Tag: Psychological Thriller

You’d be hard-pressed to find a psych thriller that better typifies the genre than this one. It has everything a reader wants in a book.

Lily is a sympathetic main character/narrator. She’s smart, intuitive, and a little too trusting. That last one is important because it has a big impact on the plot. It is vital she sees nothing wrong with her life until she’s in the middle of a mess.

But exactly what is the mess, and who is responsible for it?

I don’t think she is naïve in any way, although some readers may take her as such. I like that she is a teacher first and foremost because she looks at her problems from several different angles. As a teacher myself, I can relate to that.

The author does a great job of building the foundation through the first part of the book. It is the perfect example of “setting the stage.” The action moves along even though there are a lot of details to put in place.

And once those details are in place, hang on…because once Lily starts to realize certain things the action takes off and doesn’t let up until the very last pages. Actually, not even then.

The way the storylines converge is masterful. The parallels between the past and present situations are each detailed and unique but with enough similarities that the reader recognizes the important patterns.

This is vital to the story. But I’m not going to say why, because that would give away the plot. And that would be no fun to new readers. I did guess a few points, but only because I like to challenge myself to see if I can think like the author.

I rooted for Lily pretty much the entire book. There was only one part about ¾ through that I thought was out of character, but as I continued to read, I realized why she did what she did.

There are other characters in the book (of course). I don’t want to say anything specific about Edward and his family, because I might slip up. But let’s just say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I felt for Noah. And Marsha was a good friend.

But really, this psych thriller should be at the top of your list. I couldn’t put it down and read late into the night to finish it. An excellent entry in the genre.

Also by this author: The Night Away

Author Bio:
Jess Ryder is the pseudonym of Jan Page, author, screenwriter, playwright and award-winning television producer. After many years working in children’s media, she has recently embarked on a life of crime. Writing, that is. Her other big love is making pots.

Hoooooo boy, does Mel have a tough time in this psych thriller.

She’s already out her man, about to be out of her house, and her career…well, that’s not in such great shape either.

So, when her co-worker offers her the chance at a blind date, she considers taking him up on it.

Little does she know how wrong that can all go. And boy, does it go wrong.

Although the setup was efficient, it all really takes off when Mel takes over the late-night shift at the radio station. Soon, all kinds of things happen and Mel feels like she is getting hit on all sides.

The author does a great job of creating a spooky atmosphere through little hints here and there. Additionally, the claustrophobia of a radio booth can’t be beaten. There were times that it reminded me of the 1980s television show “Midnight Caller.”

Especially when Mel receives calls from a person who eerily has a similar story to her own.

I had my suspicions about every character at some point. The only ones I didn’t feel added to anything were Niall and Fiona. That seemed to be more contrived to get Mel to the next point, rather than truly having any impact.

Mel was intriguing. At times, she seemed to bring the drama on herself. Her lack of self-confidence, greatly shaken, added to her being uncertain about where to turn when things got very weird.

There were a few things that appeared out of nowhere, and I am not sure I buy a couple of the twists and relationships.

But I still enjoyed this psych thriller immensely. In fact, I read it in one day – which is highly unusual for me. So, I do recommend it.

Just be aware that you will not know who to believe and what the real story is until the very end. And I mean the very last page.

Other psych thrillers from this author:

• His Hidden Wife
• The Bride

Author Bio:

Wendy Clarke was a teacher until the small primary school where she worked closed down. Now she is a writer of psychological suspense but is also well known for her short stories and serials which regularly appear in national women’s magazines.

Wendy has two children and three step-children and lives with her husband, cat and step-dog in Sussex. When not writing, she is usually indulging in her passion for dancing, singing or watching any programme that involves food!

This psychological thriller started with a great lead-in that drew me in and there were some really good moments in the rest of the story. There were certainly enough lies to go around.

First, I could tell that Anna was fake from the beginning. I’m not going to give anything away, but any time a character projects a façade as much as she did? A dead giveaway that there is something to hide.

I thought the setup was also effective. Feeling that way about Anna, I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. The author did a good job of building tension and even threw in a few red herrings to keep the reader guessing.

However, I felt that some of them were too “out of the blue” and didn’t go anywhere. A good red herring drags the reader along for a bit. In this regard, there were a couple of characters who seemed superfluous. Although, they did add to Anna’s suspicions, so there is that.

