Veterinarian Cassie Larkin is driving home late after performing surgery on repeat client, Lester, Daryl's golden retriever. It's rainy, dark, and the woods surrounding the narrow road give Cassie the heebie-jeebies (me too)--and then she stumbles upon what she believes is an atypical car accident.

But when Cassie encounters a man and woman fighting on the side of the road, she is quickly proven wrong. Trained to assist in medical emergencies, Cassie makes the rash decision to ignore the 9-1-1 operator's advice, and she leaves the car, abandoning her keys in the ignition and her purse on the seat. Before the man steals Cassie's car, he says something that makes her very core shudder (mine too!):

"Let her die, and I’ll let you live."

But Cassie doesn't let her die. She risks her life to save this stranger, and what ensues is a twisted, wicked game of cat-and-mouse.

No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez is a fast-paced, absolutely unputdownable thriller. While the writing is superb and the plot is enthralling, I think what really makes this book shine are the characters--and there are quite a few of them; however, they are well-developed and distinguishable, and I found myself rooting for them all. I experienced the emotional highs and lows, the love and doubt, the longing and desperation with them as I devoured each page. I was desperate to discover the answers to what really happened the night Cassie saved the woman on the side of the road, and I felt Cassie's agony as she struggled to find her missing husband (with very little help from anyone else). What I appreciated most about this book was that Cassie was a smart, strong woman, who didn't breakdown when I think many others would have. She remained the calm, intelligent woman we were introduced to in chapter one.

I absolutely recommend this one if you enjoy fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thrillers.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Wow...this was an action pact thriller that starts with a bang and doesn't let up till the very end...lots of twists and turns and surprises along the way. I so enjoyed reading this book...it definitely did not bore me. My only complaint was there were so many characters I kept getting confused as who was who. Readers expect a good ride if you read this book...I recommend it highly. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy so I can write my review of this book.
4/5 stars.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

You might have to suspend disbelief a few times but wow, what a ride! The story opens up with Cassie driving home one night and witnessing a man and woman fighting on the side of the road. The man threatens Cassie to let her die, and he will let Cassie live. The next night, while out trick-or-treating with their daughter, her husband disappears. In what seems to be unrelated events, there is a big twist towards the end that ties everything together. If you like your thrillers to be action-packed, this is one you might enjoy.

To sum up this book in four words: What is going on?

The book starts off at a run and jumps right into the action. In the beginning, the story is enticing. It is exciting trying to figure out what is going on. However, at the halfway point the wheels started to fall off, and by the end of the book they were gone. What was once excitement turned into a very confused, “Wait…what’s going on?”

The plot turns from a thriller into a highly theatrical family drama and finishes off as an action/suspense novel. I didn’t like that it wasn’t consistent in theme or in the level of drama. The second half of the book honestly felt like a soap opera to me. It was just too over the top. I like theatrics in a book, but if you’re going to be off the wall then give it to me for the whole book please. I also struggled a bit with the dialogue. The main character was in serious and stressful situations and yet the dialogue and her inner monologue often felt juvenile.

When I finished the book I sat running back through the story and connecting all of the dots. It was so complicated and it took me so long to sort through it all it became comical. The storyline is a lot and this was just not the book for me. However, if I have peaked your interest No Bad Deed comes out February 18.

Content Warning: Violence; Stalking; Infidelity; Abuse; Murder

Thank you so much to William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of No Bad Deed.

Oh My! This was action packed all the way through, hitting the ground running and not letting up until the end. I've always wondered what I'd do if I was faced with a similar situation to the one Cassie found herself in that night. Would I stop and help someone in danger or would I just cruise on by and phone the authorities from a safe distance. After reading this book I think I know the answer to that one - although... until I find myself in that situation, well, who knows!?
Cassie does stop and help and that brave (stupid) action sets in motion a whole world of pain for her involving her whole family. More of the story I fear I can't mention for fear of spoilers but suffice to say, it was extremely well plotted and indeed executed and had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
OK... so I guess there were parts of this book that were, for me anyway, a tad on the implausible side. But there was so much more that did ring true that I was happy to take the niggles for the team in the big picture of the story being told. There's twist after twist, hitting you, knocking you sideways, all delivered with great aplomb. There's secrets and lies and a few red herrings and about faces. Well, there's pretty much everything you'd want and indeed expect from a book of this genre. It's dark, it's thrilling and often also a bit chilling. It was compulsive reading for me and I definitely didn't want to put it down at any point, reading way past my bedtime. And I was left spent at the end. Spent but also wholly satisfied. And it wasn't cos I was tired!
All in all, a cracking thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you Net Galley & HarperCollins Publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
**
WOW. At first what seemed like it would be a cookie cutter read turned into a real page turner. Each chapter, and tid bit of insight into the workings of this book had me salivating for more.
Coming home from work one night Cassie see's something in the distance. When she gets closer she sees a man assaulting a woman. Flashing back to an incident from college, Cassie knows in her bones she must help this woman. But, in the days to come she is going to regret pulling over and helping the woman. As not only Cassie's life is put in danger; but that of her family as well.

