A NOISE DOWNSTAIRS

Author:  Linwood Barclay

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/
George Newbern

Yearly Count:  38

From Goodreads:

College professor Paul Davis is a normal guy with a normal life. Until, driving along a deserted road late one night, he surprises a murderer disposing of a couple of bodies. That’s when Paul’s "normal" existence is turned upside down. After nearly losing his own life in that encounter, he finds himself battling PTSD, depression, and severe problems at work. His wife, Charlotte, desperate to cheer him up, brings home a vintage typewriter—complete with ink ribbons and heavy round keys—to encourage him to get started on that novel he’s always intended to write.

However, the typewriter itself is a problem. Paul swears it’s possessed and types by itself at night. But only Paul can hear the noise coming from downstairs; Charlotte doesn’t hear a thing. And she worries he’s going off the rails.

Paul believes the typewriter is somehow connected to the murderer he discovered nearly a year ago. The killer had made his victims type apologies to him before ending their lives. Has another sick twist of fate entwined his life with the killer—could this be the same machine? Increasingly tormented but determined to discover the truth and confront his nightmare, Paul begins investigating the deaths himself.

But that may not be the best thing to do. Maybe Paul should just take the typewriter back to where his wife found it. Maybe he should stop asking questions and simply walk away while he can. . .

I enjoyed the easy listen and was kept intrigued along the way.  Loved the narrator.

Thoughts of Joy

THE MARRIAGE LIE

Author:  Kimberle Belle

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2017

Personal Rating:  3.75/5 (good +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Johanna Parker

Yearly Count:  30

From NetGalley:

Everyone has secrets…

Iris and Will have been married for seven years, and life is as close to perfect as it can be. But on the morning Will flies out for a business trip to Florida, Iris's happy world comes to an abrupt halt: another plane headed for Seattle has crashed into a field, killing everyone on board and, according to the airline, Will was one of the passengers.

Grief stricken and confused, Iris is convinced it all must be a huge misunderstanding. Why did Will lie about where he was going? And what else has he lied about? As Iris sets off on a desperate quest to uncover what her husband was keeping from her, the answers she finds shock her to her very core.

Due to writing this up (with no notes) about 3+ weeks later, it's sad to say, but I don't remember much about it.  I did enjoy the discovery of new leads and was curious as to where they would lead Iris, and I know that I want to read more by Kimberle Belle.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

WHAT MY SISTER KNEW

Author:  Nina Laurin

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  2.5/5 (eh)

Format:  Audiobook

Yearly Count:  28

From Goodreads:

"...currently wanted by the police. If you know anything about the suspect's whereabouts, please call..." I look up at the TV screen, and my twin brother's face is splashed across it, life-size. It's a shock that makes my breath catch. This is my brother as an adult, my brother who I last saw fifteen years ago after the fire that killed our parents, covered in soot, clutching a lighter in his hand, his knuckles stark white against the dirt and ash. Everyone always said he'd grow up to be a heartbreaker. But his face has gone gaunt instead. The stubble on his cheeks and chin is patchy, and his eyes look dull and dark. My first thought is that it's not him. Not my beautiful brother, the golden boy who everyone loved. Yet, deep down, I've always known this would eventually happen. What did you do this time, Eli? What the hell did you do?

The storyline and characters were never believable to me.

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THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW

Author:  A. J. Finn 

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2018 

Personal Rating:  3.5/5 (good)

Format:  Audiobook

Yearly Count:  27

From Goodreads:

Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.

Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.

What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.

 Even though I felt this was a little slow at times, I really enjoyed it until the ending.  I'd rate most of the book a 4.25, then  . . .  that came to an end.  I was very disappointed in the final delivery, and it took the wind out of my sails.  It was revealed in such a flat announcement.  Blah.  However, I am definitely open to another book by Finn.  :)

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THE WIFE BETWEEN US

Author:  Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2018

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Julia Whelan

Yearly Count:  16

From NetGalley:

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions. You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife. You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love. You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle. Assume nothing.

I enjoyed this.  It kept me interested and surprised me along the way. I will definitely be looking out for this duo in the future. Well done.

Thoughts of Joy 

My  thanks go to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

THE SUBSTITUTE

Author:  Nicole Lundrigan

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2017

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  13

From NetGalley:

Warren Botts is a disillusioned Ph.D., taking a break from his lab to teach middle-school science. Gentle, soft-spoken, and lonely, he innocently befriends Amanda, one of his students. But one morning, Amanda is found dead in his backyard, and Warren, shocked, flees the scene.

As the small community slowly turns against him, an anonymous narrator, a person of extreme intelligence and emotional detachment, offers insight into events past and present. As the tension builds, we gain an intimate understanding of the power of secrets, illusions, and memories.

I usually only read for pleasure before going to sleep at night.  That actually doesn't provide much reading time - lights are off and lids are closing.  And, brain is shutting down.  Those little snippets at the end of a day didn't provide enough continuity for my sleepy brain, so I want to go back (during the daylight hours) and reread some, but I really did enjoy this book.  It was a bit slow going, but I was invested and wanted to know the outcome.  Also, there were some very graphic, gruesome scenes.  Be aware.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to House of Anansi and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

THE PASSENGER

Author:  Lisa Lutz

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2016

Personal Rating:  2.75/5 (eh )

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Madeleine Maby

Yearly Count:  33

From NetGalley:

In case you were wondering, I didn’t do it. I didn’t have anything to do with Frank’s death. I don’t have an alibi, so you’ll have to take my word for it...

Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.

She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.

It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret…can she outrun her past?

Well, I didn't have much luck with Lutz's other books, but I really wanted to give this one a try.  I still am not a fan of her style, BUT I actually finished this book!  And, I didn't strongly dislike it!  :)  There was definitely an element of wanting to know what was going to happen instilled in me, and that was a good thing.  Can't say I'm interested in picking up another, but this one wasn't so bad.  😝

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

THE BREAKDOWN

Author:  B. A. Paris

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2017

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format: eBook

Yearly Count:  22

From NetGalley:

If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her . . .

 This was a quick read, mainly because it kept me intrigued, so I wanted to keep reading -- even though I figured out a lot of it from the get-go.  No worries, though.  I really enjoyed it.  Yay for Paris, another "very good" from me!

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

WATCHING YOU

Author:  Michael Robotham

Genre:  Psychological Thriller,
Joe O'Loughlin Series #7

Published:  2014

Personal Rating:  3.75/5 (good +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Sean Barrett

Yearly Count:  4

From NetGalley:

Marnie Logan often feels like she's being watched: a warm breath on the back of her neck, or a shadow in the corner of her eye that vanishes when she turns her head.

Now her life is frozen. Her husband Daniel is missing. She can't access his bank accounts or his life insurance. Depressed and increasingly desperate, she seeks the help of clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin.

O'Loughlin discovers Daniel's Big Red Book--a collage of pictures, interviews, and anecdotes. The book, which Daniel intended as a surprise birthday gift, now leads to a shocking discovery. Any person who has ever crossed Marnie has paid an exacting price. And O'Loughlin may be next in line.

Oh my!  I was thoroughly enjoying this book until it went a bit off the rails for me.  It, fortunately, didn't overtake the plot, but I was let down - big time!  I must admit that if I had read it, I probably wouldn't have been as affected by it in a roll your eyes kind of way.  The pace kept me engaged and the characters were interesting, which is vital.  I look forward to more by Robotham.  

While this is #7 in a series, you'd never know!  It most definitely can be read as a standalone.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

     

TRUST NO ONE

Author:  Paul Cleave

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Paul Ansdell

Yearly Count:  2

From NetGalley:

Jerry Grey is known to most of the world by his crime writing pseudonym, Henry Cutter—a name that has been keeping readers at the edge of their seats for more than a decade. Recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of forty-nine, Jerry’s crime writing days are coming to an end. His twelve books tell stories of brutal murders committed by bad men, of a world out of balance, of victims finding the darkest forms of justice. As his dementia begins to break down the wall between his life and the lives of the characters he has created, Jerry confesses his worst secret: The stories are real. He knows this because he committed the crimes. Those close to him, including the nurses at the care home where he now lives, insist that it is all in his head, that his memory is being toyed with and manipulated by his unfortunate disease. But if that were true, then why are so many bad things happening? Why are people dying?

Hmmm.  I did not like a lot about this book, however, the strong desire to keep listening shifted the pendulum solidly into the positive realm.  :)  I was definitely hooked.

