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Showing posts with label Psychological Thrillers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psychological Thrillers. Show all posts
Monday, July 17, 2023
Newest Miranda Thriller Not Very...Thrilling
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Ten years ago, two vans full of high school students ran off the road in the middle of a raging storm, plunging down a ravine into a swiftly-moving river. In the chaos, eight students managed to scrabble to safety. Ten of their classmates and two of their teachers did not. Wracked with guilt not just for surviving when so many others didn't, but also for some of the questionable actions they took that fateful night, The Eight reunite every year to mourn, to commiserate, and to ensure that their vow to never speak of what really happened that night remains unbroken.
A decade later, Cassidy Bent has had enough of wallowing in the past. The 28-year-old has a job she loves, a great new boyfriend, and a future that looks brighter than it ever has. After deleting the numbers of the other survivors, she has no intention of traveling to the Outer Banks for their annual reunion. Then, she receives devastating news: one of The Eight is dead. Not only that, but someone is talking to the press about the accident, hinting about dark deeds. With no other choice, Cassidy rushes to the North Carolina coast to meet up with the other survivors.
The Eight's reunions have always been melancholy; this one's turning downright sinister. Not only does Cassidy find a dead man's phone on the beach, but she also receives notes warning her to leave while she still can. And then there's the distinct feeling that someone is watching all of them...Who is targeting The Eight? Which of them is talking to reporters? What will happen when the truth about the accident gets out? With another vicious storm bearing down on the survivors, who will make it out alive this time?
I've read and enjoyed all of Megan Miranda's adult thrillers, so I always get excited when I hear she has a new book coming out. The premise of The Only Survivors sounded right up my alley, too. (In fact, it fits perfectly with the theme of my last Top Ten Tuesday list.) Unfortunately, Miranda's newest is just not up to her usual standards. To begin with, it's boring. Although the story toggles between past and present, hinting at sketchy decisions made ten years ago to ramp up the suspense, not a lot happens in the present, making the tale feel quite dull. In addition, Cassidy and her friends aren't the most charming bunch. They're not exactly unlikable, but they're not all that appealing either. I didn't feel connected to any of them. Also, the identity of the "bad guy" tormenting the survivors isn't much of a surprise. Although The Only Survivors kept me engaged enough that I finished it, I considered DNF'ing it a few times. I'm not sure why I bothered finishing it, honestly, because the ending wasn't any more satisfying for me than the rest of the book. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books by Miranda as well as those by Carol Goodman, Riley Sager and Gilly Macmillan)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Monday, March 28, 2022
The Long Weekend: Even My Least Favorite Gilly Macmillan Thriller Holds Me Spellbound
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
As long-time friends from boarding school, Paul, Mark, Toby, Rob, and Edie have enjoyed getting together over the years along with their spouses. When an available weekend provides the perfect opportunity for another reunion, the group pounces on the chance to reconnect. Dark Fell Barn is ideal for the event. The guesthouse's remote Northumbria location makes it as off-the-grid as the couples are likely to get. With no distractions or cell phone signals, the friends will have plenty of time to bond once again.
Jayne Pavey, Ruth Land, and Emily Ramsay drive to Northumbria together. Their husbands, all of whom have been delayed for various reasons, will be joining them that evening. Already a bit tense without the mens' long friendship to bind them, the trio is disturbed to realize just how isolated Dark Fell Barn really is. When they find a note waiting for them, informing them that one of their husbands is about to be murdered, they fly into a frenzy. Is it some kind of terrible practical joke? Edie, who declined the weekend getaway in the wake of her own husband's death, was known as a prankster in school. Could her grief be causing her to lash out at one of them? As the women frantically attempt to get ahold of their spouses, new surprises add to their growing terror. With a vicious storm breaking over the moors, the woman are trapped with a slew of horrifying questions: What is really going on here? Who would play such a sordid trick on the group? Why would anyone do something so completely cruel? And how are they going to escape with worsening weather and no way to call for help?
