Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Only One Left & The Lie Maker
Happy Thriller Thursday. It’s me, Sharon and I am thrilled to share my thoughts on two amazing books I have read. Riley Sager’s, The Only One Left and Linwood Barclay’s, The Lie Maker. I loved both of these book so much. In fact they are both now in my top five reads for 2023 and even though the year is only half over, I know they will be staying in the top five. 😀
The Only One Left Goodreads Author: Riley Sager
Publication Date: June 20, 2023
Publisher: Dutton
Riley Sager has done it again with The Only One Left! I have loved every book he has written, but this one is by far my favorite.
In 1929 the Maine coast was shocked by the murders of the Hope family. The only survivor was seventeen-year-old Lenora Hope, and while she denied killing her family, everyone assumed she did it, even the police, but they were never able to prove it. Lenora has stayed secluded in the cliffside mansion where the murders took place, Hope’s End, and she has never spoken a word about what happened that night. It is now 1983 and Lenora, who is in her seventies, has suffered a series of strokes that have left her unable to speak and is confined to a wheelchair. Lenora’s new caregiver is Kit McDeere. Kit really didn’t want to take this job, but she had no choice since she is just coming back from being suspended for six months because a patient in her care died. While the police and everyone suspected she had something to do with it, there was no proof. So, Kit and Lenora have something in common. Lenora’s only way to communicate is to type on an old typewriter and one night she tells Kit that she will tell her everything that happened that night. But as Lenora gives bits and pieces of the events that happened the night her family was murdered, Kit realizes there is more to the family’s massacre than people realize and someone is willing to kill again to keep those events a secret.
Guys, nothing I can say about this book will give it justice. This book was awesome! Sager did an amazing job in creating such an eerie setting in Hope’s End. Hope’s End was built on a sea cliff, it is deteriorating, and it is only a matter of time before the cliff completely gives way and Hope’s End is destroyed. That part right there gave me the willies. I could not even imagine spending any time in a house that could crumble into the sea at any moment. Add to that, the fact that the blood stains from 1929 are still visible, yup creepy ass setting. LOL!
Riley Sager also created great characters that just jumped off the pages. I had a lot of sympathy for Lenora. The more I got to know her the more I loved her. I went back and forth on if I thought she really did kill her family. I also loved Kit. Even though she was at first scared of Lenora, I liked how she pushed those feelings aside and did her job and took care of her. The book is told from Kit’s POV, but we also get pages of Lenora’s story. I loved getting Lenora’s story and learning what happened that night in 1929.
The Only One Left was an amazingly written mystery/thriller, that kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. There were a few twists at the end that I did not see coming and I never figured anything out. If you are a fan of Riley Sager or are looking for a book of his to start off with, then I wholeheartedly recommend The Only One Left. I do not think you will be disappointed. 5 stars
The Lie Maker Goodreads Author: Linwood Barclay
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Publisher: William Morrow
I have only read two other books by Linwood Barclay, Find You First and Take Your Breath Away, I loved both of them, so I was very excited to read his newest book, The Lie Maker. I now have to say that Linwood Barclay has been added to my “must read author” list. The Lie Maker was everything I was hoping for and more.
When Jack Givins was a child, his father went into the witness protection program. Jack was devastated when his father went away, he wanted to go with him, but his mother did not want to so they stayed to try and live their lives as best they could. Years later Jack, now grown and a struggling author, is approached by the U.S. Marshalls with an offer that he cannot refuse. They are recruiting authors to write false backstories for people in the witness protection program and they would like Jack to come work for them. At first Jack is reluctant, but then he realizes that this may be his only chance to find his father. The only problem is Jack’s father has not been in contact with his handlers and they do not know where he is. Jack is determined to find his father, but the clock is ticking because the enemies his father made still want him dead and in trying to find him, Jack is putting his life and those around him in jeopardy.
I was hooked from the very first page when Jack’s father was waiting for witness protection to come and pick him up. The dialog between Jack and his father had my eyes filling with tears. Especially when his father said “Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people, son.” I immediately loved Jack and just wanted to scoop him up in my arms. During the book we get chapters from before Jack’s father was put into witness protection, so we get to see what he was like and what he did and why. The more I learned about him, the more I liked him and sympathized with him. Sure, he killed people, but he loved his son and was doing what he had to do to protect him and give him a good life.
I don’t want to say too much about what happens because I don’t want to spoil anything. But I will say that as Jack started his quest to find his father, I was on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for him to be able to find his father, but I was also afraid for his safety.
I also loved Jack’s girlfriend, Lana Wilshire. Lana is a reporter, and she is investigating two seemingly nonrelated murders of a retired judge and a nurse. The mystery of these deaths just adds to the suspense of this book.
As the book progressed, the tension ramped up and I could feel my anxiety level increase. There were twists and turns as well that kept me guessing to a shocking ending that I did not see coming and also put a few more tears in my eyes.
If you are looking for a mystery full of twists and turns, with characters that you will love and be rooting for, then I definitely recommend The Lie Maker. 4 ½ stars
Top Ten Tuesday – My 10 Favorite Reads of the Year So Far
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is a Freebie, so I thought it would be fun to share my 10 Favorite Reads of the Year So Far. All of my favorite authors delivered big for me in the first half of the year, so these are all highly anticipated releases that met or exceeded my very high expectations.
