Tag: Thriller

Book Review: The Verifiers by Jane Pek

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

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I just finished The Verifiers by Jan Pek and thoroughly enjoyed it. The book has a quirky charm, which fits perfectly with its equally quirky main character, Claudia, set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City. Claudia has recently left a proofreading job (courtesy of her successful brother) to work at a company that verifies the authenticity of online dating profiles.

Claudia’s very first client sets the stage for a mystery that unravels with unexpected twists and turns. Not everything is as it seems. I particularly enjoyed the clever puns Pek uses for naming the dating sites and the way the story feels modern and relevant, diving into the ongoing societal debates about technology and its moral implications.

One of my favorite aspects of Claudia’s character is that she’s a bona fide bookworm and mystery enthusiast. The book is peppered with delightful references to Jane Austen and Inspector Yuan (who might be a real figure from Chinese television or culture—or simply a figment of the author’s imagination I’m unsure and this will require more research on my part). Either way, he feels like the Chinese version of Sherlock Holmes, and I’d love to read some of his stories!

Beyond the mystery, the book also explores complex family dynamics, adding another layer of depth. Claudia is caught between two uber-successful siblings, and while she appears to be her mother’s favorite, their mother is relentlessly critical of all of them. This dynamic doesn’t just illuminate Claudia’s internal struggles but resonates with the universal complexities found in all families. Pek’s portrayal of these relationships is thoughtful and relatable, enriching the story as much as the central mystery itself.

Overall, I loved this book, especially the ending, which teases the possibility of Claudia not only finding a love interest but also carving her own unique role within the Verifiers. Highly recommended!

The Verifiers is out now and you can grab your copy here.

This Girl’s A Killer by Emma C. Wells

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

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I’ve had the pleasure of reading a lot of good books this year. So far, I’ve been surprised and impressed more often than not, and this last read was no exception.

When I received an invitation from Poisoned Pen Press to read This Girl’s a Killer, I was a little apprehensive, as I don’t usually read horror or “scary” books. But I loved Finlay Donovan, so I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did because I was absolutely blown away. This is why I love new authors; you never know what you’re going to find.

Cordelia Black isn’t crazy. She’s organized. She’s punctual. She has a killer wardrobe. She loves her best friend and goddaughter. She isn’t crazy. She’s just… Karma.

Everything is going just fine until it isn’t. Watching Cordelia’s perfect world fall apart actually gave me anxiety while making me laugh. It was an interesting paradox. This book is dark, twisty, and funny.

I cannot wait to see what Emma Wells comes up with next.

Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and the publisher Poisoned Pen Press for giving me this opportunity to read an ARC copy.

This Girl’s a Killer is out now and you can grab your copy here.

Zero Stars Do Not Recommend

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

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Where to start, where to start…

So, initially, I grabbed this book because the cover led me to believe it was a rom-com. Wrong! Insert buzzer sound here.

You could call it a modern-day Lord of the Flies, and you wouldn’t be far off, but there’s so much more to this book. It’s got a mix of romance, mystery, sci-fi, thriller, and satire. Like Lord of the Flies, it forces us to consider what would happen if the worst-case scenario became reality. What would society look like if our systems of law and order collapsed and we were left to fend for ourselves?

Who among us, male or female, hasn’t felt like Dan at some point in our lives? That kid in school who was told they could be anything they wanted but ended up only achieving mediocrity? And who doesn’t wrestle with the question of what it means to be a man or a woman and the stereotypes that go along with that? Mara is amazing in this story, loving Dan for who he is rather than who she could mold him into. She’s a total badass.

The writing is sharp; it’s funny while tackling some terrifying ideas and notions. The one-liners are hysterical, and the relationship between Dan and Mara is delightful to read. And who would ever expect a Bible-thumping preacher’s wife, who also happens to be an MLM creator, to be the one who stages a coup and steals all the food and power? But, as with all stories, not everything is as it seems, and there’s more going on at the resort than meets the eye.

I’d describe this as a “soft” thriller, not because it’s overly scary, but because it still gives you that anxious, “OMG, what’s going to happen next?” feeling that thrillers do. If you’re a fan of the Finlay Donovan or Riley Thorn books, I think you’ll really enjoy Zero Stars Do Not Recommend. As always, read it yourself and see what you think. I went in expecting a rom-com, but it turned out to be so much better!

Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and the publisher Sourcebooks for giving me this opportunity to read an ARC copy.

Zero Stars Do Not Reccommend is out now and you can grab your copy here.

Darling Girls By Sally Hepworth

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

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Ready for a wild ride? Because Sally Hepworth is about to take you on one with Darling Girls. This is one twisty thriller, my bookworm friends. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were all told how lucky they were to end up at Wild Meadows with the lovely Miss Fairchild. Turns out that lady was bananas with a capital B. At first, it’s just Jessica, but she’s joined shortly after by Norah and Alicia, and the three form an unbreakable bond. It grows stronger when Amy arrives, as does Miss Fairchild’s crazy factor. The girls manage to engineer a breakout, but there are consequences to crossing a crazy lady. Like suddenly, poof, no Amy.

Years later, Jessica owns her own house-cleaning business where she steals pills from her clients, Alicia is a social worker trying to help foster kids like herself, and Norah is still always in trouble. The girls are called when a body is discovered buried in the basement of Wild Meadows, forcing them to rehash memories they thought were long buried.

The book is told from multiple POVs, from Jessica, Norah, Alicia, and an unnamed narrator, and bounces between the past and the present.

It’s really hard to write spoiler-free reviews of thrillers because I don’t want to inadvertently give anything away. But I’ll say this: that last chapter came out of LEFT FIELD for me. Not because I didn’t suspect who the unnamed narrator was (I did), but because I totally bought the original story. Not that it made me feel any better about it, but holy cow, Miss Fairchild is a psycho.

On sale now, you can grab your copy here. It’s available in KU and also as BOTM.

As always, I encourage you to read this book and form your own opinions, just as I have. Thank you to the author Sally Hepworth, the publisher St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book.

Still See You Everywhere By Lisa Gardner

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

🌶️ 🌶️ /5

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While I do my best to make sure my reviews are spoiler-free, I may inadvertently reveal information that can help you connect plot points. So, here’s my TL;DR spoiler-free review: soild thriller with good twists, reaches a little too far for my liking, villian’s end is a cop out.

Oh man, oh man, my girl Frankie is back! Still See You Everywhere is the third book in Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin series. And if I thought things couldn’t get any worse for Frankie than they did in Wyoming, boy, was I wrong. I highly suggest you go back and read book one, Before She Disappeared and book two One Step Too Far before diving in to Still See You Everywhere

This time around, Frankie is off to an atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, outside of Hawaii. She’s been recruited to find the younger sister of Kaylee Pierson, a condemned serial killer nicknamed The Beautiful Butcher. Leah disappeared 12 years ago while fleeing from an argument Kaylee was having with her then-boyfriend, Sander MacManus. With just weeks until she’s set to be put to death for killing 18 men and feeding them to her pigs, Kaylee has one dying wish: Find her sister.

It turns out that Leah is now MacManus’ ward, living a life of luxury no other 17-year-old girl could dream of. MacManus owns the atoll and is developing it into an eco-friendly resort—the same one Frankie has just been sent to. As in the other books, the cast of characters Frankie makes her family are eccentric, lovable, and just a little shady. One also happens to be an FBI agent deep undercover. I’ll let you guess who, but I called it from the start, just not the reason why they were there.

Chaos ensues when MacManus arrives on the island ahead of schedule with extra security. Turns out The Beautiful Butcher has escaped. Thought she couldn’t find her sister on an atoll in the middle of the ocean, cut off from all communication? Guess you’re wrong. After grievously injuring her attorney, Kaylee has stowed away on the plane and is now on the atoll.

As is typical in the Frankie Elkin books, bloodshed ensues, Frankie gets hot feelings for a hot guy, lots of people die, and Frankie finds the missing person. Out of the 3 books so far, this one was my least favorite as I felt it went a little too far sideways. From Boston to Wyoming to the Pacific is a far distance for Frankie, who doesn’t drive, to travel. I was also hoping that we would see more of a certain fella from Boston, but he doesn’t turn up. Sad face.

I still thought it was a great read, full of twists and turns, and an unpredictable ending that I didn’t call. (But it kind of felt like a cop-out.) I’m once again amazed at Frankie’s ability to maintain her sobriety when faced with certain death, but it felt weird that there are no AA meetings for her to attend, as the previous 2 books relied on them heavily.

