Fireflies & Free Kicks Fiction Reviews

The Girl at the Party by Danielle Stewart is a decent psych thriller that mostly delivers in a unique way.

The reader knows something bad occurred that fractured a group of college friends. Some of them appear to have dealt with it better than others. But none of them are thrilled when one of them wants to revisit the case.

Apparently, a lot happened on the last night of college, and these so-called friends have been hiding many secrets from each other…for years.

I liked the concept of a podcast being the impetus for revisiting the cold case murder. However, I wish there had been more of it instead of just talking about it. I think the story could have benefitted from being broken up by podcast episodes.

It would have also made some of the reveals more dynamic. As it was, it often seemed like a lot of exposition as the two main characters, Laura and Chris, interviewed people and then discussed the podcast.

There were also a few characters who I thought would have figured more prominently – but they appeared briefly for an interview, a few brief mentions of their past involvement, and then essentially disappeared.

Even the victim in the whole situation gets pretty short shrift in the story. We never really get to know her…mostly through recollections.

While I think it all could have been told more dynamically, the author did a good job of keeping the reader guessing. And the resolution is not as straightforward as you may think.

I enjoyed The Girl at the Party and look forward to reading the next psych thriller from Danielle Stewart.

The Bigamist by Rona Halsall is a psych thriller that catches the reader thoroughly by surprise multiple times. And it’s one of my favorite books that I have read this year.

Initially, Emma attends a bereavement group and meets Sam. Their relationship proceeds quickly. They get married, and Emma finds herself pregnant (not necessarily in that order). But when she calls Sam about something, a woman answers, saying that SHE is Sam’s wife.

What is going on? Who is lying? Why is Emma paranoid? What does Faith have to do with anything? And what’s with the cryptic text messages she starts receiving and sending?

There is so much more than meets the eye in this psych thriller that I’m afraid this is going to be a short review because I REALLY don’t want to give anything away. You have to experience these twists for yourself.

And boy, there are a LOT of twists.

I actually guessed a couple of them, but that’s only because (as I’ve mentioned before) I like to try to think of the craziest things I can to see if the author actually “goes there.”

Trust me, Rona Halsall most definitely “goes there” in this book!

My opinion about Emma changed several times as secrets were revealed. But it wasn’t until I wrote this review that I realized how clever the author is in developing Emma’s character.

It really is a case of the reader having a few psych moments – almost more than the characters themselves. And I’m here for that kind of writing every single time!

I know this is a cagey review, but just trust me when I say that if you think you understand everything in The Bigamist, you probably don’t.

It’s a psych thriller that will keep you thinking long after you finish the book. Oh, and with that ending, I would love to see Rona Halsall write a sequel!

It takes most of the book to find out what is The Truth About the Accident, but Nicole Trope makes the journey worthwhile in her new psych thriller.

The prologue introduces us to a pivotal character – without letting us know exactly who that is and who is speaking about them. That becomes important later in the book, as chapters from this person pop up throughout the plot.

The first chapter is also a grabber, as it consists of calls to 911 following an accident in an intersection during a torrential rainstorm. If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice something striking right from the beginning.

(No spoilers, just pay attention to what the callers are saying).

The rest of the story unfolds from the perspectives of three women: Marla, Sonya, and Athena. Each of them has a tie to the victim of the accident. And each of them has deep secrets – also tied to the victim.

The author does a good job of keeping the reader guessing as to the ulterior motives of each while also building each of the women’s characters. Are they more similar than they (and we as readers) think? Is there something they know that the reader doesn’t?

And that “speaker” in the prologue…is that one of the women or someone else? Not telling.

In time, the twists really start to hit, and the reader realizes how the stories of the three women intertwine. It’s just excellent pacing all around.

One of the things I liked was the authenticity of each of the women. Their attitudes, reasonings, and motivations are organic, and each character is fully realized.

The resolution is a bit far-fetched, but by then, the reader is so invested that it doesn’t matter. I actually celebrated that each of the women got their “turn” in the resolution. And the last part? It makes a terrific bookend to the prologue.

I am a huge fan of Nicole Trope. The Truth About the Accident is one of her best, and I look forward to her next psych thriller.  

There’s a lot going on in The Party on Laurel Street, a new psych thriller by Ruth Heald. For the most part, it is a “small town with lots of secrets” story – until things get darker.

Mel and her family move back to the town she grew up in. But there are ghosts in town, as one of Mel’s best friends (Erin) disappeared when they were ten years old.

In addition to that tragedy hanging over the residents, there are several who never left the town. For example, Mel’s other close friend Gabbie still lives there with her husband. But she’s not happy. And Erin’s mother, Tamsin, hasn’t been able to let go of the idea that her daughter might still be alive.

As soon as Mel moves into the house she grew up in with her grandmother. However, things start to go wrong for her and her husband. They argue more; Luke is always busy with handyman work…and what’s going on with Mel thinking she sees someone from her past?

The author does a good job of keeping the action evenly paced. It never drags. It balances evenly between Mel dealing with memories of the past and what’s going on in the present. And there are more connections between the two than Mel can imagine.

I guessed one of the “town secrets,” but the author has some great twists toward the end that I did not see coming at all. That’s one of the things I like most about a good psych thriller – when I am surprised by any turns.

The Party on Laurel Street is a catalyst for all of the town secrets to be revealed. It puts some hearts at ease and tears others apart. It’s pretty much everything a person can ask for in a psych thriller. Ruth Heald is a solid author in this genre, and I look forward to her next one.

The Party by Triona Walsh is a decent psych thriller that mostly delivers. I know that sounds wishy-washy (and I’ll explain why) – but I did enjoy it.