I've read all of Gilly Macmillan's spooky thrillers, which never fail to suck me in and hold me spellbound. While The Long Weekend (available March 29, 2022)—the author's newest—is probably my least favorite of hers, it still kept me buzzing through the pages, eager to see what was going to happen next. Its creepy, atmospheric vibe and tense, taut storytelling ensured I wouldn't be able to look away. That being said, the friends at the center of the story are not super likable. While some are more appealing than others, overall, they're just not a very charming bunch. As is quite usual in these kinds of novels, where dark secrets and jealousies are being revealed, the story is depressing and sad. Although there's a twist I expected but didn't actually see coming, I did have the killer pegged before their identity was revealed. All in all, then, I didn't end up loving The Long Weekend, although it did keep me reading pretty intensely. Macmillan has that effect on me, no matter what she writes! Still, I definitely wanted a bit more from her latest.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books by Gilly Macmillan as well as those by Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Long Weekend from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss Plus in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Psychological Thriller Oddly Compelling and Weirdly Memorable
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher is one of those books where the less you know going into it, the better. So, I'm going to give you the publisher's plot summary instead of my own because not only is it spoiler-free, but it's also brilliantly written. Here you go:
From the author of the instant New York Times bestseller The Wives comes another twisted psychological thriller guaranteed to turn your world upside down.
Juno was wrong about Winnie Crouch.
Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect marriage, the perfect son—the perfect life. Only now that she’s living in their beautiful house, she sees the cracks in the crumbling facade are too deep to ignore.
Still, she isn’t one to judge. After her grim diagnosis, the retired therapist simply wants a place to live out the rest of her days in peace. But that peace is shattered the day Juno overhears a chilling conversation between Winnie and Nigel…
She shouldn’t get involved.
She really shouldn’t.
But this could be her chance to make a few things right.
Because if you thought Juno didn’t have a secret of her own, then you were wrong about her, too.
From the wickedly dark mind of bestselling author Tarryn Fisher, The Wrong Family is a taut new thriller that’s riddled with twists in all the right places.
Intriguing, yes?
| I picked this book up because the premise is just so unique and chilling. The setup is definitely the best part of The Wrong Family because the characters are all messed-up and unlikable, the mystery isn't much of one, and the plot gets a bit...wild. Still, the story kept me turning pages, even though I repeatedly asked myself, "WHY am I still reading this?" On the whole, the book is depressing and somewhat dissatisfying, although, honestly, the characters all get what they deserve. Even though I really did not love this one, I still find myself thinking about The Wrong Family, although it's been months since I read it. In fact, when my hairdresser asked me the other day if I'd read anything interesting lately, this is the book that immediately popped into my head. It's not just oddly compelling, it's also weirdly memorable. Is it crazy that a book I didn't even like all that much is so stuck in my head? I give it points for that at least. (Readalikes: Hm, I can't really think of anything. You?) Grade:  If this were a movie, it would be rated:  for language, violence, blood/gore, references to illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter To the FTC, with love: Another library |
Monday, July 12, 2021
Miranda's Newest My Least Favorite of Her Twisty Thrillers
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Hollow's Edge used to be the kind of quiet, idyllic neighborhood that everyone wants to live in. Kids ran in and out of each other's houses, friends chatted amiably on the streets, and neighbors gathered around the community pool for summer cookouts. Then, Brandon and Fiona Truett were killed in their home and a fellow Hollow's Edge resident was convicted of the crime. Now, the neighborhood is a tainted place, a haunted subdivision where suspicion, paranoia, and secrets swirl in the air like the barbecue-scented smoke that once drifted lazily over its tree-lined streets.
When 25-year-old Ruby Fletcher is freed from prison, her conviction overturned after she served a year and a half for murdering the Truetts, her former neighbors are shocked. They're even more stunned when she waltzes back into Hollow's Edge as if she never left. Harper Nash, with whom Ruby lived before her arrest, is so astounded by the woman's sudden presence that she doesn't know how to react. She can't let Ruby take up where she left off as if nothing happened, but she also can't kick her out when she has nowhere else to go. Ruby swears she didn't kill the Truetts. If she's telling the truth, then who's lying? What really happened the night Brandon and Fiona died? As Harper takes a closer look at her neighbors, she begins to realize that none of them are quite what they seem. Did one of them kill the Truetts and frame Ruby? If Harper asks too many questions, will she be next?
