Month: May 2023

The Last Holiday by Amy Sheppard is the type of psych thriller that has a lot going on. It’s up to the reader to sort out what is important and what isn’t.

The base of the plot is good. A group of friends gathers together for the last holiday together. Do they know it’s the last one? Have they had others? That’s a little murky (more on that later).

The dynamic of the group is interesting. We get that they go back years and that they’ve maintained ties over time. But there’s been a rift lately for some reason.

I think that is the one thing that drags the story down. It didn’t feel like they had really been all that close in recent years, so the whole holiday thing felt…forced.

Maybe that was the point?

At any rate, once the author introduces everyone (via chapters from different POVs), it soon becomes apparent that this once-tight group has a LOT of secrets that they’ve all been hiding from each other. So, when a major event happens, it’s not a surprise that everyone starts looking at each other sideways.

I thought the character dynamics were okay. Some of the relationships were a bit difficult to grasp, but as secrets were revealed, it became obvious why those were tenuous.

I didn’t quite get the point of the relationship the DI had with the group. It felt superfluous. However, she had a part in a couple of good twists, so I guess she was useful.

Overall, The Last Holiday had me turning pages to find the next revealed secret (and, of course, to solve the “whodunit”). I’ll definitely be looking for the next psych thriller from Amy Sheppard.

As I read My Word Against His by Lauren North, I was never quite sure where the author was going. That’s a good thing in a psych thriller.

Celia is the main character, and we get most of the plot from her perspective. This makes for interesting reading because it is difficult to get a bead on her.

Is she trustworthy? Stable? Insane? Lying?

My opinion of her changed quite often, which made for dynamic reading.

I like how the author broke the story into different parts, each with varying points of view – but with Celia as the constant. It was a unique method of storytelling, and it worked.

While the first part is taut with anticipation, the conflict between Celia and Sam continues even as the reader gets events from other people’s points of view. It sounds a bit convoluted, but in reading the story – it isn’t. It all makes sense.

I had a feeling about Celia’s “memories” and how they influence her current situation. But the author left just enough false clues to make me question whether or not I was right (I was).

But even with that, there were times when I couldn’t tell who was lying and who wasn’t. These parts were especially “psych thriller” on the reader as much as the characters.

There are a few things that didn’t quite fit (to me). Sam’s story seems like more a vehicle (pun intended) than anything with substance. I kept waiting for a twist there. And I wish that Henry’s story was a little bit more fleshed out – maybe a few more scenes from his perspective.

However, the twists at the end are really good and lay to rest any doubt as to how Celia’s attitude and actions have influenced her family over the years.

My Word Against His is a solid psych thriller, and I look forward to reading more from Lauren North.

I enjoyed The Babysitter’s Secret, the latest psych thriller from Casey Kelleher. It contains enough action to keep it interesting – and to keep me guessing.

Part of that is the way it’s written. The story unfolds from different points of view. A majority of the book goes back and forth between Emily and Sasha. Cecelia does have a perspective in later chapters.

It all works well for a holistic view of events. Especially as it is unclear exactly how Emily and Sasha’s stories relate to each other.

When that connection starts to become apparent, the plot really thickens (as they say).   

The author leaves tantalizing clues along the way. Some are fairly obvious. Some are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it (only to be clear later).

I will say that I didn’t guess most of the secrets. One big one I figured out fairly early on. However, I wasn’t sure how the author would use it in the plot.

And let’s talk about that twisty, turny plot. The author definitely keeps the reader guessing. There are enough parallels between past and present stories to keep the reader off-balance. I was never quite sure what is reality and what is imagined.

Because there is an element of trauma in the characters’ actions. Yes, that’s plural. How each one handles it is more alike than you will initially believe.

And just when you think that you understand everyone’s motivations, the author still saves a couple of big twists right for the very end. As I’ve mentioned before, I like to try to “outguess” the author.

In this case, I have notes that range from “Called it!” to “Maybe not…” to “Oh, whoa!” to “Nope, wrong.” I do love an author who can take me through that range.

The Babysitter’s Secret does take a bit of time to really get going, but the early chapters are vital to what comes later. So, stick with it, and you’ll find that Casey Kelleher has written one heckuva psych thriller!

