When charismatic adventurer Maverick Dillan invites contestants to a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek on the remote Falcao Island, it promises to be a thrilling adventure. However, what starts as a social media stunt quickly devolves into a chilling battle for survival as a deadly threat emerges amidst a raging storm.

The novel is fast paced thriller, with a lot to say about our social media culture, and the personality defining need for clicks.

I was entertained from start to finish and highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley.

Just as the title suggests, Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger is a thriller about the ultimate game of hide and seek. I loved the concept of the book and I thought there were definitely some high points. However, this was not my favorite book by this author.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don't think Lisa Ungers books are for me. They are really well written, however I think they are just a touch too creepy for me!

Overall, I think this was a thrilling read and the trapped setting aspect always is a win for me!

I was intrigued from the getgo on this one and it felt so fast paced but started to slow down a bit. This book had SO MUCH potential to be a great book. There were a bunch of amazing puzzle pieces I just felt like she put them together wrong? Maybe not wrong but just not 100% correctly.

I also was able to guess a lot of the twists that came up which of course a thriller reader never loves but again, I still felt like it was fun to read.

I also felt like the writing was a little confusing at times and I had to rewind a few parts for it to make some sense.

I also felt like this book started to drag on and it could have easily been hours shorter. Lots of unnessary details it felt like to me.

Overall, if the book was a bit shorter, the twists more surprising, and the story written a bit clearer, this book could have been SO GOOD.

Rating: 3.5 stars!

I love that I can say that I got an ARC copy of a Lisa Unger book! The entire premise of the book reminds me of Mr Beast (from youtube) and the Beast Games. The main character is attempting to win money in exchange for an extreme game of hide and seek that is publicly broadcasted. There is a weird "is it / isnt it" dynamic going on with the main characters missing husband that ended up playing, what felt like, no major part in the overall plot of the book.. There was a lot of emphasis on this missing husband at the beginning of the book, which in hindsight was added to show how independently strong the main FMC was..? I think?

Overall, the plot was unique, the island vibes were spooky and dramatic, and the supportive family dynamic was great.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A few months ago, I read my first story by Lisa Unger and I was pleasantly surprised! I think this author has a lot of talent in crafting a twisty story and characters to root for. But unfortunately, I think this book wasn't right for me. I had a hard time keeping track of what was going on because it felt like so many tropes were thrown into this book to make it a more interesting story. It all felt like too much and really brought down my enjoyment of this book. I don't think the writing was bad, but I had read a short story recently and I liked how clear and thought out everything was in that much more than this full length novel. The game aspect of this game also brought down my enjoyment. I think something like that could be well done but in this case, it felt like we were supposed to care about the main character and hope for her to win but it felt like there weren't super high stakes despite the situation that made her sign up for this game in the first place. It all felt kind of out of left field. This didn't make me less interested in this author's books, but I should probably read deeper into the synopsis before I decide to pick something up from her.

This is the 2nd book this week with the same theme. Strangers gather and they are picked off one by one.
When the real game begins, who will make it to the count of 10?
Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.
Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.

Narration: 4/5
Overall: 3/5

I was lucky to read this both as an egalley and on audio (thanks to Park Row Books, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley!). I was really excited because it had such a fun concept that I was sure would hold my attention. I mean cmon! A reality show hide and seek game on a remote island turned locked room mystery!? And a crazy storm brewing! Talk about location, location, location. Unfortunately, with all its potential, this book just didn’t wow me.

Let’s start with the narration: the audiobook is well done, especially in capturing the influencer vibes and adventure-seeker personas we all recognize online. I thought that brought some life to characters that otherwise felt flat on the page.

As for the story? It’s a two and half star, rounded to three-star, read for me. A lot of that rating is giving credit to the sharp commentary on influencers. A great conversation around the things that people are willing to do to be seen, obsession, and a society that feeds on that. This book felt even more relevant taking into consideration how we engage with, and ultimately pay, creators who make more dangerous content for likes and views. It absolutely made me think of YouTube stunt channels and influencers like MrBeast. There’s a pointed reminder here that the audience plays just as much of a role in the dangerous spiral for views and virality as the creators do.

Where it falters is in the depth. While the characters are interesting to a degree, they were also easy to categorize and never really surprised me. In addition to having a lot of characters with perspectives that felt unnecessary. I never felt drawn to any of the characters, including Adele, and their tropey portrayal made the book all the more predictable. I could tell some elements were meant to feel simple, but I still wanted more. Overall this book could’ve used a little more OOMPH. Too much of a slow burn that by the end the pacing is uneven.

