Bad Intentions — Iliana Xander

Title: Bad Intentions
Author: Iliana Xander
Genre: Psychological Thriller | Mystery | Crime
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐¾ — 3.75/5

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Synopsis

After a series of bad decisions and misfortunes, Josie Boots returns to her small hometown of Burnville to care for her ailing grandmother, Karen.

But coming home also means returning to a place where everyone seems to know something about Josie’s family history.

Her grandmother has a notorious past. Her mother died years ago. Her father remains a mystery. And the people of Burnville have never forgotten any of it.

Then a stranger contacts Josie claiming to have answers about her family.

Before Josie can discover everything he knows, a brutal crime happens right in front of her, pulling her into a dangerous mystery involving old secrets, stalking, murder, and people willing to do almost anything to keep the past buried.

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My Thoughts

I’ve read Iliana Xander’s previous books and really enjoyed them, so I was super happy to be approved for this one.

Overall, this was a good read.

The pacing is a mix of slow burn and faster moments, which kept things interesting, even if it dragged a bit here and there.

As the blurb says, Josie returns to her small hometown after a series of misfortunes and while trying to take care of her sick grandmother. Growing up, she’s always heard whispers about her family. Everyone knows bits of what happened to her mother, her father is a mystery, and her grandmother has a past that people don’t forget.

And of course...

Small town = secrets.

Everyone knows everyone, everyone has something to hide, and everyone is willing to protect those secrets, no matter what.

Things take a turn when Josie is contacted by a stranger who claims to have answers.

And from there?

Chaos.

We get stalking, murder, and a lot of unhinged situations. At one point, everyone is suspicious and you can’t really trust anyone either.

That part was really fun to read.

What frustrated me the most, though...

Karen. The grandmother.

I understand that she wanted to protect Josie and keep things hidden, but the constant refusal to talk, only to suddenly decide “okay, now we talk” after dragging things out...

Ma’am. 

It got annoying.

It sometimes felt like information was being withheld mainly to create additional tension rather than because it made sense for the characters to keep avoiding the conversation.

While I found parts of the story a bit predictable, especially with the small-town setup, it didn’t completely take away from my enjoyment.

AND THEN we get the final reveal.

That was definitely on the more unhinged side, in a good way, and it genuinely managed to surprise me.

Apparently, I hadn’t been suspicious enough. 

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Final Thoughts

Overall, Bad Intentions was a solid and entertaining thriller with family secrets, murder, stalking, small-town drama, questionable people, and enough suspicious behavior to make basically everyone look guilty at some point.

The pacing dragged occasionally, and Karen’s refusal to JUST TALK TO THE WOMAN tested my patience , but I still had a good time with it.

And that final reveal definitely earned some bonus points for taking things in a direction I wasn’t expecting.

Perfect for a chill night when you’re in the mood for a twisty thriller and a town full of people who desperately need to stop keeping secrets.

3.75⭐

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Twig’s Traveling Tomes — Gryffin Murphy

Title: Twig’s Traveling Tomes
Author: Gryffin Murphy
Genre: Cozy Fantasy | Fantasy Romance | Romantasy | Books About Books
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐¼ — 4.25/5

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Synopsis

Louella Twig is a Book Witch who runs a magical traveling bookstore. When customers enter looking for their next read, the books speak to Twig, not to give them the book they want, but the one they actually need.

Twig is perfectly content with her quiet, book-filled existence until Everett Sharp, a suspiciously charming rogue, arrives at her shop in need of help removing a pair of handcuffs.

Then, on the very same day, Twig’s former tutor appears with much more serious news: his valuable grimoire has been stolen.

With Twig’s unique book magic offering their best chance of tracking it down, she finds herself reluctantly teaming up with Everett and leaving the safety of her bookstore behind.

What follows is an adventure filled with magic, danger, new friendships, strange creatures, and perhaps a little romance along the way.

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My Thoughts

Okay, so... first of all...

I read (and am doing this review) for an ARC of Twig’s Traveling Tomes, BUT I also have a physical copy AND the art preordered.

Apparently Louella Twig’s book magic works outside the book too, because she somehow convinced me that I needed this one on my shelf.

