So happy I was able to read this book. Leila Meacham was a favorite author who recently passed away. Probably not her best writing, but definitely a good story. Mystery and women's fiction combined.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of April Storm by Leila Meacham!

This was a slow burn of a book.
I found it a bit too slow for me.
Also, the POV of the stalker is not the best writing in the world.
First by this author and not sure I would read another, but you never know.

I absolutely devoured this book I loved the characters the tension and the whole story line.

Katherine is married to a doctor her children are happy and out of the house, she has a life if people look at they would be jealous. She spends her time doing charity work that helps her Suburban Colorado community. Everything changes when she starts getting the feeling that someone is following her, and weird things happening around her. Her husband is working long hours and acting distant she’s certain he’s having an affair. When a Good Samaritan informs her that the person following her is a private investigator and their was an attempt on her life, she doesn’t know who she can trust, the emotionally fragile woman isn’t ready to consider the overwhelming evidence that someone may be trying to take her husband—and her life.

April Storm is a posthumous novel from Leila Meacham.

Kathryn Walker gave up her dreams to look after her children and her husband - a specialist doctor. An overheard conversation decimates her fragile state even more.

April Storm was a really good domestic and mystery tale. Kathryn is a wonderful lead character. You can't help but be behind her. There are a number of supporting characters that will have wondering if they are truly the persona they purport to be. Some are....and some aren't.

The mystery of the book gives the reader an unexpected who and why. I didn't see it coming. Very different. The ending is fitting, but I still would have preferred the other option.

If you enjoy domestic mysteries and women's fiction, you'll enjoy April Storm.

Every April something happens in the Walker’s picture perfect life and this April is no exception. Katherine is being followed by a private detective, her husband, Drew, is acting strangely and Katherine knows it’s not good. When she meets up with an ex-military man that offers to help everything falls together way too easily, but still an enjoyable read. Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I’m sad that this will be the final book by April Meacham due to her untimely passing. I’m grateful that she left one last manuscript behind. This one is a modern day mystery featuring Kathryn. Kathryn has always dreaded the month of April. In her mind nothing good happens during this fourth month of the year and the current April that she’s in is proving that very point. Someone is after her and she needs to uncover the reason why in order to save her own life. This is a fast paced novel that will have you tearing through the pages. Read and enjoy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5

Kathryn Walker seems to have it all—a luxurious home in a prestigious neighborhood in the picturesque ski resort town of Avon, Ohio. She’s married to a handsome, successful orthopedic surgeon, and together they’ve built a prosperous life. They’ve raised two children and juggle demanding careers—he in medicine, she as a devoted housewife and active community member.
But when a shadowy threat begins to close in on her, Kathryn’s perfect world begins to unravel. The danger lurking beneath the surface threatens everything she holds dear, and now, she must outwit a relentless pursuer who will stop at nothing to take her life. The question is, who is attempting to destroy her and why?

I enjoyed April Storm for about 90% of the novel. Although it was a fast paced read, I was a bit disappointed with the ending because it seemed to have led up to that. I wish there was more to the storylines for her husband and the other characters such as the special forces man that helps her. I feel somewhat conflicted on whether I liked Kathryn’s character, although I understood her choices. All in all, this was a page turner I enjoyed reading.

Kathryn and Drew have been in love since meeting in college. They worked hard and built a wonderful posh life. But sometimes life doesn’t go exactly according to our plans. How we respond to that speaks volumes. We can crumble or we can pivot and make a fresh start. A very enjoyable read!

This was a fast-paced, page-turning thriller full of familial drama and shocking twists that kept me up well into the night. I devoured this story even with all its cliches. I did really like the protagonist and couldn't help but root for her in all her turmoil. This was a great in-between read and a breath of fresh air. I recommend this to my fellow thriller readers looking for a light but addicting read. Three and a half stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for this ARC.

Intricate, compelling, and sharp!

April Storm is a captivating, suspenseful tale that takes us into the life of devoted wife and mother Kathryn Walker as her life suddenly gets turned upside down when it quickly becomes apparent that someone is watching her every move and is more than willing to do whatever it takes, even resort to murder, to be rid of her forever.

The writing is sharp and tight. The characters are vulnerable, troubled, and multilayered. And the plot is an ominous, twisty tale filled with manipulation, familial drama, deception, lies, jealousy, obsession, secrets, revelations, mayhem, and murder.

