Thank you Netgalley for an early arc of this book. I also got the audio arc and I did an immersive read which I really enjoyed the story more that way. This is my first book by this author. I thought it was really good. I gave it 3.5 stars.

This is my 3rd Lisa Unger and I think she’s just not for me. This one had such an interesting premise, as did The New Couple in 5B, and I was excited to dive into both, but just like her previous books, I just couldn’t get past the unlikeable characters and overall it just fell kind of flat for me. The audiobook didn’t really work for me either - the narrator was great but I don’t think it was the right fit for this book. I know so many enjoy this author, so you may still want to give this one a chance! 3⭐️

I’m a big fan of Lisa Unger and was so excited to read this book when I first heard about it. The idea of extreme hide and seek is exciting and when you throw in a remote island with a dilapidated old hotel during a storm, you get a winning combination! The multiple POV kept things interesting and fast paced. Overall this was a really suspenseful and intense read!

I loved the premise of a hide and seek game show gone terribly wrong. The prize to the winner is a million dollars. What lengths will people go to for money, fame and revenge. This is my second Lisa Unger book and it didn’t disappoint.

Extreme adventurer Maverick and his crew are hosting a show where contestants hide and the last one to be found wins the money. The setting is a spooky deserted hotel on an island in Portugal that is in ill repair and falling down. Adele a single mom is chosen as one of the contestants on the show. She was a likeable character and showed many admirable traits. Things don’t go as planned and the contestants are now fighting for their lives. Each of them learns so much about themselves, their strengths and weaknesses. Also the lure of wealth isn’t all that it is cracked up to be and that relationships are far more important.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada Doubleday Canada for this copy. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it especially to readers of mystery.

I was super excited for this book. Super excited. So excited that when I received the arc for it, I squealed with joy. Who wouldn't be about an extreme game of hide and seek on a remote island??

I should have known this would be my demise.

I was quite disappointed with this book. The summary was exactly what I was looking for, only for the book to let me down.

The beginning was great if not slow at times. And the "flashes" of the game going on were also fantastic because it got you excited for what was about to come. I was pumped. And then it slowed way down once we continued to get everyone's backstory over halfway through the book and during the game itself (which didn't really start until about 2/3 into the book?) Really compared to the rest of the book, the game itself seemed like a small portion of it. The ending even felt anticlimatic and somewhat far fetched. I felt I had to push myself through numerous parts of the story, hoping the end would be this great reveal, only for it to be a let down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

A high stakes game of hide and seek on a remote island?! What’s not to love! This million dollar prize will make a huge difference in the lives of the contestants and they are all there to win. This book is a fun blend of reality show and survival horror elements. I loved Adele and the lengths that she would go to for her children! I did struggle a bit with the pacing, but overall this was a fun ride. Thank you so much to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

With an exciting synopsis, I went into this one with high hopes. It started out well and I was fully invested until the games began. Things then started to become a bit confusing with multiple stories and many POVs. I found the pacing a bit off as well and found that the story dragged in certain areas. I was hoping for more from the ending too. This wasn't my favourite by this author but I will still read what she writes next.

This book kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next! A heartpumoing, anxiety filled wild ride. Really enjoyed this!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I have enjoyed a few of Lisa Unger’s books but sadly this one was a miss for me. I was not connected to any of the characters and there were so many side plots and backstory details that didn’t add to the Hide and Seek concept. This one took me almost a month to finish because I had to stop reading it for a couple weeks and come back to it to finish it. I think there was just too much going on that took away from the main plot. I loved the idea of this book but the game wasn’t even the main focus? Overall this wasn’t for me but I will continue to read books from this author!

