Tag: thriller

Posted in Book Review

Review: What Big Teeth, by Rose Szabo

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

Eleanor Zarrin’s family is not normal. Estranged from them for years, she returns home after an incident at boarding school. While trying to come to grips with how she fits into her strange and spooky family, she uncovers secrets that reveal more darkness than she expected.

My impressions:

This book honestly blew me away. I loved every minute of it, from the luxuriously gothic setting to the Addams Family-esque characters. Eleanor was impossible not to root for, and I felt pulled along into her world as she settled into it herself.

If you enjoy whimsical gothics, you will almost certainly adore this book as much as I have. I get most of my books from the library, and I loved this one so much that upon finishing it, I bought myself a copy to keep forever so that I can read it as often as I want. The writing style is lush, sometimes bordering on almost purple prose, but to such magnificent effect you’ll want to keep a little notepad to write quotes down in while you read. It’s not often that I gush so unabashedly about something, but this is honestly one of the best books I’ve read in years.

Perfect for curling up with this fall, you’ll want to drink this book in with a strong cup of tea and a plate of cookies. Let yourself be chilled and enthralled by Eleanor’s spooky family, you won’t regret being along for the ride.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

Three years ago, two teenage sisters disappeared.
Now, Cass has returned, with a mysterious story
that doesn’t quite add up. Forensic psychiatrist
Abby Winter is determined to get to the bottom
of what really happened when Cass and Emma
went missing three years ago, and why Cass
seems to be lying now.

My impressions:

Another fabulous thriller from Wendy Walker. This
book is sure to keep you on the edge of your
seat from start to finish, and the twists, which
feel both unexpected and completely earned, are
sure to entertain.

Cass is an enthralling narrator, and puzzling
out how reliable her tale is adds to the fun
of this suspenseful read. The twists are
setup well and executed beautifully.

If you enjoy Walker’s other books, you’ll
like this one too. It’s a fun scare, with
plenty of suspicious characters and
dubious clues.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: Don’t look for Me by Wendy Walker

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

To almost everyone, it appears that Molly Clarke
simply walked away from her life. A note is even
found in a hotel room, apologizing to her
family, and telling them not to look for her.
Her daughter, who refuses to believe Molly left
willingly, is the only one still determined to
find her.

My impressions:

This was an incredibly tense suspense novel, one
which I absolutely couldn’t put down until the end.
The alternating points of view add a lot to the
already intense suspense. With a cast of extremely
compelling characters, this is one thriller you’ll
want to stay up all night to finish.

Wendy Walker has a really well developed
authorial voice, which makes her books a
particular delight to read. I’m eager to read
more books by this author, as this one kept me
on the edge of my seat.

Fans of Megan Miranda and Ruth Ware are
bound to enjoy this nail-biter. If you’re looking
for a book you’ll want to devour in a single
sitting, this is just the thing for you.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

Posted on by writingkat95

The book:

Fern has depended on her sister Rose for as
long as she can remember. She trusts Rose
absolutely, and when Rose mentions that she
is struggling to convene, Fern decides that she
should pay back Rose for a lifetime of help
by having a baby for her. In alternating
POV, this book explores the nature of
the sisters’ relationship, and reveals the dark
secrets behind Fern’s lack of faith in herself and
her depend and on Rose.

My impressions:

I’ll be honest, this book gave me a stomachache.
It’s an excellently written mystery, one that got
into my head and truly disturbed me. The
depictions of ableism towards Fern were triggering,
though, and I advise caution if that’s something
you aren’t comfortable reading about.

Aside from that, it really was an excellent book,
with plot twists that felt both surprising and yet
somehow inevitable. I absolutely could not put
the book down from start to finish. Fern and
Rose felt Fully fleshed out and were certainly
memorable. Hepworth’s writing style is near
iconic for the way suspense quietly builds
until the climax. If you’re looking for a
book to lose sleep over, this could be the
book for you.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

After moving to a small town in Texas, Sophie
becomes increasingly obsessed with her
neighbor, Margo. Margo invites her to take part
in her exclusive club, the Hunting Wives, and
Sophie finds herself drawn further and further into
the twisted secrets of the other women. When
someone turns up dead, Sophie fears one of
the Hunting wives might’ve had something to do with
it.

My impressions:

Everything’s bigger in Texas-and apparently
that includes the secrets. Despite all the crime
and deception, this book was a refreshingly fun
romp without too much disturbing content.
The underlying current of tension that pervades
the interactions between Margo and Sophie
felt palpable, really lending the book some
extra suspense.

