Dark, twisted, and emotional—this book haunted me! I couldn’t put it down and I couldn’t look away. I have heard wonderful things about Mary Kubica, but I must admit this is the first book I read by her. The clever way all of the clues were in the story and how they unlocked the twist was wonderful. And that twist! It has been quite the controversy in the book world because I can tell you, of all the twists you can imagine it probably won’t be the one that occurs. And that in and of itself deserves a ton of credit! I have read a lot of thrillers and I love a good twist and I did NOT see this one coming!

About the Book

Jessie Sloane is trying to rebuild her life. For years she cared for her mother who suffered from what eventually became terminal cancer. Jessie and her mother are incredibly close—best friends. Jessie is lost without her. The night her mother passes away Jessie is wracked with stress and finally gives into her exhaustion, sleeping through her mother’s passing.

Jessie is unable to forgive herself for missing her mother’s final moments, and she is terrified to go to sleep. Riddled with insomnia, and with no real friends, Jessie is lost. She tries to get her life on track by enrolling at the local community college. But they reject her application, saying that her social security number flagged. In a state of confusion, stress, and exhaustion, Jessie stumbles down the rabbit hole of her past.

Her mother’s last words to her, to find herself take on more weight as Jessie realizes she is not Jessie Sloane. But how does she go about finding out who she really is??

Reflection

There was so much emotion in this book for a thriller. Really without certain elements of the book (okay without a lot of elements of the book) this could have been rewritten as a standalone fiction book. The relationship between Jessie and her mother and between Eden and Aaron are both so beautiful. There is so much pure love in this book, and you’ don’t always find that in a psychological thriller.

Of course, this book IS a psychological thriller and it has the twists and psychological breakdowns to prove it! I can’t imagine being in Jessie’s position and losing her mother so young. Jessie is introverted and keeps to herself, and her mother is her best friend. And her mother loves her so deeply. Her mother is also imperfect, we learn. Keeping things from Jessie. It is hard to tell at first if she lies to protect herself or to protect Jessie. But that is all part of the twisty tale so I won’t divulge that aspect of this novel any more.

And then Jessie finds out her social security number is tied to someone deceased. How can this be? Is it a mistake, or is there a bigger conspiracy behind Jessie’s identity. And if Jessie isn’t Jessica Sloane, and if her only family she knows is gone, then who is Jessie? Jessie’s pain and confusion became my own. I loved her so much. She’s like this wounded bird, and she’s struggling. Her insomnia is so understandable. The last time she truly slept, she missed the most important moment of her life. She can’t bring herself to relax and it takes a toll on her mental health. Finding out what is going on and digging into Jessie’s past had me completely hooked on this novel!

And then that twist… Well it is polarizing for sure! When I first read it I was so confused. Was that…? Did I just read that…? But yes, dear reader! You did just read that correctly! I can promise that whatever I thought the twist would be, it wasn’t that one. But it was positively mind-blowing and I enjoyed it. And then the very ending was completely perfect for me. I can’t say even a bit more on that because there is NO way I’m spoiling this book. I hope you enjoy this one, book friends!

Many thanks to Harlequin books for my advanced copy of this book.

I finished reading this book 3 days ago. I woke up this morning thinking about this book and am still extremely upset by the ending. The first 90% of the book was classic, awesome writing with twists and turns and I was very excited to see how it all turned out. I think that is why I am so upset. Ms. Kubica has a cop out ending. The previous two times I can recall this trope being used, I didn't like it any better. The only thing I can say is that if you can enjoy the first 90% of a book and then be fine with however it is ended, then this would be a really good book to read. But I can't imagine anyone reading this book and not feeling let down by the ending.

I love Mary Kubica’s writing. It’s always suspenseful and has a high “can’t put down” rating for me. This novel was no different. I really liked the character of Jessie, though I felt badly for her as she’d had a tough time with her mother’s death and then struggling to figure out her identity (truly her identity, as in, she had no SSN or legal birth certificate).
I don’t want to give away too much, so I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that I had figured out one part of the novel, but had another part — one the author pretty much leads you to (possibly as a red herring) incorrect. I liked this story and will look forward to Ms. Kubica’s next one!
Thank you for my e-copy from Net Galley!

WOW! I was riveted as I read this book. My mind was racing and suspicions were at an all time high. This book is definitely a slow burn. It simply simmers as you read. You are seeped into anxiety right alongside the main character, Jessie.

The story is told from two main viewpoints and alternating timelines. We experience Jessie's story firsthand, in the present. While also uncovering her mother Eden's story, told from the past. Their's is a relationship built on a secret. Secrets always have a way of finding their way into light, don't they? It's the journey to the revelation that Kubica so expertly pens. She opens us up to so many questions, so many possibilities.

