Read Completed 2/15/25 | 4.25 stars | Book #16 of 2025

This was a really fun read! Truthfully, I actually did not think I would like it, and in another state of mind, I would have DNFed it for not getting to the "thriller part" sooner, but I was in the proper mood to enjoy the characters as the book was unfolding and wait for the payoff. I only picked this up because of some glowing BookTok reviews, and it's always so hit-or-miss. I'm really happy that I enjoyed this one, and the audiobook narration by January LaVoy also helped for sure.

While it ends like a thriller, I'd struggle to recommend it as such on a broad scale. That would probably be the best place to put it, but all of the twists, reveals, and thrilling moments are all at the end. The story is one long tale to the unraveled, but you have to want it to get it. It's also a very, very character-driven thriller which requires you to be heavily invested in these characters because the plot is much slower, working up to a deliberate and shocking reveal. It's hard when I see people hype it up to be absolutely nuts because then I have *expectations* of it being the best and usually I'm let down, so while this still wasn't a 5 star book for me, I absolutely enjoyed the whole ride! There were also parts in the end that really required me to suspend a little disbelief that I couldn't quite let go of. There was one big jump that I just didn't *quite* accept. If I did, it maybe would have been 4.5 stars, but I just didn't quite accept the BIG twist of it all.

I really appreciate the author's ability to write interesting characters. If I hadn't liked them, I would have easily been bored and anxious waiting for "things to get good", but I actually wanted to know what happened to them, and there were very small bits woven in plot-wise to keep my attention. I really liked the relationships here, especially seeing relationships change, evolve, and grow over time as the characters grow. I thought it was an excellent insight to show how some relationships change and grow, and some just always stay the same no matter how old you get or how much you change. Truly, without me having a personal investment in the characters, this would have been a boring book, by my usual preferences, so that made a big difference for me!

When everything finally started to come out in the end, there were punches left and right that I just didn't see coming. I kept wondering what exactly would be the surprise because I just couldn't figure it out. I really appreciated how everything happened in the end! This will definitely be a book that sticks with me. I can't say it'll be a favorite -- and maybe it will as time passes and I keep thinking about it -- but I'm definitely glad I read it. It was a nice change of pace from some of the popcorn thrillers (which I have zero issues with. Those are fun and twisty in their own ways!) and I'm having fun this year reading things that are just a little bit different.

(Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!)

Rating: 2 stars

Despite an intriguing prologue and some clever twists towards the end, 'Don't Tell Me How to Die' ultimately bored me due to a lack of compelling characters and tangible suspense.

Cover: 🌟🌟🌟
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟
Storyline: 🌟🌟
Main character(s): 🌟🌟
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

With a dead woman found floating in a pond during an atmospheric torrential rainstorm, the prologue brilliantly sets the stage for a gripping thriller. However, that initial intrigue was quickly overshadowed by waves of drawn-out teenage and family drama that does not link back to the body until the story's final third. The use of multiple timelines also contributed to my disinterest as they made the storyline convoluted and failed to generate much tension. It was only in the final chapters that the storyline began to come together with some impressive twists, but by that point, my interest had long since faded, and I found myself eager to just finish the book. 

"you can't orchestrate what happens after you're gone."

Even with the extensive backstory provided, the characters felt painfully one-dimensional, as much of their characterisations, emotions, and growth are told, not shown. The main character, Maggie Dunn, was also difficult to connect with due to her anti-hero qualities and obsession with preventing women from preying on vulnerable widowed men. I especially hated the derogatory terms like "tramp" and "hag" used to describe these women. 

"Shame is a powerful force that can sabotage you and make you feel worthless"

It's not all bad, though! January LaVoy did an exceptional job with the audiobook narration. LaVoy's dynamic vocal pacing, inflexions and character voices breathed life into the narrative. The story also raises interesting themes, such as grief, loss and terminal illness. However, I wished it had delved deeper into these emotional threads, as they had the potential to make the storyline richer. Besides this, the clever writing and cliffhanger chapter endings initially drew me in, but their charm soon wore off as the story dragged on.

Overall: 4/5 Narration: 4/5 “When your mother died, I lost the only person I could do nothing with.”

I’m literally chuckling as I gather my thoughts on this book. One, because I definitely enjoyed it. And two, because I know there are going to be people who hate it, lol. This is one of those books with a lot of little moments that hold your attention, slowly simmering until everything spills over.

I personally don’t think the book has a slow start, but I do think the emotions it pulls from you early on contrast sharply with how you’ll feel by the end. And whenever a book has twist after twist after twist, there will always be people who feel like it’s too much. Me? Give me all the twists—turn my head around like an owl, LMAO.

