*For the Best* by Vanessa Lillie is a compelling psychological thriller that skillfully blends tension, emotion, and dark secrets. The novel follows the unraveling of a seemingly perfect family after a tragedy strikes, bringing to light buried truths and shifting relationships. Lillie's writing is crisp and evocative, drawing readers into the lives of her complex characters, particularly the protagonist, Abby, whose emotional depth is both relatable and haunting.

The plot moves with a steady pace, keeping readers on edge as it alternates between past and present, revealing pieces of a puzzle that ultimately leads to a satisfying, though unexpected, conclusion. The themes of grief, guilt, and the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones are handled with nuance, making the characters' actions both believable and unsettling.

However, while the book excels at building suspense, some may find certain plot twists a bit predictable, especially if they’re seasoned thriller readers. The pacing slows in parts, and a few secondary characters could have been more fleshed out.

Overall, *For the Best* is an engaging read with a strong emotional core, making it a solid recommendation for fans of character-driven suspense. It’s a twisty, thought-provoking tale that lingers long after the last page.

For the Best provided many thrills, chills, twists & turns, and shocks! From page one I found myself feeling that this was nearly impossible to put down. It was written in a much realistic way and I found it original! I highly, highly recommend this to my fellow psychological thrillers lovers.

This one has been on my shelves for a while, I am glad I picked it up. This was a really quick read I was able to finish it in a few hours. The pacing was great for a slow burn thriller, it didn't feel slow at all. I couldn't leave the book for more than a few minutes, I needed to know what would happen.

The writing was really great, so engaging and flowed easily. The book kept me guessing all throughout Jules investigation. The whole book was well done, maybe just the ending I was expecting a bit more but it still wrapped it up nicely.

I really enjoyed the restorative justice topic I found that truly interesting. I find that the characters have closure by the end which made it more enjoyable.

If you want a slow burn thriller that's unputdownable grab this one!

I’ve had this on NetGalley since 2020 and I just kept putting it off.
It’s safe to say I wasn’t missing out on much. I found this story to be okay. Another thriller with a white privileged woman. I couldn’t stand our MC. I always fully expect to dislike the characters in thriller novels. Sometimes I’ll find one that’s just insufferable.

I found the plot line interesting. I enjoy when memory loss is part of the plot. If it wasn’t for the characters I think this would have been great.

I still recommend it if you’re looking for a quick thriller.

Absolutely loved this book. It sucked me in from the getgo and had me guessing all the way to the end. Did not want it to end at all.

In For the Best, author Vanessa Lillie accomplishes what the book world is missing: writing an unreliable female character without victim shaming. Typically, these kinds of stories cast our protagonist as a filthy drunk, and readers are all too eager to shame and blame without knowing the full story. However, Lillie explores this trope very well, writing a plot that is both immersive and addictive.

Jules wakes up with a horrible hangover. The police show up to inform her that her wallet and ID were found next to a dead man, and she is the prime suspect. For the next couple hundred pages, the reader is thrust into the fight of Jules' life as she struggles to prove her innocence.

For the Best is an excellent suspense novel, with smart writing and strong character building. I highly recommend this one!

Vanessa Lillie is one of the best new writers on the block in recent years. For the Best is her second novel and she continues to knock it out of the park. Characters are fleshed out so well, with none being straight up good or bad, but all the shades of gray. I love her plot lines and realism and I can't wait for another book like this one!

I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

For the most part, when protagonists are unreliable because they are blackout drunk and cannot remember much AND they are female it really bothers me, but in For The Best, Vanessa Lillie has done this very well and it actually is additive to the plot that our girl Jules had this happen to her. She wakes up after a big night with a horrible hangover, and when the police show up to her house to inform her that her wallet and ID were found next to a dead man and she is the prime suspect. What ensues is a crazy fight to prove her innocence, trying to remember what happened that night, and hoping that someone else saw something. This was a a crazy, suspenseful ride that was smartly done, and I will be keeping my eye out for what Lillie does next!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the digital copy to review!

Loved this book! It was quick-paced with an interesting plot. You couldn’t help but root for the main character. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it if you like books that keep you on the edge of your seat. I want to check out more books written by this author!

A suspenseful thriller that hit all the marks.
And I have to say, this cover is STUNNING! I totally requested this book before reading the details solely on the cover design - and I'm glad I did :)

Glad I read it and was granted an early copy - THANK YOU!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Please excuse my tardiness in posting my review as my TBR continuously grows and I keep finding so many book with so little time!