Louella Twig is a Book Witch. And I mean an actual BOOK WITCH.

She owns a magical traveling bookstore that moves from place to place, and when a customer comes inside looking for something to read, the books “speak” to Twig.

Except they don’t necessarily choose the book the customer wants.

They choose the book the customer needs.

Which, as someone who has absolutely bought books based on nothing more than oooooh pretty cover, feels slightly judgmental, but okay.

Twig’s magic has always worked a little differently from what’s expected, and because of that, she never received the same official recognition as other witches. So she has settled into a quiet life with her traveling bookstore, her books, and approximately ZERO adventures.

Until Everett Sharp walks into her shop.

Handcuffed.

Everett is a rogue, thief-ish, suspiciously charming scoundrel who needs some assistance with his current... jewelry situation.

And then, on the SAME DAY, Twig’s former tutor arrives because someone has stolen his valuable grimoire.

Sir.

That timing is looking a little suspicious...

And just like that, Twig’s peaceful little existence goes from 0 events scheduled to ABSOLUTE CHAOS.

Because Twig’s magic revolves around books, she’s one of the few people who might actually be able to locate the missing grimoire.

Unfortunately, she needs someone who understands thieves.

Enter Mr. Handcuffs himself.

THIS SCOUNDREL!!!

And off they go.

What follows is such a cute mixture of cozy fantasy and actual adventure. There are plenty of fun moments, some genuinely dangerous ones, new friends along the way, magic, strange creatures, and a Book Witch who is slowly being dragged very far outside the quiet little existence she built for herself.

I particularly loved watching Twig learn more about her own magic.

At the beginning, there’s this sense that because her abilities don’t work the way they’re supposedly meant to, they’re somehow less valid. But as the adventure progresses, she begins understanding what she can actually do and gaining more confidence in herself and her magic.

And then there’s Everett.

Scoundrel status aside... I really liked these two together.

Their relationship develops slowly as they travel and get themselves into increasingly ridiculous situations. They become friends, learn to trust each other and, meanwhile, there’s this attraction simmering underneath everything.

Although...

If the whole not-falling-for-the-siren’s-song situation wasn’t enough evidence that SOMETHING was happening between these two, I don’t know what would’ve been.

And when we FINALLY got that kiss?

UUUUHHHH.

So. Freaking. Cute.

I actually really appreciated that the romance was a slow burn. It suited Twig especially well because so much of the story is about her gradually stepping outside her comfort zone—not just romantically, but through friendship, adventure, and learning to trust herself and others.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, Twig’s Traveling Tomes was exactly the kind of cozy fantasy I wanted it to be: magical, sweet, funny, adventurous without losing that comforting feeling, and incredibly easy to relax into.

It’s one of those books where I could just settle in and enjoy the journey.

And apparently enjoy it enough to buy another copy after already reading it.

Twig’s magic wins again. 

4.25⭐

Now I’m just waiting for my physical copy and art to arrive so I can admire the book that apparently decided I needed it. 

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

 

The Wellness Retreat — Dawn Kurtagich

Title: The Wellness Retreat
Author: Dawn Kurtagich
Genre: Horror | Mystery | Thriller | Supernatural Fiction
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ — 3.5/5

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Synopsis

Jaimie Vane once had a promising career as a cellist, but chronic illness and pain have completely changed her life.

Her sister Sybil, meanwhile, is the adventurous one. An influencer turned wellness consultant, Sybil seems to have finally found peace at Saoghal Spa, an exclusive wellness retreat located on the remote Scottish island of Creag Dhubh.

Then Sybil stops calling.

The retreat insists she's simply busy with work and testing products, but a series of strange messages and a voucher Sybil leaves for a free stay convince Jaimie that something isn't right.

Despite the difficult journey and the physical toll it takes on her, Jaimie travels to the island to find her sister. Once there, she keeps their relationship secret and begins quietly investigating while participating in the retreat's treatments.

And then something unexpected happens.

Jaimie starts feeling better.

As her chronic pain and fatigue begin to improve, her search for Sybil becomes increasingly complicated. Because whatever is happening at Saoghal seems capable of extraordinary things, but those miracles may come at a price.

