Wanderbrush

Over the summer, I found myself completely swept up in thrillers and mysteries. With Tennessee’s relentless heat waves keeping me indoors, I traded long afternoons outside for page-turning suspense inside. The blazing sun and extended daylight hours became a kind of safety net, making it easier to dive into stories filled with shadows, secrets, and shocking reveals.

One book turned into two, and before I knew it, I was on a steady streak. I spent my free time chasing one twist after another, hooked on the rush of unraveling tangled plots and guessing who to trust. Some endings left me reeling in the best way, while others wrapped up a little too neatly.

Here are the last five thrillers I devoured this summer, along with my thoughts on just how effectively each one delivered its final twists and turns.

1. Listen for the Lie
by Amy Tintera
Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I experienced this book mostly through the audiobook, and I have to say, it was an outstanding listen. The narration brought the story to life in a way that made it feel both immersive and unsettling, perfectly capturing the tension beneath the surface of an otherwise picture-perfect small town. What struck me most was how well the story highlighted the darker, more sinister dynamics that can quietly exist in communities that, at first glance, seem idyllic. Small, southern towns have complex personalities that are well masked to unknowing tourists, and this book felt like a personal tale into a town many of us are familiar with.

The inclusion of the podcast element added another layer of intrigue, making it feel almost like I was piecing together a true-crime case as the story unfolded. This blending of formats elevated the audiobook experience and made it feel essential to hear rather than just read. I found myself completely drawn in. I was constantly questioning motives, second-guessing characters, and wondering whether I could trust the perspective being given. It kept me on edge in the best possible way, with that lingering sense of uncertainty that only comes from a truly well-crafted unreliable narrator scenario.

The ending came as a shock to me, and I felt invested and vindicated for the narrator when tearing through the last few chapters. The character development made me personally invested in the journey of Lucy finding the truth about that fateful night. I highly recommend this week for a well-developed, unique thriller.

2. A Stranger on the Beach
by Michele Campbell
Rating: 2 Stars ⭐️⭐️

From Goodreads, “Her spectacular new beach house, built for hosting expensive parties and vacationing with the family she thought she’d have. But her husband is lying to her and everything in her life is upside down, so when the stranger, Aiden, shows up as a bartender at the same party where Caroline and her husband have a very public fight, it doesn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary.

As her marriage collapses around her and the lavish lifestyle she’s built for herself starts to crumble, Caroline turns to Aiden for comfort…and revenge. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aiden’s obsession with Caroline, her family, and her house grows more and more disturbing. And when Caroline’s husband goes missing, her life descends into a nightmare that leaves her accused of her own husband’s murder.”

This book was a fascinating and unpredictable journey from start to finish. The shifting perspectives kept me constantly on edge. At times, the dueling perspective came close to giving me whiplash as I tried to untangle what was real from what was merely perception. The two main narrator’s continuously brought a new layer of complexity with each chapter, forcing me to question not only their reliability but also the very fabric of the story itself.

The tension never once let up; it lingered like an undercurrent running through every chapter, pulling me deeper into the mystery. I found myself piecing together fragments of truth, only to have them unravel with the next revelation. That constant push and pull between certainty and doubt created an atmosphere that was more unsettling than addictive at times.

I ultimately rated this book two stars because the ending felt rushed. Once the curtain finally dropped, the resolution came together too abruptly, leaving me wanting more development and closure. In addition, several loose threads were left hanging, never fully tied up or addressed, which made the conclusion feel somewhat incomplete.

3. The Last One At The Wedding
by Jason Rekulak
Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

From Goodreads, “Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estrangement would become permanent. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right.

He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate—very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie forever.”

This story was as puzzling as it was heartbreaking, striking a delicate balance between mystery and raw emotion. Frank’s unwavering fatherly love and deep concern shine through in every chapter, grounding the narrative with a sense of tenderness amidst the tension. His character is layered and compelling, and it was moving to see how far he was willing to go out of devotion and duty.

