The Couple on the Train: An absolutely compelling psychological thriller packed with suspense by Claire Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Just when I thought I had figured out The Couple on the Train, Claire Cooper threw a twist in that I did not see coming.
Since I read so many psych thrillers, I really enjoy it when an author does that.
I was convinced that it was a run-of-the-mill, obvious who the culprit is type book. I should have had more faith in the author.
Not only was I wrong about the perpetrator, but the truth was also so slyly hinted at that I totally missed it.
The story unfolds in “Then” and “Now” chapters, and the transitions are smooth. They’re also evenly spaced out. I didn’t realize until the very end that there was a reason for where each “Then” chapter was placed.
New readers should pay attention to that.
Laura is also an unreliable narrator. It’s unclear through most of the book if she is even mentally stable. No spoilers, but that plays heavily into the resolution…which was one of the more thrilling ones I’ve read in recent memory.
Oh, and stay tuned for the very end. I mean it – read to the last word. Or you’ll miss something important.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Couple on the Train and will be looking for the next psych thriller from Claire Cooper.
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One Last Secret-Parks-Thriller-Available Now
One Last Secret by Adele Parks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
One Last Secret by Adele Parks took me on quite a ride. I didn’t know what to expect at any given time, and I like that in a thriller. In fact, I usually don’t like super-gonzo twists, but in this case, the ones that occurred were just plausible enough to keep them from being too over-the-top. Dora was an interesting character, hardened by life but still caring enough to help a friend out – at her own peril. The author carefully chooses when to reveal another piece of Dora’s puzzle so that it coincides with what is occurring in the present narrative.
I didn’t really guess any of the twists (except for what was going on at the chateau – and even then, I was only partially right). The last third of the book – where everything starts to come together – was definitely a roller coaster. I didn’t know what to expect at any given point, and (as I mentioned) the twists were just believable enough to be entertaining. I would definitely recommend One Last Secret and will continue to look for more from Adele Parks. This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from MIRA. For more reviews, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews
The Soulmate-Hepworth-Psych Thriller-Coming Soon
Sally Hepworth has written a heckuva psych thriller with The Soulmate. Just when you think you know what is going on, you most definitely don’t.
Pippa and her husband, Gabe, own a house by a popular cliff. Unfortunately, it is popular for people who want to jump off of it. The setting is almost as important as the characters.
The story unfolds from two perspectives, Pippa’s and Amanda’s. The latter’s chapters are…unique. I’m not going to give away why, but it is one of the more clever plot threads I’ve read in recent memory.
The action jumps between Pippa and Amanda (and “now” and “then” for each of them), but it is never confusing. In fact, the author does a great job of keeping the action moving even though it is not linear.
This is partly helped by how each character often drops a hint at the end of the preceding chapter before the action shifts to another time period.
I also liked that it was ambiguous about who the soulmate was to whom. Each woman had their own opinion on the matter, and each believes in their version of love and commitment. But it turns out only one of them is correct.
Without giving anything away, the author also tackled a very sensitive subject (mental health) with respect. And it weaves into the plot in important ways that are slowly revealed over the course of the book.
I was up late reading The Soulmate. It is the kind of psych thriller that you can lose yourself in. Sally Hepworth continues to write books that I can’t wait to read.
This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from St. Martin’s Press.
NOTE: This book releases on April 4, 2023.
For more reviews like this, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks.
A Mother Would Know-Garza-Psych Thriller-Available Now
A Mother Would Know by Amber Garza is a slow-burn psych thriller with many moving parts that keep the reader guessing until the final pages.
Valerie is a broken person-fame is gone, she’s alone in an old Victorian house that may or may not be haunted, and she’s got personal ghosts of her own.
Her kids, Kendra and Hudson, are products of her life. Each one is a piece of work in their own way. But which one is worse, and who is responsible for all the bad events in their lives?
There’s a whole lot to unpack character-wise. The psych thriller comes partly as usual (who is doing what and why), but the psych part is especially prevalent.
Is it fair to blame one person’s choices for a lifetime of misery? At what point does personal responsibility play a part? And should a mother always be able to figure out her kids and know exactly what they are feeling or doing?
The author works hard to keep the mystery throughout the plot. Two particular events are the focus of the story, and the reader gets the truth of them in bits and pieces.
I liked the reflection on how Valerie’s life choices have made an impact on her kids. Additionally, the “who is responsible” was well done. I had theories that changed numerous times throughout the book.
And just when you think the author has wrapped things up satisfactorily and you are vindicated in your guesses…you’re probably wrong.
A Mother Would Know is a definite page-turner of a psych thriller. And I will continue to look for books from Amber Garza.
This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from MIRA. For more reviews like this, please browse this page.
The Lie in Our Marriage-Weatherley-Psych Thriller-Available Now
The Lie in Our Marriage by Anna-Lou Weatherley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Lie in Our Marriage is book number six in the Detective Dan Riley series. But (as with previous books) Anna Lou Weatherley strikes a great balance between psych thriller and crime thriller.
You can get the gist of the story from the blurb. What I like most about the author’s way of writing is that there is a clear delineation between the psych thriller and crime procedural chapters, but they weave together for a cohesive story. The transitions between the two are seamless.
I thought this plot, in particular, was engaging. The author manages to make the characters relatable to multiple ages. Older readers will relate to Maggie and her perspectives on marriage and middle age. Younger readers will embrace the social media/influencer aspect that her daughter Remy lives for. Again – great balance here.
One of the most striking things about the plot is the choice that Maggie forces herself to make. It is every married woman’s nightmare, and what she contemplates is almost unfathomable. But in the context of the story, her choices make sense, and one can understand them.
