suspense

Review: The Night of the Sleepover (Sleepover #1) by Kerry Wilkinson

~ megs14malloy

The Night of the Sleepover (Sleepover #1)The Night of the Sleepover by Kerry Wilkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Night of the Sleepover is the first book in Kerry Wilkinson’s Sleepover series. Having never read from this author before, I had no real expectations going in.

I found Wilkinson’s writing to be quite engaging. She was able to hook me from the start. I was intrigued and couldn’t stop thinking about this when I wasn’t reading it.

In this story we are following single-mom, Leah, who 20-years ago had a her three best friends disappear during a weekend sleepover.

Four girls started out the night, comfy in their pajamas, eating pizza and even sneaking some vodka, but only one remained in the morning. Leah.

As you can imagine, the years since haven’t been easy. She’s had a difficult time getting close to people. It’s a small town, everyone knows her troubled past. Some even cast suspicion on her, how could she have slept through that? Those who don’t, tip-toe around her with pity in their eyes.

As the 20th-anniversary approaches, Leah receives word that, Owen, the little brother of one of her missing friends is going to be making a documentary on the disappearance. He reaches out for her help.

Soon after the news of the upcoming documentary spreads, Leah receives a mystery email from a dummy account stating two words, ‘stop them’.

Leah is scared. Is this message from a friend, or a foe? What could their motivations be? Why would someone want to stop the truth from coming out? After all these years, is the truth better off staying buried?

As mentioned above, I was hooked into this story very quickly. I liked Leah’s perspective and we do get her both in the present, as well as flashbacks to the time of the infamous sleepover.

I thought both timelines were equally intriguing and liked following along as they perfectly-pieced together the truth of what happened that night. This is the kind of story where you need to know and there’s no stopping until you find out.

I enjoyed the level of intensity that Wilkinson was able to conjure here as well. I felt for Leah, to have that night always looming over her like a dark shadow, and then with the anniversary approaching! Honestly, it was like cutting open your own old wounds.

I wasn’t sure who to trust either. We meet a few different side characters throughout Leah’s story and many of them seemed suspicious as heck to me.

The narrator for the audiobook had me feeling like I was literally listening to Leah recount what was happening to her. It brought it to life and in my opinion, made the narrative even more thrilling.

Full disclosure, this was a 3.5-star book for me, which I would have rounded up, pretty much the whole way through, but that ending…

Yeah baby, that’s what I like!!!

I’m so excited for the next book, After the Sleepover. I haven’t read too much about it, so I am not sure in what direction it is going, but regardless, the anticipation is real. I’m starting it tonight!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. I can’t wait to pick up more from Kerry Wilkinson!!

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Review: The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

~ megs14malloy

The Stranger UpstairsThe Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Things to know about me: I am a huge sucker for an unreliable narrator, particularly if alcohol is involved, and I like unlikable MCs. Check and check for this book.

Unsurprisingly, the first thing that attracted me to The Stranger Upstairs was the cover. I’m shallow. Seriously, can we just take a moment to drink in these colors?

Next was the synopsis, which sold me on the idea of a social media influencer buying a murder house to renovate for content. And with gothic vibes!?

We love that. Additionally, it’s from a debut author and is set in Australia. We love that even more!!

Unfortunately, due to over-extending myself, and I didn’t get to it as quickly as I wanted to. Then the reviews started rolling in and some of them weren’t the greatest.

I started to get nervous. I started to prioritize other books over this one. It was a whole thing. Having now completed this, I wish I would have read it sooner. I thought it was so much fun; a gripping page-turner!

In this story we follow Sarah Slade, a therapist, who is also gaining some traction as a lifestyle influencer.

Black Wood House was once the scene of a grisly murder-suicide, and now it’s Sarah’s latest pet project. She and her husband need a place to start over, and due to its murder house status, they’re able to procure Black Wood at a ridiculously low price in a highly-desirable neighborhood.

Sarah’s idea is to renovate it and she can use the renovation as constant content to attract new followers, helping her to reach the next level in social media status.