This book had me chuckling at times, and it definitely feels like a guilty pleasure read. Initially, it’s very grief-heavy, focusing on Maggie, her sister, and their dad as they grieve the loss of their mother. There were moments when I kept checking the audiobook’s time left, wondering where it was going—especially since it’s marketed as a thriller. The first part felt so heavy, emotional, and heartbreaking that I wasn’t sure when the “thrill” was going to hit. I really enjoyed the humorous notes, though. They made the characters feel complex and real, showing the different ways we all process loss.

I also liked how the book explored the idea of control—specifically, Maggie trying to establish control over the final aspect of her life. The early parts of the book felt sad but also heartwarming. And then, once the mom dies and the dad is back on the market (whether he likes it or not), I found myself cracking up more. I saw a lot of reviewers take issue with how some of the women in the book were described, but I don’t think the book was making a generalization about all women. It’s a reality that when someone becomes a widow, certain people pop up, whether out of genuine care or opportunism. So I found it interesting that some felt this was unrealistic, as if we haven’t seen real-life examples of people suddenly being surrounded by “suitors.” Especially when the grieving person is seen as a good husband, father, or spouse—like Maggie’s dad, Flynn.

Now, I’m trying to discuss this next part without spoilers, but let’s just say—once the dad meets someone new and starts moving on, the book really picks up its pace and shifts into full thriller mode. There were times I was frustrated with how Maggie handled things, and with the dad too. Like when he gave the new woman his late wife’s earrings and car? That was wild. But Maggie’s interactions with this new woman were also very telling, especially considering one of the major twists at the end. I wasn’t surprised by a certain reveal because of the kind of character Maggie is. She’s someone who goes after what she wants and plays close to the edge, so her actions and revelations at the end didn’t shock me.

This book moves through multiple timelines: when Maggie’s mother is still alive, preparing her daughters for life after her death; right after her passing, as the family heals and protects their dad from opportunists; a future-present timeline where Maggie herself faces the same diagnosis her mom had; and the timeline preparing for the funeral. There are a lot of shifts, which could feel overwhelming, but I still found the story easy to follow.

I think I’ll do a video review with spoilers because it’ll be so much easier to connect the dots. My favorite character was, by far, Maggie’s sister. She was written so strongly that I can easily imagine her in real life. Her use of humor to deflate tension was relatable, and she was a great contrast to Maggie. Ironically, the very things you’d expect from her sister are exactly what Maggie ends up doing. My least favorite character was Van, Maggie’s first love who left for the military. He didn’t really add much, and it was clear the author used him as a plot device to justify certain twists. While I love messy thrillers, I think the author could’ve taken the story where she did without bringing Van back.

That said, I still enjoyed this book more than I expected. It just goes to show—I love a messy thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ALC!

**SPOILERS**

Okay, I had to include a spoiler section. If you don’t want spoilers, stop reading here.

First off, it was so obvious that homegirl was having an affair. The moment something happened to her and her first instinct was to call Van—who she supposedly has no real relationship with? I knew. She was still messing with him. And when she was taken to the ER instead of her usual hospital and the doctor seemed shocked by her results, I started side-eyeing. For a while, I thought maybe something was going on with her sister and they were mixing up blood tests, but I was happy to be wrong. It wasn’t shocking to find out she wasn’t actually sick—but what did surprise me was that Alex had been poisoning her all along.

I also loved Maggie’s relationship with Johnny. She had a lot of characters around her who were down for whatever, which—let’s be real—is how she got away with murder. The way the author made us feel bad for Alex at first, thinking he was this great husband and father, only for his entire facade to come crashing down? Chef’s kiss. Some might argue Alex was justified in trying to get his lick back, but honestly, the moment I realized he killed the environmentalist lady, I knew he was just crazy. He wanted control. And when he went missing, I knew there was foul play—it was just a matter of who did it.

Also, Maggie thinking no one knew she was sleeping with Van? Girl, this town ain’t that big. LMAO. And Van knowing Alex murdered someone but choosing to stay quiet because he didn’t want his affair exposed? That was wild.

Overall, this book was messy in the best way. I loved it.

To be honest, this book had me questioning whether I’d picked up a thriller or wandered into an emotional family drama by mistake. The first half? A slow, poignant look at grief, love, and legacy. The second half? A slow-burn mystery with a few well-placed twists. The final quarter? *Now* we’re in full-blown thriller territory. It took its time getting there, but when it did, it landed.

The premise alone is a gut-punch: a woman, facing her own terminal diagnosis, is determined to find the perfect replacement for herself in her family’s life. But, as life so often does, things don’t go according to plan. What starts as a personal mission quickly spirals into something much more unpredictable.

