Category: Thriller

Title: Liar Liar
Author: Sarah Flint
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Aria
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: December 1, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

A faithful dog lies wounded beside the mutilated body of its owner.

A woman is discovered bound and gagged, dead in her own bed.

Both are police officers.

Both have a red rose at their side… worryingly more will follow…
Lies and accusations abound but who is behind the murders and why are the victims being targeted?

Charlie, Hunter and the team must find the killer targeting their own before another body is found.

Review:

This is another great thriller!

I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series, but I still enjoyed the story. There were some references to things that had happened before, and some relationships weren’t detailed, like Charlie and Ben, but other than that, it was great.

Each of the murders were so creepy. I couldn’t figure out who did it. There were a few suspects but I couldn’t piece together who did it, which made the book all the more fun.

I really liked how the chapters were from different points of view. Some focused on the murderer and others were about the detectives. Even the beginning was clever, because the first few chapters showed a different assault happening, which hooked me right away.

I really enjoyed this thriller and I will look for more from Sarah Flint in the future!

About the Author:

With a Metropolitan Police career spanning 35 years Sarah has spent her adulthood surrounded by victims, criminals and police officers. She continues to work and lives in London with her partner and has three older daughters.

Facebook: @SarahFlintBooks
Twitter: @SarahFlint19

Buy the book:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kKOf1S
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lGWEkP
iBooks: http://apple.co/2koJKXp
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2lBuZFM

Follow Aria:
Website: www.ariafiction.com
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Title: The Trickster’s Lullaby
Author: Barbara Fradkin
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Dundurn
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: September 26, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A winter camping trip turns deadly as two missing teenagers, a twisted love triangle, and the spectre of radicalism create turmoil in the remote Laurentian wilderness.

Amanda Doucette’s cross-Canada charity tour is in for a cold snap when she organizes a winter camping trip for inner-city young people in the stunning setting of the Laurentian Mountains. With a view to bridging cultural divides, she brings along a mixture of Canadian-born and immigrant youth.

Trouble begins when two of the teenagers disappear into the wilderness during the night: Luc, a French/English-Canadian with a history of drug use, and Yasmina, an adventurous young woman from Iraq who dreams of becoming a human rights lawyer. Although frantic, their parents are strangely secretive amid suspicions of drug use and forbidden romance. But when a local farmer turns up dead and terrorist material is found on Luc’s computer, the dangers turn deadly. Now in a battle against both the elements and police, Amanda and Corporal Chris Tymko discover a far greater web of secrets and deception.

As Amanda races to save the young people from danger, she finds herself fighting for stakes far higher than their own lives.

Review:

I loved this Canadian thriller.

Last fall, I went to Montreal and Mont Tremblant, so I could picture exactly where the story took place. I liked that it alternated between a city setting and the wilderness. It gave a full view of Quebec in the winter.

The mystery was so chilling. I really didn’t know what would happen. There were many possible explanations for disappearances, from drugs, to accidents, to escaping to terrorist groups, so I didn’t know what was the real answer.

I really liked that this was such a Canadian story. Even the way that the youth who go on the trip are immigrants from other countries demonstrates how the way that Canada is so multicultural.

I loved this story. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I’ll have to look for more books in this series!

Title: The Good Sister
Author: Jess Ryder
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Bookouture
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: August 16, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two sisters. One secret… A lie that could destroy them both.

When her father dies, Josie is devastated to uncover he led a secret life: another house, another family and a half-sister called Valentina.

Both with red hair and icy blue eyes, Josie and Valentina could be mistaken for twins. But the similarities end there…

Josie – Sweet, reserved, jealous, thief.
Valentina – Care-free, confident, dangerous, liar.

Two sisters. One survivor.

A nail-bitingly tense and unputdownable read that will keep you turning pages into the night. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and Sister Sister.

Review:

The premise for this story is very creepy. When Josie’s father dies, she discovers that he had a secret double life with another family and another daughter who was exactly the same age as her. I’ve read other stories with a similar starting point, and I just find that so creepy to think about.

I really liked the Viking facts at the beginning of each chapter. They gave a little insight into their culture and reinforced the Viking theme.

I didn’t like how the narrator switched between Josie and Valentina without warning. Sometimes I would start reading a chapter and realize a couple of pages in that it wasn’t who I thought it was. If those changes were identified at the beginning of the chapter, it would have been much easier to read.

I enjoyed this thriller. I really didn’t know how it was going to end! I recommend it to other fans of psychological thrillers.

Title: The Visitors
Author: Catherine Burns
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: September 26, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Marion Zetland lives with her domineering older brother, John in a decaying Georgian townhouse on the edge of a northern seaside resort. A timid spinster in her fifties who still sleeps with teddy bears, Marion does her best to shut out the shocking secret that John keeps in the cellar.

