Girl On the Run

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a well written, action-packed mystery that was filled with many possible theories and suspects and with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep things interesting!

Girl On the Run is an edge of your seat thrill ride, I couldn't put it down. So many twists, turns and surprises around every corner. Chessa is on the run to find out what really happened at the Happily Ever After Ball and won't stop until she finds the truth. Well written characters and a strong story line will keep you turning the pages. This is my first read by Daryl Wood Gerber but it won't be my last.

Girl on the Run by established cozy author Daryl Wood Gerber is her debut suspense novel, and a fantastic book! It kept me constantly on the edge of my seat, reading and turning pages as fast as I could just to see what was going to happen next. I simply couldn't put it down! Our heroine, Chessa, is the title character, and on the run for her life. The pace is quick, the story filled with twists and turns, and I felt as if I was on the run right along with Chessa. The author provided an advanced readers copy for a fair and honest review. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a really great read. 5 stars for this fabulous debut! :-)

A definite page turner. It grabbed me from the first line. A roller coaster of a story with many twists to keep you guessing right to the very end. A good read!

I love Daryl Wood Gerber's cozy mysteries, and was both curious and excited to get my hands on this, her first novel in the suspense genre. I was not disappointed!

At first glance, it appears to be a standard setup - woman found with her dead husband and accused of murder - but it quickly takes off in its own direction and never stops. Once Chessa decides that she is going to have to find the truth on her own and takes off running, the suspense doesn't stop. She doesn't know what is going on or who she can trust, and seems to encounter more questions than answers in her search for the truth. I was completely sucked in and had a hard time putting the book down.

Chessa is my favorite type of female heroine - strong and smart, but not perfect by any means. She's just too stubborn to give up.

I really enjoyed this new venture from a favorite author, and hope there will be more to come!

NOTE: I received a free advanced copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Girl on the Run by Daryl Wood Gerber is a new suspense novel (her first). Chessa Paxton wakes up with the body of her dead husband in the room. There is blood everywhere and police officers. The last thing that Chessa remembers is attending The Happily Ever After Ball at the Boardwalk Casino in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Chessa is the assistant in charge of special events at the Boardwalk Casino and she organized this event. Chessa is attending with her husband, Zach Szabo. She remembers asking for water and then nothing. What happened to during those lost hours? Detective Tallchief (a blowhard running for mayor) believes Chessa is guilty of the crime. Detective Marcus Newman is not so sure. But then Chessa (who is confused, dazed, and still a little out of it) takes off out the bathroom window. She has no plan other than to run. Chessa does not want to be framed for a crime like her father. Chessa sets out to prove her innocence and find the real killer. Things really heat up when they find eleven other bodies in meadow who were also at the ball along with Chessa’s missing shoe.

Girl on the Run is a very good debut suspense novel (the author normally writes cozy mysteries). I figured out what the twist at the end would be, but I do not think many people will see it coming (it is really good). For the most part, Girl on the Run had a fast pace (which I liked). I enjoyed the investigation as Marcus and Chessa went about solving the murders (I love getting the clues and putting them together). I especially relished the Jason Bourne reference. I give Girl on the Run 4 out of 5 stars (which means I liked it). I look forward to Daryl Wood Gerber’s next book.

I received a complimentary copy of Girl on the Run from NetGalley (and the publisher) in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.

A thrilling ride full of suspense. mystery and intrigue!! I enjoyed every minute of this book and could not put it down once I started reading. The book was full of twists, turns and probable suspects that there's no way for you to predict or even guess the ending. A great read!!

Chessa Paxton, an event planner was hoping the night of the Happily-Ever-After Ball would be like a fairytale. She could never have imagined that the morning after would be her worst nightmare come true. When she wakes up next to the dead body of her husband, she is horrified and feels confused and groggy as if someone had drugged her. She has no memory of how she got there or what happened the night before and is unable to explain to the police why her costume has blood on it. One thing she knows for sure is that she is innocent, however she is unsure whether anyone will believe her knowing her dad was convicted of a similar murder when she was a little girl. She is certain that a lot of people will consider her guilty because of that family history and will want to pin the crime on her. She decides to run and undertake her own investigation to prove her innocence.

