Author: Christina McDonald

The Next Thing You Know by Jessica Strawser My rating: 5 of 5 stars A breathtaking, emotional and compelling novel with powerful themes of life and death, The Next Thing You Know is a poignant look at love and hope, and the importance of living every moment with no regrets. Unflinching and unforgettable, this one…

We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz My rating: 5 of 5 stars Atmospheric and adventurous, We Were Never Here takes toxic friendship to the next level. With a dark undercurrent and a slow-burn tension, Bartz’s evocative writing of far-flung destinations will pull you in so smoothly, so chillingly, you won’t know who to trust.…

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger My rating: 5 of 5 stars A chilling, unforgettably told story about online dating and the dangers it may pose for modern love. With sharp, insightful prose and clever plotting, Unger ratchets up the tension page by page until a gasp-worthy ending you won’t soon forget. We follow Wren,…

The Patient by Jane Shemilt My rating: 5 of 5 stars A mesmerising tale of obsession, vengeance and betrayal, expertly unpicking the threads of a marriage and the lies that bind. Absorbingly atmospheric with elegant, lyrical prose and a brooding slow-burn tension, The Patient is utterly unforgettable. The story follows Rachel, a GP, who sees…

Chloe Cates is Missing by Mandy McHugh My rating: 5 of 5 stars Full of disturbing secrets, a supremely dysfunctional family and an unapologetically unlikeable protagonist, McHugh raises important questions around what parents should be allowed to post about their children on social media. Scratch the shiny surface of this perfect family and you’ll see…

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth My rating: 5 of 5 stars A slow burn domestic suspense/family drama with elegantly drawn characters that are intriguing, compelling and flawed. The story begins from an unknown person at the wedding of Stephen and Heather, his much younger new bride, at which time something shocking happens that the…

Where I Left Her by Amber Garza My rating: 5 of 5 stars A tense and gripping tale of a mother’s worst nightmare, a daughter who’s missing, and the discovery that everything she thought she knew about her daughter has been a lie. Whitney is a bit of a helicopter parent and has some misgivings…

That Night by Gillian McAllister My rating: 5 of 5 stars Would you help your sibling hide a body? Clever and enthralling, That Night is about the night Frannie hits a man with her car while on vacation with her siblings. Instead of calling the police, she calls her siblings, and together they bury the…

Destroy Me by Karen Cole A very exciting premise that moves with a slightly slower pace toward the big reveal. Suspenseful with twists, shady suspects and red herrings, it was a short, quick, interesting read, but it ultimately ended up being just ok for me. Psychological suspense fans might be interested in giving this one…

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James My rating: 5 of 5 stars Riveting and wonderfully irresistible! If you don’t think you enjoy ghost stories, think again. The Broken Girls is perfectly executed from start to finish. Told in dual storylines, past and present, it manages to be a haunting mystery, historical fiction, and a…

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica My rating: 5 of 5 stars Holy wow, this book!!! This is suspense at its finest. Dark secrets, ingenious and surprising twists, characters you root for every step of the way. Local Woman Missing is one of my favorite books of the year. A cheating wife. A kidnapped girl.…