I will admit that I didn’t exactly see the major twist coming. There were a few things I guessed, but I didn’t get the big connection right away, so well done on that!

Once Anna and Seb’s storylines converge, the action really gets going. The second half of the book reads much faster than the first half.

A lot of the narration was Anna thinking about things. Some of the passages were long and drawn out which took me out of the action. Likewise, there were characters in her memory that seemed just as useless as the ones in the present.

In retrospect, none of the characters was very likable, which I think actually added to the story. It was just a shame that there was a child in the middle of all of them.

The climax was definitely page-turning and was really the only part of the book where I felt like I was “watching” something happen. The author did a great job with this pivotal scene.

And while there were parts of the resolution that I appreciated I thought the final decision of the characters was odd. The person who ended up with Evie was no better than the other options (in my opinion).

It was still a good read, and I definitely recommend the book as an engaging psychological thriller.

Other psychological thrillers from this author:

• The Birthday Weekend
• I Know You Lied
• The Leaving Party

Author Bio

Lesley Sanderson spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and also works as a librarian in a multicultural school. She has lived and worked in Paris and speaks four languages.

There is an awful lot going on in this new psychological thriller. I’ll do my best to unpack it all and make sense of it.

I will say right off that the author drew me in with a youth soccer team being the center of the story. We have been involved with youth soccer at numerous levels for over 12 years, so I instantly related to every single issue and complaint that arose.

It also made it easy for me to understand the different characters. Every team has its stereotypical soccer parents. So, that was also something that made it interesting for me.

On top of that, the author added a great bit of mysticism, from the ducking stool to the creepy woods, and even the new age-y mom. That’s another interest of mine, so those aspects drew me in as well.

I liked how the author kept me guessing about several aspects of the story. How much did the spookiness matter? Why was the dynamic of the football team all screwed up? What happened to Alex’s husband?

And who was behind the gossipy videos exposing the deepest secrets of the parents?

Those questions made for some page-turning moments.

However, I think that in some ways, the author did try to do too much, which can be disappointing in a psychological thriller. There were times that it seemed to lose focus and some of the threads didn’t get as much attention as they deserved.

For example, the spookiness of it all was kind of woven through, but never really came to fruition. There was an ending section that made me wonder if there was more to that, but it was a bit unclear.

Additionally, a few of the jaw-dropping twists were ultimately too forced. As most of the book read smoothly, the reveals did not seem plausible. This was especially true in Alex’s case. I thought that plotline went too wonky.

Other people may have a completely different take on it.

I would still recommend this book because the spookiness was perfect for this time of year. And if you’re a football (soccer) fan, you will recognize several characters. Definitely worth your time!

Author Bio

Claire Seeber is a Londoner who started her professional life as a (bad) actress and went on to become a documentary maker, lucky enough to travel the world meeting amazing people. Also writing features for newspapers such as the Guardian and Independent, when she had her first baby in 2004, Claire started writing psychological thrillers. The Observer called her first novel, Lullaby, ‘a disturbing debut’ whilst the Guardian called it ‘powerful’. Her third thriller Never Tell became a bestseller, and she has been published in more than twelve different languages.

Claire has been CWA Dagger-nominated, also writes for stage and screen, and today studies psychotherapy, as well as (trying to) manage a home of slightly feral children and animals. Luckily her very nice partner helps too.

So, what do you do when you guess a major twist early in a psychological thriller? Do you stop reading because you think you know what happens? Or do you trust the author enough to keep reading and see if you’re right?

And if there is anything else up their sleeve?

This is my dilemma with this book. I was so certain that I was right that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep reading. Fortunately, I went with my gut and chose the latter. I’m glad I did because there is a lot more to unpack than meets the eye.

The author does a great job of keeping the reader off-balance as to who is good or bad. But are those lines easily drawn anyway? There are more than a few additional twists and some pretty nifty character projections.

And the final pages completely cast the whole previous story in a different light.

I think Sara is a unique character. On the surface, she seems like a normal, shy person who has a routine that she prefers to stick to (rather than try new things). However, it becomes very clear that there are a lot of undercurrents to her and that is largely a façade.

