Tag Archives: Thriller

The Last Flight

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Author: Julie Clark
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Thriller
Source: Krstin at Kritters Ramblings

Goodreads:  THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
                    THE INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

Two women. Two Flights. One last chance to disappear.

Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her days flawlessly choreographed, and her future auspicious. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he’s not above using his staff to track Claire’s every move, making sure she’s living up to his impossible standards. But what he doesn’t know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish.

A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets ― Claire taking Eva’s flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it’s no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva’s identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.

The Last Flight is the story of two women―both alone, both scared―and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives. 

Ope’s Opinion:  I am not sure I have the words to explain how great this book is.  It made me hold my breath and feel the tension these characters were feeling.  Just start reading…. you won’t want to stop.

Thrillers always have twists, some times you can see them coming – not this one!  Just when you think you know where the story is going, Clark throws in a curve.  So you keep reading to see what is next!

This amazing story, was written really well and had an ending that just made the book perfect! I will be looking for her next book.

Until I Find You

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Author: Rea Frey
Publisher: St. Martin’s Giffin 
Genre: Thriller
Source: Sarah at St. Martin’s Press

Goodreads:  “In Until I Find You, celebrated author Rea Frey brings you her most explosive, emotional, taut domestic drama yet about the powerful bond between mothers and children…and how far one woman will go to bring her son home.

“”Frey is a rising star in the suspense scene”” – Booklist

2 floors. 55 steps to go up. 40 more to the crib.

Since Rebecca Gray was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease, everything in her life consists of numbers. Each day her world grows a little darker and each step becomes a little more dangerous.

Following days of feeling like someone’s watching her, Bec awakes at home to the cries of her son in his nursery. When it’s clear he’s not going to settle, Bec goes to check on him.
She reaches in. Picks him up.
But he’s not her son.
And no one believes her.

One woman’s desperate search for her son . . .

In a world where seeing is believing, Bec must rely on her own conviction and a mother’s instinct to uncover the truth about what happened to her baby and bring him home for good.

Ope’s Opinion:   Rea Frey has done it again!  She wrote a book that has you looking over Bec’s shoulder from the first page – Yes first page!  The writing is so good you can feel Bec’s fear.

The part that let me down just a bit was Bec’s constant refusal of help.  There were people in her life that were willing to help and she wouldn’t accept the help.  She also didn’t act rational some times, then wondered why people didn’t believe her.

The ending was a little off for me. I don’t know what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it.  The epilogue felt like the end of chick lit novel, not a thriller novel.

Coming Soon…

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In August I hope to read…

Publication Date: August 11, 202
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Goodreads:  In Until I Find You, celebrated author Rea Frey brings you her most explosive, emotional, taut domestic drama yet about the powerful bond between mothers and children…and how far one woman will go to bring her son home.

The Set-Up

Soon, Rebecca Gray won’t be able to see. Diagnosed in her twenties with a degenerative eye disease, each day her world grows a little darker. She’s moved to the suburbs to raise her son, Jackson. In the wake of her husband’s death, it should be a quieter, easier way of life.

It won’t be.

The Moment That Changes Everything

When Bec awakes after fainting in the park, she makes promises to start taking better care of herself. When her son begins to cry, she approaches the crib.

Reaches in.

Picks him up.

But he’s not her son.

The Search

There’s nothing Bec won’t do to find Jackson. But she’s a blind woman in a world where seeing is believing. The police think she’s confused. Her friends don’t see any differences. Relying on the conviction of her instinct and the power of a mother’s love, Bec must push the limits of her world to uncover what happened to her baby boy…and bring him home for good.

 

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

Stranger in the Lake

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Author: Kimberly Belle
Publisher: Park Row
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Source: Emer at Harper Collins

Goodreads: “Spellbinding. Another outstanding novel by Kimberly Belle, masterfully written to lure you in and never let go.” – Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife

When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have a charmed life together, despite the cruel whispers about her humble past and his first marriage. But everything starts to unravel when she discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned.

