I love locked room mysteries so I was all in with this one. I never felt like this had me guessing as to what was going on or who was bad, etc. It was all kind of easy to figure out. The book was an easy read and entertaining, but could have been so much more. The narrator was good,

Good psychological thriller. Still can visualize the 'cabin in the woods'. Will definitely be recommending to our patrons who enjoy a good thriller.

There were quite a few points of view in this book and at times it was hard to keep the characters straight. It also wasn't as "scary" as I expected but it was very thrilling!

Outlier alert!

Lisa Unger is usually a hit or miss author for me, and unfortunately Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six failed to engage me from start to finish.

This locked room mystery seemed like it would be a book I would really enjoy. In fact, the creepy family dynamics in the first chapter really intrigued me. However, the rest of the plot went downhill from there.

The biggest problem is that all of the characters lack depth and l could not connect with any of them. I struggled to finish the audiobook, despite the excellent narration by Vivienne Leheny.

Three couples get away to a secluded cabin in the woods, where someone is trying to make sure that they don’t leave alive.

Unger explores themes of sexual assault, the Me Too movement, DNA, serial killers and more.

Overall, this book had potential, but really missed the mark!

2/5 stars

Expected publication date: 11/8/22

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just okay to me. There were a couple things that I fixated on that made me enjoy it less than I should have. First, she used the word fecund at least three times in the first part of the book. I don’t know why I noticed this, but I did. Second, she said someone was going to be a maid of honor rather than matron of honor. There were a few things that didn’t seem to line up correctly. I felt that the story moved kind of slowly and I didn’t really like the whole sperm donor aspect bringing in a bunch of other characters to keep track of.

I did not like this narrator. She sounded very tinny and off. I had to go back to make sure it was actually a person. Not sure if it’s because it was an ARC.

I absolutely loved this! Such a perfectly twisty read for this time of year!! And the audiobook was fantastic!

I started seeing this book all over Bookstagram
and NetGalley. As a thriller lover, the title was the first thing that pulled me in. It sounded so scary. I read the synopsis and it sounded pretty good. Then one day I was on NetGalley again, and I saw it again on there. I decided to request the audiobook version and to my surprise, I was approved. I was so excited to start it. As soon as I stared listening, I realized the narrator was the same narrator from the audiobook of The Collective. I loved her in that book and was excited she would be the voice of this book as well. She did a fantastic job. I just really like her voice.
Now onto the book itself. The story. It definitely was different than what I was expecting. it would be. It was about 3 couples who were planning a weekend getaway together in a secluded cabin. After they arrive, they start seeing strange things happen and start feeling like they were being watched. Even though this was a slow burn, I was still engaged and excited to see where it was going. But my one major problem with this book is in this book, there were backstories, and side stories with all these other characters. Characters that you didn’t know well or understand what their connection was to the main plot (at first at least) It was a little confusing. And honestly, I felt that side story in particular, took too much emphasis off the main storyline. I wanted it to be more of the main six people in the cabin and it was really over shadowed by that other storyline. A storyline that I personally, didn’t think it needed to be that much at the forefront of the book. Maybe as another backstory. I felt It just took away from the scariness of the main plot for me. It wasn’t what I expected and I found myself a little disappointed.
All in all, I did enjoy this book. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I DID like it enough though to want to read another book by this author. So that’s a plus. This book was ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5 stars for me.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harpo Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Slightly far-fetched novel about 3 couples who plan a weekend getaway in a remote luxury cabin in the woods. To make matters worse, a storm is brewing which leads to downed trees and power lines. With DNA test kits added to the mix and a seemingly unrelated side story, the climax of the story does not disappoint in terms of suspense, violence and twists. Good story to listen to, which was well narrated.

What an awesome locked room thriller! Three couples are headed to a secluded cabin for a relaxing weekend retreat and the only thing lurking is a storm on the horizon, but they have it under control. We all know that is not going to be true and in actuality there is a lot that is about to happen to our couples…

The audio for this is excellent, and while there is a lot going on with this story, I did not have any trouble keeping the characters or story straight. I was not sure where this was going to go but I was pleasantly surprised, I did figure this out but it did not take away from how much I enjoyed it overall. I love both family dramas and locked room thrillers and the storm element that kept the group trapped was great, along with the fact that the couples had no idea what was coming to them.

This was highly entertaining and I thought it was very well done overall. Unger is an auto read author for me and she did not disappoint with this one. You will definitely want it on your radar when it comes out on 11/8/22!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio and Park Row Books for the ALC and advanced digital copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ALC!

What I liked about this book was the multiple perspectives. The story was very fast paced and I like the constant change of characters and the “whip lash” from switching back and forth between them. For me it kept the plot interesting. The opening with the dna kits was a nice way to kinda open the book and set the scene more than I expected. All the different ways the dna was incorporated was a fun twist on a thriller.

What could have made this book better for me was time. So say we have Hannah’s chapter, but it would say something like 8 pm or midnight or something. I was a little confused about how long things were happening. Especially when Joshua left and came back? It was confusing to me. I also kinda wish that Trina’s POV was left ambiguous until the end for a bigger reveal. But that’s just my preference!

Overall, I had a good time reading and would consider reading more from this author in the future!

6 Friends arrive at a secluded luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend of good times and some rest and relaxation. All the guests are hiding secrets, some are worth killing for. The group does not know they are being watched; in more way than one but someone who is desperate to destroy them. Not everyone will escape the woods with their life.

This one was a wild ride with many twists and several red herrings. It took me far too long to figure out how Henry’s story connected but once I got it.. 🤯. Needless to say it solidified my opinion on DNA testing. The story is told through multiple narrators and with non linear timelines.
The audiobook is as done well. I highly recommend !

Wow! This book was full of twists and turns. I had a bit of trouble at first following all of the points of view, but after a while you it becomes easier to follow. I was shocked over many surprising details, it was a great thriller for spooky season! Definitely recommend to thriller lovers!

The narrator does a great job of making the story engaging. This book started out so string, but midway through it becomes a little muddled. Too much time is spent trying yo make Henry and other side characters important. I wish it narrowed its scope down just a bit.

“Family is not who you are, it’s what you do.”

This one is a locked door thriller with lots of horrible people and several storylines going on simultaneously.

There were sooooo many characters in this book, so I think for me personally it would’ve been easier for me to follow had I read it versus listening to it.

However, the audio narrator was fantastic, the story just had a lot to take in and some parts of the story were slow and just weren’t necessary.

I can’t tell you each character’s name, but I can tell you all of the important things that happened in the story. It was twisty and demented.

It was a good read overall and kept me entertained. I really liked how everything came together at the end especially when talking about the party when the characters were teenagers and then the forgiveness from Libby‘s mother. It broke my heart but was such a great way to address that aspect of this story.

Be sure to read the trigger warnings on this one. Some of triggers in this book are rape, suicide, abuse, murder, violence and paternity / parental issues.

3.5 stars rounded up

You may think that the title tells you all you need to know but the plot is way more intriguing than yet another version of And Then There Were None.

After a lengthy prologue which seems oddly irrelevant but, of course, isn’t, we get to the heart of the plot: Hannah, her husband, her brother and his wife, her best friend and her new boyfriend (yup, six people) arrive at the luxurious and, uh, secluded Elegant Overlook cabin.

Everybody has secrets, tensions build, there’s a storm on the way which might cut off the roads and the power - in short, everything you need for a tense thriller. The story is told from the point of view of Hannah, her sister-in-law, the owner of Elegant Overlook, and two people who it takes quite a long time to work out where they fit in.

The author has got a lot more on her mind than just a page-turning rollercoaster, though she achieves that too. She is interested in exposing privilege and entitlement, particularly of rich powerful men and those women who enable them, as well as exploring some other things which would be spoilers.

And just to make my day, one of the characters actually uses Find My Friends! Hooray.

The audiobook narrator is unobtrusive and keeps the tension going without descending too often into overwrought woman mode.

Ms Unger joins the gang of thriller writers called Lisa, along with L. Jewell and L. Gardner, who I’ll be looking out for in the future.

Thanks to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the audiobook review copy.

And interesting twisty suspense!

I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I started this and there was just enough mis-direction and aligning parts to keep things moving and interesting.

I liked that we got to see into the points of view of multiple different characters in various stages of their journey. I think there was a few times when I felt like the "bad guy" was a little too knowledgeable in it all, but it didn't detract too much from the book.

Be aware: drug use, over-consumption of alcohol, language.

My rating: 3.8*

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Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own!

Secluded Cabin, Sleeps Three opens during a somewhat acrimonious Christmas gathering when successful tech mogul Mako and his wife are opening presents at his parent’s house. His sister Hannah and brother-in-law Bruce and other family members discover a surprise package under the tree revealing a “Genesis” DNA testing kit. However, no one claims responsibility these presents. Mako announces his offer to pay for a fantastic vacation for himself and his wife, Lisa and two other couples that will take place six months later at a secluded cabin in the Georgia woods foreshadowing the events that will take place. Leading up to the vacation that will soon take place the story builds chapter by chapter. There are revelations about the charismatic and dominating Mako and his relationship with his wife, former girlfriend, sister and brother in law. Interwoven in the primary story are several new characters whose stories show up as flashbacks outside the linear narrative.

Things are tied together during the final third of the book when the three couples end up together in their isolated cabin during the threat of a hurricane . The story is told mainly from the point of view of Hannah who is a more likeable character than her brash and domineering brother. Yet there is a lot of similarity among the three women who express their desires as wives and mothers. The men often engage in heavy drinking and recreational drugs . There are also descriptions of sexual violence that may turn some readers off. Ultimately I had to ask if I really cared enough about these characters to keep reading but I did finish if not completely satisfied with the ending. Revealing the connection among the characters through their DNA offered an interesting angle. People who enjoy plot twists and like to be thrilled should be sufficiently on edge to read to the end.

I was so excited for this book. I love a great secluded thriller. Unfortunately the varying plots and time swaps just didn’t do it for me. I found the secondarily plot (that winds up converging, to be very unrealistic. If the start had been kept about the secluded six it would have been great!

This book was creepy in all the best ways. A perfect fall read. This story is told in a mix of first and third person narration from multiple points of view. The narrators voices take you into the story and add an extra element of suspense to the listening experience.

Thank you @netgalley and @parkrowbooks for my #gifted audio copy of this book and the chance to review!

Six people head to a cabin for the weekend in the woods, which is secluded and there is a storm rolling in. The storm is so bad they end up not able to leave because of trees crossing the road and heavy rains. What then unfolds is chaos. 😅 This is a family drama at its finest including deep roots and DNA matching.

Told from multiple POV’s I found myself constantly guessing who I could believe. Loved how Unger kept me guessing about if I could truly trust the best friend, why the host was always just a bit too present and creepy, what was the real deal behind the huge high powered tech mogul brother and just really could she trust her husband? And what about the spooky history of the cabin itself?

What was supposed to be a fun weekend filled with rest and relaxation was anything but that! I loved the family drama, the fast pace and surprising plots twists. I certainly did not have this one figured out. The events in my opinion are far fetched so hard to believe this could happen exactly as it’s laid out but it didn’t stop me from enjoying this crazy story! I just love locked room thrillers!