The Reappearance of Rachel Price – Book Review

Title:- The Reappearance of Rachel Price

Author:- Holly Jackson

Date published:- April 2nd 2024

No. of pages:- 448 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A new true-crime fueled mystery thriller about a girl determined to uncover the shocking truth about her missing mother while filming a documentary on the unsolved case.

Lights. Camera. Lies.

18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.

But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.

Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . .

From world-renowned author Holly Jackson comes a mind-blowing masterpiece about one girl’s search for the truth, and the terror in finding out who your family really is.

I get super excited whenever I get my hands on Holly Jackson’s latest book. In this case, The Reappearance of Rachel Price, which was published nearly a month ago. Even though the book was a good, to my surprise, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did with her previous books.

Synopsis – Annabel “Bel” Price is being interviewed by Ramsey and his crew about the disappearance of Rachel Price, her mother when Bel was only two years old. Rachel was last seen leaving the mall with Bel and her car was found abandoned by the side with Bel still inside the car. Bel spent most of her childhood time believing that her mother is dead…until one day, Rachel Price herself turns up at the doorstep sixteen years after she had disappeared.

Good points – I actually liked the premise of the story. The first half of the book was really great and engrossing and I was hooked into the story. Holly Jackson’s writing was really great, and she knows how to get the reader into the story. The twist at the end was completely unexpected and shocking that I did like the ending. Ash is one and only favorite character in the book.

Bad points – I may have a little bit more bad points than good points. I didn’t really like the main character, Bel much–I see her a bit irrational, uninteresting and so this actually made me didn’t really like much because of Bel’s character. Also the rest of the story itself felt very unrealistic to me in my opinion and it was slightly confusing. This actually made me less enjoyable to read this book.

Overall verdict – If you haven’t read any Holly Jackson’s books yet, I suggest not read this one but instead read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, which is still her best. Even though I liked the plot overall, the certain characters as well as how unrealistic it became later on, made me lower this book from a rating of 5 star to a four star.

My Perfect Husband – ARC Book Review

Title:- My Perfect Husband

Author:- Georgina Cross

Date published:- will be published on 16th May 2024

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 315 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

My sister is dead. Did I marry her killer?

The moment I first gazed into Alex’s soulful gray eyes, I knew I’d met the man I wanted to spend my life with.

When my beloved sister vanished, Alex put up posters and wiped away my tears after bad dreams. He put me back together, and I’m so glad I married such a good man.

But when police find my darling sister dead and pull a crumpled photo from her pocket, my world falls apart. In the faded image, I see my husband’s familiar face smiling back at me, his arm around my sweet sister.

Alex told me they’d never met. The picture was taken in the café where she was last seen. So why was he with her the day she died? And now I’ve uncovered the truth, I wonder if I’m next…

If The Housemaid, The Wife Between Us or The Woman in the Window had you totally gripped until late at night, then you’ll love this utterly unputdownable psychological thriller from Amazon charts bestseller Georgina Cross.

Synopsis – Lauren’s sister Ellie disappeared when Ellie was working in New Orleans. Lauren’s husband, Alex’s brother Clive also disappeared along with Ellie as well. Both Lauren and Alex seemed to have a hard time moving on. Then one day, Lauren received a phone call from a detective in New Orleans. Ellie’s body was found in an abandoned house. And it was believed to be a possible murder. Through Ellie’s remains, the detectives recover some pictures that were there and the detective forward those pictures to Lauren to see if she recognized anyone. And as Lauren carefully studied the pictures, she was shocked to see her husband, Alex posing in a picture next to her sister. Is her husband after all responsible for her sister’s murder?

Good points – The writing was really great and I like the setting–changing sceneries between Lake Michigan and Louisiana. The pacing was fast and also I like how the author left with a small cliff hanger at the end.

Bad point – I actually have read books from this author before but usually she has couple of other main characters POVs. However in this one, we only have Lauren’s POV which in my opinion doesn’t really work well with this book. I think if we have Alex’s POV in this book would have made the book a little better.

