Sadly I had to dnf at 31%

This book already has so many good reviews on good reads so I’m definitely in the minority but I couldn’t get into the story. On top of me not enjoying the story line there were some quotes I found odd for lack of a better term.

Thank you to the publisher for gifing me this alc

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was a different read for once, really found this page turner hard to put down

I go into most books blind and this was no exception. I was a bit confused as I was listening because I thought it was a thriller (it is). The first part of the novel we see the FMC talk about the meaning of family, grief, and death. Her mother had a rare blood disease, and then Maggie (FMC) gets the news, just when she is at the peak of her career, a mom, and a wife, that she is dying from the same rare blood disease. As she processes all of this, we watch her go through some of the stages of grief...until she makes a grave realization and that is when the crazy twists and turns begin. There were so many surprises, but I absolutely loved all of them! There is a reason this book is getting a ton of 5 star reviews!

It was not what I was expecting from Marshall Karp, and at first I wasn't sure I would like it. Once I got into it, I really enjoyed it, and it had some great twists, which I love. So, don't give up on this one too soon, you will regret it.

This book was read by January LaVoy and I loved the narration. Narrated in past and present timelines. Before and after the funeral. How hard it is for a mother to prepare her children for the life after her death. The book was poignant, touching and unputdownable. Maggie gets to know about the dreadful disease that k!lled her mother is going to K!ll her too. She is going through pain and concern for her family. But she also wants to make sure that Alex doesn’t fall in the trap of gold digging women. The book is full of secrets, suspense, small town mystery, twists and truth. A woman was found floating in the water and then the author takes us back to the characters past and then the author circles us back to the mystery of a woman in the end.

Thanks to the publisher.

This book begins with the body of an unpopular woman found floating in the water. The story does not circle back to this apparent suicide until the end of the book. At that point, it becomes just one of the many secrets held by the characters in this book.

Maggie is the 43 year old mayor of a small N.Y. town. She has just been diagnosed with the same fatal disease that killed her mother, and her main concern is that her husband Alex and their twin teenagers will be ok after she dies. To that end, she wants to ensure that Alex does fall prey to the flock of gold-digging, swindling harpies that she is sure will descend upon him as soon as she is gone.

This book is difficult to characterize. A lot of it is spent with the events surrounding the death of Maggie’s mother. Her final days were heartbreakingly described. Following her death, the widower did indeed encounter a woman who Maggie did not find acceptable. And Maggie’s way of handling her grief was to have sex with any man with a pulse.

The book then jumps ahead to the married Maggie and her recent diagnosis. It was near the end of the book that the plot sort of fell apart for me. I know that people are going to describe it as twisty and full of secrets, but I just thought it was unbelievable. <spoiler> How many murderers can you pack into one small town. And Maggie had a friend who was unreasonably loyal to her. </spoiler> The book did hold my interest though. I just wanted it to be more realistic. And the shift in tone from the first part of the book to the quasi thriller that it turned into was jarring.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

As a fan of the authors Lomax & Biggs series I jumped at the chance to get a copy of this audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. The first half was a family drama and twists start coming in the second half. The story moved along quickly and there was witty dialogue. The narration was great. Highly recommend!

I had seen some incredible reviews for Don't Tell Me How to Die on Bookstagram. When I saw January LaVoy as the narrator, I immediately requested the audiobook!

📖: Maggie Dunn's story is told over decades. As a teen, she lost her mother to illness and was recently diagnosed with the same disease. How can she make sure her family is taken care of after she's gone? With a little help from good friends, Maggie's story is a wild one!

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- characters to root for
- mysteries that tug at your heartstrings
- strong friendship stories

💭: I found this to be a fun and cleverly-plotted story! I think this will be a hit for readers of all genres and could see it working for folks dipping their toes into thrillers. Getting to know Maggie's family and friends through the first potion of the book got me invested in the story and surprised at some of the reveals.

For appropriate expectations purposes, expect the most tension and major reveals to take a place in the last 20% of the book. The vibes (at least on audio IMO) felt like What Happened to the McCray's? by Tracey Lange but make it a thriller. I know some people get riled up about that, but I think a lot of readers will enjoy the ride!

🎧: Per usual, January LaVoy is a damn delight! I love her subtle yet perfect voice changes for characters, especially for the teen sisters. If you are an audiobook fan, I highly suggest this format!

Rating: I really liked it! (4.5⭐️ rounded up)

Pub Day: March 4th, 2025

Thank you Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and NetGalley for early access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good! I really enjoyed the different timelines to follow along the journeys. I wasn’t expecting this book to take such an emotional toll on me but boy did it. I drive a lot for work so I wanted something that would keep me focused. I didn’t realize I would get so emotionally invested in this story. I highly recommend this audiobook! Can’t wait to read more from this author!

Like other early readers, this book totally threw me. For the first 85% of the book, it feels more like a This Is Us type drama with the undertones of a mystery and some crime here and there than a thriller or even a mystery book. I nearly stopped reading when I realized this, but reading the comments encouraged me to keep going, especially as the characters were enjoyable. If you're not a slow burn reader this is definitely not for you, but if you're open to something different, all I can say is the payoff is 100% worth it. This is a true psychological thriller, but again, you won't realize it until the end of the book. Pay attention to every plot line because it's all more important than you realize.

