I heard so many great things about this book and it started off well enough. Unfortunately, it started going downhill quickly and snowballed from there. I'm usually a fan of an unreliable narrator, but this one pushed that way past the limit. The story bounces from past to present, but not everything "seen" or "remembered" is reality. It's done by way of dreams, memories, and/or hallucinations that are all seen through a drug and alcohol induced haze. It's done in such a way that it's almost impossible to tell which is which, leading to some flipping back through the pages. I suppose that was intentional, but it mostly just caused confusion and irritation, especially when it became repetitive. Between that and the slow pace, I finally admitted defeat at about the fifty percent mark and started skimming. We finally do get the answers about Jack's murder, and even with skimming and a red herring or two thrown in, I was still able to figure out who did it. I didn't have the why of it all but in all honesty, by the time I finally got there, I didn't care enough about any of the characters for it to make much difference. The only character that I did like was Grayson, who also seemed to be the only sensible person in this rather convoluted tale. As I said, I heard good things about this one prior to reading it, and maybe it's just me, but it's safe to say that I was underwhelmed.

Lisa Unger wrote a cast of characters that tapped into so many facets of this story. I am usually irritated by a narrator that is as lost as the reader, but not this time. Lisa Unger wove the truth in a way that the reveals were timed perfectly and the unreliable Poppy was with the reader for a ride.

I enjoyed the story line of this book even if I became a little annoyed with Poppy a couple of times, for how she was acting with the pills and drinking. I was very happy when she was able to kick those habits for it cleared her head and she was able to figure out what was going on.


I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is my first read by Lisa Unger but I have to say that I was really surprised how good this one was. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, this one is for you! You will not be disappointed.

Poppy is a media specialist and photographer. A year ago Poppy's husband, Jack, was brutally murdered when he was out on a run one morning. Poppy was overcome with grief and went missing for a couple of days. When she is found, she is in a red dress that she doesn't recognize and has no idea how or why she has it on. What went on those few days that Poppy has no clue about?

Poppy keeps having these crazy dreams to where she can't tell what is real and what is a dream. She is so confused but feels that someone is trying to tell her something or that she is supposed to remember these certain situations that she dreams about being in. Maybe that is why she can't tell the difference between the dreams and reality. Poppy's friend, Layla, helps her with as much as she can when Poppy needs her. Layla's husband Mac has been there for Poppy as well through the whole ordeal. Will they all be able to figure out what is going on and more importantly what happened to Jack? Poppy is not going to rest again until she knows exactly what happened to Jack, that's for sure.

This read will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. You will be turning the pages as fast as you can to find out what in the world is going on. The way that this story is written will have you feeling like you are right there with Poppy too. Great job done by Lisa Unger for sure!

This book is shining proof of why Unger is at the top of her game!

The plot of this story was engaging, chilling and full of goose-bump-producing tension and suspense. Poppy was written in such a way, that I felt very invested in everything she was thinking and feeling. I can't imagine not knowing whether something is real or just imagined and wondering if I have truly lost my mind. My heart couldn't help but to go out to poor, confused Poppy. Not only is she dealing with the validity of her own sanity, but she is also trying to piece together the 'missing' events of her life. As if this is not enough, she is sure that someone is watching her every move. And, that alone, added a delicious creep factor to the story for me.

This was one of those novels that caused me to stay up WAY too late, all-the-while promising myself, "Just ONE more chapter. Okay, REALLY, just ONE more chapter!" But, in light of Unger's unique and titillating brand of suspense, 'just one more chapter' is NEVER enough!

#UnderMySkin #NetGalley

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & HARLEQUIN - Hanover Square Press (U.S. & Canada) in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Loved it. Had me hooked from start to finish. Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. Poppy life is spiraling out of control after the murder of her husband. What is real? What is hallucinations from medicated drug induced fog? Poppy's husband Jack is brutally murdered while on a jog, but a year later Poppy has missing memories can cannot tell what is what. Her best friend, Layla and Layla's husband Mac have been holding her life together for her. Alvaro, a friend of Jack's who Poppy doesn't particularly like is always watching her. Poppy blames herself for not being on the morning jog with Jack as they fought the night before and she wasn't talking to him. So many twists and turns, things I thought I know. I liked detective Grayson and love her new friend, Noah and how he looks out for her. I like that Jack would visit Poppy and talk to her or her dreams with Jack were so real. Didn't like the nightmare visions she had of Jack, but he told her to let him go. So good.

"Once a way is chosen, there is no way to know what might have happened on the other path."

A year ago, Poppy's husband Jack was beaten and murdered during his morning run in the park. Since that time, Poppy has been blacking out, taking too many pills, drinking too much, and going through a breakdown.

She is now trying to regain her memories and is trying to figure out who killed her husband. But she can't sleep, feels like she's being followed, and doesn't know who to trust.

This was an okay book. I wasn't fond of the convoluted storyline and the dream sequences. I've read other books by this author that I enjoyed much more.

I received this book from Harper Collins through Edelweiss and Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Marvelous psychological thriller that totally got Under My Skin.

Poppy, a former travel photojournalist, now owns a boutique agency representing other photojournalists. Her husband, Jack, died a year earlier—attacked early one morning while running in a local park. After his death, Poppy had a nervous breakdown with a two-day blackout. Still seeing a therapist, Poppy realizes a mysterious man is following her. She is also having dreams of what happened during her blackout. She is downing both legal and illegal pills with alcohol. Is the person following her only in her fevered imagination? Is she going crazy again?

The soporific mood of Under My Skin is addicting. It feels like the reader is dreaming rather than reading the story. There is also a strong feeling of apprehension of what the denouement will bring. It feels like finally discovering the reason for Jack’s murder will blow Poppy’s entire life apart.

I’ve read a multitude of family thrillers. This is the best of the bunch. By the end, you are no longer reading about Poppy—you are Poppy struggling to maintain your sanity among increasingly untenable facts.

Under My Skin is an excellent micro-thriller. Nothing much happens on the surface but oh so much occurs in Poppy’s mind. If you have given up on sleep one night, this creepy little thriller is a perfect midnight read. 5 stars!

Thanks to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for an advance copy.

A homicide detective who can’t let go of a cold case and the grieving widow of the murder victim are at the center of Lisa Unger’s latest offering UNDER MY SKIN. Widow Poppy Lang, a professional photographer and the narrator of this tale, is beset by vivid dreams, unreal reality and the loving memories of her late husband Jack that she refuses to abandon.

She vacillates between paranoia and an unrelenting grief that has her casting a suspicious eye on every passing stranger and constantly playing the “why and what if” game when it comes to Jack’s murder.

I was invested in UNDER MY SKIN from page one. First of all, the villain of the piece wasn’t obvious nor was the motive for Jack’s murder which kept me reading as the complex plot grew and grew.

What a pleasure it is to give oneself up to a book and to be met with a series of last-minute revelations as stunning as the finale of a fireworks show. Lisa Unger has given her readers one of those rare thrillers that really will keep you reading all night.

Lisa Unger’s style in this book seems to be to confuse the reader as much as the protagonist, and I must say she won me over with that one. Poppy’s husband was murdered while he was out jogging, and Poppy had a breakdown afterwards, followed by a lot of pill popping and alcohol. When she emerges from her self-imposed haze of guilt and grief, she begins to try to figure out who murdered Jack. This is where the book got really interesting as well as confusing. At this point, Poppy moves between her nightmares, the real and the imaginary and the reader is brought along on the journey, trying to figure out what is actually reality. When the plot comes to a climax, I was relieved that I didn’t have to exercise my brain so much but I must also congratulate the author on a job well done. What a brilliantly written book with so many nuances and red herrings that I am totally convinced that not one reader will be able to figure out the twists until they happen. Readers of Lisa Unger will be amazed at her ability to move between reality and imagination and I am sure that she will gain new fans with this originally and intelligently written psychological thriller.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Park Row Books, and Lisa Unger for the opportunity to read this book. 4.5 stars! Be forewarned - this is a complicated, twisty tale that will leave you questioning what is reality and what is a dream - and you'll be taking that ride along with the main character, Poppy. But it's definitely a ride worth taking!

