An absolutely engaging read. This is the first book I have read by this author. I will tell you I never knew which way it was going to turn after each chapter and the story had me on the edge of my seat. I could never have predicted the ending. Thank you so much for such an engaging read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

This book is dangerously good. It’s difficult to stop reading once you start.

The main character, Lillian, writes obituaries for the LA Times. She is almost 40 and has been married for 18 years to Mike who works for a financial firm. She said, “My husband loves to solve problems, which is probably why he married me.” She believes he is having an affair but can’t prove it right away. She said a clue is the three words he says before leaving in the evening: “don’t wait up.” She bought a book hoping to find some more signs: “How To Catch A Cheating Spouse.” That’s when, without really looking, she met David whom she found to be very appealing. She introduced herself as someone else – a dead woman’s spirit -- to make it more exciting.

The book has section headings throughout which marks: six weeks down to one week before death. It’s up to the reader to try to put all the clues together to figure out who is going to die.

The author incorporates tons of subtle pieces of suspense which makes the reader turn the pages quickly. The timing is perfect. The chapters are short with alternating view points from the characters which makes it interesting. It’s like being in a circle of friends and wanting to find out what’s next with relationships and secret lives. The ending was totally unexpected for me. Included is a list of Book Club Questions which is always a plus.

My thanks to A.R. Torre, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book with the expected release date of September 27, 2022.

Stop what you're doing right now and request this book. I feel like I've been punched in the gut. The plot is wickedly, fiendishly clever, with a dazzling array of characters, some you will love, and others you will pray for their downfall.

Lillian Smith enjoys posting death-related riddles on her Twitter and giving a person's life meaning in the carefully crafted obituaries she writes for the Times. Her husband is distant and reserved, and suspecting an affair, she has one of her own. She is enjoying her secret double life, but she's not the only one putting on one face for the world and another in her private life.

This book is structured around a macabre countdown to death...two weeks before the death, a week before, the morning of, etc. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING could prepare me for the utter genius this author created. Everything was so carefully constructed until like a house of cards, it all came crashing down. You DO NOT want to wait until September 27 to read this! Thank you so much to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for this early read.

What did I just read!?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Do you like classic, traditional domestic thrillers rooted in reality? Don't read this book! But if you're willing to take a gamble and try something a little outside of the box, I think you might like The Familiar Stranger by A.R. Torre.

This book starts off as your average thriller. A cheating husband. A vengeful spouse. Then at the start of the third act the plot goes absolutely bat-shit crazy. I was so confused but then it sucked me back in. I stayed up until 2:00 am finishing the last 80%.

Somehow, amongst the insanity that ensues, I found a few things slightly predictable? But then other things completely bizarre. But I cannot say I was not entertained.

This is my third A.R. Torre new release and I highly recommend Every Last Secret and The Good Lie. And if you liked those, definitely give this one a shot. But from a fan to you Alessandra I am begging you for better titles. I still don't understand what any of the last three are referring to 😂.

The Familiar Stranger releases September 22nd. Thank you #netgalley for the advanced copy.

If you're looking for your next auto-buy author when it comes to twisty domestic suspense, A.R. Torre is it! "A Familiar Stranger" is now my third Torre novel, and I officially can't get enough of her unpredictable, read-it-in-one-sitting novels.

Lillian Smith, our ordinary leading lady, lives a predictable and rather lackluster life as wife to Mike, mother to Jacob, and obituary writer for the prestigious LA Times. Enter David Laurent, the enticing stranger who may just change not only Lillian's life, but the course of everything else around her as well.

Without giving too much away, as I find that Torre's novels are best devoured mostly-blind and in as few sittings as possible, this book is well-written, fast-paced, and out-of-the-box with its twists and characters. Even as the story unfolds, it stays plausible and intentional; Torre is not one (at least in my reading experience) to throw in dramatic dialogue or an unconvincing plot twist for shock or entertainment value.

My reading month has consisted of more thrillers than anything else, and yet "A Familiar Stranger" still veered off in a direction I didn't expect at all. A must-read for fans of Torre's earlier work, and anyone looking for a domestic thriller to breeze through!

I have to say that I was VERY excited to receive this ARC! A.R. Torre has not disappointed me yet in any of her titles that I have previously read. I feel that I am in the minority with this review, and am quite shocked, to be honest, that I am giving it. I just did not connect to the characters in this book, and it just fell flat for me. I found myself wanting to skim as early as the 30% mark, which is very unusual for me. I just felt that the characters lacked substance in order for me to get to know them, empathize with them, or just even care about what happened to them. I had such high hopes for this one. Needless to say, this was not my favorite of Torre's books, but it will not stop me from reading more by her in the future.

