Category: Thriller

‘Nothing Can Hurt You’ – Nicola Maye Goldberg

Nothing Can Hurt You centres on the killing of a young student, Sara, by her boyfriend, Blake, who we are told has schizophrenia and who claims to have taken LSD on the night he slit Sara’s throat. Blake comes from a wealthy family, has never been in trouble before and has the means to arrange for a good lawyer. Perhaps surprisingly, he is acquitted on the grounds of insanity and goes free.

This novel is a hard one to pin down. We’re not really finding out more about what happened to Sara, nor are we learning more about the killer. There’s little focus on questioning motive or even really seeming to come down on a certain view on how we as a society deal with such events/people. I ended this not entirely sure how I was meant to feel about things.

While this doesn’t fit the expectations of a thriller, it was cleverly constructed. Each chapter has as its focus someone involved with the murder of Sara. We begin with the woman who discovered her body, but we also have a young girl who she babysat, her half-sister and a journalist investigating the story amongst others. What they all have in common is a sense of disruption following the death of Sara.

In style and focus, this reminded me very much of Jon McGregor’s Reservoir 13. I was somewhat surprised to learn this was based on a true story, as the way in which it is written makes it seem so separate from the everyday world most of us inhabit. I’m grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication, and it does strike me as a book that will offer up new links/perspectives upon further reading.

‘The Girl From Widow Hills’ – Megan Miranda

A thriller that actually gets better as it progresses, with a finale that leaves us in no doubt more than one person knows the truth of events but that – sometimes – not being completely honest can be the better option.

I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Megan Miranda before now, and the way this is described really hooks the reader.

When we first meet Olivia Maynor she is working in a local hospital, and we know that she has changed her name after press interest in the events that took place when she was a child. Everyone has heard of little Arden, the six year old from Widow Hills who was missing for three days after sleepwalking and being washed away by rising storm water. When she was eventually found her rescue was praised, and people were invested in her story.

Over time Arden had to face some criticism, and not everyone believed her account. For this reason she changed her name and tried to bury her mother’s requests for press interviews.

Catching up with Olivia we learn more of her past as she comes to fear for her present. Her neighbour, Rick, is keeping his own secrets but when Olivia discovers a dead body outside her property she wonders whether her past is catching up with her.

The events taking place in the present have a very close link to the past. As we start to unpick these links I was quite certain I’d established what was happening. Throughout, at the back of my mind, there was a niggling unease that something was missing. There are clues that things aren’t quite as straightforward as we believe, and the revelations when they come thick and fast do take us somewhat by surprise.

Much as I enjoyed the story, the ending left me with so many questions. I can’t wait to see what is made of this once it’s released, but I’m hugely grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication.

‘Good Girl, Bad Blood’ – Holly Jackson

Though I’d enjoyed book one a lot, it had a rather earnest quality to it that felt (on occasion) jarring. This one took a decidedly darker shift and it really had me hooked from the beginning.

I loved the fact that Pip summarised some of the events of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder right at the start because it gave me the requisite reminder without me having to reread the book. We can see from the outset the havoc that her investigations have wreaked on Pip, and how determined she is not to get caught up in something like this again.

You have to admire the reluctant hero figure who, against their better judgement, does what they know is the right thing. Having fought against her instincts, when Pip learns that her best friend’s brother has gone missing she tries to advise the family to go through the appropriate channels. Unfortunately, because Jamie is twenty-four the police don’t feel investigating his disappearance is a priority. As a result, Pip finds herself taking up the hunt.

What follows certainly boosts the ratings for series two of her podcast, but it leads Pip into dangerous territory.

We can see people aren’t always truthful. Sometimes adults get things wrong and, more often than not, the truth can be elusive.

Pip and Ravi’s dedication is commendable. As we move closer to learning what happened to Jamie we realise that Pip has got herself mixed up in a much bigger story. It wasn’t at all what I expected, and once all the pieces came together it was obvious just how well-planned this had been.

