I can not say much about the plot without adding spoilers. This is a good book overall. It took me time to get into it though as the multiple narratives left me a little confused, but I soon started to enjoy it. It is a little predictable and you do not immediately take to some characters.

(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)

Publication date: 01 March 2022
Publisher: Bookouture

『• • • PLOT• • •』

Jane Preston has all that she wanted: a nice little cafe, her perfect husband and her best friends with whom she has a running club. Her life was going well until Lexie Lane, a newcomer shows up in her small neighbourhood.

Lexie has been attempting to cause rifts between Jane and her best friend Sophie with any possible reason. Sophie and Lexie's friendship instantly grows but they become especially close after learning that they are both having children at the same time. Jane is ecstatic for her friend, but she can't help but be envious due to her inability to bear children.

By coincidence at the joint baby shower of Lexie and Sophie, Jane found out that Lexie isn't pregnant after all. At the same time, Jane's husband Frankie also got himself into ludicrous problems.

Jane has her suspicions and she starts investigating despite her falling out with her best friends. Will it be too late to know uncover Lexie's secrets?

『• • • THOUGHTS• • •』

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Usually my firsts from the author is not good but this I would say was good. Initially, getting into the 3rd person POV was difficult and I couldn't find myself understanding her world. There were also additional POVs in the beginning that popped out of nowhere, with the time lapses it was also hard to understand the whole picture. It was a little draggy up till about half of the book. After which the pace quickened, it got better and I read it finish.

It did keep up to the thriller aspect because the second half had me wanting to read more. I was curious as to how it unfolds, even though it is quite predictable at times I found myself thinking otherwise. It also had a very important message in the book that I liked because of the relevance and it not being spoken much.

The dynamics of the small town was also nice to read. The friendships with one another, Jane and Frankie's marriage, it felt like a closely knitted community. A problem with those however is the inability to prevent gossip.

Overall, a good read that suited the genre well. Quite forgettable but it was nice reading it.

This book is as irresistible as the "glasses of fizz" the characters guzzle at the Baby Shower! Can't say much about the plot without giving away its twists, but it covers the other relationships that break our hearts; girlfriends. Do not start reading this without a couple of hours to finish, you will not want to put it down. Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book. #NetGalley #TheBabyShower

📚 Book Review 📚 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫

The Baby Shower by Susie Lynes

Available to purchase March 1st

Lexie is a young and stunning woman that comes out of nowhere and turns coffee shop owner Jane’s life upside down. Jane can see through Lexie from the moment they meet yet her friends are taken with her and think Jane is jealous. Why is Lexie turning everyone against Jane, what secret is Frankie, Jane’s husband hiding and what will Jane learn in the end?!

Very predictable storylines so nothing was shocking, thrilling and no “aha” moments. The story is full of British slang which isn’t my forte so it took away from the story for me. The ending and one twist seemed far fetched and rushed. It was an ok book but nothing I would read again.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

4 'it started with a watch' stars
Okay, so I totally had every little twist figured out ~ you can even ask my family because I yelled it out to them. It's making me think I am reading too many thrillers, BUT I still very much enjoyed it. Totally gave me HS mean girl vibes a few times, even though these ladies are in their 30's. Holy drama drama drama!

The prologue pulls you right in!
Told from multiple pov by Jane and Frankie.
Jane, Sophie, Hils and Kath have been buddies for years until Sophie brings a 5th woman to the group, Lexie. Right from the start Jane and Lexie butt heads and have she said/she said shenanigans going on. This puts Jane and Sophie's BFFness on the rocks.
Jane and her husband, Frankie, are unable to have children, so when Sophie and Lexie announce they're pregnant, Jane can't help to feel a wee bit sad. Bring on the baby shower and tensions rise and secrets and lies are revealed.

Cheers, Mate, to the bloody brilliant British lingo.
It was a fast paced, psychological thrilling ride and I'll be sure to read her work again.

*Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture and S.E. Lynes for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

Jane and her husband Frankie are happily married. Jane is living her dream and runs her own coffee shop whilst Frankie works all hours of the day trying to pay for a trip around the world.

