Ariel wakes up to find a missing husband in a Lisbon hotel. What transpires next is a complicated, winding, twisty tale of justification, revenge and justice for crimes of the past and present.

The book was quite lengthy and dragged in places, but I did appreciate the overall plot which I felt lead you in a particular direction only to surprise you at the end.

I started this book on audiobook however I found it confusing and it wasn’t keeping my interest. I switched over to the ebook and almost immediately I was all caught up, interested and engrossed. I felt the intensity, the sense of urgency and I flew through the pages, loving every minute of this story!

DNF at 35%
The story so far is boring and Ling winded to me. I don't really care about the mystery or the characters.

Thank you, Netgalley and MCD for a free copy of this book. Opinions to follow are my own.
I enjoyed this book, but I've got qualms. Two Nights in Lisbon takes place over...two nights...but goes so much further into the pasts of the two main characters. I thought that the story was woven together really well, and the writing was quality, but it was realllly long. I'm sure that choice was made with intention, to depict how grueling an experience it would be to wake up in Lisbon not knowing where your husband is, but still. The entirety of the 2 nights/3 days dragged the majority of the book and then huge plot points were wrapped up in the epilogue (not my favorite choice in craft).
Also, too many characters! I kind of lumped them together as "people investigating" and "victims" and this was easy to do because they all just blended together. I really do think this plot was clever and I enjoyed the ride, but it just had its problems that would prevent me from remembering it long-term or recommend it super widely.

“Nothing is more important to democracy than holding the powerful accountable for their transgressions.” ― Chris Pavone, Two Nights in Lisbon

My inner detective worked overtime trying to solve the mystery in this riveting thriller.

Ariel Pryce is excited to join her new husband on a business trip to Lisbon, Portugal. While he is in meetings, she can explore the beautiful city. But on day 2, she wakes up alone in their hotel room. John is gone, and he’s not answering his phone. Something is wrong.

Hotel security, Lisbon police, and the American embassy, has a lot of question, questions she can’t answer. What exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Who would want to harm him? Why does Ariel know so little about her much younger husband?

The local police are dubious. So is the CIA since John had once been among their ranks. Why are there no witnesses to John’s kidnapping? Why had Ariel changed her legal name ten years prior? When his captors demand 3 million euros for his release, she has only one person to call, a man who has a lot to lose if he doesn’t help her.

If you enjoy books about secrets, revenge, and international intrigue, this one is for you. It’s fast-paced and full of surprises. 4 stars.

I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller about an American woman who must do whatever it takes to rescue her husband when he is kidnapped while they are away on a trip in Lisbon. I thought Pavone did a nice job with alternating points of view and timeline jumps, though I struggled with the big twist and thought it was ultimately a bit convoluted (and you know it is when the character actually points it out!). Overall I think this is a perfect slump-buster of a book or great for anyone looking for a international thriller.

Not going to lie, this was a hard book for me to get into. I started and stopped it twice but something kept telling me to keep reading and give this book a chance. Then, when I got about 35% into the book, I was addicted. Could not put it down and needed to keep reading, needed to know what happened next and who secret characters were. Although it was a slow start, it was a worthy read and I highly recommend.

Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon, alone. Her husband is gone—no warning, no note, not answering his phone. Something is wrong. She tries to get help from hotel security, then the police, and finally the American Embassy, but they assume he is just stepping out on her. When she gets a ransom request and a burner phone from an unknown man on a motorcycle, they finally take her seriously. Both Ariel and her husband have changed their names, and she contacts the father of her son for the ransom money. Will she get her husband back? Why was he even kidnapped, they don't seem to have that kind of money? Why were they even in Lisbon in the first place?

This is my first book by Chris Pavone and although I enjoyed it, I found that it was overlong, the reason for one less star. Besides that, Two Nights in Lisbon kept me guessing from the start until the end. This was a story full of twists and turns, and I had no idea what was actually going on. I couldn't understand why and how the government got involved in his disappearance. Both John and Ariel are unreliable narrators that made it even harder to figure out what was happening. As we learn more about Ariel's past, I thought I had it all figured out, but I was wrong. I found the writing to be wonderful, a story that pulled me in and when the story ended, my mouth was open as my jaw had dropped. This was an immersive story and I will watch for my by Chris Pavone

To be honest, I expected a little bit different story. I do not know why. Probably I was thinking that the story was taking place solely in Lisbon and that I would merge into the life of the capital of Portugal. But eventually, I did not get that much of the city's descriptions, however it was nice to know all the places where the story was taking place.

It was an interesting mystery book, but boring from time to time. Two night in Lisbon seemed like a week. They were so full of emotions and events.

I had forgotten that I’ve read another book by this author and didn’t love it. Something about his writing style just doesn’t work for me. The beginning dragged on. The epilogue was the most interesting part.

Effortless entertainment, despite its longish length, Two Nights in Lisbon is easy to pick up and very bingeable (especially if you go the audiobook route). Fans of Taken and The Bourne Identity movie series should be able to find a lot to like here.

Chris Pavone's writing is punchy and brisk; the no bullshit attitude really helps maintaining momentum, even when the book veers into lengthy aside/commentary, and not moving plot, they are delivered with such conviction that I'm persuaded of their relevance. Not obvious at first glance, but Two Nights in Lisbon is 100% a story with an ensemble cast, and the number kind of sneaks up on you. Before you realize, you're juggling with 10+ characters critical to the central plot. While I did lose track of a couple names, I don't think it has impacted my overall enjoyment.

