3.5 stars

I've enjoyed this author's work previously, and while this most recent effort does deliver on twists, for me, more than just one word went a little wrong here (or, at least, differently than I'd have liked).

Arden, the m.c., is at the mercy of the patriarchy. She's accused of having an inappropriate relationship, and then she has to rectify that with constant concerns about another inappropriate relationship hanging over her head. While I enjoyed Arden's character, I had a hard time staying invested in her success or in several overarching areas of this plot.

The audiobook narration is nicely executed, and that kept me a little more interested, but I really did struggle to stay hooked on the throughline. A quick glance at general ratings on this one suggests that I'm an outlier, so I hope that prospective readers will join the masses and enjoy this one more than I did. Minor disappointments here won't stop me from returning to this author's future work with optimism and enthusiasm.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The pacing of the plot felt good and the characters were interesting. I like the slight twist on the trope of legal professional getting involved in a complex case with Arden being in the PR world. My two big notes for things that didn't work for me were 1) describing Monelle as a "Gorgon" the first time she's introduced. She is the only Black character in the book and while she's certainly Arden's antagonist for much of the novel, the word gorgon has an aesthetic connotation that felt like it played into stereotypes of Black women, which feels particularly of note since she is the only Black character and the writer is a white woman. The other detail that continued to stay with me after reading (that felt like it didn't fit) was the fact that Arden gets into an Uber and talks to the driver through the plexiglass window. Only cabs have that. People doing rideshares are using their own cars and don't have identification up in the car (that comes through the app). This was a moment that totally pulled me out of the story because it rang so false and there's so much that is working really well in this book.

Ned Banister’s small detailed characterization delicately peeled apart by Arden Warden gives the reader an inquisitive way of being a detective alongside all the characters seeking truth. We begin by thinking we know pieces of each character and quickly learn that there’s more under the surface than anticipated. Ryan’s writing style allows a long build up of her characters that leads to various tasty twists and turns as you read the finality of the book. We get the opportunity to choose sides- do we align with the wife who begins fearful and victimized or with the husband whose charm makes us question it all? Cordelia and Ned, both being perceived as hiding truths and slyly weaving webs of lies to throw us off.
Ryan is obviously known for her ability to grip you in tight and not let go until you’ve solved the layered mystery for yourself. However, this newest piece of hers defies limits of what is societally acceptable for the reader to believe about the characters. Ryan keeps us in a game of cat and mouth as we turn the pages, not knowing from one page to next who is responsible for the various crimes throughout.
The only note I have to give is that the audio version is distracting at times due to the narrator’s change in voice for female/male characters. Thank you to @netgalley for the early access to read this book!

All I can say is, wow. I started to see the one suspect but didn't realize the whole scale of the plot. This book was another grab your attention from the start and didn't want it to end. I loved this book and how everything ended.

This was a great thriller to listen to! There were quite a few important characters to know that could get confusing at times, but I really enjoyed Arden's perspective. She was there to help get Ned and his family back to normal after being accused of killing a man. I could tell something was fishy with his wife, especially when all she cared about was status. There were lots of twists and I did start to put everything together at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Hank Phillippi Ryan for an audio arc of One Wrong Word in exchange for an honest review.

I literally just finished this one this morning, so it's fresh on my mind. I really enjoyed it. It was a solid Suspense/Thriller. I will admit that I pretty much figured everything out fairly early on, but that didn't take away from the story. In fact, I would love a follow-up that follows Arden a little further. I'm really invested in her storyline. This book was engaging and totally binge-worthy.

As the book opens, we learn that Ned Bannister has just been acquitted of vehicular homicide. Then we are immediately introduced to Arden who works in PR and is currently getting fired by her boss, Warren, due to an important client complaining that she believes Arden is having an affair with her husband because of the perfume she is wearing. But, Warren give Arden one last client to deal with, who will set her up financially. That client happens to be Cordelia, Ned Bannister's wife. Cordelia wants Arden to help clean up their family image because, while Ned was acquitted of murder, the public & media still hold him guilty and treat their family as pariahs.

As Arden gets tangled up in Ned & Cordelia's lives in the pursuit of clearing their family image, she learns that there is more to the story than she was initially led to believe and now she doesn't know who to trust. And things get even more complicated when Ned's defense attorney from trial gets run down in the same way that the victim from Ned's trial was run down.

Arden eventually forms an unlikely alliance with the prosecuting attorney from Ned's trial in effort to figure out wat REALLY happened - both with the first run down and also with Naomi's run down.

