Thriller – Page 4 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1)

Title: Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1)
Author: M.K. Lobb
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Thriller
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive.

After her father’s murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system—tapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit… and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.

Now a murderer stalks Ombrazia’s citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other way—that is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinister—and far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?

Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.

Review:

Roz Lacertosa has been devastated since her father was killed on the battlefield. It made her want to rebel against the system that put him in the war, by using her powers as a disciple of Patience. Damian Venturi is the captain of security at the Palazzo, which houses disciples of the seven saints. When the disciple of Death is found murdered, Damian is asked to investigate by himself, but he ends up teaming up with his childhood friend Roz. Roz is also investigating some strange murders outside of the Palazzo. They notice similarities between the murders, but as they search for answers, they discover dark secrets that put their whole world in danger.

This book was a thrilling murder mystery. It was fast paced and intense. Roz and Damian were in opposing positions. Roz was a disciple of Patience, but she resented her powers because it was the people in charge of the disciples who killed her father. Damian had not been chosen by the saints as a disciple, so he was considered one of the unfavored in society. While Roz resented her powers, Damian wished he had them. The story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger so I’m excited to read the sequel!

Seven Faceless Saints is a thrilling fantasy!

Content warnings: death, death of parent, gun violence, poisoning

Other books in the series:

Disciples of Chaos (Seven Faceless Saints #2)

Have you read Seven Faceless Saints? What did you think of it?

Review: One Perfect Couple

Title: One Perfect Couple
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A high-tension and ingenious thriller following five couples trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them.

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.

A fast-paced, spellbinding thriller rife with intrigue and characters that feel so true to life, this novel proves yet again that Ruth Ware is the queen of psychological suspense.

Review:

Lyla is a scientist who is struggling with her research. When her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, asks her if she wants to go on a reality show with him, she reluctantly agrees. They travel to an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean to film the new reality show, One Perfect Couple. Lyla expects to be voted off the show first, since she doesn’t like reality shows. After a storm the first night, everything goes wrong. Their communication from the rest of the world is cut off, and they have limited supplies. Now, the couples don’t have to worry about being eliminated from the show. They must worry about surviving.

This is my new favourite Ruth Ware book! It was so creepy and intense. There was a bit of a behind the scenes look at the making of a reality show, but most of the book was about survival. I couldn’t guess what would happen next so I was really kept on the edge of my seat!

One Perfect Couple is an intense summer thriller!

Thank you Tandem Collective and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, murder, suicide, blood, drowning, diabetes

Have you read One Perfect Couple? What did you think of it?

Review: As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)

Title: As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The finale to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. By the end of this mystery series, you’ll never think of good girls the same way again…

Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle… and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears…

Review:

Pip is ready to go to college, but she can’t stop thinking about her last two cases. It doesn’t help that Max Hastings, who should be in prison, is suing Pip for defamation. When Pip starts to get threats, she finds connections to a serial killer, the Duct Tape Killer. However, the DT Killer has been in prison for six years. Pip must figure out if the wrong man is in prison, with the real killer still out there, before she becomes his next victim.

This was a great finale to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. The mystery in this book was connected to both of the other books. The second half of the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I would have been too scared to do the things that Pip did, but she had to do them for the best outcome. She had to make her own justice when the authorities wouldn’t listen to her.

As Good As Dead is a great finale!

Content warnings: death, murder, drugging, blackmail, gaslighting, blood

Other books in the series:

Kill Joy (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1)
Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)

Have you read As Good As Dead? What did you think of it?

Review: The Paris Affair

Title: The Paris Affair
Author: Pip Drysdale
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 28, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

She thinks love can kill you. It turns out she might be right. The dark and sexy new thriller from the author of The Next Girl and The Strangers We Know .

Harper Brown is an expert at picking locks, breaking her way out of car trunks, and talking her way out of trouble. She could run a masterclass on escaping relationships—her record for losing a guy is three minutes flat. She’s addicted to true crime podcasts and is the genius behind a micro-column called “How to not get murdered”.

After having her heart broken helping her ex follow his dreams, Harper has moved to Paris to fulfill hers. She’s talked her way into a job as an arts journalist, a stepping stone to her dream role as an investigative journalist. And she’ll do whatever it takes to get there. But then one night she meets the artist Noah X, and everything she thinks she knows is turned upside down.

Soon Harper finds herself entangled in a web of lies, hot on the trail of a murderer and the scoop of a lifetime. This is the story that could make her career—if the killer doesn’t catch her first.

Review:

Harper Brown is an expert at getting out of relationships and picking locks. She loves true crime podcasts, so she knows how to avoid becoming a victim herself. She’s just moved to Paris to be an arts journalist, which isn’t what she wants to do but it’s a step in the right direction. One night, she meets Noah X, a new emerging artist, and Harper’s life is changed. She ends up entangled in a murder investigation, which she must solve before she becomes the next target.

