Member Reviews
Her Perfect Revenge is a slow-burn thriller that provides an interesting mystery.
Alex and Felicity’s wedding day turns tragic as Alex dies during a midnight swim. When Alex’s cause of death is ruled homicide, the police begin looking into the death of Alex’s former fiancé, who died in a similar manner.
The story is told in two timelines and through multiple perspectives. However, I never felt connected to any of the major characters. I didn’t understand Alex’s motivations. Felicity seemed bland, and I really didn’t care much about her. The “swim group” characters were one-dimensional. As a result, the suspense felt lacking.
There are some interesting twists, some of which may not be a surprise to thriller readers. The identity of the killer is a surprise, but only because the character had not been fully developed and we didn’t know enough about the character to suspect that person of murder.
Readers that want a quick mystery will enjoy this, but the lack of suspense will be a let-down for thriller readers. I have to rate this as three stars out of five since it is being described as a psychological thriller and I do not feel that it met the criteria for that description. As a mystery, it rates four stars out of five.
Thank you to @NetGalley and the publisher for this advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
First time I have read this Author. I enjoyed this book. Good writing style . More a mystery than a thriller. I guessed the reveals but did not stop me liking it. Would definitely read her next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.
This is one of those books that gets better and better as the story progresses. The twists and turns keep coming throughout the book. It starts with a wedding by the ocean and a midnight swim in the cold, dark water by the newlywed couple and their friends. But the groom swims out far and doesn't make it back. Was it a tragic accident or something else? At first, the premise seemed odd - who does a midnight swim at their wedding reception? - but as I got to know the characters, it totally made sense. This was a close group of swimmers that enjoyed the exhilaration of the cold water and would definitely do a midnight swim. The storyline goes from present to past and back and forth with different first person narrators - including one who is anonymous, but it is easy enough to follow. There's flirtation, control, abuse, secretive relationships, two-faced personalities, lies - and they all add up to lots of drama, suspense and craziness. I had guessed one of the twists, but there were others that caught me by surprise. This was a fun and quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC.
First and foremost, thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and of course, Lesley Sanderson for allowing me an advanced reader copy of this book to review.
If I had to sum it up in just one word? Wow.
Just wow!
‘Her Perfect Revenge’ is the perfect thriller. The prologue gives you goosebumps, and the chapters that follow are so full of twists and turns, that even just for a moment, it’s literally impossible to look away.
What’s it about? In short, the sequence of events following the drowning death of a man on his wedding night; but more significantly, the developments of what turns out to be a murder investigation - in which his bride is the sole suspect.
Do I recommend? So strongly, I want you to start reading it the second it’s released.
No word of a lie, run - don’t walk!
#HerPerfectRevenge #NetGalley
Wow!!!
Alex and his newly married wife, Felicity, and their swimming group go for a midnight swim in the ocean after the reception. It's cold, eerily silent, and almost pitch black, and the greatest swimmer in the group does not come back. Did Alex push his limits or did something more sinister happen? You won't know who to trust.
I've never read anything that included wild swimming and I felt it really added to the story here. I enjoyed reading the well-detailed descriptions that really punctuated the dangers of swimming in open water.
Once the body of Alex is found, the investigation begins revealing many secrets about Alex and his late fiance's similar manner of death.
I was hooked.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advance copy.
Her Perfect Revenge is a fast-paced gripping psychological thriller.
Lesley Sanderson did a phenomenal job setting the scene, from the very beginning I felt a sense of foreboding and was wary of every character.
Alex and his newly married wife, Felicity, and their swimming group go for a midnight swim in the ocean after the reception. It's cold, eerily silent, and almost pitch black, and the greatest swimmer in the group does not come back. Did Alex push his limits or did something more sinister happen? You won't know who to trust.
I've never read anything that included wild swimming and I felt it really added to the story here. I enjoyed reading the well-detailed descriptions that really punctuated the dangers of swimming in open water.
Once the body of Alex is found, the investigation begins revealing many secrets about Alex and his late fiance's similar manner of death.
The present and past chapters flowed and kept me engaged. The many povs worked for me and helped move character development along. Some revelations I guessed but didn't see that twist coming but I enjoyed the reveal. I do wish we would have gotten more of a backstory on Alex, to really understand his vile character.
I highly recommend picking this unputdownable thriller, you'll want to finish it in one sitting.
Releasing October 18th, 2023.
Thank you Netgalley, Lesley Anderson, and Bookouture for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Told in the past and the present ( not changing every chapter dependant on wnat was happening ) and with the added ‘anonymous’ chapters this psychological thriller ticked all the boxes it should tick
I liked that the story was loosely based around a swimming group that meets every Morning to swim in the sea and the descriptions of the water and the thrill it gives were written really well ( as were the dangers…)
An exciting opening that built nicely until the inevitable happened ( as in all good disaster scenes in books/films you knew it was coming as the tension grew ) and then a maybe slightly at times character too rich rest of story and an ending I read 3 times just to be sure had it right
Alex is vile…but well written
Overall a good read with ‘wave after wave’ of surprises 😎D
Her Perfect Revenge by Lesley Sanderson is a fast-paced read that will sweep you right up in its twisty, cleverly executed narrative.
Felicity and Alex marry not long after the death of Alex's former fiance Beth, having come together in their shared grief. Deciding to cap their perfect day with a midnight swim for all who wish to join them, things take a tragic turn when Alex presumably drowns. Suddenly Felicity goes from newlywed to the prime suspect in a murder investigation.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs that were utilized to fully flesh out a storyline that is complex enough to keep you on alert for any potential red herrings. I cannot wait to see what Ms Sanderson has in store next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.
Really fantastic read, couldn’t put this down. Perfect for anyone looking for a good psychological thriller that keeps u on the edge of your seat. Fantastic plot, fantastic characters.
5 stars
Wild swimming is such a mainstream pastime nowadays and this thriller taps right into the trend, with Alex and wife Felicity inviting their wedding guests to swim in the sea at midnight, following their wedding reception. Shockingly, just hours later the body of Alex, a strong swimmer, is pulled from the sea.
The police investigation uncovers rivalries and secrets among the couple's circle of swimming companions. And it transpires, someone else who was close to him also drowned in a previous tragedy.
It was slightly unbelievable in places but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story and the exciting denouement.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
This book was a great read! It kept a fast pace, enough details to keep me interested and reading to find out more! I had to slow down at times as the chapters to bounce from present day to the past and from different characters POV. Not confusing, just had to slow down to keep it straight at times. Easy to follow the characters, not so overwhelming and enough details of each to know each perspective. Only part I was disappointed in was that the reveal was earlier than I expected, the last 1/4 of the book was expanding on the backstory of that reveal. The ending also seemed abrupt, it tied together well, just hadn’t been expecting to be at the end at that point. Overall, this was a great read and I enjoyed it!
This book kept me guessing with its twists and turns. The characters stories kept me reading as I constantly wanted to know more.
Felicity and Alex get married after sharing their grief over the death of Alex's fiancé, Beth. As a unique turn to their wedding events, their swimming group decides to swim at night. Alex does not return. Who killed him? I really enjoyed this book, but I figured out Felicity's role by chapter three. The author did a good job of tying past and present and had great character development. This book flowed really well. I did notice that fiancé and husband were both used in parts when it should have just been fiancé. Highly recommended if you enjoy thrillers. I powered through it in one day. I also did not guess the ending!
Before I get into my review I would like to say Thank you to NetGalley along with the publisher for the opportunity to read/review this ARC. I liked the mystery of this book it kept me me on the edge of my seat it had many twists. I would've liked more character detail of alex's past to see the details of why his character turned out the way he did. Throughout the book i liked learning about the characters and their different perspectives on the situation/ investigation. I did like reading this mystery book, I would give it 4 stars!
I loved this book! I was drawn in from the 1st chapter and I was kept curious with the characters and plot.
It’s well written and clever, which makes for a great thriller.
I’d definitely recommend this one.
Her perfect revenge was a fantastic gripping thriller. I stayed up late into the night reading could not put it down. I wasn’t sure which characters to trust and believe which definitely helped build the suspense within and wow the twists and turns kept on coming until the very jaw dropping final twist which I would not have guest. Fantastic thriller which I will definitely be recommending to anyone who loves a thriller. Thanks to netgallery and the publisher for my advanced copy.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC.
A solid book that kept me engaged from start to finish. Loved the long interrogation scenes with the police and the methodical pace at which different clues were revealed. The mixed POVs worked well too.
I would've liked to better understand Alex's character since he appeared to be a totally different person depending on whose POV we were reading from. Also I wasn't sure why Alex wanted to marry Felicity although it was certainly clear why she wanted to marry him.
I also found the book predictable. No surprises or twists here but it was still very well-written and a worthwhile investment of time.
What a great thriller! I went through so many emotions reading this book, because it was hard to know which characters to trust and believe. It was full of twists, just the way I like thrillers to be. This was my first book by this author, but I will be reading more of her books in the future!
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of Her Perfect Revenge. This was a Fantastic read, I'm sad it is over with. The characters, plot, fast chapters all made this book a Winner, LOVE books like this!!! What a Great idea for the Plot and I was surprised at who Alex was with but I knew he was up to no good. Not much happened with the sister and parents, they seemed to be just there. Great Read, thank you again.
"Her Perfect Revenge" by Lesley Sanderson is a thriller that kept me engaged but left me with mixed feelings. I'd rate it 3.5 stars.
The story starts with an intriguing premise: a newlywed couple's midnight swim ends in tragedy when the groom, Alex, drowns. This sets off a chain of events where Felicity, the bride, becomes the prime suspect. What's even more bizarre is that Alex's previous fiancée, Beth, had also drowned at the same beach years before. The connection between these two deaths forms the backbone of the plot, and it's one of the book's strengths.
However, the narrative perspective sometimes felt disjointed. The shifts between perspectives were not always clear, making it confusing to follow whose viewpoint was being presented. A more structured approach with distinct chapters for each perspective would have improved the reading experience.
Editing issues also cropped up, with pronoun errors and inconsistencies in character relationships. These distractions detracted from the immersion in the story.
The use of anonymous chapters to reveal details about Alex and the killer's perspective felt unnecessary. It could have been more effective to let the story unfold naturally rather than rely on these anonymous interludes.
While I anticipated some of the twists, the identity of the killer took me by surprise and made sense in retrospect. The dual timelines, exploring the friendship between Beth and Felicity alongside Felicity's relationship with Alex, added depth to the narrative. It raised questions about Felicity's true nature and kept me guessing.
However, certain character decisions, especially those of Felicity, felt puzzling and required more backstory to justify. Additionally, the inclusion of the swim group in the wedding seemed odd given their description as mere acquaintances. If they played a significant role in the story, they should have been more fully developed.
In conclusion, "Her Perfect Revenge" is a decent thriller with some well-executed twists and an engaging dual timeline narrative. However, it could benefit from tighter editing and more thorough character development. It's a suitable choice for readers new to thrillers, but those seeking a polished and seamless storytelling experience might find it lacking. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book through Netgalley and Bookoture in exchange for an honest review.