ARC from Netgalley

I’ve always been a fan of Thrillers, particularly in movies, but it wasn’t until last year that I really grew to love them on page. And I have to say, if I could take one of the Thrillers I’ve read and have it appear on the big screen, it would be this one! It’s mind boggling to me that No Bad Deed is a debut. This is a book I lived and breathed while I was reading it; I don’t think wild horses could have pulled me away. When Cassie Larkin stops one rainy night to help a woman who’s the victim of an assault in progress, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. And the next day, when her husband goes missing, she’s convinced he was kidnapped. But the more digs, the more she wonders if it has to do with the shaky ground their marriage was on. To say that this book was full of twists and turns would be an understatement. There were so many players in this book; nothing was what it seemed, and things were so messed up. Even Cassie, whose point of view I was reading from, was suspect to me. There was also a twist at the end of this book that was clear the reader was supposed to see coming, but Cassie had no idea, and it really ramped up everything that was happening and had my pulse pounding.

I’m not going to say any more about the plot, because I think there are lots of things that would be considered spoilery, but know that this book was so enthralling and is not to be missed if you enjoy a good Mystery/Thriller. It’s hard to believe that this book wasn’t even on my radar until a random email put it there. And I am so thankful that it did! No Bad Deed had the same feel that the older movie Double Jeopardy did (the one with Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones,) and similar to that movie, this one is about the lengths a woman will go to to get her family back and keep them safe. Obviously I would recommend this book to you, but I am left with one burning question: Heather Chavez, if this is what you come out of the gate with, what the hell else do you have up your sleeve?

This was a very good debut novel! No Bad Deed follows Cassie Larkin, a wife and mother who witnesses an assault one night while driving home and inadvertently gets herself too involved. While attempting to help, her car ends up getting stolen leaving the perpetrator with her home address and access to her house and family. The day after the attack, Cassie's husband Sam goes missing. Is his disappearance related, or did he take off on his own? Who was the woman that got attacked and where did the attacker go? Heather Chavez does a great job creating suspense and jaw dropping moments throughout the book, while wrapping everything up in a satisfying ending. Definitely a thriller with a bit of a unique spin that sets it apart from others in the genre. Highly recommend!

No Bad Deed reminded me so much of a Harlan Coben story that I had a hard time believing it was a debut novel. A seemingly normal family suddenly finds themselves in extremely unusual circumstances. A mother witnesses a crime on her way home from work and then the next night her husband disappears. Is it a coincidence? Was the husband hiding something before he disappeared? Did he leave on his own or was he kidnapped? Why does it seem like someone is suddenly targeting their family?

These are all the questions you are left wondering as the story unfolds. The main character Cassie is determined to find out what happened to her husband and whether it has something to do with the crime she witnessed. The journey is definitely a wild ride as Cassie struggles to understand her husband’s disappearance. She tries the police, but doesn’t seem to get very far. No one else seems concerned that her husband is missing including his best friend. So then when other things start happening and it seems like someone has set out to seemingly destroy all her family and friends, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

What I liked: I honestly didn’t know how this one would end. The reader is left wondering if Cassie’s husband Sam left her due to an affair or whether he was abducted after she pointed police to an alleged killer. There was enough suspense that just when you think you know the answer to the question above, the author takes a different turn and you are left guessing again. Eventually the reader learns how the two events were connected, but I the ending was still a surprise to me. It was also a pretty clean read with little foul language.

What I didn’t like: I felt like there were a few holes in the story that could have been explained more. I enjoyed that there were a lot of twists and turns, but some of them were definitely more believable than others. I didn’t like that Cassie seemed to suddenly turn into a private investigator halfway through the story. And sometimes I felt like she made very silly and dangerous decisions. I also thought the confrontation scene at the end was way too long and drawn out and totally could have been cut in half.

Overall, I enjoyed this read! It was very quick and kept you guessing until the end. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book!

As soon as I started reading, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to stop until I found out how it ended. Cassie is a veterinarian who’s been growing apart from her husband. They still love each other, but…they seem to only be together for their two children. One night, Cassie tries to save a woman and the guy attacking her takes off with her wallet and van. He has her keys, her ID, her credit cards and now knows everything about her. The next day her husband disappears. In what could be a first in the history of humans, Cassie is hoping that it’s because he was having an affair and he left her for another woman. The alternative is even worse. Cassie will do everything to find her hubby. Now, one of my biggest pet peeves with these kinds of books is that the characters make stupid decisions, the first one being refusing to call the Police. This book doesn’t fall into that. Like presumably an innocent person would do in real life, Cassie involves the authorities and tells them everything every step of the way. She’s also pretty smart. The author doesn’t put her in silly situations to add drama, but even if everything Cassie does is the best option available, it’s still not turning out as she thought. The plot is intelligent and suspenseful, the characters fantastic and the pace breathtaking.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/HarperCollins Publishers!

This book hooked me right from the start. It was fast paced and never not intriguing. There were lots of twists and it was a bit complicated to piece together the villains actions and motivations but I needed to get to that explanation.

