QOTD: What’s the last mystery/thriller that had you guessing till the end?Genre: Mystery
If You Like:
– murder mysteries Poirot style
– multiple POV’s
* spoiler free review *
This was one of the rare times where I had no clue whodunnit. I had a feeling at about halfway through the book, but even then, I wasn’t entirely sure. 👏 Bloody brilliant! Everyone was sus the whole fucking way!! It was so much fun chatting about it with my reading buddies and trying to guess who it was. I had a whole list and everything!!
Not gonna lie. It was slow to start, and I almost DNF’d it. But it was my first time reading Clare Mackintosh and I wanted to give it a chance. I used the help of the audiobook (on Scribd) to get through the beginning and highly recommend going audio! The narrator was fantastic.
I’d also suggest it as a book club/group read. You’ll definitely wanna have someone to chat about it with while reading.
QOTD: Do you always read the description before picking up a book? Or do you go in blind?
Gurrrllll..this was some dark shit.
I know it said ‘disturbing’ on the cover, but I honestly thought it was an exaggeration. Let me tell ya. It is not! Even with the content warnings, I was definitely not expecting or prepared for that. 🤯
Kiwi here, may not have liked this book. But I did! It was like crack. That’s all I’m going to say. Less is more. So if you haven’t read it yet, I suggest you go in the same way I did. Blind and only knowing the trigger warnings, which is listed right at the beginning of the book.
Have you read this one?
While in college in upstate New York, Shay Evans and her best friends met a captivating man who seduced them with a web of lies about the way the world works, bringing them under his thrall. By senior year, Shay and her friend Laurel were the only ones who managed to escape. Now, eight years later, Shay’s built a new life in a tiny Texas suburb. But when she hears the horrifying news of Laurel’s death—delivered, of all ways, by her favorite true-crime podcast crusader—she begins to suspect that the past she thought she buried is still very much alive, and the predators more dangerous than ever.
Recruiting the help of the podcast host, Shay goes back to the place she vowed never to return to in search of answers. As she follows the threads of her friend’s life, she’s pulled into a dark, seductive world, where wealth and privilege shield brutal philosophies that feel all too familiar. When Shay’s obsession with uncovering the truth becomes so consuming she can no longer separate her desire for justice from darker desires newly reawakened, she must confront the depths of her own complicity and conditioning. But in a world built for men to rule it—both inside the cult and outside of it—is justice even possible, and if so, how far will Shay go to get it?
“Forgiveness is boring, but revenge . . . now, that’s a real thrill! Betray me once, and I will bury you, one shovel of dirt at a time.”
Genre: Mystery, Domestic drama, Chick Lit
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
QOTD: Do you like reality shows? (I.e Real Housewives? The Bachelor, etc)
If you like:
⁃ drama
⁃ Big Little lies by Liane Moriarty
⁃ desperate housewives
⁃ Multiple POV’s
If the real housewives make you roll your eyes, then step away cause this ain’t for you. But if you’re shameless like I am and kinda live for the drama, then add this to your tbr right now!
The hype is real y’all!! I knew very little going into this one. And I suggest you do the same if you haven’t read it. All I knew was that there was a group of upper class women, think Desperate Housewives. And one of them is dead. But which one?
Call it good timing, but this was just the kind of drama and bingeable read I needed! I had guessed who was dead early on, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of it. If anything, it was fun trying to see if I was right and watching things fall apart.
Highly recommend this on audio for my audiobook lovers. I loved the cast of characters! Especially Olivia. Argh..she was such a fucking cunt. But I loved every moment of hating her. 😆 And Shannon..omg. She was such a hot mess, I really felt for her!
I’m not going to say much more, cause I believe less is more in this case.
I’m going to try and keep this as spoiler free as possible, and will start by saying this definitely won’t be for everyone. Which is why I listed the trigger warnings first.
This was my first Jennifer Hiller book, and a much heavier read than I was expecting. Not quite the popcorn thriller I was looking for. But that’s not to say I didn’t like it. Quite the opposite actually. It kept me turning the pages and finished it in 2 days! Which is a world record for me.
A lot of the story was centred around Joey’s traumatic childhood, which was hard to read at times. Monster doesn’t even cut it for how awful Ruby was! I wanted her to die a slow and painful death!!
I had things figured out pretty early on, but it was still an enjoyable read.
Will I be reading any more of her books? I’m not sure to be honest. This was heavy, and if her other books are anything like this one, then imma pass.
Have you read this yet? Which books of hers have you read?
