Smart, engrossing and richly emotional, Six Weeks To Live is a deep dive into the secrets and lies between a dying mother and her three daughters. ParSmart, engrossing and richly emotional, Six Weeks To Live is a deep dive into the secrets and lies between a dying mother and her three daughters. Part who-dunnit, part family drama, this textured and utterly spellbinding story unravels in surprising ways you won’t see coming. A heart-wrenching, complex story of death, regret, and the impact our pasts have on our future....more
Tense and unsettling, this captivating tale follows Dora, a newspaper fact-checker with dark secrets, as she desperately tries to outrun her past. WitTense and unsettling, this captivating tale follows Dora, a newspaper fact-checker with dark secrets, as she desperately tries to outrun her past. With high stakes and a compelling protagonist, the story rockets towards its shocking conclusion, deftly exploring the line between fact and fiction and posing the question: do facts always matter? A wild and entertaining read....more
Gripping and utterly captivating, this sci-fi-thriller blend is a powerful and lyrical acclamation of love, sisterhood, feminism and empowerment.
Girl Gripping and utterly captivating, this sci-fi-thriller blend is a powerful and lyrical acclamation of love, sisterhood, feminism and empowerment.
Girl One follows Josie Morrow, one of nine “Miracle Babies” conceived without male DNA (parthenogenesis). After a suspicious fire destroys the commune she was raised on, she and her mother, as well as the others who lived there, scatter and lose touch. But now Josie’s mother has disappeared. Josie sets off on a desperate mission to find her, tracking down her estranged sisters who seem to hold the keys to finding her mother.
Each of these sisters holds a unique ability, a superpower, sort of like a family of X-Men. Throughout this journey of self-discovery and meaning, they soon learn that they are more powerful together than apart.
While I don’t usually read sci-fi, the unique premise and the perfect blending of thriller with sci-fi, had me hooked from the start. A slow-burn, deep-dive into our protagonist’s character, we explore the themes of self-empowerment and the idea of parthenogenesis.
This fascinating sci-fi twist on the suspense genre is irresistible and intriguing....more
You’ll never drive down a deserted highway with quite the same feeling again! Gorgeous, gritty and poignant, this dark tale will leave an emotional haYou’ll never drive down a deserted highway with quite the same feeling again! Gorgeous, gritty and poignant, this dark tale will leave an emotional handprint on your heart. With a creeping sense of dread and tension ratcheting up every page, Stevens weaves a tale that is both intensely ominous and profoundly human. I was spellbound from the very first page to the heart-stopping conclusion....more
A clever combination of police procedural and romantic suspense, Cross Her Heart is a thriller with heart. Skilfully exploring the line between love aA clever combination of police procedural and romantic suspense, Cross Her Heart is a thriller with heart. Skilfully exploring the line between love and hate, the story follows Bree, a kickass homicide detective with a tragic past of her own. Bree has tucked away that tragic past until the night her sister Erin is violently murdered, her husband, Justin, suspiciously vanishing into thin air.
Filled with twists and turns that will keep you captivated until the end, this is a quick thriller that’s tense and irresistible throughout....more
A dysfunctional, true-crime obsessed family, a long-missing brother, a serial killer, and a secluded island mansion filled with murder memorabilia: hoA dysfunctional, true-crime obsessed family, a long-missing brother, a serial killer, and a secluded island mansion filled with murder memorabilia: how could it get any better? Megan Collin shines in this absorbingly atmospheric tale filled with a magnificent sense of macabre.
After a decade away, Dahlia returns home when her father dies. But when her family goes to bury him, they instead find the body of her twin brother Andy, who went missing when she was 16. And buried in the back of his head is an ax. Grappling with her own grief, Dahlia also realizes the only way forward is to find out what happened to her twin.
An exquisitely written thriller with twisted family dynamics and dark, deadly secrets. You won’t want to miss this one!...more
Finally, I've read this book! I found it quite complicated and a little difficult to follow, but a compelling ending. I can see the appeal. I think. Finally, I've read this book! I found it quite complicated and a little difficult to follow, but a compelling ending. I can see the appeal. I think. ...more
Skillfully crafted and intricately plotted, Win shows Harlen Coben at the top of his game. We take a deep dive into a character who is probably a psycSkillfully crafted and intricately plotted, Win shows Harlen Coben at the top of his game. We take a deep dive into a character who is probably a psychopath, definitely shady, yet still incredibly likeable. This complex, action-packed nail-biter is a massively entertaining read!
