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Here to Stay by Mark Edwards [Book Review]

Posted on August 29, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

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BOOK INFO

Title: Here to Stay

Author: Mark Edwards

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: September 1, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

A beautiful home. A loving wife. And in-laws to die for.

Gemma Robinson comes into Elliot’s life like a whirlwind, and they marry and settle into his home. When she asks him if her parents can come to stay for a couple of weeks, he is keen to oblige – he just doesn’t quite know what he’s signing up for.

The Robinsons arrive with Gemma’s sister, Chloe, a mysterious young woman who refuses to speak or leave her room. Elliot starts to suspect that the Robinsons are hiding a dark secret. And then there are the scars on his wife’s body that she won’t talk about . . .

As Elliot’s in-laws become more comfortable in his home, encroaching on all aspects of his life, it becomes clear that they have no intention of moving out. To protect Gemma, and their marriage, Elliot delves into the Robinsons’ past. But is he prepared for the truth?

From the two million copy bestselling author comes a tale about the chilling consequences of welcoming strangers into your home.

MY REVIEW

Elliot has a comfortable life with a rewarding career and a beautiful home he remodeled. The only thing missing is a family. When he meets Gemma, she seems perfect for him, and they have a brief courtship before marrying. Soon after getting married, Gemma’s family (mother, father, and sister) need somewhere to stay. Elliot is happy to welcome them into his home for a couple of weeks, but the time keeps passing and his in-laws aren’t leaving. In fact, they’re taking over his home and starting to destroy other areas of his life too.

Elliot is a decent man who works hard and enjoys his quiet life. He wants love though, and is happy when he meets Gemma. Then his in-laws move in. When his in-laws refuse to leave, Elliot is pushed beyond the breaking point. It’s a difficult time for him and Gemma. In some ways it brings them closer and in other ways pushes them apart.

While I enjoyed the story, I did feel it was a little too slowly drawn out. The in-laws are smart though, and stay within the law as they disrupt Elliot’s life. Elliot tries to remain calm, but there is only so much that a man can handle.

Here to Stay is an intriguing story involving the in-laws from Hell. Good for readers who enjoy family drama in domestic thrillers. Crazy, suspenseful, and entertaining.

Books by Mark Edwards:

What You Wish For
Because She Love Me
Follow You Home
The Devil’s Work
The Lucky Ones
The Retreat
In Her Shadow
The House Guest
The Hollows
No Place to Run
Keep Her Secret
The Darkest Water

Now You See Me by Chris McGeorge [Book Review]

Posted on August 28, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Now You See Me

Author: Chris McGeorge

Publisher: Hanover Square Press

Publish Date: September 3, 2019

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Six went in…only one came out.

The Standedge Tunnel, the longest canal tunnel in England, has become one of the rural village of Marsden’s main tourist attractions. Now it’s also a crime scene.

Six students went into the tunnel on a private boat. Two and a half hours later, the boat reappeared at the other end of the tunnel carrying only one of the students, Matthew. He had been knocked unconscious and has no memory of what took place in the tunnel. The police suspect he killed his friends, hid the bodies and later moved them to an undisclosed location. But sitting in a cell awaiting trial, Matthew maintains his innocence.

When Matthew contacts a famous author asking him for help in return for information he claims to possess about the author’s long-lost wife, it’s an offer that can’t be refused. But before the author can prove Matthew’s innocence, he must first answer a far more unusual question: How did five bodies disappear into thin air?

MY REVIEW

Robin’s wife, Samantha, went missing in 2015. Three years later, Robin has written a book about her to help him with his grief. He misses her terribly, and especially wishes he knew what happened to her. At a book signing, he receives a mysterious call from a man saying he spoke with Samantha years earlier. The caller, Matthew, is a man who has recently been arrested for killing five of his friends. Matthew and his friends went through the Standedge Tunnel on a boat, but only Matthew came out of the tunnel. Matthew claims he is innocent and asks for Robin’s help, promising more information about Samantha if Robin helps him. Robin is intrigued and heads off to Marsden, location of Standedge Tunnel. While Matthew maintains his innocence, there is still a big question about his friends – where are the bodies?

