A Familiar Stranger
by A. R. Torre

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the advance copy to review.
This book has it all. A wild ride and some. So many lies, What a book. You will be sucked into for the whole ride.

4.5 Stars!

I knew from the first page of A Familiar Stranger that I was going to love this book. Not that I had any doubts that I wouldn't. A.R. Torre's writing style is raw and addictive. I didn't read the blurb, so I went in completely blind. Each new chapter and character were a surprise that drew me in more. I loved how the story was told in a combination of multiple POVs and short chapters. Each chapter felt like a new revelation, one that kept me wanting more.  

So, what's this domestic thriller about exactly? Well, it's about Lillian Smith and some other stuff. (Like that shady description?) Lillian's a wife to Mike, mother to Jacob, friend to Sam and Lenny, and newspaper obituary writer. She's also kind of a mess and so is her self-professed boring life. In search of more, Lillian winds up having an affair. That affair sets things into motion that Lillian and those around her could not predict. That's all you're getting from me on the plot because you don't want me to spoil anything.

What I will tell you about is the characters. They were characters I loved to hate. They were pretty dang awful, but I couldn't help but root for them. There was something about Lillian that I could identify with. I don't know if I should admit that because she was a messed-up woman, and I hated her stupid choices. But she was great MC for this sorted tale. Then there was Mike. Lillian's husband was just as easy to dislike as Lillian. He had this careless way about him that frustrated both Lillian and me. Which is why it's probably funny that Mike was my favorite character in this book. There was just something about him. You'll get it when you read this book. Then, there were the other side characters. Some were Lillian's friends. Others were complete surprises. All were great voices to move the plot forward. 

Another thing I will mention is the twists. Did I foresee all of them? No. Some were truly surprising. Several blindsided me and one I guessed. It wouldn't have mattered if I saw them all coming. I would have loved them anyways. They made the way this story was set up highly entertaining for the reader. 

I feel like this review is probably lacking, but I don't know what else to say without giving anything more away. I had a lot of fun reading this book thanks to everything that went on in it. It also helped that I had my friend Stephanie was reading along with me at the same time because I needed someone to talk about this one with. There were so many things for us to marvel over and discuss. I think we both agreed that we loved the way things ended but had a couple of lingering questions, specifically regarding David Laurent.

Oh, Alessandra Torre, why do your books have to be so darn unputdownable? I lose sleep every time a new thriller of yours becomes available, and this is no exception!

The most exciting thing going on in Lillian Smith’s life is writing obituaries for the Los Angeles Times. She’s a wife and mother, but feels mostly invisible to everyone in her life.

That is, until she meets a stranger named David at Starbucks and begins an affair with him. She loves the excitement of what she’s doing, and feels powerful and carefree.

All is fine and dandy until the affair becomes public knowledge via a Tik Tok video that Lillian’s son sees.

That’s just the beginning of Lillian’s troubles…

This is such a smoothly written thriller with plenty of scandal and mystery, and I find it extremely easy to jump right into Torre’s world and enjoy the ride. I guessed some of the surprises, while a few others (one HUGE one in particular) never even crossed my mind. That huge one took me a little time to get used to, and I’ll be very curious to see what other readers think.

Regardless, I couldn’t help but to fly through the pages to find out what would happen next, and really didn’t want the story to come to an end.

If you haven’t read Torre’s books yet, I recommend changing that right meow!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 9/27/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

If you think this book is going to be a run of the mill domestic thriller where the husband is absent from the marriage, working late into the evening, not paying attention to his wife, having “dinner with clients" every night you are wrong! There is nothing average about this fantastic thriller! NOTHING!

This story was so clever and original! Once you start reading you find yourself wanting more and you will not be able to put it down! It’s the perfect bingeable read sprinkled with some WTF moments throughout! And the ending was perfection! I love books that make me scream WHAT! at the very last line of the ending. My mind was blown! Trust me, you do NOT want to miss this book!

I love this author’s work! THE GHOST WRITER and EVERY LAST SECRET are two of my top all-time favorite thrillers and this one did NOT disappoint! I also have THE GOOD LIE and the DEANNA MADDEN series on my shelf, and I hope to dive into those soon!

Well done A.R. Torre! I have found another auto buy author.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my e-ARC.

Wow! This book moves so quickly that you do not want to put it down! Loved all the twists and unexpected turns. The ending will make your jaw drop! Great thriller!

This was such a wild ride! 

We start out knowing from the synopsis that Lillian leads an unexceptional life, with her inattentive husband and disconnected son and that she has been lured into an affair with a stranger. 
To begin with, it was intriguing but as I went along, it was so twisted and unexpected. I think this may leave readers divided, but personally, I enjoyed the completely unique twist and I could never have anticipated the wild ride I was taken on. 

This author has become an auto-read for me and I can't wait to see what they do next.