I also thought the crime procedural parts of the story were well-done. They were not too technical, but just enough to understand what was happening. And I appreciate how each of the characters in that thread is an individual. They’re not just faceless “law enforcement.”
I did guess part of the “reveal” fairly early, but the author threw in enough red herrings that I second-guessed myself a few times. I didn’t know I had guessed correctly until the actual climax.
If one wants to deep-dive into a pleasure read, I think readers could also take a lesson in trust and reliability from Len and Maggie’s situation. That’s all I am going to say about that.
I really enjoyed The Lie in Our Marriage. Anna Lou Weatherley has definitely found a winning formula between psych thriller and crime procedural, and I’ll be looking for the next Dan Riley book.
This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture. For more reviews, please browse this site.
All the Dangerous Things-Willingham-Thriller-Available Now
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
If you ever want to know what a person goes through when their child disappears, read All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham. Through Isabelle, the main character and sole POV, we get extensive detail about the sleeplessness, the doubt, the worry, the suspicion…everything you could imagine, and probably some emotions you would never think of.
Unfortunately, that’s where the book gets bogged down. There is SO much emphasis on Isabelle’s emotions and thoughts that any forward action is often hampered or lost. Not to sound mean, but it sometimes felt like the author was being paid by the word because it was all extremely verbose.
The plot itself is decent, and the childhood memories that start to surface as Isabelle works her way through life (while trying to find out what happened to her son) cast enough doubt on the situation to make the reader wonder whether or not Isabelle is a reliable narrator.
Despite this, the culprit seemed obvious to me early on. I did like how it all resolved itself, however. I did enjoy the realizations that Isabelle came to and the actions she took in the end. For me, the book was okay but might have been better with maybe a thousand fewer words and some tighter plotting. 2.5 rounded up to 3 due to the culprit receiving just desserts.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for a digital copy of this book. For more reviews, please browse this site!
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Just the Nicest Couple-Kubica-Thriller-Available Now
Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I wanted to like Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica, but while there were a few good points, I was largely disappointed. The premise was good, but the execution felt like it was lacking. I think the biggest sticking point for me was that Christian had a prominent voice, but he was actually a passive character in the bigger scheme of things. That left too much room for his internal monologues, which essentially stopped any action. There were also parts where the writing felt very elementary like this was an early novel from the author that is now seeing the light of day due to her success. Regardless, while this book was not for me, others may have a different experience. I will continue to look for new releases from her, as everyone can have an off time at any point. This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Harlequin Trade Publishing/ Park Row.
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The Favor-Murphy-Review-Thriller-Available Now
The Favor by Nora Murphy may just be one of my favorite thrillers this year, if not ever.
It’s not that it is thought-provoking in a groundbreaking manner, nor is it anything that hasn’t been addressed before.
However, it IS an excellent look at a very real problem that is often “not talked about” and it is approached so cleverly that the reader feels the emotions of the two main characters in real time.
As always, I don’t want to give too much away. But the reader knows right from the start that Leah is in a really bad place. She is instantly sympathetic.
And as we meet McKenna, the author wisely allows the reader to assume they know what the story will be about through Leah’s actions.
Chances are, you will guess wrong about this.
The story is told in two parts, from Leah’s and McKenna’s points of view. But roughly halfway through, the author pulls a trick that is so sly that you almost miss it.
It is one of the cleverest devices I have seen in recent memory.
I keep using the word “clever” (or variations of it) because I think it covers the gamut of things that this book is.
The author is never preachy about a touchy subject and handles it with grace and enough emotion that the reader feels it but doesn’t feel overwhelmed by it.
I’m going to start talking in circles to avoid plot points, so I’m going to stop here.
But seriously, do yourself a favor and read The Favor by Nora Murphy. I guarantee you’ll find it to be amazing.
Southern Bombshell-Review-2nd Chance Romance-Available Now
Southern Bombshell by Jessica Peterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have a serious love/hate reaction to Southern Bombshell. I love it because I love the family and the world they inhabit. Blue Mountain Farm, and the universe the author has created around it, is a place I want to visit (I think I have said that in past reviews, but it still holds true). More importantly, though, is that she has built a family so strong and resilient that they almost leap off the page in their realism. I also love that the stories sometimes run simultaneously with others from the series. For example, we know from past books that Millie and Nate had something going and it ended badly. Now we get to find out why. I have to get nitpicky to figure out what I didn’t like about the book – and I come up with Nate’s family not being as fleshed out as I would have liked. A bit more of his dad’s nastiness would have been good if only to savor the deliciousness of his downfall. But as I said, that’s being picky, because the whole book is just awesome. I especially liked the focus on June at the end.
Oh, and the hate part? Millie is the last of the Beauregard siblings, so it seems like this might be the end. Unless a few of the characters introduced in this story manage to get their own stories? Maybe a whole book for June? (Hint, hint).
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Watch Over-Review-Romance-Available Now
Watch Over by Amy Reece
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Watch Over is a quick and pleasant read. There is a sweet romance and a little bit of mystery – just enough to be interesting but not overpower the story. I loved the “meet cute” of Finn and Melanie, using the cat to send notes to each other. It made for a nice setup. There isn’t a lot of character development or deep thinking. It is just a simple story that moves along at a steady pace. Of course, there are the usual pitfalls (an ex-girlfriend who won’t go away) along with a mystery stalker. But the course of true love never does run smoothly. The climactic scene is a bit drawn out, but I liked how it allowed Mel to find a strength she didn’t know she had. Overall, it was a good read, and I would recommend it. It is my understanding that this is the first of a series (the DeLuca family) and I will be looking for subsequent books.
Here are a few other mystery/thriller/romances to check out: Consumed, Last Words