Jane has a decent social life and some very good close friends they all go running one day a week then out for drinks every Friday evening. Everything is going well until Sophie decides to bring a friend along Lexie Lane. It’s clear from the start that Lexie is trouble but no one knows just how much trouble she is about to cause.

From the start it is clear that Lexie doesn’t like Jane however she has no idea why. Jane is convinced that Lexie is trying to come between her and her friends, the more involved Jane becomes with Lexie the worse her life seems to be getting. When Jane discovers Lexies secret that’s the final straw between her and Sophie and their friendship hits rock bottoms one more incident will completely destroy it.

I did enjoy this book and it was a very easy read however this suited me as I hadn’t been 100% whilst I was reading this book and I found it very easy to follow. I did find this book very predictable but again that didn’t bother me. I did also guess what was going on and how everything was connected about half way through the book but I was enjoying it enough to want to continue as I did generally find this book easy to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review

I'm really glad I got a chance to read this book. The baby shower was a very dark, fun, crazy and toxic story about non-romantic love and also a very different take on abuse. I was sceptical when I started reading the book. But when I realised what the story was actually about, I just started loving the book. The main theme of the book was that even when there are fall outs in non-romantic relationships such as friendships, it hurts just the same as a romantic one.

The actual plot twists in the end of the book was brilliant and was very well thought out. It was not unrealistic and far fetched. The book was fast paced and it had me turning pages pretty fast. There was so much trauma in this book. So it's definitely not for everyone. The main character, Jane had Early Menopausal syndrome and she couldn't have children. She ran a hippy cafe and her husband Frankie had his own plumbing business.

Her best friend Sophie was a rich woman with a big heart. Their gang of 4 including Kath and Hillls met at their Runners club and Friday night drinks. Suddenly, one friday night, Sophie brings her new friend Lexie to the bar and everything turns sour from there. Lexie was a toxic person who was super manipulative and only Jane could feel that. Frankie on the other hand was also going through some traumatic issues.

The story taught me a lot about the different types of abuse and PTSD. It was a must read thriller for me. If you are okay with the triggers, you should definitely check it out.

Jane and Frankie are happy, each running their own businesses, she is part of a running group called Runner Beans, along with her close friends; Sophie, Hils and Kath and they go out each week for 'Friday night drinks'. When Sophie drops a bombshell, Jane is devastated but she's happy for her friend and wishes her well, then Sophie introduces a new friend, Lexie to the others and the dynamics change, on the surface she seems lovely, but with Jane she acts differently, and she has no idea why, it's not long before Lexie comes between the two friends, chipping away at their close bond and painting Jane in a very bad light. Lexie soon has news of her own and decides to make it a double celebration at a posh hotel and it's here that Jane discovers Lexie has been lying all along, there is no baby...

The Baby Shower is the latest sublime creation by this author, it's a multi-layered story with realistic characters that draw you in from the first page. There are some very delicate subjects covered here and, as always, Lynes tells them with compassion and sensitivity. The breakdown of a relationship between a couple is widely discussed but, when it comes to the loss of friendship it seems to be swept under the carpet as if it's not important, so it was refreshing to see the author cover this in great detail, because friends are an important part of life, they are the family we choose, and there's part of a conversation in this book that really struck a chord with me; 'What's the point in having friends if you don't love each other? Just because it's not your love life, don't mean it ain't love. Don't mean it don't hurt like hell when it goes wrong.' Having experienced this myself, as I'm sure many others have, it's true, it hurts like hell! Jane had my full sympathy throughout this story, which I inhaled in less than 24 hours, once again this author has put pen to paper and created a masterpiece. I highly recommend this book, and all her others.

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Wow! I loved this book immediately, I could not put it down. When I pick up an S E Lynes book, I know it's going to be brilliant.

This book was about Jane and her close knit group of three friends: Kath, Hils and Sophie who run together every Tuesday and meet up regularly for coffee and nights out. When Sophie introduces Lexie to the group, slowly things begin to change and Jane starts to feel Lexie is not at all who she seems, as she starts to insidiously infiltrate every aspect of Jane's life.