Robin is grieving for his missing wife and having difficulty moving on. With the hope of learning something about Samantha’s disappearance, he jumps into investigating Matthew’s claim of innocence. However, the townspeople of Marsden have already decided Matthew is guilty, and they are not welcoming to Robin and his inquiries about the Standedge Five. This makes Robin’s task more difficult, but he presses on to discover what happened in the tunnel, and in turn, hopes to learn what happened to his wife.

The atmosphere Now You See Me is fantastic. The claustrophobic tunnel and tight knit community of Marsden make for a dark and eerie setting. The characters are complex and not all that trustworthy. A compelling and suspenseful mystery.

I read Chris McGeorge’s previous novel, Guess Who, and was amused to see it referred to a couple of times in this book. Both books are entertaining thrillers.

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

Books by Chris McGeorge:

Guess Who
Now You See Me
Inside Out
Half-Past Tomorrow

The Woman in the Park by Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist [Book Review]

Posted on August 28, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Woman in the Park

Author: Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist

Publisher: Beaufort Books

Publish Date: August 26, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

The Woman in the Park by Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist

BOOK BLURB

When Manhattanite Sarah Rock meets a mysterious and handsome stranger in the park, she is drawn to him. Sarah wants to get away from her daily routine, her cheating husband and his crazy mistress, her frequent sessions with her heartless therapist, and her moody children.

But nothing is as it seems. Her life begins to unravel when a woman from the park goes missing and Sarah becomes the prime suspect in the woman’s disappearance. Her lover is nowhere to be found, her husband is suspicious of her, and her therapist is talking to the police.

With no one to trust, Sarah must face her inner demons and uncover the truth to prove her innocence.

A thriller that questions what is real-with its shocking twists, secrets, and lies—The Woman in the Park will leave readers breathless.

MY REVIEW

Sarah is attracted to a handsome man she met in the park. This new man provides a way for Sarah to escape her unhappiness at home. When a woman Sarah recognizes from the park goes missing, Sarah comes under suspicion in the her disappearance. Sarah’s home life and secret life collide. Nothing is as it seems, and Sarah’s not sure who she can trust.

A suspenseful psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator. Sarah has discontent in her life, but she’s trying to manage things with therapy. As the story progresses, it’s hard to know if everything is based in reality. An entertaining trip down the rabbit hole of Sarah’s life.

A twisty debut novel. Good for readers who enjoy domestic thrillers with unreliable narrators. Dark, clever, and captivating.

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

The Passengers by John Marrs [Book Review]

Posted on August 26, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Passengers

Author: John Marrs

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: August 27, 2019

Genre: Technothriller

Series: na

My Rating: 5/5

BOOK BLURB

You’re riding in your self-driving car when suddenly the doors lock, the route changes and you have lost all control. Then, a mysterious voice tells you, “You are going to die.”

Just as self-driving cars become the trusted, safer norm, eight people find themselves in this terrifying situation, including a faded TV star, a pregnant young woman, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an undocumented immigrant, a husband and wife, and a suicidal man.

From cameras hidden in their cars, their panic is broadcast to millions of people around the world. But the public will show their true colors when they are asked, “Which of these people should we save?…And who should we kill first?”

MY REVIEW

Eight self-driving cars are hijacked. The hacker of the cars has told the passengers that they are going to die. Meanwhile, a jury is convened to determine the cause of accidents involving driverless vehicles. The jury and the rest of the world watch as the hacker controls the fates of the eight passengers.

Told with the alternating points of view of the passengers and a jury member. The hijacked cars and the jury are all being captured on camera, and the live videos go viral. The hacker gives the jury the opportunity to try and save a passenger. As the jury questions the passengers, secrets are revealed. Public opinion of which passengers should live and which should die are all trending on social media. A intriguing mix of characters in a unique story.

The Passengers combines the future of self-driving cars, social media, and human behavior. I enjoyed the technological aspect of the story, and found it both realistic and disturbing. Fans of John Marrs are sure to enjoy his newest thriller. Addictive, exciting, and suspenseful.