This book was a really good read, how when one woman throws caution to the wind whilst having an affair and nearly becomes someone else until things turn a corner one day and life is never the same again ..

Take a look at that cover! Is it any surprise that I chose this as my Myrtle Beach *beach read* last week? Set up the beach chair, slather on some sun block, a cooler of frosty hard seltzer by my side, and let A.R. Torre float me away to the sound of crashing waves. 🌅🌴🌊🍺

Lillian is a wife, mother, and writer of obituaries. A morbid job to many but one that she has always excelled at. She has a gay best friend named Sam that is her rock and shoulder to lean on when times are tough. She has battled alcoholism and depression in the past but has had it under control until just recently when she suspects her husband of having an affair.

We are aware as readers that someone has died but what we don't know is the who, what, when, where, and how. All I can say is expect some shocking surprises.

This book was a legit page-turner as I have come to expect whenever I pick up a new A.R. Torre book. About half way through Torre decides to shake things up like a bartender making your favorite cocktail with the same effects - that was good, fun, but I'm feeling a little dizzy and wobbly on my feet. This is going to be polarizing among the reader community for sure. I can't say that I loved the direction she took it in but I wasn't disappointed either. Want to know why? Because she wasn't afraid to do something that she knew readers would either love her for or be cranky about. That takes authorial balls in my opinion. I can only assume as writers, like us readers, get bored writing the same old thing and even they need a little pizzazz sprinkled in to keep their writing mojo going. She's done just that here and for that I applaud her. 3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.

This is my second read by Torre and I can say that she may be climbing the list as a favorite author. The way she wastes no time getting into the story, everything is face paced and exciting, keeps me engaged the whole time. I rarely go into books blind, but started reading this on the plane so I had to and I am so glad I did. I had no idea what was coming, who to trust and didn’t even attempt to make predications. The twists that were thrown my way impressed me (this can be hard to do!) and I loved the different story lines and POVs. (I loved me some Lenny!) I would say I was left wanting more from the David story line, but besides that I absolutely loved!

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This book is amazing. I was hooked from the very beginning. Absolutely, devouring each page. The deception is insane! Add this one to your TBR list now because you will not regret it. Tjos os easily one of my favorite books of 2022 this far. The ending left me with my mouth on the floor. I will now be purchasing every book ever written by A.R. Torre.

Wow! This novel is amazing!
It is twisted, intriguing, horrifying and intense!
I was never sure what would come next which made me turn the pages with speed to learn of main character Lillian's fate!
She seems so quiet and calm and oddly ordinary. But.... is she really???
Do yourself a favor and do not hesitate to read this book!
You will love it!
Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley and #Thomas & Mercer for this ARC and allowing me to read and review it. Incredible!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. This was the second book I've read by A.R. Torre and it didn't disappoint. I finished it in just a few days and it was suspenseful enough to want to keep reading. Lillian has a troubled marriage, a son that is on the edge of being troubled and embarks on an affair with a man that she meets in a coffee shop. Twists and turns, lots of suspense and a surprise ending.

Finally (after searching for ages) I have found a domestic thriller that loved and really enjoyed reading. This book does everything right and I can't be happier to rate it 5 stars.

"A Familiar Stranger" is about Lillian Smith, a typical wife and a mother. She leads a very unexpectional and boring life. The only exciting thing she has in her life is her work. She writes obituaries which she really loves to do. But things changes when she gets fired one day and caught her husband in cheating on her. Lillian becomes reckless and she herself starts having an affair. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.

As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.

"A Familiar Stranger" uses alternative povs to tell the story. All of the povs were equally interesting to follow. There were so much more to the characters than initially met the eyes. A. R. Torre crafts the story very artfully, the amount of scheming she does before revealing the main plotline is awe inspiring. Every detail, every event ended up playing a huge part in the book. While reading this book, the readers must not overlook stuffs by considering them unimportant. Because everything comes to mean something later.

The whirlwind of unpredictable events shocked me. I was really surprised with the sudden turn of the plot took. It felt like a generic domestic thriller at first but then it took a U turn and became something else. Everything exhilarated so fast that I found myself holding my breath. I have no idea how to classify this book. Is it suspense or thriller or horror? I guess it has all of these aspects. Though it leans towards suspense a lot more but it also utilizes horror/paranormal elements.

