November 4, 2022

I like a good psych thriller where there are multiple suspects for whatever trickery is going on. The Daughter-in-Law by Shalini Boland falls squarely in that category.

The story starts with a prologue (as these often do) and then jumps to the current time. This prologue is one of the ones that you know involves the main characters – you just don’t know who or why.

I thought the premise was good, maybe a bit unbelievable, but that’s the way psych thrillers go. In this case, the cleverness of the author is that the characters are written in a way that makes the reader unsure of who to trust.

For example, alternating points of view between Caroline and Lillian give us the plot and tell us the story. However, it is difficult to get a handle on both of them. Caroline is off on the wrong foot, and Lillian seems overbearing.

But are they actually in the positions they seem to be in?

I know that sounds convoluted, but (as always) I don’t want to give anything away.

The Daughter in Law blog tour schedule — Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0BFX32X13social
Audio:
UK: zpr.io/DWL7cbyqLuzU
US: zpr.io/9NZ3rJhcPNhm

After their roles are (somewhat) clear, a third perspective appears. At first, those brief chapters seem disjointed. But a little more information appears each time.

It’s up to the reader to put 2+2 together, and some readers may come up with 5. I did figure out one twist, but the author had a couple of others I did not guess. Some of my guesses were wrong. I appreciate a plot that makes me change my mind about the characters.

A psych thriller is difficult to write about because a small slip could ruin the experience for another reader. However, I will say that you can read this quickly. I read it in one sitting. It clipped along at a good pace, and I was never bored.

Shalini Boland has become a favorite psych thriller author, and The Daughter-in-Law is a perfect example of why I will continue to look forward to her novels.

Plain ol’ horror is not usually my thing, but when I saw the description for The App by Stuart James, I knew I had to give it a try.

I am so glad I did. It was the perfect choice for the time of year. (This review is being written the weekend of Halloween).

Not only is it a solid horror/thriller, but it is also a searing commentary on social media and how careless people have become.

That said, it’s not preachy. The message is clear in the actions and reactions of the characters.

The setup is simple. People get a message from a friend, stating that if they want to win some money, they just have to click a link, download an app, and follow the instructions.

Sounds easy enough.

But you know from the genre that there is going to be so much more to it.

I don’t want to give anything away – look at the blurb for more info.

And while the horror aspects will satisfy any lover of the genre, I found myself more pulled in by the thriller aspect. Especially when it comes to the focus on social media.

I should probably throw in here that I currently work with people in cybersecurity. As such, my days are often spent finding the latest threats and summarizing them for shareholders and customers.

One of the most common threads of every data breach and cyberattack is human error. And that usually translates into “someone clicked a link that they shouldn’t have,” often from a text message or email.

So, when I saw that was the method for The App, I was intrigued…to say the least. Let it be a lesson to NEVER CLICK A LINK!!!

Anyway, the writing was sharp, the story was plotted well, and the action was consistent. My only complaint involves the backstory of the madman behind the misery of the app.

I thought it was plausible and quite detailed. However, it took me a while to figure out how it was fitting into the overall story. That’s a minor gripe, but still.

I don’t know that I’m a convert to the horror genre, but I definitely will be looking for the next book by Stuart James.