Review: I Know Who You Are, by Alice Feeney

I Know Who You Are, by Alice Feeney

MacMillan Audio - 2019
Thriller
Audiobook
Narrated by Stephanie Racine

10 hours, 19 min

My Rating (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another taut, well written novel by Alice Feeney

Aimee Sinclair is an actress on a rising career trajectory - until the day her husband goes missing. As the spouse of the missing person, Aimee is questioned by police - but they don't believe she had nothing to do with her husband's disappearance and they think Aimee is lying.  

They are right about Aimee lying, but not about what she is lying about. Aimee has secrets. She isn't who everyone thinks she is - well, almost everyone. She is convinced she is being stalked by someone who does know her secrets. Can she survive her husband's disappearance with her reputation, career, and secrets intact?

Feeney has a knack for twisty plots and taut story lines.  Reading this book was akin to assembling a jig-saw puzzle with a couple key pieces hiding unnoticed under the box lid - you have a general idea of what you are looking at, but you can't quite make it work no matter how you twist and turn the pieces you have, until you brush aside that lid and find those pesky pieces and you complete the puzzle.

Narration was provided by Stephanie Racine. Range of character was very good as she deftly switches from an Irish brogue to English lilt, from young to old, male to female. A good range of emotion was also present, as well as good tone and cadence.

Feeney is definitely showing herself to be an author to watch in the genre of Psychological Thrillers.  If you enjoyed Feeney's first novel - Sometimes I Lie (my review can be found HERE) you will probably like this one too.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: LIES, by T.M. Logan

LIES, by T.M. Logan

St. Martin's Press - Available September 11, 2018

This digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

My Rating (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"The truth of the battle is whatever the victor seems it to be" - Sun Tzu

A thrilling game of cat and mouse plays out in this gripping page turner.

Joe Lynch was a happily married man and father. One day he follows his wife's car into a hotel parking lot to surprise her. He sees her having an animated conversation with a friends husband. When Joe attempts a conversation with him, it escalates into a scuffle, resulting in the other man lying on the pavement of the parking garage, bleeding and unresponsive.  Joe leaves him there to attend to his young son, and that is the last anyone sees if him.

Now his life is spiraling out of control. His wife has lied to him, the police are investigating him for murdering the missing man, and someone is threatening him.

Unable to trust his wife, already convicted in the court of public opinion, being stalked by someone bent on his downfall, and on the verge of being charged with murder, he has only his own wits to rely on to save himself.

This book grabbed my attention early and kept me up late at night! A fine example of the domestic thriller genre.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: ONE LITTLE LIE, by Sam Carrington

ONE LITTLE LIE, by Sam Carrington

Avon Books

Available July 23, 2018

This digital Advance Reading Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating (out of 5) 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A suspenseful tale of motherhood and guilt.

Deborah and Alice's lives are intertwined by the common threads of motherhood, violence, and guilt.  Deborah's son was murdered.  Alice's son murdered him.

Drowning in grief, Deborah feels guilty for not being there to protect her son. She is struggling, and failing, to continue her life. She is doing poorly at work, and her marriage is strained.

Alice feels guilty for what her son has become, but is fiercely protective of him nonetheless. In an effort to redeem herself for her son's wrongdoings, Alice has started a support group for parents whose children are deeply troubled. But does she have other motives as well?

Alice feels that she has lost her son too, and that she and Deborah could share their grief. Deborah is naturally aghast when Alice comes to her suggesting that she is suffering the loss of her son as well.  After all, she can still see her son, and talk to her son - things Deborah is denied.

When Alice is found bloody and beaten, it is discovered that things are not always as they seem. Alice has told one little lie...

Connie Summers is a psychologist who is working at the prison, and is able to break through Kyle's 4 year wall of silence.  But once he starts talking, Connie realizes that the danger may extend beyond the prison walls.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the mothers in this story.  In their own way, each is struggling with guilt and loss, despite being on opposite sides of the same issue.  In the end, the maternal guilt threatens to destroy the mothers regardless of whether the guilt stemmed from not being able to protect their child from violence, or not being able to prevent their child from becoming violent. 

There is a lot going on in this story, and a lot of different players, but the story is written well, and is easy enough to follow.

Happy Reading, 

Christine

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Review: SOMETHING IN THE WATER, by Catherine Steadman

SOMETHING IN THE WATER, by Catherine Steadman 

Audio Book
Random House Audio - 2018
Narrated by Catherine Steadman

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow! This story grabs you in the first few minutes and it holds you hostage on the very edge of your seat until the end.