I was hooked on this book immediately, which is always a good sign. I loved the very believable characters, especially Jane and I could almost feel her increasing suspicion, uneasiness and isolation after Lexie came onto the scene. Her feelings towards Sophie and sense of being replaced really resonated with me. The writing is pacy and beautiful and the tension builds so cleverly until you can hardly bear to know what Lexie is going to do next!

It's about friendship and how hugely important it is, especially amongst women and shows, in an uncomfortably truthful way, how easily it can all go sour.

I can't wait for the author's next book. This one comes with the highest recommendation.

Thanks to author, S E Lynes, publishers Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

OMG...this book is like a tornado! A storm that unleashes a tsunami of emotions, wreaking havoc for the duration and leaving a trail of detritus in its wake. But no meterologist could predict the damage Hurricane Lexie would bring. I wasn't even ready for it and I was expecting it! The woman is a nightmare! And she is one thing I hate...toxic.

It all starts with a watch. But not just any watch. An expensive £3000 Breitling that Frankie buys with the proceeds of a win on the scratchies. Instead of adding it to "the jar" towards their dream of a world trip, the coveted Breitling puts Frankie in a league with his friends who sport Tag Hauers, making him feel invincible. But as the old adage goes...be careful what you wish for. For the Breitling is only the start of things to come.

Jane Preston is married to Frankie Reece and, feminist that she is, kept her name as a nod to the sisterhood of independent women the world over. She has built a lucrative coffee shop from the ground up and despite being a trained accountant, Frankie retrained as a heating engineer and has his own successful plumbing business. The couple are happy and yet their lives are tinged with a little sadness for what could never be. But still, they have each other. And their friends.

When her best friend Sophie tentatively announces she is pregnant, Jane goes through a gamut of emotions. She is happy for Sophie but devastated for herself. She shares nothing of her feelings with her other two friends Hils and Kathy, who are older and have "been there, done that, got the t-shirt" with regards to children. She doesn't even confide in Frankie at first, giving him only the bare minimum of details so as to spare his feelings. As far as things go, Jane is coping relatively well with the news...until Lexie Lane shows up.

Young, vibrant and totally new, Lexie is invited to their weekly running group Running Beans and subsequently their Friday night drinks at the pub after meeting Sophie at the gym. Obviously used to being the centre of attention, Lexie dominates the conversation as well as Sophie leaving Jane feeling a little left out. But Sophie is doing what Sophie does...taking the newbie under her wing and making her feel welcome just as did with her all those years ago. But then Sophie doesn't catch the momentary glare directed at Jane. She doesn't see the looks, the smirks or the veiled whispers meant only for Jane. Sophie only sees what Lexie wants her to see, leaving Jane in a quandary. Does she say something and risk further wrath? Or does she just lay low and avoid Lexie's love-bombing as much as she can?

And then the following week, Lexie has some news of her own. She too is expecting as Sophie squeals with delight that the two of them are pregnant together. Inevitably the two women bond and the closer Sophie and Lexie grow, the more certain Jane is that Lexie is trying to drive a wedge between her and her best friend. To say something now will only make her seem jealous.

Things come to a head when Lexie throws a joint baby shower for her and Sophie. But not just any baby shower...a £4000 a night plus extras at the Ritz! Only the best for Sophie who was robbed of the chance of a baby shower the first time round. Not wanting to put herself through more of "the Sophie and Lexie show", Jane forces herself to be there for her friend who seems to be slipping further and further away from her. But things go from bad to worse from the beginning, orchestrated by Lexie to throw Jane in a bad light. Forcing herself to endure the whole thing for Sophie's sake with the help of an entire bottle of Bach's Rescue Remedy and liquid courage, she then excuses herself to go to the bathroom for some time out and to regroup. But then she overhears a heated phone conversation Lexie is having with her apparently devoted boyfriend which sounds more demanding than loved-up. And then she sees something impossible and that's when she knows...Lexie isn't pregnant! Unable to stomach any more, Jane makes her escape rushing home in tears.

