I just finished Lisa Unger's latest thriller and I cant stop thinking about it. This book had me hooked from the start with its intriguing premise: a survival game on a small island in an old, run-down hotel during a massive storm. What could possibly go wrong, right?

I loved how Unger incorporated modern elements like social media influencers and various media platforms into the classic "locked room" mystery genre. It felt fresh and relevant. Adele the main character was badass and loveable making you want her to come out on top.

The short chapters were addictive, and I found myself constantly saying, "Just one more!" before I knew it, I'd devoured the book in just a few sittings. While I was hoping for more focus on the hide-and-seek game itself, I still enjoyed uncovering the shady practices of the "Extreme" company and delving into the characters' backstories.

One of my favorite aspects was the diverse storytelling methods. From multiple viewpoints to social media posts and even a few true crime podcast chapters, the variety kept me engaged throughout.

Although I wished for more game-centric content, this was still a thoroughly enjoyable read. It's cemented Lisa Unger's place on my "must-read" author list. If you're looking for a binge-worthy thriller to add to your TBR pile, mark your calendar for February 25th when this book hits the shelves. Unger has done it again!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

I dare you NOT to read Lisa Unger’s "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" in ONE sitting; this one should carry the trigger warning, "This book might make you late for work" .

Lisa Unger is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors, and this mesmerizing and psychologically rich thriller is a fine example of her best work.

This story skillfully explores the intricate dance between bravado, skill, and intuition.

This story follows Adele, a single mother who enters the ultimate cat and mouse game - her life could depend on the outcome...

Unger’s masterful storytelling shines through in her portrayal of Adele's involvement in a deadly game that will require every bit of her intelligence, intuition, and bravery to stay alive.

"Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" is a gripping and emotionally resonant novel that will leave readers breathless.

Lisa Unger’s ability to blend psychological depth with suspenseful storytelling makes this book a standout in the thriller genre.

I was loving Lisa Unger's Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, and then somewhere in the middle things got a little muddy for me. I liked the way things wrapped up at the end.

The premise of this one was such a fun idea. If you enjoy reality tv contest shows and are intrigued by influencers then this slow burn mystery may be the one for you! I loved the isolated Portuguese island with a decrepit hotel as the location. I also loved that Adele was such a devoted mom and the love there for her kids felt genuine. There are quite a few moving pieces with this one, so pay close attention!

I requested this ARC because the title was intriguing and I've heard good things about the author, but other than that I went in blind. I think the premise and storyline is a unique idea, a reality TV game show of extreme hide and seek with a $1 million prize sounds enticing. The first half of the book was pretty slow and hard to get into, then picked up a bit towards the second half/end of the book. Overall, I'd say it was a fun read.

I had no idea what this was about and solely picked it up because I love the author. What a pleasant surprise to find this was about a reality game challenge turned deadly. The beginning was action packed whereas the middle dragged a little too much for my liking. However the ending tied it all together which I was pleased with. There are ALOT of characters and povs which can be overwhelming for some but I promise the payout is worth it

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is Lisa Unger's gripping new thriller about three adventure seekers who sign up for an extreme game of hide and seek on a remote island. Adele is a single mom thanks to the disappearance of her husband Miller, who is on the run from authorities after embezzling money not only from his business but also from their neighbors and friends. Blake and Violet, Adele's teenagers, encourage Adele to join the competition and the lure of the prize money convinces her that they're right.

Cue the storms, the lies and the extreme danger.

Maverick and his entourage are determined to make this another wildly popular social media hit. When people start disappearing and the town elder warns Maverick to leave, he doubles down and decides that this will be the most epic challenge yet, no matter what the consequences are....

Adele is a single mother who is encouraged by her children to participate in an extreme hide and seek challenge with a widely known influencer, Maverick. Adele is attracted to this game, the cash prize is 1 million dollars, and Adele and her children could really use the money since her estranged husband left their family behind. Adele enters the game, but she doesn't know just how twisted things are going to get.

This book had an interesting plot, extreme hide and seek. But it was a little drawn out for me. I wish the plot would have been a little more focused on the extreme hide and seek instead of making the story mostly about the shady influencer, Maverick. It's not a bad read, I just wanted more from this one. This is a quick read, enjoyable at times. The ending fell a little flat for me.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10
By Lisa Unger
Publish Date February 25, 2025
4.0

Review:

If you like hide and seek as a kid, would you like to play it as an adult? For Adele, a single mother, she doesn’t have a choice. She would do anything for her children, wouldn’t you?