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My Thoughts

Confession time...

I initially requested The Wellness Retreat because...

I liked the colors on the cover.

That's it. That's the sophisticated literary reasoning we're working with here. :D

BUT then I read the blurb and thought... okay, isolated Scottish island? Mysterious wellness retreat? Missing sister? Former asylum? Stormy weather?

You have my attention.

Jaimie and her sister Sybil couldn't be more different. Jaimie is the more serious one, while Sybil is the extroverted, adventurous sister who's always off doing something new.

So when Sybil suddenly announces that she's found herself at an exclusive wellness retreat and is completely at peace there, Jaimie isn't exactly convinced.

Then Sybil stops calling.

The retreat keeps assuring Jaimie that her sister is simply busy testing products and doing various activities, but when Sybil leaves her a voucher for a free stay, Jaimie's alarm bells start ringing louder than Santa's sleigh.

And off to Scotland we go.

The journey itself isn't easy for Jaimie. She used to have a promising career as a cellist before chronic illness and pain completely changed her life, and even everyday activities can take a considerable amount out of her.

Still, she's determined to find Sybil.

She arrives at this isolated retreat on a tiny Scottish island in terrible weather, barely makes it there, discovers the place used to be an asylum and...

COME ON.

At this point I was practically rubbing my hands together.

Give me the creepy stuff.

Except... it took a while for the creepy moments to arrive.

Jaimie doesn't immediately reveal her connection to Sybil and instead starts investigating while pretending to be another guest. She gets to know the other residents and staff, reluctantly participates in some of the treatments and even gets a little...

cough cough

...personally acquainted with one particular member of staff.

Woop woop...

But then something genuinely strange happens.

Jaimie starts feeling better.

The treatments she was so skeptical about actually seem to be helping her chronic pain and fatigue.

Which creates a pretty interesting dilemma. She's there because something clearly isn't right and her sister is still missing... but what happens when the suspicious place you're investigating starts giving you something you've desperately wanted back?

Unfortunately, the first part was painfully slow for me.

And I think that ultimately had the biggest influence on my rating. It took so long for the story to really get moving that I struggled to connect with it and its characters as much as I wanted to.

The second half was considerably more interesting. We finally get some twists, a body enters the equation, things become increasingly strange, and there are supernatural or paranormal-ish elements that made me much more curious about what was actually happening at the retreat.

I do have slightly mixed feelings about this being marketed primarily as horror, though.

With an isolated Scottish island, stormy weather, a former asylum, a missing woman and a mysterious wellness retreat, the beginning gave me expectations of something much darker and creepier. Instead, the story eventually felt more like a modern wellness thriller/mystery with some darker and supernatural elements.

Not necessarily a bad thing!

It just wasn't quite the horror experience I expected from that setup.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, The Wellness Retreat had a fantastic premise and a setting that immediately grabbed me, and I enjoyed the second half considerably more once the mystery started unfolding.

I just wish the first half had moved a little faster because by the time things really kicked into gear, I'd already spent too much of the book struggling to become invested.

Still, the central mystery, Jaimie's experience with chronic illness, the questionable treatments and the increasingly strange happenings at the retreat gave me enough to enjoy, especially once the story finally started revealing its secrets.

Also, apparently requesting books because “oooooh, pretty colors” occasionally results in Scottish wellness-retreat conspiracies.

There are worse methods of choosing books, I guess... 

3.5⭐

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Daggerbound - T. Kingfisher

Daggerbound

Author: T. Kingfisher
Series: Swordheart #2 | The World of the White Rat
Genre: Fantasy | Romantasy | Romance | LGBTQ+
Format: ALC | Audiobook
Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐¾ — 3.75/5

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Synopsis

Learned Edmund is a scholar tasked with the thrilling responsibility of transporting books and a precious ancient relic from one temple to another.

Then he's attacked by thieves.

In desperation, Edmund reaches for the ancient sword he's carrying—and instead of simply drawing a weapon, he summons the Dervish, an immortal warrior who has been trapped within the sword for centuries.

The Dervish wants his freedom, and there's one rather straightforward way to achieve it: allow his new wielder to die.

Unfortunately for that plan, Edmund is injured, sweet, clever, and in desperate need of help.

