This book was so good! I don't usually enjoy books with multiple perspectives, but Howard nailed it in this thriller. There were so many twists towards the latter half of the book that I didn't see coming; it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I also thought the audiobook narration was fantastic. I can't wait to see what this author writes next!

I just finished this book and am having mixed feelings about it.

But I will start here: I listened to this on audio. I enjoyed the narrator, her accent was not overly heavy and it made it easy to understand. Some audiobooks have a narrator that is so hard to understand with their accent, that you tend to miss things.

The author had a great concept. The book appealed to me because the subject was close to us all and easy to relate to, however, I do know some wh felt that it was a bit too soon.

It was a slow burner of a thriller, if you could call it that, I felt it was more a mystery than a thriller. Trying to figure out who each of the players were, that was the mystery. There were a lot of lies and deception going on. There was a bit of a twist at the end, but nothing that would blow your mind or really surprise you at that point.

The story goes back and forth a lot and I was afraid it would confuse me, but I feel that with the author generally keeping the story between themain characters and not throwing in others made it easy to follow. There were other's but they were scattered through and rarely seemed like major players. Even the " now " chapters with the police investigation was easy to follow. Infact I loved those chapters in the story. The investion was more of a draw than the actual characters.

I give this book 3 stars, It did not thrill me but I did not hate it either.

This is the first book I have read that incorporates the COVID-19 pandemic into its plot. At the end of the book, the author explains that she wrote the book while in lockdown and she thought about a plot in which the lockdown would actually benefit a person, and out came this book. I went into this book not knowing much at all about the plot and I'm so glad I did. There is some confusion about what is going on exactly and this state of wonder builds a lot of tension. I premise of this book and the way it unfolds is so well-timed, I applaud the author. This is the perfect COVID-19 thriller. I very much enjoyed the narrator chosen for this work, she has good pitch and was able to differentiate her tone for the main characters. This is sure to be highly popular. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of the audiobook.

I can see how people might find that it's too soon to read about the pandemic (that we still are in), but for me it was a unique set-up for a thriller, and I enjoyed every second of it. I loved how the relationship was built up. The suspense was built up nicely, with so many twists and turns. I think the best way to read a thriller is through audiobooks, I loved the narrator. Although I did find that the present storyline made the book a little slow for me, I didn't enjoy that part much.

I was in a reading slump when I started, but I really couldn't stop reading it! It's really addictive, especially after the first twist. I am definitely picking more from this author.

The COVID-19 fiction has arrived! Are you ready for it? 56 DAYS, the latest from Catherine Ryan Howard is the first book I have read set in the thick of the coronavirus lockdown.

Ciara and Oliver serendipitously meet a week before COVID-19 arrives in Dublin. The pair move in together on a whim to avoid being separated in lockdown. What’s a lockdown story without a dead body? Told from the perspective of Ciara, Oliver, and the detectives, secrets from the past emerge as the murder is investigated.

I can understand how it might feel “too soon” for many readers to pick up this book. For me, the pandemic quarantine served as a fascinating backdrop for a murder mystery/police procedural and felt firmly rooted in reality. One of the things I enjoyed about this story was the slow reveal of the character's intentions. I also appreciated the multiple POVs with characters offering different perspectives on the same set of events.

I have heard others rave about Howard’s previous novel, THE NOTHING MAN which I plan to pick up soon. I appreciated the nod to THE NOTHING MAN in this book--I love when author’s reference their previous works!

Alana Kerr Collins did an incredible job with the audiobook narration--I love an Irish accent! 56 DAYS was also a recent book of the month club pick you won’t want to miss.

RATING: 4/5 stars
PUB DATE: 8/17/21

A big thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was awesome! It's a thriller told through the past 56 days and in the present day. As usual, I really enjoyed the dual timelines. I love how secrets are reveals through a storyline like that! This was my first book by Catherine Ryan Howard, and I'm blown away by her ability to weave this intricate story that had me gripped from start to finish!

This does take place in a pandemic and lock-down, so there is a chance that some readers may not be ready to read this. If you are ready, this one is out now, so go grab it! It's an edge-of-your-seat story you will love!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

A budding romance on the cusp of the first COVID-19 lockdown in Ireland, twisty backstories, and a historic crime come together to create an explosive mystery. Fantastic! Fans of Gone Girl will love it.

DNF at 20% because I had a hard time following the plot of the audiobook. There are jumps in time and different points of view that I think would be easier to track in a printed copy. I loved the narrator and was interested in the story but got frustrated because I kept getting confused. I will try this book in a physical copy, I'm definitely still interested in reading it.

This was a great, timely tale. It might be better to read when this pandemic is far in the past, but I enjoyed the idea behind this. Trying to date or get to know each other while the whole world is on lock down is tough and we see how that accelerated this relationship and I loved all the twists! One twist after another had me spinning. Enjoyable!

