3.5 ⭐

I was fortunate to receive a space on the blog tour from Bookouture for this book.

This is a real page turner. How can you escape a serial killer once, but twice?! I did guess who it was just before the author revealed it, but I definitely wasn't suspicious earlier on.

This is my second read by Jessica and I really enjoyed it.

My favourite quote:
"High on life in the shadow of so much death."

I absolutely adored this tense and suspenseful read. I just couldn't put it down. Brilliantly paced, addictive, gripping. This book just completely wowed me.

This started out promising but didn't deliver. I found it to be a slow drag and felt it could have been trimmed in length. It took me ages to finish and just kept going downhill.

Most of the book was awfully predictable and I guessed the reveal (the who, the how, the red herrings, all of it) early on. Elaine and Guy were loathsome vultures but still better than everyone else, who had no personality and were there just for the sake of existing. The story was very repetitive, with the same facts and thoughts being mentioned over and over again. There were also lots of plotholes, with many things not making sense or matching up. (spoilers redacted).

The social commentary was also flat and felt lacking. It tries to discuss true crime but doesn't go in depth enough and offers a mostly one-dimensional take. Neither does it share any refreshing or new insights that don't already exist.

Wow!!! What a page turner this turned out to be.
This exciting thriller will have you burning the midnight oil as I literally could not put it down.
This brilliant storyline as we move between the past & the present really draws you in till you don’t know who to trust.
This intense psychological thriller will have you changing your mind time & again as to who the serial killer could possibly be.
Well written with well developed characters the twist & turns throughout just keep coming.
Ten years ago two girls were abducted as their car broke down on the way from their prom.
Norah & August were taken by a serial killer named Hansel & although he killed August her best friend, Norah somehow convinced him to let her go.
Ten years later Norah is concerned about going back home for her fathers funeral.
The nightmares of the past raise their ugly heads & she is struggling with reliving what happened to her if she goes back home.
August had a twin sister & although she keeps in touch with her, actually seeing her, it’s like seeing her dead friend August.
That is a memory she has tried hard to bury as the thoughts of that terrifying day are too much too bare.
She was always hounded by the police who always suspected she had something to do with the killing as no serial killer would ever let their victims go.
On top of that she was also hounded by a true life crime reporter who invaded every aspect of her life, hence the reason she left town ten years ago.
Can she go through all that again ?
Think I had nearly all the characters down as serial killers in the end as the author kept twisting the story & giving me red herrings to pose on.
This was a great addictive read for me & I absolutely loved it.
Not read anything from this author but will be definitely checking out more of her books.
If you love a good psychological thriller then this book is a must.

The Lucky One by Jessica Payne follows Norah, a kidnapping/murder survivor who watched her best friend get murdered. Years after the incident and Norah starting a new life far from home, her dad dies and the murders start again.

This was such a page turner with an interesting twist! I guessed pretty early on who Hansel (the murderer) was, but I only guessed it because i’ve read soooo many murder mysteries that I picked up on clues other readers may miss. The story did drag at times, there was a couple of times I found myself trying to skim but it really picked up from the middle to the end. If you’re looking for a whodunit type of read with lots on intensity then I definitely recommend this read! 3.5⭐️

A big thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Jessica Payne for sending me an advanced readers copy.

Fast paced, dark, and you never really know who to trust. Likable, but also equally suspicious characters, right up to the conclusion, this is worth your time. Jessica Payne is an author to watch in this genre!

This was an intense psychological thriller that kept me entertained the whole way through. I loved all of the mystery aspects of the book along with the lead character being a strong female. I feel like so many books in general make the female weak, dumb, inferior or just a rude person. So it was a relief to enjoy the MC Norah.

I loved the multiple timelines. It was done right since it was confusing on which timeline they were on.

The one problem I had with the book was after the big reveal, I feel like there were a few questions/situations not explained or the answer was super unrealistic. Like how did she not recognize Hansel?!!!! I’m sorry, but that was kind of a big problem for me. I understand she was a child and scared, but come on.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

To encounter a serial killer is rare but that is what Norah did. Now a MMA fighter she must face the idea that the serial killer is back for her.

This book keeps you guessing. The story idea is great and it is done very well. We follow Norah as she returns to her hometown following the death of her father. She is thrown back into the serial killer case from her childhood and is determined not to be a victim this time. The story is told mainly in the present with flashbacks to the past. I enjoyed this book and think it would be better read in ebook to keep the twists coming.

Ten years ago Norah and her friend, August, were abducted by a serial killer named Hansel. After he killed August, Norah was able to convince him to let her go. Now she's back in her hometown after news of her father's death. Once she arrives, things start to happen that make her think that Hansel has come back for her.

I enjoyed this book, even though I figured out who Hansel was before the reveal. I loved Norah because she was determined not to be a victim again. The chapters were short and the story kept me engaged. I'll definitely be reading more by this author!

Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for the advanced copy of this book!

I read Jessica’s first book and while it wasn’t necessarily my favorite, it was still a solid read! I was excited for this approval and have to say I enjoyed this one much more than the first! It was fun to come up with theories along the way as new events occurred and who I thought Hansel could be. The MMA aspect was also a cool female character trait that I haven’t seen before. Overall, I’d say this was a 4⭐️ for me!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance eARC!

Even when it was down to two suspects, I could not guess who the murderer was.