‘Five Total Strangers’ – Natalie D. Richards

 

A solid scare that ratchets up the tension, has some terrific jump moments but doesn’t go all-out with gore.

Our main character in this YA thriller is Mira, a girl travelling home for the Christmas holidays. Bad weather causes problems, and Mira needs to get home to be with her mother as it’s a year since a close relative died of cancer. So, even though the safest thing would be to wait it out, we have a plausible reason to explain what comes next.

Mira makes a plan to get a lift with Harper, the young woman she sat next to on the plane, and her friends. The journey begins smoothly enough, but the weather quickly becomes more threatening and as the journey progresses Mira realises that every single one in the car is a stranger to the others. Objects start going missing and before we know it every one of those in the car – and even some of those they encounter along the way – is a potential threat.

As we follow the journey we see the increase in tension. Fascinating to watch how they turn on each other as they gradually realise that someone is lying.

Interspersed with the narrative are excerpts from another voice – someone who has been watching Mira and who is determined that she’ll notice them. Naturally, this means we know Mira has good reason to feel uneasy, and we get caught up in the game of trying to work out just who is responsible before they get too close.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange for my thoughts. It might not stick with you, but in the moments you’re reading it’ll definitely get under your skin. Scheduled for release in October 2020, it’s a perfect read for those darker nights.

‘Never Have I Ever’ – Joshilyn Jackson

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication. A deceptive read, where nothing is quite as it seems and our hero is (in some ways) just as bad as the villain.

The story begins in a way that almost had me switching off. A mum’s book club in a well-to-do neighbourhood full of women who are obsessed with their appearance and getting one over on the neighbours. The opening focuses on the appearance of a new neighbour, Angelica Roux, and her childish game of ‘Never Have I’ which seems a way of prising secrets out of those present.

Before we know it, Roux is trying to blackmail our main character, Amy, out of nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

Slowly we unpick why Amy has become a mark. We learn of some of the secrets she’s been hiding from those around her. Though, perhaps, they come from good motives, there’s no doubting that she has skeletons aplenty. It then becomes a question of which of these game-players will come out on top.

There’s some tense moments. We also get into some murky territory regarding Amy’s past…though nothing is quite as awful as what we learn about Roux. When faced with something so awful, I have to wonder who would be prepared to overlook Amy’s actions.

No easy answers here. No black or white response is evident, and the shades explored certainly made this more intriguing than first impressions seemed to warrant.

‘The Family Upstairs’ – Lisa Jewell

A curious read that was, for the early stages, confusing and – at times – irritating, but also which eventually had me astounded at the manipulative behaviour of the characters within its pages.

The story focuses on two different timeframes, and quite a large cast of characters though we only get detailed viewpoints from a number of them. On her 25th birthday Libby receives a letter that she had been prepared for – a letter from a solicitor representing her real parents. The letter tells her that because nobody else has come forward she now is the owner of a very large house in Chelsea worth millions.

Upon visiting the house, it’s clear to Libby that there’s a story to her past. She is determined to find out what she can…and it’s a story so strange that it’s almost hard to believe it.

Alongside Libby’s story we have the view of Henry, one of those living in this home before things went so horribly wrong. A wealthy family, mother charmed by a manipulative conman and a bizarre set of circumstances that leads to a most puzzling situation. Henry is not the most reliable of narrators, and when he appears in Libby’s present it definitely becomes more tense.

For me the thing that was most off-putting was the switching between the past and present, and the mysterious Lucy whose role didn’t become clear until a lot later on. However, if you don’t mind having to work that little bit harder to piece things together then you’ll probably really get your teeth into this.

It’s a fascinating psychological study, and though there’s plenty of questions left unanswered there’s more than enough here to satisfy most readers.

 

‘The Rules’ – Tracy Darnton

Amber has, for as long as she remembers, been prepared by her father to expect the unexpected. As a survivalist he insisted on teaching her how to prepare for the worst. Her key rule was to ensure she followed his rules.

We’re not sure what happened, but we see Amber is in foster care. She is in the UK, and we learn her mother has died. A letter from Amber’s father has arrived from America and it immediately puts Amber on alert. She realises she will have to leave.

