Psychological Thriller Archives – Page 2 of 16

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023November 15, 2025 by Darinda

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BOOK INFO

Title: A Twisted Love Story

Author: Samantha Downing

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 18, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

BOOK BLURB

Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They’ve never felt anything like it. It’s the type of romance people write stories about.

But what kind of story?

When it’s good, it’s great. Flowers. Grand gestures. Deep meaningful conversations where the whole world disappears.

When it’s bad, it’s really bad. Vengeful fights. Damaged property. Arrest warrants.

But their vicious cycle of catastrophic breakups and head-over-heels reconciliations needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy–and she’s a detective.

There’s something Wes and Ivy never talk about–in good times or bad. The night of their worst breakup, when one of them took things too far, and someone ended up dead.

If they can stick together, they can survive anything–even the tightening net of a police investigation.

Because one more breakup might just be their last…

MY REVIEW

Wes and Ivy have a turbulent relationship. The good times are really good. The bad times are really, really bad.

A Twisted Love Story is about the toxic relationship between Wes and Ivy. Ivy has turned Wes in for stalking, which gets the police involved. Now, people are looking into their pasts, and there’s that one murder they would rather not get out.

A wickedly entertaining thriller. Recommended for readers who enjoy drama and devious characters in their thrillers.

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

Books by Samantha Downing:

My Lovely Wife
He Started It
Sleeping Dogs Lie
For Your Own Good
A Twisted Love Story
Too Old for This

One of the Boys by Jayne Cowie [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 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: One of the Boys

Author: Jayne Cowie

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Antonia and Bea are sisters, and doting mothers to their sons. But that is where their similarities end.

Antonia had her son tested to make sure he didn’t possess the “violent” M gene.

Bea refuses to let her son take the test. She believes his life should not be determined by a positive or negative result.

These women will go to any length to protect their sons.

But one of them is hiding a monster.

And there will be fatal consequences for everybody….

MY REVIEW

Two sisters, Antonia and Bea, are also mothers of sons. There is a test to check for the violence gene, and the sisters disagree on the test. One believes it’s an important test and should be used. The other believes children shouldn’t have their lives determined based on a single test result.

One of the Boys is told using the points of view of both Antonia and Bea. This gives both sides of the story for the gene test. As the boys get older, schools start to require testing, and it’s more accepted that everyone does it. One mother is all for the testing, but the other is completely against the testing. Both mothers want to protect their children.

An intriguing and unique thriller. Recommended for readers who enjoy a dystopian spin on their domestic thrillers.

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

Books by Jayne Cowie:

Curfew
One of the Boys

A Likeable Woman by May Cobb [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023December 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: A Likeable Woman

Author: May Cobb

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Kira’s back in her affluent hometown for the first time in years and determined to unravel the secrets of her mother’s death—hidden in the unpublished memoir she left behind—even if it kills her. . . .

After her troublemaker mother’s mysterious death, Kira fled her wealthy Texas town and never looked back. Now, decades later, Kira is invited to an old frenemy’s vow renewal celebration. Though she is reluctant to go, there are things pulling her home . . . like chilled wine and days spent by the pool . . . like sexy Jack, her childhood crush. But more important are the urgent texts from her grandmother, who says she has something for Kira. Something related to her mother’s death, something that makes it look an awful lot like murder.

When her grandmother gives Kira a memoir that her mother had been working on before she died, Kira is drawn into the past and all the sizzling secrets that come along with it. With few allies left in her gossipy country-club town, Kira turns to Jack for help. As she gets closer to discovering what—and who—might have brought about her mother’s end, it becomes clear that someone wants the past to stay buried.

And they might come after Kira next.

MY REVIEW

Kira returns to her hometown to uncover the secrets surrounding her mother’s death. Kira’s mother died over twenty years earlier, but Kira suspected there was more to her mother’s death than she was told.

A Likeable Woman is told using multiple points of view and timelines. Kira is telling the present day events, and Sadie, her mother, is the voice for the past. The characters are interesting. The East Texas setting is atmospheric.

A dramatic thriller. Recommended for fans of domestic thrillers, cold cases, and old secrets.

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

Books by May Cobb:

The Hunting Wives
My Summer Darlings
A Likeable Woman
The Hollywood Assistant

A Flaw in the Design by Nathan Oates [Book Review]

Posted on December 26, 2023January 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: A Flaw in the Design

Author: Nathan Oates

Publisher: Random House

Publish Date: March 21, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

The cleverest psychopaths hide in plain sight.