I've enjoyed all of Megan Miranda's twisty thrillers, so I was stoked when I got approved on NetGalley for an e-ARC of her newest, Such a Quiet Place (available July 13, 2021). With its Desperate Housewives-ish premise, it sounded like the perfect summer beach read. As always with Miranda's books, I was sucked into the story, which is engrossing and compelling. I whipped through the pages because I wanted to know what was going to happen. Unfortunately, though, the characters in this one are just not appealing. For a community made up of smart professionals, they're petty, immature, whiny, two-faced, and dishonest, almost to a one. Even the kids in Hollow's Edge are unlikable! The cast members are all so repugnant that it's hard to care much about any of them. The plot has some odd bits as well, especially when it comes to shoddy police work and illogical motives for some of the characters' actions. I can't say I really loved the Big Reveal either. In the end, then, Such a Quiet Place ended up being just an okay read for me. While the story kept me turning pages, it also irritated me in a lot of ways. Of all Miranda's books, I have to say this one is my least favorite. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson and The Neighbors are Watching by Debra Ginsberg)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language and violence
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Such a Quiet Place from the generous folks at Simon & Schuster via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Goodman's Newest a Shivery Spine-Tingler
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
For three years, investigative reporter Joan Lurie has been working on an explosive story about the sexual misconduct of a powerful New York City publisher. She knows there will be consequences for breaking the shocking news and she thinks she's prepared to deal with them. What she couldn't have foreseen was a brutal attack on her person that leaves her traumatized, both physically and emotionally. Utterly shaken, she retreats to the Refuge, an exclusive Manhattan apartment building that was once a Magdalen laundry. The place boasts top-notch security that should have Joan feeling completely at ease. So, why does she still feel unsafe? Is she imagining that things in her apartment have been moved around on her? Or is it just paranoia and frayed nerves, after effects of her attack?
Joan's not the only woman hiding inside the Refuge. Lillian Day hasn't left the building in over seventy years, not since the day she witnessed a shocking event that left her just as traumatized as Joan.
Then there's Melissa Osgood, who's reeling from her husband's betrayal and from a devastating reversal of fortune. She blames Joan Lurie and will stop at nothing to take revenge on the woman who ruined her life.
As the lives of Joan, Lillian, and Melissa intersect, they will learn some startling truths about themselves, each other, and the dark history of the building in which they all live. With danger still on Joan's tail, she has to find true refuge before it's too late...
I'm a long-time fan of Carol Goodman's twisty Gothic thrillers, so I always get excited when she publishes a new book. With its modern New York City setting (as opposed to the usual upstate locales) and its #MeToo movement premise, The Stranger Behind You—Goodman's newest—is a bit of a departure from her previous novels, but it's still a shivery, engrossing page-turner. While I saw some of the plot surprises coming, others caught me off-guard, keeping the story interesting throughout. Although there are definitely some elements of the tale that are illogical and far-fetched, overall I found it both compelling and satisfying. Not all of the book's characters are likable, but Joan is appealing enough that I cared about her plight. As with many of Goodman's books, my favorite aspect of The Stranger Behind You is the Gothic-y setting. The creepy building at its center as well as the story's constant, unsettling vibe make the book an entertaining spine-tingler. While this isn't my favorite of Goodman's thrillers, I enjoyed it overall.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, Someone's Listening by Seraphina Nova Glass, and The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a couple F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Stranger Behind You from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Friday, March 26, 2021
Moody, Broody Psychological Thriller a Gripping Read
(Image from Amazon)
When cancer steals her mother's life before she has even turned sixty, 38-year-old Kal feels surprisingly adrift. Over the years, she's gotten used to the fact that her mercurial mother never loved her. Elena MacKenzie had plenty of affection for her younger daughter, Alice, but none for Kal. Grief-stricken by the loss of a woman she never understood, Kal is thrown for a shocking loop when she finds a stack of mysterious postcards in her mother's things. Going back more than 20 years, each was written on the same day of the year and signed the same way by the same Canadian woman: "Thinking of you." Kal knows Elena studied marine biology in North America before marrying and moving to England, but she knows little about those early years and she's never heard her mother mention a woman named Susannah Gillespie. Who was this Canadian artist to Elena? Why did she send a postcard every year? What's the significance of the date on the cards?
