Publisher: Park Row Books
Published: October 5, 2021
Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher
Summary:
Secrets, obsession and vengeance converge in this riveting thriller about an online dating match turned deadly cat-and-mouse game, from the New York Times bestselling author of Confessions on the 7:45.
Think twice before you swipe.
She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him—hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love?
But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared—profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted.
Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. But isn’t that always what women think—that they’re the ones to blame? Soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love. Girls who later went missing. She had been looking for a connection, but now she’s looking for answers. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past—and hers—she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she’s not sure whether she’s the predator—or the prey.
My thoughts:
I have long been a fan of Lisa Unger, ever since reading Fragile a few years back. I love that her books are dark and twisty and that you think you know what it going on, but you could not be more wrong.
This one drew me in right from the start and never let up. I admit, I dabbled a little bit in online dating before reconnecting with my husband…but luckily I never had any weird experiences…probably because I quickly realized it really wasn’t for me. But I digress…this book really ups the ante with the online dating scene and shows just how twisted things can get.
How far would you go to find out why the seemingly perfect guy you met online suddenly disappears? That’s what Wren must decide after meeting Adam. Things were perfect until he ghosted her. Why? Why the sudden disappearance and why is Wren so determined to get to the bottom of it? Does it have anything to do with what Wren finally revealed about herself?
I loved how this book moved back and forth in time, alternating from the present and the past. Pieces of the puzzle were slowly given to us, allowing us to glean just what happened in Wren’s past and why Adam might have taken that and run. But what she ends up finding is the last thing she expected.
This book kept me engaged and guessing all the way through. I love that as much as it is a thriller, it is also such an interesting character study. I think in some ways, we can all relate to Wren – she is such a relatable character. She’s had her share of trauma and she’s certainly had her share of dating woes. She comes across as the type of character that you just become totally invested in – and therefore don’t want to put the book down until you get to the end, wherever that leads us.
This was such an addicting, thrilling read and as one who has read almost all of this author’s books, I also appreciated the little Easter eggs thrown in. How psyched was I that The Hollows was not only mentioned in this book but that Wren went there to visit? I love when authors revisit places and characters from past books. Whether this is your first book by this author or your most recent, I definitely recommend picking it up…you won’t be disappointed!