“The sheep spends its life worried about the wolf, only to be eaten by the farmer.”
Genre: Thriller
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)
QOTD: Have you ever worked the night shift?
🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧
If you like:
multiple POV’s/narrators
twisty endings
whodunnits
I think the less you know walking into this one, the better.
I had worked at Block Buster once upon a time and loved my time there. Really enjoyed the 90’s vibe! I was hoping the whole story would take place in the 90’s, but it was still a really good read.
Loved the cast of characters and twists at the end! That’s what really sealed the deal for me. The whole time I was questioning: Did he? OMG, is he?
You think you know..but trust me. You couldn’t be more wrong! 😆
I highly recommend going audio if you haven’t read this yet. It has a full cast! Something I love.
This is a hard one to review without any spoilers, but here it goes..
I wasn’t a fan of The Guest List, but I really enjoyed this one! It was a lot of fun trying to guess whodunnit. I had my list of suspects, but even then, Lucy Foley did a great job of adding those twists in the end! 👏👏 I didn’t see it coming! Well done!! Everyone in this book had secrets, making them all sus.
Not gonna lie. The pickier, twisted side of me, could have gone with a darker ending. But regardless, it was still very satisfying!
If you enjoyed Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, then I think you’ll like this one. Ok, but even if you didn’t like his book, I still think you should try this one. 😉🖤
What do you get when you read in the dark late at night, with a scene that involves a kidnapped girl & boy in a dark basement?? a fucking nightmare!! That’s what! Seriously. I could legit hear my heart pounding in my ears. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that kind of adrenaline rush!
Every time I picked this one up, I didn’t wanna put it down!
I did need to suspend some belief near the end, but I rolled with it anyway, and it was a twist of events I didn’t see coming.
👏👏👏 Well done Mary Kubica. This is your best one yet!
Are you an audio listener? Highly recommend this one on audiobook! I’m usually not a big fan of audiobooks, but enjoyed this one as it had multiple narrators. Even my hubby who doesn’t like reading fiction (let alone listen to one on audio), enjoyed listening in with me.
Trigger warnings: Kidnapping, child abuse
Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.
Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find…
In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times bestselling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.
** Thank you Harper Collins Canada for gifting me an ARC **
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 (4.5 Stars)
IF YOU LIKE:
⁃ Mystery and suspense
⁃ twists you don’t expect.
⁃ stories that keep you wondering: where is this all going?
After loving A Noise Downstairs, I knew Linwood Barclay would quickly become a ‘must read’ for me.
The last 25-30% had me mind-blown! 🤯
Initially, the story started off fairly simple with all the cards laid on the table..or so I thought. My only question was: how do these two stories connect? But then, Barclay does a fabulous job of sprinkling some added twists that you don’t see coming. Or at least, I didn’t!! Which by the way, is very rare! 👏👏 Bravo. This was a hell of a ride. And can I just say, Roberta..she was a hot 50-something in stilettos, and all I could picture in my head was Robin Wright. Who by the way, is gorgeous! Don’t know who she is? You know..House of Cards? She plays Antiope (Wonder Woman’s Aunt). Look her up!!
When it comes to thrillers and suspense, the less you know, the better! So if you’ve enjoyed Linwood Barclay’s previous books, I think you’ll enjoy this one. And even if you haven’t, you should still check this one out!
Tech millionaire Miles Cookson has more money than he can ever spend, and everything he could dream of—except time. He has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and there is a fifty percent chance that it can be passed on to the next generation. For Miles, this means taking a long hard look at his past . . .
Two decades ago, a young, struggling Miles was a sperm donor. Somewhere out there, he has kids—nine of them. And they might be about to inherit both the good and the bad from him—maybe his fortune, or maybe something much worse.
As Miles begins to search for the children he’s never known, aspiring film documentarian Chloe Swanson embarks on a quest to find her biological father, armed with the knowledge that twenty-two years ago, her mother used a New York sperm bank to become pregnant.
When Miles and Chloe eventually connect, their excitement at finding each other is overshadowed by a series of mysterious and terrifying events. One by one, Miles’s other potential heirs are vanishing—every trace of them wiped, like they never existed at all.
Who is the vicious killer—another heir methodically erasing rivals? Or is something even more sinister going on?
** Thank you Harper Collins Canada, NetGalley & Mira for providing me with an ARCand digital ARC **
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m normally not a fan of predictable whodunnits and plots, but I still really enjoyed this one, eventhough I had things figured out very early on.