Gil is living a quiet life as a creative writing professor in a bucolic Vermont town, when he receives some shocking news: His sister and her husband have been killed in a car accident, and their only son is coming to live with him and his family.

Gil and his wife are apprehensive about taking in seventeen-year-old Matthew. Yes, he has just lost both his parents, but they haven’t seen him in seven years—and the last time the families were together, Matthew lured their young daughter into a terrifying, life-threatening situation. Since that incident, Gil has been estranged from his sister and her flashy, wealthy banker husband.

Now Matthew is their charge, living under their roof.

The boy seems charming, smart, and urbane, if strangely unaffected by his parents’ deaths. Gil hopes they can put the past behind them, though he’s surprised when Matthew signs up for his creative writing class. Then Matthew begins turning in chilling stories about the imagined deaths of Gil’s family and his own parents. Bewildered and panicked, Gil ultimately decides he must take matters into his own hands—before life imitates art.

MY REVIEW

After Gil’s sister and her husband die in a car accident, Gil and his family open their home to his nephew. Gil hasn’t seen his nephew Matthew in seven years. The last time the families had been together, there was an incident that strained their relationship. Gil teaches creative writing, and is surprised when Matthew signs up for his class. He is shocked when Matthew starts turning in disturbing stories.

A Flaw in the Design is told from Gil’s point of view. Gil is hesitant to have Matthew move into their home. He doesn’t trust him, and becomes consumed with proving Matthew is evil. However, everyone else believes Matthew to be a smart and charming young man.

A dark and intense thriller. Recommended to readers who like clever psychological thrillers.

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

Woman of the Year by Darcey Bell [Book Review]

Posted on December 26, 2023January 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: Woman of the Year

Author: Darcey Bell

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Publish Date: March 21, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Twenty years ago, gregarious Lorelei and mousy Holly became fast friends as students in the same college psychology seminar. Taught by an expert in control and human behavior, the two students also grew close to their charismatic professor. But in one twisted moment of gaslighting, their friendship flamed out and Lorelei’s once-promising future fell apart.

Flashforward, Holly has everything Lorelei ever wanted, while Lorelei is a lonely cat lady. Now, Holly is even up for an award at a Woman of the Year ceremony, and Lorelei finally has the perfect opportunity to get the revenge she’s wanted for years. But she’s not the only person who has been obsessively following Holly’s career—and when someone winds up dead, Lorelei realizes she may be in danger, too.

MY REVIEW

Two women became friends in college, but had a major falling out. Twenty years later, one of them is ready to get her revenge.

Woman of the Year is a story with female friendship and psychological manipulation. This is one wild ride with some outrageous characters. A fun and twisted thriller.

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

Books by Darcey Bell:

A Simple Favor
Something She’s Not Telling Us
All I Want
Woman of the Year

Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft [Book Review]

Posted on December 26, 2023January 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: Stone Cold Fox

Author: Rachel Koller Croft

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: February 14, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Like any enterprising woman, Bea knows what she’s worth and is determined to get all she deserves—it just so happens that what she deserves is to marry rich. Filthy rich. After years of forced instruction by her mother in the art of swindling men, a now-solo Bea wants nothing more than to close and lock the door on their sordid partnership so she can disappear safely into old-money domesticity, sealing the final phase of her escape.

When Bea chooses her ultimate target in the fully loaded, thoroughly dull and blue-blooded Collin Case, she’s ready to deploy all of her tricks one last time. The challenge isn’t getting the ring, but rather the approval of Collin’s family and everyone else in their 1 percent tax bracket, particularly his childhood best friend, Gale Wallace-Leicester.

Going toe-to-toe with Gale isn’t a threat to an expert like Bea, but what begins as an amusing cat-and-mouse game quickly develops into a dangerous pursuit of the grisly truth. Finding herself at a literal life-and-death crossroads with everything on the line, Bea must finally decide who she really wants to be.

Like mother, like daughter?

MY REVIEW

Bea is a woman who knows what she wants… and she wants to marry rich. She has set her sights on Colin, but she needs to win over his family and best friend, Gale.

