Thank you @NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. The opinions are my own and freely given

Kati and her daughter Zoe move to Hawaii, fleeing an abusive husband. Kati has rebuilt her life and when her fiance goes missing, the authorities start looking into her.Kati turns to her fiance's law partner, Noah and then Zoe goes missing.

This was an action packed story. I kept wondering what else was Kati hiding from, but it comes out with a little shocking twist.

My friends at The Pulse can't stop talking about his book, and you will love it too!

Thank you to Douglas Corleone and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

“Falls to Pieces” has been getting a lot of great chatter with us at The Pulse - and I can see why! Although a bit of a slow-burn to start, once the pacing picked up, I was completely invested in this book! Our FMC, Kati, had a lot of her own secrets as she was running from her past. It was easy for me to empathize with her and become caught up in her story. The beautiful setting of Hawaii served as a lovely backdrop for this mystery. This was my first read by this author and I will definitely be checking out more!

“Falls to Pieces” releases February 18, 2025. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

I loved the twists upon twists in this book! I also really liked the way Hawaii was a kind of beloved character, in the way the author describes the land and the ways the human characters interact with the natural settings. Falls to Pieces is a fantastic suspense story. You’ll never guess what happens next!

Falls to Pieces by Douglas Corleone is a recommended novel of psychological suspense.

Two years ago Kati Dawes and her teenage daughter, Zoe, fled the east coast and started living under new names and off the grid in Hawaii. When Kati's fiancé, attorney Eddie Akana, disappears while they are hiking, she is a suspect. Kati is desperate to find Eddie because she can't have any media attention or photos of her publicized. Noah Walker, Eddie’s law partner, agrees to help her while Kati is the main suspect, but then Zoe disappears and Kati is frantic.

The novel, which is divided into three parts, starts out at an even pace as Kati is worried about finding Eddie and also concerned about hiding her real identity. There are switches in the narrative between Kati, Zoe's private thoughts, and flashbacks to the past they are running from. The pace takes off and explodes during the last part of the novel when the number of secrets and twisted ties between characters and the action increases.

It does feel like the story was being told rather than naturally developing during several sections of the narrative. Part of the novel also ties in a wide variety of different subjects and current buzz words while following several different trails. There are numerous twists at the end, some of which readers might have suspected and some were surprises.

I actually enjoyed the novel more at the beginning and my enjoyment lessened as I kept reading. It could be over the massive amount of disbelief that kept creeping into my thoughts while reading. 3.5
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The Hawaiian setting was immersive and enjoyable as was the riveting, suspenseful plot. The story begins with Kati's fiancee going missing which grabbed my attention, especially with hints of Kati and her daughter Zoe having something to hide. I liked the pacing as the mystery of their past unravelled and other secrets and twists emerged in a complex web. Fans of crime thrillers will enjoy this book.

This one started off sucking me in but eventually it platarued right when it should have gotten better. Unfortunately this became a DNF for me with the lack of hustle in the main story and so much work in the back story.

Hi! Giving this a 3.5/5, rounded up. This one sucked me in from the very beginning. It was fast paced & twisty. I almost didn’t know who I was rooting for at times. I thought it was going one way & went completely off the rails.
I loved the Maui setting. I loved Kati & Zoe’s relationship, the dual timelines. The ending wasn’t my fave. The last 15% killed it for me. Just got kinda wild. Love MAC 🤍

I loved that the the story took place in Hawaii. I could clearly picture the beautiful setting. This book has a lot going on…As Kati tries to learn the truth about Eddie and Zoe’s disappearances, she finds out way more than she ever imagined! This book is filled with secrets, lies, deception, revenge, and a bunch of untrustworthy characters! There many twists and a few that I never saw coming. It is definitely a slow burn at the beginning but picks up in the middle and ends with some shocking revelations! This is the first book that I have read by this author, but look forward to reading more in the future!

A multi-faceted thriller set in Hawaii which touches on abuse, environmental issues, family dysfunction, and murder. The story had many twists and turns, some of which I found hard to keep track of. I found the plot a bit too involved and ended up skimming over parts. This one unfortunately didn’t work for me.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Wow…just wow!!! I absolutely devoured this book! I could not get my kindle to turn the page fast enough! What a thought out and well executed novel. The twists, in depth plot and character development is unlike any other. Plus the added bonus of being set in Hawaii. This was my first book by Douglas and I guarantee it won’t be the last!

This story doesn't hold back even from the very beginning. The reader is dropped right into the action and soon sees that some deeply held secrets complicate what might otherwise be a straightforward investigation. Past event have made it impossible for Kati to be completely honest, and her story holding up under their scrutiny all depends on her teen daughter's willingness to continue going along with it and back it up, so of course this all occurs right as daughter Zoe is showing a considerable amount of reluctance to keep living under an assumed name and history.
What is already a tension-filled plot only escalates from there, and the dynamics of the many complicated relationships, past and present, are made known page by page. But there are no red herrings here - each of these bits of information, as small as it may seem at the time, is critical to understanding the full story and how the various characters have found themselves in these predicaments. It all culminates in a metaphorical thunderstorm of an ending, with twist after twist coming before you've fully wrapped your head around the previous one that's just come to light. But besides the gorgeously depicted setting, and the flawed yet compelling characters, that is something that makes this book so memorable; when you have to stop for a moment and mentally pedal through what you've read so far, only to see there were hints that this was coming all along, you're first taken in by the striking (and satisfying!) conclusion to these tension-filled events and interactions, then later, upon further reflection once the book is complete, by the author's brilliance at having the skills to put it all together.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy. This did not impact my review.

Everyone at @thrillerbookloversthepulse is raving about this upcoming thriller! Thank you for the gifted digital arc!