We follow Amber on her journey to try and learn more about her father’s plans. She doesn’t trust him, and journeys to familiar places in her attempt to learn what she needs.

For someone who is meant to be so well-trained she seems to make some silly mistakes. She places her trust in another person who used to be in foster care with her, and this results in some crazy decisions being made. Before too long, Amber’s father catches up with her and we start to glimpse for ourselves the extent to which one man’s delusions can impact on the lives of those around him.

Throughout the story I got a sense that things weren’t quite what we thought. Amber made some strange decisions, and the details of her past indicated there may be more to the story that she was telling us.

When we get to the rather explosive finale it seems to justify what Amber had told us, but it also suggested that perhaps Amber was better prepared than she wanted to let on!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this, and I’m curious to see how this goes down (particularly in light of recent events that may have led people to question the extent to which they are reliant on others).

 

‘Glass Dolls’ – D.E. White

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for my thoughts. Having just finished, my head is spinning. There are a lot of coincidences in this book, and it’s painful to think such evil could go under the radar so easily, but this was a story that really never let up.

The main focus for our story is Dove, a police officer who has clearly experienced some trauma in the line of duty. We first encounter her as she is called in to examine a body. This body is of a young woman, found entombed in a solid glass case. Immediately we are told that this killing bears many of the hallmarks of a previous case – that has been solved, and the guy responsible is dead. So, who is responsible for this copycat?

It’s important to not have too much detail before reading this. The glass doll case and the links to earlier events are clearly important, and feature heavily. As does the background information about Dove and her family.

It doesn’t take long before we start to realise that Dove and her family are more deeply involved in these events than you might expect. As more and more details are unearthed, we are let into some of the past of the family. Each new revelation ramps up the tension we feel for the current situation. By the end I wasn’t surprised by anything we learned, but I was left with a deep sense of admiration for these women…

 

‘Wilderness’ – B.E. Jones

A dark and fast-paced thriller with a definite psychological edge…and one that might have you watching your nearest and dearest very closely indeed.

The story seems fairly straightforward in some ways. Young married couple move to America. Husband has an affair with a co-worker. Wife finds out and decides to forgive him…but then organises a road trip to give her errant husband the chance to show he’s changed. Things aren’t going well, and it seems the wife is going to take the opportunity to remove her husband from the situation. But things don’t quite work out like that.

Our narrator, Liv, is definitely cut from a very special kind of cloth. Initially, I felt every sympathy for her and the situation she finds herself in. However, as we learn more about her actions over time, I couldn’t believe she was still walking round free. A dangerous woman, but the level of her danger doesn’t really become clear until the end.

This is certainly a story it’s best not to know too much about before reading. It’s a fast-paced story and one that was unsettling once we knew a little more detail about the characters and the events. There’s a lot of coincidences within the story, but it was still a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this prior to publication.

 

‘All Your Twisted Secrets’ – Diana Urban

I’d been very much looking forward to this, and it did entertain me though I was left feeling a little underwhelmed by the end.

Amber is our narrator. A keen musician, she has tried hard to fall in with the popular group in school – even doing things that go against her ideals, and failing to stand up for her best friend. She – along with a group of her peers – is invited to a special dinner in a local hotel as a chance to win a scholarship. The door shuts behind them, then they’re told they have an hour to decide which of them should die (being injected with a lethal poison) in order to stop a bomb being detonated.

What follows is a rundown of how the group spend their last hour trying to decide what to do. They unpick their behaviours over the last year and we learn – through their conversation and flashbacks – some of the secrets each is hiding and why they might have someone who wants them dead.

The start of the book felt slow. It’s once they’re in the room that we come to know a little more about each character, but there’s little to make us feel particularly about any of them. I had an inkling of who was behind it, and it seemed odd to me that nobody put two and two together before we got to the big reveal. Things were, in part, resolved by the end but nobody really seemed to learn from this experience and it all seemed a little unnecessary.