Member Reviews
Pub Date: Dec 6, 2020
I don't quite know how I feel about this book, and usually that's not the best sign. This book follows Joe & Skye who are con artists. Their next victims are Maggie & Brad, who graciously (and crazily) invite the couple to stay in their vacation home with them. The synopsis points out that Maggie has a secret, one of which I was hoping would be much more sinister and dark than it actually was. The reader is also exposed to this secret veryyy early on in the book. It's one of those things where as a reader you're like, "wait, is this what the twist is?" After her secret is exposed, there's some slight action followed by about 100 pages of waiting for another twist or something gasp-worthy to occur. Then, the ending was a bit predictable (I definitely wasn't shocked); the epilogue exposes a secret of Skye's which to be honest was a bit predictable as well but I still wasn't expecting it (if that makes sense?). Overall, it didn't have me saying OH MY GOD at any point, although it wasn't incredibly boring either. With that, I give it 3 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The Other Couple by Cathryn Grant is a psychological thriller that focuses on the tumultuous relationship between two couples (Joe & Skye, Maggie & Brad). After what seems like a chance meeting at Lake Tahoe, an unforeseen problem arises, causing Joe & Skye to move into Maggie and Brad's spacious rental home. Joe and Skye's sinister plan is quickly revealed after discovering a secret that could destroy not only Maggie's marriage, but the lives of the people closest to her.
(Trigger warnings: Abuse, murder, cheating)
Let's start with the positive:
-I absolutely loved how suspenseful the story was at times. It was nearly impossible to tell what would happen next. That being said, the ending COMPLETELY shocked me, which is not something you typically find with modern thriller stories.
-Maggie was a beautifully written character. It was so easy to feel her frustration with her marriage and see how badly she wanted to fix things with Brad.
-It was very hard to see what Skye's intentions were throughout the majority of this book, and her character development was really interesting to read about. I found myself rooting for her from the very beginning.
-The epilogue tied up the story in a very neat and satisfying ending, although it definitely left me wanting a second book to see where the remaining characters end up!
The negative:
-Joe was an extremely bland character and his only personality trait seemed to be that he was horribly abusive to his girlfriend.
-The story got a bit repetitive towards the middle, with the characters seeming to only do the same few things over and over for several chapters.
-A few of the elements surrounding one of the plot twists seemed very unrealistic and a little forced.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story! It was a super quick and easy read that would be absolutely perfect for any avid thriller fan. I will definitely be picking up another book from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an early copy of The Other Couple. Very unrealistic but also Captivating at the same time. Right from the beginning, it was weird and obviously would not have happened BUT I could NOT put this novel aside!!! I didn’t like any of the characters, but once again I wanted to see how it played out. Stick with this one, for some reason you won’t be disappointed.
The most riveting and all encompassing story I have read in a long time, couldn't put it down. Characters are well developed and story is thrilling, I never guessed what twists it was going to take. Its creepy and chilling, starting so innocently but developing into something truly horrific, unique and unexpected. 6 out of 5 it was great.
I was in a bit of a reading slump and this book got me right out of it. I was hooked from the first chapter and stayed up way too late finishing it. It was a pretty quick read as I was eager to see how it ended and finished it in one day.
Deciect, blackmail and broken marriages. Makes for a interesting and emotional read.
The cover needs work as it appears amateur and lacks that exciting buzz.
Whilst simplistic in its language and writing style, it packs a punch where you want to see where the story goes.
Told from 4 separate perspectives you are given an insight into who is really who and what's really at stake.
A great premise but at times executed dully with long winding chapters that would be much more exciting if they were broken down. The deception as a whole was interesting but slightly far fetched at times.
Would I read this author again? Possibly, if it was fast paced and less dreary in places.
Not the best ending and could have got thrteuch faster. The over description of meals and lengthy scene setting was painful also. Character depth was not the best and at times you want to scream at them to not do stupid choices and think with there head.
An OK one but not the best. A typical 99p standard novel.
Blimey, I need to catch my breath!
It started well, had a slow blip towards the middle, then a WILD ride right through to the last word.
So gripping, twisty, a few little WTF moments and THAT ending!
So so good. Read it, thank me later!
An excellent psychological thriller focusing on the rather twisted relationship of two couples that meet on vacation and the unexpected and sinister repercussions of their encounter.
An enjoyable read, but not my favorite Cathryn Grant story. The reader is kept in suspense wondering what Joe and Skye are really doing. Also. we wonder why Brad is so suspicious of the two...
Nothing I would ever imagine doing myself, but a neat fantasy read.
The book ramps up - then the reader really takes a hold of it!
Many Thanks to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for a good read!