Overall verdict. – This was a quick read and also good for ones who like to read pop corn readers. If you are a fan of Freida McFadden, Mary Kubica, then this book will be perfect for you. Worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Bad Apple – ARC Book Review

Title:- Bad Apple

Author:- Alice Hunter

Date published:- will be published on 9th May 2024

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3.5/5

How can you live with yourself when you find out the man you love is rotten to the core? Prepare to be hooked by Alice Hunter’s addictive new novel – so shocking it should come with a warning! Available to pre-order now. Trusted officer. Family man. Monster. Becky’s life has been shattered. When she discovered her husband, John – a policeman she once trusted – was a monster, she reported him. But it didn’t lead to any charges. Now, John lives freely with a new girlfriend and her daughter – while Becky battles guilt for missing the obvious signs. Determined for justice, Becky confronts John. But he targets her. He wants her silenced – and at any cost. And now, survival is the only option because he’s not the only bad apple lurking in the shadows…

Synopsis – Becky is trying to prove that her ex-husband John was a corrupted police officer with a record. As she tries to enlist the help of her former colleagues to finally bring justice and bring down John, Becky tries to maintain acquaintance with John’s new girlfriend Nina. As the story progresses with Becky’s life in potential danger, will Becky finally succeed in bringing justice and arresting John?

Good points – I actually like the premise of the story. Here you get a corrupted police officer and Becky was determined to bring justice. The story overall was well written. I was actually engrossed into the story as a result, wondering if Becky is finally able to bring justice and bring John down.

Bad points – The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the end–and it was also slightly repetitive which made reading the whole book slightly boring as a result. Otherwise, this book would have been a good thriller.

Overall verdict – This book has a premise–the story is over all well written although the repetitive words in certain areas made the book slightly boring to read The plot was great and overall, this was a great thriller book. Worth 4 stars in my opinion.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the book. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

After completing a psychology degree, Alice Hunter became an interventions facilitator in a prison. There, she was part of a team offering rehabilitation programmes to men serving sentences for a wide range of offences, often working with prisoners who’d committed serious violent crimes. Previously, Alice had been a nurse, working in the NHS. She now puts her experiences to good use in fiction. The Serial Killer’s Wife, The Serial Killer’s Daughter and The Serial Killer’s Sister all draw heavily on her knowledge of psychology and the criminal mind

The Girl Who Survived – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Girl Who Survived

Author:- Nichole Severn

Date published:- will be published on May 6th 2024

Publisher:- Storm Publishing

No. of pages:- 320 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Leigh Brody returns to her hometown after a body is found, marked with her name. Will it give her the chance to solve a mystery that has shadowed her life for years?

It’s been twenty years since Leigh found the murdered body of her twelve-year-old brother, Troy. Her father was arrested for the crime, but she never accepted that he did it. Her hunt for the real killer almost cost her everything…

Now working for the FBI, Leigh is called back to New Hampshire when a series of copycat crimes are committed. Only the killer has left a very specific calling card, a plastic army figurine, the same as the one she found on Troy’s body, and carved into its base: Leigh’s name.

This case is as personal as it gets, and this time, Leigh is determined to make the right person pay. But when another child goes missing, can she dig deep into her past to find the clue she missed years ago, and put a monster behind bars for good?

An addictive, edge-of-your seat crime thriller, with a twist you will not see coming. An unputdownable read for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and A.J. Rivers.

This is the first book of Agent Leigh Brady’s series.

Synopsis – Leigh Brady’s life is turned upside down when her brother’s lifeless body was found and her father was sentenced to prison for the murders of her brother and another boy. Now an FBI agent, Leigh Brady return back to her hometown Lebanon New Hampshire when similar styled murders are taking place. Leigh suspected that a former high school teacher might be behind the murders.

Good points–this was gripping from the start to finish. The writing was really great and the author had done a good job of drawing he reader into the story. The whole story was tense, emotional and Leigh is always facing near death experiences. There were some twists and turns and this was actually a fast-paced thriller. In my opinion, I actually liked serial killer thrillers and so this book was no exception. The ending of the story was completely unexpected.

Bad points – well, not much of bad points in this book.

Overall verdict – this was a unputdownable, page turning thriller that will keep you guessing till the end, filled with unexpected twists anf turns–worth 4 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm for ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

“First class romantic suspense!”
– Cynthia Eden, NYT Bestselling Author

Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author Nichole Severn writes mind-twisting suspense and bullet-proof romance with strong heroines, heroes who dare challenge them, and cases you won’t be able to forget.

She graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in Psychology and is working for her masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, a founding member of the Addicted to Danger Facebook group, and volunteers for a number of non-profits focused on supporting mothers.

She resides with her very supportive and patient husband, as well as her two demon spawn, in Utah. When she’s not writing, she’s constantly injuring herself training for marathons, accidentally stabbing herself with screwdrivers during her many DIY projects, or playing violin. That’s right. She stabbed herself with a screwdriver.

The Night Nanny – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Night Nanny

Author:- Nelle Lamarr

Date published:- will be published on 13th May 2024

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 333 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating;- 4.5/5

“Please don’t worry, Ava. Your baby is safe with me. I’m going to take care of her like she’s my own…”

Ever since my daughter Isa was born, I’ve been struggling. I can’t remember anything, and my brain is in a fog. So when my husband Ned suggests we hire a night nanny, I leap at the chance.

As soon as she walks into our home, I feel a wave of relief. I smile at her and notice her eyes are the color of amethysts. A memory flashes across my brain, but before I can grasp it, it’s gone.

But something isn’t right. Ned is acting strangely and every time I ask him why, he tells me I’m being paranoid. But I’ve seen him whispering to our nanny and it makes me nervous. He was the one who wanted to hire her, and now I’m wondering why…

Then my engagement ring goes missing. Ned is furious—it cost a fortune—but I know I haven’t misplaced it. I always hide it in the same place, and no one knows where except him.

But then it gets worse. Our nanny accuses me of leaving my baby face down on her stomach, struggling to breathe. I might be exhausted, but I would never do that. But when I look to Ned for support, I can see he doesn’t believe me.

I feel like an outsider in my own home. Am I going mad, or is someone trying to destroy me?

The totally gripping page-turning psychological thriller with twists that will leave you guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid, The Girl on theTrain and Colleen Hoover’s Verity

I got invested into this author after reading her debut novel. The Night Nanny is her second novel and I have to say that this book is much better than her debut novel.

Synopsis – Ava Sinclair is dealing heavily with her first pregnancy what with her husband Ned travelling around signing off the deals. By chance she meets a woman named Marley, who is a qualified nurse and who is working as a night nanny. Ava already dealing stress with the birth of her daughter Isa decides to hire her. Nurse Marley seems to be too qualified for her job and does her job very well, keeping Ava’s daughter well fed on time. But soon, we realize that Nurse Marley was actually doing this job for something else…

Good points – This was a fast-paced thriller and also quiet unputdownable. The story is mainly narrated by Ava although you will find Ned and Marley’s POV as well. The writing was really good and the author does a good job of drawing the reader into the story. We have Ava who might be an unreliable narrator, we have Ned who might not be a good husband to Ava and Marley whose intentions of working with Ava isn’t clear and isn’t revealed until the end of the book. The twist at the end of the book was great. The book is also quiet a page turner which is a plus point in most psychological thrillers.

Bad points – I did predict what might happen in the end that Marley wanted revenge on Sinclairs however, the reason why she wanted revenge on Sinclairs was completely unexpected which was a great twist. .

Overall verdict – this was actually a great thriller, filled with twists and turns and you wouldn’t really want to put this book down once you start reading–worth 4.5 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Heaven and Earth Grocery Store – Book Review

Title:- The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

Author:- James McBride

Date published:- August 8th 2023

No. of pages:- 380 pages

Genre:- Historical Fiction/Literary Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating;- 4/5

The new novel from the bestselling, National Book Award-winning, Oprah Book Club-picked, Barack Obama favourite James McBride.

In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighbourhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows.

As these characters’ stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins struggle and what they must do to survive. When the truth is finally revealed about what happened on Chicken Hill and the part the town’s white establishment played in it, McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community-heaven and earth-that sustain us.

This book is one of the books I have always wanted to read–this book was one of Amazon’s best sellers, Goodreads nominated book and Barnes and Nobel highly recommended the book as well. Even Barack Obama liked the book too! I really like the plot life and the racial barrier that is described in the book and so I was really happy when I got my hands to this book. I actually liked the book.

