Very well written, kept me on the edge of my seat . There are some twists thoughoutbthe story! Gist... creepy hide and seek!! Definitely pick this up if you need a good thriller!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Intriguing Premise, Uneven Execution

Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten had all the ingredients for a chilling psychological thriller—childhood trauma, buried secrets, and a haunting mystery that begs to be unraveled. Lisa Unger sets the tone well and pulls readers into a dark and emotionally charged story.

The book starts strong, with a gripping premise that immediately piques curiosity. Unger’s writing is atmospheric and at times beautifully introspective, and the psychological elements are compelling. However, the pacing felt inconsistent, and certain plot threads seemed to meander without clear resolution. Some characters lacked the depth needed to make their emotional arcs fully believable, and the twists—while surprising—didn’t always feel earned.

It’s an interesting read with flashes of brilliance, but it didn’t quite come together for me in the way I hoped.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger.
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a mystery suspense novel about a reality hide and seek challenge. I felt that there was a lot Lisa Unger could have done with this mystery and was disappointed with the ending. Unger kept things too neat and tidy while at the same time trying to create emotional twists. An easy, slightly entertaining read that left me wanting more.

In Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten, Lisa Unger delivers a fast-paced psychological thriller centered around a woman haunted by past trauma who finds herself entangled in a chilling mystery. When a series of violent events begin to echo a dark moment from her childhood, she’s forced to confront long-buried memories and unravel a truth that’s been hidden for years. As danger creeps closer, she must determine who she can trust—and how far she’s willing to go to protect herself and those she loves.
This was a quick, bingeable thriller that kept me turning the pages. Lisa Unger knows how to craft suspense and keep the tension high, making it an easy book to race through in a day or two. While I enjoyed the pacing and atmosphere, I didn’t find it particularly memorable once I finished. The story was entertaining in the moment but lacked the kind of emotional or narrative depth that tends to stick with me. Still, it's a solid pick if you're in the mood for something gripping, dark, and easy to get lost in for a few hours.

My biggest issue was that I was bored. The characters lacked depth and melded together in an unfortunate way that I couldn't tell them apart. I kept this book currently reading for way too long and I'm just not going to finish it.

I’ve been reading books from Lisa Unger for years. And this latest may not be one of my top favorites but it is a good solid thriller and I look forward to her next. I wish it was longer for sure but I love her books. The plot comes with a storm (literally), masked figures, hidden agendas, and more betrayal than a season finale of Love on The Island, it’s tense. The real action doesn’t hit until later, and by then, you may already be mentally packing your bags. Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 has a solid premise and strong writing. It's not Lisa Unger’s strongest, but if you're in the mood for a popcorn thriller with mystical vibes. Its worth it though I don't regret it.

All I could think of while reading Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 was that this was modeled off of Mr. Beast and his extreme games, except a more dangerous and twisted version. Once I had that stuck in my head, it was hard to look past it. The premise of an extreme game of hide and seek sounded good, but the plot really fell short for me. I wanted more twists, but it felt predictable. It was an okay read for me.

Thank you HTP Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy this author, so this one gets four stars from me. It was fast paced, a bit wild and twisted and full of untrustworthy characters.

The twists were nothing mind blowing, but I did feel like they were well placed and added to the story. It was a very entertaining read. Think high stakes game of hide and go seek for money, except in this game everything that could go wrong, does. Each character has a back story and a past and a reason for wanting to participate in the game which, for me, added to the story. I would recommend giving this one a try!

This was a solid thriller, but I wasn't as connected with the story or characters as I wanted to be. I really enjoyed the writing style, though, and would be interested in reading more from this author!

After really loving Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six and loving it, I really wanted to love this one but I just couldn’t get into it. I tried but dnf’ed at 20%

This was okay. The premise was too far fetched. The characters were too much. There was too much of too many of the negatives to be as enjoyable as most of Unger’s other books

I always enjoy this authors books! I don't know that you could offer me enough money to willing engage in hide-and-seek, in an old hotel, on an island. This just sounds like a recipe for disaster. But, that is what our characters are up to! This story is told from multiple points of view. And, as usual, the twist at the end surprised me. I will always be willing to read one of Lisa Unger's books!

A thrill ride from the start as this novel takes you to an Island with a little twist. The twist is that you need to last all night in a haunted house as you play hide and seek with other contestants. Adele is a single mom seeking a way to earn some money to help her with her financial struggles. Her son convinces her to become a new internet influencer, as he follows the extreme adventure of Mavrick Dillian online. What starts as a publicity stunt to get rich for Mavrick and Adle quickly turns into a fight to survive. As her son communicates with her across the ocean, she will have to give all she has to get to the end of this game. A fun read with an interesting concept that isn't far off in today's reality TV shows. I would recommend this novel to anyone who is a thrill seeker.

This story was so well done and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy reading from this author and I'm looking forward to the next book. The plot was really well explored and I enjoyed the overall story. The characters were great and I was able to dive myself into this book. It was well done and I highly recommend.

When influencers take part in an extreme game of hide and seek on a remote island in a dilapidated hotel - things take a turn from a simple game into a test of their survival skills. We see the lengths people will go to maintain their online personas, build follower base and ultimately profit from it. Fast paced and enjoyable.

I expected a fun, game driven plot set around hide-and-seek in an abandoned island hotel, but the game felt more as a backdrop. The focus shifted to character drama and hidden secrets, sidelining the main premise. Told through multiple POVs…some more irritating than others and for me..:the mystery was predictable. I liked Adele, but she faded into the background as the Extreme Team’s drama took over. There were a few entertaining moments, but I had to push myself through.

This was my first read from this author and I'm not sure how. The cover and hype i'd seen is what made me request, but i found myself really enjoying the story. I can't wait to read another--thanks for the gifted copy!

This multi-POV story features single mom Adele who travels to a remote island in the Atlantic to participate in an extreme game of hide-and-seek hosted by Maverick Dillan and his company Extreme Games and Insane Challenges. So what can go wrong? This was a quick read, locked room mystery with a mysterious disappearance. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the storyline of an abandoned wife and kids and an online viewing platform of extreme adventure but the chilling setting made for a great backdrop for fear and dread. if you are looking for a heart-pounding thriller that combines the high-stakes tension of a survival game with the dark underbelly of social media spectacle pick this book up!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
The book was decent. We have a game of hide and seek, where the last person standing can win some money. How easy would that be? A group of people comes together on an island from different backgrounds, though the one who really plays a big part is a single mother, Adele. After her husband disappears after some wrong choices in life, Adele is trying to make ends meet the best she can, so when the opportunity arrives, she jumps at it with the help of her son. Now, with the game going on, her son, on the other hand, plays video games, and we get to see what is going on with that. I will say I did assume that the person her son was playing with was someone close.
I think the author did a great job of having the island come across as spooky and mysterious.
I did like the element of surprise with who was planning on taking Maverick down; it was one I was not expecting.
Overall, a decent story. I would have liked more of the hide-and-seek game going on, but that may have made the story too long.

The ultimate game of hide and seek, with million dollar stakes. A ‘haunted’ estate on Falcao island where survival comes with high risks. Mom Adele is surviving on zero income with her two teens since her husband is hiding from the law.
If she can win this dangerous game the money would be her saving grace. Intense characters and some twists to keep you on your toes.