Incredibly dry, had to DNF this. The writing is terrible, the story is unbelievable, and the characters are all written like a joke. Maybe with an audio cast it would be better but I’m not sure.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, is a new thriller coming out at the end of this month by Lisa Unger. Several influencers are invited to take play an extreme version of hide and seek where the prize is one million dollars. With so many large personalities, and a scandal from a prior game looming, can you really trust anyone when it comes to money? The game occurs on an island at an abandoned (creepy) resort, you can’t help but just feel something is not right. This is told through multiple povs, and we get to know these characters pretty well. I did find myself rooting for some more than others, and wanted more to happen to certain ones. The suspense was pretty good and this game quickly turned into one of survival. I thought this was pretty enjoyable but had a few pacing issues towards the end. I hoped this would go a couple different ways but ultimately had a predictable ending. I read this and listened to the audio version, that was narrated by Vivienne Leheny, and she did an amazing job! Vivienne brought these characters, their eagerness and worries to life. Lisa knows how to keep things in suspense and this kept me entertained from start to finish. This would be enjoyable for fans of survival thrillers and the not so glamorous side of reality tv.

Thank you to NetGalley, Park Row Books, HTP for providing me this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis sounds great - a secluded island with a cash-prize game of hide and seek that turns into survival… however. It was too slow paced with too many character to keep track of. I lost interest. Almost DNF. Many readers of mystery thrillers will still enjoy. This is just my opinion! Thank you netgalley for this advanced reader copy.

This was my first book by Lisa Unger and y'all I ATE IT UP.

I absolutely loved the concept of this book. An extreme game of hide and seek, on a remote island during a massive tropical storm, all while someone is out to get the founder of the extreme team? What could go wrong!?

This book had so much going on, it was fast paced and exciting and I absolutely adored our MC, Adele. She's a badass mom willing to do whatever it takes for her kids. I also really enjoyed the subplot with her running-from-the-law ex-husband. The other characters were great too, lots of personality packed between the pages - I especially liked Adele's kids, Blake and Violet.

While the ending wasn't entirely a surprise (it pretty much built right up to it), that didn't take away my pleasure at reading this book in any way. If you're a thriller lover, pick this one up! I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Love everything by this author. Always suspenseful, fast paced and sorry to fet to the final page. GReat story great intrigue and great entertainment.

**What worked well:**
- A tense, high-stakes premise
- An eerie, storm-ravaged island setting
- A mix of survival thriller and corporate intrigue

Lisa Unger sets up an enticing locked-room mystery with a social media-driven game of hide-and-seek gone horribly wrong. The isolated island, dangerous weather, and shifting alliances create a solid foundation for suspense. The concept feels fresh, blending elements of virtual challenges with real-world danger, and there’s a strong sense of unease as the stakes become deadly.

However, the execution doesn’t fully deliver on the setup. The pacing is uneven, slowing down when the tension should be mounting, and racing through moments that could have had a stronger impact. Character development, particularly for Adele, feels surface-level, making it harder to connect with her struggle. Instead of the classic one-by-one elimination I expected, much of the story revolves around the behind-the-scenes operators of the game, which shifts the focus away from the players’ fight for survival.

While the writing is immersive and the atmosphere is well-crafted, the climax lacks the payoff needed to make this a standout thriller.. It's a solid read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers, but not quite as gripping as it could have been.

This book was a ride! I did get kind of confused with the flashbacks in the middle of what is currently happening. However, I kept wanting to know what was going to happen! Who will when the game?? Why are people randomly going missing?! Thank you for an opportunity to read this. It was good!

Thank you to Lisa Unger, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Netgalley for the arc copy of Close Your Eyes And Count To 10! This is an atmospheric locked “room” thriller! Competitors playing extreme hide n seek for a chance to win 1 million dollars! But the story is so much more than that! So many moving pieces, the past being brought to light, & revenge! Keeps your interest from the very beginning & I did not see the ending coming! This book publishes on 2/25/25! Add it to your TBR! In the meantime check out The New Couple In 5B & Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger! Both also fantastic reads!

I loved the new Lisa unger book. Her titles are always captivating but I found the setting of this book to be superb. The characters were highly believable. The plot tied into the theme and there was enough action to satisfy crime Readers. I felt the book had a good flow. No boring parts. The suspense slowly builds throughout the chapters. I would recommend to crime and mystery readers alike.

A good thriller really enjoyed and the hide and seek aspect of the story. Easy to follow thrilling adventure. Great for those who like survival stories and reality tv

The premise sounds great - a secluded island with a cash-prize game of hide and seek that turns into survival. It was too slow paced with too many characters.