Karp does a great job making sure his characters aren’t black-and-white. This isn’t a story where the good guys are saints and the bad guys twirl their mustaches. Everyone is a little messy, a little complicated—just like real life. And I *loved* that the relationships in this book weren’t static. They evolved, they broke, they mended—sometimes in ways I didn’t see coming. The narrator’s performance only added to that depth, making every voice distinct (shout-out to Grandpa McCormick’s Irish accent).

But let’s talk pacing. If you’re here for a high-speed thriller from page one, you’ll need a little patience. The first half reads like a deeply personal drama. The mystery simmers rather than boils. And while the twists were solid, I wish a few of them hadn’t been foreshadowed so clearly—I like a little more shock with my suspense.

Final verdict? A bittersweet, emotionally charged drama wrapped in a domestic mystery with a thriller chaser. If you like slow burns, complex characters, and an ending that delivers, this one’s for you.

4,5 ⭐

maggie appears to have a perfect life - she's the mayor of her hometown, married to a well-respected and attractive doctor, and has two wonderful children. however, her seemingly perfect world turns upside down when she's diagnosed with the same rare blood disease that took her mother’s life when she was just a teenager. maggie wants to make sure her family is taken care of after she's gone and doesn't want to repeat her mother's mistakes.

well, this book was so entertaining! after reading the synopsis i expected something different from what i actually read. this is partly a family drama, partly a mystery/thriller. sometimes the book just lacked suspense, but it was still very engaging. the chapters were very short, and i was intrigued to see where the story was going.
the twists and turns just kept coming - i had no idea where this was heading, and some of them were quite satisfying.
this story shifts between different moments in maggie's life, but it’s very easy to follow.

there were a lot of characters, but i easily could keep track of everyone.
the main character - maggie dunn - was kind of hard to connect to, due to her being so obsessed with preventing women from preying on widowers. i respect her dedication to her family, though. she was still a very interesting, multi-layered character.

the narrator, January LaVoy, did a fantastic job! the way she used different tones and voices for each character was awesome and made me feel fully immersed in the story. i didn't want to stop listening and i absolutely can't wait to hear more of her narrations! she truly brought the story to life.

to sum up - of course the book wasn't perfect. i had a few issues with it, such as the depiction of women portrayed as predatory figures who target vulnerable widowers, some moments were really stupid and the dialogue was kinda unrealistic. however, i still really enjoyed this audiobook and would reccomend it.


*thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Title: Don’t Tell Me How to Die
Author: Marshall Karp
Format: 🎧
Narrator: January LaVoy
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing- Audio
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date was: March 4, 2025
My Rating: 4 Evil but Very Clever
Pages: 336

Story is divided into Three Parts – Coving Past and Present – I thought night be called the Three Phases of Maggie

Story features Maggie who seems to have it all, she is mayor of her hometown, married Alex Dunn a highly-reputed, plus handsome physician, They have twins Katy and Kevin who are teenagers. There is only one problem. Maggie is dying. Now at the age of forty-three, she knows she will dead before her next birthday.
Maggie has learned that she has been diagnosed with the same rare fatal blood Cancer (HLH) that her mother died from when she was forty-three.
Maggie was a senior in high school when her mother died and before she died, she sat her daughters down and told them she was worried that women would flock to her suddenly single husband “like stray cats to an overturned milk truck”. She told Maggie and Lizzie they would have to protect him.

When her mother dies Maggie goes off the rails with the grief of losing her mother as well as her boyfriend a Marine calls to say he is getting married..

The first part of this section story was so touching! I was listening to this audiobook while driving on the freeway and the part when Kate’s husband Finn does something so special I knew the tears were coming. Luckily I was near an exit so I could get off the freeway to let the tears flowt!

I felt like the next part of this story was a ‘Bait and Switch”. I understand teens have a variety of way of dealing with grief. Maggie is the senior Class president, very Intelligent and on track for an Ivy League College. Although she is somehow able to keep up with her grades, she has also turned to excessive booze, weed, sex, and profanity (however a lot of profanity was already in place). I found this part difficult and not enjoyable.

Although the section of finding a new partner for Dad seemed like a filler it was fun how the daughters save Dad from a ‘gold digger’s web’!

I thought the next part of the romance at U Penn when Maggie a Law student and Alex a Med student was necessary!

When Maggie knows she is going to die, I was curious how she was going to find her perfect replacement for her husband. She wants him to a good woman once she is gone.
(I did laugh at this – I was curious - how will she pick this woman` Wanted single attractive female who loves drugs, booze. and has a sex addiction but isn’t a gold digger?)