Meanwhile, Frankie has his own problems going on which all started with that wretched watch. Whilst busy fixing bathrooms and toilets, things go from bad to worse when he just seems to be sinking further and further into the proverbial s***! He works longer and longer hours and the once happy couple are more like ships passing in the night. Jane becomes concerned for her husband particularly when he doesn't appear to be himself.

Peppered throughout are the interspersed chapters of an unnamed woman in hospital having been involved in a hit and run. We know there were three people involved but as to who they are and how it all eventuated is not made clear until towards the end. There were some clues drip-fed throughout which I picked up on immediately.

Admittedly, I saw all the twists coming and guessed them long before they were revealed but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this twisted tale of revenge. Yes, Lexie got under my skin but surprisingly, not as much as Sophie did. Sophie, who has known Jane and been her best friend for years; who took the word of the relatively unknown Lexie over her long established friendship with Jane; who believed Lexie rather than her best friend; who was basically willing to ditch that long standing friendship with her best friend in favour of someone new. Sophie's behaviour angered me that she could take the word of someone she's known five minutes over her best friend, and then to confront Jane citing her as the "bad guy". What is wrong with this woman? If that's how she treats her friends then Jane was better off without her. Sophie was welcome to Lexie, in my opinion, and vice versa.

But I loved Jane and Frankie. They were sweet and solid...and so not ready for Hurricane Lexie. I would have loved to see a little more banter with Hils and Kath, particularly where Lexie and Sophie were concerned, but I also understood Jane's reasoning behind why she wouldn't engage in such. But what there was, I enjoyed. I love dry wit and wry humour and this book was filled with it, despite it tapering off as the impact of what was happening began to take affect. And a shout out to the adoreable Des who is not as stupid as his humans think him to be...

A slow-build at first, THE BABY SHOWER is a fast paced thriller about toxic friendships and revenge. Addictive and unputdownable, this twisted tale kept me up long into the night and the wee hours until I finally finished it at 5am.

When I started this book, I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did...considering it featured toxic women, which I loathe and really gets under my skin. I don't care that it was predictable or that I guessed every twist coming. I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish and, for me, that's what it's all about. The ride; the thrill of the chase; the adrenaline. I loved it. One of my favourite Susie Lynes books to date, I should think.

A deliciously dark tale, THE BABY SHOWER is very hard to put down and is perfect for fans of domestic or psychological thrillers who love tense twisted tales highlighting the toxicity in female friendships.

I would like to thank #SELynes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBabyShower in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

What is really going on here????

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author S.E. Lynes. Boy oh boy. Secrets...drama...no way.

I really do not know what to say about this book other than it is full of twists and turns...my gosh. This is easily a one sitting read.

Oh, the drama, drama, drama.

Wasn't a fan of the overly casual prose, even outside of dialogue. "Pass-agg, aggro, obvs"

That twist was extraordinary though.

Wow! What a wild thrill ride! The Baby Shower follows a member of a tight knit group of middle aged women. They are close and spend time together every week. Then one member makes a new friend who seems intent on taking Jane’s place in the group. The new friend’s duplicity comes to light at the baby shower, but her plans for Jane aren’t over yet. I thought this was an exciting and interesting book. Some things seemed slightly unrealistic but for the most part, I could believe that everything in the novel could happen. I liked the characters and found myself continuing to read in order to find out why someone was in the hospital!

Two nights ago I was feeling tired, and decided that an early night was probably in order. I had got as far as getting into bed, but there seemed no harm in reading just a few chapters of my new book before I turned the light out ...

Here's a tip. If the same thing happens to you, and the book in question is The Baby Shower by S E Lynes, I recommend that you leave it closed. Or better still, hide it at the back of a drawer until you can devote a whole day to hiding yourself away and reading it. Because the next thing I knew, it was midnight, I was 30% in already and was only prevented from reading more by my own eyes, which I couldn't physically keep open any longer without them actually starting to bleed.

Then it was the next morning and there seemed no harm in reading the next chapter whilst my wife was in the shower, and ... suddenly I've reached 50% and oh Christ, I should have started work half an hour ago.