So much gratitude for this copy shared with me, always xo

This book was different from what I have read in the past and did not go the way I was expecting. This book was fast paced from the beginning. Jules is being accused of murder and does not remember the events that occurred the night before. Jules is one that I would described as being a border line alcoholic (if not an alcoholic). She goes on a quest to do her own detective work to clear her name, after the wife of the victim accuses her on national television. Many family secrets are at risk of being exposed but Jules just wants to clear her name at all costs regardless of the details she finds. I really like the pace of this book...although Jules at times seemed a little entitled, her heart was in the right place. Great book that keeps you wanting more chapter after chapter.

Thank you so much to @vanessalillie @netgalley for sending me this #arc in exchange for my honest review! This one was definitely wild and had me thinking and on the edge of my seat until the very last page. It was fast moving and a total whodunit. 4⭐️

Jules has the perfect family. The perfect house. And a wonderful high profile job. But her biggest down fall. She drinks. A lot. And in one night it flips her entire “perfect” life upside down. Now she’s the prime suspect in a murder of a good friend and colleague of hers Terrance. The thing she can’t seem to remember is what happened after the gala. So once she gets fired from her job & has her named smeared all over the news she takes matters into her own hands to prove her innocence. Because she will not be branded “just like her father”

Will the help of an unexpected ex she begins her vlog journey of redemption. Along the way she discovers some skeletons in Terrence‘s closet. That no one could ever have expected. Will she be able to uncover the truth? Will her drinking finally be the downfall of her life? Or will she finally get “what she deserves“?

Some of the characters were very unlikable, but I was 10000% invested in Jules’ character. I loved the short chapters and how some of them were in vlog entry format. The twist in the end was one I was not expecting.

As a fan of the author's previous book Little Voices, I knew I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of this one. I was not disappointed. It is a riveting page turner full of surprises and very well paced. Can't wait to see what's next by the author.

4.5/5

I was so excited to read this because Little Voices was one of my top fave thriller books. Aaaaaand.... I was not disappointed!😍😍😍 In fact, I think I enjoyed this one more! Whereas Little Voices dealt with uncertainties of being a new mom and postpartum depression, For the Best focused more on the lengths a person will go to protect his/her family. It also discussed restorative justice which for me is a controversial topic. I love how this concept shaped the story. Moreover, it was a delight to read the novel because Jules, the narrator, who was the only suspect in a murder case, used vlogging to investigate and prove her innocence. 📹📱📹In this day and age, where documentation via social media is fast becoming the norm, I certainly can appreciate why the author used it as a focal point in this book. Like most thrillers, it was fast paced and full of red-herring twists. But Jules was definitely not like most protagonist. I didn’t like her as a person or as a mom at all. That being said, I ended up grudgingly rooting for her in the end. You have to read it to know what I mean 😜 Reading the vlog transcripts was definitely fun. Overall, I highly recommend this 5-🌟novel — Thanks to the author for providing me an advanced digital copy for review. I can’t wait to own the physical copy!

Vanessa Lillie, great story teller, Quick, easy read. Got me out of a book slump. Enjoyed the fast pace of the story.

Good until the ending. I Just was not feeling the wrap up of this book. Will not write off the author, could have just been timing for me.

Is it possible to be involved in a murder that you have no memory of? After waking up from a black out drunk night, Jules finds police on her doorstep with her missing wallet as evidence at a crime scene. As the only suspect, Jules sets out to clear her name through an investigative vlog series. What she uncovers is a series of shocking events that culminate in a dramatic finale.

This is a thriller that starts when Jules Worthington-Smith's wallet is found next to a dead man in an alley behind a bar. The dead man is someone she admired and worked with professionally. Unfortunately, she drank too much that night and can't remember anything about the events that took place. Over the course of the book, she tries to find answers as to what really happened that night.

In a world littered with murder mysteries, For the Best was such a fresh take on the whodunnit genre. Meet Jules Worthington-Smith -- party animal and potential murderer. When Jules' wallet is found next to a dead man, she jumps to suspect #1. Certain that there has been a mistake, Jules attempts to clear her name. The problem? She was blacked out at the time the murder took place.

In attempt to clear her name, Jules starts a true crime vlog -- becoming an overnight viral sensation. Can Jules clear her name before she loses everything?

With a creative plot and great characters, this was a great read for 2020!