To me, the way she treats Poppy is indicative of how she feels about people and animals in general while also illustrating how damaged her psyche is.

How’s that for not being a spoiler?

I found Bradley to be quite a conundrum. Kudos to the author for that as well. I was never sure of his status (friend, foe, faker, or fatality) – I thought he was each of these at one point or another throughout the story.

I think that Sara and Bradley’s relationship is the perfect example of “like attracts like” because they are more similar than either of them realize.

There are a few parts that seem to be glossed over or the explanation doesn’t entirely ring true to me. Even after finishing the story and realizing why the author made those choices, I still am not entirely sure.

But it wasn’t enough to keep me from liking this psychological thriller.

And actually, while reflecting on it to write this review, I realize just how twisted and complicated the entire story is. If there is ever a book that could be described as an “intricate web of connections and half-truths,” this is the one.

As I am going down this thought path now, even more connections and questions are popping up in my mind. I rarely go back and read a book a second time these days; there are too many good books and not enough time.

But now I’m thinking I may need to with this one because I’m pretty sure that I missed a lot of subtlety in the events.

I guess that is the sign of a great book, right? One that keeps you thinking and wondering what you missed? But you should read this psychological thriller for yourself and see what you think.

Other psychological thrillers by this author:

• The Wife’s House
• The Newlyweds

Author Bio

Arianne Richmonde is a half British, half American, USA TODAY bestselling author, who lives in France with her husband and four-legged family. Surrounded by vineyards and sunflower fields in an old stone farmhouse they restored, she fills her days creating twisty novels full of suspense and intrigue. When she isn’t writing she loves to travel, especially to warm, exotic countries, all in the name of research. She used to be an actress so likes nothing more than to immerse herself in the minds and lives of her characters.

I am of a split opinion on this book. On the one hand, it had good suspense and a twist that I didn’t expect. But on the other, there was a lot of exposition and “thinking” which didn’t make for a lot of action.

Well, it did, but it wasn’t current action. I’ll try to explain.

A lot of psych thrillers have “Now” and “Then” chapters. To me, that keeps the action current because the reader clearly knows where they are in time. And if I’m told that I am now reading something as it happened eight years earlier (for example) I can put myself in that point in time.

In this book, however, pretty much everything that occurs in the past is recounted in characters as they remember it. And while there is action in the memories, it doesn’t feel as exciting as if I was put right in the middle of it.

And I recognize that this is totally a personal preference of mine. I’m just trying to explain it (and probably not doing a good job of that). I just felt that as a reader, I was in the characters’ heads too much. But other people may like that method of storytelling.

The plot itself was a good one. We know that Beverly has secrets and that Riley is a pretty typical eight-year-old. I did think that Beverly went a little too heavy on her worries, but once everything became clear, I could see why she did that.

The story is told from different points of view – mostly Beverly and Riley – but with a mystery person interspersed. Roughly halfway through, the mystery person is revealed and then the action moves more to the current time.

I did partially guess the big reveal fairly early on, but the author had a couple of twists that I didn’t expect or guess, so I really enjoyed those surprises. There were enough red herrings to also keep a few guesses suspended until the truth was revealed. And the epilogue wrapped everything up nice and neat – almost too much so.

But again, that is a matter of personal preference. I get the juxtaposition of the scenes at the end, so I am pretty sure that I understand why the author wrote them that way.

If you don’t mind character flashbacks that are more mental than actual action, this is the book for you. Even if you’re like me and prefer more “in the moment” action, I would still recommend it for the twists, a heroic neighbor, and a cute dog.

Author Bio:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because, as her professor pointed out, ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’

She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree. In between raising three children, working for her husband and renovating houses, she has published six novels. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

If you are looking for a book that has secrets and twists, off-the-wall crazy characters, a dash of “what-did-I-just-read,” and a stinging commentary on social media, this is the one for you.

Seriously, I am struggling with how to describe this book because it was all of what I just said and more, but it wasn’t gonzo or ridiculous.

It was just a really, really good story! It wasn’t static, it morphed as it went, growing organically until the breathtaking climax. And before I get into the rest, can I just say that the pivotal scene was one of the most cinematic I have ever read?

Anyway, as usual, I don’t want to give away any plot points, which is going to be tough in this review.