At the end of the day I came home and binge-read the rest of it, after which I couldn't get to sleep for thinking about it and as a result, have been tired today too. So here's a word of warning for Susie Lynes: if I do get fired, I'm summoning you to the tribunal.

I do hope though that this demonstrates what a page-turner this book is. Even though the opening is something of a departure for a Susie Lynes novel, which normally take your hand and guide you in slowly and gently, to the point where you don't realise how hooked you are until it's too late. In the case of her last book, Her Sister's Secret, that happened just a little too slowly and gently for me. But there's none of that this time.

The first chapter dangles the hook, opening as it does with a news report of a hit-and-run incident, which has resulted in three people being taken by hospital - two by air ambulance. Chapter 2, which is narrated in the first person by one of those three people, as she wakes up with her leg in plaster and her mind desperate to know whether someone else has died, is enough for said hook to find and firmly sink into its target. Chapter 3 then takes us back three months with us already longing to know what happened to cause this. And from there, the story never - not once, not ever, not for so much as one single page - loses any of its intrigue.

Then there are the characters, who are simply superb. Jane Reece and her husband Frankie are just such a lovely couple. The sort of nice, normal people that you could meet and chat to - maybe in Jane's coffee shop - and get to know and love them both. Which is why the reader is able to identify with them both so readily and support them throughout the rest of the book.

Jane's friends, who she runs with on a Tuesday night and meets up for drinks on a Friday? Most of us have - need - people like that in our lives. But does the new member of the club, the glamorous Lexie, really have it in for Jane? Is she really trying to steal - no, buy - her best friend Sophie from her? And why?

If I were to try and summarise the character of Lexie, I'd make her sound like a comic villain. Particularly given that we already know about her fake pregnancy from the blurb. But nothing could be further from the truth. Every action, every word, both from her and from everyone that she tries to manipulate is somehow believable. Issues including betrayal, blackmail, PTSD and the rarely talked about adult bullying and male sexual assault are all addressed with the sort of sensitivity and compassion which might seem astonishing if this is your first S E Lynes novel. But I've read them all, and know that this is almost a trademark.

Another almost-trademark is Susie's wonderful and unique use of language, which really shines in this book. It ranges from the profound - "How much we want to say sometimes. How little makes it out of our mouth" to the downright hilarious. I don't know if she has ever been to the Ritz, but I can just see her reacting in the same way as Jane did, and as my Nottinghamshire-born and bred great-aunt would have done. "Eeh, them curtains are like quilts!" You can take the girl out of the North ...

My one ever-so-slightly critical comment concerns the final revelation. Don't get me wrong, it's very well done. But it's ultimately a variation of something I've read in many other psychological thrillers. There is no second twist of the shocking, gasp-inducing, tear-jerking variety that Susie is normally so good at. Perhaps the faster than usual pace of the book meant that there was no place for it, I don't know. But I still missed it.

There's no way I'm deducting a star for that though. Imagine that you've returned to your favourite restaurant after several months absence and the chef has made you your favourite dessert (lemon meringue pie, in case you were wondering). Are you really going to dock them a star on Tripadvisor because they had run out of cream?

This, really, is what it feels like to have read Susie Lynes' tenth novel. It's brilliant, and no less so for being familiar. I loved it, and even though it hasn't officially been published yet, I already can't wait for her to write more.

My thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which I have read voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

The Baby Shower by S.E. Lynes

Published: March 1, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 360
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

S.E. Lynes is a former BBC Producer; she has lived in France, Spain, Scotland, and Italy and is now settled in Greater London. After completing her MA, S E Lynes taught creative writing at Richmond Adult Community College for ten years. She now combines writing, mentoring, and lecturing in Richmond Borough.

“A life raft is not watertight.”

Jane has a simple life, and she is comfortably happy with it. She has an amazing husband, her safe space; his presence alone brings her comfort, and a group of great girlfriends, Sophie, Hils, and Kath, and her dream business is starting to thrive. So when Sophie brings a new friend into the mix, Jane is just a bit nervous. Until she realizes that this new friend isn’t just looking to join their clique, she wants to take Jane out.

This was a bundle of emotions from start to finish. So many twists that make this story much more profound than expected.

