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*IndieReader.com best indie books of 2013*
She acts like she's your new best friend, but is she really a deadly enemy?
When Isabel Anderson nearly runs over mysterious Alicia McBride, she is ridden with guilt. She helps Alicia get a job at the supermarket where she works, and soon, Alicia is acting like her new best friend. But then strange fires start to break out all over the small seaside town of Queensbeach, including at the caravan park where Alicia is staying. Isabel suspects Alicia knows more than she's letting on and grows increasingly nervous when her friend Deacon invites Alicia to stay with him. But it's Isabel the police suspect.
Determined to confront Alicia, Isabel bursts into her room and sees the word 'FRY' branded across her back in capital letters. From then on, she sees the word "FRY' everywhere she goes; in graffiti, on toilet walls, even on car registration plates. Then her beloved cat, Fluffy disappears and Isabel is convinced Alicia is behind it. She puts up posters all over her neighbourhood, but as fast as she puts them up, someone takes them down. Soon, a whole spate of fires is breaking out and Isabel must stay one step ahead of the flames and the police. In order to survive, she must question her own innocence, her sanity and the very fabric of her morality. Can she win back Deacon? And will she ever find Fluffy?
*IndieReader.com best indie books of 2013*
She acts like she's your new best friend, but is she really a deadly enemy?
When Isabel Anderson nearly runs over mysterious Alicia McBride, she is ridden with guilt. She helps Alicia get a job at the supermarket where she works, and soon, Alicia is acting like her new best friend. But then strange fires start to break out all over the small seaside town of Queensbeach, including at the caravan park where Alicia is staying. Isabel suspects Alicia knows more than she's letting on and grows increasingly nervous when her friend Deacon invites Alicia to stay with him. But it's Isabel the police suspect.
Determined to confront Alicia, Isabel bursts into her room and sees the word 'FRY' branded across her back in capital letters. From then on, she sees the word "FRY' everywhere she goes; in graffiti, on toilet walls, even on car registration plates. Then her beloved cat, Fluffy disappears and Isabel is convinced Alicia is behind it. She puts up posters all over her neighbourhood, but as fast as she puts them up, someone takes them down. Soon, a whole spate of fires is breaking out and Isabel must stay one step ahead of the flames and the police. In order to survive, she must question her own innocence, her sanity and the very fabric of her morality. Can she win back Deacon? And will she ever find Fluffy?
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2013
297 people are currently reading
1267 people want to read
About the author
Lorna Dounaeva
27Ìýbooks261ÌýfollowersLorna Dounaeva is a politics graduate who worked for the British Home Office before turning to crime fiction. She writes dark domestic thrillers and is especially fond of female villains. She lives in the Orkney islands with her Ukrainian husband and his parents, three children, a crafty cat and a happy dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
February 25, 2023
A good psychological thriller and an ok, but far fetched plot. I found this a quick read but the writing was underwhelming. I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series.
March 23, 2013
So, I started reading this early afternoon and five hours later I was done. Yes it really is that good - I would strongly advise that you do not pick it up unless you have a free few hours to spare. Strangely I didnt think I was going to like it for the first few pages, probably because there is no hanging around - bam! There you are, straight into the action. Having just finished a slightly less pacy book, its probable that my brain took a few pages to catch up with the rest of me! After that however, I was completely hooked. Isabel accidentally hits Alicia with her car, and as anyone would, offers her assistance. Upon realising that Alicia is a bit down and out, Isabel gets her a job and slowly but surely Alicia becomes part of her life. Then the fun and games really begin. A series of strange fires, the complete and utter adoration of Alicia from all Isabel's friends, and a missing cat, all form part of a really entertaining (and often bemusing and nerve wracking) tale. I loved all the characters in this, the dynamic between the group of friends, both before Alicia's arrival and after, is extremely realistic - in fact the carefree and intimate way they interact certainly is reminiscent of a group of friends I had in my younger years and I would imagine anyone reading this might be reminded of such relationships from their own lives. What happens to Isabel, and her cohorts, and their reactions to these things, are very well written. You almost feel as if you are there with them. At its heart, this is a story about friendships, the things that test those friendships, and how your relationships might change as a result. It is also a brilliant psychological thriller that will keep you turning the pages until you are done. If Ms Dounaeva had another book out already, that is what I would be reading right now. Well, maybe later...I need some coffee first! Terrific, don't miss it.