Her husband, not a fan of purchasing the house in the first place, can hardly stand to be there. He doesn’t understand Sarah’s determination with this project.

Once the builders, hired on to help with the reno, begin acting strangely and having unexplained accidents, it appears maybe Sarah’s husband is on to something about the malevolent nature of the house.

Nothing is shaking Sarah though, not even the threatening notes that begin showing up for her. Someone doesn’t want her there. Is it the house, or someone else and is Sarah really willing to risk everything just for content?

There are so many layers to this story, but you’ll have to read it to discover all the little avenues Matlin takes us down. Admittedly, the writing style took me a minute to get used to, as it didn’t flow quite the way I expected.

However, after reading the entire story, I sort of feel like the way it was written matches Sarah’s personality perfectly. It’s like viewing the world through her eyes and I not only came to enjoy it, but I became extremely invested in it.

If I had to compare it, I would say the style reminds me of Mona Awad’s style, particularly in All’s Well.

I was extremely intrigued by the house and Sarah’s motivations for being there. I did feel like the house had a lot of Amityville vibes, but it wasn’t a turn off for me. I actually quite liked that.

Sarah, as a character isn’t particularly likable, and you might even classify her as unreliable, but I don’t need to like characters to enjoy a story. Additionally, as mentioned above, I love an unreliable narrator, so I think this story was just set-up to work for me.

I also really enjoyed the mystery behind what was happening with the house. It had a great, is it supernatural, is it not-intrigue to it that I always enjoy.

As Sarah is coming more unhinged the longer she stays in the house, she’s also simultaneously trying to figure out what is going on. I thought Matlin did a great job keeping the intensity up throughout and making Sarah’s investigations into her circumstances believable.

I think as far as debuts go, this one is very strong. I think if this is the kind of story that usually works for you, you should absolutely give this one a go. It’s tense and gripping throughout, with a very interesting conclusion.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am really looking forward to reading more from Lisa M. Matlin!

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Review: A Likeable Woman by May Cobb

~ megs14malloy

A Likeable WomanA Likeable Woman by May Cobb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Likeable Woman is the third novel that I have read from May Cobb and it will not be my last.

There’s no denying that Cobb has a knack for writing Rich People Drama and I’m here for every OTT-minute of it.

In this story we meet Kira, a single-woman living in L.A., who is headed back to her wealthy and traditional hometown in East Texas for the first time in decades.

She’s been invited to attend the vow renewal ceremony of an old frenemy. Although that’s not high on her priority list, there are other things calling her back as well. It’s time.

Kira fled town all those years ago following her mother’s mysterious death. Having left the way she did though, there’s of course unfinished business.

Additionally, her grandmother has been hounding her recently, telling Kira she has something to give her of her mother’s. That’s definitely piqued Kira’s interest.

Thus, after reaching out to her childhood best friend, and biggest crush, Jack, Kira makes a plan and heads home. Jack agrees, if Kira is going, he’ll go as well.

After they reunite, Kira’s surprised when her grandmother gives her a memoir that was apparently written by her Mom just prior to her death. Her Mom, Sadie, was an artist, but Kira didn’t know she was a writer too.

Even with everything going on that weekend, Kira can’t help but diving into the memoir. The story she finds there, in her mother’s own words, makes Sadie’s death look a lot less mysterious and lot more like murder. Is that possible?

This novel is told from two perspectives: Kira in the present and her Mom, Sadie’s, perspective that’s put forth in her memoir. I enjoyed this choice for telling the story and found both perspectives equally enjoyable.

Kira’s return to her hometown played into one of my favorite tropes too, so right off the bat, we were starting off ahead. As someone who left my hometown decades ago, and also rarely, if ever goes back, I always find something intriguing and relatable about that type of narrative.

I particularly enjoy when the MC is looking into some mystery from their past. Kira has never felt comfortable with the accepted story of her Mom’s death. She’s always felt there was more going on and through this memoir, she finally gets the opportunity to look into it further.