This book alternates between the past and the present. Ten years earlier, Norah and August, one of her best friends, were kidnapped and taken to a run down shack in the woods by a man in a mask. He kills August, but Norah manages to talk him into letting her go, by making him think that she cared for him. He was not caught. Soon after she graduated, Norah moved across the country and began taking lessons in MMA - mixed martial arts. She never wanted to feel helpless again. She is a trainer now, and is considering becoming a partner in the dojo where she works.

Now, Norah is back in town. Another of her close friends from high school is getting married and she is there for the wedding. Her father had died some time before, and she will also empty out the house and put it up for sale. They were not close as he was an alcoholic who had never gotten over Norah's mother leaving many years before. On top of that, a true crime reporter who has hounded her before is in town, and she discovers that a man she had trusted wrote a book about her. The owner of her dojo also shows up as support for her. He doesn't want to lose her. So many suspects.

Then the unthinkable happens, another murder of one of her friends, and she is a suspect. The question is, can she survive until the real killer is found? I read this book compulsively over two days. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a lot of twists that will keep you guessing until the end.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher Bookouture via NetGalley, without any requirement to write a positive review. These are my own opinions of the book.

I loved Jessica Payne's last book so I was really excited to read this but unfortunately it just didn't work. The main character's actions were so outlandish and unrealistic I just couldn't deal with it.

Another great thriller from Jessica Payne and @bookouture ♥️ This book has so many things that I love in a thriller and suspense novel:
♥️ Serial Killer
♥️ A super tough final girl
♥️ Plausible red herrings
♥️ Several twists
I definitely recommend checking out this book! It published last week, so no need to wait to grab it!

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

I was so happy that I got an early copy of Jessica Payne's second book after loving Make Me Disappear as much as I did earlier this year! And I think it's safe to say that I love anything she writes- this was so much fun! I loved the twists and turns that this book took. It did such a good job at making me question everyone and not know where it was going up until the end. I did think that the final twist was a little bit predictable and took away from the rest of the story a little bit, but I still genuinely loved the story and the characters and will definitely continue to pick up anything that Jessica Payne writes!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book from Jessica Payne - 4.5 thrilling stars!

Ten years ago, Norah and her best friend, August, left a school dance early only to be taken by a serial killer. August was killed but Norah managed to get away. She eventually left the area and moved to LA where she channeled her fear and rage into becoming a famous MMA coach. But when her estranged father dies, she heads back to her hometown. But she soon realizes that the serial killer hasn't given up on her.

This was a tense, fast-paced book that was tough to put down! Norah is being pursued by two different journalists, there's a rumor about her father's real cause of death, and now her close friends are in danger as well. Told in short chapters from the past and now, there are plenty of suspects to wonder about - even the police don't appear to be on Norah's side and wonder why a serial killer would ever let her go. I really enjoyed this author's first book, Make Me Disappear, and this one cements her place as a must-read author!

On their way home from prom, Norah and her best friend August are abducted by a serial killer named “Hansel” that has been responsible for 5 other deaths. Norah managed to escape from Hansel buy August didn’t, so she was dubbed “the lucky One” although she has never felt it, in fact, she has felt the opposite-always looking over her shoulder waiting for him to come back for her.
Years later she has built a life for herself as a successful MMA fighter and trainer and now a book has been written about her and as much as she tries to forget about it, it is shoved in her face when a signed copy gets delivered to her door just as she’s getting ready to go back to her hometown after the death of her father. The hometown she’s avoided all these years because she doesn’t want to face the town backlash and whispers and rumors about how she survived the attack and August didn’t.
Soon Norah is the the middle of another murder investigation, almost identical to Hansel’s MO. Who can Norah trust? Someone is watching her and won’t let her forget what really happened that night.
This was fast paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat right up til the end.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Norah and her friend August were taken by a serial killer named Hansel, ten years ago. Norah manages to survive, sadly her friend did not.
Norah had convinced Hansel she loved him and he let her go when she finds out her father is ill. He lives in Kansas, so she must return to take care of some things. Of course her past comes back to haunt her.
This was Payne’s sophomore book after Make Me Disappear. I recommend them both as they are riveting. Are you prepared for this exciting thriller?

I was seriously impressed with Payne's debut Make Me Disappear, and couldn't wait to see what her latest book had to offer.
It was a great premise, and the reader wonders straight away why Norah was spared death whilst her friend was killed. I liked Norah a lot, although I felt somewhat disbelieving at her naivety.
The plot, whilst it wasn't as obsessive to me as the debut, was a fantastic and gripping read nonetheless. Payne has certainly established that she is not a 'one-hit wonder' and psychological thrillers will love it!

Norah, was the lucky one, the one who survived a serial killer nicknamed Hansel. Hansel was never caught and ten years have since passed. Norah, an MMA coach, returns to Kansas City because her dad recently passed away. No sooner she returns than someone turns up dead and the hunt is on to find what happened to Hansel.

I really struggled to get into this one. The story wasn't very compelling and felt slow moving without too much happening. The characters weren't very well developed, and there was a lot that just didn't feel plausible. I thought the whole premise felt a bit weak. I really enjoyed the author's first work, Make Me Disappear, so I had high hopes for this one but overall felt disappointed.

Wow what a thrill! I am so glad I got my hands on a copy of this book. I really enjoyed the two time line aspects of this book! What a great idea.

You won't know where this book is headed. I was rooting for Norah all the way.

I will be reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to netgalley and bookouture for this arc.