I received a digital copy of this book from Penguin’s First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.

Books by John Marrs:

When You Disappeared
Welcome To Wherever You Are
The One
The Good Samaritan
Her Last Move
The Passengers
What Lies Between Us
The Minders

No Good Deed by James Swain [Book Review]

Posted on August 26, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: No Good Deed

Author: James Swain

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: August 20, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Lancaster & Daniels #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

A human-trafficking case hits dangerously close to home in a heart-racing thriller by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The King Tides.

A disturbing missing-person case reunites ex-Navy SEAL Jon Lancaster and FBI Agent Beth Daniels. Skye is just one of a dozen young women who have disappeared from Florida without a trace. Beth can do more than just imagine their fear. She was a victim herself—a trauma that’s strengthened her fight for justice.

Then Lancaster uncovers a scrap of evidence, and the mystery begins to unravel. But the lead comes with a personal sting: the involvement of his estranged brother, Logan, an ex-con recruited into the shepherding of human trade. The only way for Logan to shed his demons is to come clean. For Lancaster and Daniels, that means being drawn, secret by secret, into a dangerous underground world.

With time running out, three damaged pasts will collide; more secrets will spill; and Lancaster, Daniels, and Logan will have to fight to save themselves first if they ever hope to find the girls alive.

MY REVIEW

The second book in the Lancaster & Daniels series by James Swain. Jon Lancaster specializes in missing persons investigations. He is a ex-SEAL and ex-cop who volunteers with Team Adam in addition to working private jobs. Beth Daniels is a FBI agent who works missing persons investigations.

In No Good Deed, Lancaster and Daniels work an investigation to find missing women. Lancaster and Daniels have some personal issues with one another, but they have to put their personal lives on the back burner and work together to find the women. The investigation involves gangs and human-trafficking.

The characters are stereotypical, but I still found it an entertaining read. Lancaster is especially annoying since he seems to know everything and be perfect in every way. His only flaw is a medical condition that makes him appear out of shape. Of course, he’s not out of shape, he’s the most fit and toughest guy around.

This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. I do recommend reading the first book, The King Tides to better understand Lancaster and Daniels characters and relationship. Personally, I found this book to be slightly more entertaining than the first one. In both, the actions and events taking place are a bit unbelievable, but they still make for quick and entertaining reads. Action-packed and exciting.

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

Books in the Lancaster & Daniels series:

The King Tides
No Good Deed
Bad News Travels

The Whisper Man by Alex North [Book Review]

Posted on August 22, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Whisper Man

Author: Alex North

Publisher: Celadon Books

Publish Date: August 20, 2019

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed “The Whisper Man,” for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter’s crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window…

MY REVIEW

Tom has had a hard time adjusting to life after his wife’s death. He decides to move, so he and his son Jake relocate to the small town of Featherbank. In Featherbank, a young boy has gone missing, and the case is linked to an older series of kidnappings and murders committed by The Whisper Man. The police caught The Whisper Man, Frank Carter, and he has been in prison for the last twenty years for those crimes. One of the detectives that worked the old cases questions Frank in the new missing boy case, but it’s difficult in find a direct link. Tom and Jake are brought into the case when Jake starts to hear the whispers.

Complex characters with realistic emotions and actions. Tom is a widower struggling with the loss of his wife and raising his seven-year-old son alone. Tom has problems, but he loves his son and wants the best for Jake. As for Jake, he’s a lonely and sad young boy. He does have a creative side though, and he is able to use that to express his emotions. Their move to a new town is designed to help them with a fresh start, but they end up moving somewhere with a disturbing past and a dangerous kidnapper/murdered on the loose.

The detectives work hard to solve the current missing child case. This is especially true for DI Pete Willis. He worked the original Whisper Man case, and has always been troubled by not finding the final missing boy in that investigation. He has continued to search for that boy for 20 years. With the new case, it seems he may be able to learn more about what happened to that last little boy.

A mystery thriller with a creepy side. The Whisper Man whispers to the children to coax them to him. The house that Tom and Jake move to is the scary house… as in it looks scary. It turns out to have some disturbing things associated with it too. This Whisper Man is an atmospheric mystery with intriguing characters and an intricate plot. Dark, chilling, and heartbreaking.

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

Books by Alex North:

The Whisper Man
The Shadows

Cold Woods by Karen Katchur [Book Review]

Posted on August 19, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Cold Woods

Author: Karen Katchur

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: August 13, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Northampton County #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Buried bones of the past rise to the surface in this chilling mystery from the bestselling author of River Bodies.

When the long-buried bones of a man turn up in the middle of December, Pennsylvania homicide detective Parker Reed knows he’s in for a cold case.

Trisha and her friends were teenagers when Trisha’s stepdad went missing. Now, thirty years later, his remains have been found in the mountains. The women have always known there was more to his disappearance than meets the eye, and they must confront their grim past. Secrets can stay secret a long time in the lonely Appalachian foothills—but not forever.

When Parker and his partner identify the remains, their investigation leads them to Trisha’s childhood home. But the deeper Parker digs into the crime, the more he realizes that the truth isn’t always simple. In fact, it’s so complicated that even Trisha and her friends don’t fully understand what really happened in those cold woods.

MY REVIEW

Detective Parker Reed has a new partner, Geena Brassard, and they are working a cold case. Remains are found on a mountain, and they go back to a missing person case from 30 years earlier. As Parker and Geena investigate, they are led to Trisha and her friends. The remains belong to Trisha’s stepfather, Lester, and it seems he was not an upstanding citizen. Trisha and her friends were teenagers 30 years ago, and Trisha has not kept in contact with them since she left after high school.

Cold Woods is told with two timelines – past and present. The past timeline follows Trisha and her friends, Carlyn and Dannie. Trisha’s stepfather is abusive and she escapes her home life by hanging out with her friends. The three girls live on the same street and have been friends for years. After Lester goes missing, Trisha becomes distant from her friends and leaves town without telling them. The present timeline is when Lester’s remains are found, and Trisha and her friends are brought into the case. Trisha has returned to town to get away from her husband, and to attend the funeral of Dannie’s mother. The girls, now grown women with very different lives, reconnect.

The mystery of what happened 30 years ago is slowly revealed. Since Lester was such an unlikable guy, there are plenty of suspects as to who killed him. It’s a difficult case for the detectives to work. The more they learn about Lester, the less they like him, but it’s also their job to find who killed him. An interesting and complex case.

Cold Woods is the second book in the Northampton County series. This book can be read as a standalone.

A suspenseful mystery. I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series, and look forward to reading more by Karen Katchur. Dark, gripping, and complex.

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

Books in the Northampton County series:

River Bodies
Cold Woods
Spring Girls

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal [Book Review]

Posted on August 19, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Doll Factory

Author: Elizabeth Macneal

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Publish Date: August 13, 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Obsession is an art.

In this “sharp, scary, gorgeously evocative tale of love, art, and obsession” (Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of The Girl on the Train), a beautiful young woman aspires to be an artist, while a man’s dark obsession may destroy her world forever.

In 1850s London, the Great Exhibition is being erected in Hyde Park and, among the crowd watching the dazzling spectacle, two people meet by happenstance. For Iris, an arrestingly attractive aspiring artist, it is a brief and forgettable moment but for Silas, a curiosity collector enchanted by all things strange and beautiful, the meeting marks a new beginning.

When Iris is asked to model for Pre-Raphaelite artist Louis Frost, she agrees on the condition that he will also teach her to paint. Suddenly, her world begins to expand beyond her wildest dreams—but she has no idea that evil is waiting in the shadows. Silas has only thought of one thing since that chance meeting, and his obsession is darkening by the day.