I love multiple POV’s, especially when one of the characters is one you hate with a side of cray cray! I actually didn’t like any of the characters if we’re being honest. But that’s totally ok! I don’t always need to like the characters in order to enjoy the story. 🤓
Overall, this was a fast-paced, highly bingeable read. It kept me turning the pages and wanting to know what Jack’s deal was, along with how things would go down.
He wakes up on a deserted beach in Maryland with a gash on his head and wearing only swim trunks. He can’t remember who he is. Everything—his identity, his life, his loved ones—has been replaced by a dizzying fog of uncertainty. But returning to his Maine hometown in search of the truth uncovers more questions than answers.
Lily Reid thinks she knows her boyfriend, Jack. Until he goes missing one night, and her frantic search reveals that he’s been lying to her since they met, desperate to escape a dark past he’d purposely left behind.
Maya Scott has been trying to find her estranged stepbrother, Asher, since he disappeared without a trace. Having him back, missing memory and all, feels like a miracle. But with a mutual history full of devastating secrets, how far will Maya go to ensure she alone takes them to the grave?
Chapter 1—The Man from the Beach
Cold. Cold was the first word that came to mind. The first thing I noticed when I woke up. Not a slight, uncomfortable chill to give me the shivers, but a cramp-inducing, iced-to-the-bone kind of frozen. I lay flat on my stomach, my left ear and cheek pressed into the rough, grainy wet ground beneath me, my entire body shaking. As my thoughts attempted to assemble themselves into some form of understandable order, a wave of icy water nipped at my bare toes and ankles, my instincts pulling my feet out of reach.
I had a sudden urge to get up, a primal need to take in my surroundings and assess the danger—was I in danger?—but the throbbing pain deep in my head made the slightest effort to shift anything seem impossible. Lifting a finger would be too much effort, and I acquiesced, allowing myself to lie still for another few freezing seconds as the frigid water crept over the balls of my feet again. When I blinked my eyes open, I was met by a thick, fuzzy darkness enveloping me like a cloak. Where the hell was I? And wherever it was, what was I doing here?
When I lifted my head a fraction of an inch, I could barely make out anything in front of me. There was hardly a noise either, nothing but a gentle, steady rumble in the background, and the cry of a bird somewhere in the distance. I made my brain work its way backward—bird, rumble, sand, water—and the quartet formed the vaguely cohesive image of a beach.
Searching for confirmation, I inhaled the salty, humid air deep into my lungs as another slosh of water took aim at my calves. This time the discomfort was enough to push me to my feet, and I wrapped my arms around my naked torso, my sopping board shorts clinging to my goose-bump-covered thighs. An explosion of pain in my head threatened to send me back to my knees, and I swayed gently, wishing I had something to steady myself with, willing my body to stay upright. As I pressed a hand to the side of my skull, I let out a quiet yelp, and felt along a two-inch gash in my scalp. My eyes had adjusted somewhat to the lack of light, and my fingertips were covered in something dark that smelled of rust. Blood. How had I…?
Another low rumble made me turn around, shuffling slowly in a semicircle. The behemoth effort was rewarded by the sight of a thousand glistening waves dancing under the moonlight like diamonds, the water stretching out and disappearing into the darkness beyond. As my ears tuned in to the rhythmic whoosh of the waves, my mind worked hard to process each scrap of information it took in.
I’m definitely on a beach. It’s nighttime. I’m alone. What am I doing here?
Before I could answer the single question, a thousand others crowded my brain, an incessant string of chatter I couldn’t stop or get away from.
Where is everyone? Never mind them, where am I? Have I been here long? How did I get here? Where was I before? Where are my clothes? What day is it?
My legs buckled. Not because of the unfamiliar surroundings, the cold burrowing its way deeper into my core, or the pain in my head, which had increased tenfold. No. My knees hit the sand with a dull crunch when I realized I couldn’t answer any of the questions because I couldn’t recall anything. Nothing. Not the tiniest of details.
Including my name.
Chapter 2—Lily
A frown settled over my face as I put my phone on the table, pushed the bowl of unfinished berry oatmeal away and stretched out my legs. It was Saturday morning, and I’d been up for ages, too eager—too hopeful—to spend a day at the beach with Jack, but those plans had been a literal wash-out. The start to the summer felt capricious, with this second storm in the last week of June poised to be much worse than the first. I’d convinced myself the weatherwoman had exaggerated or got her forecast completely wrong, but clouds had rolled in overnight anyway. As a result, I’d been unceremoniously woken up at two thirty by a trio of bright lightning, deafening thunderclaps and heavy raindrops pelting against my bedroom window.