Poppy is grieving the murder of her husband, Jack, whose killer has never been found. To add to the puzzle, after Jack's funeral, Poppy disappeared for a couple of days resulting in a mental breakdown. Even with the help of a therapist, she can't recall any events of that time period. She is medicating with way too many pills and alcohol to try and dull the pain but is experiencing vivid dreams and nightmares, along with hallucinations. Are they the result of the medications, are they flashbacks or just dreams? Poppy's best friend, Layla and her husband, Mac, try and help her through this crisis as does her therapist and the detective on Jack's case. But Poppy can't seem to lay low and puts herself in compromising situations.

Very addictive - had trouble putting this one down! Another great book by Lisa Unger.

4-4.25 STARS

One random act of violence, and Poppy’s life was suddenly turned upside down. Her husband Jack was brutally murdered during his morning run, and Poppy’s grief was all consuming. In the aftermath, she disappeared, and reemerged with no memory of her missing days.

Moving on proves difficult for Poppy, especially since Jack’s murder was never solved. Plagued with nightmares and blackouts, discerning what is real and what is imagined becomes a constant struggle. Determined to solve the mystery surrounding Jack’s death, Poppy finds herself engaged in a game of cat and mouse. But when the game is over, what will Poppy have discovered? And will she be able to handle the truth that finally is revealed?

A unique and compelling psychological thriller, “Under My Skin” drew me in right from the start and held me captive right up until the very end. While my early suspicions about Jack’s murderer turned out to be right, the “why and how” had remained a mystery till the big reveal, as did other curious elements surrounding Poppy’s disappearance. Boasting multi-faceted, relatable characters, along with an intriguing premise, “Under My Skin” is another good read by author Lisa Unger.

This book had a premise that intrigued me but unfortunately the execution was poor. Poppy is a mess, as you would expect of a young widow whose husband was murdered. She is also taking a lot of medication and drinking. She’s is not sure what is real. The author chose to write this book very much in the state of the main character. We sloppily go from the present to the past at random. It’s a tortuous experience. For me this was a difficult book to finish. Too much of this book is in Poppy’s head and her confused state of mind. There’s also a lot that does not make sense to accept this story. I can not recommend this book.

This is my first book by Ms. Unger and the story was difficult to connect with. I put it down a couple of times before finally finishing it. The first half is very confusing, disjointed, and disconcerting in that it was difficult to follow and seemed tedious. The present day, past, dreams and hallucinations were difficult to distinguish. But the more I read, I realized that’s how Poppy felt dealing with the loss of her beloved husband and unable to cope. It doesn’t help that she is drinking too much and taking medication which makes it difficult to know what’s reality and what’s not.

This is a psychological thriller but was quite slow in the beginning. It picked up the pace closer to the end and was easier to read as more clues came to light. The story kept me wondering almost to the end who killed Poppy’s husband, Jack, and why.

There are so many bits and pieces of information throughout the story that tend to lead you to think one thing and then go another direction. It became more suspenseful as furtive glances are seen between people, different conversations that would lead you to think one way and then another, a stalker, and an unrelenting police detective.

The story lead to question how much do we really know our friends and loved ones? Is anyone truly happy with their choices?

The ending was both satisfying and disappointing, but it kept me guessing till the end.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this work.

4 Stars
Excellent story.. This is an excellent character driven psychology thriller.

Poppy lost her husband to an accident a year ago, After his death Poppy has to be hospitalized with lapses in her memory.
Poppy is abusing alcohol and pills . She can not distinguish what is a memory and what is a dream..
If you love suspense, mystery books this is the book for you.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and give a honest review.