Kati Dawes and her daughter Zoe are living off the grid in Maui. When Kati’s fiancée disappears during a quick hiking trip, her past will come back to haunt her.

I loved the setting of this thriller with the gorgeous yet dangerous Hawaiian landscape depicted so vividly. The characters were all morally questionable and it was hard to know who to trust, but I never saw the shocking twists coming! The ending was so dark and thrilling, and definitely worth the slower build in the beginning.

Rating 4⭐️

Set against the backdrop of Hawaii this thriller had me trying to figure it out until the very end. And the ending was very unexpected! Kati and Zoey are on the run and have built a life off the grid in Hawaii. When Kati’s fiance disappears on a hike they are left wondering if their past has caught up with them. Wondering who can be trusted Kati is on a race against time to figure out what really happened before it is too late. The twists kept coming and I had to keep reading until everything was revealed. I recommend adding this book to your tbr if you like thrillers that keep you guessing.

I felt this was a slow paced story. I did enjoy the setting.

Blurb: For two years, Kati Dawes and her teenage daughter, Zoe, have lived off the grid in Hawaii, hiding from a past Kati must forget as if her life depends on it. New names. Anonymous online presence. So far, safe. Until Kati’s fiancé, attorney Eddie Akana, disappears along a popular hiking trail in a Maui national park. Now all eyes are on Kati. Exposure can make a woman with so many secrets very paranoid.

Eddie’s law partner, Noah Walker, is doing everything he can to protect his new client from the press that’s hovering like a vulture and the authorities whose suspicions about Kati—and the disappearance—are rising. Then suddenly, Zoe goes missing as well. Kati will risk anything to find her. But the worst is still to come. Because Kati’s not the only one with secrets. And buried among them is a twist she never saw coming.

A great thriller everyone will enjoy. Kati and Zoe are living ‘off grid’ in Hawaii. As the book goes along we learn why they are living ‘off grid’. The book opens when Kati’s fiancée, Eddie, goes missing on a hike. This book has a lot of hidden secrets and nothing is at it seems. I love the setting and the very snappy writing style. I laughed out loud at some of the dialogue.

Falls to Pieces
Douglas Corleone
Thomas and Mercer
04/01/2025

Falls to Pieces is a fast-paced easy to read thriller that should not be missed. Red herrings, hints, details, and pieces of information are intentionally hidden. If you figure this out before the end, I think you have a superpower. There is no shortage of well developed morally grey characters. (love) You will have no idea who to trust or what is the truth. This story has flashbacks throughout that lend to the ending, so hang tight and read them. As the story progresses, the pace picks up. Knowing that, you need to be able to binge read, without interruption the last 40% (ish) and you may need help picking your jaw up off the floor!

This one will certainly keep you guessing til the end! Those twists were TWISTING!
🌺Atmospheric setting in Hawaii
🌺Crime Thriller/Mystery
🌺Secrets
🌺Missing Persons
🌺TWISTS
Kati and her teen daughter, Zoe, are in hiding in Hawaii and living off the grid. Kati gets engaged to Eddie, who is an attorney and seems like a great catch. When they’re on a hike he goes missing and the police are pointing their fingers at her. Her daughter goes missing soon after and Kati is afraid someone from her past has found them and must do what it takes to get her daughter back.
I loved the setting of this book and it’s very suspenseful! That ending though…..never saw it coming!

This was definitely a fun and juicy read. So much secrets and information is intricately and slowly uncovered which keeps the suspense of the book very high throughout. There was just a lot of suspension of disbelief to be had and that is where it was harder for me to fully connect.

Kati and her daughter, Zoe, are in hiding. From what or who we don’t know.
For the past two years they have been off grid in Hawaii. Living in the shadows.

Until Kati gets a boyfriend. Eddie is an attorney and seems like a catch. Until they go for a hike and he doesn’t return. What happened? The police are grilling Kati while Eddie’s law partner, Noah, is trying to help Katie.

This was a suspenseful read! Although Kati was not the least bit sympathetic as a character, she was paranoid, and seemed to make ridiculous decisions.
As things heat up Zoe disappears.

That’s all I am saying because the twists were insane! I couldn’t believe that ending!


NetGalley/ Thomas and Mercer February 18, 2025

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK TOUR BOOK REVIEW 📚

Falls To Pieces By Douglas Corleone
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚MY REVIEW:

Falls To Pieces has been a part of some excited conversations over at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, and after reading it myself, I totally get it! This is a twisting and turning crime thriller, set in the gorgeous natural landscape of Hawaii, and its mystery is sure to pull you in quickly -- just like it did for me!

This is the story of Kati and Zoe, a mother and daughter who are living off-the-grid in Hawaii. The book begins with Kati's fiance Eddie going missing, and evidence quickly points to foul play at the hands of Kati. It becomes clear there are deeper secrets with Kati and Zoe, and Corleone uses flashbacks brilliantly to slowly share their backstory and reveal exactly what it is that they're hiding.

But let me tell you: there are WAY more secrets in this story than you'll expect! Some of the twists in this one really shocked me because they were SO unexpected -- which I absolutely loved! There are a lot of layers to this mystery, with more and more mysteries developing as the story continues. There were lots of involved characters and intricate pieces to the puzzle...at times I had to stop and remind myself who was who and how they were involved. While it occasionally felt to me like it was a lot to keep straight, all the pieces eventually came together as the mysteries were solved. Those final twists though!?! 😳😳

*Trigger Warnings: domestic violence and child abuse.*

Falls To Pieces was ultimately a mysteriously thrilling ride that had me guessing until the very end. A huge thank you to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley, and Doug Corleone for the advanced e-copy of this book and invitation to be a part of this book tour in exchange for my honest review!

#FallsToPieces #DouglasCorleone #ThomasandMercer #amazonpublishing #thrillerbookloversthepulse #booktours #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations