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Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson [Book Review]

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

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BOOK INFO

Title: Never Have I Ever

Author: Joshilyn Jackson

Publisher: William Morrow

Publish Date: July 30, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

In this game, even winning can be deadly…

Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it—teaching diving lessons, baking cookies for new neighbors, helping her best friend, Charlotte, run their local book club. Her greatest joy is her family: her devoted professor husband, her spirited fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, her adorable infant son. And, of course, the steadfast and supportive Charlotte. But Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives on her doorstep one book club night.

Sultry and magnetic, Roux beguiles the group with her feral charm. She keeps the wine flowing and lures them into a game of spilling secrets. Everyone thinks it’s naughty, harmless fun. Only Amy knows better. Something wicked has come her way—a she-devil in a pricey red sports car who seems to know the terrible truth about who she is and what she once did.

When they’re alone, Roux tells her that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, what she deserves, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. One way or another.

To protect herself and her family and save the life she’s built, Amy must beat the devil at her own clever game, matching wits with Roux in an escalating war of hidden pasts and unearthed secrets. Amy knows the consequences if she can’t beat Roux. What terrifies her is everything she could lose if she wins.

A diabolically entertaining tale of betrayal, deception, temptation, and love filled with dark twists leavened by Joshilyn Jackson’s trademark humor, Never Have I Ever explores what happens when the transgressions of our past come back with a vengeance.

MY REVIEW

Two very different women. Both with secrets they want to keep hidden. Amy is happy with her ordinary life. When new neighbor Roux shows up at book club, and suggests the women play a variation on the game Never Have I Ever, Amy fears her secrets may be revealed.

Amy has worked to keep her past hidden. She has a secret that, if revealed, would upend everything she has. When Roux attempts to blackmail Amy, Amy isn’t going along with Roux’s plan. As Amy learns more about Roux, she finds out that Roux has secrets too. Deceptions and betrayals aplenty… with it being anybody’s guess who will come out on top.

Never Have I Ever is a combination of psychological thriller and women’s fiction. This book has one thing I love in domestic suspense novels – it takes place in idyllic suburbia. Amy and Roux are neighbors that get involved in a dark game of deceptions. The relationships with their families and other neighbors strengthens the story.

Never Have I Ever is a good book for readers who enjoy some drama with their suspense. Gripping, twisted, and clever.

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

Books by Joshilyn Jackson:

Gods in Alabama
Between, Georgia
The Girl Who Stopped Swimming
Backseat Saints
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty
Someone Else’s Love Story
The Opposite of Everyone
The Almost Sisters
Never Have I Ever
Mother May I
With My Little Eye

The Current by Tim Johnston [Book Review]

Posted on July 18, 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 Current

Author: Tim Johnston

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Publish Date: January 22, 2019

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

In the dead of winter, outside a small Minnesota town, state troopers pull two young women and their car from the icy Black Root River. One is found downriver, drowned, while the other is found at the scene—half frozen but alive.

What happened was no accident, and news of the crime awakens the community’s memories of another young woman who lost her life in the same river ten years earlier, and whose killer may still live among them.

Determined to find answers, the surviving young woman soon realizes that she’s connected to the earlier unsolved case by more than just a river, and the deeper she plunges into her own investigation, the closer she comes to dangerous truths, and to the violence that simmers just below the surface of her hometown.

Grief, suspicion, the innocent and the guilty—all stir to life in this cold northern town where a young woman can come home, but still not be safe. Brilliantly plotted and unrelentingly propulsive, The Current is a beautifully realized story about the fragility of life, the power of the past, and the need, always, to fight back.

MY REVIEW

Two college friends are in a tragic accident when their vehicle goes in the river. One is found alive, but the other is killed. The police investigate to determine if it was an accident or intentional. The accident reminds locals of a similar case from ten years earlier, when a young woman was killed at the river and the case was never solved.

Two different mysteries combine in this intriguing and slow-burning novel. One mystery concerns the current car accident involving two young women. They had an unsettling encounter at a convenience store, and there is a question of whether their car going into the river was accidental or if someone was intentionally trying to harm the girls. The other mystery involves an old, unsolved murder case. The current case brings back old memories, and a link between the cases. The surviving girl’s father was sheriff when the earlier murder occurred. He and a few others have been haunted by the unsolved case. Various connections from the past come into play, and secrets are revealed to old unanswered questions.