Lillian is living a lackluster life with a Husband that treats her like an afterthought. After finding he’s having an affair, she soon invents a new persona and her life begins to change. The interesting twist is that not only has someone been murdered, but we don’t know the identities of the murderer or the murdered.

I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately I just didn’t. This is the second book that I’ve read by A.R. Torre, and will probably be my last. I’m sure there are plenty of people that love Torre’s books, and I’m probably in the minority, but her writing style just isn’t for me.

Thank you so much to the Author & the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!

An absolutely engaging read. This is the first book I have read by this author. I will tell you I never knew which way it was going to turn after each chapter and the story had me on the edge of my seat. I could never have predicted the ending. Thank you so much for such an engaging read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

This book is dangerously good. It’s difficult to stop reading once you start.

The main character, Lillian, writes obituaries for the LA Times. She is almost 40 and has been married for 18 years to Mike who works for a financial firm. She said, “My husband loves to solve problems, which is probably why he married me.” She believes he is having an affair but can’t prove it right away. She said a clue is the three words he says before leaving in the evening: “don’t wait up.” She bought a book hoping to find some more signs: “How To Catch A Cheating Spouse.” That’s when, without really looking, she met David whom she found to be very appealing. She introduced herself as someone else – a dead woman’s spirit -- to make it more exciting.

The book has section headings throughout which marks: six weeks down to one week before death. It’s up to the reader to try to put all the clues together to figure out who is going to die.

The author incorporates tons of subtle pieces of suspense which makes the reader turn the pages quickly. The timing is perfect. The chapters are short with alternating view points from the characters which makes it interesting. It’s like being in a circle of friends and wanting to find out what’s next with relationships and secret lives. The ending was totally unexpected for me. Included is a list of Book Club Questions which is always a plus.

My thanks to A.R. Torre, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book with the expected release date of September 27, 2022.

Stop what you're doing right now and request this book. I feel like I've been punched in the gut. The plot is wickedly, fiendishly clever, with a dazzling array of characters, some you will love, and others you will pray for their downfall.

Lillian Smith enjoys posting death-related riddles on her Twitter and giving a person's life meaning in the carefully crafted obituaries she writes for the Times. Her husband is distant and reserved, and suspecting an affair, she has one of her own. She is enjoying her secret double life, but she's not the only one putting on one face for the world and another in her private life.

This book is structured around a macabre countdown to death...two weeks before the death, a week before, the morning of, etc. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING could prepare me for the utter genius this author created. Everything was so carefully constructed until like a house of cards, it all came crashing down. You DO NOT want to wait until September 27 to read this! Thank you so much to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for this early read.

What did I just read!?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Do you like classic, traditional domestic thrillers rooted in reality? Don't read this book! But if you're willing to take a gamble and try something a little outside of the box, I think you might like The Familiar Stranger by A.R. Torre.

This book starts off as your average thriller. A cheating husband. A vengeful spouse. Then at the start of the third act the plot goes absolutely bat-shit crazy. I was so confused but then it sucked me back in. I stayed up until 2:00 am finishing the last 80%.

Somehow, amongst the insanity that ensues, I found a few things slightly predictable? But then other things completely bizarre. But I cannot say I was not entertained.

This is my third A.R. Torre new release and I highly recommend Every Last Secret and The Good Lie. And if you liked those, definitely give this one a shot. But from a fan to you Alessandra I am begging you for better titles. I still don't understand what any of the last three are referring to 😂.

The Familiar Stranger releases September 22nd. Thank you #netgalley for the advanced copy.

If you're looking for your next auto-buy author when it comes to twisty domestic suspense, A.R. Torre is it! "A Familiar Stranger" is now my third Torre novel, and I officially can't get enough of her unpredictable, read-it-in-one-sitting novels.

Lillian Smith, our ordinary leading lady, lives a predictable and rather lackluster life as wife to Mike, mother to Jacob, and obituary writer for the prestigious LA Times. Enter David Laurent, the enticing stranger who may just change not only Lillian's life, but the course of everything else around her as well.

Without giving too much away, as I find that Torre's novels are best devoured mostly-blind and in as few sittings as possible, this book is well-written, fast-paced, and out-of-the-box with its twists and characters. Even as the story unfolds, it stays plausible and intentional; Torre is not one (at least in my reading experience) to throw in dramatic dialogue or an unconvincing plot twist for shock or entertainment value.

My reading month has consisted of more thrillers than anything else, and yet "A Familiar Stranger" still veered off in a direction I didn't expect at all. A must-read for fans of Torre's earlier work, and anyone looking for a domestic thriller to breeze through!

I have to say that I was VERY excited to receive this ARC! A.R. Torre has not disappointed me yet in any of her titles that I have previously read. I feel that I am in the minority with this review, and am quite shocked, to be honest, that I am giving it. I just did not connect to the characters in this book, and it just fell flat for me. I found myself wanting to skim as early as the 30% mark, which is very unusual for me. I just felt that the characters lacked substance in order for me to get to know them, empathize with them, or just even care about what happened to them. I had such high hopes for this one. Needless to say, this was not my favorite of Torre's books, but it will not stop me from reading more by her in the future.