I appreciate the escapist break that 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard provided as an audiobook. I read the book earlier in preview and enjoyed the chance to consider how the voice narration added a new dimension to this thriller. What happens when you move in with someone you just started dating at the start of the pandemic lockdown and you start to feel like this was a very bad idea? 56 days explores this premise with clear sense of connection to this past year and adding in a twisty dimension that adds a sense of tension on top of the uncertainty of the early days of the pandemic. Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this audiobook.

Thrillers are my favorite audiobook genre and this one was really engaging, perhaps because of the recency of the context, which takes place in the early days of the pandemic. The pacing of the story is effective, the audio narration also does a good job at keeping up a sense of tension and discomfort as Ciara's unease about Oliver grows and also provides a strong clear voice when the plot shifts to the detectives investigating a murder. As much as I enjoyed the physical book, I really appreciated the chance to be surrounded by the tension, the mood generated, and to have this audio connection to very real feelings about the pandemic.
This is a book I have already recommended to many and will be now recommending to my audiobook audience as well.

My reviews are shared here and this one will be posted next week since the book/audiobook are now available.
https://www.instagram.com/pageus_of_books/

This is the first book I have read that used COVID as a major plot driver and....i am not a fan. I feel like this book had potential but it was rushed so it can be put out quickly.

Honestly when I wasn't cringing i was bored. I seriously almost DNFed when during the first intimate moment the couple shares, the male whispers "I don't want to infect you" while kissing her neck....WHAT.

There are various other cringe moments relating to the pandemic. The reiteration of various restrictions shines light on how ridiculous things really were. For example, the whole story is based on this couple finding ways AROUND the restrictions, and how one character was only abiding by restrictions to please the other and taking off her mask, etc when she wouldn't be called out by him.

The "twist" is very predictable as the whole premise of the story is so unbelievable. There is no way a woman in 2020 will move in with a random guy she met in a grocery store after three weeks without even doing a deep dive on google.

On top of everything else, the timeline was hard to follow. It wasn't linear, and between jumping points of view and randomly going back and forth in the timeline, it was impossible for the reader to follow. ESPECIALLY while listening on audio, which I was.

Lastly, just want to note I'm tired of women sympathizing with horrible men. Anytime that is incorporated into a story it automatically loses me.

I listened to this book on audio and had a difficult time stopping! I love Alana Kerr Collins as a narrator, this is the third audiobook by Catherine Ryan Howard that I've listened to and her Irish accent is perfect for the stories.

Howard has a tendency to write timelines that jump back and forth between past and present and this one is no exception. I was easily able to follow the timeline in this book as the "past" is just 56 days previously, and then there's a timeline in the middle, and then the present day. There are a few twists that I didn't see coming (and a couple that I did, but that's fine). Lots of secrets!

I can't neglect to mention that this book is centered around two people, newly in a relationship, who decide to share an apartment during the initial stages of the Covid-19 lockdown. I recently read another book that was set during the pandemic (False Witness ) and the mentions of the masking and sanitizing really annoyed me because it wasn't really integrated or necessary. In this book, it really didn't bother me because it is a part of the story without being over the top. I know that it's too soon for some people, but for whatever reason, it worked for me in this case.

The overall mystery of what happened to the person found dead at the beginning is creative and very shocking once everything is put together. I feel like Howard is really hitting her stride with her last two books and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

56 days tells the story of Oliver and Ciara who meet by chance in a supermarket. They start dating casually, but when the pandemic forces Ireland into lockdown, Oliver suggests that she move in with him so they can continue to see each other. That was fifty-some days ago. Today, detectives Leah Riordan and Karl Connolly show up at Oliver's apartment to Oliver's decomposing body in the bathroom. Can they piece together what really happened during the time Oliver and Ciara spent in lockdown?

I tend to bristle a little when I hear about a book set during the COVID-19 pandemic because I lived it (am STILL living it). However, I think Howard did a good job of sprinkling in the pandemic just enough without it being overkill. The story is compelling with a couple twisty bits. All in all, it was a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I enjoyed the audiobook of 56 Days as read by Alana Kerr Collins. She really made this story come alive.

I want to start by saying that at the start of the pandemic I said I would never want to read anything about it, at least not for a long, LONG time. I had no interest in reliving it and did not want to read about it in a place where I go to escape real life. That said, this book has completely changed my mind about that. Thank you Net Galley for the ALC. And thank you to Catherine Ryan Howard for using her time during a global pandemic to create something so gripping and entertaining that somehow makes me feel like a global healing is possible.

