A Familiar Stranger is a standalone domestic thriller by author AR Torre. It is my first novel by this author. The story is centered around Lillian and her husband of many years. Lillian begins an affair with a mysterious stranger she meets at a coffee shop. The story poses questions about how well we knows those closest to us and who can we really trust. I love books about relationships and secrets so this one seemed right up my alley. It got a bit weird about half way through and went in a direction I hadn't expected and it kind of felt like I was reading a different book than the one I had started. The story is told in multiple POV and this helps to build suspense. There were a couple of major twists which were very shocking and left me gasping. The book wrapped up with no cliffhangers.
Overall this was enjoyable and fast paced book which I'd recommend. It offered a little something different from the standard domestic thrillers.

What In The Kentucky Clucky Chickens?! 😳😯😳🤯🤯

What. The. Floof?!! Excuse me?! Okay, hold up! Say what?! So, I become a fan of Torre last year and devoured every book in succession. She's a genius with thrill writing. When I got my paws on this ARC I felt giddy and excited. And let me assure you, it was even better than I expected or hopes for! Another fantastic hit! I can't even express the crazy mind bombs in this novel. Some real jaw droppers hands down! Get ready to devour this like your life depends on it. Because she's done something damn unique this time & executed it flawlessly.
Affairs can always be tricky; risky. But sometimes they can be dangerous... down right deadly. Lilian has a mundane life & feels unfulfilled. Sure, she has her teenage son she adores, her husband Mike, a job as an obit writer with flexible hours and a nice home with financial security. But after years of the day in and out she feels unsatisfied and her marriage is struggling. During a trip to a coffee shop, she runs into a man named David; decides to try on an alter-ego life named Taylor, which leads from friendship to affair. However, it is short lived when a seductive video is posted of her and him on a boat that her son is tagged in and sees & her two worlds clash. Causing an even further downward spiral for her, betrayal is something not to be taken lightly and Lilian will find out she's not the only one.
I swear Torre knows how to side line you & T-bone your mind with revelations & succulent twists and unveils. By far her best yet & my utmost favourite. The jaw dropping twist over half way through is one you will NOT expect. Don't even try.

Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
Release Date: September 27, 2022

I give this a strong 4.5 / 5 Bouquets! 💐

I read The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre back in 202 and it was a gut wrenching experience that I remember well. When I saw Torre’s upcoming release on @netgalley, I didn’t hesitate to hit the request button. I’m all about domestic dramas, the cat and mouse game, unpredictable twists and turns - I thought that was what I would be getting in A Familiar Stranger but alas, this was a miss for me. Why?

- It was fairly predictable and lacked those edge of your seat moments.
- The characters were all unlikeable and unremarkable.
- After a certain character’s death, they continued to have a postmortem POV and it just didn’t fit.
- There were too many loose ends and an unsatisfactory ending.

5 Stars!!!! This is the BEST thriller I’ve read in a long time! Loved the twist and turns and every twist was mind blowing!! This is a must read for all thriller lovers!!

Unlike Torre’s previous few books, which I really enjoyed, this novel didn’t grab me. All the characters were highly unlikable and a bit dull in ways. The cat and mouse that was supposed to be set up didn’t actually have me turning pages. The addition of the character’s chapters postmortem also seemed too much for me. The killer was predictable but also the connection between everyone was a bit fantastical for my liking. Overall, a miss for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Familiar Stranger by A. R. Torre A good suspense novel with a unexpected twist told from multiple perspectives. Lillian, Mike and David were not easy characters with whom to relate and they became unlikable toward the end of book. A different prospective with a supernatural element woven in. Not my favorite of Ms Torre's books ,however, will be looking forward to her future books

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was my third time reading A.R. Torre and I think this was my least favorite book by her. I struggled with the main character and found her to be a bit hard to connect with. The one and only character I actually adored in this book was Lenny. He was a great character who felt likable and real. There were definitely surprises in this book and a few things I didn’t see coming. Based on the other books I’ve read by AR Torre, I was a bit let down with this one. Her previous books were better developed and held more surprises. I will definitely read more from Torre in the future. This one just missed the mark a bit for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

This was a pretty slow burn for me. There were parts that got really interesting, I really enjoyed when the POV would switch between Lilian and Mike. It was pretty twisty with the plot, but other than that, it was a slow burn.

I definitely did not anticipate this story going where it did, however I really like that! It was a good suspense novel without leaving me feeling scared to go to bed at night. The plot twist was well executed, and I liked that it was told from multiple perspectives. It was a quick read!

Wow, I just loved this book from the very first. Great storyline. Left you wanting more.

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read b this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

What an amazing, suspenseful and original story. A ‘whodunnit’ of sorts - I bet you can’t guess who it was. I had so many theories, got to say I wasn’t too far off base with a couple of them. We’re taken on a rollercoaster ride throughout, with Lillian Smith leading the narrative, and continuing throughout, with the help of her husband, her best friend, her graveyard drinking buddy, and her lover. All POVs keep the story flowing and the questions unanswered. I’m not a fan of cheating in books, but this is done in a way that didn’t offend. I found myself rooting for Lillian, and hoping that she would get back on track with her husband. I always think things happen for a reason, and both David and Lillian were to blame for the consequences of their actions. Of course there’s a spanner thrown in the works and the whole story takes a turn I didn’t see coming. The halfway was a turning point, and I was struggling to put my kindle down. I needed to solve this puzzle. A great story (so many twists and turns), brilliantly written, and totally addictive. I loved it. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an arc of this book. <i>A Familiar Stranger</i> follows the story of Lilian, a ´boring´ and 'average' wife and mother who writes obituaries for a living and invents a more reckless and free persona when she meets David and thus, lies start to pile up on top of one another. This was my first A.R. Torre book so I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in. I think the first half did a decent enough job to establish who the characters were but whether it was intentional or not, I couldn't find most of them to be people worth rooting for. And I also have some hang-ups on how this book handles the protagonist's mental health. Still, though, I found myself staying up all night reading through a good chunk of this, waiting to see what would happen next. The second half of this book was... all over the place, in my opinion. I did guess some of the twists despite this book taking a certain turn at one point, and ultimately I found the resolution to be a little rushed and not completely satisfactory.

