Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for graciously allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A wonderful thriller from Jessica Payne, and a thriller with a serial killer, too!

Norah escaped a serial killer 10 years ago.. Her friend did not. But did she really escape? It doesn’t look like it.

Norah is back in Kansas City to bury her dad, and for her best friend’s wedding. But of course, nothing is as it seems.

If you like a fast paced, serial killer story then this one is for you.

Can you survive a serial killer, twice?

Norah and her friend was attacked by a serial killer after going to a Prom party. Her friend was brutally murdered while she miraculously escaped. 10 years later, she's back in town. And the crimes of the past start hunting her again.

A little bit repetitive and boring at times. Too many characters means too many suspects which kind of help increased the suspense and the mystery. The reveal of the killer's identity fell a bit short because for me, the characteristics of the killer described 10 years ago didn't really match. Like, I was supposed to believed that he was 20 years older than Norah, but anyways.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Jessica Payne writes a twisty thriller in "The Lucky One". The heroine of this novel has just found out her father is dead. She leaves her job as a coach and fighter in mixed martial arts. Back at home, she must face the issues that caused her to leave her home and family. At the high school prom, she and one of her best friends were abducted by a serial killer. She alone survived. Once home strange things related to that killing several years before start happening. It is clear the killer is back...but who is he/she? It is someone close to her, but who? This book was well written with surprising plot twists and interesting characters. It starts slow but builds, so if tempted to give up on it don't. It is worth finishing. The real killer is revealed in the end. It took a while, but is a good read. Thanks to #TheLuckyOne#NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Ohhh this was a pacey and clever little thriller. I really liked the basic setup here, especially that Norah was able to trick a serial killer back when she was in high school into letting her go. Obviously I immediately needed to know how because I just knew anyone who could manage that was someone that would be interesting to read about. Norah was definitely fascinating, she took all her fear and anger surrounding her past trauma and channeled it into a career for herself as she’s now a famous MMA fighter and coach. Seriously badass! So I was definitely rooting for Norah and then you have this exciting and fast paced storyline that really kept me engaged. The chapters were short and many ended on a small cliffhanger which really made me want to keep reading. The author did a pretty good job at misdirecting the reader and I had fun trying to figure out who the killer was. My first by the author but definitely not my last, definitely a fun binge read with good tension and thrills.

Norah was the lucky one, escaping from a serial killer after he murdered one of her friends. Ten years later she is drawn back to her home town by the death of her father and finds her safety threatened once more. Who is Hansel a killer who leaves a trail of metaphorical "breadcrumbs leading to his kills? This is a twisty novel with red herrings aplenty. couldn't sleep until I finished it. It's not over until it's over!

A definite page turner. Great job of keeping the focus on several different characters in order to keep the reader guessing. Perfect edge of your seat popcorn thriller!

This book is one that most mystery books fans will really enjoy.
The plot had so many twists and turns I couldn’t put the book down
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery or thriller.

Did I finish this in one sitting?

~Damn true I did.

Is this book recommended?

~ YES, to all the thriller lovers.

There are millions of books in the market of thriller genre but only some of them have all the qualities which I like most, - fast-paced, more conversations and less long paras, emotional connection, little romance, lots of suspense and thrill, a gruesome serial killer, a strong female protagonist, a girl with a podcast and lots of death.

This one totally belongs to the game. It was my first book by the author but definitely not gonna be the last one. The story was well framed and the narration was absorbing and engaging. There was still scope for better presentation but that constitute so little against all the Intriguing storyline.
Norah was such a good character and I really liked the representation of the character of Hansel. No matter what he was, he had me fall for him in 80 per cent of the book.

This was a fast paced thriller circling around the hunt of a serial killer. Very cat and mouse feel to it until the very end which was enthralling.

Norah and her friend were abducted after prom and she watched her friend get murdered. She was able to survive that night and move forward. Ten years later her father passes away and she has to come home and face the music. Unfortunately that music is the serial killer is back and has been patiently waiting for her.

Likes: I liked the main character, Norah. She has a badass vibe from being a survivor of abduction and watched her best friend be murdered but lived her life to be strong both mentally and physically. Really liked seeing a female role not stumbling upon her life and living woe is me forever. The plot itself was entertaining and I was hooked on finding out all the truths.
Dislikes: as being a psychological thriller/ mystery reader the end was a bit eye rolling. I saw it coming halfway through the book. The character breakdown was picked through on who would have the in depth moments and others that needed it were overlooked. Overall it was a very quick easy and entertaining read.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a good one. I thought I knew who “Hansel” was about halfway through, but the author does a great job of throwing enough shade on other characters so that I kept second-guessing myself. Although my instinct turned out to be correct, I wouldn’t call this a predictable story. The way Payne builds the characters and has the story progress, it could have been just about anyone, and I’m excited to check out some of her other work. I recommend The Lucky One for fans of suspense, true crime, and thrillers.

#TheLuckyOne #NetGalley
Outstanding. A must read.
This was a hell of a thriller with sinister suspense which will remind you of BLOOD WILL TELL by Heather Chavez. Although it's very much different than that one.
When two girls leave prom early and break down on the side of the road, one ends up surviving a night with a serial killer. Ten years later, she has returned to her hometown in order to bury her father, an older, wiser woman. Now an MMA fighter and coach, Norah is determined to never be a victim again. However, she is doubted by the police, stalled by a true-crime blogger/podcaster, and tricked into being in a true crime book. When more people around her start dying, Norah has to decide if she can find the serial killer herself.
The story is written in both timelines showcasing both the crimes together for the reader to see Norah in present as well as in the past.
Starting was very brief and brilliant and the pacing continued till the final page. This proves that Jessica Payne knows what a reader wants from a psychological thriller. It's a must read for every psychological thriller fan.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advance copy.

