Author: Taylor Adams
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 25, 2023
Rating: 5 out of 5
I was tempted to leave a 1-star rating for this book, but was afraid that Adams might search for me, find me, and seek homicidal revenge on me, like in the book! All kidding aside, this is 5-star winner. I loved his earlier thriller, No Exit, as one of my books of the year. This one is at least as good, possibly even better. It's the best book I've read so far in 2023.
The premise is simple: Emma Carpenter reads a cheap horror e-book and leaves its first rating on Amazon: 1-star. It is the worst book she's ever read. The author, surprisingly, replies asking her to remove the review. She doesn't, and he sets out to kill her. As she is house-sitting in a beach-front place in a secluded Washington State community, it becomes easy to cut her off from her others. And the scene is set. Heroine trapped alone without help, with a homicidal serial killer outside ready to break in and satisfy his sick urges. But there are secrets, slowly revealed throughout. And the twists and turns are so sudden and sharp I'm sure I got whiplash reading this book. Its fast-paced plot makes it a real page-turner. And just when you think you have it figured out, Adams throws another curve ball. You simply have to keep ready to the last word.
I am thankful to the publisher for a free advanced ready copy of this book and am happy to provide an honest and unbiased review.