Fans of Finlay Donovan is killing it are likely
to enjoy this darkly funny thriller. The
atmosphere is spot on, the heat and humidity
of Texas practically seeping through the
pages. If you’re looking For a fun read with
a side of murder, this just might be the book
for you.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

When Mariana’s niece, Zoe, tells her that one of
her classmates has been found murdered, dark
specters of Mariana’s own past begin to haunt
her. She is convinced that the enigmatic
classics professor Edward Fosca is responsible,
and she sets out to prove it or die trying.

My impressions:

I really expected to like this book, and for the
most part, I did. Unfortunately, the longer the
book went on, the more it seemed to unravel.

The twists didnt feel organic, and some of the
plot points felt more like the author trying to be
clever and less like natural consequences of
the characters interacting.

Still, despite all that, it was a thoroughly fun
read. The atmosphere was wonderfully spooky,
and I loved the almost gothic vibe of the
setting. If you like dark academia, you’ll
probably enjoy this book.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

Posted on by writingkat95


The Hook:

When Sadie Loman disappears,
her family becomes suspicious of her
best friend, Avery Greer, a girl from
“the wrong side of town.” A year
later, Avery works to uncover the
real truth behind what happened
to Sadie.

My Impressions:

This book kept me on my toes from start to
finish. There were twists along the way
that even made me gasp out loud.
Sadie felt like a tangible presence,
haunting me until I read on to find
out what became of her.

Megan Miranda’s narrative style works
wonderfully to create a sense of
tension and even claustrophobia as the
tight knit Maine town Avery grew up in
becomes more and more menacing as
her suspect list grows.

This book is an excellent read for mystery fans,
and serves as a perfect entry point to
Miranda’s works.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review, Uncategorized

Review: Tell Me Everything, by Cambria Brockman

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

A tight knit group of college friends is thrown under suspicion when one of their group meets a tragic fate during a night of partying. Someone in the group knows more than they are telling, and everyone has secrets they’d rather not come to light.

My impressions:

This book got ahold of me and didn’t let go until I’d finished it. Every twist was perfectly timed, and as I pieced together the clues and foreshadowing, I found myself repeatedly whispering “oh no, oh NO” under my breath. If you’re a hardcore mystery fan, this is a perfect book to devour in one frantic sitting. Fans who are less used to the brutality of some of the darker books of the genre may want to seek out a spoiler free trigger warning list, as there are certainly some parts of the book that are quite disturbing. Even as a seasoned lover of mystery novels, I found myself queasy and disturbed by some of the scenes near the end of the book, and I don’t recommend it to anyone who dislikes depictions of gruesome material. There’s not much gore exactly, it’s more that the descriptions of some plot elements are psychologically disturbing. All that said, if you go into it prepared for all that, it’s an incredibly well written book that you’ll be unable to put down.

Fans of the shows Criminal Minds and How To Get Away With Murder will enjoy this twisty read. If you’re looking for a tangled tale to keep you up at night, you’ll love this book.

-Happy Reading

Posted in Book Review

Review: People Like Her, by Ellery Lloyd

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

Emmy Jackson makes a living as an influential mommy blogger, exaggerating and even fabricating details of her life to appeal to an ever-growing audience. She hasn’t realized yet that someone wants to hurt her and her family, but she will soon. Someone believes Emmy deserves to lose it all- and she just might.

My impressions:

This book may look like a fun, zippy read, but make no mistake, it is DARK. I went in with assumptions about the tone and was pleasantly surprised that it was a lot more tense and suspenseful than I expected. The author skillfully built incredible tension even during seemingly innocuous scenes. Something as simple as a child’s birthday party felt sinister, and the entire story had my stomach churning with anticipation.

I would caution that if you are a parent, this book might hit a bit close to home. Parts of the plot revolve around danger to the protagonist’s children, and some readers may find that particularly upsetting. However, I can say without spoiling too much that I think readers will find the ending satisfying, and the journey getting there is certainly full of compelling twists.

Fans of Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware will likely enjoy this fast paced thriller. I certainly found it to be impossible to put down until the ride was over.

-Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Herd, by Andrea Bartz

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

When the leader of a notorious women’s only workspace group goes missing, journalist Katie seizes the opportunity to look into the truth behind the glamorous image of The Herd and its enigmatic missing leader Eleanor.

My impressions:

Whether or not social commentary and parody are your bag, this mystery is compelling and compulsively readable. Tightly plotted and full of interesting characters, this book holds up as an excellent thriller without relying too heavily on it’s gimmicks to stay interesting. The writing style is snappy and flows well, making it a thoroughly enjoyable read. I dare you not to finish it in a single sitting!

Fans of “People Like Her” and “A Simple Favor” will love the stylish prose and darkly funny wit in this hit novel. If you’re looking for something to scratch that elusive itch of humor and murder, this is absolutely the book for you. I highly recommend it to both veteran mystery fans and newcomers to the genre, as it makes for a great entry point into the mystery thriller world.

-Happy Reading!