And apparently the Dervish still has a conscience.

Forced to travel together, the unlikely pair encounter plenty of danger along the way, while the connection forming between them becomes increasingly difficult to ignore.

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My Thoughts

I have to admit, seeing Daggerbound appear after all these years was a SURPRISE.

The first Swordheart came out in 2018.

It's 2026.

I had pretty much accepted that was that, and then suddenly...

Hello, Book 2. Where did YOU come from? 😂

This wasn't necessarily my favorite T. Kingfisher book, and it took me a little longer than I expected to really connect with the characters, but by no means did I think it was bad.

Our MMC Edmund is a scholar whose exciting mission consists of transporting books and a precious relic from one temple to another.

Thrilling stuff.

Until he's attacked by thieves, gets injured and, in desperation, draws the ancient sword he's been transporting.

Lo and behold...

THERE'S A MAN IN THE SWORD.

And not just any man, obviously.

He's an incredibly handsome, extremely skilled immortal warrior known as the Dervish, who has been trapped inside that forsaken thing for centuries.

Dervish would very much like to never go back inside.

There's just one tiny problem: he's bound to the person who summoned him.

Solution?

Let Edmund die from his wounds.

Simple.

Except apparently centuries trapped inside a sword haven't managed to completely murder Dervish's conscience, because when presented with this sweet, injured scholar who really could use some help...

He can't do it.

And that's how our reluctant immortal warrior and cutesy little scholar end up traveling together to deliver Edmund's items to the temple.

Naturally, the journey doesn't exactly go according to plan. There are more dangers, more adventures, and plenty of opportunities for these two to grow closer until that little pull between them becomes something considerably harder to ignore.

Edmund was honestly quite a cutesy character. He's clever and kind, and I loved the contrast between him and this centuries-old warrior who initially wants absolutely NOTHING to do with him.

It did take me a while to connect with both of them, though, and I think that's what kept this from becoming one of my favorite T. Kingfisher books.

Once their relationship started developing and I became more invested in their journey together, I enjoyed it much more, but I never quite reached that I am completely obsessed with these characters level.

Still, there's something wonderfully ridiculous about an immortal warrior emerging from an enchanted sword, deciding his best chance at freedom is to let his new wielder die, and then immediately ruining his own plan by developing a heart.

Sir.

You had ONE job.

Audiobook Thoughts

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jesse Vilinsky, and I really enjoyed the narration.

There are plenty of different personalities appearing throughout Edmund and Dervish's adventure, and the distinct character voices helped bring both the cast and T. Kingfisher's humor to life. I thought the audio format worked particularly well with the banter and the more ridiculous moments of their journey.

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Final Thoughts

Daggerbound was a fun return to the Swordheart world after a very, VERY long absence.

It didn't completely steal my heart, mainly because it took me longer than expected to connect with Edmund and Dervish, but once their relationship began developing, I became much more invested in their adventure.

Edmund and Dervish certainly managed to charm me by the end, even if Dervish spectacularly failed at his original “just let the scholar die and finally be free” plan.

Again.

ONE JOB, SIR. 

Rating: 3.75⭐

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ALC Disclaimer

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC.

The Temptation of Magic - Megan Scott

The Temptation of Magic

Author: Megan Scott
Series: Empyreal #1
Genre: Fantasy | Romantasy | Urban Fantasy | Dark Academia
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ — 3.5/5

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Synopsis

Nicole Palmer and her family have spent years hiding from The Wake, the powerful organization that governs the supernatural world.

Nicole and her brother Dylan are Empyreals, supernatural beings with abilities that make them incredibly valuable, and incredibly vulnerable should The Wake discover what they are. Nicole already knows the consequences. Her mother didn't survive them.

Believing a collection of supernatural artwork may contain a message her mother left behind, Nicole finally gets the opportunity to study it.

Unfortunately, she's not the only Empyreal there.

Kyan McCarter is one of The Wake's best hunters, sent to track a dangerous supernatural creature. When a painting connected to the investigation disappears, Nicole and Kyan are forced to work together.

Nicole needs answers.

She also needs Kyan to never discover what she really is.