I love a good slow-burn mystery, but this one was a little too drawn out for me. The ending was great though. This is definitely not a book that is easy to guess what’s going to happen. Recommended for fans of character-driven mysteries. Atmospheric, dark, and mysterious.

Books by Tim Johnston:

Descent
The Current

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim [Book Review]

Posted on July 17, 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: Miracle Creek

Author: Angie Kim

Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books

Publish Date: April 16, 2019

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

How far will you go to protect your family? Will you keep their secrets? Ignore their lies?

In a small town in Virginia, a group of people know each other because they’re part of a special treatment center, a hyperbaric chamber that may cure a range of conditions from infertility to autism. But then the chamber explodes, two people die, and it’s clear the explosion wasn’t an accident.

A powerful showdown unfolds as the story moves across characters who are all maybe keeping secrets, hiding betrayals. Chapter by chapter, we shift alliances and gather evidence: Was it the careless mother of a patient? Was it the owners, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? Could it have been a protester, trying to prove the treatment isn’t safe?

“A stunning debut about parents, children and the unwavering hope of a better life, even when all hope seems lost” (Washington Post), Miracle Creek uncovers the worst prejudice and best intentions, tense rivalries and the challenges of parenting a child with special needs. It’s “a quick-paced murder mystery that plumbs the power and perils of community” (O Magazine) as it carefully pieces together the tense atmosphere of a courtroom drama and the complexities of life as an immigrant family. Drawing on the author’s own experiences as a Korean-American, former trial lawyer, and mother of a “miracle submarine” patient, this is a novel steeped in suspense and igniting discussion.

MY REVIEW

A courtroom drama that recalls the events leading up to the night of the explosion. Told with the alternating points of view of the patients and the family that ran the Miracle Submarine. The Miracle Submarine, an experimental medical treatment, explodes. Two people are killed and others injured. The investigation into the explosion leads to a patient’s mother on trial for murder.

The Miracle Submarine is a pressurized oxygen chamber that is large enough for multiple people to receive treatment at the same time. The patients that are involved in the treatment include Matt (infertility), Teresa and her daughter Rosa (cerebral palsy), Kitt and her son TJ (autism), and Elizabeth and her son Henry (autism). Matt is the only adult undergoing the treatment. The others involved are receiving treatment for the children, though the chamber allows the mothers to accompany their children. Each of the families has something to contribute to the mystery of the submarine and what happened on the night of the explosion.

The family that ran the treatment facility – Pak, Young, and Mary Yoo – are Korean immigrants. Pak and Young are married, and Mary is their teenage daughter. Their facility was a target of local protests in the small town of Miracle Creek. Since it is an experimental treatment, some viewed it as dangerous. Family drama (secrets and not really understanding one another) comes into play for the Yoos.

Intriguing mystery with unique characters. With so many characters, there are multiple stories. Things are happening in each character’s life, and it all culminates into a disastrous event. Everything is not as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets. Captivating and powerful.

The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda [Book Review]

Posted on July 17, 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 Favorite Daughter

Author: Kaira Rouda

Publisher: Graydon House

Publish Date: May 21, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 2/5

BOOK BLURB

The perfect home. The perfect family. The perfect lie.

Jane Harris lives in a sparkling home in an oceanfront gated community in Orange County. It’s a place that seems too beautiful to be touched by sadness. But exactly one year ago, Jane’s oldest daughter, Mary, died in a tragic accident and Jane has been grief-stricken ever since. Lost in a haze of anti-depressants, she’s barely even left the house. Now that’s all about to change.

It’s time for Jane to reclaim her life and her family. Jane’s husband, David, has planned a memorial service for Mary and three days later, their youngest daughter, Betsy, graduates high school. Yet as Jane reemerges into the world, it’s clear her family has changed without her. Her husband has been working long days—and nights—at the office. Her daughter seems distant, even secretive. And her beloved Mary was always such a good girl—dutiful and loving. But does someone know more about Mary, and about her last day, than they’ve revealed?

The bonds between mothers and daughters, and husbands and wives should never be broken. But you never know how far someone will go to keep a family together…

MY REVIEW

Told in first person narrative over the four days leading up to Jane’s younger daughter’s high school graduation. A year earlier, Jane’s older daughter fell off a cliff and drowned while visiting home from college. Since then, her younger daughter has become more distant. Jane’s husband is always working and their marriage is suffering. Jane has a plan to regain control. She uses manipulation to try and get her family life back to the way she wants it.