On sale now, you can grab your copy here.

As always, I encourage you to read this book and form your own opinions, just as I have. Thank you to the author Lisa Gardner, the publisher Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book.

Twenty-Seven Minutes By Ashley Tate

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.

While I do my best to make sure my reviews are spoiler-free, I may inadvertently reveal information that can help you connect plot points. So, here’s my TL;DR spoiler-free review: A great thriller, with a big twist that was a bit predictable, but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the storytelling. The mini twists and character building are amazing.

Ten years ago, there was an accident that changed the lives of all those involved. Golden Girl Phoebe was killed, her brother Grant lost his sports scholarship, and everyone has basically forgotten that Becca was in the backseat, also badly injured. Another man, Wyatt, also went missing the same night. Now, Phoebe’s mother is planning a memorial, Wyatt is back, his sister June is asking questions that no one wants answered, and Grant and Becca are losing it.

The book goes back and forth between then and now, told from the POV of Grant, Becca, June, Wyatt, and ‘Ten Years Ago’. The storytelling here is masterful. At first, I felt so bad for Grant, but it turns out he’s a bit of a dick. And poor Becca, she was in the car and all anyone can talk about is Phoebe. It turns out this girl has gone and lost whatever marbles she had left. Holy crow. While I felt the overall “twist” was a bit predictable, the turns that Becca and Grant’s characters take… I just can’t. I think I liked June best overall, although none of the characters are particularly likable.

This is very much a slow-burn thriller. You dive deep into the backstory of the characters and their motivations. If anything, it could do with a little more plot building. The writing is absolutely phenomenal, and Tate is a great storyteller. While I normally like a more fast-paced thriller, this book had me hooked from the start. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” until the next thing I knew it was 2 am and I was done. I very much look forward to this author’s next book.

On sale now, you can grab your copy here.

Thank you to the author Ashley Tate, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.

Road Queens By MaryJanice Davidson

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ /5

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Road Queens was my first book by MaryJanice Davidson. While the premise was intriguing, I had a hard time getting into this book. Cassandra, Amanda, and Sidney were best friends once upon a time. With Cass as the driving force, they created OpStar, a way to help people in bad situations. Until everything went wrong and Cass took off. But now, there is a dead body whom no one seems to know, and Cass is back in town. Enter Sean Beane, a PI or a cop—it’s kind of hard to tell, and it isn’t really made clear.

The story is told by switching between the past and present, and while I normally don’t mind this, sometimes the flashback was 5 years ago, other times it was an indistinct time such as “forever ago.” It also wasn’t consistent. I found the banter between the girls to be funny-ish at best and downright annoying at other times. But that’s how it is when you’re an outsider looking in. When you’ve been friends for so long, you develop your own patois and secret language. However, I felt it was a little overdone. One too many pop culture references for me. And it took forever for me to figure out what was going on. I felt like I had missed something for the first 20% of the book. And how many times do we need to mention that Cass likes to eat dinner for breakfast? It became redundant after a while. I also don’t understand how the banter can be so quick but the story could move so slowly.

There is also a romance component to the book between Amanda and Sean Beane. The sexy bits are around the 2.5 peppers range, so I’ll round it up to 3. But it felt a little forced. This book seems like it didn’t know what it wanted to be—a romance? A thriller? Women’s fiction? I would put this in the same category as The Finlay Donovan books, basically a soft thriller.

All of this aside, I did enjoy the book. I found the story interesting and the character of Iris is downright intriguing. Towards the end, Amanda and Sean’s chemistry didn’t seem so forced, which was an improvement. We also left off with Sidney promising to be divorced or widowed, leaving the door open for another book which I look forward to. I found the information about MC clubs and female motorcycle riders interesting. I love that the girls are so badass and independent.

As always, I encourage you to read this book and form your own opinions just as I have. Thank you to the publisher Montlake, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC copy of this book. For all my fellow KU lovers, this book is available in KU to read AND listen! Grab your copy here.

The Missing Witness By Allison Brennan

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

🌶️/5

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.

While I do my best to make sure my reviews are spoiler-free, I may inadvertently reveal information that can help you connect plot points. So, here’s my TL;DR spoiler-free review: A solid 5-star police procedural/romantic thriller from a seasoned writer with lots of twists and turns. Do yourself a favor and read the first 4 books first.

If Lindsay Boxer and Kinsey Millhone had a love child, her name would be Kara Quinn. She is prickly, unlikeable, and works best alone. She’s also fiercely loyal, hardworking, smart, and feisty. She faces parental disappointment, but not for your typical reasons. Kara’s parents were con artists, so she did an about-face and became a cop. As an undercover agent, she’s developed few attachments outside her squad. Until her identity is leaked to the media and she’s forced to go on loan to the FBI’s Mobile Response Team under the command of Mathias “Matt” Costa. She and Matt develop a romantic relationship, and Kara learns that she can be part of a team… most of the time.

Now in The Missing Witness, Book 5 in the Quinn & Costa Series, Kara is home in LA to put an end to the human trafficking trial that changed the trajectory of her career. We pick up shortly after Seven Girls Gone. David Chen is out on bail and has placed a $1 million bounty on Kara’s head. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryce Thornton from the LAPD branch is still making problems with the backing of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Chavez. Things escalate quickly when David Chen is murdered, and the only witness is a whistleblower on her way to expose a coverup within the LA Government. Violet is a computer geek with a personal connection to the growing drug and homeless crisis going on in LA. When she witnesses the murder, she disappears. Kara’s hunt for Violet leads to unexpected consequences, and forces her to confront what she thought she wanted versus what she knows she needs.

There are so many twists and turns in this book that I was actually surprised, which is hard sometimes since I’ve read so many thrillers/mysteries. I am also extremely hopeful that there will be more books in the series. Matt has a bad premonition about what will happen if James isn’t locked up for a long time.

The MRT also sees some new additions, such as FBI SA Sloane Wagner, a former Marine who goes undercover in Chavez’s office. I really hope we get to see more of her character since this book only touched on the surface. There’s also Nina Radinovich, the Assistant US Attorney and district attorney who hip-checks Chavez when she gets pushy about Kara’s alibi for Chen’s murder. You can just tell she’s a badass and I hope we get more of her. Brennan’s writing is so layered, and the story is so well-constructed that this was hard to put down.

While the story is billed as a romantic thriller, I would call it more of a police professional thriller with a side of romance. Matt and Kara‘s relationship is the absolute definition of a slow burn. And while I give it 1.5 spicy peppers for a heat reading, it’s pretty tame as far as a romance novel goes.

All in all, I love, love, loved this book! It’s no secret that police romance books are my absolute favorite, especially if they have multiple agencies and offices. I feel like I should know these characters (Lex?) from her other books, but honestly, it’s been so long since I read them that I can’t remember. Maybe at some point I’ll get to go back and re-read them.

Here’s hoping for more books in the Quinn & Costa series.

Thank you so much to the author, Allison Brennan, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. The Missing Witness is out now! You can grab your copy here.

Other title in the Quinn & Costa Series:

The Lies You Wrote By Brianna Labuskes

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

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If you’re a frequent reader over here at Feed The Bookworm, you know I’m a huge sucker for a good police procedural thriller. I think it’s because I read a lot of detective stories when I first discovered my love of books. This book came out of nowhere for me. If you’re a fan of Women’s Murder Club and Stephanie Plum, I can guarantee that you’ll love “The Lies You Wrote” by Brianna Labuskes. This was a one-day read for me and marked my first book of the new year. Throughout the day, I switched between the audio and Kindle versions, depending on my activities. I love that both the Kindle book and the audiobook are in KU.

The book centers around Raisa Susanto, a forensic linguist for the FBI. Side tangent – I didn’t know a forensic linguist was even a thing before this. Prior to reading “The Lies You Wrote”, my dream book job was event planner for a billionaire’s consulting firm (can you tell I’ve been reading a lot of romance books this winter?), but now I want to be a forensic linguist and play with words all day.

Raisa is tough, smart, and wily, raised on the streets and in foster care after losing her parents. She’s a loner in the FBI, with no partner and one of only two linguists, so she gets farmed out to other departments. She’s quick with her words and pulls no punches

She’s paired with Callum Kilkenny, a broody, gruff, and seasoned FBI forensic psychologist to investigate a copycat killing of a crime committed 25 years ago. So far, so good, very straightforward. Now throw in a true crime podcaster snooping around trying to get a scoop (Jenna) and a police informant cyber wiz who has inserted herself into the case (Delaney), and things start to get interesting.