A vacation meant to rekindle a marriage that has become routine and stagnant, Brad and Maggie don't have a clue what they're in for when they meet a couple at the bar their first night in Lake Tahoe. What seems to be a chance meeting turned into fast friends, Joe and Skye are invited back to the lake house Brad and Maggie have rented. A snafu in their own rental reservation leads to Joe and Skye being invited to stay with them for the week.
The days start out normal enough. Beach time, drinks on the deck, and a good time had all around. But as time passes, each character gives their own perspective on their motives during this week in Lake Tahoe - and if all goes well it will lead to deceit, extortion, and a dead body.
This book will leave you with your heart pounding and on the edge of your seat! The twist at the end was completely unexpected, and left me dying to know what happens next!
Excellent book!
I found it extremely difficult to write this review without any spoilers! Please get in touch with me as soon as you have read this book – I am itching to discuss this title in more detail with someone who has read it! (Lynnie, if you are out there – read this book!)
Sit back and get ready to analyse your marriage as you turn the pages of this book. A story based on marriage, on what it takes to have a good marriage and the effects of deception and the lack of open communication. This book explores what happens when a couple becomes wrapped up in the routines of life and turns things upside by adding extreme circumstances and just for fun the author adds a dead body to the mix.
The book is narrated by all four characters and each chapter allows you to see the event unfold from their different perspectives. This allows you to get to know all of them intimately. I enjoyed that. It allowed me to make my own decisions about the characters and not only seeing them from one narrator's point of view.
Maggie and Brad realise their marriage is in trouble and decide to visit Lake Tahoe to escape their daily routines, spend some quality time together and reconnect with each other. On the first night of their getaway, they meet a younger couple in a restaurant – Joe and Skye. When Maggie discovers that the couples holiday plans have fallen apart, she invites them to share their holiday house. Brad, who was looking forward to some alone time with his wife, is not happy with the change of plans. Soon secrets are uncovered that lead to disastrous events and when one of them dies, everything is turned upside down.
Read more at: https://featzreviews.com/the-other-couple-coming-december-2020/
Ok, let me first say that if you want to read the best book EVER, then pick this one up. This is a psychological thriller that takes you on a slow ride at first. Then all hell breaks loose and you are trying to figure out if you want it to stop or keep going. Of course you keep going because you just have to know how it ends. Yet, you will not expect it when you get there. Maggie and Brad have gone on vacation at Lake Tahoe to spice up their marriage. While out to dinner they meet another couple Joe and Skye. They hit it off very quickly and it then goes to an invitation to stay at Maggie and Brads home because Joe says their hotel scammed them. Turns out though the only scammer is Joe. The story is very complex and has everything you want in a psychological thriller. Leading up to the finale is definitely like watching a scary movie and sitting on the edge of the seat waiting for something to happen and it does. Yet, you will never see this one coming.
Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
I throughly enjoyed The Other Couple, the new psychological thriller by Cathryn Grant, my third or fourth of her novels. A couple on vacation, hoping to fix some tears in their marriage meet another couple in a restaurant, start a conversation, then invite them to dinner, then invite them to stay in their vacation home. And that’s all in the first few pages. Skye and Joe, a couple of con artists seem right at home in the middle of the lives of Brad and Maggie, expecting to score a free holiday and maybe a couple of pieces of jewelry. Things happen, plans change, demands increase, secrets are revealed and a tragedy happens. Again, not even halfway through. We read how easy it is to manipulate, conceal and leave lives in taters. Now through in the suspense, twists and double crosses and you have an excellent story to read. Grant is good at writing the thoughts and reasoning for her character’s reactions and responses and we agree they could feel that way. That makes the story more layered than many similar stories and I was tricked and thrown by the ending I wasn’t expecting!
I LOVED this book so much 💛
It had everything I look for in a psychological thriller 🥰
The author is doing a great job observing and presenting human behavior and knows a great lot about psychology. The characters are magnetic and scary, but so very convincing with their raw human nature (that some of them try to hide).
I loved the idea, the plot, the twists and the ending. I can’t say, it surprised me much, but it made perfect sense 👍🏻👌🏻
I’ll definitely read other books by Cathryn Grant :)))
The Other Couple by Cathryn Grant is a mystery/thriller adult fiction. It tells the story of a couple and the events that transpired along the way. Maggie and Brad Fromm are happily married, and both have successful careers. Maggie is artistic and she uses her talent to please her clients, Brad is a marriage counselor who operates an online blog sharing relationship advice from his personal experiences with his wife. All seems well with this couple, but lately their relationship has deteriorated. They plan a trip to Lake Tahoe to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company, but something unexpected happens. Skye Smith and Joe Merchant are looking for their next prey and they happen to have their eyes set on the wealthy couple.
They hit it off well and Maggie invites them to stay at their lake house. Maggie and Brad do not know about Skye and Joe’s intentions, but things go south when Joe finds out Maggie’s secrete and tries to blackmail her, but little does he know Maggie is not a person to be messed with. Things take a turn for the worst and what was supposed to be a fun and relaxing vacation, turns miserable and tragic.