Jane is incredibly unlikable. She’s a sociopath with narcissistic personality disorder. She manipulates and lies to get her way. At first, I was intrigued by the first person narrative, but Jane was so annoying, I couldn’t get into the story. I enjoy unreliable characters, but Jane’s delusional personality was hard to take.

As for the plot, it was too predictable. I was expecting a twisty story, but this one was easy to guess in the first several pages. If this book is on your reading list, I recommend borrowing it rather than buying it. Best for readers who enjoy a heavy dose of crazy and don’t mind a predictable thriller.

Books by Kaira Rouda:

Best Day Ever
The Favorite Daughter
The Next Wife

The Other Mrs. Miller by Allison Dickson [Book Review]

Posted on July 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 Other Mrs. Miller

Author: Allison Dickson

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Publish Date: July 16, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Other Mrs. Miller by Allison Dickson

BOOK BLURB

Two women are watching each other.

Phoebe Miller isn’t sure when the rusty car started showing up in the cul-de-sac she calls home, or why its driver would be spying on her. What could be interesting about an unhappy housewife who drowns her sorrows in ice cream and wine and barely leaves her house?

Only one knows why.

When a new family moves in across the street–the exuberant Vicki, who just might become the gossipy best friend Phoebe’s always wanted, and her handsome college-bound son, Jake, who offers companionship of a different variety–Phoebe finds her dull routine infused with the excitement she’s been missing. But with her head turned she’s no longer focused on the woman in the car. And she really should be…

An addictive domestic thriller for fans of The Last Mrs. Parrish and The Couple Next Door,The Other Mrs. Miller serves up a delicious brew of dark secrets and stunning plot twists that will keep you captivated until the very last page.

MY REVIEW

Phoebe Miller spends her days at home alone. She’s noticed the same car parked on her street several times a week. Phoebe wonders if it is someone taking a break from their day or if someone is spying on her. When new neighbors move in across the street, Phoebe forgets about the woman in the car.

Told in two parts, Part 1 – Mrs. Miller and Part 2 – The Other Mrs. Miller. The first part is about Phoebe and her life. She is wealthy, lonely, and unhappily married. When new neighbors move in, she starts up a friendship with the mother and an affair with the son. The second part takes a turn, and is about the other Mrs. Miller.

I thoroughly enjoyed Part 1, but Part 2 was a let down. While the first part is realistic and somewhat dark, the second part is unbelievable and almost comical. It’s like reading two completely different stories.

Overall, The Other Mrs. Miller is an entertaining read. Good for fans of domestic thrillers that don’t mind suspending disbelief. Darkly humorous, twisty, and fun.

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

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney [Book Review]

Posted on July 11, 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: I Know Who You Are

Author: Alice Feeney

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publish Date: April 23, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Meet Aimee Sinclair: the actress everyone thinks they know but can’t remember where from.

Except one person.

Someone knows Aimee very well.

They know who she is and they know what she did.

When Aimee comes home and discovers her husband is missing, she doesn’t seem to know what to do or how to act. The police think she’s hiding something and they’re right, she is—but perhaps not what they thought. Aimee has a secret she’s never shared, and yet, she suspects that someone knows. As she struggles to keep her career and sanity intact, her past comes back to haunt her in ways more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.

In I Know Who You Are, Alice Feeney proves that she is a master of brilliantly complicated plots and killer twists that will keep you guessing until the final page.

MY REVIEW

Aimee comes home one day to discover her husband is missing. There are no clues as to where he went, and Aimee seems to be hiding something.

Told with the alternating points of view of Aimee and a little girl who wandered away from home. It’s fairly clear how the two POVs will come together, but there are a few twists along the way. I was mostly okay with this book, until the ending. I appreciate wanting to make a shocking story, but it was too absurd for me.

I Know Who You Are is a twisted domestic suspense novel. Dark and disturbing with a ludicrous ending.