The Woman in Carriage 3 by Alison James is the type of psych thriller that makes the reader think it is going in a certain direction. But then ends up going in a completely different one.

And that’s a good thing.

Hattie is an interesting “heroine.” There’s no other word for her – she’s an absolute mess. She drinks too much, has one-night stands, and can’t hold a job. Someone to really root for, right?

Due to an unfortunate circumstance during a commute, there is a delay on the train she travels on. So, she joins a small group of other commuters to pass the time.

Little does she know that this innocent meeting will lead to all kinds of excitement, both good and bad. And it is anything but innocent.

What follows is very reminiscent of “The Talented Mr. Ripley” – but not exactly. There’s subterfuge, deceit, uncertainty, heroism…and a lot of secrets.

The author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing as to who knows what and when. How everything is tied together also remains unclear. There are more than a few twists and surprises along the way as well.

I was actually drawn in by Hattie’s mess because I was rooting for her to find some kind of footing. But because of that, I was skeptical of just about everything that happened to her. It kept me involved.

There are moments of “Wow, that’s a lot.” But that is okay, too, because it kept the plot moving at a good pace. There are also a couple of red herrings that don’t exactly land. And one character virtually disappears with a lame excuse.

But again, it’s all okay because the overall plot is engaging.

The Woman in Carriage 3 does not require a lot of concentration. The author does a good job of keeping things fairly simple but interesting. Alison James has written a good page-turning psych thriller, and I look forward to other books from her.

The Bedroom Window by K.L. Slater starts with a prologue that raises several questions and keeps the reader in suspense, wondering how that scene fits into the rest of the psych thriller plot.

I love it when a book does that. It gives the story an air of mystery.

Lottie and Neil hope for a fresh start after a few turbulent years, and they think Neil’s new job is just the kick they need to renew their family dynamic. Why is it so important? Because reasons.

However, shortly after arriving at Seaspray House and their new cottage, Lottie begins to sense that there’s something not quite right about Neil’s new employers. Ted and Neeta are well-known in the town, but they’re also something of a mystery.

Do they have an ulterior motive for hiring Neil? What is he hiding? For that matter, what is Lottie hiding? Heck, what are Ted and Neeta hiding? Everybody has secrets in this book.

The author did a great job of leaving little hints and clues along the way, along with some good cliffhanging chapter endings. The action unfolds mostly from Lottie’s point of view, but Neil does have a few chapters.

There are also chapters from Lottie’s past scattered throughout. All of it works together to whet the reader’s appetite for solving the “mystery” surrounding the characters.

I will say that once the revelations start, they come pretty fast. Not all of them hit as completely plausible, but that’s okay because they are entertaining. Who minds a little suspended disbelief in a psych thriller anyway?

And as for that prologue? The author wisely saves that for one of the biggest twists of all.

The Bedroom Window starts a bit slow as the groundwork is laid, but the twists and revelations make it worthwhile. K.L. Slater has written another solid psych thriller.

I’m a big fan of Victoria Jenkins, so of course I was happy to see her new psych thriller Happily Married available to read.

I don’t mind saying, though, that throughout the first part, I kept thinking that it didn’t feel like her usual stuff. It felt more…I don’t know….”mean” than her usual stuff. Like true evil instead of messing with someone’s head.

But even in those early chapters, I couldn’t help but look for the twist. I knew it had to be there, because I didn’t think she would go too far from her winning style. At one point, I thought I had it figured out but thought it couldn’t possibly be the case.

I was half right.

At any rate, by the time you finish with part one, you’ll be questioning everything you thought you knew to that point. So when you start part two, it’s almost like reading a new book.

Which is kinda cool.

The rest of the story – after that first big revelation – unwinds in a fashion more typical of the author. But with an added level of that particular secret.

(Obviously trying NOT to give anything away).

In retrospect, the whole book is very typical Victoria Jenkins, with other secrets and ulterior motives of the characters. And, as usual, the end drops revelations that show the reader an…alternate perspective (shall we say) of earlier events.

I love this author’s books. I know if I’m in the mood for a psych thriller, I’ll find a good one by Victoria Jenkins. Happily Married is a perfect example.