Then, we get to the big reveal. I'm almost sorry to admit what a letdown it was for me. After all those enticing possibilities - it was the lamest of them all! I truly enjoyed the book - right up until the ending! Personally, it didn't work for me but I will say it was unexpected and different. I just felt there was so much more potential for the ending. Given all the twists the book took, I was simply expecting a much juicer ending.

Just like Jessie in the book, Mary Kubica had me feeling like an insomniac, staying up all hours of the night trying to finish this psychological thriller. Jessie, one of the main characters, is so sleep deprived from bed-sitting her dying mother, that she veers into the world of somnolence but is unable to sleep for an extended period. We see the world through her twitching, sleep deprived eyes, we hear her auditory hallucinations, but like her empathetic landlady, we don’t know whether to believe or humor her.

Throughout Jessie’s 20 years, Eden, her mother, has refused to discuss her paternity . This leads Jessie spiraling out of control on a quest to find her father, a faceless man she may have glimpsed among her mother’s mementos. We get glimpses of a younger Eden, desperate for a child, but unable to conceive or hold on to a pregnancy. We see her obsessiveness turn into the destruction of her marriage.

Was it a long way to the ending? Yes. Was it a pleasure to read the story as Mary Kubica wove her way in and out of these two women’s lives? Yes. But just when you think you know what happened, along comes the suspenseful and twist ending. Some readers will love the ending; others will feel blindsided. The ending actually gave me more respect for the story-line than another ending might have.

Come on! The ending of this book made me so angry! It was a fairly enjoyable read, if not heavy at times, dealing with the subject of loss and grief. I liked the main characters and enjoyed joining them on their journey, while trying to figure out the puzzle. However, when all is revealed at the end, it was a huge letdown to me. Thus the two star rating.

Sorry Mary Kubica. I’m a fan of your other works but this didn’t do it for me

An avid fan, from her smashing debut, THE GOOD GIRL (acquired for film), PRETTY BABY, DON’T YOU CRY, EVERY LAST LIE to her latest, psychological thriller—WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT. Everything this bestselling author (a favorite), Mary Kubica writes is solid gold.

A slow-burning twisty psychological suspense. A heart-pounding, a tale of one woman's desperate search for answers. From an array of emotions —grief, disbelief, anger, fear, and confusion.

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT is yet another superb addition to her "collection of girls". (cover crush). As I have mentioned previously, she deserves her own Chicago billboard. Hope you enjoy as much as I did. I was drawn into this tale on many levels.

In her fifth novel, a woman is forced to question her own identity in this riveting and emotionally charged psychological suspense thriller. Totally Unpredictable. THAT ENDING! Talk about "the twist!" Cleverly crafted, an ending you do not see coming.

Stay Tuned for all the details from Mary Kubica. My first interview with one of my very favorite authors (Coming Sept 3)— I am thrilled for everyone to dive into her new book WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT.


Set in Chicago and Wisconsin, WTLGO is written from two women’s perspectives (mother and daughter) as well as dual timelines and locations. I enjoy this style, allowing the reader to experience the character’s emotions first-hand. The author gets into their heads.

From the past: Eden is a young wife obsessed with having a baby. They are in love. She is desperate. She has hidden secrets. She wants those secrets to remain buried. Time is running out.

Jessie is her grown daughter in a desperate search of her true identity. She is sitting with her mom in a hospital room. Her mom Eden is dying of terminal cancer. Her mom sleeps next to her in a drug-induced daze that keeps her both pain-free and fast asleep.

Jessie suffers from severe insomnia. What she would give to sleep like her mom. With the lack of sleep, brings emotional instability. Crying and laughing for no reason. Behaving erratically. Losing concept of time. Seeing things. Hallucinating.

She is unable to take sleeping pills, and she does not want to miss a thing. Her mom is so close to the end. There are still unanswered questions. She is running out of time. She continues to run into dead ends.

It has always been just she and her mother. They are close. There are things Jessie wants to know. Who is her father? Her mom never wanted to discuss.

The author takes us back to 1996 where we meet Eden and Aaron. Egg Harbor, WI. (a beautiful idyllic area). A young couple deeply in love. They purchased a lovely cottage overlooking the bay. Their dreams. A garden, and high hopes for a family.

Aaron wants a family, and at 28 and 29, they decide they are ready. However, soon their dreams turn into a nightmare. Miscarriages. Invitro. Their relationship is strained. Draining their finances for a chance at having a baby. Aaron is busy working at a restaurant, and he wants Eden to stay home (since she soon would be pregnant). They soon grow apart.

However, staying at home brings more time for Eden to dwell on her situation and obsess. She stalks other mothers and daughters. If only she could be a mother. Plus her neighbor (Miranda and Jack) have kids, and she is pregnant again. She does not even want to be a mother.

How could fate be so cruel? Soon her marriage is destroyed due to the obsession to conceive. She thinks of kidnapping a child. She is selfish. Aaron thinks they should stop the madness.

Now at the end of her life, she only has a daughter. A secret life. A mysterious photo and journal. A lone wolf. She was diagnosed with cancer when Jessie was fifteen. Jessie has taken care of her.

Jessie's mom always wanted her to find herself. However, what did this mean? Soon she discovers she may not be the person she thought she was. When she goes to apply for a community college, her social security number belongs to a person who is deceased.

From past to present, now her mom is gone, and she is left with insomnia and unanswered questions. She is losing her mind. Determined to find her true identity.

Surely there are clues somewhere. Eleven days with hardly any sleep, she feels like she may go mad. What is her mom hiding and who is the mysterious man in the photo? Will she be able to find the answers she desperately needs?

INTENSE! A page-turner you cannot put down— until you learn the mystery behind Jessie and Eden. (I loved Aaron and Jessie).

Jessie is experiencing acute, chronic insomnia. I enjoyed this topic and her character, especially the mystery behind her mother’s past and how this impacted her daughter Jessie. I was drawn to her storyline for many personal reasons and recently tore through my mom’s house after her death (cancer) — searching for clues about her secrets and my own identity. Plus. I have experienced insomnia my entire life. It is horrible. I also loved the cottages. I have lived in some quaint historic cottages over the years and carriage homes. They have so many stories.

Kubica explores many highly-charged female themes. From marriage, motherhood, in vitro, stolen identity, abduction, obsession, grief, cancer, death, insomnia, financial, moral ambiguity, and of course dark secrets of the past.

Throughout all her books, the author is in tune with these powerful and provocative issues of women, and the human mind. Attracting women of all ages to the ever-growing intriguing domestic suspense genre. Each of her books is unique. The characters have an urgent need to belong —allowing society to dictate their version of happiness.

All her books are plot-driven as well as character-driven, and WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT is another perfect example. As well as addictively suspenseful and tautly written. Among her signature qualities, is the uncanny ability to write "hypnotic" thrillers about women placed in stressful situations and their intensely inner turmoil.

When reviewing my favorite books over the years, Mary Kubica and Karin Slaughter are the only two authors landing on my Top Books of the year for five consecutive years! (started my blog in 2014).

Check out my List:
2014
2015
2016
2017
and 2018 (coming soon).

I loved WTLGO on so many levels! I realize the ending is quite controversial; however, in this genre, it would be quite dull if everything was tied up in a neat bow. I liked it! Highly Recommend. I would have to agree with Kirkus Reviews. “Kubica is a helluva storyteller."

A special thank you to Park Row Books and #NetGalley for an advanced reading copy. Also pre-ordered the hardcover and audiobook.

JDCMustReadBooks

Thank you, Mary, for a great interview! Cannot wait to see what is next.

This book is probably one of the very few books that I could guess what was going on and then make me question my theory. A great, suspenseful read that makes you question even who you are. Poor Jessie loses her mother and then loses her self in the process. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. Can not wait to read the next one by Mary Kubica!!

Story: Life doesn’t always go as planned instead it can be full of regrets. For this married couple life didn’t go as planned. A wife who is unsure of who she is without a baby and willing to do anything to conceive, loses herself in the process. A husband utterly in love willing to do anything to make his wife happy.

A young girl finds herself alone in the world unsure of who she is without her mother. She wants answers to questions that her mother hid from her.

With alternating points of view between Jessie and Eden and a scattered timeline we get pieces of the interlocking parts to this story scattered around in various chapters.

The concept is clever, however I’m struggling with the delivery. The delivery is difficult to gather information with this timeline. I’m constantly questioning these new characters that are introduced. Trying to decipher how relevant they are to the parts I need to collect is confusing.

Overall: Jessie’s story is woven into Eden’s story which is confusing at first. I got hung up on the delivery. In my haste for answers I skimmed the story. I felt there was a bunch of fluff used as filler to delay the facts. The conclusion was rather anticlimactic.
The connecting part of these two main characters shed a ton of light on the concept. It had the potential to be a great story. The concept was brilliant.

Suggestion: Share Eden and Aaron’s story from the beginning and then introduce Jessie. Introducing her from the beginning was confusing. I had to go back and review previously read chapters once I discovered who Eden was. The dream sequence and all its components added confusion to the story.