May 3, 2013
Let me start by saying that I set out to read for an hour or two the other night to wind down before bed, and ended up staying up until 2:30 in the morning to finish this book. Having said that, I felt that the last 80% of the book was far better than the beginning. I didn’t find the protagonist, Isabel’s initial suspicions of Alicia all that plausible. I’ll buy that she felt something was off but she accepts her negative assessment of the girl with very little ambivalence. Most of us, when we distrust someone for no obvious reason, tend to question if we are being too hard on the person.
However, once some tangible things start to happen that justify Isabel’s suspicions, the story takes off running from there. There are lots of fascinating twists and turns that eventually bring us to a dark and gruesome secret. I don’t want to say any more that might spoil the story.
My other issue with the book was that although the main character and her antagonist’s motivations were spot on, some of the other characters� actions and motivations didn’t always ring true. ( I’m a psychologist so I may be too harsh a critic in this arena sometimes.)
But I do feel that the reader gets their money’s worth out of this psychological thriller.
However, once some tangible things start to happen that justify Isabel’s suspicions, the story takes off running from there. There are lots of fascinating twists and turns that eventually bring us to a dark and gruesome secret. I don’t want to say any more that might spoil the story.
My other issue with the book was that although the main character and her antagonist’s motivations were spot on, some of the other characters� actions and motivations didn’t always ring true. ( I’m a psychologist so I may be too harsh a critic in this arena sometimes.)
But I do feel that the reader gets their money’s worth out of this psychological thriller.
February 15, 2014
FRY by Lorna Dounaeva is a pyrotechnic psychological thriller of the most brilliant kind. The author had me gripped once the story began to move in sinister twists that never let up. Relentless is the word this reader would describe the plot.
Isabel almost runs down Alicia. She feels guilty and sets Alicia up with a job where she works. A friendship starts but soon becomes a game of cat and mouse as fires erupt all over the town of Queensbeach in UK. Subtle hints are played to great effect as Isabel starts to unravel for she becomes the prime suspect.
Isabel must stay one step ahead of the police and stop Alicia before she goes completely mad or ends up in prison.
Read this FIVE STAR thriller to find if she succeeds. Highly recommended.
Isabel almost runs down Alicia. She feels guilty and sets Alicia up with a job where she works. A friendship starts but soon becomes a game of cat and mouse as fires erupt all over the town of Queensbeach in UK. Subtle hints are played to great effect as Isabel starts to unravel for she becomes the prime suspect.
Isabel must stay one step ahead of the police and stop Alicia before she goes completely mad or ends up in prison.
Read this FIVE STAR thriller to find if she succeeds. Highly recommended.
March 27, 2013
Isabel Anderson meets Alicia McBride under startling circumstances. She almost runs over Alicia when she appears in front of her car out of nowhere. Shocked and guilt ridden, she invites her into her home and offers her tea. Alicia is waif like and "different" (to be honest,for much of the book I suspected that there was a paranormal element to the story). She says is looking for work and Isabel recommends her for a job at the store where she works. By insinuating that they are best friends Alicia inserts herself into the fabric of Isabel's life and subtly works her way into the lives of Isabel's closest friends.
Strange, frightening things start happening, but everyone is so smitten with Alicia that Isabel doesn't think people will believe her if she tells them about her suspicions. There is no way to substantiate them and she realizes people will think she is paranoid. Gradually she retreats into herself, staying away from her friends because she doesn't want to be around Alicia. It hurts her to see how Alicia seems to have replaced her in their intimate circle.
Her friends start to question her emotional balance. Isabel finds herself involved with the law, charged with crimes she knows she hasn't committed; or has she? Even she reaches a point where she isn't certain any more.
FRY is a psychological thriller, the plot is fast paced, filled with suspense and twists and turns and held my attention to the end. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an "on the edge of your seat" read. I certainly enjoyed it.
March 2, 2016
I am not sure why I even bothered to finish this book. It's just not very good. Every time I picked it up to read, it felt like I was being rushed through.