Until, suddenly, John has a heart attack and Marion is forced to go down to the cellar herself and face the gruesome truth that her brother has kept hidden.

As questions are asked and secrets unravel, maybe John isn’t the only one with a dark side.

Review:

This was a very unusual story.

Marion is more immature than a typical spinster. She collects teddy bears. She is very quiet when someone gets mad at her. But she also longs to have a child of her own. Her mother and brother held her back in life by asking her to take care of them. This has made her act irrationally when she’s pushed to the limit.

I liked that the story was told from a third person perspective because it gave an outsider’s view of Marion’s life. I think she would have been distracted as a narrator. She had some disturbing thoughts sometimes when she wished something bad would happen to a person. That was creepy and showed how she was like her brother.

The story about the “visitors” in the basement was so creepy. And it’s sad that this could actually happen. There are women from around the world who are desperate to escape their country so they will move somewhere else if someone says they will pay for them. The only thing they have to go on is a picture on the internet. It’s scary that it is a realistic story.

I enjoyed this story. It’s unique and creepy but entertaining too.

Title: An American Cage
Author: Ted Galdi
Publisher: Precipice Books
Genre: Thriller
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 16, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An American Cage follows Danny and his two escape partners over a twenty-four-hour period as they struggle to cross Texas to freedom in Mexico. On this dangerous adventure, Danny has to evade the rabid Texas authorities, and even worse, the schemes of one of his closest allies, who isn’t who he seems.

The second novel by Amazon #1 bestselling author and multi-award winner Ted Galdi, this psychological thriller is packed with suspense, twists, and grit, all while having heart. The story follows its protagonist on a journey of self-discovery and redemption as he weaves through a rocky landscape of family issues, guilt, betrayal, and questions about the nature of good and evil.

Along the way, he encounters an eclectic supporting cast, including a renowned psychology professor, a car thief, a young female hitchhiker, the leader of a biker gang, and a small-town Texas detective with big ambitions.

This gritty thriller culminates in a surprise ending sure to leave readers both stunned and satisfied.

Featuring vivid descriptions of Texas’s places and personalities, An American Cage adds to the rich history of Southern crime fiction while maintaining a universal appeal to any lover of an edgy thriller.

Probing the dynamics of deceit, this police chase book is just as much a psychological manipulation book as it is a piece of popular crime fiction. With echoes of the upmarket novels of writers like Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos, An American Cage goes deep into its characters’ psyches while remaining fast-paced, gripping, and wildly entertaining.

Review:

I really enjoyed this story!

The story starts off with a bang when the convicts escape from prison. I was hooked right from the beginning. It was very fast paced and exciting!

Each of the convicts had a distinct voice that reflected their backgrounds. For example, Phil spoke eloquently while Monty used a lot of slang. This helped to differentiate between them. 

I was surprised at how this story played out. When it opens with the prison escape, I wondered what would happen for the rest of the story. It turned into a wild roller coaster ride, as the three prisoners journey to their freedom. 

There were so many twists and turns, I never knew what was going to happen next. This is a great, thrilling book. 
 

Title: If You Only Knew
Author: Cynthia Clark
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Aria
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 1, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

A wife, a mother, a killer.

One wrong decision, one terrifying night, leaves student Elizabeth with a stark choice – kill or be killed. And the consequences of that choice will shape her whole life.

Now a wife, a mother, and a lawyer, she must find a way to out run her past, protect her family and live with her secret. But is it really possible to live a happy life with such a huge shadow cast by the past? And as it becomes clear that someone else knows her secret and is hunting her down, time is running out for Elizabeth to keep her family safe.

In the bestselling tradition of Clare Mackintosh and Jenny Blackhurst, Cynthia Clark has written a heart-stopping story about the choices we make and how far we’d go to protect our families. Even if it means deceiving the people we love most…

Review:

I enjoyed this book!

I was hooked from the beginning. It opens with Elizabeth’s confession of murder, so I knew it was going to be good. Fairly early on, I learned the circumstances of Elizabeth’s crime, and it’s hard to blame her. I was sympathetic for her. 

I liked that there were two perspectives from Elizabeth, from 1998 and 2014. I could tell that she was the same character but she was more mature in 2014. 

I had figured out what was going on with Claire’s circumstances early in the story, but I was still excited about the story. I was very intrigued to see how it all ended. 

I liked this story. It was an exciting thriller! 

About the Author:

Cynthia Clark was born and brought up in Malta, where she graduated in Communications and went to work for a daily newspaper. She has since lived in the US, where she worked as a writer in online business journals. She and her husband now live in Philadelphia with their twin daughters.