A Familiar Stranger by A.R. Torre

Lillian Smith writes obituaries for a living, has a less than attentive husband and a teenage son who has better things to do than strike up conversation with his mother.

One day while working, Lillian by chance meets handsome David in a coffee shop. She soon finds herself sucked into an affair where she pretends to be someone she’s not, no strings attached, no deadlines and now, a new job. During the affair, Lillian strays from everything important in her life.
Her husband, son, job and best friend.

Soon, evidence of her affair is posted on social media sparking outrage and even greater distance between her son. Much more is at stake than just a ruined marriage and reputation.

Lillian isn’t the only one living a double life.

First of all, thank you to #Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

When I saw A.R Torre had a new book releasing this year, I immediately wanted to try and snag an ARC as I have loved everything else she has written. I am sad to say that this one missed the mark for me. Im not entirely sure why? It could have been my mood….but for a thriller, I went in expecting more. More thrills, more edge of my seat, more “just one more chapter”. I didn’t feel any of those things which was a let down.

The characters in this book I could not connect with, nor did I like them very much. The plot is decent and the storyline is good but approximately 1/4 of the way in, I guessed the ending. I found it (for me) completely predictable with the exception of a few revelations *gasps* thrown in along the way.

My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.32/5

I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it🤷🏼‍♀️

* 290 Pages
* Publication Date: Sept 27, 2022
* Available on Kindle Unlimited
* Fiction
* Thriller/Mystery
* Dark/Tense
* Medium Paced Read
* Slow Burn Thriller

**Some of these triggers may contain spoilers**

⚠️ Triggers/Warnings ⚠️

* Toxic Relationship
* Infidelity
* Sexual Content
* Cursing

Enjoyed this domestic thriller by AR Torre. Great characters that worked well together. Lots of tension and twists. Fun read.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

**Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC**

I have not yet read A.R. Torre, but I know that everyone freaks out about her writing. So when this popped up as a choice for a Netgalley read, I jumped on it! In this book, we are following Lillian who lives a pretty average and boring life. Not much happens, but one day she finds herself meeting a handsome stranger at a coffee shop. Desperate for a change, they being an affair. But nothing will be the same if her hidden life is revealed.

On the surface, this might seem like your run of the mill domestic thriller...husband and wife...cheating spouse, secrets that could tear them apart, but I think that the characters particularly Lillian, are very well done. I enjoyed learning more about her and seeing who she was.

I was not expecting things to go the way they did, this was absolutely not what I was expecting out of this thriller. I loved the ride that we went on and now I am so much more eager to read other books by this author. If you think that this sounds interesting, I would 100% pick it up!

This twisty book had a great premise and was handled deftly.

Lilian, a disgraced obituary writer, with a disinterested husband and hard to read child, has turned to social media for recognition and to fulfil her needs. However a handsome stranger in a coffee shop helps Lilian realize she could turn herself and her identity around.

This book was definitely twisty, with several blindsiding surprises.

I really enjoyed the writing style, and I highly recommend this book.

This was my first by A.R. Torre and let me just say, it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this whodunit story and the way it was written.


This one starts off in just the POV of the MC Lillian, but changes once we get more into the story, giving us other perspectives of her husband, Mike, and friend Lenny. I really enjoyed getting inside the thoughts of the different characters because there was so much to unpack with this story. A.R. Torre did a great job of throwing you off as far as who the killer was. There were a few twists I did guess along the way, but the big one I did not see coming. It was a really entertaining story and I enjoyed it! 4⭐️s

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and A.R. Torre for this e-arc. Check out A Familiar Stranger on its pub date 9/27!

Lillian Smith writes obituaries for a living, and has a close friendship with an ex-cop, Lenny, whose daughter died, for which she wrote an obituary.
She finds out that her husband has been having an affair, and calls him out on it. Her husband ends the affair in order to cover up what he really has been up to.

Lillian's son is a quiet youngster, with no real relationship with either of his parents.

Lillian meets a man and starts a friendship with him, which turns into an affair. In the middle of the affair, she dies of a drug overdose on a Malibu beach.

Lenny engages his ex-colleagues to investigate his friend's death, and much more is discovered about Lillian's real life, and the scaly business dealings her husband has, and his affair, which was quite a twist.

All in all, I enjoyed the story, but really am not fond of the supernatural. There was enough intrigue that kept me reading the book. I found it somewhat slow, and felt that there was no real affection between the characters. I ended up disliking them all for various reasons.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Alright. Holy 💩

I mean, I have loved every single thing from the author. But this? This! Believe the reviews when they say they could not put this down. The first half had me. I thought, no way is this as groundbreaking as everything else I’ve read from her. No way is this earth shattering like the reviews said.

AND THEN THE RUG WAS PULLED FROM UNDERNEATH ME.

This was SO AWESOME. And so unexpected. And so unique. And so messed up. And SUCH JUICY GOODNESS. Is this my favorite thriller this year? Yes, yes it is.

A thriller with a deliciously wicked twist! Lillian, Mike and Sam are leading double lives and are keeping secrets from each other that are mind blowing. Each is trying desperately to keep these secrets hidden until Lillian discovers Mike’s. I kept trying to guess who had died and why and I was SO wrong. I gasped out loud when I found out who died and who actually was responsible. An intense thriller you don’t want to miss out on.