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My 10 Favorite Reads of the Year So Far
1. HELLO STRANGER by Katherine Center
2. FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros
3. THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT by Christina Lauren
4. THE SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS by Kristy Woodson Harvey
5. YOURS TRULY by Abby Jimenez
7. THE PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel
8. THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP by Ashley Poston
9. BUSINESS OR PLEASURE by Rachel Lynn Solomon
10. LOVE, THEORETICALLY by Ali Hazelwood
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Have you read or are you planning to read any of these?
Reviews: HELLO STRANGER & THE SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS
Hello Stranger Goodreads
Author: Katherine Center
Publication Date: July 11, 2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Katherine Center has done it again! Her new novel Hello Stranger was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and I’m thrilled to share that it not only met my very high expectations, but it actually exceeded them.
Hello Stranger follows the protagonist Sadie Montgomery. Sadie is a gifted portrait artist and when we meet her, she has just placed as a finalist in a prestigious portrait painting competition. She is beyond ecstatic until she is quite literally blindsided by a life changing event and finds herself in the hospital diagnosed with “face blindness.” The doctors hope her condition is temporary, but there’s no way of knowing how long it will last. If Sadie’s career involves painting faces for a living, how is she supposed to do her job and how is she supposed to paint her competition entries. Needless to say, Sadie is distraught.
What always draws me to Center’s books is how strong her heroines are in the face of adversity. No matter how big of an obstacle they face, there’s always a sense of perseverance and hopefulness and we see this with Sadie as she sets out to cope with her situation and try everything in her power to get those portraits painted. I’m not very familiar with face blindness, but I thought Center did a wonderful job of handling the condition with respect and sensitivity, while at the same time, infusing Sadie’s journey with her signature warmth and humor.
Another area where I really appreciated Center’s humor revolved around Sadie’s complicated relationship with her father, her stepmother and her evil stepsister, Parker. There’s a nice balance between dramatic moments and humorous ones as Sadie interacts with them, especially Parker, who loves to torment Sadie on a regular basis anyway, but being able to prank her without being recognized is just too irresistible for her.
While much of the story focuses on Sadie’s journey as she copes with face blindness, there is also a romantic element. Even though Sadie cannot see their faces, she finds herself attracted to two very different men she encounters while looking for distractions from her situation. One is her new neighbor, an obnoxious yet endearing guy named Joe, and the other is the veterinarian who saved her beloved dog, Peanut’s, life. The timing is of course terrible because she has more important things to worry about than her love life, but she cannot deny that she’s attracted to both men. I loved watching Sadie navigate her way through this love triangle she didn’t expect to find herself in and was more than satisfied with how this aspect of the story plays out.
Filled with relatable and realistic characters, witty dialogue and a storyline that is both heartwarming and humorous, Katherine Center has another winner on her hands with Hello Stranger. It’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year so far. 5 STARS
Note: I read an advancer’s reader’s copy and listened to an advanced listening copy. The audio was an absolute delight, and Patti Murin’s narration is *chef’s kiss*.
The Summer of Songbirds Goodreads
Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Publication Date: July 11, 2023
Publisher: Gallery Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I probably say this every time Kristy Woodson Harvey has a new book published, but I think her latest, The Summer of Songbirds, is my new favorite from her.
The story follows four women who come together to try to save the summer camp that made them into the women they are today. June Moore owns Camp Holly Springs and has been welcoming girls there for over 30 years. While it was a fun summer haven for the girls, over the years it has also become a haven for June to hide away from the world and her troubles. June’s niece Daphne and her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, met at Camp Holly Springs. The bond that formed between these three during their summers at the camp has only strengthened over the years and they are now like sisters to one another. When they learn that the camp is in trouble, it’s all hands on deck and what starts as a mission to save their childhood happy place ends up becoming an adventure that will change their lives forever.
The bond of friendship between Lanier, Daphne and Mary Stuart was the major highlight of this book for me. From the time they were children, these women have been there for each other through thick and thin, and they truly take care of one another. Each of them is going through something throughout the course of the book and while the friendships are mostly beautiful and supportive, there’s also real talk when it’s needed, particularly when it comes to telling someone something they’d rather not hear. I really appreciated how authentically KWH portrays these friendships. It felt like I was reading about my own best friends and I just loved that!
The theme of second chances and forgiveness is also very prominent in The Summer of Songbirds. Daphne, Lanier and Mary Stuart value their friendship enough that they will always try to do what it takes to repair their friendship if things go wrong between them. Then there’s also the matter of second chances in love. Lanier met her first love through Camp Holly Springs, while Daphne met her first love through Lanier. Being back at the camp and seeing their first loves again makes both women realize that those feelings are still there and wonder if second chances are in the cards for them. I was fully invested in both of these romances as well and really enjoyed watching them reconnect while at the same time, revisiting the memories from their summers together at camp.
I don’t want to say anything else because you really have to experience it yourself, but it really is a beautiful story all around. Filled with nostalgic summer camp vibes, amazing female friendships, and more than one second chance romance, The Summer of Songbirds is the perfect beach read! 5 STARS