So let’s just say....you are going to want to pre-order this one! I devoured it last night; couldn’t get to sleep until I finished; kept putting it down and picking it up. It’s that wild. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Thanks to @netgalley for selling me on this one and providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review

No Bad Deed is Heather Chavez's debut thriller and I'm giving this one 5 stars because it left me completely book hungover. I needed a week or so to gather my thoughts on this one. If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller full of twists and turns, you might want to check this one out.

This book is down right menacing and totally grabbed me from page one. I was completely guessing to the very end. The story was well written, packed full of suspense and will keep you up well into the night because you won't be able put this one down. Everything I wanted in a thriller was within this one debut novel for sure. Well done!! Can’t wait to see what’s to come from this author!

I received an advance copy of this book from William Morrow/Harper Collins Publishers and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are entirely all my own.

I really enjoyed the overall feel and cast of characters in this book, but found the plot twists pretty easy to pick up on and predict. I think that something the writer did to make the book as enjoyable as it was despite the predictability was the ability to create tension through her writing. There were some really great moments of increased tension that kept me engaged in the story beats. I will say that I struggled to keep the large number of characters straight initially, but was able to feel pretty comfortable with the cast of characters by the end of the book.

If you are a fan of domestic thrillers, you will probably enjoy this book! Overall, a solid read.

This book. At first I had a hard time believing the MC would make the choices she does. Especially the first one - I definitely would have chosen a safer option. Even though I had this small doubt, I was interested in seeing what happened next. After the first 1/4 of the book, I just tore through the pages. My kindle was swiped within an inch of its life.

Chavez really knows how to build tension and she writes action scenes in such a way that they move at a break neck pace without losing me or becoming completely convoluted. There are a decent amount of characters to keep track of, but I was hooked in enough that it wasn't too difficult for me to keep them straight. A good thriller has twists and I definitely didn't see the ending it had. Looking back, I am kind of like "how did I not see that coming?!" and I love that.

By the end, those choices I side-eyed in the beginning made complete sense and I have to say that suspense is definitely a skill in this writer's toolbox. Can't wait to read another from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of No Bad Deed for an honest review.
I liked the premise initially , but them it became so convoluted and confusing I just didn't enjoy it all. I am sorry

No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez is her debut book. If this is how her future novels will be, I can’t wait to read them! Cassie is a veterinarian, married with two kids. One night she is on her way home from work, late again, and sees a man and woman on the side of the road. They are in the middle of nowhere. The man is beating the woman. Cassie pulls over and calls 911. However, due to events in her past, she feels like she needs to do more. She gets out of the car and tries to stop the man. This sets off a horrible chain of events that put Cassie her family in grave danger. I thought I had an idea how this story would play out, but I was totally wrong. This is a very original plot, in my opinion. I especially enjoy stories where an average person is thrown into crazy circumstances and has to fight to come out the other side. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

"Driving home one rainy night, Cassie Larkin sees a man and woman fighting on the side of the road. After calling 911, the veterinarian makes a split-second decision that will throw her sedate suburban life into chaos. Against all reason and advice, she gets out of her minivan and chases after the violent man, trying to help his victim. When Cassie physically tries to stop him, he suddenly turns on her and spits out an ominous threat: “Let her die, and I’ll let you live.”

Just reading the above paragraph I was completely bowled over and dying to read the book. So thrilled that I received an ARC.

The story was gripping from the very beginning and I was fully hooked! The book is compelling and keeps you guessing because nothing is as it seems. All my guesses were wrong and I loved that about the book. Now that is a great thriller for me. The twists had me twisted, yes that's how good it was! And that last twist.. woah! Did not see that coming!

This is a fast paced, action packed thriller which I definitely recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

NO BAD DEED by Heather Chavez is an action packed thriller. The story mainly takes place in Santa Rosa, California. The protagonist, Cassie Larkin is on her way home from work when she sees a man and woman fighting on the side of the road. After calling 911, Cassie decides to try to help the woman. The attacker takes off in Cassie’s vehicle with her purse so he now knows who she is and where she lives. This leads to a very twisted and suspenseful few days for Cassie and her family and friends.