Already feeling bruised from suspicions that her husband is cheating on her, Kal makes an impulsive decision to travel to British Columbia and find Susannah. With her toddler in tow, she sets out for remote Spring Tide Island, hoping to find the answers she so desperately seeks. Meeting Susannah, a potter who claims to have been Elena's best friend, just creates more questions. The woman, who seems to have been obsessed with Kal's mother, has also formed a strange attachment to Kal's son, 18-month-old Finn. Despite frantic calls from her husband and warnings from her father to stay away from Susannah, Kal refuses to leave Canada until she understands who her mother was and what happened between her and her old BFF. The more Kal learns, the more distressed she grows. Something horrible happened to Elena, that much is clear and—as Kal finally realizes—the past is about to repeat itself if she can't get herself and Finn off the island. With a storm threatening to cut off all communication with the mainland, Kal will have to risk her own life to save them both.
Everyone who hangs out around here knows I can't resist an atmospheric thriller. The moodier and broodier, the better. The Missing One, a 2014 debut by journalist Lucy Atkins, certainly qualifies. Atkins does an excellent job painting Spring Tide Island in thick, foggy grays that make it feel cold, isolated, and eerie. It's a shivery backdrop, perfect for a gripping psychological thriller, which is exactly what The Missing One is. The book is not an edge-of-your-seat kind of read (at least not until the end), but it is engrossing and compelling. Overly long, yes, but not boring. Predictable to a point, indeed, but not without its plot surprises. As far as characters go, it's tough to find a truly likable one in this story. They're a pretty messed up group, with plenty of selfish obsessiveness to go around. While Kal is the most appealing of the bunch, I still found her irrational, whiny, and slow on the uptake. Still, I definitely wanted to find out what was going to happen to her. That need to know kept me reading. In the end, then, I liked The Missing One well enough, but I can't say I loved it. I'm up for more from Atkins, though, and that's saying a lot.
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, blood/gore, scenes of peril, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Thursday, March 11, 2021
It's Compelling, That's Why!
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Ever since the tragic death of her toddler, Ellie has been spiraling. She's drinking too much, making reckless decisions, and acting out against her billionaire father. One night, after too many cocktails, she literally stumbles into a handsome, successful real estate developer named Martin Cresswell-Smith. His interest and gentle kindness are exactly what Ellie needs. After a whirlwind courtship, the two are married and headed to Martin's native Australia, where they're heading up a multi-million dollar venture to build a luxury resort at Jarrawarra Bay, New South Wales.
Ellie's excited for this much-needed fresh start, but it's not long before her fairy tale life Down Under starts to dissolve. Not everything about Martin and his building project is what it seems. When the developer is brutally murdered, suspicion naturally turns to his unstable wife. Did Ellie kill her new husband? If so, why?
Everyone in Jarrawarra Bay thinks Ellie murdered Martin. Detective Senior Constable Lozza Bianchi isn't so sure. She saw evidence of Ellie's fear of Martin firsthand. Didn't she? Can the widow be believed or is Ellie Cresswell-Smith manipulating everyone around her, including the police? Lozza's already on thin ice with the department, but she will not stop digging until she knows what really happened to Martin. The truth is far more sinister than even she imagined...