Equally captivating was the way his complicated relationship with Maggie, and himself, slowly unraveled as the story progressed. Their dynamic added nuance and depth, showing both the beauty and the pain of love, loyalty, and regret. It was this interplay of personal struggle and emotional truth that made the story resonate long after I’d finished.

My love for Frank’s character development was a major factor in my rating of this story. I was left with tears and satisfaction as I closed the final chapter on this book.

4. First Lie Wins
by Ashley Elston
Rating: 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

From Goodreads, “The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss, Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job isn’t like the others. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time.

Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn’t be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge. . . .”

The opening of this story hooked me right away, and I found myself eager to see where the story would go. However, as the plot progressed, my excitement started to wane. Elston’s writing certainly shows promise, and many of the twists were executed well (the introduction of “Lucca Marino” was especially clever). That said, too much of the narrative leaned on telling rather than showing, which disrupted the suspense and dulled the impact. Evie is a compelling protagonist, but the constant oversharing—both in relaying past events and in painstakingly detailed present actions—dragged down the pacing. At times, I had to remind myself that I was supposed to be reading a thriller.

While not entirely unpredictable, there were moments where the mystery was handled with finesse, and I did enjoy certain reveals. Still, the ending left me unsatisfied. Several of the final developments felt forced and unconvincing, pulling me out of the story and lessening the overall impact of what could have been a much sharper conclusion.

5. Run on Red
by Noelle W. Ihli
Rating: 2 Stars ⭐️⭐️

From Goodreads, “By the time Laura and Olivia notice the headlights tailing them through the hills, it’s too late. What seems, at first, like a case of road rage quickly unfolds into a heart-pounding chase—and a battle for survival.

Who are the men in the truck? What do they want? And can Laura and Olivia outrun—and outsmart—them long enough to call for help, even if it means taking their chances in the hills on foot?

As their situation grows more perilous, the girls realize that the real terror has only just begun. But flight won’t save them from their pursuers. If they’re going to make it home alive, they’ll have to fight.”

Can a survival thriller be dull? Unfortunately, yes.

This book started off with real promise. I loved how the story dropped us straight into the action, and the isolated setting did a great job of adding to the eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere. But before long, the momentum sputtered out—much like the characters’ beat-up Volvo—and I found myself losing interest less than halfway through.

What followed felt disappointingly formulaic, almost like a made-for-TV Lifetime thriller. With such a small cast, the “whodunit” became predictable early on, stripping away any real sense of suspense. On top of that, several plot points came across as rushed and underdeveloped, as if the story was more interested in moving forward than in building any real tension.

The frustrating part is that there were strong elements here that could have elevated the book. A capable female lead, her deep knowledge of true crime, and a focus on the serious issue of sexual violence against women—all of these could have created something impactful. Instead, they felt underutilized, more half-formed ideas than fully realized strengths.

For a thriller under 300 pages, this should have been a quick, gripping read. Instead, it dragged, and by the time I finally reached the end, I was more relieved than satisfied.

6. Middle Of The Night
by Riley Sager
Rating: 2 Stars ⭐️⭐️

From Goodreads, “The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul de sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.”

Sounds eerie and ominous, right? What an absolute snooze fest. Throughout this read, I was frankly bored out of my mind and found it hard to will myself to finish. The story dragged on with repetitive beats and a plot that felt like it was circling the drain rather than moving forward. Honestly, it was a struggle to stay focused because I couldn’t bring myself to care about what happened to Billy.

The so-called “mini revelations” sprinkled throughout were flat at best, and the conclusion landed with a dull thud—predictable, clichéd, and told without any spark.

And then there’s Ethan, our main protagonist. Sigh. A rock has more personality. His entire existence revolved around “Billy, Billy, Billy,” and beyond that obsession, we learn almost nothing else about him. That lack of depth made it impossible to invest in the story or the stakes.

This was my first introduction to Riley Sager. I will continue to read his work. However, this story will not remain in my memorable thriller reads.