MY REVIEW

Two sisters, Iris and Rose, paint dolls for a living. Iris dreams of being an artist, and gets the chance to leave her oppressed working conditions. Rose is jealous, and doesn’t want Iris to have a better life than her. The better opportunity is to model for a painter, and in exchange, he will teach her to paint. Meanwhile, Silas, a taxidermist, see Iris and becomes infatuated with her. She is too preoccupied with other things to notice him. That leads to her becoming trapped in his dark obsession.

The setting of 1850s Victorian London is dark and dramatic. Iris’s life is bleak, and her journey to improving her life is interesting. She has no support, and takes a big chance by attempting to be an artist. Silas, the man obsessed with Iris, slows descends into madness when Iris rejects his advances. Both make for intriguing characters.

Complex characters in a slow-burning historical thriller. Grim, creepy, and atmospheric.

The Body Lies by Jo Baker [Book Review]

Posted on August 15, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Body Lies

Author: Jo Baker

Publisher: Knopf

Publish Date: June 18, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

A dark, thrilling new novel from the best-selling author of Longbourn: a work of riveting psychological suspense that grapples with how to live as a woman in the world–or in the pages of a book–when the stakes are dangerously high.

When a young writer accepts a job at a university in the remote English countryside, it’s meant to be a fresh start, away from the bustle of London and the scene of a violent assault she is desperate to forget. But despite the distractions of her new life and the demands of single motherhood, her nerves continue to jangle. To make matters worse, a vicious debate about violence against women inflames the tensions and mounting rivalries in her creative-writing class. When a troubled student starts turning in chapters that blur the lines between fiction and reality, the professor recognizes herself as the main character in his book–and he has written her a horrific fate. Will she be able to stop life imitating art before it’s too late? At once a breathless cat-and-mouse game and a layered interrogation of the fetishization of the female body, The Body Lies gives us an essential story for our time that will have you checking the locks on your doors.

MY REVIEW

A pregnant woman is assaulted. Three years later, she is struggling with living in London and afraid to go out alone. For a fresh start, she takes a job teaching creative writing at a university in the remote English countryside. During her course, a male student writes disturbing stories that blur the line between fiction and reality.

The unnamed narrator is a woman who struggles with life after an assault. The assault colors her view of the world, and eventually leads her to move away from London. Her husband chooses to stay in London for his work, so they attempt to maintain a long-distance relationship, spending time together on holidays and occasional weekends. She move to the countryside with her son and starts a new job that proves to be more challenging than anticipated. The new job has a higher workload than she agreed to, and no guidance. Add in the loneliness of not having her husband around and the struggles of being the mother of a toddler, the narrator is stressed and exhausted. The character development is well done, and provides an insightful look into challenges of being a woman.

The narrator’s life is stressful enough, and when a male student writes disturbing stories, she starts to feel unsafe. The suspense builds slowly in this atmospheric novel. The Body Lies is a good read for fans of literary crime fiction. Slow-burning, dark, and unsettling.

The Murder List by Hank Phillippi Ryan [Book Review]

Posted on August 14, 2019November 15, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Murder List

Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan

Publisher: Forge Books

Publish Date: August 20, 2019

Genre: Legal Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Law student Rachel North will tell you, without hesitation, what she knows to be true. She’s smart, she’s a hard worker, she does the right thing, she’s successfully married to a faithful and devoted husband, a lion of Boston’s defense bar, and her internship with the Boston DA’s office is her ticket to a successful future.

Problem is–she’s wrong.

And in this cat and mouse game–the battle for justice becomes a battle for survival.

The Murder List is a new standalone suspense novel in the tradition of Lisa Scottoline and B. A. Paris from award-winning author and reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan.

MY REVIEW

Rachel is in law school and gets an internship with the district attorney’s office. This causes problems in Rachel’s marriage because her husband is a defense attorney, and his biggest enemy is the DA. During her internship, a cold case is reopened. One that Rachel has a connection with from her days working with a senator.

This novel alternates between past and present. Rachel is smart and driven. Her husband is a successful defense attorney, and they have plans for her to get a law degree so they can work together. Before getting married, Rachel worked for a senator. During her time there, a coworker was killed and the murderer was never found. During her internship with the DA’s office, that old murder case is revisited when new leads are found.