Cassie Larkin is driving home to her family after work one night when she sees a man and a woman fighting on the side of the road. It’s dark and it’s raining. She dials 911, but it seems like they will not make it in time. Cassie gets out of the car to help the woman. As they struggle, the man says, “Let her die, and I’ll let you live.” Cassie cannot let the woman die and stays with her. The man quickly runs to her car and steals it. Now he has her vehicle and her purse with all her identifying information in it. Cassie is scared that the man will come after her and her family now. The next day Cassie’s husband disappears. Nothing is as it appears. Cassie doesn’t know who to trust in order to keep herself and her family safe. Soon the police begin to believe that she is not so innocent and that she may have harmed her husband. Cassie’s knows that she and her entire family are in grave danger, but she has no idea why and from whom. This is a thrilling and suspenseful ride. I loved this book. It’s my first Heather Chavez book, but I’ll definitely pick up some more. I received an advance copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Wow, this was a great, strong debut novel. This thriller captivated me from the very first page and it was hard to put it down (in fact, I read most of it in one sitting). I like Heather Chavez's prose and while I don't agree with every decision Cassie made, I am somewhat in awe of her "badassness". As far as the plot, yes it was very twisty-turney and it moved quite fast. But that created a few problems, in my opinion. There were quite a few holes in the plot that were never explained or just didn't make sense.

Cassie Larkin stops along the side of the road after witnessing a man and woman fighting. After calling 911 she gets out of her car in hopes of helping the woman only to have the man tell threaten her and escape in her car with her purse. The following night Cassie’s husband, while trick or treating with their daughter, disappears.

That is the start of a crazy ride filled with ups and downs, suspects and victims, secrets and truths. Action packed with a few twists this is a good one day read.

I must add I was saddened at some of the story that unfolded at the end, but I guess that is simply how real life plays out sometimes. Also pay close attention to the characters or you may end up confused.

We recommend this book if you want a thriller with enough twists to keep you engaged while you try to figure out the “whys.”

Fast-paced and mesmerizing, this novel is exciting to read, but somewhat hard to believe, as the plot totally strains credibility. The leading character never showers, hardly ever eats, is able to accomplish her goal with no normal, everyday constraints.

Everything changes for Dr. Cassie Larkin on the fateful afternoon when she impulsively stops to help a stranger while on her way home. Cassie is sure anyone else in her place would have done the same as she confronts the big man who attacked a defenseless woman and left her by the side of an abandoned hospital. The menacing stranger issues an ugly warning to Cassie before departing the scene, “Let her die, and I’ll let you live.”

After being interviewed by police, Cassie heads home to her two children and husband visibly shaken by the afternoon’s events. The next day Cassie’s husband goes missing under extremely suspicious circumstances. Even though her marriage had seen better days as of late, Cassie is not convinced that her husband simply walked out of his own volition, as the people around her suggest. She knows he wouldn’t just up and leave his children and her. Cassie soon starts to wonder if her husband’s sudden and unexpected disappearance may be connected in some way to the frightening stranger she encountered the day before.

This has honestly been the most exciting and “edge of your seat” thriller I have read this year so far. I am a slow reader, and this had me glued to my seat and turning pages (well not really since I read this on my Kindle, but you know what I mean!). I had so many theories about what happened to Cassie’s husband and every time I thought I knew exactly where this was going, the plot went somewhere else. Even though none of my theories were actually correct, the ending was not entirely a surprise. It’s hard to say why without getting into details so I won’t. You’ll just have to read it for yourselves!

*Special thanks to the publisher for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Veterinarian Cassie Larkin is driving home late after performing surgery on repeat client, Lester, Daryl's golden retriever. It's rainy, dark, and the woods surrounding the narrow road give Cassie the heebie-jeebies (me too)--and then she stumbles upon what she believes is an atypical car accident.

But when Cassie encounters a man and woman fighting on the side of the road, she is quickly proven wrong. Trained to assist in medical emergencies, Cassie makes the rash decision to ignore the 9-1-1 operator's advice, and she leaves the car, abandoning her keys in the ignition and her purse on the seat. Before the man steals Cassie's car, he says something that makes her very core shudder (mine too!):

"Let her die, and I’ll let you live."

But Cassie doesn't let her die. She risks her life to save this stranger, and what ensues is a twisted, wicked game of cat-and-mouse.

No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez is a fast-paced, absolutely unputdownable thriller. While the writing is superb and the plot is enthralling, I think what really makes this book shine are the characters--and there are quite a few of them; however, they are well-developed and distinguishable, and I found myself rooting for them all. I experienced the emotional highs and lows, the love and doubt, the longing and desperation with them as I devoured each page. I was desperate to discover the answers to what really happened the night Cassie saved the woman on the side of the road, and I felt Cassie's agony as she struggled to find her missing husband (with very little help from anyone else). What I appreciated most about this book was that Cassie was a smart, strong woman, who didn't breakdown when I think many others would have. She remained the calm, intelligent woman we were introduced to in chapter one.