I'm always down for a compelling psychological thriller and In the Deep by Loreth Anne White sounded like just the ticket. Was it? There's no doubt that this is an engrossing novel. It kept me on an uneven keel throughout, making me wonder who was telling the truth, who was hiding something, and who I could trust. While I saw some of the plot twists coming, a couple caught me by surprise. I like a mystery/thriller that keeps me guessing—and this one did. Ish. However, In the Deep is dark, violent, and disturbing. It gave me more than one nightmare. Not gonna lie, I kept asking myself, "Why am I reading this?" It's compelling, that's why! Bad dreams be darned, I wanted to find out what really happened between Ellie and Martin. Still, the characters are an unlikable bunch who pretty much get exactly what they deserve. Lozza is the only one I cared about, so I was disappointed that she didn't get more page time. On the whole, then, I give this book props for being an unputdownable page-turner. It loses points (at least for me) for being full of unlikable characters and for being too dark and depressing. If this book is any indication, White's style is just too much for me. I'll be giving her books a wide berth in future.
(Readalikes: I've seen White compared to Robert Dugoni, but I've only read one book by each of them so I'm not sure how apt the comparison is. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, blood/gore, sex, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Monday, January 18, 2021
Unlikable Characters Make Engrossing Thriller a Depressing, Dissatisfying Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Former whistleblower Nora Trier has built a successful career as a forensic accountant. For the last 15 years, she has spent her days combing through financial records searching out fraud, but she's still surprised by her newest case. Strike, a billion-dollar home-grown premium athletics brand, is on the verge of hosting a huge kickboxing competition with an unprecedented prize—the winner earns $20 million and the chance to be Strike's new spokesperson. The problem? The coveted prize money has gone missing. Strike's owners, Gregg Abbott and his wife, famous kickboxing champion Logan Russo, have suspicions about where it might be and who might have taken it, but no one knows for sure. With one week before it's to be awarded, the money needs to be found. Gregg is convinced that only Nora has the expertise to find it.
Nora prides herself on her objectivity, but she has more than one secret connection to Strike. Can she investigate the company fairly? The further she delves into its financial transactions as well as the personal lives of its owners and employees, the more concerned she becomes. With whispers of embezzlement, betrayal, and sabotage in the air, Nora's not sure what to believe. All she knows is that the evidence is leading in a disturbing direction. As she gets closer and closer to the truth, Nora's position becomes more and more dangerous. Someone doesn't want her to find out what's really happening at Strike. Who would do the unthinkable to keep the truth hidden?
I enjoyed the two books I've read by Mindy Mejia, so I picked up her newest assuming it would be just as enticing. Strike Me Down definitely sucked me in and kept me reading. I whipped through its pages because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The plot kept me guessing, which is something I always appreciate in mysteries/thrillers. Unfortunately, though, I just could not stand any of the novel's main characters. Nora and Logan are both cold, selfish women who are admirable in some ways but still almost wholly unlikable. Gregg is greedy, unfaithful, and overly obsessed with Strike. By the end of the novel, I found all of them so repulsive that I didn't care much what happened to any of them. So, while Strike Me Down is an engrossing page turner that held my attention, for me it ended up being a depressing, dissatisfying read because I hated the characters so much. Bummer.
(Readalikes: No specific titles are coming to mind. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Wednesday, December 09, 2020
Problematic Psychological Thriller Another Meh Read For Me
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Fifteen years ago, three little girls were walking to school. One of them was in a terrible accident that left her with a Traumatic Brain Injury that affects her memory and speech. Living in an institution, Kitty James has trouble communicating, but that doesn't mean she doesn't remember the accident, at least on some level. Alison Baker, Kitty's half-sister, has also never quite recovered from the trauma of that long-ago day. She has no real life and relies on cutting herself in order to feel anything.
With little money in the bank, Alison reluctantly decides to accept a job as an artist-in-residence at an open prison outside of London. She's assigned to teach art to a select group of inmates. Seems simple enough. Then, she begins receiving threatening notes at work. When her classroom erupts in violence, Alison becomes completely unsettled. Someone is purposely tormenting her, someone who knows what really happened the day of Kitty's accident. Alison's kept her secrets carefully guarded for over a decade, but now the truth will out ...