Falling for him definitely isn't going to make either of those things easier.

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My Thoughts

The Temptation of Magic had a really interesting concept, but I think this ended up being one of those books where I liked the ideas more than I loved the execution.

Nicole Palmer and her family have spent years hiding after the death of her mother.

Nicole and her brother Dylan are Empyreals, powerful supernatural beings who absolutely do NOT want The Wake discovering what they are. The Wake controls the supernatural world, and Nicole knows exactly what can happen if they discover an Empyreal outside their control.

After all, her mother didn't survive them.

Nicole believes that studying a collection of supernatural artwork might finally help her uncover a message her mother left behind, but naturally nothing can ever be that simple...

Enter Kyan McCarter.

Kyan is an Empyreal working for The Wake and one of their best hunters.

In other words, precisely the person Nicole should stay approximately seventeen countries away from.

So... obviously they end up working together.

Kyan is hunting a dangerous supernatural creature, a painting connected to their investigation disappears, and Nicole finds herself increasingly involved while desperately trying to make sure Kyan never discovers what she really is.

Because falling for the man who might literally be ordered to hunt you down?

Excellent decision-making all around.

I really liked the premise here. The combination of supernatural creatures, mythology, art, hidden messages, and an organization controlling the supernatural population had so much potential.

I especially enjoyed the idea of Nicole searching for answers left behind by her mother through artwork. It gave the fantasy mystery something a little different, and that was one of the elements I wanted to explore even further.

Nicole and Kyan also had an interesting dynamic, particularly because of the enormous secret sitting between them. She's hiding exactly what she is while getting closer to someone whose entire existence makes him incredibly dangerous to her.

Unfortunately, I never became completely invested.

The beginning took me a while to settle into, and there were moments when I wanted more clarity from the worldbuilding, particularly around the Empyreals and how everything within the supernatural world actually worked.

For something so central to the story, I sometimes felt like I should've understood them better than I did.

The pacing also felt a little uneven to me. There were interesting things happening with Nicole's family, The Wake, the artwork, and the larger conspiracy, but occasionally the romance seemed to receive more attention than the parts of the fantasy mystery I actually wanted explored further.

That doesn't mean I disliked the romance, I actually enjoyed Nicole and Kyan together, but I would've preferred a slightly different balance between the two.

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Final Thoughts

The Temptation of Magic was an okay start to the Empyreal series for me.

The supernatural artwork, Nicole's family history, The Wake, and the Empyreals themselves created an intriguing foundation, and there are still unanswered questions that make me curious about where the larger story could go.

Ultimately, though, this was one of those books where the concept grabbed me more strongly than the execution. I wanted a little more clarity from the worldbuilding, more exploration of the fantasy mystery, and a slightly different balance between that storyline and the romance.

Still, there's plenty of potential here, and Nicole falling for approximately the worst possible person to discover her secret certainly kept things interesting. 

Rating: 3.5⭐

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own. 

You Know Why - J T Ellison

 

You Know Why

Author: J.T. Ellison
Genre: Domestic Thriller | Psychological Thriller | Mystery | Suspense
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ — 4.5/5

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Synopsis

Brooklyn Locke seems to have a pretty great life: two children, a successful photography career, and a husband, Trey, who appears devoted to his family.

Then Trey unexpectedly announces that they're spending the holidays in Italy.

The trip barely gets started before things begin going wrong. Their flights are rerouted through Atlanta, Trey starts behaving strangely, and a woman on the plane recognizes him—but calls him by another name.

Then, just before they're supposed to board their connecting flight, Trey disappears.

Brooklyn soon discovers that money has been moved and accounts frozen. Even worse, the seemingly kind stranger who offers to help her isn't actually a stranger at all.

Eden claims Trey was once married to her sister.

A sister who was murdered while pregnant.

And Trey was the main suspect.

As Brooklyn tries to reconcile the husband she knows with the man Eden describes, an accident leaves her injured and struggling with her memory. But Trey isn't the only person with secrets, and Brooklyn's own past might be far more important than she realizes.

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My Thoughts

So... this book was quite the shaworma of secrets, lies, suspicious people and WTF IS ACTUALLY GOING ON.