At first, I’d pulled my pillow over my head to deafen the noise, and when that didn’t work, I rolled over and stretched out an arm. The spot next to me was empty and cold, and I groaned. Jack hadn’t come over to my place as I’d hoped he would, slipping into bed and pressing his naked body against mine. I’d buried my face back into my pillow and tried to ignore the tinge of disappointment. We hadn’t seen much of each other this past week, both of us too busy with our jobs to spend more than a night together, and I missed him. Jack had called the day before to tell me he’d be working late, finishing the stain on the cabinets he’d labored on for weeks before his boss had to let him go. Apparently expensive custom kitchens weren’t in as high demand in Brookmount, Maryland as originally thought.
“But you got laid off,” I’d said. “It’s your last day. Why do you care?”
“Because I made a commitment. Besides, it’ll help when I need a reference.”
Typical Jack, always keeping his word. He’d bought a lottery ticket once, and the clerk had jokingly asked if he’d give him half of any winnings. Jack had laughed and shaken the man’s hand, and when he won ten bucks on the ticket, had promptly returned to the store, and paid over the share as promised. His loyalty was one of the many things I loved about Jack, although part of me wished he weren’t quite as dedicated to his soon-to-be ex-boss.
“You could come over to my place when you’re done,” I said, smiling slowly. “I’ll leave the key under the umbrella stand. I don’t mind you waking me up gently in the middle of the night…or not so gently.”
Jack laughed softly. The sound was something I’d fallen in love with eighteen months ago after our eyes had met across a crowded bar, the mother of all uninspired first-encounter clichés, except in this case I’d been forced to admit clichés weren’t always a bad thing.
“It’ll be really late, Lily,” he said, his voice deep. His English accent was something of a rarity in our small coastal town, and still capable of making my legs wobble in anticipation of his next words. “I’ll go for a quick swim now, then finish up work. How about I come over in the morning? Around nine? I’ll bring you breakfast in bed.”
“Blueberry pancakes from Patti’s? With extra maple syrup?”
“This time I’ll order three stacks to make sure I get some.”
“Pancakes or sex?” I said, before telling him how much I loved him, and whispering exactly how I’d thank him for waking me with sweet weekend treats. I’d hoped it might change his mind and he’d come over earlier, except it was ten now, and he still hadn’t showed. It was odd. Jack detested being late as much as he loved being early. He often joked they set Greenwich Mean Time by his father’s old watch, which Jack had worn since his dad passed a little over a decade before we’d met, when Jack was only twenty.
I checked my phone again. Jack hadn’t answered either of my calls, another anomaly, but I tried to talk myself into believing he’d worked late into the night to make the final good impression he wanted, and overslept. Maybe there was a line at Patti’s—the restaurant was slammed every weekend—and perhaps his phone was set to silent.
I picked up my bowl and wandered to the kitchen. My place was the smallest of six apartments, a tiny but well-maintained one-bedroom in a building a few miles from the beach, farther than I’d planned, but the closest I could afford. I’d lived there for almost five years, had furnished it with an eclectic assortment of third-hand furniture, my favorite piece a royal blue microfiber sofa I’d bought for fifty bucks, and which Jack swore was the most comfortable thing he’d ever sat on. Whenever he sank down into it and pulled me on top of him with a contented sigh, I’d tease him about what made him happier; the squishy, well-worn cushions, or me.
“So yeah, I see dead people. As far as I can remember, I always have.”
“You get used to marvelous things. You take them for granted. You can try not to, but you do.”
After his last two releases being a complete disappointment for me, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this. I had been wanting to read it for months, but at the same time was hesitant. I even broke buying ban just to get my hands on it. Which by the way..totally worth it!!
For some, the ending will having you thinking WTF?!! And may possibly even ruin it for you. But for me, I can’t say I was surprised if we’re being honest. It had actually crossed my mind early on in the story.
The narrating was really what brought this book to life. It was kinda like A Christmas Story & The Wonder Years. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much, had it been written in third person.
The story is told by Jamie Conklin who can see ghosts (think the movie Sixth Sense), from the time he was a child until now.
I absolutely loved Jamie. There were times he made me laugh out loud. Liz, on the other hand..*shaking my head* I had a bad feeling about her from the start.
I have to say, this was one of the first stories I’ve read where I thought a character got what they deserved!
The son of a struggling single mother, Jamie Conklin just wants an ordinary childhood. But Jamie is no ordinary child. Born with an unnatural ability his mom urges him to keep secret, Jamie can see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine—as he discovers when an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave.
The Beachy Reader 