The twists were indeed twists!
Story had me glue ~ there were plenty of parts I hated but my curiosity got the best of me.

Was it good?– Hmmm good is a strong word for a story with so many excessive nasty things!

About the Author~ Marshall Karp is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a TV and screenwriter, documentarian, and playwright. He co-created and co-wrote the NYPD Red series with the famous James Patterson. Although this is my first Karp novel, I did read five stories in the NYPD Red series. Karp will continue with the series on his own with NYPD Red 7: “The Murder Sorority”.
Marshall Karp seems to be a ‘good guy’ For over twenty years he has worked closely with the international charity Vitamin Angels, providing tens of millions of mothers and children around the globe with lifesaving vitamins and nutrients.
There is no doubt he is a clever storyteller but sure seems to have an evil streak. Maggie certainly appeared to be processed. She was easy to dislike!

January LaVoy is one of my very favorite audiobook narrators. She, of course, did a fantastic performance.

Want to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing Audio this audiobook.
Publishing Release Day was March 4, 2025.

4 ⭐️
Well that was not what I expected. I went in blind and this book grabbed my attention from the start.

Maggie Dunn, diagnosed with the same blood disease that killed her mother, is determined to avoid her mother’s mistakes by planning for her family’s future.

The author does a great job of blending the past and present, unveiling a long-hidden secret that changes everything.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Publish date 3/4/25. Go ahead and add to cart.

Outlier alert! I’m definitely in the minority with my thoughts on this book. While I did enjoy it, I found the premise completely implausible, and I just couldn’t connect with a dying mother expecting a teenager to find a new spouse for her father. A good deal of the middle of the book dragged for me. I’m sorry to say I didn’t love it as much as others. But I definitely think you should give it a try for yourself because I seem to be the only one who didn’t love it. I will say that the audiobook narration was very well done and maybe the reason I didn’t DNF.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5 stars rounded up

Marshall Karp weaves a scintillating tale full of twists and surprises that left me gasping for air.

Maggie has been diagnosed with the same illness that killed her mom and her first thought is to find him a new wife. Her motivations are built from traumas related to events after her own mother’s death and she will do anything to prevent her husband and children from experiencing something similar.

She chooses a date to tell her family about the news, but before she can, her husband disappears.

Multiple timelines are explored as we learn about the source of Maggie’s fears and the events after he husband’s gone missing.

The characters are well-rounded with dynamic relationships. I loved seeing Maggie as a dedicated mother, wife, and daughter. She is a high powered woman with secrets that are revealed in meticulous layers.

Well paced with satisfying reveals, this is a unique story told in a way that leaves the reader questioning everything.

This book was so entertaining! It was comical at times, but definitely fits into the thriller/mystery genre. It is very well-written. There were twists after twists and multiple timelines, but the flow of the book was clear and I feel like there were no plot-holes or unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the characters, especially Lizzie.
The synopsis is a tiny bit misleading, I truly thought I’d read more about a dying woman trying to find her husband a new wife…but I ended up reading something much more intriguing. I loved the flashbacks to the teen years of Maggie and Lizzie. The ending is very twisty, I felt like I was fighting for air with all of them coming at me so close together!
The narrator did an excellent job! The different tones and voices she used for the characters were great and really helped me feel immersed in the story.

Ohhh man, this one was so good! One of my absolute fave audios this year, hands down. The mix of psychological thriller and drama? Chef’s kiss. And let’s talk about the secrets—my ultimate fave thing in books! The way they were woven in, slowly unraveling but never too much at once, just ugh, perfection.

Also, the twists. There weren’t a million of them, which I actually loved because sometimes thrillers go so overboard, but here? They hit just right. The story was so simple in a way, but so well plotted that it didn’t even need any extra fluff. Just solid, gripping storytelling. And the whole past-and-present thing? The way they kinda mirrored each other but never felt repetitive—genius. I was completely hooked.

Honestly, I just gotta take a bow to this one. So well done, so addictive, and exactly the kind of story I love.

3.5 stars, rounded up
Much different than I was expecting! Fast paced and twisty.

I went into this book with zero expectations, I didn't even read the synopsis. I had just seen all of my book friends raving about it, so I wanted to give it a try. For at least the first half of the book, I was really wondering what on earth all of the fuss was about, but then when the twists started coming they came quickly and furiously.

I liked that things were never what they seemed in this book, and that kept me invested to get the answers. I listened to the audiobook narrated by January LaVoy, and she did a spectacular job giving Maggie a voice. I love her narration and she elevated the novel.

It's not a perfect book, I thought the setup and the time in the past was a bit too long and drawn out, much longer than necessary. I didn't love the "protect your father from the predatory women" angle, it seemed too heavy handed and over the top. Yet overall, since I was looking for an escapist read I ended up really enjoying my experience with this unique book.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I really enjoyed the smooth and intriguing storylines throughout the book as well as the twists and turns at the end that I definitely didn’t see coming! Highly recommend!!!

This book was not what I was expecting, it started out like a detective novel but it was more about life in general. Pretty good lessons in here, glad I read it.

The beginning had me CRYING and checking to see if it really was a thriller because wow my heart! This book will make you feel all the emotions. I definitely did not see the twists coming.

Through a publication I read some hype about this book that was coming out. I requested an ARC copy through Netgalley. I am so glad that I did. I both read and listened to this book. The narration was fantastic.

I am going to start by saying I have never read anything by Marshall Karp. I loved this book from the beginning. I was hooked with the family. The chapters are short. I love that. I could just pick up and read a little. I listen on my way to work and in the car. Then I couldn't stop listening.

There were twists and turns. You got a little more information later in the book that you did not have in the beginning. It kept me going until the very end. I definately had tears while reading.

This was a fantastic read and I cannot wait to read more.

Wow! This was so good and even better in audio form with my favorite narrator. This book will keep you guessing and it was a refreshing read in some ways for me because of the author's writing style. I loved it. The suspense and twists were great, and I could not wait to see what was going to happen next.
This was my first book by Marshall Karp, and I will be looking to read more of his books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing – Audiobooks for the ALC of Don’t Tell Me How To Die by Marshall Karp, narrated by January LaVoy. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Don’t Tell Me How To Die is part family drama and part thriller/mystery. Since I enjoy both genres, and I am loving thrillers on audio, I was excited to be gifted a copy of this title.

Maggie seems to have it all, she is mayor of her hometown, married to a highly-reputed, handsome physician, and has two great kids. There is only one problem. Maggie is dying. Now in her early 40’s, Maggie, has learned that she has been diagnosed with the same rare blood disease that her mother succumbed to when Maggie was only 17 years old. Also, a woman has shown up dead in the town lake, and this is causing a media uproar unwanted by the mayor. These are not spoilers. We learn all this in the first few pages of Karp’s new novel. There were some truly heartbreaking moments, which were softened (sometimes unrealistically) by humor in the quick, snappy, and occasionally cheesy dialogue.

Although I wouldn’t call this a propulsive read, I was intrigued. The chapters were short and I was eager to figure out where the plot was going. There were a lot of characters, but I was able to easily keep everyone straight, except for all of the “casserole-toting” well-wishers that showed up after Maggie’s mom passed. The ending was mind-blowing, and completely unexpected to me, which I love in a thriller.

There were times in this book when there was a lack of emotion put forth by the characters during stress and tragedy that did not seem realistic. In fact, I had to suspend my disbelief many times throughout this story.

January Lavoy, however, was a fantastic narrator. She masterfully carried across the multitude of emotions that Maggie experienced at different stages of her life, as the time-lines alternated between Maggie’s teen years, and present day, and while she wrestled the many challenges facing her.

What ended up bringing my rating down was the author’s descriptions of women, especially, but not exclusively (i.e my reference to casserole-toting well-wishers), the young women/teenagers. There were some truly cringeworthy moments.

That being said, this book is receiving many glowing 5-star reviews, so my thoughts may be in the outlier category.

2 Stars for the book.
4.5 Stars for January LaVoy's narration

I loved every second of this book- thank you so much to NetGalley, Marshall Karp, and Blackstone audio for an advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review. I devoured this one in three sittings. Naturally, I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen and I was shocked to my core. This is a beauty of a book and I cannot wait to read more from this author! Our narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life and making me feel like I was a part of the story.
This one is out now and you don’t want to miss it!

Just one question: why did I never read any of Marshall Karp's books before?????? Well, this is something I will change after that burner!!!

As a teenager Maggie and her sister Lizzie lose their mother to an incurable blood disease. One thing her mother asked her was to take care of her father and 'protect' him against a certain kind of women.
As an adult Maggie has made it. She even is the mayor of her hometown and a happily married mother. Nothing could go wrong, could it? We soon find out, that she suffers from the same disease that killed her mother. But she will not go before taking preferations for her family, just like her mother did!
For me this was one more example of never to judge a book by its cover: a psychological thriller with deception, and misdirection all over. And who would have thought this story would end like that??? Not me that's for sure!

Thank you #NetGalley #Blackstone Publishing for this audiobook