Nightcap Books

BOOK INFO

Title: The Last One

Author: Will Dean

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Publish Date: August 8, 2023

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.

And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.

MY REVIEW

Caz and her boyfriend go on a cruise. After waking the first morning, Caz realizes her boyfriend is gone. Then she realizes everyone is gone.

Caz is an interesting character. She finds herself alone on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. At first, panic seems the appropriate response, but she soon gets smart about finding help and surviving.

The Last One is one shocking thriller with a fantastic twist ending. A clever and intense locked-room mystery about trust and survival.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Will Dean:

1. The Last Thing to Burn
2. First Born
3. The Last One
4. The Chamber

BOOK INFO

Title: What the Neighbors Saw

Author: Melissa Adelman

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publish Date: June 20, 2023

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Sometimes the darkest acts occur in the most beautiful houses…

When Alexis and her husband Sam buy a neglected Cape Cod house in an exclusive DC suburb, they are ecstatic. Sam is on the cusp of making partner at his law firm, Alexis is pregnant with their second child, and their glamorous neighbors welcome the couple with open arms. Things are looking up, and Alexis believes she can finally leave her troubled past behind.

But the neighborhood’s picture-perfect image is shattered when their neighbor Teddy – a handsome, successful father of three – is found dead on the steep banks of the Potomac River. The community is shaken, and as the police struggle to identify and apprehend the killer, tension in the neighborhood mounts and long-buried secrets start to emerge.

In the midst of the turmoil, Alexis takes comfort in her budding friendship with Teddy’s beautiful and charismatic widow, Blair. But as the women grow closer, the neighborhood only becomes more divided. And when the unthinkable truth behind Teddy’s murder is finally uncovered, both Blair and Alexis must reexamine their friendship and decide how far they are willing to go to preserve the lives they have so carefully constructed.

MY REVIEW

A married couple moves into a fancy neighborhood. One of their new neighbors is killed. Turns out their are a lot of secrets in their new neighborhood.

What the Neighbors Saw is told through the dual points of view of Alexis and Blair. Alexis is new to the neighborhood, pregnant, and grew up in poverty. Blair is wealthy, confident, and newly widowed. Alexis and Blair become friends, though Alexis suspects Blair may be hiding secrets.

Unlikable characters in a wealthy neighborhood is a favorite trope of mine, so I was excited to read this one. A slow-burning, suspenseful, and entertaining debut novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK INFO

Title: Try Not to Breathe

Author: David Bell

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: June 27, 2023

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the shocking truth about her family…

A traumatic experience in the line of duty forces thirty-year-old Avery Rogers to abandon both her relationship and her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. She retreats to a college town where she works an unfulfilling job as a security guard, breaking up fights between drunken frat boys. 

But a frantic phone call turns Avery’s life upside down. Her father—a retired cop who never fails to convey his disappointment in Avery—says her half sister is missing and in danger. Avery is sure Anna’s just crashing with friends, but her father strong-arms her into searching for the sister she barely knows.

Anna Rogers is fed up with her family—a half sister who resents her existence and a domineering father who thinks it’s okay for cops to shoot unarmed civilians. She hits the road to attend a protest against police brutality, unaware of the danger that awaits her there. 

Just after catching a glimpse of Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she’s no longer road-tripping; she’s running, pursued by an older sister she doesn’t trust and a violent stranger who has been stalking her for weeks. 

When Avery discovers Anna’s hiding place near a remote cave system, she risks everything to save her. Little do the sisters know that a secret is catching up to them—a secret at the very heart of their family history.

MY REVIEW

An ex-cop looks for her missing sister. They don’t know about the family secrets people want to keep hidden.

Try Not to Breathe is told using multiple points of view. Avery and Anna are interesting characters. The story is well paced and intriguing.

A fast-paced and intense thriller full of family secrets. Readers who enjoyed David Bell’s other books are sure to enjoy this one too.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by David Bell:

1. Cemetery Girl
2. The Hiding Place
3. Never Come Back
4. The Forgotten Girl
5. Somebody I Used to Know
6. Since She Went Away
7. Bring Her Home
8. Somebody’s Daughter
9. Layover
10. The Request
11. Kill All Your Darlings
12. The Finalists
13. She’s Gone
14. Try Not to Breathe