Thank you Harlequin Press for allowing me to read When The Lights Go Out for review. I have mixed feelings about this book but I think it is because it was more a drama than a thriller and I really wanted a thriller.
Jessie loses her mother to breast cancer and is struggling to move on. Insomnia takes a hold of her while she struggles to deal with the loss of her only family. When she tries to fufill one of her mother’s last wishes to “find herself” she finds she may not be who she thought she was. Insomnia piles on to Jessie’s story and she becomes a very unreliable narrator very quickly. The other point of view is one of newly married Eden, twenty years ago, while she struggles with infertility. The two storylines alternate until the last 15% or so of the book.
First of all, I’m not sure the characters really connected for me. Jessie was obviously overwhelmed with grief and insomnia that nothing in her storyline rang true or even made sense half the time. Eden’s storyline in the past was a heartbreaking struggle with infertility but for me it went on for a long time with no real connection to anything else. I am fortunate to have never struggled so I also had no point of connection between myself and the character.
I also found that I felt like I was being force fed clues along the way. Like the author was trying really hard to make you believe one thing just to surprise you later. By the end, my feeling was more, why did I spend so long reading about her pregnancy struggles when that was the ending. It felt false to me and made this book just fall flat.
A quick read but with flat characters and a bit too many thriller gimmicks rather than thriller suspense.
Available September 4/18

From my blog: Always With a Book:

I have been a fan of Mary Kubica's books ever since meeting her at Book Expo back in 2014 when she was there signing copies of her debut book, The Good Girl. I have read each and every book she has written and anxiously await her new one each year and let me tell you, this latest one definitely did not disappoint!

This book has so many parts that I could relate to - first and foremost the insomnia angle. OMG - I think that was what had me so excited for this book because I unfortunately suffer from this all too often and was curious to see what Mary Kubica would do with that in a story line. It's not something I've seen tackled before and WOW...it definitely makes me want to get a handle on it for my own sanity!

I loved the way this story is told - alternating timelines that quickly pull you into each character's life. Jessie in the present day and Eden starting in 1996. The way the Mary Kubica writes her characters and story, we become completely enthralled in their lives as they each spiral out of control - Jessie as she copes with her grief and becomes an insomniac and ends up not sleeping for nine days straight; Eden as she makes it her sole focus to become a mother, to the point it becomes a complete obsession, practically destroying everything else in her life. And of course, the whole time, we are wondering how these characters and their stories will intersect.

So many times I thought I had things figured out, I thought for sure I knew where this story was going to end up, and then a new development would throw that theory out the window. I was so invested in this book, I was emotionally attached to these characters and just wanted to know what was going to happen. Never would I have guessed the ending...and I loved it! I actually gasped out loud - it took me by such surprise. But that's such a good thing! This book is such a good read - it's intense, it's emotional, it's suspenseful right up to that final reveal. I definitely recommend picking this one up! Mary - you did it again and I can't wait to see what comes next!!!

I received When The lights Go Out as an ARC from Netgalley. This is the 3rd book by Mary Kubica that I have read. I also read The Good Girl and Pretty Baby. This book was not as much of a thriller as the other two. It was more of a mystery. Jessie's mother dies and when she goes to apply for college she discovers that her social security number belongs to a girl who died when she was 3. This leads Jessie on a search to discover her real identity. The story go back & forth between Jessie's story and Eden's. I enjoyed the book and it kept me captivated until the end. It is another winner from Mary Kubica.

<i>"Did you ever think, Jessie, that you're only seeing what you want to see?</i>

<i>Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Harlequin and the author Mary Kubica for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.</i>

Mary Kubica, my girl, I really like your books. You are an excellent writer and suck me into all of your novels. You are one of my favorite thriller writers, but what was the end of this book? It's been a few days and I still don't understand what happened!

The premise of this book and the first 80% or so is quite good. It follows two story lines: Jessie, who lost her mother and struggles being adrift in the world alone, and Eden, a woman who desperately wants a child and is connected to Jessie's story.

At the core of this book is a story of loss and how that effects our closest relationships. Jessie and her mother's lives were so intricately entwined that when Jessie loses her mother to cancer on the cusp of her own transition into adulthood, she struggles mightily to deal with being alone and moving forward with her life. During this time, Jessie is left with a number of questions about her past and who she *actually* is with no one to ask.

Meanwhile, Eden's story is that of a woman in love in a small lake-side town, who becomes obsessed with becoming a mother.