This book is absolutely riveting. It only took me a few pages to get hooked. The story is fast paced, gripping and heart pounding. There was never a single boring moment for me. The book is full with unexpected twists and turns. Even though I predicted some of the twists, a few of them literally blew my mind away. The level of insanity here built up slowly, ratcheting up until I was ensnared in its fun. I had so much fun with this book. It was exciting, engaging and idiosyncratic. "A Familiar Stranger" was my first book by A.R. Torre but it surely won't be the last. I can't wait to read more by her.....

A Familiar Stranger is a standalone domestic thriller by author AR Torre. It is my first novel by this author. The story is centered around Lillian and her husband of many years. Lillian begins an affair with a mysterious stranger she meets at a coffee shop. The story poses questions about how well we knows those closest to us and who can we really trust. I love books about relationships and secrets so this one seemed right up my alley. It got a bit weird about half way through and went in a direction I hadn't expected and it kind of felt like I was reading a different book than the one I had started. The story is told in multiple POV and this helps to build suspense. There were a couple of major twists which were very shocking and left me gasping. The book wrapped up with no cliffhangers.
Overall this was enjoyable and fast paced book which I'd recommend. It offered a little something different from the standard domestic thrillers.

What In The Kentucky Clucky Chickens?! 😳😯😳🤯🤯

What. The. Floof?!! Excuse me?! Okay, hold up! Say what?! So, I become a fan of Torre last year and devoured every book in succession. She's a genius with thrill writing. When I got my paws on this ARC I felt giddy and excited. And let me assure you, it was even better than I expected or hopes for! Another fantastic hit! I can't even express the crazy mind bombs in this novel. Some real jaw droppers hands down! Get ready to devour this like your life depends on it. Because she's done something damn unique this time & executed it flawlessly.
Affairs can always be tricky; risky. But sometimes they can be dangerous... down right deadly. Lilian has a mundane life & feels unfulfilled. Sure, she has her teenage son she adores, her husband Mike, a job as an obit writer with flexible hours and a nice home with financial security. But after years of the day in and out she feels unsatisfied and her marriage is struggling. During a trip to a coffee shop, she runs into a man named David; decides to try on an alter-ego life named Taylor, which leads from friendship to affair. However, it is short lived when a seductive video is posted of her and him on a boat that her son is tagged in and sees & her two worlds clash. Causing an even further downward spiral for her, betrayal is something not to be taken lightly and Lilian will find out she's not the only one.
I swear Torre knows how to side line you & T-bone your mind with revelations & succulent twists and unveils. By far her best yet & my utmost favourite. The jaw dropping twist over half way through is one you will NOT expect. Don't even try.

Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
Release Date: September 27, 2022

I give this a strong 4.5 / 5 Bouquets! 💐

I read The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre back in 202 and it was a gut wrenching experience that I remember well. When I saw Torre’s upcoming release on @netgalley, I didn’t hesitate to hit the request button. I’m all about domestic dramas, the cat and mouse game, unpredictable twists and turns - I thought that was what I would be getting in A Familiar Stranger but alas, this was a miss for me. Why?

- It was fairly predictable and lacked those edge of your seat moments.
- The characters were all unlikeable and unremarkable.
- After a certain character’s death, they continued to have a postmortem POV and it just didn’t fit.
- There were too many loose ends and an unsatisfactory ending.

5 Stars!!!! This is the BEST thriller I’ve read in a long time! Loved the twist and turns and every twist was mind blowing!! This is a must read for all thriller lovers!!

Unlike Torre’s previous few books, which I really enjoyed, this novel didn’t grab me. All the characters were highly unlikable and a bit dull in ways. The cat and mouse that was supposed to be set up didn’t actually have me turning pages. The addition of the character’s chapters postmortem also seemed too much for me. The killer was predictable but also the connection between everyone was a bit fantastical for my liking. Overall, a miss for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Familiar Stranger by A. R. Torre A good suspense novel with a unexpected twist told from multiple perspectives. Lillian, Mike and David were not easy characters with whom to relate and they became unlikable toward the end of book. A different prospective with a supernatural element woven in. Not my favorite of Ms Torre's books ,however, will be looking forward to her future books

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was my third time reading A.R. Torre and I think this was my least favorite book by her. I struggled with the main character and found her to be a bit hard to connect with. The one and only character I actually adored in this book was Lenny. He was a great character who felt likable and real. There were definitely surprises in this book and a few things I didn’t see coming. Based on the other books I’ve read by AR Torre, I was a bit let down with this one. Her previous books were better developed and held more surprises. I will definitely read more from Torre in the future. This one just missed the mark a bit for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC