Category: William Morrow

#Review | The Sister-In-Law by Pamela Crane

The Sister-In-Law by Pamela Crane
Genre: Domestic Thriller, Suspense
Published by William Morrow
Publication Date: August 10, 2021
ASIN: ‎ B08GKR7NB5
Pages: 368
Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
Edition: Kindle
My Rating: 5+

Synopsis (via GR)

From the USA Today bestselling author of Little Deadly Secrets comes a gripping story about the frailty of family and a battle of wills between a wife and a sister-in-law, bent on revenge.

She stole my husband. So I’d steal her life.

The Wife
Lane won Candace’s heart over chocolate martinis and karaoke. But weeks into their whirlwind marriage, Candace realized Lane came with burdensome baggage in the form of his possessive live-in sister and her eerily watchful six-year-old son. Lane had a secret that seemed to hold him hostage, and Candace would do anything to uncover it.

The Sister-in-Law
Harper was the kind of woman who cooked homemade meals and dusted under the furniture. It was the least she could do for her brother after her husband’s mysterious death, and Lane took her and her kids in. Then Candace showed up like a tornado passing through, threatening and destructive. But Harper had other plans for her new “sister,” plans Lane could never find out about.

The Husband
All Lane had ever wanted was a white-picket-fence life. The wife. The two-point-five kids. The happy little family. Everything seemed to be falling into place with Candace … until Harper’s jealous streak got in the way, again. But choosing between his sister and wife would be costly … and knowing Harper, the price would be blood.

My Thoughts

After I read Little Deadly Secrets, Ms. Crane was instantly added to my “authors to read” list. I just knew that her books would be the perfect match for me and I was right!!!!

The narrative alternates between Candace, Lane’s wife, Lane, and Lane’s sister Harper.

I was hooked on page one and this book had a vice grip on me until the final word. If it wasn’t for adulting, it would have been read in no more than 2 sittings.

When reading suspense thrillers, I always try to figure out the plot but after a few chapters, I threw that idea to the wind because there was so much happening with twists, turns, murder(s), red herrings, lies, secrets, and betrayals that I was afraid I would miss something. So I just went with it and enjoyed the ride. And it was one heck of a ride!!!!

The cast was three-dimensional and believable. With each new chapter and the character’s account of their POV, my suspicion would be with that person. After multiple chapters going back and forth, my head was spinning. I didn’t know who to believe, who to trust, and who to be fearful of.

The crafting of the profound plot and the descriptive writing style made this book exceptional!!

What’s next? I need to get my hands on her next book, Little Does She Know!!!!

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

I received a complimentary copy from William Morrow Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
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    #Review | Dream Girl by Laura Lippman

    Dream Girl by Laura Lippman
    Genre: Psychological Thriller, Amateur Sleuths, Mystery
    Published by William Morrow
    Publication Date: June 22, 2021
    ASIN: B08JLHS4FZ
    Pages: 320
    Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
    Edition: Kindle
    My Rating: 3

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Following up on her acclaimed and wildly successful New York Times bestseller Lady in the Lake, Laura Lippman returns with a dark, complex tale of psychological suspense with echoes of Misery involving a novelist, incapacitated by injury, who is plagued by mysterious phone calls.

    After being injured in a freak accident, novelist Gerry Andersen lies in a hospital bed in his glamorous but sterile apartment, isolated from the busy world he can see through his windows, utterly dependent on two women he barely knows: his young assistant and a night nurse whose competency he questions.

    But Gerry is also beginning to question his own competency. As he moves in and out of dreamlike memories and seemingly random appearances of a persistent ex-girlfriend at his bedside, he fears he may be losing his grip on reality, much like his mother who recently passed away from dementia.

    Most distressing, he believes he’s being plagued by strange telephone calls, in which a woman claiming to be the titular character of his hit novel Dream Girl swears she will be coming to see him soon. The character is completely fictitious, but no one has ever believed Gerry when he makes that claim. Is he the victim of a cruel prank—or is he actually losing his mind★ There is no record of the calls according to the log on his phone. Could there be someone he has wronged★ Is someone coming to do him harm as he lies helplessly in bed★

    Then comes the morning he wakes up next to a dead body—and realizes his nightmare is just beginning

    My Thoughts

    Last year I read Sunburn by Ms. Lippman and it captivated me. So when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I was so excited to be approved for an eARC.

    As the synopsis states, this read “echoed” Misery by Stephen King, which I also read years ago.

    The story alternated between multiple time frames within the story that it was a bit confusing. Also, I found that the mindset of the main character Gerry was also perplexing. Was he awake, was it a dream or was it dementia that was hinted at?

    I have to be honest, I was thinking that I might give up on this book on multiple occasions, but at one point, when I was 1/2 way through, I figured I would just try to finish it. After refinishing it, I did check out reviews of the book and it appeared that there were some people that loved it, and others, like me, felt as it was just OK.

    Even though this book was a midline read for me, that doesn’t mean I won’t read other books by this author in the future.

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  •  

    #Review | PRETTY LITTLE WIFE by Darby Kane

    Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane
    Genre: Domestic Thriller
    Published by William Morrow
    Publication Date: December 29, 2020
    ASIN: B088RCV5T2
    Pages: 407
    Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
    Edition: Kindle
    My rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Debut author Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?

    Lila Ridgefield lives in an idyllic college town, but not everything is what it seems. Lila isn’t what she seems. A student vanished months ago. Now, Lila’s husband, Aaron, is also missing. At first these cases are treated as horrible coincidences until it’s discovered the student is really the third of three unexplained disappearances over the last few years. The police are desperate to find the connection, if there even is one. Little do they know they might be stumbling over only part of the truth….

    With the small town in an uproar, everyone is worried about the whereabouts of their beloved high school teacher. Everyone except Lila, his wife. She’s definitely confused about her missing husband but only because she was the last person to see his body, and now it’s gone.

    My Thoughts

    I requested this book via NetGalley after seeing quite a lot of buzz about it in the book blogging community because I didn’t want to miss out in case it was as good as people were saying it was. At the time, I didn’t know it was a debut novel. Was it? I’ll answer this question in a bit. I will say, upfront, is this will be very vague because there is no way I want to give even a smidgen of a spoiler.

    Aaron is a bit controlling when it comes to his wife Lila. That is, until the day she finds some shocking and horrendous videos that she found on a phone that he thought he had hidden from her. From that moment on, things in the Ridgefield home change. Change so much that Aaron goes missing. But it isn’t Lila who reports this. It’s the Principal at the school where Aaron is a teacher.

    A local Podcast, that has been following the case of missing high school students, now add Aaron into the mix. Are these cases connected?

    The reader learns that Lila changed her name 13 years ago, but no history before that. Until the police department starts investigating. The reader also learns that Lila’s early years were tied to a man who now sits in prison.

    The suspense in the book did not let up. As more evidence came forth, the more my head spun. As more of the history was told, the more I didn’t know what characters to like or dislike. And who of the characters were the suspects or the victims, or even who was truly the murderer ( oh yes….the bodies start to pile up!!!!).

    Was there someone in this cast of characters that had a wrong to right? Maybe even a hero? Does the truth finally reveal itself?

    If this was Ms. Kane’s debut novel, then I can’t wait for what the future holds. But I know one thing, she is now on my “authors to read” list.

    Was the buzz correct about this book? ABSOLUTELY and then some!!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | Little Deadly Secrets by Pamela Crane

    Little Deadly Secrets by Pamela Crane
    Genre: Domestic Thriller, Psychological Thriller
    Published by William Morrow
    Publication Date: August 18, 2020
    ISBN-10 : 0062984918
    ISBN-13 : 978-0062984913
    Pages: 384
    Review Copy From: Publisher
    Edition: Print
    My Rating: 4

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Mackenzie, Robin, and Lily have been inseparable forever, sharing life’s ups and downs and growing even closer as the years have gone by. They know everything about each other. Or so they believe.

    Nothing could come between these three best friends . . .

    Except for a betrayal.

    Nothing could turn them against each other . . .

    Except for a terrible past mistake.

    Nothing could tear them apart . . .

    Except for murder.

    My Thoughts

    Twenty years ago while at college a friendship formed where Mackenzie, Robin, and Lily vowed to be forever bound, through life and love, through thick and thin, until that day when death will win. pg. 14

    They thought that they knew everything about each other but that wasn’t the case. Each of them was broken and hiding secrets that could destroy the bond that they created in college. Could they come clean? Would they finally tell all? Would the friendship survive? Lies, betrayals, abuse, addiction, and even murder, will test this friendship.

    I was hooked with the first chapter. I connected with the characters even though they all had flaws, some more than others. The writing flowed and the pages kept turning with the suspense. What I enjoyed the most was the dynamics between the three women and their loyalty, even through the toughest times. I did figure out some of the aspects in the story but there were others that totally surprised me.

    This was the first book I read by this author and looking forward to future works.

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Rose Carlyle

    The Girl In The Mirror by Rose Carlyle
    Genre: Psychological Fiction
    Published by William Morrow
    Publication Date: October 15, 2020
    ASIN : B083JLX7NS
    Pages: 300
    Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
    Edition: Kindle
    My Rating: 3.5/4

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Written with the chilling, twisty suspense of The Wife Between Us and Something in the Water, a seductive debut thriller about greed, lust, secrets, and deadly lies involving identical twin sisters.

    Twin sisters Iris and Summer are startlingly alike, but beyond what the eye can see lies a darkness that sets them apart. Cynical and insecure, Iris has long been envious of Summer’s seemingly never-ending good fortune, including her perfect husband Adam.

    Called to Thailand to help her sister sail the family yacht to the Seychelles, Iris nurtures her own secret hopes for what might happen on the journey. But when she unexpectedly finds herself alone in the middle of the Indian Ocean, everything changes. When she makes it to land, Iris allows herself to be swept up by Adam, who assumes that she is Summer.

    Iris recklessly goes along with his mistake. Not only does she finally have the golden life she’s always envied, with her sister gone, she’s one step closer to the hundred-million-dollar inheritance left by her manipulative father. All Iris has to do is be the first of his seven children to produce an heir.

    Iris’s “new” life lurches between glamorous dream and paranoid nightmare. On the edge of being exposed, how far will she go to ensure no one discovers the truth?

    And just what did happen to Summer on the yacht?

    Only Iris knows . . .

    My Thoughts

    One hundred million dollars is on the line to produce the first heir.

    Summer and Iris Carmichael, mirror twins, are the oldest of the 7 children. Iris always felt that Summer had it all, beauty inside and out, kindness, married to a man who is wealthy by his own right, whereas Iris has one failed marriage and only had her eye on the prize. How far will she go?

    I found that the plot was suspenseful throughout which kept me turning the pages. And for that, I gave it 4 stars. However, I found that there was a lot of nauticalese. And the ending was shocking, but for me, very confusing, to the point, that I didn’t truly know who received the money and for that, I gave it a 3.5 rating.

    I do recommend it as I feel others that like a good psychological thriller, would enjoy it.

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.