But somehow...

It worked.

Brooklyn seems to have a pretty great life. She has two children, a beautiful home, a successful career as a photographer, and a husband, Trey, who appears to absolutely adore his family.

Then Trey suddenly announces they're going to Italy for the holidays.

Impromptu is putting it mildly.

Apparently Trey has serious anxiety about flying, which makes the spontaneous international trip slightly strange already, but Brooklyn agrees, the kids are excited aaaand off they go.

Everything seems relatively normal until their flight plans change and they're rerouted through Atlanta.

Suddenly Trey is acting WEIRD.

He's anxious, snappy, and even accuses Brooklyn of deliberately changing their flights. She assumes it's his fear of flying getting the better of him and tries to calm him down.

Okay. Fine.

Except then someone on the plane recognizes Trey.

Only she calls him by another name.

She claims they went to school together.

Trey insists she's mistaken.

🚩

Where is the flag guy when you need him???

Sir?

Before their connecting flight to Italy, Trey tells Brooklyn he needs to use the bathroom and that she should board with the children.

And then...

He disappears.

Completely.

No husband.

No explanation.

No Italy.

And Brooklyn soon discovers that disappearing is apparently only the beginning because money has been moved and accounts have been frozen.

Merry Christmas! 

Brooklyn is stranded with two children, trying to understand why the supposedly loving husband she'd built an entire life with has suddenly vanished, when Eden, the stranger from their flight, offers to help her.

Except Eden isn't exactly a stranger.

She has her own connection to Trey.

According to Eden, Trey was once married to her sister, his childhood sweetheart.

And her sister was murdered.

While pregnant.

And Trey was the main suspect.

EXCUSE ME?!

Eden and the detective who investigated the murder begin telling Brooklyn about a version of her husband she doesn't recognize at all. Before Brooklyn can even begin processing that information, she's struck by a car in a hit-and-run and wakes up dealing with injuries and memory problems.

Meanwhile, Trey is still missing.

Eden is becoming increasingly involved in Brooklyn's life.

And I trusted approximately...

NOBODY.

What makes everything even messier is that Brooklyn has secrets in her own past.

Before Trey and the quiet family life, she traveled as a photographer alongside a famous chef and her then-boyfriend. That period of her life ended badly, and as more pieces of Brooklyn's history emerge, you start questioning whether the story you've been given about HER is entirely reliable either.

So now we're juggling:

Where is Trey?

Who the hell is Trey?

Can Eden be trusted?

What happened to Trey's first wife?

What really happened in Brooklyn's past?

Why did Trey move the money?

Who hit Brooklyn?

And WHY IS EVERYBODY SO SUSPICIOUS?!

It is a lot.

At certain points, this plot became an entire shaworma of mysteries. 

There are multiple timelines and backstories, Brooklyn's past, Trey's past, Eden's agenda, murder investigations, financial questions, memory issues...

But here's the thing:

I wanted answers.

Rather than the different mysteries making me lose interest, they kept making me more curious. Every time I thought I had a decent idea of what might be happening, another piece of information arrived and made me reconsider somebody.

I especially enjoyed how much the story plays with perception. Brooklyn thinks she knows the man she's married to, but we're gradually forced to question how well anyone really knows another person.

And eventually, you start wondering whether that question applies to Brooklyn too.

There were moments when I thought:

Okay, surely THIS explains everything.

Nope.

Next layer of the shaworma... 

I won't say anything about where all of this eventually leads because discovering which pieces are true, which aren't, and how these seemingly separate stories fit together is half the fun.

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Final Thoughts

You Know Why was twisty, messy in the best way, suspenseful, and extremely difficult to put down.

There is A LOT happening here, and in another thriller that many competing mysteries could easily have become overwhelming. Instead, I genuinely enjoyed trying to untangle everything and figure out who was lying, who could be trusted, and how all those pieces were eventually going to fit together.

Mostly, though, I spent the entire book suspicious of everyone.

Including, occasionally, the people I probably wasn't supposed to be suspicious of.

Better safe than sorry. 

And somehow J.T. Ellison managed to take an entire shaworma of mysteries and make me want every last layer.