Books by Alice Feeney:

Sometimes I Lie
I Know Who You Are
His & Hers
Rock Paper Scissors
Daisy Darker
Good Bad Girl

Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham [Book Review]

Posted on July 10, 2019December 28, 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: Good Girl, Bad Girl

Author: Michael Robotham

Publisher: Scribner

Publish Date: July 23, 2019

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: Cyrus Haven #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

A girl is discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime. Half-starved and filthy, she won’t tell anyone her name, or her age, or where she came from. Maybe she is twelve, maybe fifteen. She doesn’t appear in any missing persons file, and her DNA can’t be matched to an identity. Six years later, still unidentified, she is living in a secure children’s home with a new name, Evie Cormac. When she initiates a court case demanding the right to be released as an adult, forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven must determine if Evie is ready to go free. But she is unlike anyone he’s ever met—fascinating and dangerous in equal measure.

Meanwhile, Cyrus is called in to investigate the shocking murder of a high school figure-skating champion, Jodie Sheehan, who died on a lonely footpath close to her home. Pretty and popular, Jodie is portrayed by everyone as the ultimate girl-next-door, but as Cyrus peels back the layers, a secret life emerges—one that Evie Cormac, the girl with no past, knows something about. A man haunted by his own tragic history, Cyrus is caught between the two cases—one girl who needs saving and another who needs justice. What price will he pay for the truth?

MY REVIEW

A multi-layered mystery. A girl with a troubled past who wants to be on her own. A forensic psychologist who wants to help her. The murder case of a teen figure skater.

Told with the alternating points of view of Evie and Cyrus. Evie is teen girl with a dark and mysterious past. She’s living in a children’s home, but wants to be out on her own. Also, she has the unique ability to know when someone is lying. Cyrus is a psychologist called in to evaluate her. He’s fascinated by her, and wants to help her succeed on her own. Meanwhile, Cyrus is also helping the police on a murder case. The police appear to find the killer, but Cyrus feels there is more to the case. The alternating POVs work well with this novel. Both Evie and Cyrus have suffered tragic events in their youth. Evie’s past is the most mysterious, but Cyrus has a lot going on with him too.

Good Girl, Bad Girl is a dark suspense novel. Flawed characters and an intricate plot. Some things are not resolved by the ending, so it appears there may be a sequel. A good read for fans of gritty thrillers. Clever and addictive.

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

Books in the Cyrus Haven series:

Good Girl, Bad Girl
When She Was Good
Lying Beside You
Storm Child

Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger [Book Review]

Posted on July 3, 2019January 15, 2024 by Darinda

The Last Woman in the Forest by Diane Les Becquets

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BOOK INFO

Title: Girls Like Us

Author: Cristina Alger

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Publish Date: July 2, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Banker’s Wife, worlds collide when an FBI agent investigates a string of grisly murders on Long Island that raises the impossible question: What happens when the primary suspect is your father?

FBI Agent Nell Flynn hasn’t been home in ten years. Nell and her father, Homicide Detective Martin Flynn, have never had much of a relationship. And Suffolk County will always be awash in memories of her mother, Marisol, who was murdered when Nell was just seven.

When Martin Flynn dies in a motorcycle accident, Nell returns to the house she grew up in so that she can spread her father’s ashes and close his estate. At the behest of her father’s partner, Detective Lee Davis, Nell becomes involved in an investigation into the murders of two young women in Suffolk County. The further Nell digs, the more likely it seems to her that her father should be the prime suspect–and that his friends on the police force are covering his tracks. Plagued by doubts about her mother’s murder–and her own role in exonerating her father in that case–Nell can’t help but ask questions about who killed Ria Ruiz and Adriana Marques and why. But she may not like the answers she finds–not just about those she loves, but about herself.

MY REVIEW

FBI Agent Nell Flynn returns to her hometown after her father’s death. The two of them had a strained relationship, ever since her mother’s murder years earlier. Her father was a homicide detective, and Nell gets involved with a case he was working at the time of his death.

An intriguing mystery featuring a trustworthy female protagonist. Nell is smart, courageous, and independent. She also has a vulnerable side under her tough exterior. When she returns to her hometown, she starts to doubt things about her father. To understand her father and what was happening in his life, she gets involved with a local case of two murdered girls. The case is much more complex than she anticipated.

Interesting characters in a fast-paced mystery. Great for fans of crime fiction with a strong female lead. Also, I enjoyed that this was a standalone novel. It seems so many police procedurals fall into series. Addictive, intense, and suspenseful.

