*Thank you to Kensington books, Lisa Jackson and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/the-girl-who-survived/

When Kara McIntyre was seven years old, her world is shattered when her parents and two of her three half-brothers are murdered on Christmas. Her older sister, Marlie disappeared and is believed to be deceased while her half-brother Jonah is accused of the murders and has been in jail since.

When Marlie locks Kara in the attic, to keep her safe, she disappears and Kara discovers the murders on her own. She then runs from an off-duty cop, thinking he is the murderer, but he saves her life, only to die minutes later of a heart attack. Now, 20 years later, Jonah is being released because of a glitch in the evidence chain, which was recently discovered by Jonah’s loyal lawyer, who has been working on this case for two decades.

Now 27 years old, Kara suffers from extreme anxiety, alcoholism and paranoia, because of her guilt as her testimony helped put away Jonah so many years ago. She also has tremendous guilt over the death of the off-duty cop, who saved her life. Two decades of trauma haunt Kara throughout her life, and she forever wonders about the fate of her sister, Marlie. With no friends, and only one remaining family member, her aunt, who doesn’t have the best of intentions regarding Kara and her inheritance. Her life has been a series of therapy, severe anxiety, paranoia, and heavy alcohol usage to take the edge off. Having the media attention hype up as Jonah is released from prison, Kara is looking for someone to trust. She finds a confidant in Wes, a freelance journalist and the son of the off-duty cop who passed away. They work together to solve the mystery of who is responsible for “The Cold Lake Massacre” and whether Marlie was also a victim, or is she still alive? When Kara receives cryptic messages that indicate Marlie is alive, along with discovering the dead body of Jonah’s dedicated lawyer the day after Jonah is released, things get more personal.

The questions and probable answers of what actually happened on that infamous night two decades ago make for a suspenseful page turner. Is Jonah innocent? And where is Marlie? And is Kara the next victim? The Girl Who Survived grabbed me for the first page until the very last. There was some repetition in the middle, but the mystery overshadows it. I enjoyed Kara’s traumatized but determined character and empathized with her. The scenes of the massacre are vivid and written out in a way that may trigger some readers. My first book by Lisa Jackson and I can’t wait to pick up the next one in the series.

I have been a fan of Lisa Jackson for quite some time and was really excited to read this book. Kara is 7 years old when her older sister tells her to go and hide because something bad is happening in the house. The entire family is murdered with one brother surviving and her sister going missing. The brother who survives, while injured, is found guilty of murdering the rest of the family. But, is he innocent? And what happened to her sister?

This is a roller coaster ride of twists and turns, and while I did guess some of the twists I still found it very enjoyable to read.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Lisa Jackson does a decent job with this new stand-alone thriller. I sometimes feel like she overly describes scenes and it loses the effect. Overall, a decent story, with a twist ending that I hadn't guessed.

I’ve always loved Lisa Jackson’s books and this was definitely no different. The present and past being told made it more enjoyable for me as we got a glimpse into what happened to Kara and it kept my attention

I loved reading this suspenseful story. This is not my first book by this author but it is one of my favorites yet. I enjoy this author's writing skills that make her stories come to life. Her characters pop off the pages. This is a well written story where a family massacure reveals some secrets that will never be forgotten. This is a fast paced, engaging story that is hard to put down. The twists and turns had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what will happen next. The characters are relateable and pull you into the story. They had me coming back for more. I enjoyed the growth of the characters and the plot throughout which made the story easy and entertaining. I really enjoyed what they brought to the story. I highly recommend this book and this author.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This book will make your heart pound out of your chest and keep you turning page after page until you finish. So good!

I am always immersed in Lisa Jacksons thrillers. I enjoyed the constant pace and lack of slow moments in the story. It was extremely well written. I couldn't put it down.

Another great book from Lisa Jackson! Part mystery and part thriller, it keeps you guessing until the end.

I think the "final girl" trope has been done and while I enjoyed this one, it is by far not my favorite. Still a good read.

Way back in the day, I was a HUGE Lisa Jackson fan. After awhile, I read several in a row that seemed very similar and moved on to other authors. Well, she's definitely back in excellent form with this one! Kara survives the massacre of her family at 7 yrs. old and her older brother is found guilty. 20 years later, she is being stalked and wants answers to her questions. Told in alternating timelines, this is a well-written, new spin on the "final-girl" theme that is so popular right now. I really felt for Kara, as she now has numerous personal issues due to survivor's guilt. There are some extremely messed up characters too, and I do love a good psycho! I recommend this one and will be returning to read some of the previous ones that I did not already read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Lisa Jackson and Kensington Books for this review copy. All opinions are my own.

A family brutally murdered. One child missing, one arrested and one orphaned. This story grabbed me at page one. A suspenseful thriller that will keep you on your toes trying to figure out what really happened on that deadly Christmas Eve.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of this thriller in exchange for my honest review. #Netgalley #Thegirlwhosurvived

The Girl Who Survived by Lisa Jackson is a thriller. Kara is one of the only survivors from a brutal family murder. She survived because her older sister hid her. But that is the only thing Kara really knows along with her parents are dead.