The author had an interesting idea for a book, but she didn't execute well. The pace is very fast, too fast, so sometimes it's hard to figure out what is going on and when. Time skips around a lot, even within chapters. The author does not write with a lot of details. It's mostly action and character emotion.
Because the pace is so fast without a lot of details, it's hard to read and feel the main character's paranoia. She is obviously jealous and paranoid, but it comes off as rash and unjustified.
I guess I kept reading because I was hoping the end of the book would be climatic and tie everything together. Nope. It's too fast, and the characters do things that just don't make any sense.
This book could be a lot better with a lot of help. It would take deconstructing it, solidifying the actual plot and reason for the evil-doer's actions, slowing down the storytelling, doing more showing rather than telling, and building connections with the reader. Lots of work, but it would make the book better.
The author had an interesting idea for a book, but she didn't execute well. The pace is very fast, too fast, so sometimes it's hard to figure out what is going on and when. Time skips around a lot, even within chapters. The author does not write with a lot of details. It's mostly action and character emotion.
Because the pace is so fast without a lot of details, it's hard to read and feel the main character's paranoia. She is obviously jealous and paranoid, but it comes off as rash and unjustified.
I guess I kept reading because I was hoping the end of the book would be climatic and tie everything together. Nope. It's too fast, and the characters do things that just don't make any sense.
This book could be a lot better with a lot of help. It would take deconstructing it, solidifying the actual plot and reason for the evil-doer's actions, slowing down the storytelling, doing more showing rather than telling, and building connections with the reader. Lots of work, but it would make the book better.
March 22, 2013
Quite brilliant. Fast-moving, action-packed, subtle and slaps you round the face from start to finish. We all make the odd mistake now and then, but for most of us, it doesn’t come back and bite you on the bum many years later. The halo of innocence above Lorna’s villain is held so firmly in place that our luckless leading lady is left doubting her own sanity. The reader is left doubting her sanity to the point that nothing falls into place until the very last page. Who is the twisted fire starter? I am the slowest reader in Britain, but raced through Fry in just two days. A gripping read, which I thoroughly recommend to readers of all ages.
January 21, 2014
I really enjoyed it! It’s the sort of book you have no choice but to finish the same day you start. I like the setting, the characters, fast pace, the mystery and some really unexpected twists. Made me wonder how little we think of consequences of our actions. A throw-away conversation that we forget the next day might significantly change another person’s life. A chilling thought.
I would definitely read more from Lorna!
I would definitely read more from Lorna!
February 9, 2023
Real psychological
I started noticing FRY on different things from food packaging (the word stood out to me) to car number plates, while reading this book. It freaked me out but I needed to finish reading, I was engrossed.
I started noticing FRY on different things from food packaging (the word stood out to me) to car number plates, while reading this book. It freaked me out but I needed to finish reading, I was engrossed.
April 1, 2013
Do you ever really know a person? Who hasn't asked themselves that question? That question is at the heart of this psychological thriller. And that's why is is such a compelling and frightening read. If you are like me, you will think about your life differently after reading this book. One misstep with the wrong person and...poof! Your life could go, figuratively, up in smoke.
Lorna's writing style is so friendly and conversant, that I felt I was having a relaxed cup of tea with her in her "flat," yet she didn't waste any time luring me into the web of intrigue that had me glued to her book. The villain in this thriller is complicated and, oh so, beguiling. The author had me not only wondering about Alicia's motives, but how she was able to pull off all the crazy stunts she was pulling to basically ruin Isabel's (the heroine's) once "normal" life.
The characters in this book are like anyone I know (except the villain, of course and thank goodness!): they have predictable personality traits, yet they often act in ways that defy explanation until certain facts are revealed. Those fact are the carrots that the author dangled perfectly to keep me turning pages well past my bed time.
I don't like graphic violence and there is none in this book--just a lot of spine-tingling suspense.
Well done, Lorna! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery without a lot of gore.
Lorna's writing style is so friendly and conversant, that I felt I was having a relaxed cup of tea with her in her "flat," yet she didn't waste any time luring me into the web of intrigue that had me glued to her book. The villain in this thriller is complicated and, oh so, beguiling. The author had me not only wondering about Alicia's motives, but how she was able to pull off all the crazy stunts she was pulling to basically ruin Isabel's (the heroine's) once "normal" life.