The passing of Leila Meacham in September 2021 was a tremendous loss for the literary world, and it’s an honour to be able to read anything she wrote. April Storm is not the typical novel we’ve seen from Meacham in the past several years, as she swept us away into stories taking place in the past, such as Dragonfly and Roses. Still, it is nevertheless a clever, tortuous, cunning page-turner that kept me guessing from the very first page and ultimately left me surprised, satisfied, and thoroughly entertained.

Leila Meacham’s April Storm delivers an expertly crafted thriller that keeps readers on their toes, constantly questioning their instincts and perceptions. True to her reputation, Meacham’s writing is rich and layered, making it difficult to pin down exactly who and what to trust as the story unfolds.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to maintain suspense without sacrificing depth. The characters are multifaceted, and the plot is riddled with twists that challenge the reader's assumptions. Meacham's pacing ensures that there’s never a dull moment, and her keen sense of intrigue pulls you deeper into the narrative.

That said, while the suspense is masterful, the buildup to the story’s climax could have benefitted from more intensity. The tipping point, though satisfying, might leave action-seeking readers craving a touch more spectacle to match the psychological stakes.

Overall, April Storm is a compelling read that showcases Leila Meacham’s talent for weaving unpredictable and gripping tales. Though it may fall slightly short of a pulse-pounding finale, it more than compensates with its intelligent and enthralling storytelling. Fans of thought-provoking thrillers will find plenty to love.

This was one of those effortless type of reads for me, I was truly sucked into the story for the majority and found it to be very engaging. Katherine was a likable character for me and I was desperate to know why someone was following her and what they wanted from her. It lost me as the story progressed because many of the happenings seemed a bit too coincidental and not at all plausible. I wasn’t altogether pleased with the answers either, but I did like most of this. Overall a quick and fast paced domestic suspense I mostly enjoyed.

This author has always been a favorite of mine. I was excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. It’s a fast paced book. There’s a few surprises along the way. I liked Kathryn and her determination. You will stay up late to finish this one

April Storm is a sweet story with a bit of tension, romance, deception, crime and surprise. The book moves quickly with the drama unfolding in several layers until everything converges at the end. An engaging, fast read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the opportunity to read this ARC.

4 stars
when kathryn notices a man following her around and weird things are happening with her husband- she has a stalker and she needs to figure out why. this is a super face paced thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning.

Not my favorite story but it was still a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I could have enjoyed it more if I felt connected to the characters. That didn’t happen here.

This latest novel written by Leila Meacham will be published posthumously in November 2024. The novel takes place in Colorado and Texas during the month of April. The main character, Kathryn, a suburban housewife married to a surgeon, realizes she is being followed by a private investigator. In addition to the private investigator she realizes in the middle of the novel that she was the subject of failed attempts to murder her. I was able to read this novel rather quickly. It is part mystery and part family drama/suspense. I kept turning the pages because I was curious about how Kathryn would address all of the obstacles presented before her.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harper for the ARC. April Storm will be published on November 12, 2024.

4.5 STARS. I am thrilled that this novel, which the author was revising when she passed away in 2021, was finished and will be published posthumously. I'm grateful to her husband for seeing it through and to the publisher for giving readers a last hurrah with sweet Leila Meacham's storytelling prowess.

APRIL STORM is a good story with some unexpected turns, and I read it in one sitting. Women will likely connect with main character Kathryn in one way or another, whether it's in her years-old or newest grief, the sadness of a lost career or children leaving the nest, or the way relationships change --or stay the same -- over time.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher, and I expect the scattered typos I saw will be caught and corrected. I hope so because clean and superbly edited final books have always been a mark of Leila's books (and one that this word nerd appreciates).

Fans of Leila's prior works will feel her absence in the writing. I can't put my finger on exactly what's missing -- perhaps the emotional depth usually present in her characters? I've never read one of her books that didn't wreck me in some way and have me in tears of joy or sorrow at least once. I was not even close in APRIL STORM, though I definitely wanted to grab a character or two by the shoulders and shake them into reason.

Even so, I'd recommend it for those looking for a not-so-heavy and thoroughly entertaining thriller. And I'm okay with not being wrecked and even wonder if perhaps that was Leila's final gift to her readers.

I was so not sure what to expect with this book, but wow! It just outdid all the books I’ve read lately. So good! A very sweet story.