But she discovers running is easy and hiding is difficult. Not only does she have to stay out of the hands of the police but soon the real murderer, who will stop at nothing to silence her, is on her trail as well. On top of that she is suffering from horrific flash backs from the night of the murder. Will she have enough time to put the pieces of the puzzle together and prove her innocence or will she be caught before she can figure out what really happened?

A great suspenseful story that is captivating from the start. The book is well written, the plot is entertaining and flows well. It keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end, all the while you hope things will work out for Chessa. The characters are well developed and realistic, they were easy to understand and relate to, especially the main characters Chessa and Marcus.

Overall a gripping mystery that is nail biting at times. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Definitely a fast paced read. Kept my attention throughout and I was shocked by twist at the end. I would read other books by this author.

I am feeling very judgy-judgy right now so please read this review with that in mind. If I were the author of several "cozies," when I decided to branch out into a more serious suspense thriller type book, I would probably avoid things like starting it at a fairy tale ball. I went from a suspense cover, to Disney princesses, to a massacre in the woods, to a religious zealot. The trip was a bit topsy-turvy.

That being said, once we got past the ball, the storyline turned into a very detailed and devious book with a main character fearing for her freedom and life while trying to clear her name and discover her husband's secret. Many of the characters that might have been mere outlines in other books were well thought out and detailed. This added to the richness of the book. Whether intentioned or not, the book offered several somewhat humorous points and could have possibly been a nice set up for a series. This book is perhaps best for those who enjoy cozies and are venturing themselves into more of a suspense genre.

​Girl on the Run has our heroine Chessa Paxton doing the running and trying to figure out who set her up for murder and why. Lots of surprises in this story and some edge of the seat moments. Ms Gerber does an excellent job of describing the scenes to make you feel like you are part of the action. I was given an early copy to review.

Fast paced mystery, lots of twists and twisted personalities. Good character development. Liked how Chessa was able to make sense of all of the weird and odd occurrences in her life to solve the puzzle.

This suspenseful novel is a thrilling run through Lake Tahoe. Chessa thinks she is having a perfect evening. The Fairy Tale ball she organized is a success. The next morning she wakes up next to dead husband with no memory. The police are sure she is guilty. She knows the only way to prove her innocence is to go on the run and solve the crime herself. Trying to stay one step ahead of the police and the people trying to kill her she navigates through Lake Tahoe's High Society and discovers their secrets as well as secrets about her own family. The author does a good job of keeping the suspense going. The ending does have a surprising twist. Enjoy this fast paced thriller.

Great mystery! This story kept me guessing until almost the end. Loved it! Chessa is an event planner and was celebrating a successful ball, only to start feeling sick. She wakes up the next morning with the police in her house, her husband is dead and they are blaming her. Her father had been railroaded for murder when she was a child and she didn't want the same thing to happen to her. So, she goes on the run to try to clean her name. She really isn't sure who she can trust, the police and the bad guys seem to be just one step behind her.

A 5 star debut! I am a fan of the authors writing so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read her first suspense novel. This is a excellent suspense story that kept this reader riveted from page one. The plot is far superior to most thrillers. It is action packed reading with smart well rounded characters. I was unable to put this book down. I highly recommend Girl On The Run! This book is pure reading indulgence.

Great mystery that keeps you interested. Awesome ending you will be surprised and glad you read this one!

This is the first suspense novel from best-selling writer, Daryl Wood Gerber. Girl On the Run is a well written thrill-ride that holds your attention right from the start. When The Happily Ever After Ball goes terribly wrong Chessa (the girl on the run) has to not only clear her name, but do so without dying first. She does have some allies and with their help, especially a very interesting Zelda and Detective Marcus the world she thought she knew takes a very unusual turn. There are a lot of exciting twists and turns along the way that you won’t see coming.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley for an honest review.

Girl on the Run was very exciting and action packed. It's not too often that a book will keep me guessing and second guessing myself. This was one of those. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery.

5 Stars for the new book Girl on the Run by Daryl Wood Gerber. I’d like to thank Netgallery for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This is the author’s first time writing a book in the suspense/thriller genre, and it was a win, win. This was so hard to put down once I started reading it. Its chalk full of mystery, murder, twist and turns, and everything you want in suspense book.
The characters are believable, well developed, and keep you guessing, fast pace and the ending will be a jaw dropper that will totally surprise you.
Chessa Paxton is an event planner who helped plan, and attended The Happily Ever After Ball. The next morning she wakes up next to her husband Zach, who is laying there dead. He’s been murdered and Chessa becomes the prime suspect. To prove her innocents before she can be arrested, she goes on the run to prove that she’s innocent. She learns that several others that attended the ball were also murdered that night, so not only is she trying to clear her name, but she’s trying not to be the next victim in what appears to be a killing spree.