The Murder List is a simple story told in a complex way. The murder mystery is who killed a woman that worked for a senator. As the past meets present, old secrets are revealed. Each character seems to have an ulterior motive, making for an absorbing thriller.

A good read for fans of legal thrillers. Suspenseful, clever, and twisted.

I received a digital copy of this book from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Hank Phillippi Ryan:

Trust Me
The Murder List
The First to Lie
Her Perfect Life
The House Guest
One Wrong Word
All This Could Be Yours

The Third Mrs. Durst by Ann Aguirre [Book Review]

Posted on August 12, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Third Mrs. Durst

Author: Ann Aguirre

Publisher: Midnight Ink

Publish Date: August 8, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Some people just need killing.

Marlena Altizer Durst lives in her husband’s shadow. He controls her every move – what she wears, the food she eats, and the friends she’s allowed to make. If she disobeys, there are…consequences. And he has all the power.

To outsiders, it seems that she leads a fairy-tale life. But nobody ever wonders if Cinderella was happy after she married the prince.

Marlena has traded freedom and safety for luxurious imprisonment, and most days, that seems like a bad bargain. Death may be the only exit she’s allowed. Just like his first wife. And his second. Unless she flips the script. And gets away with murder…

MY REVIEW

Marlena left her home at sixteen to escape her tough life. She landed a modeling contract, and worked steadily until her big break. After a particularly successful job, she was offered more jobs, including an opportunity to move to Germany. That is where she was courted by Michael Durst. Now married, they lead the perfect life in public, but behind closed doors he is demanding and cruel.

The Third Mrs. Durst is told from Marlena’s viewpoint, she recalls her young days as a model up until her present life. Marlena wants to leave her marriage, but doesn’t have many opportunities. Michael keeps constant watch on her, and he has a personal security guard with her at all times. The only person in Marlena’s life that she really trusts is Jenny, her best friend who she met when they were teens starting their modeling careers. To get away from her husband, Marlena needs help, but she’s not sure who else she can trust.

The Third Mrs. Durst is a psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator. This is a plot driven story with plenty of action. It’s fun and exciting, but I had some questions in the end that took a little away from my enjoyment of the book. I’ve liked Ann Aguirre’s young adult novels, and I look forward to reading more adult thrillers by her. Dark, devious, and entertaining.

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

The Birthday Girl by Melissa de la Cruz

Posted on August 12, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Birthday Girl

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Dutton

Publish Date: August 6, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

In the thrilling, suspenseful new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz, all of Ellie de Florent-Stinson’s secrets come to light in one eventful evening full of twists, turns, and surprises.

Before she became a glamorous fashion designer, Ellie de Florent-Stinson was a trailer-park teen about to turn sixteen. But a night of birthday celebration doesn’t go exactly as planned and descends into a night she’ll never be able to forget.

Now, on the cusp of her fortieth birthday, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career; and a dazzling circle of friends.

Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. But hiding those skeletons has a cost, and it all comes to a head the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of Ellie’s life begins to crumble.

Beautifully paced and full of surprises, The Birthday Girl is an enthralling tale of a life lived in shadow and its unavoidable consequences.

MY REVIEW

Ellie is turning forty, and she has a big birthday party planned. She’s invited everyone she knows and has everything planned to the last detail. Things do not go according to plan though. Something is up with her husband, her daughter has returned home unexpectedly from college, her best friend can’t make it, someone from her past has decided to drop by, and Ellie’s waiting on a last minuted business deal.

The Birthday Girl is told with alternating timelines – past (24 years ago) and present (birthday party). The past timeline is about Leo and Mish, two girls from the wrong side of town, on the night of Leo’s 16th birthday. They are best friends and excited to go out and celebrate, but things do not end happily. The present timeline is about Ellie, her lavish party, and the things happening in her life.

The Birthday Girl is listed as a thriller, but nothing is particularly surprising or shocking. Ellie is not the most likable character, but she’s realistic. She wants perfection, and to prove that she belongs. An entertaining book for readers who enjoy drama and mild suspense.

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