I thought the author did a fantastic job of creating both Abbie and Rachel. It was obvious from the beginning that they both had something to hide, but the true extent of those secrets took a long time to be revealed. And even when there were hints, they didn’t give away the full nature of the deceit.

Each was meant to be sympathetic in their own way. And as truths were revealed, I found myself wondering whether or not I still felt sorry for them or if they deserved what was happening.

It’s a talented author who can make me care about characters enough to give them deeper thought and connect to my own feelings about them.

I found myself predisposed to dislike Rachel, but I recognize that was due to my distaste for social media influencers. I don’t want to say too much, but she really personifies the whole scam of Insta-celebrities.

(BTW, pay attention to the Instagram posts that are interspersed with the chapters. That is all.)

I’m sure that was by design because the character was too well-established for the author to not mean for that connection to be made.

As for Abbie, she was a bit of a sphinx. I think she truly believed in what she was doing and could always justify her actions. But her reactions to certain events showed that she was as in control of herself as Rachel was – and that didn’t make for a good combination.

There were a few subplots that I wasn’t too sure about at first, but later in the book, it became apparent as to why they were necessary. The same goes for a few facts about Fran and Rachel’s friendship. I get it, but they didn’t necessarily fit into the bigger scheme.

Unless, of course, they were meant to be as off-the-wall as where it all ended up.

Honestly, I could prattle on. Let’s just leave it at this is one of my favorite psych thrillers of the year. Oh, and Annie Wilkes has nothing on the characters in this book.

Go. Read it now.

Author Bio:
Julia started off as a theatre director and playwright. While her children were growing up, she swerved into graphic design. After writing and illustrating two children’s books for an MA, she discovered that her great love was writing prose. The picture books were deemed too dark for publication, so, to save the children, she turned instead to writing for adults. Her first book, Cuckoo, was published in 2011, and she has been writing what she calls her Domestic Noir novels ever since. She also writes for TV and teaches on the Crime Writing MA at the University of East Anglia. She has three grown up children and lives in Brighton with her husband and two cats, Keith and Sandra.

This book was twisted in so many ways, I am not sure how to even start unraveling it. But I’m going to try.

On the surface, it’s the story about a family coping with the possibility of a life-changing illness in their child. It’s also the story of grudges, betrayals (imagined and real), and family history…in short, lots of issues. And it’s a clear commentary on the danger of assumptions.

That’s a lot to unpack in a psychological thriller. And because it is so much, there were some parts that were more successful than others.

The medical plot thread made sense, and it was a good basis for the tensions between Kay and Matt. When faced with situations like that, it’s easy to become vulnerable to all sorts of worries and internal questions. That was certainly the case with them.

I also liked the thread with Olivia. I had an idea early on where that one would go, but the author did a good job of giving just enough information, dropping hints here and there, to keep it interesting until it took a bigger focus in the story.

I thought that Kay was a victim throughout most of the story. She was worried for her child, aware of something (or somebody) manipulating the varying situations, but also at a loss to see the bigger picture because she was too caught up in drama.

And that leads us to Matt.

He was actually the perpetrator of a lot of the drama, and frankly, he got on my nerves. I didn’t think he was a nice person (even though Kay kept telling us that he was), he obviously held grudges (again, real or imagined) and he flew off the handle way too easily.

He also let his inner demons take control of things, didn’t see reason, was way too over-reactive…just really unlikeable.

I understand that there was a reason for him being that way, and that the family history plays a big part (going back to when he and his brother Jason were kids), but it just seemed to be too much. Especially when he expected Kay to listen to and believe him but didn’t give her the same consideration.

There are also times that the language felt repetitive. For example, there was one section where everyone was feeling poorly (I think it was repeated at least five or six times). There weren’t many instances, but this writer’s language is usually quite sharp, so it stood out to me.

The entire plot is intricate, and I was never quite sure where the author was going with who knew who, what the real story was, and (most importantly) who was the liar and who was the liar’s child. I had my suspicions about all of it – some were right, some were not quite accurate.

If an author can keep me guessing up until the reveal and surprise me in the process, that’s a winner in my book. And this story did exactly that.  

Author Bio:
Sheryl Browne writes psychological thriller and edgy contemporary fiction. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association, Romantic Novelists’ Association and awarded a Red Ribbon by The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing.