Review: I went into this book completely blind, and was automatically hooked in. It starts off strong with a lot of action right at the beginning. The story is told through the perspective of Beth, who is looking for her missing sister. That turns into a twisty web of lies, secrets, and deceit. Lindsey disappears mysteriously in the first chapter and it’s a race for Beth to find her.

The writing was really good and really helped me stay immersed in the story. Each chapter unveiled another layer of the mystery. I really loved the two main characters Beth and Lindsey. There was great character development and they felt so real. This character development is what kept me hooked. It was interesting following the mystery of what happened to Lindsay and all the clues she left behind for Beth to discover.

There is a specific mystery tied to Lindsey involving adoption agencies that I found fascinating. I really was interested in where that was going. Some thriller fans might find that this is too much of a slow burn and is missing really big twists, but for me it was great. There was enough action and intrigued that kept me hooked the entire time. I needed to know how to ended!

This book comes out June 4, 2024! Thank you Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beth Ralston, a paralegal, has found her boss dead in his office on the night of an office party. Her older sister Lindsay is missing and she suspects she may be involved. Beth is determined to find out the truth behind her boss death and sister’s disappearance.

#DontaskDont follow was a suspenseful read. It is set in 1 POV filled with many family secrets and drama.

I enjoyed the read some pages are a little slow and mundane

#netgalley

Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow
By: Mary Keliikoa
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beth and Lindsay Ralston are sisters. Beth is a paralegal and discovers her boss dead in his office while a party is at the law firm. Lindsay is an investigative journalist and Beth sees her fleeing the scene.

Growing up they had shared the saying Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow as Lindsay would sneak out and Beth kept her secrets.

Lindsay comes up missing and Beth finds Lindsay’s cell phone in her purse with a message displaying g their secret message. No one else knows their code!!!!

This novel is full of family secrets, murder and corruption. Will Beth find Lindsay? Who killed her boss?

This was my first novel by this author and I will be looking for more. Thank you Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Mary Keliikoa for this advanced copy. This novel is a MUST read and available June 4, 2024.

#dontaskdontfollow, #marykellikoa, #thrillerbookloverpromotions, #oceanviewpublishing, #suspense, #thriller, #booksconnectus, #bookstagram, #bookreview, #stamperlady50

Mary Keliikoa did it again. Thank you netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Beth is a paralegal working at her father's lawfirm. Trying to make her way through life without his help. At the Christmas party, she finds her boss murdered in his office and her whole life as she knows it is changed forever.

I just really enjoy Keliikoa's writing and story telling. There is good character development, great plot, and realistic twists throughout. Looking forward to her next installment.

📖 Don’t Ask. Don’t Follow.
✍🏼 Mary Keliikoa
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I’m a big thriller fan, I’ve read all different types of thrillers but this story was very different to anything I’ve read to date.

What caught my attention with this book is the title but what I didn’t realise was how addicting the book would be to read. I went in blind, not reading the synopsis or any other reviews, and within the first few pages I was hooked. The sisterly bond between Lindsay and Beth really pulled me in and played on my emotions, and driven more so by the fact Beth and myself had the same nickname growing up and the relationship between the sisters isn’t to dissimilar to the relationship and bond I share with mine.

Granted, it is a slow burn but there was lots of information to take in and whilst the twists weren’t jaw dropping, they were perfect for the story. Overall, the book is certainly a page turner, I was addicted and needed to know how the story would play out and the end certainly didn’t disappoint.

The premise really drew me in. Beth, a paralegal working at her fathers law firm, stumbles on a crime scene where her boss has been murdered. She sees her sister fleeing the scene, finding a message left for her saying, don't ask don't follow. With her sister being unreachable and nowhere to be found, she ignores her warnings and sets out to figure out what happened.

The story really grabbed a hold of me right from the start, and didn't let go. I really liked the mysterious undertone where everyone was a potential suspect. The bond between the two sisters and Beth's unwavering resilience in finding her sister was inspiring. The character development was good, with how Beth positively evolved throughout the story.

The ending was good although it didn't surprise me. I had actually figured out a couple of plot twists half way in, but that might be due to me having read so many thrillers before. It also didn't stop me from turning the pages and finishing the book so all in all I enjoyed it.

Beth works as a paralegal. Her sister Lindsay is an investigative reporter and is often away on assignment. When Beth spies someone who looks very similar to Lindsay running away from the scene of her boss's murder, she is unsure what to think. From young, Lindsay has always told Beth "Don't Ask, Don't Follow" but this time Beth takes the investigation into her own hands. Can she figure out what is going on?

This was a unique thriller. I really enjoyed the legal intricacies woven throughout the story. While the book started off with a bang, I do feel it did lose its momentum a bit towards the middle but then it picked up again towards the end with that cracker ending. I really felt for Beth as she pushed herself to uncover the truth. With lots of twists, this fast paced novel kept me turning those pages at rapid speed. 

This book will be out in early June.

I wish I could actually read the ARC but words are broken up across the page and paragraphs are just giant blocks of text.

As a fan of Mary Keliikoa’s Misty Pines series, I was excited to read her latest, a standalone suspense novel titled Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow. She never disappoints and this is no exception.

The premise is simple. Paralegal Beth Ralston works for her father’s law firm. Returning to her office after attending the firm’s Christmas party, she sees her sister running from the building. Irritated that Lindsay has ditched yet another family obligation, Beth goes to check in with her boss before leaving. But she finds that Craig has been murdered and Lindsay has left her a cryptic message: Don’t ask! Don’t follow!

While the premise is simple, the execution is not. The author builds layer upon layer of suspense, doubt, and clues. Beth doesn’t know who to trust and neither does the reader. No one in Beth’s life is entirely who they seem to be, but just how far do the deceptions go?

Now that I’ve read and enjoyed something outside of the Misty Pines world, I can definitively say that Mary Keliikoa will be an auto-buy author for me. I rate this an enthusiastic 4 ½ stars and highly recommend Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow.

Two sisters, Lindsay and Beth
Lindsay works as an Iinvestigative reporter, while Beth works as a paralegal at her dad's firm

One evening during an office Christmas party, Beth found her boss, Craig, murdered soaked of blood in his office. Before that, Beth also saw Lindsay darted out from Craig's office. Beth found Lindsay’s phone in her purse with an unsent cryptic message, "Don't ask, don't follow". This line is often used when they were children, when Lindsay asked Beth to cover for her.

What Lindsay's involvement with Craig? What trouble she put her in now? While Beth work tirelessly to find Lindsay, she uncovers her dark family secrets which potentially destroy her family.

A bit of a slow burn yet the plot is great- so I can definitely recommend this if you love family thriller with mystery.

What a twisty adventure! I enjoyed the characters and Beth’s tenacity in trying to find her missing sister. I also really appreciated not being able to anticipate what would happen next! Those was a very entertaining read that should be added to your tbr!

Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow…

I have no words and that’s saying a lot being as though I have had the nickname “motor mouth” since I was a kid.

Oceanview Publishing, has released some (most) of my favorite thrillers and Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow, falls into the number one slot in this category .

Mary Keliikoa, you speak my love language and I will forever be a huge fan of yours.

I’ve read every thriller imaginable. The cheating husband, the evil children, the woman plagued with amnesia……..but nothing and I tell you nothing has ever been written like Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow, to date .

Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow is completely original to anything I have ever read and has left me transfixed on what this book just put me through. I might just have to read it again to make sure I did not miss anything .

I’m left with a massive book hangover and can not stop thinking about this book!!!

This is a book of the year and I can not wait to watch this one break the internet . Mary Keliikoa, is in the big leagues when it comes to skill and execution of the perfect book. What blows my mind is this was my first book by Keliikoa. After concluding Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow, I instantly went into stalker mode and found every book published by this author to date and purchased them all.

If you are looking for a book to blow your mind and satisfy your every bookish need, look no further, Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow, will quench your ever loving murderous need .

Check out this teaser :

Murder, dark family secrets, and the unwavering bond of sisterhood—regardless of the cost

Beth Ralston, a paralegal in Portland, Oregon, would rather be racking up billable hours than mingling at an office party—especially when her sister Lindsay, aka her plus one, is a no-show.

After making her obligatory rounds, Beth returns to her office to find that her boss, who she’d talked with moments before, has been murdered. She sees a woman fleeing the scene. Wait—was that Lindsay? Unable to catch up to her in time, Beth waits for the police to arrive and notices that Lindsay has left her phone behind with an unsent text message to Beth displayed on the screen: “Don’t ask. Don’t follow.”

Lindsay is unreachable for days, and when Beth starts to come under suspicion for the crime, she decides that waiting is impossible. While retracing Lindsay’s steps, determined to bring her home, Beth uncovers what her sister, an investigative reporter bent on changing the world, was trying to expose—corruption, secrets, and betrayal on an unimaginable level. Revealing the truth might bring back the one person she’s desperate to find—but it could also destroy the only life and family Beth’s ever known.

Beth is at an office party when she sees her sister Lindsey fleeing the scene of her boss’s murder. Beth gets a message from Lindsay, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow.” Now a suspect in the murder, Beth is desperate to find her sister. What was Lindsay doing with Beth’s boss? Did Lindsay kill him? Why did she run? Lindsay is an investigative reporter so was she working on a story? What was the story about? Was Beth’s boss helping her?

This started off great with several unanswered questions and a few mysteries to solve. I usually love first person narrative but with Beth there’s a lot of worry and anxiety as she rehashed her concerns over and over, without enough action tied to her thoughts. It seemed as if the reader was being told how they should feel instead of the emotion being invoked. Beth’s perspective is the only one we have.

The decisions and actions Beth did make were improbable based on her intelligence and experience as a paralegal and I had trouble suspending my disbelief. She also seemed to have quite an issue with her stomach because just about everything made her acid flare or her stomach clench. Poor thing is so stressed she suffers from indigestion. I was growing to like Beth with her tenacity and fierce loyalty but I just couldn’t make the emotional connection.