We have a murdered recluse. A stolen painting. An abducted heiress. A group of domestic terrorists. These threads all link together in the most diabolical way. And Win is going to find out what they have to do with him.
Whether or not you’ve read and loved the Myron Bolitar series, you’ll want to run (not walk) to grab your copy of Win....more
Smart and cleverly plotted, this fast-paced crime mystery is compelling with tons of emotion and a protagonist bent on justice. Beneath the layers of Smart and cleverly plotted, this fast-paced crime mystery is compelling with tons of emotion and a protagonist bent on justice. Beneath the layers of plot are characters so well written I felt I actually knew them. Suspenseful, funny, tense and gripping, A Stranger At The Door is that perfect mix of hard-boiled detective mystery combined with a whole lot of heart.
The book is the second in the Rachel Marin series. I haven’t read the first one, Hide Away, (which I will soon remedy!), but it didn’t detract from the story in any way. In this one, Rachel is just getting to a good place in her life when she receives an ominous email form her son’s teacher, sent to her just before his untimely, and pretty horrific, murder. And when she finds out her son has been recruited to a shadowy business by someone who may be connected to the murderer, vigilante Rachel isn’t going to take that lying down.
A fast read with a fun protagonist, I highly recommend!...more
Unsettling and darkly sublime, Robyn Harding deftly explores twisted family dynamics and devastating secrets in suburbia in this stunning novel that wUnsettling and darkly sublime, Robyn Harding deftly explores twisted family dynamics and devastating secrets in suburbia in this stunning novel that will shock readers by the final page. The Perfect Family explores a perfect family’s perfect façade, and how even perfect lies can become perfect nightmares. A mesmerizing, compulsively readable thriller, this one smoulders from the first page to the last.
The story follows the Adler family, who seem perfect in every way. Until one day their house is egged. Then fruit, then tomatoes are thrown. Then a smoke bomb. Gradually the attacks escalate until a fire is set outside their home while they sleep. Helpless to stop the attacks, the Adlers grow increasingly terrified. But each of the Adlers is keeping a secret. Which of the Adlers is responsible for the harassment?
Harding gets a rare 'face-meltingly-good' shelve from me. Excuse me while I go download the rest of her books......more
Magnificently malevolent and darkly diabolical, what begins as a case of amnesia quickly turns into a riveting, sinister ride. Every twist, every layeMagnificently malevolent and darkly diabolical, what begins as a case of amnesia quickly turns into a riveting, sinister ride. Every twist, every layer skilfully unravels to an explosive conclusion that will have you gasping out loud. You Will Remember Me is an absolute knockout!...more
An interesting, slow paced mystery with a lot of drama. I loved the premise of a sister looking into what happened to her sister. With a cast of severAn interesting, slow paced mystery with a lot of drama. I loved the premise of a sister looking into what happened to her sister. With a cast of several excellent suspects at the retreat, I was entertained, even if I did guess the twist. A light beach read. ...more
An atmospheric slow-burn whodunit, I enjoyed The Dry. Part police procedural and part murder mystery, the question of whether Luke murdered his familyAn atmospheric slow-burn whodunit, I enjoyed The Dry. Part police procedural and part murder mystery, the question of whether Luke murdered his family kept me glued to the page, but the real strength of the story comes in the descriptions of the drought. Setting the plot against something so dramatic was a clever call and really added to the intrigue. Definitely an entertaining read for my first of 2021....more
A richly atmospheric time-slip mystery with the pulse of a thriller, The Perfect Guests is deliciously evocative and absolutely spellbinding. Set up lA richly atmospheric time-slip mystery with the pulse of a thriller, The Perfect Guests is deliciously evocative and absolutely spellbinding. Set up like a game of Clue, the story alternates between two narratives, one in the past, the other in the present, each chapter winding the tension higher as you discover the pieces you need to solve the puzzle. With vividly drawn characters, gorgeous prose, and an electric sense of place and time, I was sucked in from the very first page. The Perfect Guests is a fun and immensely satisfying treat! ...more
A twisted tale about a graphic artist with a lot of unresolved childhood issues, Crazy Love You explores, through a fog of haze and desperation, the tA twisted tale about a graphic artist with a lot of unresolved childhood issues, Crazy Love You explores, through a fog of haze and desperation, the things that are real and the things that aren't. With pitch-perfect pacing, a dark psychological heart, and deeply moving flashbacks, I couldn't put it down....more
Very M Knight Shamalayan or Dean Koontz, but with spies. Lots of scenes that were pretty gruesome, intense, blood, torture. In fact, the first 3/4 of Very M Knight Shamalayan or Dean Koontz, but with spies. Lots of scenes that were pretty gruesome, intense, blood, torture. In fact, the first 3/4 of the book is all about the protagonist being beaten, then he's running, then he's tortured, running, climbing, then beaten again. There seems to be little else besides the action for most of the book.