This was so much more than a thriller. It’s a dive into adult friendship, coming to terms and letting go of past hurt, forgiveness, materialism, Instagram vs. reality, adult bullying.

In the beginning, it came across as Jane being insecure and a bit jealous when Lexie was brought into the group. Which made some sense; Janes identity was partially defined by her friendship with Sophie and the girls.

As the story develops, and as Jane’s character develops, we see her come to terms that maybe her friendship with Sophie wasn’t what she thought. That is was more one-sided than she ever realized. That Sophie maybe enjoyed being the one to buy nice things for Jane who couldn’t afford them.

Glamorous Lexie appears to have no money woes and makes grand gestures toward Sophie that make the others uncomfortable. Lexie also has a picture-perfect Instagram feed, filled with filtered shots of her things- house, car, clothes, shoes, etc., complete with a string of hashtags.

Sophie takes to Lexie rather quickly, and when Lexie claims, Jane was rude to her, things spiral in a very juvenile manner. While Jane internally panics and struggles to attempt to understand what is happening, she is gently reminded of what true love and friendship are.

I was very surprised that adult bullying was a huge theme in this novel because it does not get talked about but happens quite often.

The themes were so well represented throughout this book, and reading this book, you start to feel the weight of everything falling on Jane's shoulders. Brilliantly written, beautifully delivered, this is an absolute must-read.

Wow this was a really exciting and riveting book. Do not start unless you want to finish it!!

When a new friend is added to an existing group there will always be some adjustments that need to be made, but when the newbie is sneakily taking over and manipulating them all for their own devises this is something else again.

Jane and her husband Frankie are a lovely hard working couple devoted to one another but unable to have children. Her bff Sophie is newly pregnant again and Jane tries to be happy for her. Sophie introduces newcomer Lexi to the group, she is young, wealthy and underhand. Frankie finds himself working for a new female customer and after a drink wakes to find himself in bed with her but remembers nothing. Separately Jane and Frankie fall apart and when Lexi announces she is pregnant too Jane discovers a dark secret.

Absolutely nail biting and tense from start to finish. The book has great writing and the characters are so well rounded I was cheering and booing to myself like at a pantomime for them. A number of real hard hitting issues are covered too and these are sensitively dealt with by the author. Great twist at the end.

Absolutely recommend this and thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Wow! I was totally absorbed into this book. I felt as though I had slipped into the book and lived there for a few days! The story is basically told by Jane and Frankie who are a married couple with real world problems. The chapters switch back and forth as being told by Jane and Frankie. Jane is unable to have children which is a definite sore topic for her. Her friend Sophie learns she is pregnant again, and at the same time Sophie brings a new "friend" into their circle. This friend seems bent on coming in between Sophie and Jane. You will be on a roller coaster ride with this book. There are plot twists that you may see coming, and then there will be twists you will NOT see coming! This is a story of lies and betrayal. You will not know who you can trust. This was an utterly compelling story from the start to final jaw dropping ending. If you like a good psychological thriller, you will not be disappointed. Get this book and find a chair!

I was drawn in by the premise of this book. The first chapter had me eager to know who this person was and what had lead to this point. There are plenty of twists and turns and it was a good read.

The Baby Shower is a ripping read! Even though the plot may seem apparent fairly quickly, there is more to come with twists and turns along the way. Really well done, tense, taut and very enjoyable read! But...beware who you tell your secrets to!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

The author hinges this book on a phenomenon that is rarely spoken about - adult bullying, both woman to woman and woman to man. It's about an interloper in a tight knit group of friends, a woman who you, the reader, knows is playing the long con. But our main character Jane is so taken aback that a new addition to their running group could cause her best friend to turn on her, that she tries to turn the other cheek.

But then, Jane's husband Frankie begins acting strange. You'll guess what comes next, but by the time Jane discovers what a fraud Lexie is, but in the meantime she discovers who her real friends are (an older, wiser woman tells Jane, "never put up with bad men, bad friends. or bad coffee"). This review doesn't do it justice, so you'll have to read it to find out what a fast paced, intriguing read this is!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance reader's copy.