An OK suspenseful novel. The story was interesting but very slow moving.

I enjoyed the beginning of the story but once I hit the middle, it seemed to slow way down and by the ending I had lost a lot of my interest for the conclusion.

2.5 stars

I wasn't a huge fan of this book and couldn't really get into it. I didn't really like Sarah so it was kind of hard to care about what she was going through. Appreciate the opportunity to read and review this as an ARC via Netgalley.

I really liked this author and this book did not disappoint, it was an appropriately paced, page turner that will have me hooked throughout the story.

#TheStranger #NetGalley


When I read the blurb I was all set for a fast paced thriller.


I kept waiting to find out the truth or waiting for something.............anything exciting to happen.


I finished the book and was disappointed since the book was a chore to read.

I"m sure others will have a different opinion of the story.


Thank you Netgalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I apologize for the low review but this book was not for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters and I was quite bored with the story.
Thank you though for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

This book was just so slow, which doesn't really work for a thriller. I kept waiting for it to pick up, and it never really made it for me.

I had high hopes going into this, but wasn't entirely drawn into the story. Very slow moving. I pushed through this, but it wasn't entirely memorable.

I received this book from NetGalley--and also received a physical ARC in the mail--so I apologize for the length of time it took me to review. Once I finally picked up this novel, I sped through it in two days! This novel is "dizzying" to say the lease; while I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the fast nature of the storytelling, the end left me wanting. It doesn't seem entirely realistic that a woman just completely doesn't recognize her husband? I know trauma can make the mind do weird things, but that seemed almost too unrealistic and left me unpleased at the end of a overall good novel.

This was so so for me. I felt this book was a little off in its timing and seeing that it is translated made me realize that is why. I did like the plot. It had me wanting to scream to trust NO ONE. I liked the twists as they were unpredictable. I do believe this would have been 4 stars if the translation was smoother.

Thank you so much for this ARC.

Unfortunately, I was not able to read this book completely as it did not capture my interest.

I needed something for my brain to obsess on in order to ignore *gestures wildly over there at all the stress * and this delivered. Sarah’s husband disappeared seven years ago and she’s finally started to accept that he isn’t returning, and so she’s moving on with her life with her young son. And then she gets the call that her husband Philip has been found and is returning home. That’s when everything goes WTF because as soon as Sarah sees him, she says, “That’s not my husband.” The beginning of the novel had me questioning behaviors too much to fully sink in but the what-is-happening kept me engaged. And then it turned into almost a cat-and-mouse between Philip and Sarah trying to outdo the other’s reactions to the situation: he has her blackmailed with “I know what you did” as she tries to prove that he isn’t Philip. I kept thinking “but if this is true, then this is implausible,” throughout which kept me having to turn the page because I had to know. I like the way Raabe “settled” the WTF-is-happening.

As my first Melanie Raabe read, this book was good. I had a hard time connecting with the to characters so I found it really hard to read at times. Melanie is a wonderful writer and I cannot wait to read more of her work

I want to like it but I feel that the language “barrier” might be the reason I have set this to the side... hope to revisit

A bit slow at times and I didn't always feel like the pieces fell together, but still glad I finished the book. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review,

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It took much longer to read than I would have liked. Over the last few months I've been picking it up and then putting it back down after a chapter or two. The beginning was great and I flew through the first 20% or so but somewhere along the way I just began losing interest. It picked up a bit toward the end but by that point I cared more about finishing it than I did enjoying it.
I'll admit the twist was surprising - I certainly didn't expect it - but I found both the twist and the end a bit wanting.

The Stranger is by no means a bad book, it just wasn't the book for me.

Melanie Raabe's The Stranger was a fun and frightening read, and I quite enjoyed the mystery involving the main character, Sarah, and her long-lost husband Philip (and subsequently, the stranger who is trying to take his place). Raabe does an excellent job of keeping readers guessing, and I particularly enjoyed the way that she utilized flashbacks in order to help guide readers along the way. Her character development was interesting, and I found myself rooting for Sarah and loathing her in equal parts along the way. Overall, a fun read.

This title was a bit of a struggle for me. I felt that I could not easily fall into the storyline and become a part of the story.

I finished The Stranger two days ago, and it has taken me that long to know what I want to say about this dark, suspenseful, character-driven novel.

The book begins with Sarah reminiscing about watching an eclipse with her husband, Philip, when they first met. They giggled at how old they will be at the next eclipse in 2015; he will be 40, she, 37. Now she IS 37, watching the eclipse alone because her husband disappeared on the first day of a business trip to South America seven years ago. The day has become symbolic to her because she has determined that on this day, the day of the eclipse, she will finally put Philip's disappearance behind her and try to move on with her life. She has her long, straight hair cut into a short, wispy style, throws her hair away, and prepares for the first dinner party she has held since Philip has been gone.

The next day, Sarah gets a call from the Foreign Ministry - Philip has been found alive, and is coming home, tomorrow. Sarah is overwhelmed with feelings; joy, disbelief, excitement, anticipation, and a bit of dread. She is informed that he had been kidnapped in Columbia, and while his health is satisfactory, the time he has spent in a jungle camp has left its mark on him, physically and psychologically. There is much publicity from his company celebrating the return of this wealthy businessman, and many journalists wait with Sarah and the Foreign Ministry representative at the airport for his arrival. While Sarah wonders what to say, the airplane door opens and several people deplane. Where is Philip? Flashbulbs pop and all hell breaks loose with people calling her name and his, but Sarah doesn't see him. When a man is brought to her, she stares in silence and disbelief; the man before her is a complete stranger.

As the group that escorted her prepares to leave she tries to tell three people that this man is not her husband, but they don't believe her. They think she is overcome with the emotions of the moment and hasn't had proper time to adjust to the changes in her husband. Frantic to get away and make someone believe her, she turns to go after them again, when the stranger grabs her arm and threatens her; "I know what you did, Sarah. I know all about it, and you're not going to get away with it."

They go “home” and no matter what Sarah says or does, the man will not leave. Her 8-year-old son, Leo, is afraid of the man, so Sarah has him stay with her best friend in the neighborhood until she can sort this out. Who is he, and what is he after?

The story alternates between Sarah’s and the stranger’s POV. While slow at times (I was tempted more than once to put it in my DNF pile), this turned out to be a very good read. The suspense slowly, but continually builds until it catches fire, and the characters are very developed. I’m glad I stuck with it!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in return for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Seven years ago Sarah's husband Phillip went missing on a business trip to Columbia. After coming to terms with her husband dissaperance, she receives a phone call that he has been rescued. When she and her son watch the man she is told to be Phillip she is stunned, shocked, and outraged. That man is not her husband. She's not sure who he is and what he wants. He says that he will expose her worst secret if she tells anyon the truth about his identity. This book was exciting it had so many twists and turns. I had a hard time putting the book down.