The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
Publisher/Year: Park Row Books, 2020
Format: ARC – paperback
Pages: 359
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

She tried to run, but she can’t escape the other Mrs.

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. It’s the eerie and decrepit old home they inherited. It’s Will’s disturbed teenage niece, Imogen, with her threatening presence. And it’s the troubling past that continues to wear at the seams of their family.

As the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of Morgan’s death. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.

What I thought

Thank you to Park Row Books for the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book STRESSED ME OUT in the best way, and to me, that is a sure sign of an excellent domestic thriller! This was the first book I’ve read from Mary Kubica, and I really enjoyed it. I know where to turn now when I’m in the mood for a thriller!

I want to keep this very short because it’s better to go into this knowing next to nothing. The unsettling atmosphere and the unreliable narrators instantly drew me into this story and kept the pages turning. Mary Kubica has such an easy writing style–simple, yet effective without being overdone. Honestly the only thing that kept this from five stars was the considerable amount of suspension of disbelief required from the reader. That isn’t something that bothers me exactly, it’s just that it takes me out of the story. I will also say that despite several theories, I never saw the “twist” coming–I love when authors can keep the suspense going!

All in all, kudos to Mary Kubica for writing one helluva thriller! It kept me up at night, flipping the pages, and I cannot think of a better recommendation than that.

Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott

Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott
Publisher/Year: Entangled Publishing, 2017
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 366
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Goodreads

 

Summary

Her name is Domino Ray.

But the voice inside her head has a different name.

When Madam Karina finds Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position at her girls’ home in secluded West Texas. With no alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval…and falling for Cain, the mysterious boy living in the basement.

But the madam has horrible secrets. So do the girls in the house. So does Cain.

Escaping is harder than Domino expects, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the danger living inside Domino’s mind.

Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.

What I thought

All I can say is that I was VERY impressed by this book. It was riveting and damn near impossible to put down. It isn’t often that I can honestly describe a book as truly unique, but this odd little book really was like nothing I have read before. All I know is that I was all about it as I was reading.

Whether it was the little snippets of info that dropped ever so slowly that had me itching for more, Domino’s kickass character, the supporting characters I grew to love (Cain 😍, Poppet, and Wilson!), or simply Victoria Scott’s incredible writing style, I could not have asked for more from a novel.

This is probably one of my favorite reads so far this year, which was completely unsuspected. Violet Grenade is a little gem that I feel is very underrated. If you’re looking for something completely different or if you’re looking for a DARK psychological suspense/thriller, look no more–I HIGHLY recommend Violet Grenade!