This book was interesting in the fact that I never saw the twist coming! I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a surprise ending. Overall 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Wow this book was amazing. I could not put it down. D.M.Barr gives you twists and turns galore. Drawing you in right from the beginning. Dara is a busy step mum and realtor with a disabled husband to look after too. Dara grew up with parents more interested in doing good than being good parents to her. Which left her a chronic people pleaser, who spreads herself too thin.
When her assistant leaves Dara needs a replacement fast, things get even more stressful when there is an issue with the cake at a childrens gala she is hosting. Enter Merry who claims she can get a cake for the event. When Merry comes through and saves the day Dara is so thankful she hires Merry as her assistant . Not bothering with references which works out handy for Merry. As she makes sure to become the best assistant ever, slowly insinuating herself into Dara's life. Insisting in hosting them all at easter , going above and beyond. Dara starts to become very uncomfortable especially when Merry tries to frame her best friend. Its time for some digging into her past. Once Merry finds out she is looking into her past she starts to do the same. The tension continues to ramp up until the shocking end. Deadly When Disturbed is a 5 star read for me. Highly recommended for fans of pyschological thrillers.

I love a good psychological thriller and this one takes the cake. It was a good read and my first ever read from netgalley. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Wasn’t able to read this one digitally but I did order a copy of the book so will be reviewing it after I’ve read it. I’m really excited for it as I’ve only heard great things about it.

I received this book through NetGalley, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to discover new authors and share my thoughts.

Deadly When Disturbed was a thrilling and suspenseful ride that kept me hooked from start to finish. D.M. Barr has crafted a story full of twists, turns, and plenty of tension. The plot was engaging, and the characters were complex, making it easy to become invested in their fates. The writing was sharp and compelling, and the mystery at the heart of the story had me guessing until the very end.

Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I look forward to reading more from this author!

I thank the author for reaching out and offering me this ARC.
I definitely wanted to read more thriller and mystery this year, but unfortunately, this did not deliver on the genre front.

Mostly, the book took on too much.
It took on too many improbable and low-occurrence situations and wanted to forcefully make them work together.
Maybe if 2 of these were removed it would have been better?
Too much was lost in technicalities and details that distracted from the main events.

This is supposed to be 2 friends. Yet I never saw the women be friends but maybe for a couple of pages.

Now, this will be a spoiler-filled review because it honestly grated on my nerves and any opinions I do have relate directly to spoilers.

- The Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) was obvious since the first chapter. Yet, it also too the lowest probabilities and made them work. As far we're concerned, Dara didn't go to therapy but in her childhood. There is no way she was able to control and converse and push back Celeste (her "deadly" alter) and scheme with her unless she had extensive therapy.
- Moreover, DID is disruptive to daily life even in the most functional of humans. Dara not only was able to control her alter, but the only thing side effect was "some" memory gaps.
- The DID and Celeste's nature were not particulraly hidden, to the extent I knew Celeste killed Brooke the second I heard Brooke was dead....
- The ending was unsatisfactory. Not only Dara didn't get away, but NO ONE knew the truth about Merry/Georgia. You're telling me I spent more than 50% of the book frustrated with the behaviour of the antagonist for her to be killed in 1 page and NO ONE knew about what she did? And then take down your supposed FMC, who btw is the most self-centered and annoying person in this book? And there were a lot of annoying people in this book.

Thank you so much NetGalley for sharing the ARC with me! This was such a fun and exciting story. Deadly when Disturbed had me hooked from page one. The writing style, the twists and turns, the dark humor all made for a great experience. I thought I had the twist figured out but I was wrong ! This felt like a Jesse Q. Sutanto book in the best way and I was eating it up !! If you want a fun domestic thriller with unlikable characters this one is for you.

A Solid Suspenseful Thriller

This was a gripping thriller with plenty of tension and twists. The dynamic between Dara and Merry kept me hooked, and the story had some genuinely suspenseful moments. However, the multiple POVs felt unnecessary, and a few parts were a bit over the top or cliché. That said, it was an enjoyable read overall and worth picking up!