Poppy has lost her husband Jack to a violent murder committed by an unknown assailant. She struggles with day-to-day activities, at times losing huge chunks of times in her memory, causing her to question what is real and what is a figment of her imagination. Those closest to her, including friends, family and a police detective, strive to help her overcome her grief, while also uncovering who murdered her husband and why.

I’m a huge Lisa Unger fan, so I was thrilled to receive a copy of this on Netgalley. Although I really enjoyed this - there has never been a Lisa Unger book that I haven’t enjoyed - I have to agree with other reviewers in that I found the timeline of this to be really confusing at times. There was a lot of back and forth and it was not always obvious to me when certain actions were occurring. I do feel that Unger was extremely successful in portraying Poppy’s grief and mental anguish over the death of her husband. Her frantic behavior and desire to numb herself with pills drew me right in and clearly depicted her frazzled psychological stare. Overall, mixed feelings on this but glad that I read it. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin Books and Lisa Unger for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Title: Under My Skin
Author: Lisa Unger
Genre: suspense, thriller, murder mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

A year ago, Poppy’s husband, Jack, was murdered while on his morning run in Manhattan. The police have no leads. It seems to be a case of random crime. Poppy is slowly putting her life back together with the help of her best friend, Layla, her therapist, and the pills she takes to sleep.

But Poppy isn’t doing as well as she seems. She’s losing time—again. The first time it happened was after Jack’s funeral, when she disappeared for days and turned up wearing a red dress she doesn’t remember owning. Now she keeps losing track of time. place, people…everything in her life is a swirling maelstrom of confusion.

Poppy believes Jack’s murder wasn’t random, and she intends to find out the truth. When she spots a mysterious man following her, her already-tenuous grip on reality starts to fade, and soon she no longer has any idea what’s real and what’s not.

I don’t think I’ve ever read any of Lisa Unger’s books before. I spent a large portion of this book being just as confused as Poppy was, but completely engrossed in the story. The author weaves together Poppy’s present—distorted and hazy at best—with real memories and her what-might-have-been imaginings until the reader has no more idea than Poppy what is real and what is not. An intriguing read!

Lisa Unger is a New York Times-bestselling and award-winning author. Under My Skin is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)

One of my favorite books of the year. Lisa Unger brings a good mystery vibe along with all the aspects of a good thriller. The characters and all their flaws were well laid out and the suspense lasted all the way until the end, which is rare in many books of this genre lately. Very well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin/Hanover Square Press for the ARC.

“Under My Skin” by Lisa Unger is a psychological thriller told as a first person narrative by Poppy. Her husband was murdered; the killer was never found, and she cannot get past this; she cannot move on.
Readers learn a lot about her right from the start. She is troubled, haunted even, and has only the thinnest grasp on reality. She is stuck in a past she cannot escape. Her past merges with her present, and her imagination intermingles with the truth. To say she is an unreliable narrator is an understatement. Enigmatic characters add to the suspense, and readers are at times as confused about reality as she is.
Poppy is determined to learn the truth about her husband's death. Readers wonder if she will be able to handle the truth if she finds it. Little by little, she untangles the mystery, and eventually, all the pieces slowly fit together in a startling finish.
I received a copy of “Under My Skin” from Lisa Unger, Harlequin Hanover Square Press, Park Row, and NetGalley. Although “Under My Skin” starts out almost in disarray, things pull together by the end. It becomes a woman’s wild search for truth, and it is full of suspense, drama, and finally answers.

This was one of those rare reads that I just could not stop reading! The suspense built and was kept throughout the whole novel, and it wasn’t until the ending was revealed did I find out the real bad guys, and that doesn’t happen often. Although in some parts it was a little flash back/flash forward and hard to follow, it mostly evened out and made sense. Many praises for Unger.