Follow Cynthia

Website: http://ariafiction.com/author/cynthia-clark
Twitter: @cynthiaNYC

Available on NetGalley: http://bit.ly/2xWIl5R

Buy links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fnvZvH
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2xz8jeP
iBooks: http://apple.co/2xksqO0
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2wLIV19

Follow Aria
Website: www.ariafiction.com
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction
Instagram: @ariafiction

 

Title: The Accident
Author: Dawn Goodwin
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Aria
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 1, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

A tragic accident, an unbearable loss and a marriage in crisis – but who can she trust or is she all alone? A gripping, debut psychological thriller that will keep you hooked. Perfect for the fans of Paula Hawkins and S.J. Watson.

Veronica Pullman’s comfortable suburban life comes to a shuddering halt when her young daughter, Grace, tragically dies in a car accident.  

Months later, unable to come to terms with her daughter’s death, detached from her husband and alienated from her friends and family, a chance encounter on a rainy street pushes her into an unlikely new friendship.

Scarlet is everything Veronica could’ve been: feisty, adventurous, unpredictable.  But as she approaches what would have been Grace’s 10th birthday, it becomes clear to Veronica that the friendship she thought was saving her life could be costing her everything.

Consumed by grief and left questioning her own sanity, is there anyone she can really trust or is someone out to torment her as part of their twisted game?

Review:

This is another great thriller!

Veronica is an unreliable narrator, which makes her story all the more compelling. It’s difficult to tell when she’s telling the truth. Fairly early on, I could tell that things weren’t adding up, but I couldn’t be sure if I was wrong. There were also hints of someone else playing tricks on her, but it wasn’t clear who it was until the end. 

I had figured out everything by the end but it was still an exciting story. Even though I could predict things that needed to be told at the end, I didn’t know how they would come out. (I don’t want to give spoliers but if you read the book, you’ll know what I’m referring to.)

There were clever hints as to what was happening to Veronica. There is one particular flashback to Grace that I really liked. 

I enjoyed this story. I recommend it if you want to read a psychological thriller!

About the Author:

Dawn’s career has spanned PR, advertising and publishing. Now, she loves to write about the personalities hiding behind the masks, whether beautiful or ugly.  Married, she lives in London with her two daughters and a British bulldog called Geoffrey.

Follow Dawn

Facebook: @DGoodwinAuthor
Twitter: @DGoodwinAuthor

Available on NetGalley: http://bit.ly/2xWKAGg

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2xlkbky
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2toKRiq
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2tonJ3J
iBooks: http://apple.co/2yhH8C8

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction
Instagram: @ariafiction

Title: The Good Mother
Author: Karen Osman
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Aria
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 1, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

How far would you go to protect your children?

A gripping psychological suspense, with a shocking twist that will leave you reeling…

Catherine is a good mother and a good wife. The family home is immaculate, her husband’s supper is cooked on time, but when she starts writing to Michael, a prisoner convicted of murder, she finds herself obsessing about his crime and whether he can ever truly be forgiven…  

Kate has no time for herself.  Caught in the maelstrom of bringing up two young children with no money, and an out of work husband, she longs to escape the drudgery of being a wife and a mother. And she soon starts taking dangerous risks to feel alive…  

Alison has flown the nest. But university life is not what she had hoped for, and she finds herself alone and unhappy. Until the day her professor takes a sudden interest in her. Then everything changes…  

Three women – all with secrets. And as the days tick down to Michael’s release, those secrets can no longer be ignored.

Review:

This book was amazing!

I don’t want to give away the ending so I won’t say too much about the plot.

I liked the characters. I was drawn right into Kate’s, Alison’s, and Catherine’s stories. Each of them had a distinct point of view so I could always tell them apart. I was a little confused at first by the time periods. Each of their stories are happening decades apart, but it took a while to figure that out.

I was going to finish this book before bed, but I’m glad I didn’t because I would have been up all night if I did. I had just figured out the ending but reading that I was right was very exciting.

This is a very cleverly woven story. It doesn’t appear to be a thriller for most of the story, but the ending definitely gives it thriller status. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for an exciting story!

About the Author:

Originally from the UK, Karen won the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Montegrappa Novel Writing Award 2016 with her crime-thriller novel and now has a three-book deal with Head of Zeus. When she’s not writing novels, Karen is busy bringing up her two young children and running her communication business Travel Ink.

Website: https://www.karenosman.com/
Twitter: @KarenAuthor

Available on NetGalley: http://bit.ly/2jQwtfq

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2hllmdI
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2wL90xt
iBooks: http://apple.co/2wLlV2e
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2wauh47

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction
Instagram: @ariafiction