We open with Ethan Burke, who is stranded in a small town called Pines after a horrific accident that's left him with amnesia. But the more he tries to find out what happened, the less seems to make sense.
The story is intriguing if you're interested in sci-fi/horror. We have Crouch's very skilled, almost frantic pacing, which kept me turning the pages as I tried to figure out what was going on. But if I'm going to suspend belief for a book, I want to like and believe my character within the world that's created, and in this case there is zero character development. While I didn't love this book, Dark Matter is in the top 10 books I've ever read, so I'm definitely looking forward to reading other books by Crouch....more
Profoundly moving, charming, and thoroughly absorbing, I’m not even exaggerating when I say Lori Gottlieb’s memoir resonated with me deeply. There werProfoundly moving, charming, and thoroughly absorbing, I’m not even exaggerating when I say Lori Gottlieb’s memoir resonated with me deeply. There were so many parts that left me in awe or questioning things in my own life. I even started taking notes, marking phrases, paragraphs and ideas throughout that inspired me and made me think more deeply about how I do things and why.
The book is told in alternating chapters with Lori after her own personal crisis, Wendell, her wise therapist, and interspersed with sessions with her clients. And boy is it told with such empathy! I rooted for every single character, even the very flawed ones. Like with a novel, each character changed throughout the course of the book, overcame their ‘issues’ and were guided to living a more complete life.
Lori has a wonderful gift for speaking in a charming, conversational tone, while still conveying all the compassion and empathy you’d expect from a successful therapist. I laughed, got teary eyed, highlighted, re-read whole pages just to make sure I fully absorbed the context.
Throughout the book, Lori burrows to the very heart of the important questions in life: how we change and grow, why we need to, how we connect with each other, and how to live a more fulfilling life. And through it all, we see her growing and changing, too. This is the book I’ve needed throughout 2020 and didn’t even know it. I’m so glad I found it now. I highly recommend. ...more
Smart, textured and unsettling, Confessions on the 7:45 may just be my favorite Lisa Unger book yet. With a deep dive into human psychology and a fascSmart, textured and unsettling, Confessions on the 7:45 may just be my favorite Lisa Unger book yet. With a deep dive into human psychology and a fascinating character study, this one explores the gritty behind the gorgeous, the human behind the façade, and I was totally here for it!
We’re introduced first to Selena, who meets a stranger on the train and confesses that she thinks her husband is cheating on her with the nanny. They part ways, thinking they’ll never speak again. But a few days later, Selena’s nanny disappears. And Selena begins to have second thoughts about that meeting.
With multiple POVs, deliciously devious twists, loads of secrets and lies, this book is cleverly plotted and compulsively readable. I highly recommend for thriller and mystery fans who love empathetically woven characters and a few heart-pounding scenes along the way....more
Anyone who reads this should know it's heavily laced with magical realism. I do enjoy a little magical realism, it was to the extent that I really strAnyone who reads this should know it's heavily laced with magical realism. I do enjoy a little magical realism, it was to the extent that I really struggled with the first 50% of the storyline. It did pick up and I'm glad I finished, as I really enjoyed the ending. While it was too fantastical for me, those that enjoy this type of book will find a story imbued with a large dose of atmosphere, fairy tales, and family drama.
