BOOK DESCRIPTION
Someone knows your secret. And they’re coming to find you…
Stephanie Miller is an average working mom. She isn’t perfect, but when her war hero husband dies and her work as a scientist puts her in news headlines, her past laid bare for all to see, she’s determined to make a new life for herself and teenage daughter, Amy. But she fears it’s only a matter of time before the biggest mistake of her life is revealed.
As Stephanie and Amy take refuge on a remote island in Washington, it feels like they’re learning how to live again. But then they come home to graffiti on their garage door, there’s no escaping the hate online, and Stephanie is sure someone is watching from the shadows outside their house.
When someone close to Stephanie is murdered in cold blood, she knows her worst fears have come true. Someone knows the truth. And she must become the fighter her husband always knew her to be if she is to protect her daughter, and everything left in the world that she loves.
An absolutely nail-biting thriller from bestselling author, L.A. Larkin. Perfect for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Gregg Olsen. An addictive, unputdownable, up-all-night read.
This intense page turner is written predominantly from the perspective of University professor and war widow Stephanie Miller. Struggling to cope with the death of her beloved husband Philip, she decides to go along with her best friend Jan's suggestion and move to isolated Widow's Island with her teenage daughter Amy. Stephanie is hoping that the move combined with her new job plus a exciting opportunity involving the Pentagon and American government will be the fresh tart that they both need and will hopefully reignite their formally close relationship. But she has hardly had the opportunity to settle into her new position when a unknown enemy starts spreading rumours and lies about her online. A campaign that over time intensifies until eventually her daughter also becomes a target, only Amy is not only bullied online but also at her new school where she had already been struggling to settle and make friends. I think some readers would probably label Amy a brat due to her attitude and behaviour but I felt a lot of empathy for her. She was still struggling with her grief over the death of her dad and had been relocated to a isolated island where she didn't know anyone so she didn't have any support system to comfort and support her. Meanwhile, Stephanie's life and career was falling apart around her and just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, something horrific happened that shocked her to the core. There was time when I could fully understand Amy's frustration with her mother, for a apparently highly intelligent woman,she did come across as a bit of a mouse at times but then she would do something really surprising and make you respect and like her again.
Interspersed throughout the story was chapters that were voiced from the perspective of the twisted, narcissistic individual who was organising the campaign against Stephanie and Amy. This person was a seriously unlikable individual but why was this person targeting Stephanie and is far were they prepared to go to achieve their end game? Could this person simply just be a puppet who was dancing on the end of someone else's strings? These parts of the story were seriously chilling and it was quite scary how swiftly and easily Stephanie's life was torn apart by her tormentor with the help of the faceless people who shared all the lies and rumours on their social media sites.
There was also chapters that followed FBI special agent T.J.Samson and his partner Detective Candace Greig as they searched for a serial killer who had evaded capture for twelve years. Samson was a fantastic character, a really likeable nice guy and my favourite character in the book. But why had the FBI suddenly appeared on the island? Could a deadly killer really be hiding there in plain sight? Will Samson be able to uncover the truth before the twisted individual claims another victim?
Wow....just wow, OMG, this is a perfectly paced,at times chilling page turner that hooks the reader in, keeps you captivated and glued to your kindle. Some parts of the story were so intense that I found myself at the edge of my seat and I'm certain that if I was in the habit of biting my nails, I wouldn't have any left. The cast of characters were a mixed bag of realistic individuals, many of whom were untrustworthy and not who they appeared to be. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this unputdownable, addictive thriller. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended. This is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year.
Author Bio:
L.A. Larkin is a crime-thriller author, published by Bookouture. Her latest novel, Widow's Island, is now available for pre-order and is described as "an absolutely nail-biting crime thriller with a heart-pounding twist."
She is also the author of Prey, Devour, Thirst, and The Genesis Flaw and she writes a funny dog detective mysteries under the pseudonym of Louisa Bennet.
Lee Child described Widow's Island as, "Fast and immersive - a really fine thriller"
C.J. Carver described Widow's Island as, "Dark and menacing, Larkin's characters are heart-wrenchingly real"
Peter James, "Intrigue in spades"
Marie Claire, "'Written with pacy cinematic style, this chiller thriller will reel you in" (Thirst)
Good Housekeeping, "Brilliant!" (Devour)
James Phelan, "'L.A. Larkin is a world-class thriller writer"
Literature Works, "Exciting, original and utterly captivating" (Devour)
Bookseller + Publisher, "Exciting, compulsive reading" (The Genesis Flaw)
Author Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LALarkinAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lalarkinauthor
Website: https://lalarkin.com/
Publication Day: June 3rd 2021
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B08Z3WJGWPsocial
Apple: http://ow.ly/7YhP50E0DhN
Kobo: http://ow.ly/FF9u50E0Tmm
Google: http://ow.ly/YrRi50E0Tns
PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT THE POSTS OF THE OTHER BLOGGERS WHO HAVE STOPS ON THIS BLOG TOUR
Thanks for your amazing review! You have made me so happy!
ReplyDelete