I could tell as soon as this one started that I was going to like it. I immediately liked the main character/narrator Ciara. I thought her "relationship" with Oliver was interesting. I had not read the description and didn't really know what to expect, but I knew it was a thriller and therefore knew something had to be amiss with at least one of them.

The swapping back and forth between the two characters narrating was extremely interesting and I thought very effective and well done. I was a tad bit confused at times with the changing timelines throughout, but once I got a good grip on what the author was doing it became easy to follow and now I appreciate the technique. Telling a story chronologically from start to finish can sometimes be boring, and this story was anything but.

Overall, I thought this was a great example of a good thriller. The story and premise felt unique and fresh and not overdone, as many thrillers often feel for me. I'm very much growing tired of the "there's been a murder - but who did it" premise in thrillers and this story felt deeper than that. It wrapped up nicely and tied off the loose ends. I found it chilling and riveting at the same time, and will absolutely recommend it to friends and followers.

Also just wanted to add that Alana Kerr Collins as the narrator is delightful and an absolute soothing pleasure to listen to.

This unique thriller is the first COVID-19 story I have read, and it was a wild ride which kept me on the edge of my seat. I listened to the entire audiobook in 1 day because I couldn't put it down!

56 days ago, Ciara and Oliver met in a supermarket and started dating. The same week, COVID-19 hit Ireland, and when lockdown orders began, they decided to temporarily move in together so they could still see each other and explore where this relationship would take them. 56 days later, detectives discover a decomposing body in Oliver's apartment...

The story goes back and forth in time with so many surprises, it almost gave me whiplash. It was a bit stressful reading about COVID-19 but I think this worked to add to the anticipation and unease and provide a wild ride of a story. I give it 4.5 stars, because it was very suspenseful and I didn't see any of the twists coming. Alana Kerr Collins did a fantastic job narrating with her beautiful Irish accent and stark descriptions of horrifying things, her voice was the perfect accompaniment to Catherine Ryan Howard's riveting story.

Not going to lie this audio book took me a long time to get into and I thought about throwing in the towel. A little voice told me to keep going and I'm glad I stuck it out. The twists upon twists in this book had my jaw dropping and I loved how it all played out. I will say that I didn't feel the chemistry/connection between Oliver and Ciara. It felt very bland and I felt like that part of the story wasn't fully developed. This was my first time "reading" anything by this author and I will def check out her back list of books. The narrator was good and did a great job with all the voices and I would recommend.

Clara and Oliver begin a relationship just as Covid 19 causes a lockdown in Ireland. Clara is all to eager to accept Oliver’s idea that they move in together for the lockdown, this will be the perfect chance for them to really get to know each other. Oliver wants to be locked down with Clara because he has a secret and he doesn’t want anyone to know who, or where her is. It’s not until lockdown eases that the police find a badly decomposed body in Oliver’s apartment and must piece together what happened. What a great idea for a book! As if Covid 19 and lockdown weren’t scary enough Howard has given us something else to be sacred of

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.8 stars

I had access to both the audio book and a digital copy. I listened to the first half and read the second half. While the narrator did a fine job, I felt the story came across better in print. The story skips around a lot over 56 days and it was less confusing to follow in print.

Oliver and Ciara meet by chance in Dublin at the beginning of the covid 19 pandemic. They both have secrets about their pasts.

I liked that this was a mystery set during the pandemic and more than just talking about masks and quarantining. The story worked because of social distancing and allowed this new couple to be alone and not have to meet family and friends.

3.5 - This was an entertaining mystery/thriller set during the early days of the initial pandemic lockdown in Dublin, Ireland. I actually really enjoyed that this story was set during the pandemic and seeing how it led to a perfect set of circumstances to throw two virtual strangers together in the most unusual of times. The author did a great job illustrating the challenges and loneliness people experienced but what didn't work as well for me was how much the story jumped between timelines and perspectives. I wasn't expecting the ending but I got a little bored halfway through if I'm totally honest. This won't be the most memorable read of the year for me but the premise was 10/10. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy.

4.5 stars

I am so, so glad that I gave this book a chance. Based on how my reading has been going lately, I shouldn't have liked this book. I have been doing my best to avoid any books that deal with COVID-19 and I have been taking a break from thrillers because I found myself starting to guess every single plot twist well in advance of the reveals. However, this book intrigued me with how it utilized lockdown as a major element of the mystery so I figured I would give the audiobook a try.

All of the elements to this particular story - multiple narrators, multiple timelines, unreliable narrators - have the potential of destroying a novel if used poorly. Howard does a wonderful job of introducing every twist and turn at exactly the right moment, allowing her to peel back the layers of the story in an immensely engaging way. There were moments when I would get complacent in my listening because I had guessed a twist only to find hidden depths that I never anticipated. It was so refreshing to really enjoy a thriller again. Who knew that it would be one about lockdown?

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!