I really enjoyed this book, the events that occurred were intriguing and it played with your mind. The psychological thrill you get when reading the story is exciting. The twisted mind of the characters is what makes the story even more thrilling.
I instantly loved Skye’s character, she is good at getting people to accept and trust and her. However, she is young and naïve, and she depends on Joe which leaves herself vulnerable. Maggie is unappreciative of her husband since he looks down on her career which deeply hurts her. This leads her to find solace elsewhere and complicates her life even more. Brad is oblivious to all that is going on around him, he deeply loves his wife, but she keeps pushing him away. Joe is conniving and deceitful; he likes to get his way and does not respect women.
The mastermind behind the plot is not who you would expect, but I knew from the events that transpired. I also would have liked there to be a bit more closeness and support from two of the characters towards each other.
I commend the author; her story was riveting, and I enjoyed the mind manipulation that played out. This wasn’t a dramatic, violent, mystery/thriller novel, but a psychological thriller. I am very fond of these types of novels because you don’t know what to expect.
I would recommend this book to mystery lovers. There is suspense, there is crime and there is a thrill, everything fit for a psychological thriller. I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars, it was a fast read, engaging and there was nothing that deter you away from getting to the end. I also think that the author is a fabulous writer, and this is one of the best thriller novels I have read.
While this book started out fast with lots of tension, it quickly burned out. There was one major event in the first third that had me wondering what could possibly come next. Unfortunately, after that twist, the plot just kind of meandered. The premise was so good and had so much potential, but I kept waiting to be wowwed.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest book review.
Cathryn Grant has written several books in the thriller genre, and she has a unique style for telling her stories, building them up, and dropping a twist you won't see coming. This is the second book I have read of Ms. Grant's.
"Murder hadn't been the plan, but plans change."
We meet Skye and Joe, who are lounging at a table with a stunning view of Lake Tahoe before them. They are seemingly waiting for something or someone. In walks, Brad and Maggie and something in Skye screams, "them."
We quickly learn that Skye and Joe are not the charming, friendly couple they appear to be, but Maggie and Brad have no idea who they have agreed to invite over for dinner.
Maggie and Brad seem like a happy, wealthy, and unassuming couple, which screams easy money to Joe and Skye. As one couple digs their claws into the other, there are more twists, turns, and devastating surprises than anyone expected.
I found the build-up to the hook fairly fast-paced and exciting. As we get to know the characters and their intent, we start to form a picture of what happens when vacation is over. Except everything goes unexpectedly awry. Or does it?
Secrets abound, devious intent, and the grass not always being greener on the other side is what makes this a page-turning thrill ride. Cathryn Grant has a knack for creating twisted stories that leave you wondering who to cheer for as no one had clean hands.
I enjoyed this book; it was a well done modern game of cat and mouse. Trying to figure out who is the predator and who is the prey will keep you glued to the pages, and the ending will leave you stunned.
Wow... just Wow!!
I read picked this book up and read it in a day, one sitting in fact I literally didn't want to put it down, aren't those the best ones?
Here we follow the story of Skye and Joe who go on vacation and meet a happy to the eye in their marriage couple called Maggie and Brad. They become friends and when Skye and Joe turn up at their cottage and explain the hotel booking they made was a scam the couple invite them to stay with them for a few days while they sort something else out. This is probably where all the impending chaos began.
Brad : Marriage councillor and wanting to vacation to help his marriage isn't happy his wife Maggie has asked them to stay.
Maggie : grateful not to be a lone with her husband and to have found some new friends that she likes and has a lot in common with.
Skye : Young, and smitten with Joe she would go to any lengths to keep him happy and to be with him.
Joe : Cocky, money driven and sneaky he is the worst type of friend you would want to have.
This book is an anxiety driven read, it literally asks you to keep reading and I loved it for this reason. I was invested in all of the characters and of course I thought I had worked out the twist coming at the end but no I didn't it came out of left field. Pick this up right away.
This is a slow burn of a psychological thriller but it is also intriguing and gripping. The Other Couple was very well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Like many books, it was a bit of a slow start but it picked up quickly after that and I was able to read it easily in a couple of sittings. I really liked the way the characters were fleshed out and not all is what it seems on the surface.
The whole book felt very tense, and somewhat mental overload when all the plot lines finish together. In the back of my mind I was guessing what might happen and even though I was right in some ways I was unexpectedly surprised in others. In my eyes this is what makes a great read and a great author and also the fact that after a few chapters in I was reading at a pace that had me up way past my bedtime. Needless to say I really enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspenseful stories.
The book was very good. Very creepy
I like the writing style
I would like to read more of the authors book