This was a slow burn, intense thriller. The actual “thriller” part didn’t start until quite a few chapters into the story, but somehow it was still creepy. This story shows a dark side of Paris, with missing and murdered women, who aren’t given the investigation they deserve. I loved how clever and adaptable Harper was in dangerous situations. She didn’t give up searching for answers, when most people would have.

The Paris Affair is a great thriller!

Thank you Tandem Collective and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Content warnings: murder, abduction, stalking

Have you read The Paris Affair? What did you think of it?

Review: The Return of Ellie Black

Title: The Return of Ellie Black
Author: Emiko Jean
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective Global
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 7, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

“I stayed up late into the night turning the pages until I learned the truth of what happened to Ellie—and gasped when Jean delivered a truly jaw-dropping twist.” —Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive and Bright Young Women

It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.

Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.

But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

Review:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister disappeared and was declared dead, when they were teens, and since then she’s been looking for missing girls. Teenage Ellie Black, who disappeared two years ago, is found wandering in the woods. Chelsey questions Ellie about where she’s been, but Ellie won’t give any answers. Chelsey worries that other girls could be connected to Ellie’s disappearance so it’s crucial that she find out where she was kept as soon as possible.

This was a great fast paced mystery. It alternated between the current story in third person, and flashbacks from Ellie’s perspective where she was held captive. A lot of things that happened when Ellie was held captive were disturbing, but implied rather than described in detail. I guessed one person who was involved, but I was surprised at the whole explanation at the end.

The Return of Ellie Black is a great thriller!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Tandem Collective Global for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, divorce, cancer, rape, kidnapping

Have you read The Return of Ellie Black? What did you think of it?

Review: The Paris Apartment

Title: The Paris Apartment
Author: Lucy Foley
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide…

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.

Review:

Jess is running away from her job and looking to start over. She asks her half-brother, Ben, if she can come stay with him in Paris. He agrees, but when she shows up at his apartment, Ben isn’t there. It isn’t like him to disappear without a trace, so Jess starts digging into his life to figure out where he went. There’s a strange group of people living in his apartment building who all knew Ben but they all seem to be hiding something. Everyone is a suspect as Jess investigates everyone’s past and connection to each other to find her brother.

I listened to the audiobook of this book and I really enjoy it. It was told through multiple POVs, with each POV being read by a different actor. I love it when audiobooks have a full cast. It was so easy to follow the story, and I flew through it. I found all the characters to be unlikeable, and they all had good motives to kill Ben, so I couldn’t guess who was behind his disappearance.

The Paris Apartment is a great thriller!

Content warnings: death of parent (off page), death in childbirth (off page), blackmail, murder, drugging

Have you read The Paris Apartment? What did you think of it?

Review: An Inconvenient Wife: A Modern Tudor Mystery

Title: An Inconvenient Wife: A Modern Tudor Mystery
Author: Karen E. Olson
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Pegasus Crime
Source: Once Upon a Book Club Box
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 2, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This astonishing crime novel—inspired by the Tudor era—takes the reader into the world of Kate Parker, who has just married billionaire Hank Tudor when a headless body is discovered near their summer home . . .

Kate Parker knows what she’s getting into when she marries billionaire businessman Hank Tudor—she’s his sixth wife, after all, and was by his side (as his assistant) when his fifth marriage to actress Caitlyn Howard fell apart.

But honeymoon plans go awry when a headless body is discovered near Hank’s summer home, forcing Kate to contend with two more of his exes: Catherine Alvarez—the first—who lives as a shut-in with her computers, carefully following Tudor Enterprises; and Anna Klein—the fourth—who runs a bed-and-breakfast where she and her wife keep a steady eye on things—particularly Hank’s children, Lizzie and Teddy.

In this clever and suspenseful reimagining of Tudor era betrayals, these three women become entwined in a deadly game of cat and mouse—with each other, Hank, and Hank’s brilliant fixer, Tom Cromwell—as Kate seeks to solve the puzzle of who the murdered woman is, who killed her, and whether her death has any connection to the other headless body from eight years ago.

Review:

Kate Parker married her former boss Hank Tudor, and became his sixth wife. Their honeymoon was cut short when a headless body was found on one of Hank’s properties. Through the investigation, Kate has to deal with two of Hank’s ex-wives: his first wife Catherine who lives as a shut-in and Anna Klein who runs an inn and looks after Hank’s children. These three women become involved in the investigation, questioning their roles in Hank’s life and if he is behind the murder.

This was such an amazing Tudor adaptation. I love reading about Henry VIII and his wives. This story was cleverly adapted into modern time, while also following the true story and creating a suspenseful mystery. The final chapters kept me guessing with all the twists, and the ending gave me goosebumps! It’s one of my favourite book endings!

An Inconvenient Wife is a must read for Tudor fans!

Content warnings: murder, divorce, adultery, agoraphobia

Have you read An Inconvenient Wife? What did you think of it?