On its surface, Blood Sisters by Jane Corry seems like the kind of tense psychological thriller I enjoy. Unfortunately, I had a big problem with the characters in this novel. They're not at all likable. Alison is cold, immature, and melodramatic, all of which made it difficult to feel connected to her. The only cast member I felt anything for was Alison's poor mum. Corry's prose is awkward as well. As far as plot goes, Blood Sisters kept my attention, although I saw some of the twists coming. Many of the situations seem contrived and the Big Reveals at the end drove me crazy, justifying my dislike and distrust of a certain character even more. Not surprisingly, Blood Sisters is a sad, depressing story. All of these elements combined to make the novel a rather unpleasant read. So, while I liked the premise, I just didn't love this book. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other the-past-comes-calling psychological thrillers, although no specific titles are coming to mind)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, blood/gore, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Blood Sisters with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Friday, November 20, 2020
Forthcoming Psychological Thriller Riveting From First Page to Last
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
The Pine Family of Adair, Nebraska, already knows what it means to be infamous. Four years ago, 25-year-old Danny Pine was convicted of murdering his girlfriend and sent to prison. The family refused to accept the verdict, launching an expensive, fevered campaign to free him. A Netflix documentary about the case cast even more doubt on Danny's guilt, bolstering the Pines but vilifying the community of Adair. Now, the family is in the news again. Four of the Pines—Danny's parents and two of his siblings—have been found dead in a Mexican vacation home, victims of an apparent gas leak.
Besides Danny, 21-year-old Matt is the only Pine left. Devastated by this fresh loss, he leaves NYU and returns to Adair to bury his family. What he finds is a hostile town and a barrage of painful memories he'd like to forget. When FBI agent Sarah Keiler comes knocking on Matt's door, Matt realizes there's more to the deaths of his parents and siblings than meets the eye. What really happened to them? Why were they targeted? As it becomes increasingly apparent that their deaths are related to Danny's case, Matt fears the truth about what really happened the night Danny's girlfriend was killed will inevitably come to light. If it does, everyone will know the horrifying truth that Matt has kept hidden for four years—Danny is guilty. Can Matt get justice for his family without betraying his brother?
Told from multiple viewpoints, Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay (available March 2, 2021), is more than just an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller. It's a layered, intimate portrayal of a family in crisis, a story that draws you into the characters' world, paints them in an authentic, sympathetic way, and leaves you dreading the tragedies you know are about to befall them. Knowing their fates doesn't make the novel less compelling, however. If anything it makes it even more engrossing. True, the plot is a bit predictable, with a rather obvious killer, but still, it's a gripping thriller that had me ripping through the pages to see what was going to happen next. Although Every Last Fear is not a happy tale, it is a hopeful one, which made it even more appealing to me. In the end, then, I enjoyed this absorbing novel, which kept me riveted from its first page to its last.
(Readalikes: Hm, nothing is coming to mind. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, mild sexual content, depictions of illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Every Last Fear from the generous folks at St. Martin's Press via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, November 19, 2020
Goldin's Newest Another Ho-Hum Psychological "Thriller"
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Ever since Rachel Krall's true crime podcast went viral, she's been searching for ever more interesting content to keep her listeners engaged. Now, she's on her way to Neapolis, North Carolina, where a headline-grabbing trial is about to begin. The town golden boy, 16-year-old Scott Blair, is accused of raping Kelly Moore, the teenaged granddaughter of Neapolis' beloved police chief. Everyone has an opinion about the alleged crime, an event so shocking that it's tearing the town apart.
Rachel hasn't even arrived in Neapolis before she finds a note on her car pleading for her help. Hannah Stills is begging the podcaster to look into her sister's suspicious death 25 years ago. Although Jenny Stills' death was officially ruled an accidental drowning, Hannah knows the truth: Jenny was murdered. Rachel is Hannah's last hope for finding the truth. Intrigued, Rachel agrees to take the case. She will find out what really happened to Jenny Stills, even if it means putting herself in the path of a killer whose identity has been kept secret for more than two decades.