This book was a really good read, how when one woman throws caution to the wind whilst having an affair and nearly becomes someone else until things turn a corner one day and life is never the same again ..

Take a look at that cover! Is it any surprise that I chose this as my Myrtle Beach *beach read* last week? Set up the beach chair, slather on some sun block, a cooler of frosty hard seltzer by my side, and let A.R. Torre float me away to the sound of crashing waves. 🌅🌴🌊🍺

Lillian is a wife, mother, and writer of obituaries. A morbid job to many but one that she has always excelled at. She has a gay best friend named Sam that is her rock and shoulder to lean on when times are tough. She has battled alcoholism and depression in the past but has had it under control until just recently when she suspects her husband of having an affair.

We are aware as readers that someone has died but what we don't know is the who, what, when, where, and how. All I can say is expect some shocking surprises.

This book was a legit page-turner as I have come to expect whenever I pick up a new A.R. Torre book. About half way through Torre decides to shake things up like a bartender making your favorite cocktail with the same effects - that was good, fun, but I'm feeling a little dizzy and wobbly on my feet. This is going to be polarizing among the reader community for sure. I can't say that I loved the direction she took it in but I wasn't disappointed either. Want to know why? Because she wasn't afraid to do something that she knew readers would either love her for or be cranky about. That takes authorial balls in my opinion. I can only assume as writers, like us readers, get bored writing the same old thing and even they need a little pizzazz sprinkled in to keep their writing mojo going. She's done just that here and for that I applaud her. 3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.

This is my second read by Torre and I can say that she may be climbing the list as a favorite author. The way she wastes no time getting into the story, everything is face paced and exciting, keeps me engaged the whole time. I rarely go into books blind, but started reading this on the plane so I had to and I am so glad I did. I had no idea what was coming, who to trust and didn’t even attempt to make predications. The twists that were thrown my way impressed me (this can be hard to do!) and I loved the different story lines and POVs. (I loved me some Lenny!) I would say I was left wanting more from the David story line, but besides that I absolutely loved!

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This book is amazing. I was hooked from the very beginning. Absolutely, devouring each page. The deception is insane! Add this one to your TBR list now because you will not regret it. Tjos os easily one of my favorite books of 2022 this far. The ending left me with my mouth on the floor. I will now be purchasing every book ever written by A.R. Torre.

Wow! This novel is amazing!
It is twisted, intriguing, horrifying and intense!
I was never sure what would come next which made me turn the pages with speed to learn of main character Lillian's fate!
She seems so quiet and calm and oddly ordinary. But.... is she really???
Do yourself a favor and do not hesitate to read this book!
You will love it!
Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley and #Thomas & Mercer for this ARC and allowing me to read and review it. Incredible!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. This was the second book I've read by A.R. Torre and it didn't disappoint. I finished it in just a few days and it was suspenseful enough to want to keep reading. Lillian has a troubled marriage, a son that is on the edge of being troubled and embarks on an affair with a man that she meets in a coffee shop. Twists and turns, lots of suspense and a surprise ending.

Finally (after searching for ages) I have found a domestic thriller that loved and really enjoyed reading. This book does everything right and I can't be happier to rate it 5 stars.

"A Familiar Stranger" is about Lillian Smith, a typical wife and a mother. She leads a very unexpectional and boring life. The only exciting thing she has in her life is her work. She writes obituaries which she really loves to do. But things changes when she gets fired one day and caught her husband in cheating on her. Lillian becomes reckless and she herself starts having an affair. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.

As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.

"A Familiar Stranger" uses alternative povs to tell the story. All of the povs were equally interesting to follow. There were so much more to the characters than initially met the eyes. A. R. Torre crafts the story very artfully, the amount of scheming she does before revealing the main plotline is awe inspiring. Every detail, every event ended up playing a huge part in the book. While reading this book, the readers must not overlook stuffs by considering them unimportant. Because everything comes to mean something later.

The whirlwind of unpredictable events shocked me. I was really surprised with the sudden turn of the plot took. It felt like a generic domestic thriller at first but then it took a U turn and became something else. Everything exhilarated so fast that I found myself holding my breath. I have no idea how to classify this book. Is it suspense or thriller or horror? I guess it has all of these aspects. Though it leans towards suspense a lot more but it also utilizes horror/paranormal elements.

This book is absolutely riveting. It only took me a few pages to get hooked. The story is fast paced, gripping and heart pounding. There was never a single boring moment for me. The book is full with unexpected twists and turns. Even though I predicted some of the twists, a few of them literally blew my mind away. The level of insanity here built up slowly, ratcheting up until I was ensnared in its fun. I had so much fun with this book. It was exciting, engaging and idiosyncratic. "A Familiar Stranger" was my first book by A.R. Torre but it surely won't be the last. I can't wait to read more by her.....