Upon returning, Kira feels completely out of place, like an outsider even though she knows everyone there. I found it interesting that through her Mom’s recollections, you could tell that Sadie also frequently felt like an outsider.

Sadie was an artist and a bit of free spirit, who didn’t quite fit into the mold that was expected of her in their small conservative town. Both Kira and Sadie ended up trying to fight the constraints put on them, but luckily for Kira, she was able to move away and build a new life for herself.

Unfortunately, Sadie never got that lucky.

In addition, I also really enjoyed watching Kira explore past relationships, particularly with Jake and her sister, Katie. Kira seemed to want to make connections so badly, but maybe because she had been on her own for so long, was a little clumsy in trying to express herself, or her needs.

The whole idea of the memoir was also great for me. I loved that idea of Kira finally learning about her Mom and having it be through her Mom’s own words, even though she wasn’t there to speak for herself. There was something so special about that.

I feel like there were some great messages in here too, which I won’t get into for risk of spoiling anything, but honestly, this is more than an OTT-story. There’s actually some great take-aways as well.

I know May Cobb’s stories can be hit or miss for some, but I always enjoy her drama-fueled, East Texas-set, Domestic Thrillers. There’s just something about well-to-do women and men behaving badly, that I am always down for.

I will say this one does feel more subtle than her previous stories that I have read. The others sort of pushed the limits in certain areas, or taboo subjects, but this one felt much more traditional, but also a bit more powerful. It’s thoughtful, even in spite of all the drama. I liked that.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys small town Domestic Dramas, or Thrillers, where long-buried secrets are revealed. Also, to anyone who enjoys some quality Rich People Drama. Cobb always excels at that.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Cobb delivers next!!

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Review: The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis

~ megs14malloy

The ChateauThe Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars**

When Darcy’s Grandmother, the elegant, yet aging, Séraphine Demargelasse, invites Darcy and her four best girlfriends to her French Chateau for a luxury Girls Getaway, they can hardly say no.

The women all studied together in France 20-years earlier and they spent many weekends at Séraphine’s. It was at that time, their life-long bonds of friendship were formed, including with Séraphine. It is a beautiful spot, with many beautiful memories.

Prior to the trip, Séraphine tells Darcy she wants to discuss her will with her. This sets a bit of an ominous tone and Darcy wonders if her Grandmother is unwell.

The trip starts off fine, with everyone getting used to being in each other’s company again, enjoying the sights and accommodations. It’s clear they’re hiding some things from one another, but what friendship group doesn’t?

After a boisterous evening celebration, Séraphine is found murdered. Everyone is in shock. Who could have done this?

There’s a limited number of guests, it had to be one of them, but why? Who would want poor Séraphine dead? What is there to gain?

From there the story follows the various characters as the investigation into the murder begins. Everyone is a suspect and in kind, they slowly begin to fall apart.

Here’s the thing, starting off, I was very intrigued by this. I love a story that follows friends, or family, traveling together, staying in remote locations on holiday. I like learning about the characters and their varied lives.

This started out strong with that set-up and while the characters weren’t particularly likable, I never mind that. I like when you get everyone’s perspective in a friendship group, because no matter how close they are, there’s always something: secrets, resentments, betrayals, etc. I love watching it all come to light. I’m here for the drama.

Unfortunately, about halfway through this just fell off a cliff for me. It felt like it was trying to do too much and with so much thrown in, it made everything feel less impactful.

There is a betrayal revealed that turned me off. It’s weird because I’ve read that same thing before, but the way it was done here, I was just over it. I can’t even really explain why.

I don’t think it was necessarily that betrayal though, like the circumstance, that killed this for me, but more like from that point on, every subsequent thing the author threw at us had me tuning out more and more. It was a turning point.

Additionally, I didn’t feel invested enough in the mystery. I didn’t really care who did it. I hadn’t felt connected in any way to Séraphine and her murder hardly felt gripping.

I realize that sounds awful, but I just wasn’t invested enough to care, I guess.

I wanted more intrigue, suspense and nail-biting moments. Instead I feel like it turned into more of a character study than a murder mystery.

