Member Reviews
Goodnight Beautiful started off suspenseful with major twists, however it plays to the story of Misery a little too much when a therapist goes missing. With that it became a little unbelievable at times. It was good but could have been great.
First line: The door opens, and I look up as a man with ruddy cheeks and a crew cut walks into the restaurant, shaking rain from his baseball cap.
Summary: Newlyweds, Annie and Sam, have moved from New York City to Sam’s hometown to be closer to his ailing mother. He finds the perfect location for his psychiatric office in the extra room of an old house. Even though the owner seems to be a little strange he doesn’t let this bother him. Then one night after Sam leaves his office he goes missing. There is no sign of him. As Annie and the police look for Sam they discover thousands of dollars in credit card debt. Did Sam run away? Or is someone else behind his disappearance?
My Thoughts: Though I have never read Misery (but I plan to) I know the basic story line. This was very reminiscent of what I know of the story. Molloy fills her story with lots of twists and turns. Every few chapters something new is revealed. I really enjoyed how fast paced everything was. I would find myself trying to find time to listen to it whenever I could.
The one part of the audio book that I wasn’t too sold on was the voices. At the beginning I thought they did not find actors that fit the characters. And then as reveals happen it makes more sense. So it starts as misleading and then makes sense but also seems to hint at something to come. It helps and hinders the story.
FYI: Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware.
Wowwww. What a twisty rollercoaster of a novel!!! There were SEVERAL unexpected turns that COMPLETELY threw me off. I don't want to give too much away, but I really enjoyed everything about this book- the author's writing style, the actual story, the different narratives and narrators.... just a really awesome book. 4.75 stars, rounded up to 5, easily.
Another psychological thriller, unreliable narrator, woman in danger, etc. And, you know, there are certain clichés, motifs, tropes, call them what you will, true crime fans know these to be true, with one being that if a husband goes missing, it’s ALWAYS the wife (or vice versa). So when I started reading Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy, author of The Good Mother, all I knew was that the storyline included a husband who goes missing. Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley, I have the chance to give my honest review after spending ONE WHOLE DAY glued to the pages of this book. Yes, it’s a perfect beach read/summer diversion/pandemic escape mechanism.
The storyline revolves around a pair of newlyweds, Sam Statler and Annie Potter. He’s a psychotherapist, and she’s…well, lonely after they have moved from New York City to Sam’s hometown upstate. Sam is super busy, working in his downstairs office, listening to his clientele, most of whom are women. Sam has no ideas that every conversation can be heard upstairs through a vent in the office ceiling. Things go fine, until a young French woman driving a Mini Cooper shows up and Sam decides to leave work and go to meet her rather than go home.
As I said, I spent a day on this one, and enjoyed it. A lot. But then there’s that ending…I hope her next book continues her skill with plot and character development and does better with wrapping up the story. I did enjoy the resolution, just not the way we got there. Four stars. Fun read!
Aimee Molloy is a master of deception. I enjoyed this book as much as I did her previous one, The Perfect Mother.
It was fast paced and the characters were laden with secrets and flaws.
Would definitely recommend.
Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley, I am exhausted this morning. That's because i stayed up half the night finishing this book. What a suspenseful ride! I was absolutely hooked starting at Chapter 2 (I found Chapter 1 a bit of a cliche and am so glad I continued reading). This is the first book I have read by Aimee Molloy and my next read is going to be her debut novel. As a Mainer, I also appreciated the nod to Stephen King and Kennebunkport!! I will absolutely recommend this book!
This book is great, but I don't want to spoil a word of it. There are well developed characters, a totally unreliable narrator, a fast pace, and twists and turns I guarantee you will not see coming. Just get a hold of copy, settle in your yard or cozy chair and read it. You won't be sorry.
"Goodnight Beautiful" had a very twisty, unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat plot. Just when I thought I had some things figured out there was another turn to keep me guessing. Probably the only thing that I didn't like was that it heavily borrowed plot points from another well-know work of fiction (which I won't mention because of spoilers).
The multi-actor audio narration was excellent. At first, I wasn't sure why one of the narrators was chosen for the particular role, but later into the book, it made perfect sense and it fit perfectly with the plot.
Twisted and Twisty
3.75 stars
“When a man goes missing, it’s always the wife.”
Goodnight Beautiful is a psychological thriller with a batshit crazy plot. It’s a dark tale of desire, obsession, and deceit.
Go in blind. There’s really no point in reading a synopsis of this book. It is filled with unpredictable twists and turns. I can’t say much without giving things away, but some of the plot twists caught me so off guard that I had to reread entire sections of the book. I was wrong about many things, and that was one of the reasons I enjoyed reading this book so much. Molloy uses stereotypes about the unreliable female narrator to trick the reader multiple times, and this aspect of Goodnight Beautiful was pure genius!
