These books come from a time when I was just wanting a really good thriller. Some of these gave more than others, and some twists and turns were also better than others. So here's where I found those thrills (or didn't).
Where I Left Her by Amber Garza centers on a mom who drops her daughter off a friend's house for a sleepover. She goes back the next day to pick her daughter up. The only thing is that when she goes to the door, an elderly couple answers. Where has Whitney's daughter gone, and how can she explain how her daughter has just vanished? The story then tells the story of where Whitney's daughter might be with multiple narrators/threads of the story. There are some twists (some really good ones) that are involved within these as Whitney focuses on figuring out what happened and realizing this may have some ties to her own story. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this August 2021 release.
Pop Goes the Weasel by MJ Arlidge was a book I think I might have connected with better if I read the book this was a sequel to. I think knowing more about who the detectives were would have connected me to the story more as I would be able to understand how she was investigating and how the cases were impacting her. What the story focuses on is a serial killer and trying to connect with the men who are dying. There appears to be a common thread, but could there be more to each of their stories. This one gave me some shocks and thrills along the way, but also just wasn't totally connected.
The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones was a thriller in what appears to be a new subgenre of "stuff that happens at destination weddings" that's emerging. The story focuses on six friends that make up three couples. Rachel and Noah are college friends who are now married to other people - Jack and Paige - and also insist there has never been anything between them. The two couples are at the wedding of Jack's brother Will and Ali. When the wedding weekend begins, all the secrets start to come out. Well, they start to be revealed different characters. Everyone seems to know something about someone else, and the characters have to weigh who else they should tell as there is some big stuff that is unearthed. Given this is in a subgenre I've identified, I do have to say there are others in this vein I have liked better, but this was an intriguing thriller. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this August 2021 release.
How To Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward focuses on the aftermath of a childhood disappearance. Fifteen years ago, Ellie vanished. Her family obviously continues to miss her, feel guilty and/or just wonder what happened. Fifteen years later, one of Ellie's sisters sees a picture, and she is convinced it is Ellie. She decides she is going to take on finding her sister. This is one where I figured out the twist early. For me, I prefer the element of surprise with thrillers, so just reading and seeing my suspicious affirmed just wasn't the same ride I was hoping to find in the thriller.
Onto the next ones!