Again, I feel like the downfall of this book is that it tried to do too much. It diluted the impact with so many things happening concurrently. Like the Van Gogh thing??? Completely unnecessary, IMO.

I feel like I’ve said enough at this point. You get it. I really wanted to like this one, but it ended up being a big miss for me. I tried, I did, but overall, pure mehhhhhhh.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though this wasn’t my cup of tea, I would be willing to pick up this author’s next book. I’m a firm believer in second chances!

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Review: The Only One Left by Riley Sager

~ megs14malloy

The Only One LeftThe Only One Left by Riley Sager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After a client overdoses while under care, home-health aide, Kit McDeere, finds herself suspended from her job for 6-months. That’s a long time to be out of work, stewing on her past mistakes. Kit doesn’t like the feeling.

When her suspension is up, her boss tells her about her new assignment. Oh baby, it’s a doozy!

Unfortunately, she’s lucky to even still have her job, so Kit doesn’t put up much of a fight though. Beggars can’t be choosers. At least it will get her out of her Dad’s house.

Kit is headed to Hope’s End, a once lavish estate on the rocky coast of Maine. Set high on a cliff, the home has slowly begun to decay over the decades, leaning ever closer to the sea below.

Even so, it’s not the mansion itself that disturbs Kit the most. It’s who lives inside it. Lenora Hope, Kit’s latest client, is the sole survivor of the Hope Family Massacre of 1929. As the survivor, Lenora was the main suspect and was accused of killing her father, mother and sister.

The crimes are so infamous in the local area, there’s even a creepy little song about it:

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

Kit knows what it’s like to be accused of something however, so she tries to stick all she thinks she knows about Lenora Hope into the back of her mind. Regardless of her past, Lenora is now a woman in her 70s, who has been left mute and incapacitated by a series of strokes.

Confined to a wheelchair, Lenora is completely dependent on Kit for her daily care. Her only means of communication is pecking out her thoughts on an old typewriter.

One night, through her typing, Lenora makes Kit and offer. She wants to tell her everything that happened back in 1929. Is Kit ready to hear the truth?

There was something about the synopsis of this story that told me that I should read it via audio. I was interested to see how the perspectives would be done and how the audio could possibly elevate the overall storytelling.

In spite of the fact that I bought a hard copy on the day of release, I did actually hold out until I was able to get the audiobook from my local library. I’m so glad I made that decision. I loved this audio. It’s actually the first Riley Sager novel I have listened too.

I may have to go back and reread some of the others that way, if they are all done this well!

The narrators’ voices were perfect for the different perspectives they were portraying. It really helped to bring this story to life for me.

The setting of Hope Manor was also fantastic. With Lenora confined to her room, it’s really just the workers that keep the property afloat, flitting about interacting with one another. Kit, as the new girl, just tries to go about her work, soaking it all in.

There’s so much history in the house, and each individual there offers their own perspective on the past, as well as the present. Trust, there’s drama.

I loved the use of the typewriter as a way for Lenora to communicate and tell Kit her story. There was something so ominous about that act. Lenora watching each letter appear as the past unfolded before her.

There’s also some unsettling things going on around the house that provided a nice, is it supernatural, is it not supernatural-feel, that I tend to enjoy so much. Oh, and bonus, this is set in 1983 and I love the 80s!!

There were a lot of well done red herrings in this, as your mind works to try to figure out the truth. I suspected a lot of people; pretty much everyone, honestly. There were also a ton of twists and I enjoyed how Sager built the intensity as the story progressed.

It felt dangerous and definitely got my pulse racing. Right after I finished though, I did struggle a bit on how to rate it. Part of me thought, it was one twist too many, but then the other part of me thought, shut the f*ck up.

As you can tell, the good side won. I loved this. Another engrossing, memorable story from Sager. I cannot wait to see what he delivers next!

