Tag: New Release

I have made no secret of how much I like the way Kerry Wilkinson writes, and The Party at No. 12 is a return to what I like best about a psych thriller.  

Hannah, as the main character, is the perfect foil for everything that occurs. She is sort of wishy-washy, but also intelligent enough to notice things. She also tries to see the best in people, especially those who are close to her.

With everything going on in her life, she has decided to go traveling, and her “going away” party is the one in the title. However, a simple, fun, family and friends get together turns…wrong.

How can I say this next part without giving anything away?

Yes, the action of the book is front-heavy, and a lot happens in the first few chapters. A reader’s inclination may be to think that it is wrapped up and obvious.

But this author is one of the best when it comes to “late-in-the-game” twists. And The Party at No. 12 is the perfect example.

There are several hints along the way, but I didn’t catch many of them until other events occurred, which caused me to look back at things from a different perspective.

I know that is confusing, but I don’t want to give the plot away.

I liked the “mystery” aspect of it because even as the reader knows what happened, there is still a lot to uncover. And having Zach be a catalyst for it is effective.

Again, cagey, I know. But I know of no other way to say it is a great book with lots of twists.

Oh, look at that, I just did!

Seriously, though. Even though the middle dragged just a little bit, The Party at No. 12 is still a great psych thriller. You will not know all of the details and motivations until the very last pages. And that is what makes this latest book from Kerry Wilkinson a must-read.

Check out my review of The Perfect Daughter for a link to other books by Kerry, or type “Kerry Wilkinson” into the search bar! 🙂

Author Bio:

Kerry Wilkinson is from the English county of Somerset but has spent far too long living in the north. It’s there that he’s picked up possibly made-up regional words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’. He pretends to know what they mean.

He’s also been busy since turning thirty: his Jessica Daniel crime series has sold more than a million copies in the UK; he has written a fantasy-adventure trilogy for young adults; a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter and the standalone thriller, Down Among The Dead Men.

S. E. Lynes has written excellent psych thrillers and The Baby Shower is no exception. This author has produced everything I love in a psych thriller.

There is a prologue that consists of a news article. Right off the bat, the author lets us know (in a clever way) that there is going to be one heck of a culmination of events in this book.

Well-done setups like this instantly grab me.

Chapter One is a mystery narrator. Those are always good for intrigue. If you’re paying attention, you will notice that both the newspaper article and Chapter One are set in May.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to take a careful look at when each chapter is set. The author lays out the plot clearly. But if you aren’t looking at when each event takes place you could get lost.

And you don’t want to do that.

I generally am not a fan of “girl power/friends” tropes. In this case, however, it works perfectly.

Jane has just enough going for her, and just enough against her, that her friend circle is vital to her well-being. This is why the rest of the story is so good.

As usual, I am not going to give away plot points here. But believe me when I say the author has written a tightly woven story that had me turning pages literally into the wee hours of the morning.

That’s not hyperbole. I’m not one to gush or throw out typical platitudes. But I stayed awake until 3 am to finish this one because I was totally enthralled by the plot.

I did guess a couple of the “surprises” but (as I have mentioned before) I like to challenge myself to guess where the author is going.

However, there are several twists that I did not figure out. One of them (no spoiler) made me doubt everything that I believed up to that point. I thought maybe I had it all wrong.

That’s another thing I love in a good psych thriller. Keep ‘em guessing is a great rule of thumb.

Sometimes psych thrillers have a backstory that only serves as a jumping-off point. That is not the case here. Jane’s backstory is specific and gives insight to her frame of mind while also providing an underlying current of dread (also felt by Jane) to current events.

There was a point at the end that felt like it verged on preachy about how bad women have it sometimes, but I understand why the author included it. That being said, the whole friendship angle is blown out of the water when one character gets what is coming to her.

Once again, not a spoiler. But that twist provides a cutting commentary on the danger of being carried away by material things and the “reality” presented on social media.

I am a big fan of S.E. Lynes, but The Baby Shower may just be my favorite one yet. Be sure to check out her other psych thrillers: The Lies We Hide, The Housewarming, Can You See Her, Her Sister’s Secret

Author Bio:

Former BBC Producer, S.E. Lynes is the Amazon best selling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’, ‘beautifully written’ psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER? and her latest novel, THE HOUSEWARMING, available for pre-order NOW.

After completing her MA, Lynes taught creative writing at Richmond Adult Community College for over ten years. She now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing.

The Marriage Secret by Carey Baldwin is a good psych thriller that lulls the reader into thinking one thing is happening when (really) there is something else going on.

I love when a book can turn the tables on me!

The author makes an interesting choice by letting the reader know pretty much from the start that Zach is not a good guy (that’s not a spoiler, it’s in the blurb). The crux of the story, then, becomes a question: Just how much will Holly put up with before she cracks?

And is her baby enough to make her hang on to a toxic relationship?

Obviously, you’ll have to read it yourself to find out. But the author wisely keeps that question in the forefront of both Holly’s and the reader’s minds. It is easy to say “she should just leave” but it is difficult to remember that there is always more consideration to be made.

Even after the events that are mentioned in the blurb (yes, still a pet peeve of mine), the reader quickly realizes that there is more to the story. And if you think you know where the story is going – you don’t.

Honestly, there are enough throwaway moments to keep a reader guessing as to whether they are actually throwaways or if they figure more importantly in the overall story.

Additionally, things occur with other characters that make Holly question her choices. This is another wise choice by the author because the evidence starts to become quite obvious.

While the book doesn’t drag at all, the action does pick up in the second half. There are several double and triple-crosses and an ending you probably will not see coming.

If I had to nitpick anything, it’s that ending. Again, not to give anything away, but I wish it had been “live.” You’ll understand when you read it.

There are many secrets in The Marriage Secret, and it takes to the very end for them all to be revealed. Smart plotting by Carey Baldwin makes this a good read.

About the author

By day Carey is a dedicated pediatrician. By night she’s a USA Today bestselling and award winning author of edgy suspense. In addition to her MD, Carey also holds a PhD in clinical psychology. She loves reading and writing stories that keep you off balance and on the edge of your seat. In her spare time she enjoys hiking and chasing wildflowers.