By Catherine Steadman
Ballentine Books, 2022. 319 Pages. Fiction
Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. Even though Edward has long tried to severe ties with them, news of the couple’s marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives. As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming. So, when Edward’s father, Robert, hands Harriet a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen. But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t just a novel. It’s a confession. A confession to a grisly crime. A murder. Suddenly, the game is in motion. Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty or something far darker.
This book is so much fun! It reminds me of the movie, Ready or Not, with a sinister family game as the major plot point. It even reads like a suspenseful movie which could be because the author, Catherine Steadman, is an actor. Steadman does an amazing job of building Harriet’s character as someone resilient, pragmatic, and likeable. Truly a character to root for...even with her dark past. The book takes us between Harriet’s present-day interactions with Edward’s family and the narration of the disturbing tape she receives from his father, Robert. A narrative device that is particularly impactful in the telling of this truly twisted family game.
By Rachel Hawkins
St. Martin’s Press, 2021. 290 pages. Fiction
Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates--a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. Her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates' most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend; their bodies lost to the deep. As Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie's heart before her past--or his--catches up to her?
By Peter Swanson
William Morrow, 2021. 308 pages. Fiction
Abigail Baskin never thought she'd fall in love with a millionaire. Then she met Bruce Lamb. But right before the wedding, Abigail has a moment of uncertainty. The drunken one-night stand from her bachelorette weekend didn't really mean anything, she keeps telling herself. She now believes she wants to be with Bruce for the rest of her life. Their honeymoon on a luxurious, secluded island in Maine will be the beginning of their blissful lives together. Then the mysterious stranger suddenly appears and Abigail's future life and happiness are turned upside down. He insists that their passionate night was the beginning of something much more. Something special. Something real. And he's tracked her down to prove it. Does she tell Bruce and ruin their idyllic honeymoon—and possibly their marriage? Or should she handle this psychopathic stalker on her own?
BW
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