At the root of the story is a woman returning home when her sister goes missing. While there, she begins to realize that her sister's husband, a man she had a relationship with when she was younger, is perhaps not the man she thought he was. She soon begins to question everything as the past and present converge and real life and fantasy become more confusing, and long-suppressed memories from the fantastical Mirrorland begin to emerge....more
Oof! This one is...dark. The story is basically about means girls doing mean things to a nice girl and ruining said nice girl's life. Mental abuse, buOof! This one is...dark. The story is basically about means girls doing mean things to a nice girl and ruining said nice girl's life. Mental abuse, bullying, social climbing, backstabbing, these are the sorts of themes we cover. But without the protagonist having any real reason to be so mean, I felt just...really, really sad while reading it. And without there being anything remotely redemptive or hopeful, was hard for me to understand the characters and go along with their choices.
The story follows Amb in two timelines: now, in which she's married to a great guy and goes to a college reunion after receiving a sinister note; and the past, in which the story of what Amb did unfolds.
I think readers who enjoy books about toxic female friendships and bullying may enjoy this one, as it is a twisted, dark and compelling story, told with a keen eye toward plotting and a fun YA tone of voice. I'll definitely look out for future books....more
An enchanting, enthralling, and utterly beautiful women’s fiction novel with a twist of domestic suspense, The Good Sister is that rare story that manAn enchanting, enthralling, and utterly beautiful women’s fiction novel with a twist of domestic suspense, The Good Sister is that rare story that manages to hit all the right buttons.
Rose and Fern are fraternal twins who survived a traumatic childhood with a narcissistic mother. Fern has sensory issues: noises frighten her, she doesn’t trust herself or anyone around her, and therefore Rose has spent her life being Fern’s protector. But Fern is changing. Growing. And she’s realizing Rose has secrets she’s been keeping.
The most compelling aspect of this story is Fern, who is one of the most utterly irresistible protagonists I’ve read in a long time. I was absolutely enamoured with her and the way her character changed throughout the story.
Sharply insightful, compassionate, funny in places, with a dash of romance, The Good Sister is a smart, absorbing story of sisterhood, the lies that bind, and how the truth often looks much different than what we think. This was my first Sally Hepworth book, and it won’t be my last. Fans of Liane Moriarty and Emily Giffin will love it....more
Holy hell this book was fun! Set within the old-boys-club world of academia, They Never Learn is unsettling, smart and absolutely riveting.
Scarlett isHoly hell this book was fun! Set within the old-boys-club world of academia, They Never Learn is unsettling, smart and absolutely riveting.
Scarlett is an English professor who murders men who abuse and/or rape women for sport. But when the college decides to investigate the growing body count and she loses control with her most recent victim, she has to avoid detection and keep her secret life, secret. Meanwhile, Carly, a first-year college student, becomes obsessed with making her best friend’s sexual attacker pay.
As a protagonist, Scarlett definitely toes the line between vigilante and sociopath. I don’t think she’s exactly a vigilante because there’s no question that she doesn’t give a single care at all that she’s murdering people. But equally, I don’t think she’s actually a sociopath. She was capable of love and worrying about people other than herself, and not just in a how-will-it-affect-me sort of way. But that juxtaposition, Scarlett’s flaws and her back story, make her all the more intriguing.
Dark and twisted with a snarky, feminist serial killer protagonist. It’s everything I wanted and didn’t even know I needed. For fans of My Lovely Wife and Killing Eve, They Never Learn is full of feminist rage, hot lesbian sex, and sharp, edgy prose with a breathless ending and characters you’ll feel like you know!...more
A compelling, twisty psychological thriller in which a much-adored boyfriend gaslights a vulnerable, naïve woman, leading us to ask: does anyone reallA compelling, twisty psychological thriller in which a much-adored boyfriend gaslights a vulnerable, naïve woman, leading us to ask: does anyone really have a perfect life?