I think that any reader who typically reads thriller/suspense novels will figure this one out before the end, but like me, I don't think that will matter because the story was well-written and holds its own despite the predictability.

I will happily recommend this book.

As a crisis management expert, Arden Ward is used to helping others manage difficult situations and now she’s faced with her own. Falsely accused of having an affair with a powerful client, Arden is given an ultimatum to take on a final big case in hopes of saving her career and reputation. Ned Bannister is a real estate mogul who after awaiting trial for a year is finally acquitted on the charges of a fatal drunk driving incident. This year has ruined his reputation, and his family is feeling the public scrutiny so his wife, Cordelia, hires Arden to help them get their lives back.

From the get go, Arden can tell something is not right and in this twisty domestic thriller filled with secrets and lies, it’s impossible to know who you can trust! This story keeps you guessing but I had a hard time engaging with the characters and the storyline, which seemed to go in circles. It seems to be far more drawn out than it needs to be, which made it more difficult to hold my attention.

I did enjoy the narration by Gail Shalan. She’s easy to listen to and understand. Unfortunately, the story as a whole did not work for me, but I think I’m in the minority on that. If you’re looking for a ‘cat-and-mouse’ style domestic thriller with a unique premise, this one’s for you!

3.5 ⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. This book kept you entertained and guessing from beginning to end. It’s my first book from this author, and it won’t be my last.

Arden, a PR expert, takes on a job to mend the reputation of a well-known business magnate and his family. However, once she begins working with them, things begin to go awry. Arden starts to wonder what the real story is with this family and how it connects to the bigger picture.

Overall, I liked this story. I was interested to find out what would happen next and the characters were pretty intriguing. I found that the story began to lull at about the halfway mark, but eventually picked back up again. I didn’t LOVE the ending and felt that some pieces were a bit cheesy, but it didn’t ruin the storyline.

Audiobook- the narrator did a great job of expressing the story in an interesting way.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! ONE WRONG WORD is Electrifying! Another stellar psychological thriller winner by Powerhouse (favorite author) Hank Phillippi Ryan, the queen of cat-and-mouse thrillers! Hank DAZZLES.

Fresh, clever, chilling, and intense, ONE WRONG WORD is Hank's best yet!

One WRONG word can ruin your life, and Arden Ward knows this all too well as a savvy crisis PR management expert. However, this time, her challenge is close to home. Words have power, and the wrong words can be devastating.

Unfairly accused of having an affair with a substantial client, her life is about to crash and burn. She is given an ultimatum to save her career and reputation. Is she up for the challenge?

Cordelia Bannister could be the answer to her prayers. She needs her help regarding Ned (her husband), A Boston real estate tycoon. He was recently acquitted in a fatal drunk driving accident, but his reputation is ruined, as well as the entire family and two children.

Arden dives in to help, but soon, things come to light about what happened that night. Then, another crash sends Ned back into the spotlight. Suddenly, the police are again focused on whether he’s innocent—or guilty.

This case is her final chance to save her name and career, but what if she is helping protect a KILLER? Soon, Arden is knee-deep in a mystery with lies, secrets, and DANGER.

Can you say twisty plot, addictive, heart-pounding suspense, and fantastic characters—but of course, this is the mastermind pro, HPR!

Complex and multi-layered, the characters come to life in this wild ride! ONE WRONG WORD is fast-paced and action-packed, so buckle up and keep up —because there is something at every page turn, and you do not want to miss a thing!

It is told from the POVs of three strong women as the story unfolds with a web of deceit, lies, mistrust, money, power, greed, blackmail, manipulation, and SECRETS. You will be on the edge of your seat until the end.

Masterfully crafted, as always, it's an unputdownable cat-and-mouse game, and you never know who to trust with suspects and red herrings keeping you guessing. Prime for the big or small screen!

Now, the million-dollar question: will there be a sequel? Arden is super and too good to end, so bring her back! Believe all the Buzz...get this gem on your TBR list now! This will be a bestseller for sure!

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Gail Shalan for an outstanding performance and listening experience

Stay tuned for my Feb Featured #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A Interview with Hank on pub day (Feb 6, 2024), where we go behind the book and this award-winning favorite rock star author!

Special thanks to Forge Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced digital review copy and an advanced listening copy of this stellar psychological thriller for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Feb 6, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
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Feb 2024 #AuthorElevatorSeries QA