Lizzie is fresh out of rehab when her mother, Claire, picks her up and surprises her with what is essentially a whole new life. There is a lot of mistrust between the two and for good reason. Suffice it to say that the mistrust causes a lot of issues throughout the plot.

The whole family (Claire, Lizzie, and Lizzie’s brother, Liam) join together for a “special weekend” at a remote manor house to celebrate Claire’s new life. Little do they know what they’re getting into.

There are a lot of secrets among all the characters. Some of them are more interesting than others. Some of them work better than others in the overall plot. And some of them seem superfluous.

Some parts of the story drag a bit, and times when it seems like the author could have made the plot tighter. Also, a few places where disbelief needs to be suspended. But I think that’s okay in a psych thriller

However, there is enough “right” about the overall plot that it does keep a reader engaged.

At one point, I got a distinct “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” vibe that carried through, which helped my enjoyment level. I love that movie. I’m not going to say anymore because I will definitely verge into Spoiler Land.

The actual party in the title takes up very little space in the overall plot, so it seems like a strange title. But that’s a bit nitpicky.

A good psych thriller needs to keep a reader entertained enough to care about what happens to the characters, and The Party did that for me. I’ll be looking for the next book from Triona Walsh.

What happens when a vacation friend shows up as The Mother at Number 5? This new psych thriller by Jill Childs explores female friendships and family secrets.

Of course, nothing is as it actually seems.

Ros is on vacation with her family when she meets Lotte. The two strike up a friendship (as sometimes happens on vacation). Ros figures she’ll never see Lotte again.

Until Lotte shows up outside their children’s school (no, that’s not a spoiler).

A cat-and-mouse game follows, with Ros feeling like something isn’t quite right. Why is Lotte there? Did Ros miss something during their initial meeting? Does Lotte have a connection to the area that she neglected to mention?

Answers to all of these questions (and many more) appear via chapters told from either Ros or Lotte’s points of view. Lotte’s pop up intermittently here and there. But it’s always clear who the reader is following.

The author does a really good job of keeping the reader guessing right along with Ros. So much so that when the reveals start to occur and secrets come to light, the reader is probably as shocked as Ros.

I will say that I didn’t think the kids factored heavily into the story – that they were more vehicles for Lotte and Ros to meet. But I was wrong about that. So (fair warning/no spoiler) pay attention to the kids.

The biggest twists at the end are also well done. One, I had kind of guessed at, but another one completely took me by surprise. The author played another kind of close-to-the-chest for much of the story, so the revelation was shocking.

The Mother at Number 5 is an excellent beach read. It’s a solid psych thriller (be careful of who you talk to while on vacation!), and I look forward to the next book from Jill Childs.  

I thought I was going to be confused by The Homemaker, a new psych thriller from Shari J. Ryan.

Many books in this genre have a prologue that fits into the story at some point. But this one has both a preface and a prologue. And it is impossible to tell if they’re from the same point of view or even in the same time period.

The story that follows unfolds from multiple points of view in multiple time frames. We have Jenna or Ginger now and Jenna or Ginger last year – and there’s no pattern to which one is carrying the story. It’s not an equal back and forth.

In spite of that, the action is very clear, and I actually was NOT confused at any point. The author does a masterful job of keeping all of the balls in the air and the plot flowing in a way that holds the reader’s interest.

Jenna and her husband Oliver move into a house across the street from Ginger and her neighbor Peyton. Is there history between the characters? Is it just neighborhood drama? Or is there something deeper and darker going on?

I’m not going to say, but again – the plotting is just perfect.

One thing that stood out is Jenna’s early chapters. The descriptions and details are harrowing and allow the reader to fully understand Jenna’s mindset, especially when contrasted to the year before. Ginger is a little bit harder to get a grasp of, but there’s a reason for that.

And then there’s Peyton. It’s interesting to note that as central as she is, she doesn’t get a say in the story. Again, adds to the mystery. But she is important.

I liked how everything built to the climax, and the reader got to experience it simultaneously with Jenna and Ginger, not really knowing more than they did. And what a climax it is. There are a few jaw-dropping twists at the end, too.

The Homemaker is a solid psych thriller, and I look forward to the next book from Shari J. Ryan.

The Good Doctor by Jessica Payne has everything a person could want in a psych thriller.

Compelling characters? Check.

Realistic plot? Check.

Twists and turns? Definitely check.

Jaw-dropping surprise(s)? Check, check, CHECK.

I think one of the reasons I liked this book had to do with the setting. So many psych thrillers are domestic or center around family. This one is largely set with doctors in a hospital (the title is a clue).

Chloe and her fiancé, Elton, are starting a new life in Portland. She’s got a new job, they have a great house, and everything is supposed to be great.

Until she realizes that her ex-husband, Jameson, is her new co-worker. And boy, do they have a history.

What follows is a solid story where the reader gets the background between Chloe and Jameson, as well as how they deal with their current situation.

The psych thriller aspect centers around the very sensitive subject of “right-to-die” and doctor assistance. So, be forewarned that there are parts that are a little difficult to read.

I really liked how twisty this book was. Jameson and Chloe have their own issues, but they try to find a balance, even though they also find that maybe their split was in error.

I’m not going to give anything else away. But the last third of the book? Hold on to your seats because the author pulls out all the stops. And when you think you have it figured out, you don’t.

The Good Doctor reminded me a little of the TV show Scrubs – if that show had been a psych thriller with some literal killer twists. Jessica Payne has written an excellent story, and I can’t wait for the next one.