What drew me to this book was the setting. A fairytale ball and a murder mystery that takes place at Lake Tahoe, a place I absolutely love. Chessa wakes up to find her husband murdered and all the evidence points to her as the killer. She can barely remember what happened the night before, which leads her to believe that she was drugged. Her father is in jail for murder and she is terrified that she will suffer the same fate. So she runs!

Chessa is determined to prove her innocence before the police or the real killer can catch her. With the cops on her tail and nowhere safe to turn, Chessa has to solve the mystery and stay one step ahead. I loved the action, including boat and motorcycle chases around Lake Tahoe. Being familiar with the area, it was a lot of fun to read this book and recall all the places mentioned that I have had the pleasure of visiting.
Chessa is intelligent and constantly on her toes. She's also very skilled at creating costumes. She helped many of her friends create their fairytale costumes for the ball. She has the ability to quickly switch disguises and blend in with ease. She is a strong, capable character who doesn't back down. This story is fast paced and the ending was great! I'm looking forward to this author's next suspense.

Thank you Netgalley and Chucklin, Inc. for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chessa is on the run. This gritty gal is fighting for survival. Her happily-ever-after with a ball included isn't going like it should be. All she did was wake up and find her husband dead, and herself covered in his blood. Soon Chessa is navigating through twist and turn, after twist and turn in her life.

The strong, sound writing, and the great tie up of all the lose ends and questions I had at the end were very good. I really appreciated that! This book is almost a 5 star read.

My copy came from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.

This is an awesome debut into suspense for this author. Chessa and her courage to find the truth after she wakes up dead next to her husband had me spellbound. The writing is terrific and the story flowed smoothly to where I could not wait to turn the page and read what happened next. The author paints a vivid picture of what is happening and makes the characters and all the situations seem very realistic. I was highly pleased with this book and I recommend purchasing it ASAP.

This book was gratefully received from NetGalley and has been sitting in my "To Read" list for too long. I started to read it a few times but had trouble getting into it. Once I did, however, I truly wished I had given it more effort sooner. It was fun, quick-paced, and very suspenseful.

Chessa Paxton is a costume-designer/event organizer for an international charity. On the night of an extravagant fairy-tale costume themed fundraising ball, Chessa and her husband Zach attend as frog and princess. They may not be seeing eye-to-eye, and Zach may be hiding something from Chessa, but they are deeply in love. The next thing you know, the Happily Ever After atmosphere has dissipated like a broken spell and Chessa wakes up covered in blood to find Zach lying a few feet away, dead!

Chessa is the prime suspect in Zach's murder but she doesn't remember what happened that night. Frightened, confused, and desperate, she decides to run from the police. Her main goal was to prove her innocence but soon it is an effort to stay alive, as she realizes she is being hunted by more than the police.

I enjoyed this book but it is getting three stars because overall it feels "nice" rather than "astounding". It took me awhile to become invested in Chessa's fate. I felt a greater empathy for the police detective hunting Chessa. Despite all the guessing games, and clever twists with various suspects, the final conclusion was somewhat underwhelming, as in "I can't believe THAT is the real reason that all these people were killed!" And I felt there were some inconsistencies in the "witch's" plot motivations revealed in the last few chapters. A nice read, from a promising author.

This story starts out at a charity ball and the event coordinator in charge of it leaves that night feeling woozy. The next day she wakes up with her husband lying dead next to her with a bracelet in his hand. The detective called to the scene find evidence that implicates her of his murder. Beginning to feel she is being set up she escapes out a window and the detective chases her all around Tahoe. As she is eluding the detectives and other people she starts to remember some events of that night. I really enjoyed this and I was shocked at the ending.

GIRL ON THE RUN is a fast-paced, great read. Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good suspense novel.

Girl on the Run starts out at a sprint and keeps up the pace for the entire book. I'm a big fan of the Cookbook Nook mysteries and the Cheese Shop mysteries. They are both fantastic cozy series,and I was eager to see how her writing skills translated into the suspense scene.