Rating: 4.5⭐

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Perfect Stranger - Gregg Dunnett

Perfect Stranger

Author: Gregg Dunnett
Genre: Psychological Thriller | Mystery | Suspense
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ — 3.5/5

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Synopsis

Years ago, Em went camping with her parents and younger brother, Ben.

Only three members of the family came home.

Ben disappeared during the trip and was never seen again. Although the man believed responsible is now in prison, he has never revealed where Ben's body is. Instead, he's spent years cruelly taunting the family with clues and games.

Now Em wants answers.

She and her boyfriend, James, are setting off on a European road trip in the camper van they've renovated themselves, documenting their travels online along the way. But Em has another reason for wanting to make the journey: she's determined to uncover the truth about what happened to Ben.

Then a stranger in a black van starts appearing wherever they go.

At first, it could be coincidence. But as he gets closer to James and continues turning up at their stops, Em begins to wonder whether they're being followed, and whether this stranger knows exactly what she's looking for.

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My Thoughts

Perfect Stranger had me suspicious of basically everyone by the end.

Years ago, Em went on a family camping trip with her parents and younger brother, Ben.

Only three of them came home.

Ben disappeared during the trip and was never seen again. A man believed to be responsible is now in prison, but Ben's body has never been found. Instead of giving the family answers, he's spent years cruelly taunting them and playing games about where Ben might be buried.

Eventually, Em had enough.

She wants answers, and if nobody else can give them to her, she's going to look for them herself.

Conveniently, Em and her boyfriend James are about to embark on a road trip around Europe in the camper van they've lovingly renovated themselves. They're also vlogging the journey, hoping followers and views might bring in enough money to make traveling a little easier.

Cute camper van.

European road trip.

Surfing.

Vlogging.

Secret investigation into your missing brother's murder.

You know.

Normal holiday activities...

Things become considerably less cute when a stranger driving a black van starts appearing at several of their stops.

At first, there are reasonable explanations. He and James get along particularly well because they both love surfing, and since Em is still learning, James and their new friend sometimes tackle the bigger waves together.

Except he keeps appearing.

Again.

And again.

And eventually, the coincidences stop feeling particularly coincidental.

The stranger becomes increasingly unsettling, Em begins questioning exactly who this man is and why he keeps following them, and what started as a fun European road trip becomes something considerably more dangerous.

And then Em's parents enter the picture.

Well.

Things take A TURN.

This was where Perfect Stranger really started throwing revelations at me. We learn more about James, more about our increasingly concerning Stranger Danger™, and the story definitely didn't evolve in the direction I expected.

I enjoyed the suspense and mystery, particularly once I realized there was much more happening underneath the road-trip story than I'd originally assumed. There were several developments I genuinely didn't see coming.

Unfortunately, I never formed as strong an emotional connection with the characters as I wanted to.

And I REALLY wanted to.

The European road-trip setting was one of the things that originally made me excited about this book, and with a mystery involving a missing younger brother, I expected to become very emotionally invested in Em's search for answers.

Instead, I often felt like I was watching everything happen from a slight distance.

I also struggled with the parallel storyline set in the past involving the military. It does eventually connect to the present-day story and serves a purpose, but for quite a while it felt strangely separate from everything else, almost like I'd temporarily wandered into another book.

Even once I understood why it was there, I couldn't help thinking there might have been another way to establish that history and reach a similar outcome while making the two sides of the story feel more naturally connected.

Still, the mystery itself kept me curious, the stranger added a wonderfully uncomfortable layer to the road trip, and some of the later revelations definitely caught me off guard.

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Final Thoughts

Perfect Stranger was an interesting and suspenseful thriller with plenty of secrets hiding underneath what initially looks like a European camper-van adventure.

The mystery kept me curious, the increasingly creepy presence of the stranger worked well, and several revelations surprised me. I just wish I'd connected more strongly with the characters and that the past and present storylines had felt a little more cohesive.

And perhaps the most important lesson here:

If you're traveling around Europe and the same mysterious black van keeps appearing everywhere you go...

Maybe don't invite the driver to become your new surfing buddy.

Just a thought...

Rating: 3.5⭐

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ARC Disclaimer

Thank you to the Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.