Review: Four Good Liars

Title: Four Good Liars
Author: Sarah Wishart
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The unputdownable, explosive new YA thriller from the bestselling, award-winning author of The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder, perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Cynthia Murphy and Holly Jackson.

Layla. Kai. Liam. Fliss.

Terrified big sister. Troubled surfer. Insecure genius. Pampered princess.

They have nothing in common, except they were all on the school bus that morning. The morning of the crash. The morning they discovered the dead driver’s holdall, containing one million pounds – and a gun.

All of them have secrets, and all of them need that money. But someone dangerous is hunting it down, and drawing closer every minute. If Layla, Kai, Liam and Fliss want to survive, they’ll need to stick together. But can four good liars really trust one another? Or are some truths just too powerful to stay buried…?

Review:

Kai, Layla, Liam, and Fliss go to the same school, but other than that they have nothing in common. One day when they’re on the school bus, the driver crashes and goes over a cliff. The four of them escape the bus with the driver’s holdall bag, which holds one million pounds. Each of the teens has their own reasons for wanting to split the money, so they decide to keep it a secret from the police so they can keep it for themselves. However, someone knows they have the money. They’re being followed and receive threatening messages. They must decide if they’ll keep the money and their secrets or if they’ll finally tell the truth.

This was a great suspenseful thriller. The chapters were short and fast-paced. The way that the kids were being followed was really creepy. I was surprised at the reveal of who was behind it all. It was a great twist ending.

Four Good Liars is a great thriller!

Thank you Frenzy Books for sending me a copy of this book.

Content warnings: death, car accident, cancer, parental abandonment, heart attack, gun violence

Have you read Four Good Liars? What did you think of it?

Review: Not Like Other Girls

Title: Not Like Other Girls
Author: Meredith Adamo
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller
Publisher: Bloomsbury Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 30, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A girl risks everything to find her former best friend in this powerful debut mystery about trauma, girlhood, and what we deserve.

When Jo-Lynn Kirby’s former best friend—pretty, nice Maddie Price—comes to her claiming to be in trouble, Jo assumes it’s some kind of joke. After all, Jo has been an outcast ever since her nude photos were leaked—and since everyone decided she deserved it. There’s no way Maddie would actually come to her for help.

But then Maddie is gone.

Everyone is quick to write off Maddie as a runaway, but Jo can’t shake the feeling there’s more to the story. To find out the truth, Jo needs to get back in with the people who left her behind—and the only way back in is through Hudson Harper-Moore. An old fling of Jo’s with his own reasons for wanting to find Maddie, Hudson hatches a fake dating scheme to get Jo back into their clique. But being back on the inside means Jo must confront everything she’d rather forget: the boys who betrayed her, the whispers that she had it coming, and the secrets that tore her and Maddie apart. As Jo digs deeper into Maddie’s disappearance, she’s left to wonder who she’s really searching for: Maddie, or the girl she used to be.

Not Like Other Girls is a stunning debut that takes a hard look at how we treat young women and their trauma, through the lens of a missing girl and a girl trying to find herself again.

Review:

Jo-Lynn Kirby is a seventeen-year-old junior in high school. Her former best friend, Maddie Price, disappears after asking Jo for help. Jo has been an outcast ever since her private photos were leaked, so she doesn’t know why Maddie would go to her for help. The police decide that Maddie has just run away on her own, but Jo suspects there’s more to her disappearance. She joins together with her former fling, Hudson, to figure out what happened to Maddie, but she ends uncovering her own secrets as well.

This was such an intense YA thriller. It was so hard to put down. I think readers who love awesome thriller writers like Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson will love this debut thriller!

Thank you Bloomsbury Books US and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book for part of a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: sexual assault, rape, gaslighting

Have you read Not Like Other Girls? What did you think of it?

Review: Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)

Title: Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 2, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Pip is not a detective anymore.

With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.

But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.

The police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way… and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it’s too late?

Review:

Following the success of her podcast about the murder of Andie Bell, Pip is continuing to share episodes about the trial. Pip says she won’t investigate any crimes again, but when her best friend Connor asks for her help in finding Jamie, his missing brother, Pip agrees to help find him. The police won’t look for Jamie because he’s an adult, but Pip knows his disappearance is suspicious. With the help of her friends, Pip begins recording season 2 of her podcast, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, to get the public’s help in finding Jamie.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat. I really couldn’t put it down. There were so many twists and clues that I couldn’t predict where the story would end. The ending was a little complicated with multiple people involved. I don’t think you could solve the entire thing with the clues given throughout the story, but I was very surprised at who was involved in Jamie’s disappearance.

Good Girl, Bad Blood is a great sequel! I can’t wait to read the next book!

Content warnings: death, death of parent (off page), child abuse (off page), child death (off page), knife violence, gun violence, fire

Other books in the series:

Kill Joy (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1)
As Good as Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)

Have you read Good Girl, Bad Blood? What did you think of it?