, but I'm hopeful there may be a sequel? If not, there is no closure at all.
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