Cassie is definitely a compelling character that a reader can root for. She had very distinct flaws and virtues. But her goals were clear and her motivations seemed believable, with well-drawn and appropriate emotions. The secondary characters were less developed but still enhanced the story. There are several themes explored in the book including family, friendship, murder, child abuse, marriage fidelity, domestic violence and much more.
The prose was well-written, engrossing, absorbing, and vividly descriptive. The plot was suspenseful, clever, shocking, intense and riveting. The ending was dramatic and made me pause, reflect, and contemplate
.
Overall, I was drawn into the book with the first paragraph and I was fully engaged in this tangled crime thriller.
This was a fantastic debut novel by an author I hope releases another book soon. If you like thrillers with lots of twists, turns and action, you may enjoy this book as much as I did.

Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers – William Morrow and Heather Chavez for an ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Oh, the things that can go wrong when you stop by the side of the road to help a stranger! NO BAD DEED opens with that compelling moment--and gets darker and richer from then on. Suspenseful and surprising.

This was a fast paced thriller. Kept me turning the pages but I thought there were too many characters which made it confusing. Also, the ending was pretty unbelievable, the way everything was connected.

When veterinarian Cassie Larkin heads home after a long day at her clinic, she passes a vicious assault against a woman on the side of the road. After she calls 911, she tries to protect the already injured woman by fighting the man. He speaks to her but she does not understand his comments. Then he breaks away and steals her car with her keys and ID inside. Later on this long evening, she identifies him as Carver Sweet, a violent criminal with past offenses against women.

The next night is Halloween and Cassie’s husband Sam takes their young daughter trick or treating. He disappears leaving the little girl to be rescued by neighbors. Cassie worries that Carver may be involved. Not totally trusting the police, she now tries to protect her daughter and teenage son while searching for Sam. What follows is one of the twistiest domestic thrillers I have read. False clues, things not as they first seem, odd characters, chases, and a plot that careens to a wild ending make No Bad Deed absolutely unputdownable!

No Bad Deed is Heather Chavez’ debut novel and, wow, what a debut it is! Somehow she manages to make things that don’t seem possible in a real life situation not only real but completely engrossing. I can’t wait to see what her talent turns out next. A definite 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Publishers and Heather Chavez for this ARC.

No Bad Deed Book Review by Heather Chavez

In this debut novel Chavez pulled the readers page after page as if this was her tenth novel. From the first page you are hooked and not lot let go for a while. Veterinarian Cassie Larkin’s life changed one night when driving home she witnessed a domestic dispute between a man and a woman. Trained to heal, she decides to help and intervene. Soon this encounter will turn her world upside down and will lead her to a series of unfortunate events that uncovers truths and lies hidden in plain sight.

The good: The book’s premise had me hooked immediately. I enjoy domestic thrillers and a good chase. This is where the author kept my interest. Her characters did not have much depth to them but you soon learn that this is a plot driven story and there is a lot of plot to take in. We read the story in the eyes of Cassie in first person. We get to see her anguish and her worries as everything is unraveled and she starts losing control of the situation. As a reader I can really appreciate it when authors do this. We are put into the protagonists shoes and experience all the feelings as she’s taking in everything. Early on, we get a glimpse that there are flaws in her marriage and that’s where the story takes you into a world of never ending secrets and action, lots of it. Towards the end the book takes a really dark turn that I had to put the book down because the scene was giving me reader’s anxiety (this is a good thing!).The book never lets go of your attention until about 65% into the book; an this is where the author not only lost me, but made me feel someone else wrote the ending.

In a book where so much is happening and a lot of reading engagement leaves you turning page after page, it’s quite disheartening that the last 20% of the novel the reader gets left adrift in the tremendous amount of characters that suddenly become relevant. These characters were being thrown at the reader without much history on them previously. I caught myself wondering who half of these people were and confused. The writer has a way of writing where BIG revelations were written as if they weren’t important and if you didn’t pay close attention you would miss that subtle but important detail. The ridiculousness of everything in the end had me skipping some pages because I found myself in a whole different book. I liked how dark everything became at the end it almost took a horror book turn, but it was just too much in too little pages. It seemed like the author had a page limit and was trying to throw everything she had left into 20 pages. So many and I mean questions were left unanswered. So much of the book’s initial set up was wrapped up so choppy that we really don’t get closure or a full understanding why some things happened.

I enjoyed most of this book and will definitely give this author a second chance because her writing was engaging for the most part and I hope those minor flaws are recognized and fix for her next thriller.

Thank you to HarperCollins for this copy of No Bad Need through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book comes out Feb 18th you should check it out!

I will have a review up on Amazon, Instagram www.instagram.com/books_and_stilettos, on my goodreads www.goodreads.com/mcp0y3 and on my blog www.booksandstilettos.com on 2/4/2020.

When veterinarian Cassie Larkin stopped by the side of the road to try to help a woman who is being assaulted, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. While it seemed like a random event, the attacker now has her address and when Cassie's husband goes missing. As Cassie searches for her husband she is led astray and struggles to figure out what is true. Was he abducted or did he leave her for another woman. At the heart of this book is the question '"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" Good mystery, good book.