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amccarthy2017's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kateland85's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sdc93's review
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Suicide
momadvice's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Zibby Books for the advanced reader copy for our show. This novel hits store shelves on May 21st.
If you have been hunting for the next Verity, I've got good news- this upcoming summer thriller will more than satisfy fans of this thriller.
Zara believed that when her father passed away, she would be rewarded for her vigilance, showing up for him at his bedside. As she dreams of all the ways she can use her inheritance, she's shocked when he leaves his entire inheritance to his university instead of his daughter.
Zara walks away with a mere $5,000 for her troubles- a far cry from the beach house she envisioned living in as he took his dying breath.
Luckily, Zara is a gifted writer, and she pulls herself out of her financial demise through a series of well-received ghostwriting gigs. Now successfully sought after, she acquires a lucrative opportunity to ghostwrite a celebrity chef's memoir.
Jane Bailey has made her fortune by creating $30 or under dishes for Food Television, combining inexpensive ingredients with unique flavors from unexpected flavor combinations.
The fact that Zara's never heard of Jane seems fine with her as this job comes with a sumptuous stay at her home equipped with all the modern amenities, including a maid, gym, pool, and Jane's signature dishes served at every meal.
But as she falls asleep on the first night, she hears the unsettling clicking of a security camera.
As the women collaborate on unearthing Jane's troubled past, she finds that this homey exterior comes from a difficult childhood where she had to learn to fend for herself and may explain some of the paranoia. Zara realizes that not only does this backstory endear her to Jane more, but it pulls her into her orbit in other ways that surprise her.
If you like stories of obsession or found yourself pulled into the themes of our book club book, One's Company, you will likely find similar threads in this novel.
I was unfamiliar with Huntley's writing, but if this indicates the kinds of stories she writes, I will have to look for her other books because this twisted story is just the kind of thriller I appreciate.
TAGS: Books About Food, Books About Books, Ghostwriting, Books Like Verity
magpiereading's review
1.0
No idea why the main character was so passive, I kept reading hoping for an amazing twist that didn’t show up
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