The switching of timeframes AND people was confusing in the very beginning.  After I thought that settled out in my mind, I continued to experience confusion from time to time.  :(  I had to pay close attention, and that wasn't enjoyable.  Also, the lack of complete closure - answers to all my questions - caused a bit of turmoil in me, amongst other unrealistic events.  After all of that, I oddly, still really liked the story.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Author:  B. A. Paris

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2016

Personal Rating:  4.25/5 (very good +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/
Georgia Maguire

Yearly Count:  58

From NetGalley:

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace: he has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You'd like to get to know Grace better. But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love.

Picture this: a dinner party at their perfect home, the conversation and wine flowing. They appear to be in their element while entertaining. And Grace's friends are eager to reciprocate with lunch the following week. Grace wants to go, but knows she never will. Her friends call—so why doesn't Grace ever answer the phone? And how can she cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim?

And why are there bars on one of the bedroom windows?

The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?

This was a very good audioread for me!  It had some issues with plausibility, but I pushed those aside.  Ultimately, it kept me intrigued, and I didn't want to stop listening (terrific narrator!).  Love when that happens!  

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

      

THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTER

Author:  Jonathan Kellerman

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  2/5 (not enjoyable)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Kathe Mazur

Yearly Count:  43

From NetGalley:

A brilliant, deeply dedicated psychologist, Grace Blades has a gift for treating troubled souls and tormented psyches—perhaps because she bears her own invisible scars: Only five years old when she witnessed her parents' death in a bloody murder-suicide, Grace took refuge in her fierce intellect and found comfort in the loving couple who adopted her. But even as an adult with an accomplished professional life, Grace still has a dark, secret side. When her two worlds shockingly converge, Grace's harrowing past returns with a vengeance.

Both Grace and her newest patient are stunned when they recognize each other from a recent encounter. Haunted by his bleak past, mild-mannered Andrew Toner is desperate for Grace's renowned therapeutic expertise and more than willing to ignore their connection. And while Grace is tempted to explore his case, which seems to eerily echo her grim early years, she refuses—a decision she regrets when a homicide detective appears on her doorstep.

An evil she thought she'd outrun has reared its head again, but Grace fears that a police inquiry will expose her double life. Launching her own personal investigation leads her to a murderously manipulative foe, one whose warped craving for power forces Grace back into the chaos and madness she'd long ago fled.

Well, this wasn't my first Kellerman book . . . and it won't be my last, but it certainly didn't live up to my expectations.  :(  I did not buy into the main character at all.  While she is made out to be bold, she was fake and bland.  Her actions made no sense to me.

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Random House & NetGalley for providing me with the eGalley.

    

THE WIDOW

Author:  Fiona Barton

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2016

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (good +)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  32


From NetGalley:

When the police started asking questions, Jean Taylor turned into a different woman. One who enabled her and her husband to carry on, when more bad things began to happen...

But that woman's husband died last week. And Jean doesn't have to be her anymore.

There's a lot Jean hasn't said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with the accusing glares and the anonymous harassment.

Now there's no reason to stay quiet. There are people who want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them that there were secrets. There always are in a marriage.

The truth—that's all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything…

Sadly, this book took me approximately 2.5 months to read!  It was by no means the book or my lack of interest . . . quite the opposite, in fact.  I just haven't been literally reading much at all.  It's mainly audiobooks that have me gleefully listening while having the ability to do other things.  I actually have expressed to those around me that I miss reading and miss reading an actual book . . . with paper!  Therefore, that's what I'm going to do.  Woo!

Anyway, The Widow would have probably received a little bit higher rating had I read it consistently.  The only thing I really did not like was the shifts of time.  There was more involved than just Before and After.  Loved the different points of view, though.  I would be happy to pick up another by Barton.  

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

THE KIND WORTH KILLING

Author:  Peter Swanson

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  4.25/5 (very good +)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Various

Yearly Count:  4

A man and a woman meet on a plane and divulge inner thoughts, which lead to the planning of a murder.

What a good book!  This one kept me engaged every minute, and I didn't ever want to put it down.  I loved the twists and turns.  I enjoyed the different perspectives, as well.  Soooo good.

My first "Best Read" of the year!  Woo!

Thoughts of Joy

SECOND LIFE

Author:  S. J. Watson

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Susan Lyons

Yearly Count:  64

Julia loses her sister, Kate, to murder and is determined to find her killer.  Even if it means pretending she's something she's not.  Or is she?

I was engaged.  I was appalled.  I was surprised.  I was shocked.  I was never really sure if I liked the book or not.  Since finishing, I have determined that I liked it very much, but I did not like the main character as a person.  She was one self-absorbed woman with an addictive personality who made crazy choices.  When I reminded myself that she had a problem, I could accept the events much more easily.  Otherwise, it seemed too preposterous.  Lots of twists and turns! 

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BLACK-EYED SUSANS

Author:  Julia Heaberlin

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  3.25/5 (just okay +)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  55

From NetGalley:

A girl's memory lost in a field of wildflowers.

A killer still spreading seeds.

At seventeen, Tessa became famous for being the only surviving victim of a vicious serial killer. Her testimony put him on death row. Decades later, a mother herself, she receives a message from a monster who should be in prison. Now, as the execution date rapidly approaches, Tessa is forced to confront a chilling possibility: Did she help convict the wrong man?

I enjoyed the beginning of the book, then I noticed it was taking me a long time to read.  It just wasn't  keeping me engaged, so I didn't pick it up much.  Overall, the ending was a bit of a disappointment, but those feeling were building from the lack of enticement.  

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks go to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

PRETTY BABY

Author:  Mary Kubica

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  45

From NetGalley:

She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head…

Heidi Wood has always been a charitable woman: she works for a nonprofit, takes in stray cats. Still, her husband and daughter are horrified when Heidi returns home one day with a young woman named Willow and her four-month-old baby in tow. Disheveled and apparently homeless, this girl could be a criminal—or worse. But despite her family's objections, Heidi invites Willow and the baby to take refuge in their home.

Heidi spends the next few days helping Willow get back on her feet, but as clues into Willow's past begin to surface, Heidi is forced to decide how far she's willing to go to help a stranger. What starts as an act of kindness quickly spirals into a story far more twisted than anyone could have anticipated.

I really enjoyed this book.  I didn't find any of the plot twists to be very surprising, but I didn't figure out everything either.  Also, there were bits and pieces that I found to be unbelievable.  However, they didn't cause any disengagement.  It was definitely good enough to find myself reading it at lunchtime!  :)  

Thoughts of Joy

My thanks goes to Mira and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

LITTLE BLACK LIES

Author:  Sharon Bolton

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  41

From NetGalley:

In such a small community as the Falkland Islands, a missing child is unheard of. In such a dangerous landscape it can only be a terrible tragedy, surely...

When another child goes missing, and then a third, it's no longer possible to believe that their deaths were accidental, and the villagers must admit that there is a murderer among them. Even Catrin Quinn, a damaged woman living a reclusive life after the accidental deaths of her own two sons a few years ago, gets involved in the searches and the speculation.

And suddenly, in this wild and beautiful place that generations have called home, no one feels safe and the hysteria begins to rise.

But three islanders--Catrin, her childhood best friend, Rachel, and her ex-lover Callum--are hiding terrible secrets. And they have two things in common: all three of them are grieving, and none of them trust anyone, not even themselves.

Hooray! I finally read a book by Sharon Bolton (aka S. J. Bolton) and am encouraged to pick up others by her.  I was completely invested in Little Black Lies and had no clue as to what was to come.  At times, it was a little too descriptive for me; therefore, it didn't receive a 4.25/5 rating, but it was close.  Good stuff.  Very good stuff!  :)

Thoughts of Joy

      
My thanks go to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

Author:  Paula Hawkins

Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  4/5  (very good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Corbett, Brealey & Fisher

Yearly Count:  26

Rachel, an alcoholic divorcee, watches a couple at their home from the train she travels on daily.  The women goes missing, and Rachel feels the need to help the police with what she has observed. 

I'm not sure why I didn't like this book more.  No reasons are popping up other than I can't say that it wasn't better than "very good" to me.  I enjoyed it and look forward to more by this author.

Thoughts of Joy

THE BOOK OF MURDER

Author:  Guillermo Martinez

Genre:  Psychological Suspense, Standalone

Published:  2007

Personal Rating:  3.5/5 (good)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/T. Ryder Smith

Yearly Count:  103

While a secretary's boss is on vacation, another author borrows her for a month.  Ten years later, she calls the borrowed boss with an incredible tale of deadly consequences. 

Goodness.  This one is difficult.  There's no doubt that I got deeply intrigued in the storyline; however, I wasn't thrilled with the telling, telling, telling.  There was just too much talk AT me.  The "He said - She said' theme was great, but the ending turned out to be unsatisfying.  :(  BUT, I enjoyed the ride getting there.

Thoughts of Joy