Synopsis – In 1972, when a hurricane swept through the small town of Pottstown Pennsylvania, the workers who were digging the foundation discovers skeletal remains and a bizarre necklace next to the remains. The mystery of who the skeleton was and the connection to the necklace was kept secret by the people living in Chicken Hill–a mixture of African Americans and Jews who have newly migrated to this town long time ago.

Good points– The story is beautifully written–the writing was good. One of the things I liked about this book is how this book manages to capture the reading audience and draw them closer to the story. I also liked the unity between the African Americans and the Jews living in Chicken Hill. Chona is one of the strongest characters in the story and who despite her courageous natures suffers from polio and my other favorite character in the story was Dodo, a deaf and dumb boy. I just liked how the dialogue between the African American, the whites living in the neighborhood. There are other characters such as Nate, Addie, Moshe who is Chona’s husband and Malachi. The book is a blend of Jewish and African American culture. The story is based on before and during the Depression era and I like how the author made the book sound as realistic as possible even though it is a work of fiction.

Bad Points – The only thing I found the bad thing about this book is there are too many unnecessary characters and the fact that there are also chapters based on these characters as well thus making the reading slightly bored although towards the end of the chapter only the connection that these characters have towards main characters is revealed. Also even though it starts off with a mystery, this is not a mystery book and it does not end as a mystery either. More like a literary fiction.

Overall verdict- This is actually a really a great book and also an emotional book as well. The book was well written and engaging although the presence of too many characters that are really unnecessary in the book brought down the rating from a five star reading to a four star reading. If you are into literary fiction or African American fiction, I recommend you to try this book out. Worth four stars.

James McBride is a native New Yorker and a graduate of  New York City public schools. He studied composition at The Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio and received his Masters in Journalism from Columbia University in New York at age 22. He holds several honorary doctorates and is currently a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University.  He is married with three children. He lives in Pennsylvania and New York.  

James McBride is a former staff writer for The Washington Post, People Magazine, and The Boston Globe. His work has also appeared in Essence, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. His April, 2007 National Geographic story entitled “Hip Hop Planet” is considered a respected treatise on African American music and culture.

As a musician, he has written songs (music and lyrics) for Anita Baker, Grover Washington Jr., and Gary Burton, among others. He served as a tenor saxophone sideman for jazz legend Little Jimmy Scott. He is the recipient of several awards for his work as a composer in musical theater including the Stephen Sondheim Award and the Richard Rodgers Foundation Horizon Award. His “Riffin’ and Pontificatin’ ” Tour, a nationwide tour of high schools and colleges promoting reading through jazz, was captured in a 2003 Comcast documentary. He has been featured on national radio and television programs in America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Her Pretty Lies – ARC Book Review

Title:- Her Pretty Lies

Author:- Angela Henry

Date published:- will be published on 3rd May 2024

No. of pages:- 288 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3.5/5

The paramedics tell me I’m in shock as they load the body bag into the ambulance.

Only days ago, I had everything. A man I wanted to marry. A prestigious fellowship for graduate school. A perfect new apartment. I’m a psychology student. I should have known she was hiding something from the start…Now I’m shivering under a foil blanket wondering how my life became a nightmare.

And when the paramedics check me over, it’s not concern I see on their faces. It’s fear.

They think I did this. They think I killed her…

An edge-of-your-seat, gripping and unputdownable psychological thriller for fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose’s The Perfect Marriage

Synopsis – Kendall Good seems to be on the verge of breaking down. She lost a prestigious scholarship that will enable her to continue with her graduate studies, her boyfriend cheated on her and now she was homeless and literally broke. When a student and a famous influencer offers Kendall Good a job that would actually help Kendall with her lifestyle, Kendall accepts the job. However, the particular student was found dead and Kendall realizes that student has been impersonating the influencer. Now Kendall was in a middle of drama and deceit.

Good points– I actually like the plot. The plot was interesting and intriguing. You have a vulnerable and unreliable character named Kendall Good which is a suitable type of character in a psychological thriller. The prologue was really good as it will gave the reader a promising start of the story. This book is also binge worthy, and if you are someone who wants to read a book in a short span of time, then this book is one of those–it was quick to read. The writing of the story was actually great.