I give huge props to Marshall Karp for crafting a believable, intricate story with realistic characters, with subtle aspects that even caught me by surprise. There is one part that I was prepared to call shenanigans on, but then Karp masterfully turned it on its head. Thank you so much to the author, Blackstone, and Netgally for the chance to read this book early. I recommend listening to the audiobook if you can because as always January LaVoy kills it on the narration. My opinions are expressed freely.

Maggie Dunn, mayor of Heartstone, NY and wife of a handsome surgeon/CEO of the local hospital, is dying in her 40s of the same rare blood disease that killed her mother. Against all medical advice she opts to forego rigorous chemotherapy in favor of having a good quality of life in her final months. Don't Tell Me How to Die starts as a conventional character-rich tale that spirals through incredible and incredibly unexpected twists and turns by its final words. My heart pounded as I listened to the excellent narration by January LaVoy, especially through the final few chapters. Don't Tell Me How to Die will appeal to suspense-genre readers and to anyone who is looking for a book to capture their interest. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. it was fast paced and hard to put down. This is a book I won't forget. Thank you for my gifted copy. I'll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.

Maggie's biggest fear is dying the way that her mother did when she was a teenager. Her worst fears come true as she is diagnosed with the same rare blood disorder that her mother had. Maggie plans to die on her own terms and is trying to set everything in order for her husband and kids the way that her own mother did for them. We get to learn about Maggie's mother and everything that she went through before she passed. Maggie's sister Lizzie knows how difficult things were for their family and she is determined to help.

When I tell you that I thought this story was sweet and endearing but then it took a HARD left and I am so happy that it did!! I have raved about this book nonstop since finishing it!! A bit of a slow burn but a phenomenal story that is told in the most beautiful and shocking way. Absolutely adored it!

Thank you @blackstonepublishing #partner for that gifted audiobook!

🚨BANGER ALERT! 🚨

It’s been a hot minute since I was this excited about a thriller and hot diggity dog this one was spectacular! Thank you @marishareadsalot for telling me about this one! As soon as I finished, I told my friends, their friends and all the friends because friends…it was THAT good!

Hear me out…..I’m listening to this book (audio was stellar) and I’m thinking…this is not a thriller. It’s great! The characters are well written. The humor trying to make light of a sad situation was spot on. This book just felt extremely relatable. It’s emotional. But not a thriller. I’m here for the story and then WHAM…oh yeah! Ooohhhhhhh! YES!!THIS IS A THRILLER! And it’s not just any thriller. It’s a freakin epic one! The last third of this book I think I was dancing, jaw dropped, giving certain characters high fives and loving every last twist that I did not see coming. Friends….if you love thrillers YOU NEED THIS ONE!

Never did I know where this story would go next. Decades of lies and deceit that flowed perfectly and kept me engaged from start to finish. January LaVoy does no wrong for me when it comes to narration. She will always be a top favorite for me. Every time I thought the “big twist” had come, another one followed shortly after. Ya never know who you can trust and this novel proves that time and time again. The first parts did feel very YA but that was not applicable to the whole novel.

This book had an intriguing concept—a woman on a tight deadline to protect her family’s future, all while confronting a haunting family tragedy. While it didn’t go as dark or intense as I was hoping, it still delivered a fun, engaging ride.

The protagonist’s humor and determination kept me hooked, and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. The witty writing and sharp dialogue really stood out, and I appreciated how the story balanced suspense with lighter moments.

Sure, I wished for a bit more intensity and a deeper dive into the darker psychological elements, but it was still an enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a thriller that’s entertaining with a mix of humor and suspense, this one is definitely worth picking up!

I had every emotion under the sun reading this book. The twists and turns at the end threw me for a whole loop. The beginning of the book had so many moments showing the power and depth of grief and loss. There were moments worth crying and moments my jaw hit the floor!

Such a great and unique thriller. I really enjoyed it and the storyline, it was super intriguing. The suspense was high and it just kept constantly building throughout. I was not expecting that finale !

Rating:5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 3/4
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I just found one of my top reads for this year. This book was so unbelievably unique for a thriller and I ate this entire story up in a matter of one sitting. Absolutely Phenomenal. All the praise for this one.
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Don’t Tell Me How to Die is one that I recommend going in blind on. I had no idea what this story was supposed to be about and at one point I even questioned if it was a thriller. Because of its uniqueness, I am telling you, trust the process.
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This is told in a nonlinear timeline of the life of Maggie, the main character. Let me just say parts of this book will have you sobbing like a baby (well it at least had me sobbing and I was pretty sure I didn’t have a heart anymore until this happened).. But the rawness of the journey that Maggie goes on makes you truly feel like you are walking along side her.
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This is a fast paced book. It is super addicting and it will have you wanting more. There are twists that will come out of no where, leaving your jaw on the ground in utter disbelief. I absolutely loved this story from start to finish and I truly cannot recommend this one enough.
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I listened to this one via audiobook while reading my ebook and it was narrated by the amazing January LaVoy. She is incredible, I’d listen to her read a grocery receipt so yeah…. this is a must listen to audiobook if you are an audiobook person.
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Thank you to NetGalley, Marshall Karp, Blackstone Publishing and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is a must read this year!!

This book was SO good. Talking about the mom brought me to tears. The twist was genuinely shocking. I will heavily be recommending this book.