Kara struggled to survive the constant barrage of press and having to live with her aunt and her lazy boyfriend. She has horrid nightmares and still struggles with survivor guilt. Then her brother - the one who survived and was found guilty of murdering her family - gets out and Kara’s world begins to whirl. It is clear that she is being stalked - but by who. Kara does not have a strong posse of people who care about her and she ends up relying on a reporter to help her. At every turn another situation happens and Kara feels she needs help remembering what exactly happened.

Lisa Jackson writes thrillers. This particular novel kept me hopping from each revelation to the next. Kara’s nightmares seem to be happening in real time. The Girl Who Survived by Lisa Jackson was a good read.

Oh my gosh. #lisajackson #thegirlwhosurvived #netgalley how this amazing author is able to keep writing and still come up with a jaw dropping story that makes you gasp, noooooo way. It blows my mind. Kara was awoken late to her sister telling her to keep her mouth shut. There’s a bad man. Go. To the attic. Hide. But little Kara doesn’t like being up there. Alone. In the dark. The twists and the turns that this read will have you on is hands down definitely great for a summer beach read. Or. Even a rainy day read. Definitely add this to the #tbr #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #psychologicalthriller #murdermystery #netgalleyreview #bookrecommendations #netgalleyarc

A good and twisted Thriller Noir. Warning: it may be a bit too graphic for some audiences. An interesting premise that will hook readers right away.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

THE GIRL WHO SURVIVED by Lisa Jackson

This is a slam dunk of a intense, intricate, angsty, psychological thriller written in the style that Lisa Jackson does best. It starts out during the devastating massacre of her family 20 years prior as a surviving child of seven years old who was able to escape being chased onto a frozen lake. An off duty cop who was on vacation heard the screams & was able to rescue her as he was felled by a fatal heart attack. Her older sister Marlie hides Kara and locks her in the attic, then goes missing with only a few drops of blood left. While the only other survivor is in prison for committing the murders. The story goes from the past to the present with Kara still trying to find a way to live with what happened. When you think you know what direction the story is going, Ms. Jackson changes it up and keeps you off kilter. This is a 5 star read.

The first chapter really drew me in and I was super interested and invested, but after reading a few chapters, I had to skim it because I'm having a tough time reading it. Too many details and wordings are difficult to comprehend or is it just me? (lol). I wanted to love this because I am an avid mystery and thriller reader, but unfortunately, it's not for me.

We appreciate NetGalley for giving us the chance to read and review this ARC in exchange for our frank feedback.

This review pains me to write as I absolutely love Lisa Jackson. Unfortunately for me this time, this book was a bit of a let down. I will always recommend her books as I know there are those that will really enjoy it but it just wasn’t for me. This book was hard for me to get into. Usually I can put a book down, read something else, and then come back, and can come back with a renewed energy but with this one I didn’t. I finished it because I received it for an honest review. I found the characters hard to care about and got bored with the repetitive storyline.

Sorry to say but this one just didn’t do it for me. It by no means that I won’t read Lisa Jackson anymore because I love her books and I know I will enjoy her books once again, it just wasn’t this one as much as I wanted to.

Thank you to #netgalley and #kensington for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Kara McIntyre has always been known as the girl who survived, the girl who somehow managed escaping the person who took the lives of her family. It was an easy task, it's taken it's toll on her emotionally and mentally, there isn't a day where she still looks over her shoulder in fear. She's tried therapy, tried numbing the pain with alcohol and nothing seems to work... she will always wonder who killed her family. And now she is about to find out...

The Girl Who Survived is a spellbinding tale that will have your heart racing and mind going the whole way through. This one kept me on the edge of my seat and second guessing myself with every page I turned, it's words will reel you in, toy with your thoughts, and leave you rattled. If you are a lover of suspense novels then I have no doubt this one will give you that thrill you crave!! Highly recommend!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

I was super excited to see Lisa Jackson’s newest work available to request on Netgalley as I have been a big fan for many years! Therefore, I was ecstatic when my request was approved for an e-galley!

THE GIRL WHO SURVIVED is told in alternating time lines, mostly in the present but including flashbacks to key events in Kara’s past. Kara is the narrator of this tale; she was the sole survivor of the mass murder of her family twenty years ago. Her step-brother Jonas was convicted of these brutal murders, and her step-sister Marlie has been missing since. Jonas is released from prison after the chain of evidence on the murder weapon was revealed to be breached. A slew of new murders of people who had connection to the case in the past prompts the police to reopen the case. Kara is left unsure of what to believe and who to trust, but wants to get to the bottom of it all.

THE GIRL WHO SURVIVED is on par with Jackson’s previous work with a thoroughly engaging plot that contains plenty of suspense, mystery, and suspicion of all characters.

I personally was glued to the book, eagerly searching for the whodunnit to be revealed. The pacing was well done and kept my captivated for the duration of the novel.

I highly recommend this novel, but be sure to check the trigger warnings as there are some graphic and gore-filled scenes!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Kensington Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.</i>