I ate this book up in a day. There’s something hypnotic about the events that take place. It is fast-paced and quite entertaining. One character is especially intriguing, and they take crazy to a whole new level! Be warned: you must suspend disbelief to fully enjoy this book.
The ending knocked this down a bit for me. The plot gets messy and some elements unravel The ending also felt a little rushed and anticlimactic; I was expecting something a little more sinister given all that occurred. Rather everything gets wrapped in a neat happy bow, which felt a little strange and didn’t match the rest of the book.
I am usually not a fan of a plot built around twists, but Molloy pulls off twist after twist after twist, which, in this case, elevated the plot. I highly recommend for those who like a good dose of crazy!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Psychological thriller. You always expect a twist, right? Even knowing that, this book kept throwing me into a different perspective. It was a great and refreshing read. This was a book that kept me off balance throughout and desperately waiting to find out how it would end!
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I have mixed feelings. Goodnight Beautiful is a twisted tale that caught my attention in the beginning but failed to deliver for me. Character development was lacking and multiple points of view were used which made it a little confusing.
I truly enjoyed Aimee Molloy's first novel The Perfect Mother, so I was thrilled to read her follow up, Goodnight Beautiful. It was a fast-paced psychological thriller with truly unique twists and a clever plotline. Just when I thought I knew what was next, I was shocked by an unexpected twist so unique, I had to put the book down to think about it! This happened throughout the novel, no need to wait until the end for the surprises, here.
Dr. Sam Statler is a psychiatrist and newlywed, reformed from his past womanizing ways. He married the enigmatic Annie and they moved back to his hometown to care for his ailing mother and start up a new clientele of middle class, bored housewives. One night, after work, he goes missing...Did he get into an accident or take off and leave his new bride to deal with his outstanding debt she didn't know about???
Malloy is a great storyteller with a unique perspective. I was addicted to the pages, turning to see what shocker would come next. I love her allusions to the unreliable female narrator as the book progresses. I think she makes bold and true statement about how women are portrayed in fiction currently. It's a great book, kept me on the edge of my seat and I would highly recommend to others. The end didn't completely satisfy me, but it came close. I give it 4 stars.
This was a great page turner! I thought I was reading one book then a twist and it turns into something completely different. I loved it!
A perfect, spooky page turner. What a good read, a bit hard to figure out at the start as the author draws us into a totally engaging, twisted tale. If you like a real thriller, this is it!
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this breathtaking mystery.
I thought this was a well written book, with some good twists and turns. It was a bit confusing at times, but overall I found it to be unputdownable and chilling! It had a lot of different elements that brought to book together in a way that provided the things most psychological thriller fans crave. I definitely got the much needed thrills, chills, and shocks! I highly recommend, it may be a bit confusing, but does come together in an original and realistic way. I love when books are realistic, which this one definitely portrays a story you could see playing out on a news station!
Will make sure to buzz it up on the different platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number On release date!
Such a creepy thriller! If you're looking for a book to keep you up at night, Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy is it!
Aimee Molloy writes a spellbinding success.
Sam and his wife, Annie, live on the outskirts of New York City - in an old mansion that has a lot of history.
Although married only weeks, already Sam and Annie are keeping secrets from each other. -Sam is working from home in the mansion's basement
For Sam, a psychologist, working from home, can have its benefits - but also its drawbacks, too. You see, Annie can hear his sessions from an upstairs vent. And she consistently does listen in on Sam's appointments..
The secrets grow.
A spellbinding story of a whirlwind marriage and marriage in which untold secrets, games and more that threaten to destroy them both...
Many Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for an excellent read!
If selecting one word to describe the reading experience, it would be "disappointing." Molloy's thriller has potential - the bones are there - she delivers on twists and turns, subverting gender norms, incorporating literary references (such as Stephen King), attempting to describe difficult family dynamics. However, at some point, you are left wondering, to what end? Characters are thinly drawn, unnecessarily creepy, at times seeming to assume a role of a caricature. Moths, such as the one on the cover, are tossed in and left behind. Characters fail to develop. Little payoff comes from descriptions of setting and a main character's love of baseball. The conflict is disturbing, not compelling. Molloy uses three different points of view interchangeably - which is a problem, as you cannot easily tell them apart.
While a literary letdown, I appreciate the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of this title from Net Galley and the publisher.
This was a good book with some really good twists. I audibly gasped at two twists, which is the sign of a twist done correctly. There are references to one of my favorite Stephen King novels, which I enjoyed. I didn't feel too connected to the main characters, which is why I can only give this book four stars.
WOW!! My book slump is over! This book is fabulous. I can’t say enough good things. Suspense, mystery, domestic thriller wrapped up in some awesome writing. If psychological thriller is your genre then. Read. This. Now.