What a wild ride! Many twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Follows a typical thriller trope along the lines of infidelity but puts a new spin on things. Good characters. Excellent writing. Any thriller fan will easily enjoy this book.

This story sucked me in completely! Holy moly!! There is so much going on in this book. Just do yourself a favor and read it. All of Torre's books are unputdownable! Get this one now!

I’m a little unsure how to rate this one. I love A.R. Torre books and I didn’t dislike this one, but it definitely wasn’t one of my favorites by her.

I think the thing that sticks most with me is the ending and my hatred for one of the characters! I mean, I guess if I’m honest none of the characters were all that likable. But I did feel for Lillian. I just felt that she always got the raw end of everything and felt her reasons for backlash were warranted.

Overall I would give this 3.5 stars. The writing was still good, like always but the overall story didn’t hit a home run with me.

Juicy, engrossing read. I have yet to meet an AR Torre book I don't like! I will be anxiously awaiting the next one. Great characters, excellent point of view and fast-paced plot.

AR Torre books do not disappoint and this is no exception. Absolutely beautiful story and will pull at every emotion. I loved it.

This book is told in 1st person from multiple POVs but the majority being Lillian and Mike. The chapters are short and leave you wanting more. The storyline was easy to follow despite the multiple POVs. I was really into this in book for about 70-75% of it and couldn’t put it down but then I lost interest. I also wasn’t a fan of the abrupt ending however I did enjoy the book and recommend you checking it out for yourself!

This is my first official A.R. Torre read and I loved it!! I like the multidimensional writing and all the detail without taking away from the actual storyline. You think this book is about Lillian's infidelity when her marriage is on the rocks but it is about so much more. Lillian for a little while fulfills her needs through her double life until it all collides and leads to uncovering more deceptions and lies with eventual death (won't give that spoiler) lurking around the corner when it all comes crashing down. I didn't think this book would go where it did until the end started to reveal itself and the unexpected added to loving this even more!
Halfway through you find out who died and then the detour down the dark path begins. This is told from many POV's but most from Lillian and then a good amount from her husband Mike. I felt like this was a multidimensional mystery with so many crossing points to how it ended up where it did and it was so smooth to read through. I loved how different this was than what I could've ever expected. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC copy and now I have to get more of Torre's books to my TBR list immediately!
I give this 4.5 stars!

This was such a good book. I went into this book having just read the short description and thought it sounded like a good domestic drama but, it was way more complicated than that and then before you know it there is a murder investigation and I was blown away by the rest of the story. Interesting and addictive!

First, I am extremely thankful for the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy of this book. However, this was a miss for me. It started out great, fast-paced, and turning the pages, but somewhere in the middle fell flat. Almost like it just didn’t fit together? I’m not going to judge the author based off the only book I’ve read, so I’ll read more from Torre!

Lillian leads what she thinks is a pretty ordinary life. Mom to a teenaged boy, wife to an organized and predictable man, her job is a writer of obits at the LA Times. She does, however, have a true crime mystery Twitter account to add some spice in her seemingly otherwise boring life. That is until she suspects her husband is having an affair. Suddenly, she wants to do something outrageous - she catches the eye of a stranger in a coffee shop and decides to take on an alter-ego and have an affair of her own. Until things start to get a bit out of control....

In spite of some less than stellar reviews, I found that I very much enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the delicious twists and unreliable narrators (there were many). I wasn't sure who to trust, who was being honest, and who was the possible bad guy. Without spoilers, I rather enjoyed the "switch" of Lillian's POV in the latter part of the book. It gave it an interesting perspective and one you rarely see in novels. Overall I liked it, enjoyed the writing style and the way the author unfolded the details of the story. I'll definitely read this author again!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not gonna lie, I keep waiting for A. R. Torre to release something that rocks my world the way The Ghostwriter did, and I am always just a little let down that when it doesn't happen. BUT - fair being fair, The Ghostwriter seriously knocked my socks off, and would be hard to beat. Something not living up to that is like comparing a kindergarten valedictorian to Einstein - this is not apples to apples here.

Lillian is one of the freaking weirdest characters I think I have ever encountered, and that's saying something I enjoyed the snark, and found her hot mess of a life to be just on the outer edges of believable. I loathed both her husband and her best friend from beginning to end. At the end of the day this book definitely broke the suspense/drama mold in some major ways, and it really worked. I did NOT see... *gestures* any of that coming. At all. I really enjoyed this. I think my one note is that I really can't understand the reason for the title. Which is weird.

This was an ok thriller. After reading the synopsis I think I expected more. I would put this at a three star in the middle read for me.

my second a.r. Torre and a tale as old as time. lately I've been reading quite a few stories about the docile wife with a secret past. This one felt a little flat. I felt like the past was not nearly as intimidating as we were led to believe.

Domestic thriller with double lives and bored housewives (that rhymed) set us up for a lot of promise here. The first part of the book comes in hot but then there is a lot of time spent on…? Could’ve been executed much better.

Headlines:
Double lives
Stale relationships
Who dunnit?

A Familiar Stranger was a joy of an easy thriller. AR Torre serves up unlikeable characters as ever and as a reader, you suck it up like a delicious feast. This dysfunctional family at the centre, their cold connection but reluctance to make change made for early investment. As things got wilder, I couldn't put it down.

There were a number of POVs but they weren't overused, nor were they confusing. Mostly this was told from Lillian's seemingly (but not) mundane perspective with the occasional Mike thrown in. Mike was a character who seemed without feeling, calculating and unfathomable in ways. Jacob was the sad victim of circumstances.

I didn't like David but I did like the life Lillian found in the marina. I have no words for Sam. The mental illness exploitation was uncomfortable but not unrealistic in this plot; that element saddened me. I didn't like how Lillian's POVs turned out but I guess it kept a train of events in a way that would have otherwise been difficult.

Overall, I find AR Torre's thrillers to be her sweet spot and they almost always work for me.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.

Lillian leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands. Who knew that this could be the most deadly mistake? Everyone has secrets here...EVERYONE.

I'm a HUGE fan of A.R. Torre. I especially loved Every Last Secret. So I went into this one with high expectations. But...I...didn't love this one. Yes, I could not put it down. But I didn't really like any of the characters and I didn't really have anyone to root for. Overall, it was not a bad way to kill 72 hours.

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

I enjoyed reading this suspenseful story. This is not my first book by this author but it is one of my favorites yet. It is a story where the twists and turns take things to a new level. The author's use of details bring life to the story and made it hard to put down. I found this book to be fast paced and engaging. A well; written story where not everyone is who you think they are and life just starts spirally out of control.. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into their world. They are connectable, srong and supportive of each other. They made the story easy and entertaining and had me coming back for more. I enjoyed not only their growth but also the growth of the plot throughout the story. This made such a great story for a cold afternoon. I highly recommend this book and this author.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher, and author for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have always loved books by this author! Amazing suspense and keeps me on my toes. This one was no different. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer publishing and A. R. Torre for this ARC. What did I just read ?
So many twists and turns with so many flawed characters .. I loved it ! First time author for me, I’m so glad I requested this book. 4 stars as I’ve yet to read anything else by this author, but be assured, I will.

Is there a second book? I feel like the story could produce a sequel! Rigghhht?

Cheers to Netgalley for the copy!