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Review: The New Nanny (The Lies We Tell #1) by L.G. Davis

~ megs14malloy

The New Nanny (The Lies We Tell #1)The New Nanny by L.G. Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

L.G. Davis brought all the twisted, evil, wicked drama here and I ate it up like caramel popcorn on Halloween…

😋🍿😋🍿😋🍿😋🍿😋🍿😋🍿😋🍿😋🍿😋🍿😋

The New Nanny follows Christa, who has accepted a nanny position for the Mayer family. The post includes looking after their teen son, Wyatt, and some light housework duties, cooking and cleaning for the family.

The pay is great, she’ll get some free-time, and Christa has a special interest in this particular child. The catch is, she has move to a remote mountain village in Austria to take it.

It’s an easy decision for Christa and before she knows it, she’s there, settling into the Mayer’s lavish home.

Christa quickly notes that the family dynamic is a little off. The mom, Robin, whose perspective we also get at times, seems emotionally troubled, and she has very strict and specific rules for Wyatt, such as he isn’t supposed to leave the house. The Dad, for his part, is rarely present.

Christa is uncomfortable with the Mayer’s treatment of their son. They hardly interact with him at all. Christa is determined to shower this boy with all the love he needs.

Christa was already a bit on edge around the Mayers, but then she hears the rumors about the disappearance of their last nanny. Could these people actually be dangerous?

It’s a race against time to figure out the truth about the Mayer family. Are Christa and Wyatt in danger? Christa needs to get to the bottom of this years old disappearance and get herself and Wyatt to safety, if need be.

With the help of a new friend, Christa digs in, risking everything to get the truth. Hold on to your hats because, oh baby, does this get intense. Talk about a nail biter!

I had so much fun reading this. It’s wildly entertaining and I found L.G. Davis’s writing style to be engaging and addictive. In fact, I had so much fun with it, I purchased a copy of the second book immediately upon finishing this.

I wasn’t done with these characters, or Davis’s fun, fast-paced, intriguing plots. There’s no way I was waiting to get more of Christa’s story. It would feel like abandoning a friend if I were to leave her now!

This was one of those types of stories where you get way more invested than you anticipated you would. I was getting so into it, yelling at the characters, shaking my head, telling my dog all about it.

This seriously surprised me. It was such a delight to read; pure fun. Sometimes you just need this type of engaging, OTT-Popcorn Thriller. It’s not perfect, but who cares? Seriously, when you’re having this much fun, who cares?

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to following L.G. Davis’s work from here on out. I’m a fan!

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Review: You Always Come Back by Emily Smith

~ megs14malloy

You Always Come BackYou Always Come Back by Emily Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Nine years ago, July Weaver’s younger sister, May, was the first victim of a serial killer in rural Georgia, dubbed the Pacific Lake Killer.

After July’s own testimony puts her father away for the crimes, she decides she’s had enough. She flees her family home to try to make it on her own in Nashville.

Struggling with addiction and not necessarily achieving all her dreams career-wise, July finds herself in a bit of a rut. Then she gets a call from her family.

Ughhh, just when you think things can’t get any worse…

It appears her younger brother, Dec, who also struggles with substance abuse, has had a major setback and may even have tried to take his own life.

It’s one of her older brothers who reaches out to her and he insists that July comes home. They need to fix this as a family. Begrudgingly, she agrees and heads home for the first time in nine long years.

July heads home expecting an uncomfortable family reunion, what she’s not expecting is to discover new evidence that will make her question everything; her Dad, her choices and her sister’s death.

Is it possible the wrong man went away for the crimes? Is the Pacific Lake Killer still out there? And if they are, is there any way for July to make it right?

You Always Come Back was such a delightful surprise. I had no idea what to expect going into this debut, as far as quality goes, and I’ll tell you, I’m tickled pink.

I listened to the audiobook and recommend that as a format for people who have access to it. The narration brought this story to life and drew me in immediately.

I loved the overall tone of the story. It brought to mind a sort of hillbilly noir quality that I always enjoy. Fans of The Familiar Dark and Out of the Ashes should sit up and pay attention. This one is good!

I really enjoyed the way Smith told this story. The back-and-forth between past and present, as a way to develop the family dynamics and history, was so intriguing.