On its surface, The Night Swim by Megan Goldin looks like the kind of thriller I go ga-ga over. Small-town secrets? Check. Moody, broody beach setting? Check. Intriguing mystery? Check, check. These elements were not only what drew me to the book, but they were also the things that kept me reading it. I certainly wasn't in it for the characters. The Night Swim's cast features story people who are mostly unlikable, Rachel included. There's nothing repellant about our heroine (except that she exploits other people's tragedies for ratings), but there's nothing super laudable either. Perhaps this is because we don't really get to know Rachel well. Goldin includes little information about the podcaster's past or why she's so interested in true crime, which made me wonder why she was in the novel at all. Hannah would have made a much better narrator for this story. Add choppy prose and a predictable plotline to these complaints and you can see why The Night Swim was just an average read for me. I kept reading because I wanted to know how both mysteries would play out, but in the end, I just didn't end up loving The Night Swim like I thought it would. Or really at all. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of dozens of other thrillers, although no particular title is coming to mind. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder expletives), violence, disturbing subject matter, and depictions of underage drinking
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Night Swim with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Monday, November 16, 2020
Debut Psychological Thriller Lacks That Special "Something"
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
As the author of a popular book on how to leave an abusive partner and host of a radio talk show on the same subject, psychologist Faith Finley has helped hundreds of people flee bad situations. She's a respected psychologist living a successful, happy life with her loving husband, Liam. Then, there's a car accident. Faith wakes up in the hospital to foggy memories of the crash and a horrifying question: Where is Liam? She insists he was in the vehicle with her, but authorities can find no sign of him. It seems to them as if he's done a runner, quietly slipping out of a life he no longer wants. Faith refuses to believe that. Something terrible happened to her husband and she wants to know what.
Then, Faith starts receiving threatening notes in the form of pages ripped from her book advising things like "Consider investing in a steel door." Between the unsettling notes and a crisis at work, she can barely cope. Self-medicating with alcohol and pills, Faith is hardly at her best. Still, she won't rest until she knows once and for all what happened to Liam. Even if it means putting herself in the path of a dangerous stalker.
Psychological thrillers are a dime a dozen these days. It takes something special to really make one stand out over all the others. Unfortunately, Someone's Listening, a debut novel by filmmaker Seraphina Nova Glass, just doesn't have that something. The novel's premise is simple but intriguing. I found it compelling enough to keep reading, even though the story suffered from predictability and uneven pacing. My biggest beef was with Faith herself. Not only is she unconvincing as a psychologist, but she's also unappealing as a person. I'm not sure why I found her so unlikable; I just did. It was difficult for me to connect with her, making it hard to care what happened to her. All these things considered, I ended up not loving Someone's Listening. It was just an average read for me.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other psychological thrillers, although no specific titles are coming to mind.)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, sexual content, and depictions of illegal drug use (marijuana)
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Someone's Listening from the generous folks at HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Monday, October 26, 2020
Creepy Psychological Thriller Another Riveting Read from Macmillan
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Shy, awkward Lucy Harper has always relied on her imaginary friend, Eliza Grey, to comfort her in times of distress. When her 3-year-old brother disappeared decades ago after sneaking out of the house to follow Lucy on a midnight adventure, Eliza was there to calm her troubled mind. Instead of fading away as her creator aged, Eliza grew larger than life until Lucy hardly knew where Eliza ended and she began. When Lucy sold her first mystery novel featuring Eliza as a tough-talking police detective, Eliza became a beloved star. Four books later, the author is only just beginning to realize how thoroughly Eliza has taken over her life, both professionally and personally.
When Lucy decides to take a break from her pretend friend, penning a new book that does not feature the popular character, it does not go over well—not with her publisher and not with Dan, her unpublished husband who's always been jealous of his wife's success. When Dan vanishes one night under strange circumstances, the police question Lucy, clearly suspicious. Lucy's sure—pretty sure—she had nothing to do with his disappearance, but lately, with Eliza taking up all her head space and her memories straying more and more often to her brother, who has never been found, Lucy's not really sure of anything. Did she hurt her husband? What really happened when her younger sibling went missing all those years ago? Lucy's mind has always been a place where fact and fantasy collide. What is truth and what is not? What did Lucy do?