This book hooked me from the first chapter. This book was one that was difficult to put down, I'd try to take a break and end up spending time thinking about the book and what might be happening while I was cooking dinner or taking the kids to school. That's when I know I'm hooked, when I feel like I'm missing out on the action whenever I'm not reading.

If you like good suspense, please give this book a try. If you are a fan of Daryl Wood Gerber's cozy mysteries, don't be afraid to try this more suspenseful, less cozy story.

Chessa Paxton has a fairytale life. She's madly in love with her husband Zach and her job as an event planner in Lake Tahoe. While hosting the Happily Ever After Ball Chessa's life turns into a nightmare. She wakes up covered in blood with her husband dead body next to her. She can't explain to the sherif what happened the night before or how she came to be in her cabin. The police are relentless in their questioning of her, and she has no memory of what happened. Her father was convicted of murder when Chessa's was a little girl and she's convinced they will believe she killed Zack because of her father, so she runs. Determined to find the truth to clear her name Chessa sets out on a whirlwind crusade to help set her free. Will this result in her death or others close to her? Will the truth be found?

I would like to thank NetGalley and Chucklin Inc for allowing me to read Girl on the Run. I found this to be a fast reading book and well written. A few times I thought Chessa's adventures were a little far fetched. I will read more of Daryl Wood Gerbers books!

A fast-paced thriller with a strong female heroine. When her fairy tale marriage abruptly ends with a dead husband beside her and she's the top suspect, she has no memory of what happened. Having watched her father go to jail for a crime he denied committing, she knows she has to prove her own innocence, so she runs. Lots of secrets and lies to uncover. Great story. Well done.

Excellent, wild, intense... Not sure how many adjectives I can give this book. It was a great read with many twists and a very surprising ending. This was the first book I had read by Ms. Gerber, but definitely won't be the last.

This book is a real page turner. I was a little unsure about Chessa and Marcus the two main characters to begin with but as the story developed and their characters developed alongside they became more believable and more engaging. I enjoyed the story, it had enough twists and turns to engage but not so many that it lost a sense of reality. Unusually nowadays the book reads chronologically rather than leaping about over time and I enjoyed this as well.

A fast moving , non stop thriller from beginning to end. Great characters and well described interactions, you could almost be there. The u8nderlyoing -plot was very complex and unravelled beautifully towards the end. A really enjoyable read.

Prior to this book, I had read a few of Daryl wood Gerber's cozy mysteries. They were very well written and I do like thrillers as well, so I figured I'd give this book a shot and I'm glad I did. It can be difficult for an author to transition from one genre or sub genre to another but I think this author did a great job. This book started with action (as a thriller should), picked up the pace very quickly and held it throughout. There were many, many sub plots and all sorts of action going on throughout the entire book. It was one of those books that is hard to put down!

I also feel that it was very well thought out and clearly planned out carefully. While I cannot say for sure how realistic some of the scenarios were, everything seemed logical to me as to how she was able to stay on the run for as long as she did. The ending was definitely surprising, but it made sense if you put all of the puzzle pieces together.

This was a great read. Very fast paced and action packed and you won't want to put it down! I'd give this book a five out of five and I'll continue to keep an eye out for this author, whether it be cozies or thrillers.

I enjoyed this book thanks to NetGalley ARC, it was an interesting start that allowed for some characters to take on alter ego’s. the Main character Chessa is involved in hosting a charity ball only to wake up the next morning to a dead husband and no recollection of what happened. The story evolves around her running from the law while her memory slowly comes back to allow her time to prove her innocence. Lots of excitement, I would read more of this author’s work

I really enjoyed this book. The author did a good job in balancing the points of view of the two main characters while maintaining the suspense of a mystery that was often hard to put down. As a long-time fan of the Avery Ames cheese shop mysteries, I was delighted to discover Ms. Gerber' wrote them. Chessa and Marcus were such interesting, appealing characters I hope they'll have further adventures. There are a plethora of topics for book discussions in the first one.

Reads like an action packd movie as Chesss races to clear her name and find her husband's murderer before they find her.