Bad points-– Whilst I liked the plot, I was confused with too much of main characters in the story. And as such, I have to reread a page to see who is who. Although I liked the plot, I liked the initial plot where Kendall finds herself unemployed, then gets a job offer and then finds herself entangled in a murder investigation. There were too many loose plot holes, some of them were unnecessary part of the story and it sometimes I felt like dragged on and on.

Overall verdict – It wasn’t a bad thriller–it was more an OK thriller. I have never read this author’s books before but I actually liked her writing and so I might try out her other stories. I give this book an overall rating of 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Angela Henry is the author of THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, TANGLED ROOTS, DIVA’S LAST CURTAIN CALL, and SCHOOLED IN LIES featuring teacher and reluctant sleuth Kendra Clayton as well as her first romantic suspense THE PARIS SECRET coming fall 2010 from Carina Press. She is also the founder of the award-winning MystNoir website, which promotes African-American mystery writers and characters, and is a member of ITW-International Thriller Writers. For more details about Angela and her books, visit Angela Henry’s website or MySpace page.”

Just the Nicest Couple – Book Review

Title:- Just the Nicest Couple

Author:- Mary Kubica

Date published:- January 10th 2023

No. of pages:- 320 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband…

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.

This is the third (or fourth? I forgot) Mary Kubica book I have read. As to this day, Local Woman Missing is her favorite thriller. And still it is. Because Just the Nicest Couple didn’t really live up to my expectation.

Synopsis – Lily Scott confesses to her husband Christian that her friend Nina’s husband Jake Hayes had made a pass at her while they coincidentally met at the part and Lily hit Jake with a rock before fleeing the scene. Lily believes that Jake is dead her clothes were covered with Jake’s blood. Christian vows to help his wife by browsing everywhere in the park to look for Jake. Christian would do anything to protect his wife and prevent Nina from discovering that Lily has something to do with Jake’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Nina was feeling guilty about a fight she had with Jake and the next day, when Jake didn’t return home, and not even to his own work, Nina gets concerned and worried and would do anything to find her husband back.

Good points – The story is mainly told in the POVs of Christian who is the husband of Lily Scott and Nina who is the wife of Jake Hayes, who goes missing in the story. We get to see the thoughts of each of these characters and Christian’s and Nina’s loyalty towards their respective spouses. The writing of the story was overall great.

Bad Points – The story it seems is direct. Unlike Local Woman Missing, where you never know who the actual killer/suspect was, in this one, it seemed to be direct. I feel I kind of predicted what the ending was going to be like. There wasn’t much suspense in the story and not much of twists and turns in the story. As such, I didn’t really enjoy this book as I thought I should. The characters in my opinion were not really likable. Also, there was this someone stalking Nina scene and I thought that part of the story was completely unnecessary and unrelated to the overall plot of the book.

Overall review – This is a slow burn domestic thriller. This wasn’t in my opinion Mary Kubica’s best novel. However, it was OK thriller overall.

Verdict – Overall, this book worth 3 stars. If you haven’t read Mary Kubica’s books yet, then I highly recommend Local Woman Missing which was in my opinion a good thriller. This book is not recommended for the ones who haven’t read Mary Kubica’s books.

Mary Kubica is a New York Times bestselling author of suspense thrillers including The Good Girl, The Other Mrs., and Local Woman Missing. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. She’s been described as “a helluva storyteller” (Kirkus) and “a writer of vice-like control” (Chicago Tribune), and her novels have been praised as “hypnotic” (People) and “thrilling and illuminating” (L.A. Times). She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and children.

Ex Girlfriend – ARC Book Review

Title:- Ex Girlfriend

Author:- Rosie Walker

Date published:- will be published on 3rd May 2024

No. of pages:- 276 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 3.5/5

‘Thank you for inviting me,’ says the woman at the door. I’ve never seen her before, but she pushes past me and throws her arms around my husband’s neck. I’m frozen in shock. Who is she?

When I hear her name, the world begins to spin around me. Alice – my husband’s ex. The one who broke his heart. But my husband swears he didn’t ask her to join us in our remote cottage in the Highlands, so why is she here?

One of them is lying to me. Shivers run up my spine as I think about my two little blonde-haired daughters who are excitedly exploring the house upstairs. They’re just eight and six, have I brought them somewhere dangerous? My skin prickles when I remember the cold look Alice threw my way and how she walked into this house as if she belonged here.

But before I can confront Alice, a huge storm hits and our power goes out. I’m down in the basement trying to fix it when I hear the lock click. I’m trapped. I scream to be let out, but Alice whispers through the keyhole: ‘No.’

My heart thuds hard against my ribcage, but I have to stay calm. Because I know something Alice doesn’t. She has no idea who she’s dealing with and she doesn’t know what I’ve done to keep my family safe.

After all this time, I won’t let her take what’s mine…

This unbelievably gripping psychological thriller will keep you speeding through the pages, with your heart racing, until you reach the final jaw-dropping twist. If you absolutely loved Gone Girl, The Housemaid or The Perfect Marriage, you will be utterly hooked!

Sadie and her husband Ted are hoping to work out their marriage by having a Christmas party at their highlands vacation home. However, while relaxing and celebrating, Alice, Ted’s ex-girlfriend along with Alice and her daughter Natasha crashes into the party. Alice claimed that Ted sent a message to her on Facebook, inviting her to the Christmas party. Ted denies any of his involvement. Sadie tries to get the light of the situation but as the hours go by. Sadie realizes that Alice and Ted weren’t entirely honest to her and that one of them is lying to her.

This was to me was an OK thriller. There was pacing in the book, although the first few chapters were slightly slow paced and boring. The writing was well and in the first few chapters, there was the sense of anxiety in the air. There were not much of twists or turns in my opinion but it wasn’t really bad either. However, the middle of the book, things started to get interesting and the twist at the end was kind of unexpected which made the story more compelling and interesting to read.

The only thing I was confused about was if author forgot Sadie’s initial feelings towards the beginning of the book and then towards the middle, her feelings suddenly changed to a drastic level. But other than that, this was a locked room mystery and you could really feel the tense atmosphere in the story while reading the book. Overall this book worth 3.5 starts.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Ward D – Book Review

Title:- Ward D

Author:- Freida McFadden

Date published:- May 8th 2023

No. of pages:- 333

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.25/5

Medical student Amy Brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward.

Amy has been dreading her evening working on Ward D, the hospital’s inpatient mental health unit. There are very specific reasons why she never wanted to do this required overnight rotation. Reasons nobody can ever find out.

And as the hours tick by, Amy grows increasingly convinced something terrible is happening within these tightly secured walls. When patients and staff start to vanish without a trace, it becomes clear that everyone on the unit is in grave danger.

Amy’s worst nightmare was spending the night on Ward D.

And now she might never escape.

This is the fourth Freida McFadden book I have read and she has become one of my favorite thriller authors.

Ward D is a story of a medical student named Amy. She is a third year medical student and as a part of her assignment, she is supposed to spend the night at Ward D which is the hospital’s mental health unit. Amy dreaded going to Ward D due to her past connection with Ward D– something that she did not want anyone to find out, not even her own parents. All Amy wanted to do was survive the night at Ward D. However, while she is on the night shift, the atmosphere inside Ward D changes–the powers go out, causing the people inside the ward to unable to leave outside and Amy was panicking about the dangers ahead, as rumors circulated that a dangerous patient who was locked in secluded room might be released…

This was actually a fast paced and a page turning thriller. Literally I couldn’t put the book down as I was yearning to find out what is going to happen next. Will Amy make it our alive out of Ward D? You can feel the tense atmosphere while reading the book. The book divides between present day and past, when Amy was best friends with a girl named Jade Carpenter, who seemed to be on high risk as she is into shoplifting and taking drugs. You will also find Jade in the present day and she is a patient in Ward D. Overall, in the good side, you feel like you are watching a movie and that you are already on the edge of the seat wondering what is going to happen next.

Bad thing about is, I didn’t really like the characters much. And it was slightly predictable as to what was going to happen next although the revelation at the end was kind of unexpected. I am not a mental health expert but I have studied about schizophrenia during the time when I took psychology classes back in the university an it’s something that you shouldn’t really take lightly.

Anyway, I enjoyed this book and gave a whopping 4.25 stars for the book! Can’t wait to meet more of Freida McFadden’s books!

New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.