Stone Cold Fox is told from Bea’s point of view. She is a sexy, manipulative con artist. Her mother was also a con artist, so it’s the only life Bea has ever known. Bea thinks maybe she can change her ways when she meets Colin. Unfortunately, winning over Colin’s family and friends, especially his best friend, is more challenging than Bea was expecting.

A wickedly devious read with characters that are fun to hate. This was a debut novel, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

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

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes [Book Review]

Posted on December 24, 2023January 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 House in the Pines

Author: Ana Reyes

Publisher: Dutton

Publish Date: January 3, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.

Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer—the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.

At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin. . . .

MY REVIEW

Maya returns to her hometown to cope with trauma from her past. As a teen, her best friend died mysteriously. Seven years later, another girl dies in the same way. Maya decides to confront her past and search for answers.

The House in the Pines is told from Maya’s point of view in the past and present. The past is from her senior year in high school and the present is seven years later. Maya is an unreliable narrator who has self-medicated for years.

I love unreliable narrators, and was intrigued by the premise of this book. Unfortunately, the writing didn’t completely pull me in. That said, I still found The House in the Pines to be an entertaining debut novel.

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

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman [Book Review]

Posted on December 18, 2023January 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 Family Game

Author: Catherine Steadman

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publish Date: September 29, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

THE RULES
1. Listen carefully
2. Do your research
3. Trust no one
4. Run for your life

Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. And even though Edward has long tried to severe ties with them, news of the couple’s upcoming marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives.

As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming. So when Edward’s father, Robert, hands Harriet a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen.

But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t just a novel. It’s a confession.

A confession to a grisly crime. A murder. And, suddenly, the game is in motion.

Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty or something far darker. What is it that Robert sees in her? Why give her the power to destroy everything?

This might be a game to the Holbeck family—but losing could still prove deadly.

READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME . . .

MY REVIEW

A woman meets her soon-to-be in-laws, and gets involved in a dark and mysterious game.

The Family Game is told using the single point of view of Harriet, aka Harry. Soon after meeting her fiancé’s eccentric family, the family patriarch gives her a cassette tape. On the tape is a confession, which puts a dark game into motion.

The Family Game is a slow burning psychological thriller. Atmospheric, creepy, and twisted.

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

Books by Catherine Steadman:

Something in the Water
Mr. Nobody
The Disappearing Act
The Family Game
Look in the Mirror

Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins [Book Review]

Posted on December 17, 2023January 12, 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: Thicker Than Water

Author: Megan Collins

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia’s husband and Sienna’s brother, Jason. More than that, the two are devoted best friends and business partners, believing that theirs is a uniquely unbreakable bond. To Sienna, her protective brother can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he’s not perfect, they’ve built a comfortable life and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is found brutally murdered—his lips sewn shut—the Larkins are shocked and unsettled, especially as local gossip swirls.

A few days later, Julia and Sienna’s lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he’s the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason unable to respond—and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name—the two women find their friendship threatened for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother’s innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated web of secrets, Julia is less sure she’s willing to defend her husband.

MY REVIEW

Two sisters-in-law are best friends and business partners. When the man that connects them, brother to one and husband to the other, is accused of murder, their friendship is tested.

Thicker Than Water is a slow building novel with complex characters. An atmospheric and intriguing mystery. Recommended read for fans of domestic suspense.

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

Books by Megan Collins:

The Winter Sister
Behind the Red Door
The Family Plot
Thicker Than Water
Cross My Heart

The Blame Game by Sandie Jones [Book Review]

Posted on July 8, 2023January 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 Blame Game

Author: Sandie Jones

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publish Date: August 16, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Games can be dangerous. But blame can be deadly.

As a psychologist specializing in domestic abuse, Naomi has found it hard to avoid becoming overly invested in her clients’ lives. But after helping Jacob make the decision to leave his wife, Naomi worries that she’s taken things too far. Then Jacob goes missing, and her files on him vanish. . . .

But as the police start asking questions about Jacob, Naomi’s own dark past emerges. And as the truth comes to light, it seems that it’s not just her clients who are in danger.

MY REVIEW

A psychologist who specializes in domestic violence becomes overly invested in the lives of her clients. Her need to help victims of abuse clouds her judgement. This time, a client is missing, and she is suspected of being involved with his disappearance.

The characters were intriguing and the plot was interesting. With the lying, blaming, and deceit, this one kept me guessing.

The Blame Game is an over-the-top psychological thriller. An engaging and entertaining read.

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

Books by Sandie Jones:

The Other Woman
The First Mistake
The Half Sister
The Guilt Trip
The Blame Game
The Trade Off
I Would Die for You

My Summer Darlings by May Cobb [Book Review]

Posted on December 30, 2022December 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: My Summer Darlings

Author: May Cobb

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: May 17, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

A woman in the forest thinks she’s going to die.
I know he’s coming back for me.

Jen Hansen, Kittie Spears, and Cynthia Nichols have been friends since childhood. They are now approaching forty and their lives have changed, but their insular East Texas town has not. They stay sane by drinking wine in the afternoons, dishing about other women in the neighborhood, and bonding over the heartache of their own encroaching middle age and raising ungrateful teens.

Then Will Harding comes to town, moving into one of the neighborhood’s grandest homes. Mysterious and charming, he seems like the answer to each woman’s prayers. He’s a source of fascination for Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia, but none of them are ready for the way Will disrupts their lives.

As Will grows closer with each of the women, their fascination twists into obsession, threatening their friendships and their families. When he abruptly pulls away, each woman scrambles to discover the source of his affection. But what they’ll uncover is far more sinister and deadly than any of them could have ever imagined.

MY REVIEW

Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia lives in the same neighborhood and have been friends for years. A new man moves into town, and has caught all their attention. There goes the neighborhood.

My Summer Darlings is told through alternating points of view – Jen, Kittie, Cynthia, and an unknown person. The POVs are all distinct, though none of them are very likable.

Jen is recently divorced, and is immediately drawn to the new neighbor, Will. Her besties, Kittie and Cynthia, are both married, but they are also attracted to Will. This must be the world’s most charming man. Anyway, the women all fall for this new stranger, and are absolutely ridiculous trying to win him over. It should be no surprise that things do not end well.

My Summer Darlings is a guilty pleasure book. A steamy and dramatic story of rich people behaving badly, with a little mystery thrown in.

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

Books by May Cobb:

The Hunting Wives
My Summer Darlings
A Likable Woman
The Hollywood Assistant

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie [Book Review]

Posted on December 30, 2022January 16, 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: Please Join Us

Author: Catherine McKenzie

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: August 23, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

At thirty-nine, Nicole Mueller’s life is on the rocks. Her once brilliant law career is falling apart. She and her husband, Dan, are soon to be forced out of the apartment they love. After a warning from her firm’s senior partners, she receives an invitation from an exclusive women’s networking group, Panthera Leo. Membership is anonymous, but every member is a successful professional. It sounds like the perfect solution to help Nicole revive her career. So, despite Dan’s concerns that the group might be a cult, Nicole signs up for their retreat in Colorado.

Once there, she meets the other women who will make up her Pride. A CEO, an actress, a finance whiz, a congresswoman: Nicole can’t believe her luck. The founders of Panthera Leo are equally as impressive. They explain the group’s core philosophy: they’re a girl’s club in a boy’s club world.

Nicole is all in. And when she gets home, she soon sees dividends. Her new network quickly provides her with clients that help her relaunch her career, and a great new apartment too. The favors she has to provide in return seem benign. But then she’s called to the congresswoman’s apartment late at night where she’s pressed into helping her cover up a crime. And suddenly, Dan’s concerns that something more sinister is at play seem all too relevant. Can Nicole extricate herself from the group before it’s too late? Or will joining Panthera Leo be the biggest mistake of her life?

MY REVIEW

Nicole Mueller is an attorney needing a boost in her career. She gets invited to join an exclusive group for professional women. She thinks this is just what she needs, so jumps at the chance to join. She soon sees improvement in her career and life. The favors she provides to the other members of the group seem minor, and she’s elated with how things are going. Then she gets called for more than a favor, she’s asked to help cover up a murder.

Please Join Us is told from Nicole’s point of view. The first part of the novel is slower paced. Nicole joins an exclusive networking group, and meets the other women. There is a good mix of professional women involved, and Nicole starts to immediately see the benefits of being a member. Later in the novel, things get messy. Nicole is in for a wild ride, and tries to escape the toxic group.

Please Join Us is a deliciously twisted thriller of corporate culture, first world problems, and secret organizations.

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

Books by Catherine McKenzie:

Smoke
Fractured
The Good Liar
I’ll Never Tell
You Can’t Catch Me
Six Weeks to Live
Please Join Us