From the very first chapter of "Girl on the Run," I was captivated by the visual imagery provided by Darryl Wood Gerber of the Happily Ever Ball, the casinos and of Lake Tahoe. Even with the evidence mounting against her, I was rooting for Chessa to succeed in her mission to prove her innocence. I did not see the twist at the end coming in the midst of all the chase scenes and was immensely surprised! I look forward to seeing more suspense novels from this author.

I love Daryl Wood Gerber. She is by far one of my favorite authors. This book goes to show that she can write more than just cozy mysteries.

Chessa Paxton, an event planner in Lake Tahoe, celebrates a successful night at the Happily Ever After Ball. Unfortunately she wakes up next to the dead body of her husband. Of course she is the prime suspect. Feeling drugged she cannot explain the blood on her princess costume. Doing the only thing she feels she can do she runs.

This book took me longer than usual to complete. However, this is not necessarily a negative thing as for me the book was just very complex and built with such a varied collection of characters that it demanded my full attention. The story itself is a fast paced cat and mouse tale that I could easily see being a smash on the big screen. A story of secrets and power, bad and good, and the extreme actions that can arise as a result of this, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Although Daryl Wood Gerber generally writes cozy mysteries, Girl on the Run is a bona fide thriller with dozens of twists and turns, as well as surprises. Chessa Paxton is an event coordinator for the Boardwalk Casino in Lake Tahoe, and is in charge of a fundraiser called The Happily Ever After Ball. She has loved designing some of the costumes, and, although furious at her good-looking husband, Zach due to an argument they had just before leaving for the ball, is proud to show him off in his frog prince costume. During the ball, she asks Zach for water; he leaves, but gets waylaid and Wally Evert, a disgusting, but influential man in the community, gives her a bottle of water. After drinking it, she immediately begins to feel strange, and wakes up the next morning next to the body of her husband, who has been murdered. Word of the massacre of several of the guests, and that she is the suspect in all of the deaths gives her the incentive to run.

Gerber has a nice writing style, and is quite good at making her characters seem real. Readers can depend on plenty of suspense, since some of the main players include a politician, a television evangelist, and Evert, a corrupt businessman. With that combination, there is plenty of deceit and fraud, of course, and Chessa finds herself in the middle, trying to find answers, grieve her husband’s death, and survive, as she finds someone willing to kill her at every turn. Chessa’s mother was recently killed in a car explosion, and she longs for her mother to help her out. The politician, a senator, was married to her mother and has never been the same since her death. Chessa hates him.

Even though it seems that the three repulsive characters are most likely the ones behind the killings, and readers will think they have guessed who the murderer is, there are twists and turns to create plenty of doubt, and in the end, several unexpected scenarios.

Girl on the Run does contain innuendo of adult situations, but there is no graphic sex, language, or violence. It is a fairly fast read, and the characters will keep the readers’ interest until the very end.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

A twisting, turning tale that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

First of all, I love the cover. Now, the story is like a burning fire. It's starts out slow and builds to its blazing glory. I must say, I thought I had it figured out but boy was I wrong. Loved it.

My first ever thriller/mystery book and I absolutely loved every page of it! So many shocking plot twists that keep you reading until you realise you've completed it in one day! The story line pulls you in to the mystery and you get your detective mode on. I would recommend this to absolutely anybody.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Fast paced suspense novel with lots of twists and turns. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Girl on the run by Daryl Woodgerber.
When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, Chessa Paxton must run for her life...but will the truth set her free? Chessa Paxton, an event planner in Lake Tahoe, celebrates a successful night at the Happily Ever After Ball, but her dream quickly becomes a nightmare when she wakes up beside the body of her dead husband. Nauseous and confused, feeling as if she's been drugged, she can't explain to the sheriff why her princess costume is bloodied. With her father already a convicted murderer, she feels invisible shackles ratcheting onto her wrists and ankles. She runs! But she can't escape vivid flashes of memory: a massacre in a meadow; men and women in fairytale costumes; Snow White’s dead body shielding her from bullets. Though Chessa is a former costumer and adept at disguise, she quickly learns that hiding while trying to prove herself innocent is the most difficult task imaginable. Especially when the sheriff wants to throw her in jail and the real killer wants to silence her forever.
This was a good read with likeable characters.   4*.

Wow. Twists and turns you don't see coming. Hard to put down. Entertaining and intense story and characters. Would recommend.