The Running Bibliophile

Let Her Be (Hush, #6)  by Lisa Unger is a short story that opens with the main character attempting suicide and going through a treatment plan to get better. When his ex-girlfriend disappears, he elicits the help of their mutual friend Emily to find out what happened. I decided to read this story without reading the synopsis because it is written by one of my favorite authors. Had I realized the story included domestic abuse and attempted suicide, I might have passed on it. However, I persevered and wanted to find out what happened to the ex-girlfriend.  There were some red herrings that completely threw me, and the person who I thought was involved wasn't involved. I have to say I was shocked by the ending and didn't care for the revelation.  As for the characters, there weren't many in the story, but I have to say I didn't care for the main character. The rest of the characters were likable. Four out of five stars is what I gave  Let Her Be (Hush, #6)  by Lis...

Book Review: The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger was published on March 5, 2024 and falls into the mystery and thriller genres. I was thrilled when I learned that I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) from NetGalley for free in exchange for my honest review. However, I wasn't able to read and review the novel until now. This novel is reminiscent of the television show 666 Park Avenue and is definitely what I call a slow burn.   With that being said, it had twists and turns that had me guessing to the very end. Although the book is told from Rosie Lowan's perspective, there are some flashbacks to a previous owner that adds some mystery to the storyline. The transitions between the two perspectives are done exceptionally well. There are a mix of characters that are likable and unlikable. My favorite characters were Rosie and Max. Unfortunately, I didn't quite trust Rosie's husband Chad or the doorman named Abi. Lisa Unger has become ...

Book Review: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger opens with Hannah and her family celebrating Christmas with dinner. All the gifts have been opened, with the exception of some that are from Santa. However, no one is owning up to being Santa. Fast forward six months, Hannah, her husband, brother, sister-in-law, and her best friend with a boyfriend in tow are getting together for a long weekend where secrets are spilled. Wow! I have no words to describe how much I absolutely loved this Lisa Unger story. It kept my interest from the start of the book, and I would love to see it turned into a movie. Told from several characters perspectives and alternating timelines, it kept me guessing for the most part. Lisa Unger did a fantastic job of keeping it easy for the reader to follow without any issues. However, I did figure out the connection between Trina and Cat to the rest of the story relatively early on. With that being said, I didn't quit...

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger is a novella expected to be published on October 24, 2023 by Penzler Publishers.  Madeline Martin is the owner of a thriving business, a bookstore.  When author and podcaster Harley Granger stops by her store, Madeline is starstruck.  However, bad memories are dredged up for Madeline by the author when he mentions that he is reopening a cold case that she survived. Thank you, NetGalley and Penzler Publishers, for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Lisa Unger's novella, Christmas Presents .  As a recent fan of the author, I knew I wanted to read her latest without even reading the synopsis, so I requested to read this novella and was ecstatic when I was approved to receive a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. This novella falls into the mystery, thriller, and suspense genre but has a little romance and intrigue to it.  Despite the genre, it even put me in the Christmas mood since it takes place during the holiday....

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger introduces us the world of online dating, dating apps, and what might go wrong in this fictional thriller. Wren Greenwood thinks she has met the one through a dating app, but after several months of dating Adam Harper, he stands her up for dinner and disappears . . . his phone has been disconnected and someone else is staying in his apartment. Why has Wren been ghosted? This is the second novel I've read by Lisa Unger. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to like Last Girl Ghosted because it started out extremely slow. However, once I got sixty or so pages into the book, it began to take off, and I couldn't put it down. If I didn't have to work the next day, I would've stayed up into the wee hours of the night to finish. Written mainly from Wren Greenwood's perspective, the story jumps back and forth between the past and present in a way that's done exceptionally well. Additionally, we do learn the backstory of the three w...

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth opens with Lucy finding out that her mother-in-law, Diana, has died. Narrated from varying characters perspectives, the story alternates between the present and the past and weaves a twisted story between Lucy, Diana, and the rest of the family. I didn't know what to expect because I chose to read The Mother-in-Law based on all the rave reviews I heard about it, and I wasn't sure what was going to play out. But, wow . . . this book was AMAZING!    Twists and turns, oh my! There were so many that I was kept guessing throughout the entire book, and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. And, I loved the fact that the author kept me guessing as to who the killer was because red herring after red herring kept materializing. The character development and backstories were spectacular. By the end of the book, we really got to see what made Diana tick and made her who she was. Once you know her backstory, Diana actually becomes a likable char...

Mark and Cara Burroughs' parents were late coming home, so they decided to throw a party after school. When their parents still hadn't come home or called that night, the siblings aren't too worried as this is typical behavior of their parents. As the days go by with no contact with their parents, Mark and Cara begin to panic and contact the police. Missing (Fear Street, #4) by R.L. Stine will have you on the edge of your seat to the end. I was excited to reread Missing (Fear Street, #4) in my quest to reread my way through my childhood, especially after The Overnight (Fear Street, #3) by R.L. Stine was such a great book. However, the fourth installment of the Fear Street book series was not one of my favorites.  The biggest issue I had with it was that the first few chapters kept repeating some of the same information over and over. An example of this was reiterating that Mark was the shy, introverted sibling, and Cara was the outgoing sibling that wasn't afraid o...

Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger opens with a commuter train that has stalled and Selena Murphy striking up a conversation with another passenger named Martha. Martha admits that she's having an affair with her boss. Selena confesses that she thinks her husband is having an affair with the nanny. A few days later, Geneva, the nanny, disappears causing Selena's life to fall apart, and Selena begins to wonder just who Martha is. I belong to several book related groups on Facebook, and Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger was recommended by another member. When I read the synopsis on Goodreads.com , I was immediately intrigued and purchased the ebook version from Barnes and Noble Booksellers.  At first, I wasn't sure I would like the book, but I persisted, and I am so glad I did.  The further I got into the story, the better it got, and I absolutely ended up falling in love with this novel, so much so that I want a sequel. The story was told from various different per...