Tag: Psychological Thriller

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.

The Guest Room by Rona Halsall is just one of those books. It starts slow but does just enough to keep the reader interested before heading off into crazy territory. In other words, stick with this one!

The premise is familiar: a woman (Steph) is determined to stay in the family home (of 30+ years) while her ex-husband (Andy) and daughter (Bea) want her to move due to the change in the neighborhood.

Anyone who has to make a difficult decision against the wishes of family will relate to Steph’s dilemma.

That does not mean that Steph is an entirely sympathetic character. She is stubborn and thinks that she knows what is right even as she doubts her own choices. Her wishy-washiness is distracting.

When strange things occur in Steph’s house, things move along fast enough. There are just enough hints to make the reader question whether Steph is losing it. Or is there a nefarious plot to get her out of the house?

Given that her ex-husband and daughter want her to sell, it is not out of the realm of belief that one of them is behind some of it. But the author also wisely throws in another possibility in the form of a homeless man who Steph takes in as a boarder.

What a perfect fall guy. Or is he?

The second half of the book moves along much faster than the first half. I am grateful for that because parts of it did drag. And there are times where Steph should have been smarter.

Ultimately, there are enough red herrings and false clues to keep it all interesting. And the ending does really go gonzo, which I actually appreciate. The author keeps the guessing going right up until the very last paragraph – and I love it when that happens.

As I said at the outset of this book review, stick with The Guest Room because the pay-off is worth it.

For more from Rona Halsall, please check out my reviews of the following books: The Liar’s Daughter, The Ex-Boyfriend, One Mistake, Her Mother’s Lies.

Author Bio

Rona is the author of bestselling psychological thrillers published by Bookouture. Her challenge in writing is to find domestic storylines with twists that her readers will never guess.

She was born in Nottingham, grew up near Blackpool and went to college in Leeds and then moved to Snowdonia, North Wales where she brought up her family while working as a business mentor. Now, she lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and two guinea pigs.

The New Girl left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, there are some genuine jaw-dropping moments in the story. On the other, it wraps up in one of the strangest endings I can remember.

First the good.

The set-up is excellent. Sophie is the perfect foil. She ran home to her small town after a tragedy occurred while she was in college, but now that years have passed, she wants more than the town (and her long-term boyfriend) can give her.

She is very relatable in that regard.

Things look up for her when she finds her dream job, filled with people who take an interest in her. Everything is too good to be true.

Literally.

Even as Sophie falls into the spell of her new job and new friends, there are hints that not everything is as it seems. And when a blast from her past occurs, her life turns upside down.

There are whispers of Sophie’s past woven throughout the story and as her past and present collide, the book really takes off.

Up to that point, I found myself very skeptical of…well, everything. I have “scam” or “unreliable” in my notes at least six times. There are points that I think Sophie should have also realized the convenience and obviousness. But she is so desperate to be successful that she is blind to the details.

Things do get complicated as Sophie starts to put the pieces together but ultimately everything becomes clear.

The one problem I have with the book is the climax and aftermath. After all of the buildup, it all happens in a hurry. I wish there had been more time spent on it. And the prologue seemed like a total afterthought. For me, it was awkward and did not fit with the story.

But I did enjoy the rest of the story and would recommend The New Girl for the masterful gaslighting that occurs throughout.  

Other books by this author: The Wedding, I Know Your Secret

Author Bio:

Ruth Heald is the bestselling author of psychological thrillers THE WEDDING, I KNOW YOUR SECRET, THE MOTHER’S MISTAKE and THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS, and the relationship drama 27: SIX FRIENDS, ONE YEAR.

Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children. Her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.