Part of the issue, too, is that I recently read another influencer thriller that I loved—and this one just didn’t hit the same. It didn’t turn pages the way I hoped it would. Which is why I really have to give credit to the audiobook for helping me finish.

That said, I would still read more from this author. It seems like they explore entertaining concepts that are sure to draw readers in. I’m just hoping to see stronger execution in future reads.

The plot is rich with unexpected twists that challenge the reader's assumptions and keep them guessing until the final reveal. Unger excels at creating an atmosphere of unease, blending psychological elements with a mystery that unravels gradually but compellingly. The pacing is brisk, ensuring that there’s never a dull moment.

I've been reading and enjoying Lisa Unger's books for many years so I was really excited to read "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10".

I was happy to have both the audiobook and e-book to review this time. As always, it's nice having the opportunity to switch back and forth between the two.

"Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" was an intriguing psychological suspense novel that distracted me and kept me entertained.

Adele is a single mother whose life changed drastically after her husband was accused of fraud and went on the run five years earlier. Still in the same town where many once worked for him, Adele and her two kids now share a small apartment, dreading every ring of the doorbell.

After using the anger of her situation to get into the best shape of her life, Adele decides to join an extreme game of hide-and-seek on Falcao Island. The game with a $1 million dollar prize is created by thrill-seeker Maverick Dillan. But what starts as a social media stunt quickly turns into a deadly fight for survival. Adele must navigate danger and deception while trying to make sure she makes it back to her family alive.

The novel is divided into four parts. There were a lot of characters and multiple points of view to keep track of and it took me a while to sort everyone out.

Although this didn't end up being my favorite book by Lisa Under, I still found it to be an engaging and worthwhile read that came together nicely by the end. I'm looking forward to my next read from this talented author.


I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-book and audiobook. All opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars Rounded Up

This was my third Lisa Unger novel, and it was my favorite of the ones I've read. She does a secluded location really well (see also: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six) and this added the cat and mouse element. There were a LOT of pieces to this puzzle, which made things tricky to follow at times. I read the ebook ARC for about half the book and listened to an audiobook version for the other half on a drive. The audio was ABSOLUTELY easier to follow than it was reading it.

Everything built up really nicely in the beginning - adult hide and seek with a million dollar prize? Yes please! I loved Adele and the drama she brought as well as the emotion with her relationship with her kids. However, everything kinda bottomed out in the middle and never truly recovered.

Overall, solid! Enjoyed it!

3.5 rounded up

This was an interesting premise and definitely felt timely and very current pop culture. Overall that was the best part? The book was good, audio was good, and was overall enjoyable enough.

Advanced reader copy provided by Harlequin but all opinions are my own.

What a wild ride! This was a great read!

A riveting and extreme game of hide and seek becomes dangerous when a storm encircles the small island its held on. Not only is the storm deadly but, there are people who are hell bent on revenge. This game could be the answer to many of the players needs but, it could also turn fatal.

A crumbling hotel resort with 3 contestants and the owners of the extreme team on a storm ridden path. Who will survive? Will anyone win? The way Lisa wrote this kept the story enticing, it kept me coming back to want to see “whodunnit”, and it kept it creepy at times. I really enjoyed it along with the setting – what could be better than a derelict hotel set on an island with a huge storm looming overhead? 4️⃣⭐️❗️

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book was the ultimate game of cat and mouse, with so many narratives going on, I just didn’t know how they would all weave together in the end. I loved the idea of Extreme Challenges, as I just finished the Beast Games show, this was the perfect read. This book was very much binge worthy and easy to read, it was thrilling and left me wanting more and to figure out the plot twist each time I started to read it. The idea of a high stakes survival game, mixed with some murder, drama, missing characters, greed, and competition was a great cocktail for a book! Thank you @netgalley and @parkrow for the advanced copy.

Synopsis: Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.

Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.

I was really looking forward to this one. The idea of an adult version of hide and seek with significant prize money at stake was super! Let’s get the party started! The contestants are transported to remote Falcao island and the tension is off the charts for Maverick, a social media star, his daredevil company, and the team members they’ve enlisted. Everybody wants to win!

However, it fizzled and plopped in the middle and really never recovered. There were too many contestants spotlighted and just too much distraction from the central idea of a game-show-like competition. I was hoping to hear a lot about the actual strategies of the players and instead the narrative bogged down in the backstories of the individuals.

Three stars for this one! I’m still a fan of the author and look forward to her next one.

I received a copy of the digital ARC via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

What a ride! Lisa Unger delivers a gripping, twisty thriller with Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten—a survival game show concept turned deadly that had me flipping pages late into the night. If you’re a fan of reality TV competitions like Survivor or Fear Factor and love a thriller with high stakes, this book is right up your alley.