Thank you, NetGalley & Level Best Books, for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was definitely a crazy roller coaster ride, was it my favorite, no it wasn't, it was confusing at times, somewhat predictable and some things just felt like they didn't belong. There were just some things missing to make it more intriguing for me. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

This one didn't work for me. I wanted to like this, as I ultimately do when requesting an ARC, but this one fell flat. The MC was so annoying; she kept ignoring red flags left and
making the stupidest decisions – I wanted to punch her. The 'big twist' wasn't that surprising, at least not to me. One the plus side, the cover of Deadly When Disturbed is stunning and it is a quick and easy read. 2,5 of 5 stars.
Thank you, Netgalley and Level Best Books, for the chance to read a copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was one hell of a roller-coaster ride! An absolute thriller packed with non-stop, heart-pounding drama. The story follows Dara, a savvy realtor, as she faces off against Merry, a fraudster trying to infiltrate her life and take it over. But Dara is no pushover because she’s a baddie in her own right, and the battle of wits between these two women became incredibly intense.

It’s somewhat addictive in a way bingeing one of those ‘is-there-a-next-episode?!’ Netflix dramas, which is always a good thing. That said, there were some frustrating loose ends / subplots that just didn’t make sense to me. Fair warning - spoilers ahead:

- Celeste’s backstory? Completely hella confusing until the literal last page, and even then, it’s crammed into a single paragraph.
- Merry’s POV felt unnecessary given how little it was used. Honestly, sticking to Dara’s perspective would’ve been more impactful.
- Oh hooooo and don’t get me started on Jason. His loyalty to Merry over Dara was so, so, so anger-triggering to me! Discussing family matters with Merry behind Dara’s back? Making decisions without consulting his wife??? I COULD NEVER. Fiction or not, I was ready to divorce him myself. But credit where it’s due, the author for sure knows how to evoke strong emotions about her characters.

Some plot points didn’t make much sense either - like Dara’s clients calling her about their Visa card issues? Too random to even unpack here.

All in all, this was super, SUPER fast-paced and best way for me to describe it is that it’s a Scooby-Doo-style thriller (in the best way). While it didn’t fully satisfy me with to its unresolved threads, it was still 100% super engaging.

***

Many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for making this Advanced Review Copy available!

I did not see the ending coming! I love psychological thrillers that revolev around someone inserting themselves into someone else's life as you get to catch a glimpse of both lives and I think this book did that really well.

D.M. Barr’s *Deadly When Disturbed* is a wild psychological thriller that mixes dark humor with nail-biting suspense. It follows Dara Banks, a top realtor in Rock Canyon, who thinks she has everything under control—until she brings in her seemingly perfect assistant, Merry Rafter. What starts as a regular work arrangement quickly turns into a tense game where both women start uncovering secrets they'd rather keep hidden.

Barr’s writing is sharp and funny, making the story move fast with twists that keep you guessing about everyone’s true motives. The chemistry between Dara and Merry is intense, and both characters are so flawed yet captivating that it’s hard to fully trust or hate either of them.

For anyone who loves thrillers that blend sharp satire with deep psychological elements, *Deadly When Disturbed* is definitely a pick. It dives into themes of power and deception and shows how far people will go to protect their carefully built lives. It’s clever, unsettling, and completely addictive, ensuring you'll be hooked until the very last page.

This was such a fun, exciting read. Plenty of twists and turns and I didn't quite know what to expect. This one was definitely a page turner and kept me on my toes. I am not sure if I should love or hate Dara but let's just say "it's complicated".

Every time I thought I knew what was about to happen, there were events and information revealed that showed a twisted, darker side of the main characters that I did not expect. Unlike other psychological thrillers and mystery novels, I was unable to predict the ending. This book really kept me on my toes!

As soon as the main character hired an assistant without really doing proper checks, I knew this was going to be a wild ride and it did not disappoint with so many tricks and twists! The author manages to maintain strong pace without seeming to rush the events or sacrificing the detail needed to build, the characters and make you really care about what happens to them. A great idea and very well executed.

The writing style is easy to follow, there are a ton of twists and turns, and I had no idea what to expect.

This was a really good read and I am excited to check out the other books this wonderful author has published!

This book was crazy lol which I love the main character was a character in itself if I must say I loved the storyline I will be reading from this author again

I love domestic thrillers and Deadly When Disturbed by D.M. Barr did not disappoint. Dara Banks, Rock Canyon's leading Realtor, has her hands full. Not only with work but with her personal life. Looking to lighten her load she hires an assistant, Merry, without running a reference check. At first Merry's help is invaluable but then things start to go too far. When Dara begins to question Merry’s motives and actions things really start to get scary. This cat and mouse game will keep you on the edge of seat, unsure of where things will go next.