The characters in this book are like anyone I know (except the villain, of course and thank goodness!): they have predictable personality traits, yet they often act in ways that defy explanation until certain facts are revealed. Those fact are the carrots that the author dangled perfectly to keep me turning pages well past my bed time.
I don't like graphic violence and there is none in this book--just a lot of spine-tingling suspense.
Well done, Lorna! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery without a lot of gore.
March 21, 2013
What to say... Well from page 2 I was hooked. After what appears to be an accident, Isabel meets a new friend. Soon some phychological games begin. At times Isabel wonders if she is losing her mind and her friends don't seem to acknowledge there's a problem. After visiting her brother Julio and his girlfriend Holly, Isabel believes she has found an ally. Then the plot gets more complicated. Can someone be in two places at the same time? Or could it be Isabel is simply having a breakdown. This is a fast paced story I found difficult to put down. It has so many twists and turns. I love the way it is written and can highly recommend the book, it really is memorable read.
March 14, 2013
FRY is a very suspenseful psychological thriller. Written in a conversational English dialect, it quickly and easily captures the reader’s attention. The protagonist is tormented and driven crazy, or possibly is leading a double life. One secret after another is deftly revealed with her sanity coming more and more in question, to herself and the reader. She is delusional or dissociating, paranoid, or else reailty is unraveling. The reader anticipates the worst and hopes for the best, but mostly just needs to know what happens next.
January 20, 2014
I was going to only give this book three stars, but about halfway through, it did get better. At first, I found the lead character's thoughts and decisions rather unwarranted and frivolous. It seemed she everything in the book to make her situation worse. She made herself look suspicious, and she made very stupid mistakes. Though, I did get caught up in how she was ever going to get herself out of the trouble she was in. Not sure I was crazy about the ending. I hope there is not a sequel. It was a good story, but doesn't have enough left to continue into another novel.
April 19, 2013
Lorna has managed to create a unique atmosphere with FRY, including well-written characters and an interesting plot. I also really liked the colorful and descriptive way she writes in: it's easy to see what's happening and jump along for the ride. The pacing was also just right, it kept me wondering and speculating, and there was enough incentive so I really wanted to turn those pages and find out what happens next.
September 6, 2016
This was a real page turner; it also can do a real number on the readers' head.
I was feeling so sorry for Isabel; she was being stalked and set up as an arsonist by a very creepy Alicia. As the book went on, and Isabel got more and more paranoid, I also felt the same way. What if Isabel is the crazy one? Why would poor little Alicia be picking on her? I felt like I was the one going crazy, right along with Isabel. A tricky plot, and a creepy atmosphere = a good read.
I was feeling so sorry for Isabel; she was being stalked and set up as an arsonist by a very creepy Alicia. As the book went on, and Isabel got more and more paranoid, I also felt the same way. What if Isabel is the crazy one? Why would poor little Alicia be picking on her? I felt like I was the one going crazy, right along with Isabel. A tricky plot, and a creepy atmosphere = a good read.
April 22, 2015
The plot is decent enough, but the writing ranges from underwhelming to juvenile. The characters are one-dimensional and contrived, but I also see potential. I wish this had been an early draft rather than the finished product because there is a lot the author could have done to improve, especially since the bare bones of the story are good. It just reads like a draft submitted to a 100 level undergrad writing course.
April 1, 2013
Good, easy, quick read. Suspenseful and page-turning.
July 5, 2019
She acts like she’s your new best friend, but is she really a deadly enemy?
When Isabel nearly runs over mysterious Alicia, she is filled with guilt. She helps Alicia get a job at the supermarket where she works and soon, Alicia is acting like her new best friend. Then fires break out all over town and she suspects Alicia knows more than she's letting on, but it’s Isabel the police suspect. In order to survive, Isabel must question her own innocence, her sanity and the very fabric of her morality.
Lorna Dounaeva’s debut novel is a sizzling psychological thriller that will make you question how well you can ever really know a person.
FRY is a very suspenseful psychological thriller.
This story follows Isabel and her group of friends, when Isabel runs over a girl named Alicia, she feels responsible for her. After a strange series of fires, she grows increasingly suspicious of Alicia who has ingratiated herself into Isabel and Isabel’s friend’s lives.
Once the story starts it is relentless.
Superb characters that are developed well.
Excellent plot and story line.
Recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When Isabel nearly runs over mysterious Alicia, she is filled with guilt. She helps Alicia get a job at the supermarket where she works and soon, Alicia is acting like her new best friend. Then fires break out all over town and she suspects Alicia knows more than she's letting on, but it’s Isabel the police suspect. In order to survive, Isabel must question her own innocence, her sanity and the very fabric of her morality.
Lorna Dounaeva’s debut novel is a sizzling psychological thriller that will make you question how well you can ever really know a person.
FRY is a very suspenseful psychological thriller.
This story follows Isabel and her group of friends, when Isabel runs over a girl named Alicia, she feels responsible for her. After a strange series of fires, she grows increasingly suspicious of Alicia who has ingratiated herself into Isabel and Isabel’s friend’s lives.
Once the story starts it is relentless.
Superb characters that are developed well.
Excellent plot and story line.
Recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 26, 2020
Psychological thrillers r not my favorite reads, but this was short - a little over 200 pages- so I figured there couldn’t be that many twists and wrong turns.
The first few chapters were almost a turn off but I stuck with it. Then the heat was turned on and as the antagonist got more brazen, the story got more interesting.
However so many loose ends and unreasonable behavior from the friends that it makes one question their relationship.
Isabel finds an incriminating item in her locker at work and it’s major in the story line. So instead of acting responsibly, she takes it out to her car and hides it in the trunk. Say what?
Why?
At one interrogation the Detectives had documents showing Isabel as the head of a business that did arson for hire, and that money had been transferred to the account as payment for numerous fires. That tidbit seemed pulled out of the blue and made the author seem desperate for added intrigue.
More unbelievable stretches of credibility occur in the last few chapters at the cottage in Scotland. Lordy child. Those scenes need a rewrite. Complete do over.
The first few chapters were almost a turn off but I stuck with it. Then the heat was turned on and as the antagonist got more brazen, the story got more interesting.
However so many loose ends and unreasonable behavior from the friends that it makes one question their relationship.
Isabel finds an incriminating item in her locker at work and it’s major in the story line. So instead of acting responsibly, she takes it out to her car and hides it in the trunk. Say what?
Why?
At one interrogation the Detectives had documents showing Isabel as the head of a business that did arson for hire, and that money had been transferred to the account as payment for numerous fires. That tidbit seemed pulled out of the blue and made the author seem desperate for added intrigue.
More unbelievable stretches of credibility occur in the last few chapters at the cottage in Scotland. Lordy child. Those scenes need a rewrite. Complete do over.
October 24, 2018
Ever since she nearly ran the girl over, things have not been the same for Isabel. She feels like she owes this girl, Alicia, something. So she gets her a job at the supermarket, gets her a place to stay, and invites her to hang out with her and her friends. But suddenly she’s become too chummy, too good. What’s up with that? There’s something peculiar about Alicia. She’s shy and quite, but she can do things. How did she start the bar-b-que without any matches?
There’s definitely something wrong here, and the worst part is that nobody believes Isabel. Suddenly, Isabel is a suspect in a fire. Could this new “friend� be a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Who is she? But, more importantly, what is she?
The concept was really interesting, although the pace might’ve been a little slow. The story is written in the 1st person, so the reader feels everything Isabel feels—anger, confusion, jealousy, suspicion, etc.
Freaky how Alicia was able to infiltrate herself into Isabel’s life. What is she, some kind of demon or something?
Quick and intriguing. Simple and captivating.
There’s definitely something wrong here, and the worst part is that nobody believes Isabel. Suddenly, Isabel is a suspect in a fire. Could this new “friend� be a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Who is she? But, more importantly, what is she?
The concept was really interesting, although the pace might’ve been a little slow. The story is written in the 1st person, so the reader feels everything Isabel feels—anger, confusion, jealousy, suspicion, etc.
Freaky how Alicia was able to infiltrate herself into Isabel’s life. What is she, some kind of demon or something?
Quick and intriguing. Simple and captivating.
May 13, 2019
This tale begins with our "heroine" (perhaps more accurately described as an "anti-hero"), Isabel Anderson, nearly running over a girl. This girl is soon identified as Alicia McBride. Oddly, the two immediately become close, almost like best friends. But there are strange things afoot, as odd circumstances, most especially dealing with fire, keep occurring around Alicia. And also around Isabel, which causes her to be a suspect in a number of events.
The story is well-written, I believe, but there are points at which I felt like the main character, Isabel, simply couldn't catch a break. By the climax of the story, even her closest friends seem to have abandoned her in favor of the "new girl in town."
But, as all good stories, the ploys are eventually discovered and a sort of justice is done. That's all I'm going to say about that, as I don't want to include spoilers.
The characters were definitely interesting, and there was (intentionally, I believe) a pervasive sense of awkwardness on behalf of Isabel, as every time she turned around, something happened to make her look like a villain or criminal, or, even worse, a lunatic. I think that's what kept me reading. Wondering what was going to happen next, as well as wanting to see her vindicated.
Judging from the subtitle of the book, McBride Vendetta #1, I'm guessing that there are more stories in this series. I'll have to see if I can come up with them.
The story is well-written, I believe, but there are points at which I felt like the main character, Isabel, simply couldn't catch a break. By the climax of the story, even her closest friends seem to have abandoned her in favor of the "new girl in town."
But, as all good stories, the ploys are eventually discovered and a sort of justice is done. That's all I'm going to say about that, as I don't want to include spoilers.
The characters were definitely interesting, and there was (intentionally, I believe) a pervasive sense of awkwardness on behalf of Isabel, as every time she turned around, something happened to make her look like a villain or criminal, or, even worse, a lunatic. I think that's what kept me reading. Wondering what was going to happen next, as well as wanting to see her vindicated.
Judging from the subtitle of the book, McBride Vendetta #1, I'm guessing that there are more stories in this series. I'll have to see if I can come up with them.
February 22, 2018
FRY was really intense, a seriously stressful read, because the author created such a fantastic storyline. Isabel finds a new friend in Alicia, and her close-knit group of friends adore her, she can do no wrong, in fact, she's just a little too close to Isabel's friends. There are fires forming everywhere, and when Isabel starts to suspect Alicia, she ends up looking crazy. So when Isabel starts making claims against Alicia, they are skeptical. Dounaeva has created a brilliantly suspenseful book that keeps the reader sucked in, anxious to find out if the truth is ever going to come forward. Flipping pages, the reader is desperate to find out if Isabel is ever going to have her name cleared of all the fires that pop up wherever she goes, or if she is going to be found guilty and sentenced to prison.
December 29, 2017
I do love a good psychological thriller, though I wasn't sure that I was going to like this one at first.
Were there a lot of twists?....mmmm...more like bends. But they were scenic bends and I enjoyed them all!
My opinion of Alica changed many times, and there was a point at which I thought she might be a witch. There were times when I was sure something supernatural had to be going on, otherwise how could Alica do all those things she did?
I won't spoil it by telling you how or if she did it, but suffice it to say that the whole premise of this book was not unique and thus the reason for the bends and not the twists.
In the end I really enjoyed this book and read it in a very short time.
Were there a lot of twists?....mmmm...more like bends. But they were scenic bends and I enjoyed them all!
My opinion of Alica changed many times, and there was a point at which I thought she might be a witch. There were times when I was sure something supernatural had to be going on, otherwise how could Alica do all those things she did?
I won't spoil it by telling you how or if she did it, but suffice it to say that the whole premise of this book was not unique and thus the reason for the bends and not the twists.
In the end I really enjoyed this book and read it in a very short time.
May 26, 2025
What a roller coaster!
What if someone held a vendetta against you, because of a seemingly small incident that happened in a summer where you were a camp counselor?
Isabel is driving home from her job and almost runs over a woman named Alicia. Isabel feels so awful she helps Alicia get a job.
Alicia worms her way into Isabel’s friend group, and very quickly mysterious fires begin to pop up around town. Isabel early on notices something off about this woman, and soon it seems like Alicia has it out for Isabel.
But why would a woman Isabel had just barely met want to see her life ruined? Find out in this thriller where one crazy event after another happens, and it seems like no one is in your corner.
What if someone held a vendetta against you, because of a seemingly small incident that happened in a summer where you were a camp counselor?
Isabel is driving home from her job and almost runs over a woman named Alicia. Isabel feels so awful she helps Alicia get a job.
Alicia worms her way into Isabel’s friend group, and very quickly mysterious fires begin to pop up around town. Isabel early on notices something off about this woman, and soon it seems like Alicia has it out for Isabel.
But why would a woman Isabel had just barely met want to see her life ruined? Find out in this thriller where one crazy event after another happens, and it seems like no one is in your corner.
September 12, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Voracious Readers. Isabel's quiet life is unexpectantly disrupted when a new woman is thrust into her life. Soon thereafter, a string of unexplained events begin to happen, leaving Isabel as the prime suspect. She must convince everyone, including herself, that she is not responsible for these string of crimes, but will she be able to?
I enjoyed this book because it was a quick read, and felt like a Lifetime movie. It is nice to read a book that can be finished in half a day, but keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next. If you are interested in a quick read, with mystery and love, I would recommend this book.
I enjoyed this book because it was a quick read, and felt like a Lifetime movie. It is nice to read a book that can be finished in half a day, but keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next. If you are interested in a quick read, with mystery and love, I would recommend this book.
December 1, 2021
Can't leave ZERO stars
I actually started reading the second book in this series first and it didnt seem too bad apart from the CONSTANT references to this one. I switched to this one after a few chapters and found it to be among the worst books i have ever read! There is an old saying 'write about what you know' this writer has apparently never heard it. She knows nothing about police procedures, the prison system, how trials work, nothing really.
The plot is so ridiculous I couldn't start to explain and as for the characters ! ! !
I will NOT be finishing the second book, I have waisted enough of my life on this dross.
I actually started reading the second book in this series first and it didnt seem too bad apart from the CONSTANT references to this one. I switched to this one after a few chapters and found it to be among the worst books i have ever read! There is an old saying 'write about what you know' this writer has apparently never heard it. She knows nothing about police procedures, the prison system, how trials work, nothing really.
The plot is so ridiculous I couldn't start to explain and as for the characters ! ! !
I will NOT be finishing the second book, I have waisted enough of my life on this dross.
February 24, 2018
Isabel is a typical twenty-something with a just-get-by job, some good friends to share a bottle of wine and her cat to curl up with at night. Then she almost runs down a young girl, Alicia, right in her on drive. She finds the girl is new in town and feeling guilty tries to help her get settled in. But immediately gets a strange vibe from her. She starts popping up everywhere and frequently is nearby when there is a fire. As time goes on Isabel feels stalked by Alicia and is ultimately arrested for arson. A chilling action packed tale.
July 10, 2019
This is my first time reading this author and I’m very pleased I chose to read this book. Isabel meets Alicia when she nearly runs her over and so she initially feels bad for her and tries to befriend her and help. Unfortunately, Isabel’s life starts on a downward spiral as Alicia ingrains herself more and more into her life. This is a brilliantly written psychological thriller that intrigued me from start to finish. A book to add to the must read section!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 13, 2019
I read this (Book 1 of the series) after reading Cold Bath Lane (Book 3). Knowing where it was coming from did not spoil anything. It's a compelling read. The action, often as much in Isabel's mind as outside, starts immediately and doesn't let up. I don't suggest starting the book when you're in a hurry to go somewhere or do something. It's hard to put down, even for a short time. It kept me up way later (make that earlier) than I'd planned. I think this was the closest I came to reading a book all in one sitting in a very long time. [It was outdone only by Cold Bath Lane.]
October 2, 2022
I rate this book at 4.7* so really enjoyed it and read it very quickly and believe me that is a very high score from me as I only give 5* to the very very very best favourites of mine so the fact that this very nearly was a five should be seen as very high praise indeed!
It kept me interested and wanting to know what would happen and I am looking forward to trying more books from this author who is new to me.
It kept me interested and wanting to know what would happen and I am looking forward to trying more books from this author who is new to me.
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