📘Book Review📘
🍀The Lucky One by Jessica Payne🤞

When two girls leave prom early and break down on the side of the road, one ends up surviving a night with a serial killer. Ten years later, she has returned to her hometown in order to bury her father, an older, wiser woman. Now an MMA fighter and coach, Norah is determined to never be a victim again. However, she is doubted by the police, stalled by a true-crime blogger/podcaster, and tricked into being in a true crime book. When more people around her start dying, Norah has to decide if she can find the serial killer herself.

This book has alternating short chapters from both series of crimes, allowing the reader to see Norah in both time periods. There are plenty of red herrings and characters readers will love to hate as well. Norah, however, is a heroine to root for.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my free review copy.

10 years ago she escaped from a serial killer. But her friend never made it. People called Norah the lucky one but she never felt like it. She moves away but then has to go back to Kansas because her dad passed away and all of a sudden people are coming up dead and she becomes a suspect. I’m in the minority of how I’m rating this book. It was just ok for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release.

“Ten years ago, I survived a serial killer. They called me the lucky one, but they don’t know the truth I’ve been hiding ever since.”

My first Jessica Payne book and I’ve already dubbed her as a non-bookmarkable author! She writes to reduce the number of bookmarkable places in her story….in other words, she writes binge worthy books.

I love a book that grabs me at page one and never lets go! This one was difficult to put down…and that’s a good thing. Often authors focus on a great hook to keep readers interested within the first few pages, but Jessica Payne has realized that it’s equally important to keep readers reading. Where many authors end a chapter at the natural break in a story, like the end of a ‘scene’, Payne ends chapters leaving things unresolved or cliffhangers.

Payne does two things I used to hate: time hopping and cliff-hangers. BUT, they are done so extremely well that it actually adds to the enjoyment of the book.

I loved this compelling, ramped up, tension and suspense-filled psychological thriller.

I was gifted this advance copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

A psychological thriller with the main character Norah who was very relatable and strong independent protagonist. This book is absolutely spine-tinglingly suspenseful i couldn't wait to keep reading and completely binged it. You could easily read this book in one sitting. its full of tension and thrills. A good solid story that grips you and holds you to the bitter end. I would highly recommend.

Holy suspense!! Jessica Payne has some serious talent for writing thriller novels. I loved Make Me Disappear but this one reached another level for me. The main character, Norah, is such a bada** and I easily connected with her. This one is a fast and furious ride, so hold on tight as the suspense never lets up! The chapters are short, and I could easily have finished this book in one sitting if life didn’t get in the way. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this one! And make sure to keep this author on your radar!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Jessica Payne for providing me this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ten years ago Norah and her friend were abducted by a serial killer dibbed as Hansel. Her friend was killed but Norah escaped by telling him she would always be there for him.

Ten years later she returns to her home town after her father dies and the mystery and intrigue start there.

I though the book started a little slow, but once it picked up I hated to put it down.

This was a fun and twisty read that I finished over a few hours. The story centers on Norah, who heads home to Kansas City upon the death of her father, having fled a near death experience with a notorious serial killer 10 years earlier. Once back in her hometown, it becomes obvious that the person she escaped will not let things go until she fulfills the promise she made in order to get away all those years ago.

This was a fast paced read with a lot happening and a whole cast of characters who may be the next victim or even the villain. While I did figure out who the culprit was, I questioned myself a couple different times. My only real nit with the book is that I didn’t like the way the cops were portrayed- they seemed to be a mix of insensitive, lazy, and ineffective and it grated on me a bit. I also couldn’t understand why Norah kept letting people back into her life that she didn’t want anything to do with (but won’t say more because I don’t want to accidentally spoil anything). The end of the book was action packed and everything got tied up pretty neatly.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought it was both action packed and suspenseful. I liked Payne’s first book as well, and am looking forward to reading more! Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Suspense/ psychological thrillers are one of my favorite categories of books to read and I thought that this one was a great example of the genre.

I did predict the ending and find some of the “breadcrumbs” slightly predictable, but it didn’t damper my enjoyment of the story.

The entire premise of Norah using her “womanly wiles” to lure the serial killer into letting her go was something I found difficult to believe as the event that set the tone for the story and how it unfolded, but I still found it to be an interesting plot and one that built off that narrative with some interesting twists.

I liked the combination of the “final girl” trope with the ongoing investigation of who the serial killer or copycat was, and thought Payne did a great job casting doubt on many of the characters and their involvement!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookoture, and Jessica Payne for letting me reading this in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun read! The blub about the book is what really drew me in to the story overall. I haven't read a fiction I survived story, but Norah's story hooked me in after the first chapter. Her story between surviving a serial killer to returning to her hometown was really interesting. An amateur MMA fighter turned coach was a new one for me.

The pacing of this book was executed extremely well, I didn't realize there were 89 chapters until the very end. It moves quickly, often with multiple chapters taking place in the same timeframe, or even in the same scene. I wasn't just interested in the mail characters, the supporting characters brought just as much to the story. I will say I had my suspicions about the serial killer pretty early on into the book, and it was confirmed for me towards the end. Payne leaves breadcrumbs for the reader throughout the story just like Hansel to his victims.

The only thing about this book that gave me the ick was Chloe being described as "dark skinned." As a Black woman, I can assume that Chloe is also Black, it just would've been nice to just say so.

This was my first Jessica Payne novel and I really enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to diving more into her work.