My main gripe with Two Nights in Lisbon is its ending. Even though I appreciate the general direction it has taken, it unfortunately invalidates the emotional journey of the protagonist up to that point—the reveal ended up introducing giant plot holes to the mix.

Two Nights in Lisbon is actually pretty smartly packaged, with an artsy, abstract cover, provocative title, and a strong female protagonist, even though under the hood it's very much a Lee Child/Harlan Coben type of action thriller storytelling—which are books I wouldn't have considered picking up. The atypical marketing worked, and I'm happy to say I did not feel tricked.

This book dragged for so long and not even the twists could save it. Also being Portuguese and from Lisbon, i found the all setting very Americanized and label us a bit as dumb from the start with hotel staff that don't understand English at least the basic??? when she is in a 5* or so what hotel? like no no no the whole plot was just meh and a bit over the top

Ariel Pryce wakes up by herself in Lisbon. Her new husband is gone. Has he been kidnapped? Murdered? Did he run out on her? The possibilities are numerous. The local police and the American Embassy don't seem to be concerned. But as we learn more about Ariel and her husband, other options emerge.

Is her husband scamming her? Can even Ariel be trusted? Is the conspiracy coming from the CIA? Or even the local Lisbon police?

Chris Pavone has created a wonderful novel full of twists and turns. Well written, with great character development, the reader is swept along on a sea of mystery. I highly recommend this book to all readers of mystery and suspense.

The story really dragged, but eventually, there were decent twists. I feel like the story would've benefitted from some tightening/fat cutting.

This is a fast paced thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from page one when Ariel wakes up in a Lisbon hotel and finds her husband gone. There's no note and he doesn't answer his phone. As the day wears on and Ariel becomes more distraught, she tries to get help from the local police, and then the American Embassy. Instead of helping, everyone seems to believe that her younger husband is simply off with another woman.
Parts of Ariel's life story are interwoven into her frantic search through the streets of Lisbon, but instead of slowing the story down, these glimpses of a younger Ariel deepen the tension. Scenes from the point of view of the police and the embassy staff add another dimension to the story. Two Nights in Lisbon has a very satisfying twisted ending and I enjoyed every single page. Highly recommended.

I did enjoy this book a lot more than I expected to, and the ending was a surprise. There were times though when I felt the story dragged a little bit and I felt like overall it could have been shorter. There were also a lot of great social issues presented, although at times it felt like the author was trying to make a case about injustices that no one was disagreeing with it.

Interesting concept. The characters were relatable and there was great development. Enjoyed it, but the pacing felt a little slow in the middle of the book. The ending was a surprise twist I did not expect. Overall, enjoyable book but felt a bit forgettable.

male authors stop writing female protagonists challenge because they are actively ruining them
two nights in lisbon felt like the longest book i had read this year, and i finished THE STAND
the writing feels like the author wanted to be a smart and pretentious writer who had many Big Thoughts but in reality he doesn’t know how to incorporate them without destroying the characters or pacing
main character infuriated me to no end - he wrote her like she was the hottest person on earth, either people fell in love with her or wanted to sa her
and the sa scenes. why was that graphic detail needed at all.
political aspect ruined the ending for me too - WE GET IT ITS THE FOURTH OF JULY AND THE CIA IS INVOLVED OMFG UNNECESSARY
pacing sucked plot took a nosedive at the end and the writing is too convoluted to know what its trying to convey

I just finished reading the book "Two Nights in Lisbon" by Chris Pavone. Many thanks to NetGally and Farar, Strauss and Giroux for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This story takes place in the beautiful capital of Portugal,, Lisbon. The story centers around a couple (Ariel and John) who are in Lisbon for John's work. One morning Ariel wakes up and finds that John is missing. She becomes frantic because there is no note and she cannot reach him by phone. SHe contacts the Police but they don't seem too concerned, so she goes to the American Embassy where she is met with the same non-chalance. While looking for clues, she is approached by a mystery man on a motorcycle who hands her a phone, which begins to ring. When Ariel answers the phone, she is told that her husband has been kidnapped and she has 48 hours to come up with 3 million Euros. Where is she going to get the money? How can the police or the Embassy help her, and who can she trust?...
Let me start by saying that this book is VERY long. I felt at times that is was too wordy, but it didn't stop me from reading it. The twists and turns and mysteries and clues made it exciting and difficult to put down.
I also felt that there were SOOOOO many characters that it was hard to keep track of everyone. If you decide to read this book (which I hope you do), I will suggest that you read it every day so you don't forget who is who.
The story is told from Ariel's perspective, both past and present. You learn about her past which helps explain her present actions in the book. Bet there is one main question which is only answered in the end and WOW, is it ever a GREAT answer.
I really liked this book. It had everything a mystery thriller should have: a main character that was sympathetic and brave and totally rootworthy, and a villain that had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The other characters (Portuguese Police, the Reporter and John) were well written and equally interesting.
All in All a wonderful exciting, mysterious, thrilling, rollercoaster of a ride with such a great ending I can't even tell you. Definately a MUST READ!

3.5 Stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the e-arc. While this was a solid story it did take me longer than usual to read. The story was good enough and there was enough mystery to keep me going till the end. I like that not everything is told at once like you know enough but not completely so you have to keep going to find out