I found both perspectives equally fascinating and for me, the pace never slowed down once July got back home.

I do adore the trope of an MC returning to their hometown after many years away, looking into a mystery, or digging into something they have questions about. In that regard, this story fit my tastes to a tee.

In addition to that though, I just feel like this is great storytelling, start-to-finish. Interesting characters, an intriguing mystery and some unsettling atmosphere. What more can you want?

I am so happy to have read this and to have a new Mystery/Suspense author to fangirl over. I’m looking forward to reading Smith’s next novel!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. This one exceeded all my expectations!

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Review: Perfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah

~ megs14malloy

Perfectly Nice NeighborsPerfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Perfectly Nice Neighbors is an A++ Legal Thriller featuring major Neighborhood Drama from Kia Abdullah.

This is my second novel from Abdullah and I have given both 5-stars. I think it’s fair to say, I’m a huge fan!

As far as Thrillers with a Legal bent go, I don’t read a lot of them, only a few a year, but the ones I read, I do tend to enjoy. I feel like Abdullah brings such substance to her stories though, they almost go above and beyond.

In this story we follow two families. Salma, Bil and their son Zain, who are the new family on the street, and Tom, Willa and their son Jamie, long-time neighborhood residents.

It is important to note, Salma’s family is Bangladeshi, while Tom’s family is white. Also, please note, each family has a dog and the dogs are also involved in the drama.

You have been warned now about these two aspects. In other words, you may read things in this book that will make you uncomfortable. You may read things in this book that will make you angry, or emotional, but I promise, you’ll walk away with a lot of thoughts and it will be memorable.

Basically, Salma and Tom get into it. They get into it deep. This is a neighbor feud for the freaking record books. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.

As events escalate, the tension really amps up. I was squirming in my seat. It feels very unsafe, like a ticking time bomb, but how far will the battle be taken?

Y’all, I am always down for the drama. But this is a different sort of neighborhood drama than I’m used to. This was on a different level than most.

I appreciated how quickly Abdullah got to the action. She didn’t waste a lot of time on build-up. We meet Salma and her family, basically as they’ve just moved into their new home. It seriously takes no time at all for the event that leads to the initial confrontation to take place.

After that, each subsequent run-in just digs both families into their position deeper and deeper.

The snowball keeps rolling until the point where I was feeling emotionally drained. I don’t mean this as a bad thing, because hey, at least I was feeling something.

In fact, one of the things I love most about Abdullah’s stories is that she sets her Readers up with space to do some critical thinking. The way she frames her stories, it explores both sides, instead of hammering home with one character’s perspective. It’s so engrossing.

I feel like her style is a great platform for Readers to have some real self-reflective, as well as shoe-on-the-other-foot, moments. It feels written with such intention and what’s not to appreciate, and respect, about that.

I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy tense neighborhood dramas that explore current societal issues. I know this won’t work for everyone, but for the Readers who do end up enjoying it, I think they’ll walk away feeling like they’ve had a memorable reading experience.

Thank you so much to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to see what Abdullah comes up with next!

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Review: In a Quiet Town by Amber Garza

~ megs14malloy

In a Quiet TownIn a Quiet Town by Amber Garza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

In a Quiet Town is the latest release from one of my auto-buy authors, Amber Garza. I have read all of Garza’s published works and have enjoyed them all.

There’s just something so addicting and entertaining about her style of tense Domestic Dramas. There’s always a bit of mystery and intrigue, as well as interesting explorations of different familial relationships.

In this story we meet Tatum, a mother of two grown children and wife to a pastor in a small California town.

At the beginning of the story, we learn that Tatum has recently reconnected with her estranged daughter, Adrienne. Years ago, Tatum’s husband basically disowned Adrienne because she wasn’t living up to his lofty expectations.

Adrienne was happy to get out from under the thumb of her overbearing father and has been living her own life ever since, recently working as a bartender.

Tatum has missed having her daughter in her life and has started secretly visiting her at the bar. She was delighted when Adrienne seemed open to them reconnecting.

Tatum has become a regular at the bar, going in once a week on a night she knows Adrienne will be working. One night though, Adrienne isn’t there and none of her coworkers have seen or heard from her.

Tatum knows something is wrong. Adrienne is not the type of girl to just not show up at work. Plus, she knows it is the night her mother visits. She would have called in. Something must have happened to her.

As Tatum starts searching for Adrienne, she doesn’t find a lot of help. The police seem to think she has just run off for space, or whatnot, but Tatum knows that’s not true.

Eventually, she meets a man claiming to be Adrienne’s fiance. This comes as a complete shock to Tatum. Why didn’t Adrienne mention she was engaged?

Then again, they have just rekindled their relationship, perhaps her daughter felt it was too personal to share.

Regardless, Tatum is just happy that someone else is as distraught about Adrienne’s disappearance as she is. At the end of the day though, can she really trust this guy?

They begin working together trying to figure out where Adrienne is. As the intensity builds, it becomes clear that she didn’t leave of her own volition and could still be in terrible danger. Can Tatum find her before it’s too late?!

As always, I was immediately drawn in by Garza’s characters. From the start, I wanted to know more about Tatum and enjoyed learning about her life and family.

Garza excels at creating believable mother-child relationships. Sometimes I will be reading along and a quick line, or thought pattern, will give me chills or bring me close to tears. I always love the relationships she builds within her stories, because they aren’t always easy.

This one actually made me uncomfortable at times because it felt so real. There is a strong religious aspect due to Tatum’s husband being a pastor, which played a large role in Adrienne’s estrangement.

While I don’t have a lot of that in my background, and can’t really comment on how it would impact a family dynamic, the circumstances put forth in this novel seemed very believable to me.

I liked how Tatum, even though she was a mother of grown children, felt like she was still learning about herself, growing and coming into her own.

Part of her growth was due to the love of her children and her unwillingness to give up on Adrienne. I found that character growth really powerful. It was nice to see that just because she was a well-established adult, her life didn’t have to remain static. She could make changes.

It did get pretty intense. By about the halfway point, I was yelling at the book while reading. Particularly any scene involving a man. I wanted to smack them all.

Please note, that’s not my general demeanor, but these guys deserved it.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a tense domestic drama blended with a nice mystery. Bonus points, if you enjoy reading about mother-child relationships. Also, if you have enjoyed any of Amber Garza’s work in the past, you should definitely pick this one up.

Thank you so much to the publisher, MIRA, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will continue to pick up anything from this author and am already anticipating the next release!!

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Review: The Last One by Will Dean

~ megs14malloy

The Last OneThe Last One by Will Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Last One, the latest release from Will Dean, is the epitome of a book you want to go into blind. Trust me on this, the less you know about the story, the better.

I first heard of this book via my friend, Holly’s, review. Within her first two paragraphs, I learned this was set on a cruise ship and frankly, that was all I needed. I was sold.

Cruise Ship + Thriller = Something I’m Gonna Read.

I requested this one from the publisher and was so excited when they approved me for a copy. I started it pretty quickly after that, because it seemed like a perfect Summer Thriller.

Spoiler alert: I was right.

I was immediately intrigued and by the 8%-mark, my jaw was on the floor. What the heck had I gotten myself into?

Dean wastes no time getting the ball rolling. It went in a direction that I never in a million years would have expected. It was giving me eerie, Twilight Zone vibes and I was over the moon about it.

I read this so quickly. I couldn’t put it down once the suspense sets in. I had to know what was at the heart of this story and even after I found out, it didn’t answer everything. In fact, it got even more perplexing.

I just had a complete blast reading it. Fun, fast-paced, original and entertaining as heck. I also liked how, without giving too much away, it shined a light a bit on modern life; the way we function day-to-day as humans.

Finally, that ending. Oh my word! That was great. I love a story that can leave me with a little sinister smile on my face at the end and this one absolutely did.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an out of the box Thriller, especially if you think a Cruise Ship setting sounds enticing.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This one was ever more fun than I expected.

I’m looking forward to picking up more from this author!

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