The setup is irresistible: a group of influencers agree to participate in a high-stakes game of hide and seek on a remote island, chasing a million-dollar prize. But what begins as an extreme challenge quickly devolves into something far more sinister. It’s not just about winning anymore—it’s about survival.

The first half of the novel leans into character development, and I appreciated the time spent getting to know each contestant, their motivations, and the secrets they carry. Everyone’s playing for something—money, fame, redemption, or validation—and that made the psychological layers of this game even more compelling.

By the second half, the pacing ramps up, and the tension is palpable. I could feel the wind, the rain, the desperation. Unger’s descriptions of the island and the storm that crashes down felt so real I nearly grabbed a blanket.

Standout characters for me were Adele and Malinka—two women from completely different walks of life, each risking everything for reasons that were both heartfelt and haunting. Their stories added an emotional depth that grounded the suspense.

This book also offers sharp commentary on influencer culture—the constant chase for likes, validation, and visibility—and what people are willing to sacrifice for recognition or relevance.

While a few plot points stretched believability, the sheer intensity and vivid storytelling more than made up for it. At its heart, Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten reminds us that, when stripped of status and filters, what really matters is survival, love, and connection.

🔪 Fast-paced
📸 Commentary on influencer culture
🌪️ Atmospheric and cinematic
👀 Secrets, suspense, and a storm you won’t forget

A deliciously dark page-turner that’s equal parts thrilling and thought-provoking.

"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐭."

Lisa Unger is back with another multi-point of view popcorn thrill ride!

I know I can always count on Unger's books to be entertaining page turners. This book does just that, with single mother Adele joining an Extreme Challenge of Hide-And-Go-Seek on a remote island, in order to help rebuild her life after her husband laundered money and disappeared. But all is not what is seems with the group that is sponsoring the game: the owners of Extreme have their own secrets that they are fighting to hide, and the game becomes much more dangerous than anticipated. There are many points of view but they aren't hard to keep track of. Each vividly-developed character has made mistakes that they are running from, while attempting to look for a new future. The chapters are a bit longer than what I might have anticipated, but the constantly changing character perspective from one chapter to the next makes them feel quick. The story makes some pointed remarks about society, both about online life and how humans constantly try to take what isn't theirs. The commentary on social media, with its exploitation of personal lives entertainment and the addictive nature of constantly searching for validation online added a thought-provoking layer. I loved the setting of Falcão Island with the abandoned hotel. Both are isolating and eerie, adding to the sense of danger, while the name of the hotel also pushes the theme of taking what does not belong - the original name is Esperança, while Maverick calls it Enchantments. Fun fact, while Falcão Island is fictional, Unger based it on an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean called the Azores! I do wish the hide-and-seek game was further developed; things fell apart for the characters before it really got going, which felt like a missed opportunity for some tight tension and suspense. A few subplots, like Adele's missing husband, felt a bit underdeveloped too, and thus didn't reach as satisfying a conclusion, as other parts of the story.

Close Your Eyes And Count To 10 is a slow-burn popcorn thrill ride with a motley crew of vivid characters. If you enjoy Unger's previous books, you will enjoy this influencer-life-gone-wrong tale. Thank you to Park Row, Harlequin & NetGalley for the ARC!

Lisa is an auto-buy for me and is an author who NEVER disappoints! I felt like I was reading an episode of the game show from you know where. I reading this book while looking over my shoulder the entire time! It's all fun and games until some is unalive!
Give this book a READ NOW!

This very anticipated thriller unfortunately just didn't cut it for me. The premise is interesting: an extreme haunted game of hide and seek on a remote island, where remnants of an old hotel stand, and players are in it to win one million dollars. However, the game barely even has the chance to start in the story, mainly due to a combination of a storm and a dead body to deal with, which essentially halts the game. With reason, I suppose. But therefore, as a reader, I was left hanging and was robbed of what the synopsis left me thinking was the main plot.

The rest of the story? Quite forgettable. A missing father. A few cases of fraud and embezzlement of which the motives are a bit unclear. A poorly developed plot and immature characters. An ending that more or less ties the loose ends. The writing style felt juvenile and I expected a lot more from Lisa Unger, a renowned thriller and mystery author.

🙏Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for a gifted advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten" by Lisa Unger is a gripping and intense thriller that captivates you from the very first page. Unger's storytelling is masterful, weaving together suspense and emotion in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters are complex and believable, and the plot is full of unexpected turns. It's a thrilling read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted mystery with depth and excitement.