I absolutely recommend this one if you enjoy fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thrillers.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Wow...this was an action pact thriller that starts with a bang and doesn't let up till the very end...lots of twists and turns and surprises along the way. I so enjoyed reading this book...it definitely did not bore me. My only complaint was there were so many characters I kept getting confused as who was who. Readers expect a good ride if you read this book...I recommend it highly. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy so I can write my review of this book.
4/5 stars.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

You might have to suspend disbelief a few times but wow, what a ride! The story opens up with Cassie driving home one night and witnessing a man and woman fighting on the side of the road. The man threatens Cassie to let her die, and he will let Cassie live. The next night, while out trick-or-treating with their daughter, her husband disappears. In what seems to be unrelated events, there is a big twist towards the end that ties everything together. If you like your thrillers to be action-packed, this is one you might enjoy.

To sum up this book in four words: What is going on?

The book starts off at a run and jumps right into the action. In the beginning, the story is enticing. It is exciting trying to figure out what is going on. However, at the halfway point the wheels started to fall off, and by the end of the book they were gone. What was once excitement turned into a very confused, “Wait…what’s going on?”

The plot turns from a thriller into a highly theatrical family drama and finishes off as an action/suspense novel. I didn’t like that it wasn’t consistent in theme or in the level of drama. The second half of the book honestly felt like a soap opera to me. It was just too over the top. I like theatrics in a book, but if you’re going to be off the wall then give it to me for the whole book please. I also struggled a bit with the dialogue. The main character was in serious and stressful situations and yet the dialogue and her inner monologue often felt juvenile.

When I finished the book I sat running back through the story and connecting all of the dots. It was so complicated and it took me so long to sort through it all it became comical. The storyline is a lot and this was just not the book for me. However, if I have peaked your interest No Bad Deed comes out February 18.

Content Warning: Violence; Stalking; Infidelity; Abuse; Murder

Thank you so much to William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of No Bad Deed.

Oh My! This was action packed all the way through, hitting the ground running and not letting up until the end. I've always wondered what I'd do if I was faced with a similar situation to the one Cassie found herself in that night. Would I stop and help someone in danger or would I just cruise on by and phone the authorities from a safe distance. After reading this book I think I know the answer to that one - although... until I find myself in that situation, well, who knows!?
Cassie does stop and help and that brave (stupid) action sets in motion a whole world of pain for her involving her whole family. More of the story I fear I can't mention for fear of spoilers but suffice to say, it was extremely well plotted and indeed executed and had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
OK... so I guess there were parts of this book that were, for me anyway, a tad on the implausible side. But there was so much more that did ring true that I was happy to take the niggles for the team in the big picture of the story being told. There's twist after twist, hitting you, knocking you sideways, all delivered with great aplomb. There's secrets and lies and a few red herrings and about faces. Well, there's pretty much everything you'd want and indeed expect from a book of this genre. It's dark, it's thrilling and often also a bit chilling. It was compulsive reading for me and I definitely didn't want to put it down at any point, reading way past my bedtime. And I was left spent at the end. Spent but also wholly satisfied. And it wasn't cos I was tired!
All in all, a cracking thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you Net Galley & HarperCollins Publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
**
WOW. At first what seemed like it would be a cookie cutter read turned into a real page turner. Each chapter, and tid bit of insight into the workings of this book had me salivating for more.
Coming home from work one night Cassie see's something in the distance. When she gets closer she sees a man assaulting a woman. Flashing back to an incident from college, Cassie knows in her bones she must help this woman. But, in the days to come she is going to regret pulling over and helping the woman. As not only Cassie's life is put in danger; but that of her family as well.

So let’s just say....you are going to want to pre-order this one! I devoured it last night; couldn’t get to sleep until I finished; kept putting it down and picking it up. It’s that wild. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Thanks to @netgalley for selling me on this one and providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review

No Bad Deed is Heather Chavez's debut thriller and I'm giving this one 5 stars because it left me completely book hungover. I needed a week or so to gather my thoughts on this one. If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller full of twists and turns, you might want to check this one out.

This book is down right menacing and totally grabbed me from page one. I was completely guessing to the very end. The story was well written, packed full of suspense and will keep you up well into the night because you won't be able put this one down. Everything I wanted in a thriller was within this one debut novel for sure. Well done!! Can’t wait to see what’s to come from this author!

I received an advance copy of this book from William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are entirely all my own.

This book. At first I had a hard time believing the MC would make the choices she does. Especially the first one - I definitely would have chosen a safer option. Even though I had this small doubt, I was interested in seeing what happened next. After the first 1/4 of the book, I just tore through the pages. My kindle was swiped within an inch of its life.

Chavez really knows how to build tension and she writes action scenes in such a way that they move at a break neck pace without losing me or becoming completely convoluted. There are a decent amount of characters to keep track of, but I was hooked in enough that it wasn't too difficult for me to keep them straight. A good thriller has twists and I definitely didn't see the ending it had. Looking back, I am kind of like "how did I not see that coming?!" and I love that.

By the end, those choices I side-eyed in the beginning made complete sense and I have to say that suspense is definitely a skill in this writer's toolbox. Can't wait to read another from this author.