Vanessa gets a thrill out of viewing houses she can’t afford. After her mother died when she was young, she’s longed desperately for a family of her own. She doesn’t think she’s doing any harm. Until one day the owner of the house she’s viewing is found dead. And the police think Vanessa is the murderer.
The story is told in two time periods: now, in which her life is a complete wreck; and before, in which everything was looking rosy. With a domestic setting and complex characters, this was a book exploring themes like love and control, and what happens when the perfect life turns out to be a perfect nightmare....more
An emotional family drama, heavy on the drama. From heart attacks to secret children to surprise DNA test results to kidney transplants to past relatiAn emotional family drama, heavy on the drama. From heart attacks to secret children to surprise DNA test results to kidney transplants to past relationships to pregnancy stuff, there’s a lot going on. Well-developed characters and a lot to think about in an entertaining women’s fiction novel....more
A dark and beguiling gothic mystery with a touch of the supernatural, Girls of Brackenhill has everything you want in a story at this time of year: a A dark and beguiling gothic mystery with a touch of the supernatural, Girls of Brackenhill has everything you want in a story at this time of year: a creepy castle, long-buried secrets, mysterious townspeople, and a troubled woman who’s (literally and figuratively) haunted by her sister’s disappearance.
When Hannah’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle to help with the dying uncle her aunt left behind. But when a human bone is found near the castle, Hannah becomes convinced it belongs to her sister, who disappeared seventeen years ago.
But this is no ordinary castle. We have creepy townspeople and mysteries appearances and rooms that seem to shift within the castle walls. Just like the castle Hannah is staying in, she becomes more disoriented the longer she stays. And as she becomes more consumed by the past, she uncovers more details about what happened that summer.
A perfect gothic thriller as those dark autumn nights close in!...more
Wonderfully tense and gorgeously disturbing, Loss Lake is richly atmospheric, centering around a much-fabled monster-filled lake and a darkly twisted Wonderfully tense and gorgeously disturbing, Loss Lake is richly atmospheric, centering around a much-fabled monster-filled lake and a darkly twisted small town hiding big secrets. Hypnotic and irresistible, you won’t be able to look away. This beautiful, tautly written story is about love and loss, grief and guilt, and how the past always catches up with us....more
A confidently written, utterly engrossing thriller, I literally couldn’t put it down and spent the whole day absorbed in this book. With a gorgeous beA confidently written, utterly engrossing thriller, I literally couldn’t put it down and spent the whole day absorbed in this book. With a gorgeous beachfront setting, an intriguing plot, and characters I just couldn’t trust, this one had all the elements I love in a thriller.
Caroline has the beautiful beach house, but her marriage is falling apart. Soon she ends up having an affair with Aidan. But then Aidan becomes obsessed with her. He follows her sister. Her daughter. He's determined not to let her go.
When Caroline’s husband goes missing, we can’t tell if Aidan killed him, or if Caroline did. Because these POVs do not match up. One of them is lying. I truly didn’t know who to believe, even once I got closer to the end. I was unbalanced by the unreliable narrator, in the best possible way! A perfect beach read, but also worked for a stormy fall evening. I highly recommend this suspenseful, entertaining book!...more
Wow! How did I miss this one last year? This book was incredible!
Electric, riveting, and deliciously disturbing, The Assistant is a scarily believableWow! How did I miss this one last year? This book was incredible!
Electric, riveting, and deliciously disturbing, The Assistant is a scarily believable story about the nature of modern technology and our reliance on virtual assistants, like Alexa or Siri. What happens when a virtual assistant goes rogue? Could it drive you insane? The Assistant burrows into the fear many of us have: that technology might not just control us, but could ultimately destroy us.
Newly divorced, Jo is happy to move into her friend’s luxury London flat. It’s the perfect place for a new start. But one night the virtual assistant, Electra, begins talking to her. She tells Jo she knows what she did. And Jo did do something bad. Something unforgiveable. But how would Electra know? But is it all in her head, or does Electra really want to destroy her?
Unique and compelling, you won’t want to miss this fun and atmospheric thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a copy in exchange for an honest review....more
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