I solved the mysteries fairly quickly but was thinking there must be a great twist or surprise. That didn’t happen for me. There are a few reveals that many may not see coming but I got there right away. Perhaps I’ve read too many thrillers.

Thank you Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A decent murder - mystery novel. It was a little too long in spots but I enjoyed the twists (two actually surprised me even if it was foreshadowed and I should've guessed). Thr MC made a lot of terrible decisions and I felt even worse about the first death once I got to the end. The villains are horrible, not even an ounce of grey here. Enjoyable for a rainy Sunday.

Don’t Ask Don’t Follow is what Beth’s sister would say to her when she was sneaking out of the house or doing something she’s not supposed to. When Beth receives this message from her sister at the same time her boss is found dead, she knows something is wrong. Beth starts finding out what her sister was working on and things get interesting very fast. The story is fast paced with excellent characters. The ending surprised me. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Don't Ask, Don't Follow has it all - mystery, an investigation, shady characters, relevant and super current issues, and a great plot.

As a paralegal at a law firm, I'm generally quick to pick up books focusing on my industry and I'm so glad I did in this case! While I had a bit of a hard time connecting with Beth because her law firm experience was so different from my own, I appreciated how it added to the story and wasn't the primary focus. I particularly loved when the story shifted gears to finding Lindsay and uncovering her latest research.

This book had so many great layers and it was important to pay attention. The Ralston sisters were smart and it was fun unraveling the mystery with Beth as she retraced Lindsay's steps into the adoption scheme. It was hard to know who I could trust and I was definitely duped a couple times! I was also completely surprised by some twists later on in the book which is always a major plus for me!

I really liked Beth's development as a character. At first, I didn't feel a strong connection to her, but as she separated herself from her father's law firm and I felt her confidence and independence growing, I felt a kindred spirit. I loved how fierce and loyal she was, and also that while she was a rule follower, she wasn't afraid to toe the line or push for the right thing.

Overall, this was a great read. It was really unique, the pace really picked up about halfway through and I didn't want to put it down, and it surprised me in all the best ways. I definitely recommend!

Thank you to Thriller Book Lover Promotions, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley for the copy.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩.

Beth's story started off strong! She is reluctantly mingling at an office party at the law firm where she works as a paralegal, even though she'd much rather be working. She has an odd encounter with her boss, then after making some small talk, she heads to his office. She is devastated to find him with his throat cut and is even more shocked when she sees a familiar figure running from the scene...her sister Lindsay, a journalist.

Beth is plunged into the world of investigative journalism when the only trace of her sister is the cell phone left behind in Beth's bag, with an unsent text that mirrors her childhood mantra as the older sister, "Don't ask, don't follow." She knows her sister had to have been working on a dangerous case when no trace of her is found. What Beth finds out will change her family as she knew it forever.

I rated this book 3.5 stars rounded down because it grabbed my attention right away. I did feel as though it lost some steam in the middle and was bogged down with too much repetitive detail. However, the plot was unique and the twists were strong, and I would definitely read more of this author's work. Thank you to NetGalley and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for the early copy. This book will publish June 4, 2024.

A quick read about a sister’s journey to find out who her sister really is. The plot moves at the right pace for a thriller, while there were some drawn out parts, I strongly recommend this novel.

The complexities of sisters, alike yet different, different yet alike. Lindsay Ralston is an investigative reporter. Beth is a paralegal at their father's law firm in Portland for associate Craig Bartell. Holiday office parties are not a favorite of either sister, but their parents are big on appearances. Beth saw Lindsay hurriedly leaving Craig's office just a few minutes before finding Craig murdered in that very room. Is that why Lindsay didn't respond when Beth called her name? Why did Lindsay leave her phone behind for Beth to find with an unsent text, "Don't ask. Don't follow." That's just the beginning of the questions when Lindsay is missing, and Beth's the one left behind to answer the unimaginable.

The 1st person narrative pulled me into the story but sometimes slowed the investigation's suspenseful pace. A father's political aspirations, a mother's preference to retreat at the slightest chance conversation might become uncomfortable, secrets, and relationship entanglements that always have longer shadows than the view of their appearances.

"Book Club Discussion Questions" are available at the end of the novel.

p.s. I loved the character of Murphy! I hope you do too!!

Thank you to Mary Keliikoa, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel.

Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions and @oceanviewpub for the #gifted copy of this book!

Sisters make the best friends. That’s why when Beth sees Lindsay at the office party leaving in a hurry she is confused. Shocked to find out Beth’s boss is found dead and she finds a note that says, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow” Instead of turning Lindsay in, Beth is determined to understand just what her sister was running from. As Beth digs, she realizes Lindsay was uncovering quite the sinister network of dark secrets.

Wow, this is quite the complex heartbreaking story about a family mystery with very extensive underground operation. Packed with greed and poor decisions it ends up leading to the worst possible outcomes for the most unsuspecting people. 😭 This book felt more than just a thriller to me because of the complicated background and nature of the main plot of the story. I am a huge sucker for stories about sisters and this one was very satisfying as we know sisterly bonds can be tiiight. 👯 So happy to have found a new author that I would gladly read more by!