An often exciting beginning to a new paranormal series.
Wordsworth offers a debut supernatural novel of abduction and lies that features a mysterious Japanese artifact at the center of its story.
Hanna is an 18-year-old enjoying her life at Surgite University in New Jersey. She has friends she can count on and a wealthy boyfriend she’s had since high school. But all is not well; there’s a series of odd abductions plaguing the state, and they’re the talk of Hanna’s social group. The victims are mostly young women who eventually reappear after a short absence; none can identify their kidnapper, and they all show signs of weariness and exhaustion but no indications of sexual assault. In a parallel plotline, Hanna has noticed that she doesn’t seem to be remembering details of her recent outings with her boyfriend, Theo; she isn’t forgetful about other aspects of her life, but this selective amnesia worries her, as she doesn’t want to forget Theo, whom she adores. However, it turns out that he’s responsible for her selective amnesia; he somehow makes her unable to recall memories of their encounters, lies to her about their time together, and schemes to make her believe she’s done things she hasn’t. He's also constantly talking about the concept of falsehood and pressing her to tell her whether she’s lying to him. Later, it’s revealed how the kidnapper carries out his abductions in detail; the process involves a magical knife with mysterious Japanese characters engraved on the blade. Many readers will find this thriller gripping from beginning to end; the slow revelations will keep them connected to the story, and the author’s facility at creating suspense will make them invested in what happens next. One drawback, though, is the fact that the way that the magical knife works is somewhat confusing and not clearly explained: “Violet light leaped out, encircling his victim with snaking black lines. In merely a second, she was gone.” However, the characters, whether they’re heroes or villains, are consistently engaging and effectively demand readers’ attention.
An often exciting beginning to a new paranormal series.Pub Date: Dec. 21, 2022
ISBN: 9798986771007
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.
What hasn’t legendary legal eagle Grisham tried yet? How about a thriller about serial kidnapping and international terrorism.
When Paul and Chelsea Tanner disappear during a day trip on their Paris honeymoon, their abductors demand a ransom of $2 million from Chelsea’s wealthy parents, and a few days later the same sum from Paul’s much less well-heeled parents. After orthopedist Lowell Clayburn, Chelsea’s father, ponies up the ransom without breathing a word to the authorities, his daughter is promptly released. But even though Paul’s parents sell their home, liquidate their assets, and borrow money from the Clayburns to meet the kidnappers’ demands, the villains hold on to Paul anyway. Asked whether he’s ever seen such an outcome in a double kidnapping, FBI deputy director Andrew Strong tells Lowell: “No, this is a new one.” But it’s not, as Strong knows all too well; it’s the third such active case, all involving honeymooning couples whose bridegrooms had served in the armed forces. After masterfully drawing readers in with his bare-knuckle account of the Tanners’ abduction and the attempt by their families and the CIA to tell the lies required to keep caring friends and the rapacious press at bay, Grisham effortlessly switches gears to follow CIA agent Rae Claire Russo and Stuart Nash, a former Department of Justice prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay who agrees to marry her so they can serve as bait for the kidnappers, whose motives include justice and revenge as well as cold hard cash. So much for the imprisoned Paul’s wistful reflection that “hopefully, it was only about money.”
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9780385550543
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.
A violent attack hijacks a woman’s memory in this novel of domestic suspense.
McFadden wastes no time pulling the trigger in this harrowing story that starts with gunfire then swiftly propels readers into a crack tale of secrets and misdirection. Originally self-published in 2016, the book carries the same formidable weight as McFadden’s later novels featuring unsuspecting women who lose their power then fight to recapture it—mostly from men who have betrayed them. That formula perfectly fits Dr. Charlotte McKenna, a 37-year-old dermatologist who isn’t looking for love until the most handsome man she’s ever seen begins to woo her. There are warning signs about Clark Douglas and Charlotte overlooks them to her detriment—but is he a killer? The novel has dual timelines split between events leading up to the day Charlotte barely survives a head wound meant to kill her and the months afterward, when she struggles to reclaim her memory and her mobility. In real life, McFadden is a physician trained to treat brain injuries. Her expertise gives Charlotte’s rehabilitation authenticity, and her writing talent makes it interesting and engaging. As good as that timeline is, readers will yearn to get back to the alternate timeline about who wants Charlotte dead. It’s only a matter of time before Charlotte starts to remember who tried to kill her, and the clock is ticking toward their next attempt. McFadden dishes up plenty of suspects: Charlotte’s secretive husband, Clark; a former patient turned stalker who confronts Charlotte on her honeymoon; and the angry husband of a patient who blames Charlotte for his wife leaving him. Though the story is delicious and dark, McFadden brightens things up with a possible love interest for Charlotte and a surprise ending sure to please the author’s many fans.
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9781464249617
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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