Erin and Mark are a young couple on the verge of their wedding. She a recent film school grad beginning to film her first documentary, and he an investment banker.  When things go bad for Mark at work, they decide to go forward with their extravagant honeymoon anyways.

On the lush tropical paradise of Bora Bora, they soak in the sun and sea.  While out on a private diving expedition, make a shocking discovery in the water.  Something that can change their lives in the most profound way - good or bad. Every decision they make from the time they find it on, leads them along a track, much like a runaway train - fast and dangerous.

I hung on every word, and found extra errands to do, just to give me a little more listening time!

As well as writing this brilliant thriller, Catherine Steadman performed it flawlessly. Not all authors have the acting abilities to do a very good job narrating books, but Steadman certainly does.

This is one of those books people will be taking on their summer adventures.. Sure to be seen at beaches, planes, parks, and patios.

Happy Reading,
Christine

Review: Bring Me Back - by B. A. Paris

Bring Me Back - B. A. Paris

St. Martin's Press - Available June 19, 2018

This Advance Reading Copy provided by the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of the twistiest psychological thrillers I have read yet. A white knuckle read!

Finn and Layla are a young couple on their way home from a ski vacation in France. On their way home, Layla vanishes. Finn tells the police that she vanished while he was in the restroom, he tells them where he was parked and what other people and vehicles were in the rest area - he tells them a lot. He is not entirely truthful though, and the secrets that he keeps that night will not stay buried forever.

Twelve years after Layla's disappearance, Finn finds himself engaged to Layla's sister Ellen. But now it seems that someone out there knows his secrets, and the price of keeping them may be higher than Finn could ever expect.

I loved Paris' other novels, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, and THE BREAKDOWN, but I think this might be her best one yet! This book is going to be in a lot of beach bags this summer!  

Recently Paris has confirmed that she is working on a fourth book, and I for one, could not be more excited! 


Happy Reading,
Christine

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Review: The Breakdown - By B.A. Paris

The Breakdown - By B. A. Paris
Audiobook
MacMillan Audio - 2017
Narrated by Georgia Maguire

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another thrilling book by B.A. Paris.

Cass is heading home in a storm one night. She takes the shortcut that she promised her husband she wouldn't, and sees a car parked along the way.  The next day, the news reports that a woman was found brutally murdered in her car on that stretch of road.  Cass is already consumed with guilt for not exiting her car to check on the woman parked, when she finds out that she knew the victim. Wracked by guilt, and worried as her memory seems to fail her at every turn, she struggles to hold it all together, when she starts getting "silent calls".  Is the murderer sending her a warning? Does she know more than she thought she did?  Will her loss of memory cause her husband to leave her alone and isolated, or will she the next murder victim?

Georgia Maguire once again provides voice to Paris' work. Excellent performance!

I am looking forward to the next B.A. Paris book coming soon!

Review: Behind Closed Doors - By B.A. Paris

Behind Closed Doors - By B.A. Paris
Audiobook
Macmillan Audio 2016
Narrated by Georgia Maguire

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

A solid debut in the psychological thriller genre.

For all outward appearances, Jack and Grace have the perfect fairy tale marriage. But things are not always as they seem, and what goes on behind closed doors can be a different thing all together.

In this book you are drawn in, not so much to the destination, but to the journey.  As you start reading you are fairly comfortable in your knowledge of what the eventual outcome will be, but the author seduces us with the details along the way. She grabs your attention and leads you along holding your emotions hostage to the very end - never letting you turn away.

The audio narration was very well performed. There has been talk of a movie based on this book, but I am unable to find mention of a release date at this time.

I am looking forward to reading and/or listening to other titles by this author. As of this writing she has two more books; "The Breakdown" and  "Bring Me Back"

Happy Reading!

Review: The Silent Wife - by A.S.A Harrison

The Silent Wife - by A.S.A Harrison
2013  Blackstone
Audio book - Performed by Karen White and Donald Corren

Overall Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐

A good book, but not spectacular. It is not one that will stand out in memory for the long term. 

Jodi and Todd have been a couple for 20 years. Jodi has always been silent about Todd's indiscretions - but when one of his affairs threatens their outwardly idyllic life together, things spin out of control for them both.   
  
One of the things about this book that I wish the author had done different, is that you know who dies at the beginning. I really think that is a disservice to the book. There really was enough anger between the players that it would have been easy to have the reader wondering well into the book, frantically turning pages. 

The performances for this audio book were good. The story was very centered auround the two main characters and was narrated by each in turns. While this was no great test of the limits and ranges of the narrators' skills, they were solid in their performances.

All in all, a good debut novel.

Happy Reading
  Teenie K