Poison is one of those books that makes you wonder how well you know your partner. It also makes you wonder how secure you are in your relationship. After I finished reading it, I had to sit and process it. I got chills from reading it. I have no issue imagining that scenarios like this are playing out across the country.

I felt awful for Cass. She uprooted her life for Ryan. She followed him to Seattle with her two children from a previous marriage. They put down roots, had a son and seemed like the all American family. Then little things started happening that made her start questioning her relationship with Ryan. Things escalated to the point where Cass began to think that Ryan was cheating on her. Then she started to get sick and she started to get suspicious. After an ER visit that ended up with Cass in the psych ward, she leaves Ryan. It is then that things go from bad to worse. Cass is in danger of not only of being killed but she is also in danger of losing those that she loves the most.

Ryan was such an awful man. I was surprised that he wasn’t caught sooner. But seeing how slick he was, I could see why people didn’t believe it when Cass was telling them what he was doing. The only people the believed her was her lawyer and Nora, her friend. What shocked me, and that is pretty hard to do, is why he did it. I had a feeling who C. Alloy was but boy, was I wrong. Who C. Alloy has blown my brains because it is the last person I would have suspected it to be.

The end of the book did kind of surprise me if it felt a little rushed. Everything from Bermuda on kept me on my toes. I have never read a book by Galt Niederhoffer and I do plan on reading more!!

My Summary of Poison: 3 stars

While I liked Poison, I felt that the beginning was slow and the end was very rushed. But everything else in between was pure gold. I thought the plotline was great and the characters were great.

Will I reread: Maybe

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: language, violence, and sexual situations

A very powerful story!!! I loved every page! A story about a controlling husband and what he did to the family including his own son! I was attached to this, not putting it down until I read every word! When the main character starts doubting herself about what she has seen and heard, I was hooked, that is exactly the way my controller made me start to doubt myself! I highly recommend this book and have no doubt it is a best seller

Poison starts a little slow but when it takes off you cannot wait to turn the next page to see who did or didn't do what, who helped and who didn't, could any of them ever of been trustworthy even to themselves? I mean seriously you are reading as hard as you can to try to figure things out to find a Truth. This book almost breaks its own demure to make you want to cheat and fumble through a couple chapters to find an answer and then go backwards...I am unsure I have ever felt that within any book I have read, and well that spoke volumes to me, The Feels are so erratic and its like your mind can't keep up with the mass frenzy over what all starts happening....its almost as Galt Niederhoffer Poisons your mind!!! And in stating "Poison"...well this book is about A Lot of Poisonous things: People, Character, Teaching, Learning, Cheaters, Liars, Friends, Family....even the Law and yes even real poisons that you don't know if they are real to the story but you do learn quite a bit about what some things are truly treated for and also how things are used for Cancer!

So it starts off with a family that moved from one coast to the other New York to Portland, that's some distance and in the end it wasn't just a country of a distance but so very far it was almost unreachable. Our background is that Cass has remarried after loosing the love of her life to cancer several years before, they had two children and they had all been in mourning for a long time and when Cass meets Ryan, well it all just clicked and felt right, they had a whirlwind romance, made specific promises to each other, ones that they said they would always cherish, we are given these 10 promises and well they are never really mentioned again I kind of didn't understand the meaning of those other than it seemed that Ryan a man Cass meets in a bar needed assurances I dunno but my mind kind of kept going back to what that meant..., they were so happy they talked and giggle and had great sex and it was all the things that Cass so badly needed as did her kids, they all needed him to help them step out of the mourning of another life. Soon this romance is the only thing that matters and before long they are married and make the BIG decision to move and are now living in a suburb of Portland. They had decided to start again to leave New York and buy a home, Cass dips into her money from her first husband that died to buy this home. From the start it seems this book is kind of stuck in between a rock and a hard place and you are not sure exactly who what and when is going to happen, we see things from Cass and she knows things are not right, she doesn't want to be one of those "paranoid wives" but I think more than anything she doesn't want to be alone again. When she found him She fell head over heels for Ryan Conner as did her two children and she thought this beautiful man felt the same way. They now have a child together, Sam along with her previous children Pete and Alice the oldest, its the perfect family or is it? She is always feeling doubt, so she works out to make sure her body is perfect after bearing her third child that Nora a new friend, the woman that sold them the house and they form a friendship. It seems Cass had been feeling less and we also learn that maybe Ryan has some manic habits...he needs meds but gets mad when she asks if he takes them, he doesn't need a mother, matter of fact he has no family relationships and refuses to talk to about his terrible family woes, Cass has been told a little and he was given a small cabin or more a very small A frame house by the beach they go on wknds as a place to get away. to and it was deeded to him via his mom. Ryan as a manic architect he was constantly making BIG changes to their home but never finishing it So this small cabin felt homey as small as it was it wasn't in chaos as the house stayed...after a great day out at the beach. Everyone was happy and as they go inside she is getting food ready and she finds a couple of weird hairs that she doesn't recognize, she goes to shower and again a drain full....who has been in the cabin, she is furious and approached Ryan and he says it could be anyone's hair, it could be a person broke in and used the cabin...Cass along with a few other things happen is getting more and more paranoid and later Ryan showed her a side of him she hopes to never see it again. From now on she will have to choose her words carefully and also check to see if he is taking his meds of course the and find out what is going on,,,,

So Poison is this a powerful story of struggle to maintain love and passion, a life with working for both and a home
that is in constant chaos from tearing down and building back, kind of how the relationship goes on as well....I couldn't put it down, I had to figure the mystery out and the writer does a magnificent job of twisting everything up right up till the end that you wonder if its the paranoia, the manic states, is cheating happening or not, is a Poison come between this beautiful love and can it be repaired...Its a Great Story, told well. I only docked one star because I would love to have know a little more back story and more on both Cass and Ryan's family and what really happen to ALL These People to make them be this way even some of the secondary characters could use some more info, but that's all wishful, the biggest was I thought the beginning was kind of a drag, takes way to long to get the plot to thicken into the story...The Ending is just a WOW... but also a little wham bam thank ya ma'am style and after all the details put into some things I would have loved one more page of what all went down on that last week even month and to everyone and how they felt.

I want to thank NetGalley, and the publisher St Martins Press for giving me the chance to read and give my honest review to this wonderful mystery, it most assuredly that keeps you on the edge of your seat and glued to your Kindle to the very last word. I think if you like this kind of book well then welcome to a wonderful story written by Galt Niederhoffer, and I really thank you Galt for this book! I will read it again and I would def recommend it to anyone that loves a great mystery that keeps you guessing throughout the book.....

A devastatingly good psychological thriller that was all too believable in its premise. I don't want to give away the story, but suffice it to say that there's more than one way to rape. Unputdownable.

while the plot of this book was very intriguing to me, I was terribly distracted by the author's writing style. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the style, it's just not a way of writing that I find appealing. With that being said I do think that it is an enjoyable book for other readers to enjoy.

Interesting and intriguing read! This was a fun and twisted ride.

What I loved most about this book was the intensity and breakneck pacing. What started out as a calm portrait of a single mother wooed by an eligible bachelor and then married with another baby to create a loving family, moved quickly to suspicions and secrets, lies and misplaced loyalties. When Cass becomes increasingly frustrated at husband, Ryan's sudden outbursts of temper, she begins to question all that she once thought made their marriage perfect. Although he dismisses her fears as paranoia and questions her mental health, she is certain there is something amiss. And so quite quickly I found myself immersed in her life and story, staying up late at night to finish. Raw and poignant, the novel explores the nuances of marriage and will make you take a hard look at what may lurk beneath the surface of a relationship that could be poison!

Rating: 3.5/5

Cass Connor seems to have the perfect life. A thriving career as a journalist turned professor, three beautiful children and a gorgeous second husband who would easily make any woman jealous. But Cass can't get over the fact that something just doesn't feel right. First there are the changes in her husband's demeanor - little white lies and omissions, the scraps of woman's clothing and bits of hair she finds around there house; then there is her own body starting to turn on her - nausea, hair falling out, full chunks of time going forgotten. As Cass starts to rely on her investigative journalism background she realizes the two are possibly connected - her husband is not the man she once knew, but is it possible he's also a murderer?

If you enjoyed Girl on a Train and Gone Girl, Poison may be the natural next step for you. Niederhoffer's writing creates a chilling narrative where no one is safe, no one is innocent and the mix of over the top and unbelievable makes it hard to put down. The title of this book is apt because it fits not only literally, but figuratively. Cass's growing fear, her paranoia (or lack thereof) spins so out of control that it literally poisons her system.

My only gripe (and what took this review from 4 stars to 3ish) is that I don't feel anything was truly explained at the end. If C. Alloy is really who we come to believe then what was the motive there? Why was Ryan so intent on hurting Cass? What role did Marley play? It all seemed to tidy itself up a little too easily and quickly for my taste with a lot of questions unanswered.

Many thanks to NetGally for this book.
At some point of this book I had to stop reading for a while. Ryan is such a horrible man and husband and his actions are so cruel, it is unbelievable. And not, because unfortunately there are a lot of men like Ryan in the world and this story about a doomed relationship is all too common.
On the other hand, the story went a little too fast for me. One moment Cass and Ryan are perfectly happy, the next moment he wants to poison her? And why choose the poison he does? Nobody believes Cass when she says she is being poisoned but I don’t understand her wanting to have this checked by someone in a private clinic (maybe because I’m not familiar with the American health care system).
What I don’t understand is the ‘Abigail and Benjamin Borden’ in the introduction on Goodreads. The main characters are named Cass and Ryan… Why would the author have changed the names?

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. Would recommend this to everyone, in fact...I have!

This book is really a 3.5, but I rounded up because of some solid craftsmanship.

This is the story of Cass, her second husband Ryan, her two children (Pete and Alice) and their son Sam. What do you do when you think someone is trying to kill you, to poison you, so they win everything? That's what happens in this case. Cass is in a fight for her life, or is she delusional? The author does an amazing job weaving the story keeping you guessing whether Cass has completely lost her rocker or if she really is in the fight for her life, and that of her children.

I really enjoyed how well the characters were developed, how Cases's paranoia is portrayed. I found I was invested in what happened to Cass and her children. If Ryan was poisoning Cass, how was it no one else was getting sick? Even the children play an important part in this story as secondary characters.

I highly recommend this wonderful novel and am looking forward to reading more from the author! Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for my ARC copy for a fair and honest review.

Wow! I came for the mystery, but stayed for the social commentary used as foreshadowing and plot reference. Could not put this book down, read til midnight to finish it. The mundane play by play of the first chapters skillfully gave way to the madness and crazed pace of the later book. The frenetic writing often had me second guessing my loyalties, much as the main character did. Cleverly plotted, paced and executed.

I liked it, but I didn't love it. This novel about the disintegration of Abigail and Benjamin's marriage kept my interest. At times, Abigail was an unreliable narrator which hooked me because I was invested in whether the danger was real or only imagined by her. I was invested in the family and plot very early on, and it felt like a realistic portrait of family dynamics.

The reason I didn't love it is because the author inserted a LOT of philosophical reflection on life, love, marriage, etc. It was a whole lot of navel-gazing and it was also disruptive as a reader to read a novel that had frequent interruptions for what read like a grad school thesis. Not enjoyable and seemed out of place. A bit of reflection on society at large is welcomed, but this was frequent and excessive. It felt like a college student trying to fluff up their paper and make it longer.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!

What happens when for "better or for worse" becomes deadly?

The portrait of a perfect family. Man, wife, three kids and a cat in the yard. Now nestled in Seattle, it is a family's second chance at domestic bliss. Cass and Ryan have three children between them, Pete, Alice and baby Sam. Ryan is an architect, busy at the office and Cass is a teacher and domestic juggler. Although their days separate, Cass and Ryan share sweet rituals which reaffirm their affections when they come together. Until one day, something small is off. A lie of omission made. And slowly Cass fears for her life.

I rated this book 3.5-stars but rounded it to 4 because of a great premise, character detail, and timely issues.

The story is 320 pages and in 2 parts. The tale, set in the suburb of Seattle Washington is told from Cass's point of view. Interspersed in the narrative, are snippets of Cass and Ryan's past, a glimpse into their temperament and behaviors.

Cass is a perfect portrayal of middle age mother feeling that she has lost her sexual currency. She has held her University tenure at bay to create a home for her children, two from another marriage. Cass struggles each day through the frenzy of balancing the needs of her husband and children with her work obligations. In her class, she is an engaging professor, hooking her class into legal theory. Bill Cosby's story, a subject in Cass's class, offers an education. The four ways to discredit women-delusion, fabrication, inculpation, and criminalization. Was this topic brought up early in the book for a foreshadowing for her marriage?

Niederhoffer gets inside the mind of women and a working mother and makes it feel universal. The daily descriptions of a happy family household routines are fresh air, beautiful and chaotic. When Cass becomes a woman in grave danger, we receive her reflexive and innermost thoughts. With each accusation deflected by her husband, she becomes more feral. Cass starts to doubt her credibility while he almost flaunts it in her face. When Cass discovers that the people around her might slowly poison her, she has few places to turn.

The drama is well paced and unfolds naturally. Ryans past is a good barometer for his present. Ryan's manipulation wrapped in a neat package of undermining gives us a glimpse into a sadistic opportunist. When Cass becomes a worthy opponent, the relationship turns deadly. The character of Ryan is cringeworthy, and the pace of the story manipulates and terrorizes the reader alongside Cass.

The narrative has several themes of current social issues including domestic violence, abuse against women, and the discrediting of the female victim in a skewed justice system . "...girls who report assaults, even when they have bruises. These women get taken down...." by the "press, cops, by the lawyers, and the courtroom." It's even worse when it is a crime with no physical evidence - hearsay. Accusations of mental illness or paranoia are often in the lurch, especially if the accuser is female.

One negative critique of this novel is that it would not seem highly likely that a well-educated lawyer would put her children and herself into the line of fire. So with a suspension of disbelief, I rallied alongside a mother and her children. However, she justifies her action well to make it somewhat plausible. Another issue I had was the actual physical effects of the poison on the main character -violent symptoms would come and suddenly be gone, making the narrative a bit choppy and confusing. Finally, why would Ryan go to deadly measures? Is he just a psychopath? All this may be about a sad commentary on our legal and law enforcement systems.

The ending of the story is impactful and contrary, leaving you with a sense of wanting more. Not because the story is not finished, but to see how Cass moves into her next chapter. The narrative is well developed and paced, with the right details in character development. The setting of Seattle was, of course, one of my favorite attributes of the novel. I enjoyed this suspenseful tale and highly recommend Poison.

Great book! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

Book was well written and I did not anticipate how it would end but hoped it would in a way that would be satisfying. And it delivered!

Excellent book. Great storyline and wonderful main characters. I would recommend this book.

Niederhoffer explores the fragile bonds of marriage and parenting in her latest book. Cass and Ryan O’Connor had other relationships before they married, each already had children, but somehow they have made their blended family work and seem to have reached the pinnacle of marital bliss. But nothing is ever as it seems, and when small fissures grow into larger cracks, the resulting fallout leaves each wondering where their hearts and their loyalties really lie. This is being billed as a thriller, and I guess if you were living it, you would probably deem it as such. For the reader, however, this comes across as a disturbing portrait at what really lies between the happy smiles and white picket fences of the “perfect” families.