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

Books by Christina Alger:

The Banker’s Wife
Girls Like Us

Layover by David Bell [Book Review]

Posted on July 1, 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: Layover

Author: David Bell

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 2, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Joshua Fields takes the same flights every week for work, his life a series of departures and arrivals, hotels and airports. During yet another layover, he meets Morgan, a beautiful stranger with whom he feels an immediate connection. When it’s time for their respective flights, Morgan kisses Joshua passionately, lamenting that they’ll never see each other again.

As soon as Morgan disappears in the crowd, Joshua is shocked to see her face on a nearby TV. The reason: Morgan is a missing person.

What follows is a whirlwind, fast-paced journey filled with lies, deceit, and secrets as Joshua tries to discover why Morgan has vanished from her own life. Every time he thinks one mystery is solved, another rears its head—and his worst enemy might be his own assumptions about those around him.

MY REVIEW

During a layover, Joshua meets Morgan. He feels an instant attraction to her, and alters his travel plans to follow her. Only, she doesn’t want to be followed. Joshua ends up in a whirlwind of a mystery.

Told with the alternating points of view of Joshua and Detective Kimberly Givens. Joshua doesn’t enjoy his work, has a (sort of) girlfriend, and he really hates flying, which he does a lot of. He seems like a decent guy who is not sure what he wants in life. When he meets Morgan, he is drawn to her, and thinks she feels the same about him. Turn out, she’s got some secrets and getting involved with her only leads to trouble for him. Detective Givens is working hard on a missing person case of a local business man. Eventually, Joshua and the detective cross paths.

A slow-building suspense. For avid readers of thrillers, this one may fall flat. I found the idea of a stranger getting so involved in the mystery a bit unbelievable, but it was entertaining to read. My biggest quibble is Joshua following Morgan. He should have backed off when Morgan told him to. He’s not doing either of them any favors by staying involved. One thing I really enjoyed was Joshua’s relationship with his father. It was great to see a good father-son relationship.

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

Books by David Bell:

Cemetery Girl
The Hiding Place
Never Come Back
The Forgotten Girl
Somebody I Used to Know
Since She Went Away
Bring Her Home
Somebody’s Daughter
Layover
The Request
Kill All Your Darlings
The Finalists
She’s Gone
Try Not to Breathe

Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik [Book Review]

Posted on June 27, 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: Into the Jungle

Author: Erica Ferencik

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Publish Date: May 28, 2019

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Lily Bushwold thought she’d found the antidote to endless foster care and group homes: a gig teaching English in Cochabamba, Bolivia. As soon as she could steal enough cash for the plane, she was on it.

But the program was a scam. And bonding with other broke, rudderless girls in the local youth hostel wasn’t the answer. Falling crazy in love with Omar, a savvy, handsome local who’d left his life as a hunter in Ayachero—a remote jungle village—to try city life: this was the last thing Lily could have imagined.

When Omar learns that a jaguar had killed his four-year-old nephew in Ayachero, he gives Lily a choice: stay alone in the unforgiving city, or travel to the last in the ever-more-isolated string of river towns in the jungles of Bolivia. Thirty-foot anacondas? Puppy-sized spiders? Vengeful shamans with unspeakable powers? None of it matters to love-struck Lily. She follows Omar to a ruthless new world of lawless poachers, bullheaded missionaries, and desperate indigenous tribes driven to the brink of extinction. To survive, Lily must navigate the jungle—and all its residents—using only her wits and resilience.

MY REVIEW

Lily is a young woman who moves to Bolivia to escape her not-so-great life in the US. When her work plans in Bolivia fall through, she decides to stay anyway. She makes some friends, has fun, and meets Omar. She falls hard for Omar, a local man from a remote jungle village. Omar learns that his nephew was killed by a jaguar, so he plans to return to the village. He asks Lily to travel into the jungle with him. She is in love, and follows Omar to live in a jungle village that no one has ever heard of. Lily is unprepared for what meets her.

Since Lily is young and in love, she agrees to travel to a remote village without really knowing anything about the jungle. Really, Lily seems aimless, but she has one thing going for her. She’s determined. Jungle life turns out to be much more challenging than she anticipated, but she works to find her place in the community.

This starts as a slow-paced novel, but gets more thrilling toward the end. It also gets more unrealistic as the story progresses. In addition to the adventure story, there are also moments of magical realism. I wasn’t expecting the magical realism element, but found it enjoyable. For the most part, I liked the story and was rooting for Lily to find her place in the jungle village.

Into the Jungle is an enjoyable read that combines adventure, thriller, women’s fiction, and magical realism. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the jungle. Exciting, mysterious, and wild.

Books by Erica Ferencik:

Repeaters
The River at Night
Into the Jungle

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager [Book Review]

Posted on June 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: Lock Every Door

Author: Riley Sager

Publisher: Dutton

Publish Date: July 2, 2019

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 5/5

BOOK BLURB

No visitors. No nights spent elsewhere. No disturbing the rich and famous residents. These are the rules for Jules Larsen’s new job apartment sitting at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile buildings. Recently heartbroken—and just plain broke—Jules is taken in by the splendor and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the occupants and staff, Jules is drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who reminds her so much of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew has a dark history hidden beneath its gleaming façade, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day when Ingrid seemingly vanishes.

Searching for the truth, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s sordid past. But by uncovering the secrets within its walls, Jules exposes herself to untold terrors. Because once you’re in, the Bartholomew doesn’t want you to leave….

MY REVIEW

Jules gets a job that sounds too good to be true. An apartment sitting job in one of Manhattan’s most famous apartment buildings. Not only does she get to live in the amazing apartment, but she gets paid for it too. When things seem to be too good to be true, they usually are, and Jules finds herself living in a mysterious building with a dark past.

Jules is a strong, smart, and independent protagonist. She is at a low point in her life… she recently lost her job and her boyfriend, and is sleeping on her best friend’s couch. When she gets an apartment sitting job that pays well, she thinks things are starting to turn around. She even makes a friend soon after moving into the new place. When that friend disappears, Jules is compelled to find out what happened to her. Jules uses her strengths to uncover what is happening in the historic building.

I’ve enjoyed Riley Sager’s previous books, and this one was high on my to-read list for this year. I’m happy to report it was one of the best books I’ve read this year. Fans of Sager’s other books will likely enjoy this one too.

Lock Every Door is an addictive read. Amazing atmospheric setting of a historic apartment building. Compelling plot that kept me guessing. Intriguing characters. A must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. Creepy, intense, 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 Riley Sager:

Final Girls
The Last Time I Lied
Lock Every Door
Home Before Dark
Survive the Night
The House Across the Lake
The Only One Left
Middle of the Night

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle [Book Review]

Posted on June 24, 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: Dear Wife

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publisher: Park Row

Publish Date: June 25, 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Beth Murphy is on the run…

For nearly a year, Beth has been planning for this day. A day some people might call any other Wednesday, but Beth prefers to see it as her new beginning—one with a new look, new name and new city. Beth has given her plan significant thought, because one small slip and her violent husband will find her.

Sabine Hardison is missing…

A couple hundred miles away, Jeffrey returns home from a work trip to find his wife, Sabine, is missing. Wherever she is, she’s taken almost nothing with her. Her abandoned car is the only evidence the police have, and all signs point to foul play.

As the police search for leads, the case becomes more and more convoluted. Sabine’s carefully laid plans for her future indicate trouble at home, and a husband who would be better off with her gone. The detective on the case will stop at nothing to find out what happened and bring this missing woman home. Where is Sabine? And who is Beth? The only thing that’s certain is that someone is lying and the truth won’t stay buried for long.

MY REVIEW

Alternating points of view (Beth, Jeffrey, and Marcus) tell an intriguing story of domestic suspense. Beth is on the run from her violent husband. She has been living in fear, and has carefully planned her escape. Jeffrey has returned home from a business trip to discover his wife, Sabine, is missing. As Jeffrey learns more about what was going on in his wife’s life, he also becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance. Marcus is the detective working Sabine’s case. He’s following all the leads to find the missing woman.

Strong, well-developed characters. All of the characters are smart, interesting, and secretive. I enjoy a good unreliable narrator story, and this one kept up the suspense.

Dear Wife is a clever and absorbing psychological thriller. This is a page-turner that will keep you guessing. Dark, intense, and complex.

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

Books by Kimberly Belle:

The Last Breath
The Ones We Trust
The Marriage Lie
Three Days Missing
Dear Wife
Stranger in the Lake
My Darling Husband
The Personal Assistant