Raisa is coming off the loss in a tough case, where her conclusions led down the wrong end, and things went badly. Callum is renowned for his capture of the ABC killer 10 years ago, however it also came with the loss of his wife, who was targeted by the serial killer before Callum brought him down. Now the must figure out if they’re dealing with a copy cat killer, or if the real killer evaded capture decades ago.

This book was such a twisty, turn-filled, and captivating mystery. I always pride myself on being able to figure out “the twist,” but this book had so many it was like whiplash. Where in some stories this could be considered overwhelming, it all makes perfect sense in the context of this book. I was able to kind of figure out the mini twist, the buildup to the big twist was great, even though I kind of saw it coming.

Labuskes is a master wordsmith (I am trying to figure out a way to use psycho-killer stabby man in every day conversation somehow), her prose is witty, engaging, and fast-paced. The book made me laugh, kept me reading, kept me guessing, and most importantly I cannot wait to read the next book. I’m so happy that it’s going to be a series. The romantic thriller lover in me is hoping for a little romance between Raisa and Callum. In the mean time, Labuskes has a robust backlist to enjoy, many of which are in KU. I’ll be happily reading all of them while I wait for The Truth You Told, due out September 10, 2024. On sale now, you can grab your copy of The Lies You Wrote here. This awesome book is available on KU for both reading and listening!

Thank you so much to the author, Brianna Labuskes, Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC copy of this book. The Lies You Wrote is out now, and available on Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Unlimited Audio. You can grab your copy here.

People to Follow By: Olivia Worley

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️/5

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People to Follow is Olivia Worley’s debut novel, is yet another retelling/reimagining of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. These seem to be particularly popular lately, and I don’t hate it since it’s one of my favorite Christie works. It shares a similar tone with Lucy Foley’s The Guest List but is distinctly tailored for a younger audience. This became apparent to me about halfway through. It’s technically considered a YA Thriller, but I would consider it more of a mystery than a thriller.

The characters in People to Follow are an intriguing mix; none are particularly likable, each harboring both annoying traits and deep-seated secrets. These secrets are the threads that bind them together and lead them to an isolated island for a three-week retreat. What starts as a period of relaxation quickly turns sinister when a storm leaves them stranded, and the murder of one among them sparks a tense whodunit.

10 young influencers are invited to a private Caribbean Island for 3 weeks of relaxing and unplugging, all to be filmed of course for a new reality show titled IRL. Each of the characters is facing some sort of personal crisis, mostly revolving around their dive in popularity. A “storm” strands the production crew, and the emergency takes the PA off island. She leaves a cell phone for emergencies, and each influencer has a watch. Turns out the cell phone goes missing, and the watches only get messages from “The Sponsor”, and they can’t send any outgoing messages. When one of their number ends up dead, the remaining 9 come to the logical conclusion that one of them is a murderer.

The story is told from alternating points of view between 4 of the main characters. Max, an aspiring documentary YouTuber who has had trouble catching a new story since his smashing expose. He’s here trying to catch a story on The Bounce House, a famous TikTok trio who have also been invited to the island. Kira, a fitness influencer who was a former reality star of a popular dance show. She finds her old nemesis from the dance show, a member of The Bounce House is also on the island. Logan is a former member of The Bounce House who has recently been kicked out/left. Who knows, but the internet is awash with rumors and conjecture. She isn’t happy to see her former friends. Then there is Elody. She’s the most annoying of the bunch, but she has the most distinct voice of all the characters. She has no apparent ties to the other influencers but seems to be there as the life of the party. When in doubt, she finds a way to make it fun/interesting. I found myself enjoying her chapters the most as the book unfolded.

I managed to guess the murderer’s identity mid-way, but the specific character revelation was a surprise. Particularly interesting was the plot involving Max’s secret, which led to a predictable yet intriguing revelation of the perpetrator’s identity and their accomplice. Despite some predictability, the book’s ending was engaging, with a well-executed plot twist.

This book is literally begging to be made into a movie.  It was an absolutely solid debut from Worley. While the ‘closed-room mystery’ theme might seem overdone, Worley’s take is great.

Thank you to Olivia Worley, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy of the book.

People to Follow is on sale now, you can grab your copy here.