At first, it seems like a horrific coincidence, but the stranger in the lake is no stranger. Charlotte saw Paul talking to her the day before, even though Paul tells the police he’s never met the woman. His lie exposes cracks in their fragile new marriage, cracks Charlotte is determined to keep from breaking them in two.

As Charlotte uncovers dark mysteries about the man she married, she doesn’t know what to trust—her heart, which knows Paul to be a good man, or her growing suspicion that there’s something he’s hiding in the water.

Look for these other pulse-pounding thrillers by Kimberly Belle:

Three Days Missing
The Marriage Lie
Dear Wife 

Ope’s Opinion: Kimberly Belle can write the perfect amount of character build up and suspense for me.  The more of her books I read, the more of them I want to read.

This one started out as what “seemed” to be a simple who done it mystery.  All the characters were introduced, there was already one murder in the past and another one just happened.  So who did it?  Who is hiding secrets? Or should I say who isn’t hiding secrets?

About half way through the pace starts picking up and the tension starts to really build… oh, the fun of reading this part – at this point make sure you have time to finish it!  You will not want to put it down.

The ending told you all you wanted to know.  And made me want her next book!

 

The Wives

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Author: Tarryn Fisher
Publisher: Graydon House
Genre: Thriller
Source: Book Expo 2019

Goodreads:  New York Times bestselling author Tarryn Fisher delivers a pulse-pounding, fast-paced suspense novel that will leave you breathless. A thriller you won’t be able to put down!

Thursday’s husband, Seth, has two other wives. She’s never met them, and she doesn’t know anything about them. She agreed to this unusual arrangement because she’s so crazy about him.

But one day, she finds something. Something that tells a very different—and horrifying—story about the man she married.

What follows is one of the most twisted, shocking thrillers you’ll ever read.

You’ll have to grab a copy to find out why.

Ope’s Opinion:  Reading this book was like riding a rollercoaster for me.  First, I read the synopsis and wasn’t sure if the story line was one I would enjoy.  I decided to start reading anyway and see if I would enjoy it.  Well, I was sucked in right away – I did not want to put this one down!  Just about time I wanted something to happen, the story took a left turn! After that, I wasn’t sure about the whole story.  So that was my rollercoaster.  

If you want to get on the rollercoaster and take this ride – be my guest!

Deep State

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Author: Chris Hauty
Publisher: Atria/ Emily Bestler Books
Genre: Thriller
Source:  Book Expo 2019

Goodreads:  Recently elected President Richard Monroe—populist, controversial, and divisive—is at the center of an increasingly polarized Washington, DC. Never has the partisan drama been so tense or the paranoia so rampant. In the midst of contentious political turf wars, the White House chief of staff is found dead in his house. A tenacious intern discovers a single, ominous clue that suggests he died from something other than natural causes, and that a wide-ranging conspiracy is running beneath the surface of everyday events: powerful government figures are scheming to undermine the rule of law—and democracy itself. Allies are exposed as enemies, once-dependable authorities fall under suspicion, and no one seems to be who they say they are. The unthinkable is happening. The Deep State is real. Who will die to keep its secrets and who will kill to uncover the truth?

Ope’s Opinion:   I picked this up at Book Expo, not really knowing what it was about.  While waiting in line I read the synopsis.  Although, this is not my regular genre, it caught my attention and made me want to give it a read.  

 The first chapter confused me and made me think twice about continuing to read.  I am really glad I did continue ( I was encouraged by daughter Kristin of Kritters Ramblings ).  The first chapter introduced you to Hayley – it is real important for the rest of the story to understand where she came from before the White House job.

The twists made me want to keep reading to see where it went and the ending was a surprise to me – which I enjoyed!

 

 

Coming Soon….

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In January I hope to read….

Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Atria/ Emily Bestler Books

Goodreads: “The plot…rings eerily true…will keep you turning the pages well into the night.” —Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL and acclaimed author of The Terminal List and True Believer

In this white-knuckled, timely, and whip-smart debut thriller, a deadly plot against the president’s life emerges from the shadows of the Deep State.

Recently elected President Richard Monroe—populist, controversial, and divisive—is at the center of an increasingly polarized Washington, DC. Never has the partisan drama been so tense or the paranoia so rampant. In the midst of contentious political turf wars, the White House chief of staff is found dead in his house. A tenacious intern discovers a single, ominous clue that suggests he died from something other than natural causes, and that a wide-ranging conspiracy is running beneath the surface of everyday events: powerful government figures are scheming to undermine the rule of law—and democracy itself. Allies are exposed as enemies, once-dependable authorities fall under suspicion, and no one seems to be who they say they are. The unthinkable is happening. The Deep State is real. Who will die to keep its secrets and who will kill to uncover the truth?

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

Coming Soon….

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In December I hope to read….

Publication Date: December 30, 2019
Publisher: Graydon House

Goodreads: Imagine that your husband has two other wives.

You’ve never met the other wives. None of you know each other, and because of this unconventional arrangement, you can see your husband only one day a week. But you love him so much you don’t care. Or at least that’s what you’ve told yourself.

But one day, while you’re doing laundry, you find a scrap of paper in his pocket—an appointment reminder for a woman named Hannah, and you just know it’s another of the wives.

You thought you were fine with your arrangement, but you can’t help yourself: you track her down, and, under false pretenses, you strike up a friendship. Hannah has no idea who you really are. Then, Hannah starts showing up to your coffee dates with telltale bruises, and you realize she’s being abused by her husband. Who, of course, is also your husband. But you’ve never known him to be violent, ever.

Who exactly is your husband, and how far would you go to find the truth? Would you risk your own life?

And who is his mysterious third wife?

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

The Two Lila Bennetts

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Author: Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Thriller
Source: Book Expo 2019

 

Goodreads:  “One fateful decision. Two unexpected endings. A perfect summer read!” —Wendy Walker, bestselling author of The Night Before

Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally.

In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.

Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over.

Ope’s Opinion: I wish this book had been written as two stories – read the book one way for one Lila and read the other way for the other Lila.  Going back and forth between the two stories frustrated me.

I did not connect with Lila.  She was self centered and more concerned about her job, then her husband or mother.  This made it hard for me to care when she was captured.  I kept reading because I wanted to see how it ended.

The ending was very disappointing for me. I think there was a lesson to be learned here, but it didn’t come across as positive.  I can’t say more or it will ruin your reading, if you choose to read this.

False Step

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Author: Victoria Helen Stone
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Thriller
Source:  Claire at Little Bird Publicity

 

Goodreads:  Stay calm, keep smiling, and watch your step. In this marriage of secrets and lies, nothing is what it seems.

For days, all of Denver, Colorado, has worried over the fate of a missing child, little Tanner Holcomb. Then, a miracle: handsome, athletic Johnny Bradley finds him, frightened but unharmed, on a hiking trail miles from his wealthy family’s mountain home.

In a heartbeat, his rescuer goes from financially strapped fitness trainer to celebrated hero. The heat of the spotlight may prove too much for Johnny’s picture-perfect family, however. His wife, Veronica, despises the pressure of the sudden fame, afraid that secrets and bitter resentments of her marriage may come to light. And she’s willing to do anything to keep them hidden.

But when a shocking revelation exposes an even darker side to Tanner’s disappearance, Veronica realizes that nothing in her life can be trusted. And everything should be feared.

Ope’s Opinion: This story’s focus was not on the kidnapping of the child, but on the marriage of Johnny and Veronica.  I think I would actually have liked it better if I had gotten attached to Tanner ( the missing child ) before  it all started.  I wanted this story to be about the kidnapping, not secrets in a marriage. 

There were some twists, but I saw them coming before I got there.  This is my first book by Victoria Helen Stone.  Depending on the synopsis, I would try her again.