I enjoy locked room mysteries and thrillers set in remote, atmospheric locations, so I was excited to read The Search Party. I enjoyed the book very mI enjoy locked room mysteries and thrillers set in remote, atmospheric locations, so I was excited to read The Search Party. I enjoyed the book very much. The story is told in multiple POVs, but I didn't feel lost keeping all the characters straight. The chapters are short, and each POV has a distinct voice. The drama between friends and families and the mystery kept me turning pages. I guessed some twists, but the ending was still very satisfying. I highly recommend The Search Party to all thriller and mystery readers.
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Lisa Jewell is a talented storyteller who writes edge-of-your-seat page-turners, but I have mixed feelings about None of This Is True. The bo3.5 stars
Lisa Jewell is a talented storyteller who writes edge-of-your-seat page-turners, but I have mixed feelings about None of This Is True. The book captivated me from the first chapter. I liked the short chapters and podcast/documentary style. I found both main characters, Alix and Josie, interesting and complex. The story had some surprising twists. But I didn't appreciate the victim (Josie) blaming and glossing over Josie's husband's pedophilia. Also, the ending was ambiguous and left me with more questions than answers. I am torn between a 3.5 and 4 stars rating.
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Gone Tonight is a dark domestic thriller by bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen. The book started a little slow for me, but once I hit the midpoint, I cGone Tonight is a dark domestic thriller by bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen. The book started a little slow for me, but once I hit the midpoint, I couldn't put it down. The story is not very twisty but still intense (especially the ending). Some aspects reminded me of my favorite thriller, Jar of Hearts. Overall, I enjoyed Gone Tonight and would recommend it to thriller and mystery readers.
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Cold-Blooded Liar is the first book I've read by Karen Rose. It's a compelling murder mystery/police procedural about a series of cold-case murders ofCold-Blooded Liar is the first book I've read by Karen Rose. It's a compelling murder mystery/police procedural about a series of cold-case murders of teenage girls, the work of a serial killer who has evaded police for years. Kit McKittrick, a homicide detective in the San Diego Police Department, receives an anonymous call from a concerned citizen about a body buried in a park. The person who made the call is Sam Reeves, a therapist who treats court-ordered clients. He is conflicted about providing the information to the police because he heard it from his client, which falls under the therapist/patient's confidentiality. Because Sam is very cagey about how he got the information, he becomes a suspect in the case. Kit and Sam butt heads because Sam keeps interfering in Kit's investigation, but in the end, they'll have to work together to uncover the killer.
I really enjoyed Cold-Blooded Liar. It has complex characters, a thrilling mystery, some good twists, and a promise of romance. I thought I knew who the killer is from the beginning, but I was wrong. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
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I went into Beneath the Stairs with trepidation because I've seen mixed reviews, but after finishing the book, I don't understand how some people didnI went into Beneath the Stairs with trepidation because I've seen mixed reviews, but after finishing the book, I don't understand how some people didn't love it. I thought it was one of the best creepy books I've read. I was sucked into the story from the beginning and was never bored. Beneath the Stairs is eery and atmospheric, it's creepy without being gory. The book has four different timelines and multiple POVs, which I don't usually like, but the author made it work well in this book. All POVs are connected to one haunted house in a sleepy small town in upstate NY.
It's good to go into this book without any spoilers, just reading the synopsis is enough. There are several trigger warnings worth mentioning: suicide attempt, mental illness, miscarriage, death of a parent. There might be more, so you may want to check for them. Otherwise, I would recommend Beneath the Stairs to any reader who enjoys creepy, suspenseful stories set in haunted houses.
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I received a copy of The Secret Next Door unsolicited from the publisher. It's not a book I would have picked up myself because I am not a big fan of I received a copy of The Secret Next Door unsolicited from the publisher. It's not a book I would have picked up myself because I am not a big fan of neighborhood dramas. Reading this book confirmed that this is not a genre for me. I didn't hate The Secret Next Door, but I didn't love it either. It has an engaging writing style, and it's not very long, so I kept reading it, but I wasn't particularly enjoying it.
The Secret Next Door is set in a seemingly perfect and safe neighborhood where affluent and upstanding citizens live. But the facade starts to crumble when a young boy is found dead beside the local lake. Tensions and suspicions begin to rise between friends and neighbors. Marriages that seemed perfect start to crumble, and friendships fall apart. There are a lot of different characters in this book and none of them is even remotely likable. I would've enjoyed this book a little more if I had at least one decent character to root for. And I wish we were given more clues about who the killer was. The reveal was kind of random.
I read and thoroughly enjoyed previous books written by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. This writing duo has an engrossing writing style, their chI read and thoroughly enjoyed previous books written by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. This writing duo has an engrossing writing style, their characters are often morally gray and complex, and their stories always have unpredictable twists. The Golden Couple is their new domestic thriller, and it has all the signature elements. Like their previous books, The Golden Couple kept me guessing and eagerly turning pages. I highly recommend it to all thriller fans.
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The Therapist is a twisty, hard to put down thriller by one of my favorite suspense authors, B.A. Paris. I had high hopes for this book, and I am gladThe Therapist is a twisty, hard to put down thriller by one of my favorite suspense authors, B.A. Paris. I had high hopes for this book, and I am glad to say it didn't disappoint. After Alice moves to a new house in a gated community in London with her new partner Leo, she discovers that a woman was murdered in it previously. After finding the truth about her new home, Alice feels uneasy staying there, especially when strange and sinister things start to happen. The woman's husband was the suspect, but the case is not so cut-and-dry, and Alice becomes obsessed with learning more about the couple who occupied the house previously and the gruesome murder.
This book is very engrossing, with twists that I didn't see coming. Like Alice, I suspected almost every one of murder except the actual killer. If you are looking for a gripping domestic thriller, I highly recommend The Therapist.
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I am a big fan of the Ellery Hathaway series, and I was very excited to discover that Joanna Schaffhausen has a new series, Detective Annalisa Vega. GI am a big fan of the Ellery Hathaway series, and I was very excited to discover that Joanna Schaffhausen has a new series, Detective Annalisa Vega. Gone For Good is the first book in this new series. It's a police procedural/murder mystery with a little bit of romance, a little bit of family drama featuring a strong and interesting heroine, Annalisa Vega. Twenty years ago, Annalisa lost one of her loved ones to a gruesome murder by the notorious Lovelorn Killer, who killed seven women and then disappeared.
In the present, another woman is murdered in a way that points to the return of the Lovelorn Killer. Annalisa, who is now a detective, has the chance to solve the murders that the Chicago police department wasn't able to solve twenty years ago. But working on this case will require Annalisa to confront some dark family secrets that would be better stay buried, not to mention put her in grave danger.
I enjoyed Gone For Good immensely. The book is suspenseful and hard to put down. Joanna Schaffhausen knows how to write strong heroines and terrifying killers! She has become one of my favorite mystery/thriller writers, and I cannot wait to read more books from her.
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The Maidens by Alexander Michaelides is a highly enjoyable, fast-paced thriller with a gothic feel. It has strong supernatural vibes, even though it'sThe Maidens by Alexander Michaelides is a highly enjoyable, fast-paced thriller with a gothic feel. It has strong supernatural vibes, even though it's not a supernatural thriller. I liked that a lot. It also has a lot of Greek mythology references, mainly to Demeter and Persephone (Persephone is one of my favorite Goddesses in the Greek pantheon) and I loved that. I thought I knew who the killer was from early on, but I was wrong. Unlike The Silent Patient, where I guessed the killer correctly, this book took me by surprise.
The Maidens is set in the same universe as The Silent Patient, but it stands on its own. And dare I say, it's even better than The Silent Patient! If you are looking for a gripping dark academia thriller, I highly recommend this book!
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Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson has one of my least favorite thriller tropes - a missing child, so I went into this book with trepidation and low expMother May I by Joshilyn Jackson has one of my least favorite thriller tropes - a missing child, so I went into this book with trepidation and low expectations. I am glad to say that it by far exceeded my expectations. I was engrossed in the story from the beginning and was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Bree's ten-weeks old son, Robert, was snatched from under her nose, while she was watching her eldest daughter's rehearsal. The kidnapper, an old woman, demands that Bree follow her instructions and doesn't contact the police if she wants to get her son back. While trying to get her son back, Bree uncovers dark secrets about people close to her that could destroy her family.
As with most thrillers, it's best to go into it with minimal spoilers so I will not say anything else. I will say that Mother May I is one of the best thrillers I've read recently, and I highly recommend it!
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In 1926 Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days, and when she finally reappeared, she claimed that she had amnesia. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie iIn 1926 Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days, and when she finally reappeared, she claimed that she had amnesia. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is Marie Benedict's imagination of what happened to the famous author in those eleven days. In Benedict's interpretation, this is not an uncommon story of a talented woman held back by a mediocre husband who doesn't support his wife's ambitions or her success.
The book's narrative switches between two timelines: the events that led to the disappearance and the days following the disappearance. With short chapters and a captivating writing style, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is a highly enjoyable read. It will appeal to Agatha Christie fans and historical fiction readers.
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I don't read a lot of courtroom dramas because they are usually not my jam, but I thoroughly enjoyed Take Me Back by Kia Abdullah. I couldn't put it dI don't read a lot of courtroom dramas because they are usually not my jam, but I thoroughly enjoyed Take Me Back by Kia Abdullah. I couldn't put it down. It's an incredibly well-written, multi-layered story that will stay with me for a long time. It touches on issues of sex, racial tensions, familial relationships, and so much more. I would caution readers to check for trigger warnings, such as rape, assault, racism, and xenophobia. For those who are OK with these triggers, I cannot recommend this book enough!
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When No One is Watching is an engrossing psychological thriller about racism and gentrification. Sydney's beloved, predominantly Black neighborhood inWhen No One is Watching is an engrossing psychological thriller about racism and gentrification. Sydney's beloved, predominantly Black neighborhood in Brooklyn is changing before her eyes. New condos are being built, long-time residents and local businesses are leaving, and white people are moving in. A big pharmaceutical company is opening a branch in the neighborhood, which makes the residents very weary.
To hold on to the neighborhood and it's history, Sydney decides to organize a walking tour. She reluctantly teams up with her new neighbor, Theo, to research and plan the tour. But the more they learn about the neighborhood, the more sinister all the recent changes appear. And it looks like the pharmaceutical corporation, with the support of the government and police, is behind the changes.
When No One is Watching reads almost like a dystopian thriller that's very close to reality. In the current social climate, where racism and corporate greed are so prevalent, with the government that keeps abusing Black communities, the story portrayed in the book doesn't seem so farfetched. When No One is Watching is a thought-provoking, sinister and timely thriller, and I cannot recommend it enough!
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Ellery Hathaway series by Joanna Schaffhausen is an underappreciated suspense series that I wish more people would read. I gave all the books in the sEllery Hathaway series by Joanna Schaffhausen is an underappreciated suspense series that I wish more people would read. I gave all the books in the series five stars, and the latest installment, Every Waking Hour, is no exception. When she was fourteen, Ellery Hathaway was abducted and tortured (she almost died) by a serial killer. Rookie FBI agent, Reed Markham, was the one who found and saved her. More than a decade later, Ellery and Reed solve crimes together while trying to navigate their complicated relationship.
In this book, Ellery and Reed investigate the disappearance of a twelve-year-old girl, Chloe, who vanished in the middle of the day from the crowded Boston Common. Was she kidnapped or did she run away? The investigation uncovers some dark secrets in Chloe's parents' pasts, including the murder of another child. Not to mention that it also brings back horrible memories of Ellery's own abduction and the possibility that the time is running out for Chloe.
I highly recommend this series to all thriller and romantic suspense fans. I cannot wait for the next book, especially since Every Waking Hour ended in a shocker.
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