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advance reader. If you have never read a book by Lisa Unger, then you have been missing out. Lisa should be on your list to look out for.


Description:

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.

I liked the premise but honestly it was hard to follow, the game was never actually explained, and it seemed like all those crossing storylines was too much and then the main ones weren't as powerful.

Summary:
Adele is leaving her kids at home to compete in an Extreme game of Hide and Seek, where the winner will get 1 million dollars. With her husband gone after stealing an idea and then embezzling money, her and her kids struggle to make ends meat. The owners of Extreme are a group of narcissistic athletes who endanger people regularly. Mav, being the face of Extreme, is the worst womanizing of them all. This comes back to bite him in the ass because ANOTHER story line is coming in from some random missing woman named Chloe. It's confusing and messy.

Wow, such a great premise and a perfect, creepy setting. An extreme game of hide-and-seek with the challengers looking for an ultimate payout of $1 million. The company that runs the game has some controversy behind it, especially with their front man Maverick. The game contestants are all social media influencers that are looking to up their followers -- it will be great for them and Maverick. But over the course of several hours something seriously goes wrong...

Unfortunately, although the set-up for this book was great, the execution was underwhelming. I was waiting for Adele's story and the game to unite. It felt like there were little easter eggs as I kept reading, but nothing happened that wasn't expected. Plus, the names were confusing - Adele and Angeline; Hugo and Hector; Gustavo and Tavo -- if you read quickly and jump in and out of the story, it's difficult to keep everyone straight. The story didn't flow well for me and ended with a "that's it?" and disappointment.

Not as good as I hoped it would be. Very slow in the first half. Only got good at about 60% through. I was a little disappointed. The ending was both a surprise and predictable. Glad to be given the opportunity to read this as an ARC.

This was my first Lisa Unger novel, and I will definitely be reading more! "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" is an exciting thriller about influencers who travel to an abandoned hotel on an isolated island to play the ultimate game of hide-and-seek for a cash prize. I've been loving reality show thrillers, and I especially enjoyed that this book was set on a remote island. I was hooked right away and devoured it. It was a bit of a slow burn, and the buildup to the actual game took a lot of time, with a lot of background information on the characters. I liked that the story was told from multiple POVs so that you can really get inside everyone's heads. Even though there were a lot of characters and POVs, it was easy to follow. I think I've been reading too many crazy plot twists lately, because I was a tad disappointed in the ending, but I appreciate that the author didn't mislead us.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row/HTP for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!! This was a fast paced read with a lot of little references to modern technology and struggles. I liked the dual POV and dual timeline of this book and the amount of characters kept me engaged. Great quick read!

This book had potential. The storyline of 3 influencers competing in a reality tv show of Extreme Hide and Seek had good premise, with each influencer trying to prove something by entering and winning the game. However Extreme, run by Maverick Dillon, also had something to prove. The issue I had was that there were lots of story lines, some were unnecessary, some were messy, and some could have been developed more. The story ended as expected but there were lots of opportunities for better twists and turns. Thank you @netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read! I'm a little tired of the competition aspect of some of these mystery thrillers, but I ended up enjoying this one. Lisa Unger writes some great books.

Such a fantastic, gripping read! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars! This was a twisted, fast-paced, interesting story, that I found I did not want to put down! It had a unique plot and well-developed, multi-faceted characters. It was suspenseful, thrilling and addictive! I was glued to my Kindle screen from the first page to the last. If you like unputdownable psychological thrillers as much as I do, you CANNOT miss out on reading this book!!!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

By far my fave book by Lisa Unger so far!

There was alot of bouncing around and point of views but it was all needed to tell the story and keep you interested.

So well done.

I had trouble getting into this book. influencers are stranded on an island trying to solve a murder. Some of the characters were unlikeable and I had difficulty connecting with any of them. The plot felt somewhat disjointed with so much going on at the same time. There is a lot of intensity during the read too.

Really enjoyed this one but the middle drug out a bit. Ending was absolutely unexpected and kept me wanting more. Maybe a sequel?!