6 must-read Thrillers during Quarantine

A short list of 6 must-read Thrillers out there now

6. The Retreat by Mark Edwards ***1/2

Book synopsis

Two years ago, Julia lost her family in a tragic accident. Her husband drowned trying to save their daughter, Lily, in the river near their rural home. But the little girl’s body was never found—and Julia believes Lily is somehow still alive. Alone and broke, Julia opens her house as a writers’ retreat. One of the first guests is Lucas, a horror novelist, who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Lily. But within days of his arrival, the peace of the retreat is shattered by a series of eerie events. When Lucas’s investigation leads him and Julia into the woods, they discover a dark secret—a secret that someone will do anything to protect… What really happened that day by the river? Why was Lily never found? And who, or what, is haunting the retreat?

3***1/2 Review

This was a good thriller, well written and nicely executed. There were no haunting or frightening moments. Just a classical what happened two years ago. To be truthful, it was a little farfetched and I couldn't help thinking very unlikely, but that only made the ending that much more suprising. Just when I thought I understood where the author was going, he cheated on me and left with a 'WTF'.... #thrillers

5. Stranger Child by Rachel Abbot 4****

Book synopsis

Tasha Joseph mysteriously vanished at the age of six, the night her mother Caroline‘s car veered off the road into a ditch, killing her outright. Police attending the scene of the accident could find no trace of the little girl who had been sitting quietly on the back seat. Six years later, Tasha’s bereft father has remarried and has started to build a new life with Emma and their beautiful baby son, Ollie. And then one day a stranger walks into their home and into their lives, and their world tilts on its axis. Emma’s life no longer feels secure. Does she know the truth about what really happened to Tasha and Caroline all those years ago? Why does she feel so frightened for herself and for her baby? But when a desperate Emma reaches out to her old friend DCI Tom Douglas for help, she puts all their lives in jeopardy. Soon a web of deceit is revealed that shocks both Emma and Tom to the core. They say you should never trust a stranger. Maybe they’re right.

4**** Review

I enjoyed this thriller very much. It wasn't so much the who-done-it thriller but there were some big question-marks in the story which propelled you to get to the end as quick as possible in order to solve the puzzle. Allthough everything is sorted out in the end, the book does leave you with a bit of a cliffhanger almost forcing you toward buying the next book in this series. Will definitively read more from this author... #thrillers

4. Guilty by Laura Elliot 4****

Book Synopsis

It begins with a phone call. It ends with a missing child. On a warm summer’s morning, thirteen-year-old school girl Constance Lawson is reported missing. A few days later, Constance’s uncle, Karl Lawson, suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect. Six years later … Karl’s life is in ruins. His marriage is over, his family destroyed. But the woman who took everything away from him is thriving. With a successful career, husband and a gorgeous baby boy, Amanda’s world is complete. Until the day she receives a phone call and in a heartbeat, she is plunged into every mother’s worst nightmare.

4**** Review

Ok, so I have a weakness for 'missing-child' themes in thrillers. Can't help it. Must have something to do with the BBC Series Missing. Who knows. Fact his, I can't resist them. So when this book came along I was hooked just reading the synopsis. Now, it's not what I would expect from the usual Thriller hipe, but it's much much better... Can't say enough about it, really. If you're looking for a whodunit mystery thrller, this is not for you. But, if you're into a superbly plotted revenge novel, then don't let this slip through your hands. The author clearly wanted to point out how important the media is and how someone's life can change in a matter of a few days and never be the same again. It's about how, depending on your perspective, an innocent can become guilty and the guilty can easily become the victim. Well written and not to be missed...

#thrillers

3. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James 4****

Book synopsis

1950 - At the crumbling Idlewild Hall school for unwanted girls, four room-mates begin to bond over dark secrets and whispered fears - until one of them mysteriously disappears . . . 2014 - Journalist Fiona Sheridan can't get over the murder of her sister twenty years ago, near the ruins of Idlewild. And when another body is found during renovations of the school, she begins to uncover horrors that were meant to remain hidden - and a voice that won't be silenced.

4**** Review

This was something I was not expecting. First of all let me say that this was brilliantly written. The author has blended a good paced thriller with a beautiful story of friendship, pain, a dash of the paranormal framed by the horrors of war. I really enjoyed the ride this author took me on. Never imagined where she was leading me or who the murderer could be. Once you've read this book you'll ask yourself the same question I did. Will they make a movie out of it one day?

#thrillers

2. Stranger in the Woods by Anni Taylor 5*****

Book synopsis

It sounded so perfect - a month's assignment at the misty, sprawling Scottish Highlands property of brilliant architect Alban McGregor, and his wife, Jessica. But deep in the woods, there is a chilling playhouse. Two years ago, the McGregors' daughter, Elodie, died after being abducted and taken there. Alban refuses to knock the playhouse down, and he keeps a picture of it on his wall. Isla senses that both Alban and Jessica are keeping terrible secrets. And it seems that others in the town are also veiling the truth. The closer Isla comes to getting answers about Elodie, the more the danger mounts. And with a dense cover of snow now blanketing the town, all chance of escape might already be gone.

5***** Review

I have a problem with the first form, always have. But I'm aware that thrillers are mostly set in this form and sometimes also in the present tense, which drives me bananas. That being said, this was so brilliantly crafted I hardly noticed my usual dilemma. I adored the location (Scotland y'all!) and the characters were so three-dimensional it was as if you actually knew them. I don't think I'm giving too much away by saying that the protagonist's amnesia was a great touch, because the reader just knows that she's bound to remember sooner or later whatever it is that is bugging her. And then come the twist at the end. Wow, just brilliant. Can't praise this Austrialian author enough. After this book I had to go and read everything else, and she definitely doesn't dissapoint.

#thrillers

1. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 5*****

Book synopsis

Alicia Berenson writes a diary as a release, an outlet - and to prove to her beloved husband that everything is fine. She can't bear the thought of worrying Gabriel, or causing him pain. Until, late one evening, Alicia shoots Gabriel five times and then never speaks another word. Forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber is convinced he can successfully treat Alicia, where all others have failed. Obsessed with investigating her crime, his discoveries suggest Alicia's silence goes far deeper than he first thought. And if she speaks, would he want to hear the truth?

5***** Review

This is going to become a movie and I can see why. If anyone's seen the Series 'The Sinner' you might know what I'm talking about. The book is well paced, but more than that the author's hook is why you keep reading on. This woman murders her husband and then refuses to talk. WHY? At the beginning I just couldn't understand why she wouldn't speak. But then everything became clear and the ending is just such a twist, which I dare anyone to say they saw coming, because its impossible they could, that you almost feel robbed. Can't wait to see the movie.