Gilly Macmillan is one of my favorite writers of psychological suspense and her newest, To Tell You the Truth, does not disappoint. Its premise seems a bit far-fetched, but it offers a unique and intriguing setup to a story that's full of didn't-see-that-coming twists. A creepy, atmospheric vibe runs through the novel, adding another unsettling layer to the narrative. Lucy is an undeniably odd duck but she still makes for a sympathetic and compelling heroine. All of these elements in addition to a fast-paced, surprising plot combine to create a riveting, edge-of-your-seat read. I ripped through this one while sitting at the DMV with my 15-year-old son for three hours and it definitely made the wait more tolerable. I don't know if To Tell You the Truth is my favorite Macmillan yarn, but it's a thrilling read that I very much enjoyed.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other Macmillan novels as well as those by Mindy Mejia, Megan Miranda, and Lisa Jewell)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a half dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of To Tell You the Truth from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss+. Thank you!
Friday, October 16, 2020
The New Agatha Christie? I Don't Think So!
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"Everything seems charged on this island. It's as though this place is doing it, that we've been brought here for a reason" (288).
Will Slater and Julie Keegan are both gorgeous, ambitious, and powerful. Their wedding, even though it's taking place at a remote island off the Irish coast with only a very select group of guests, will be the event of the season. As the couple's nearest and dearest gather, however, tension continues to mount between the happy couple, the island's only residents, and the wedding guests. When it reaches a fever pitch, one person is left dead. Who hated the victim enough to kill them? And why? Stuck in an isolated place with no way to communicate with the outside world, those on the island must figure out which one of them is a murderer—before the killer strikes again.
With its And Then There Were None-ish premise, it's no wonder that The Guest List by Lucy Foley is being compared to Agatha Christie's classic. The similarities, however, stop at the book's setup. While Foley's version features a creepy, atmospheric setting, which creates a deliciously suspenseful backdrop, the story itself moves so slowly that the novel never reaches an "unputdownable" stage. There were a few surprises in the plot but not enough to make the story feel clever or original. In addition, the characters are almost wholly unlikable—most are immature, entitled snobs who have done terrible things to each other, which made it difficult for me to care what happened to them. Not surprisingly, then, The Guest List made for a dark, depressing, and not super satisfying read. I'd heard such good things about this book that I thought I would love it. Unfortunately, I just ... didn't. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of One By One by Ruth Ware)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, disturbing subject matter, sexual content, and depictions of illegal drug use
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Guest List with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Thursday, October 08, 2020
Depressing and Disturbing, Carpenter's Newest Still Makes for Diverting COVID Reading
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Dove Jarrod is known far and wide as an evangelist and faith healer. Only her granddaughter, 24-year-old Eve Candler, knows the truth: Dove is a fraud. As head of fundraising for The Charles and Dove Jarrod Foundation, Eve's committed to upholding her grandmother's reputation as a miracle worker, even though Dove has admitted privately that she's no such thing. When a strange man threatens to expose her grandma as not just a fake but also a murderer, Eve knows she has to stop him. Dove may be the former, but there's no way she's the latter. Or is she? With the stranger breathing down her neck, Eve has no choice but to dig into her family's past to find its real truth—before everything her family has worked so hard to build and protect crumbles to nothing.
I'm a big fan of Emily Carpenter's unsettling thrillers. Some are better than others, of course, and her newest, Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters, isn't one of my favorites. Which isn't to say it's not an engrossing read. It is. The plot is a little patchy, but it still kept me riveted. I saw some of the twists coming but there were enough surprises to keep the story suspenseful and intriguing. This isn't a happy book (Carpenter's novels rarely are), but for the most part, I enjoyed this immersive read. It made for a distracting COVID read, even though it's sad and depressing.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, blood/gore, disturbing subject matter, depictions of illegal drug use, and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC from the generous folks at Lake Union Publishing via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
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