<i>"I was being brushed off, given the cold shoulder as if I carried a stigma on my sleeve. The stigma of infertility,the stigma of miscarriage..."</i>

There's a lot of discussion about the pressure, both internal and external, on women who are of child-bearing age who desperately want to have a child, but for one reason or another, cannot conceive or successfully bring a pregnancy to term. Even as Eden becomes more desperate and obsessed with the thought of motherhood, you feel for Eden. She watches her neighbor's family grow and show little appreciation for it, while Eden and Aaron sink money they don't have into different medical treatments.

As you can imagine, these storylines eventually connect, with what I would consider mixed results. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but it also wasn't a jaw dropping twist. But then the last 10-15% happened and I'm still sitting here trying to figure out what exactly happened. It's confusing and is so out of left field. I don't what else to say without giving it away, but just be prepared that the ending doesn't necessarily mesh with the rest of the story.

Should you skip this? I don't think so, especially if you've enjoyed Kubica's other books, but I would not say this is her best work.

<i>"I'm hopelessly alone. Everything huts. I can no longer think straight; I can no longer see straight; I can no longer speak. I don't who I am anymore. If I am anyone."</i>

Great characters, loved reading alternating chapters from Jessie and Eden, and a terrific ending I didn’t see coming! After thinking about it though, the clues were there. Very good read!

Mary Kubrick does a great job of drawing the reader into the stories of Eden and Jessie. The story was a complicated one including the death of a mother, another mother who is infertile and a child who wants to know who she is. I really loved the story of Eden and her quest to have a child, but her desperation ultimately became her downfall and also stretched the imagination. The tale of Jessie, who was unable to sleep and just counting the days until she felt she would just go ahead and die from lack of sleep, elicited sympathy. I didn’t really relate to either character, but I did like how the author slowly interweaved their stories and had so many twists, especially with Jessie’s landlady. I found the plot slow to develop but at the same time mesmerizing because I wanted to find out what happened to Jessie. Readers of psychological thrillers will enjoy this new book by Mary Kubica and will delight in figuring out the meaning of the title.

For probably the first time ever, I really don’t know what to say... I guess I should start by saying that I was sent an advanced copy of When The Lights Go Out and was the kind of excited that had me plowing through other books that I needed to finish just to get to this one. I’ve actually never read any of Mary Kubica’s previous work but the buzz surrounding everything she touches is hard to miss and there are few things I enjoy more than getting a first class ticket on the crazy train. I am also an 80s baby that grew up reading and watching The Face On The Milk Carton so this book seemed to be right up my alley. It all started out well... there were so many times that I just *knew* I had it all figured out. Even as theory after theory got crossed off the list, I didn’t lose hope. In fact, I got even more excited because I thought that if all of my wild ideas were dismissed, the real climax had to be so much better (and by better I mean worse - for the characters lol). But.... then, I actually got to the end. What in the actual fallopian tube was that? I’m not going to ruin it for you but to say it was anticlimactic would be an understatement. To be fair, the book did have me so sucked in that I stayed up until after 3am to finish it. Kubica did a great job of putting words to the main character’s thoughts and feelings which makes the reader feel like we are right there with her despite (at least in my case) not having any life experiences that even resemble her situation. That takes incredible talent and I don’t want to belittle that in any way.... I just have this strong urge to be back in 4th grade so this could be a Choose Your Own Adventure Book and I could cheat by keeping my finger on the page so I could go back and choose the other ending if I didn’t like the first one.

I've been a fan of Mary Kubica's since The Good Girl, but none of her books since have been as good as that. This was the closest though. Stolen identity or something more? This story had me guessing the whole time. Once I started reading, I didn't stop until the last page. If you like psychological thrillers, this is a must-read.

I really wanted to like When the Lights Go Out, but I never truly connected with the story or the characters. When the Lights Go Out tells two intertwining stories - Jessie's and Eden's.
Jessie's story is hallucinatory and all over the place because she is suffering from an acute case of insomnia. Eden's story is spare and often sad.
I was often frustrated by this book. It took me far too long to piece together what was going on. Once I did, the story picked up a little, but never enough.
I think that Mary Kubica writes appealing stories - just not for me.

I am so very torn about this book. I loved 95% of it. Great suspense, great mystery, great characters. The ending is the other 5% - I just don’t get it at all. Just about anything else could have happened and it would have made more sense. However, everything else about this book is fantastic!

Jaw dropping, shocking, and a little disappointing. Very well written. This was not really a thriller like I thought, althougjh it did have some thriller qualities to it.Terror after the loss of a family member as well as grief and disappointment due to infertility told in alternating chapters by a mother and daughter allco e to a conclusion I never saw coming.