Cover Image: A Fatal Affair

A Fatal Affair

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author A.R.Torre.
This was a good mystery/thriller about life in Beverley Hills, secrets, the life of twins, and child actors.
Did someone commit murder/suicide, who is the stranger near the famous actor who is found dead in his mansion in Beverly Hills?
Well written and worth the read
Recommend. 4 stars.

Was this review helpful?

Rated 4.5 Stars

A Fatal Affair was a great read. It kept my attention from beginning to end. I loved the pacing and the point of view switches that added to the tension. It was superbly executed. I figured it out pretty early on but that in no way, shape or form took away from my overall enjoyment of this book. I loved it and highly recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

I usually enjoy many POVs but I wasn’t able to connect with any of the characters because of this. The beginning and ending were strong, but the middle fell flat for me. While the twists weren’t really shocking, the story was entertaining. I liked it, but didn’t love it.

Was this review helpful?

The queen of casually dropping mindf*ck cluster bombs does it again...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've been a fan of Torre - both A.R. and Alessandra's - ever since I read Black Lies and got mindf*cked into staring into space for 15 minutes because of the plot twist that left me reeling for days afterwards.

Her newest release, A Fatal Affair, doesn't disappoint on the plot twist front, at all. If you're into thrillers that take you on a journey of two detectives trying to figure out their latest case in which a Hollywood actor found dead besides a nobody, quickly turns into the biggest, mysterious case of their careers... This book is definitely for you!

Torre does an expert job at keeping you interested with excellent foreshadowing that will have your brows either furrowed in an attempt to figure out what the hell is happening, or raised because of the little information drop that changes everything. I absolutely loved the changing perspectives that were announced by the chapter titles - which says a lot for a reader who dislikes chapter titles.

And the ending... Listen, I'm the type of thriller reader who will try to figure everything out and have a million possible outcomes and then scream "see, I knew it!" at the big reveal. This book? Let's go with my notes on this one, shall we? One was: "mindf*ck of the century!!! Omg" and the last one was "if my eyes could fall out of their sockets, they would've crashed to the ground along with my jaw right about now; wow, I did NOT see THAT coming!"

If anything is supposed to give you an impression of how good this book is - and what I've said until now hasn't already succeeded in doing that - I've had the urge to start rereading from the beginning just to see the expertly crafted story line play out with the knowledge of every piece of the puzzle.

And that's all I will say about this one, because believe me, anything more will screw it up for you. Just do yourself a favor and read this book, but be sure to pencil in half an hour to stare into space to let your mind absorb the mindf*ckery once you're done *wink*

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for accepting my ARC request, and happy release week to Alessandra Torre.

Was this review helpful?

Trent Iverson, the bad boy twin brother of Hugh is found dead. But he isn’t alone. An unknown woman lies dead besides him. It looks like a murder suicide, but the question is why. What led to this tragic event and why did Trent choose his final act to be in his brother’s guest cottage?

Told from numerous perspectives, I enjoyed how each chapter was named: The Husband,The Kid, The Leading Lady, etc. I was never confused, who would be featured in each chapter, and I thought this was a very clever idea to avoid any potential confusion.

Hugh and his fiancé Nora are famous actors, and as the story progresses, you realize how good they really are. Almost every chapter had a ‘what’ moment, and while I had what I thought was a good idea how this would end, well, let’s just say, I might’ve been wrong about a few major things.

Short chapters and multiple POV’s made the pages fly, and the twists and turns were all cray cray(especially the last one). This was my first read by this author, and I’ll be looking to see what she writes next.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had so much fun reading this thriller. This book is packed with twists and turns, and the action never stops from the second you begin. I finished this one very quickly because I had to keep reading to see what would happen next. This would make an excellent beach or pool read.

Was this review helpful?

i was sold on the way this book was described, set in hollywood with murders and scandals. And it did have that. This is not a bad book it was just predictable. The book has a good flow and is easy to read concidering that we have very short chapters and multiple characters Which is always fun. A big part of the mystery i guessed about 30% into it, Which should tell you a lot. The last few pages def made the book better for me though.

Was this review helpful?

This thrilling book keeps you hooked with its fast-paced narrative told from different characters' perspectives: The Detective, The Leading Lady, The Leading Man, The Husband, and more. You just can't stop reading, always excited for the next chapter. As the puzzle pieces start to fit, there are those few that almost click but never quite do. You're left craving more, needing to uncover additional pieces. Trust me, this book is an addictive obsession—jaw-dropping moments and all! The author's storytelling skills are on point, delivering a captivating read that you won't want to put down- I recommend this one if you love to solve mysteries!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my review!

Was this review helpful?

“We don’t always know everything about our spouses. Trust me on that.”

A Fatal Affair had me seated from start to finish. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll summarize it by saying two detectives are tasked with solving a high profile murder/suicide. The circumstances surrounding the crime are brutal and hard to swallow, but throughout the story, and it’s many point of views, we learn the initial crime scene is just barely skimming the surface of all the secrets and lies.

Extremely entertaining. If you read thrillers/suspense/mystery often I think you will be able to slowly piece this one together. I think A.R. Torre succeeds in writing a solvable, as you read, mystery, but also still weaving the story in a way where the reader is second guessing themselves until the end.

Was this review helpful?

This was a wild, unexpected ride. There were so many crazy twists and turns, I wasn’t really sure where the story was going, but I was here for it. ⁣

One woman, twin brothers; one dead alongside another woman and a missing child. Actors and actresses, completely unreliable characters. I couldn’t figure out until the very end who the killer was. ⁣
This was fast paced and almost exhilarating: I just needed to know what was going to happen. ⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Was this review helpful?

Dark and entertaining – this was everything I expect when I pick up an A.R. Torre novel.

A Fatal Affair centers around the investigation of an apparent murder-suicide at the home of Hollywood’s most famous actor, Hugh. Trent, Hugh’s identical twin brother, is one of the deceased – the apparent murderer. The twists and turns of the investigation uncover a toxic love triangle between the brothers and Hugh’s fiancé, Nora, a kidnapped child, and a concerning connection with a charity for sick children. While some of the twists were fairly predictable, I did feel like Torre did a good job of weaving together all the many aspects of the mystery.

I really enjoyed the short chapters and how each one was dedicated to a different character’s POV. All the characters felt pretty fleshed out to me and a few of them were really likable. Most of the ones that weren’t likable were of the love-to-hate variety, which also makes for a fun reading experience. While the story did start to feel a little longer than necessary, things did come together in a satisfying way. I was hoping for just a little more of an explosive ending, though, as well as a little more closure on the storyline involving Miles and Kyle – the missing child and his father.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed A Fatal Affair. I always look forward to a new Torre book and this one did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the detectives, Farah and Kevin, and found the Iverson brothers and Nora to be kind of fascinating. I’m looking forward to reading whatever Torre comes up with next.

Was this review helpful?

Another hit by this author! I had already pre-ordered the audiobook. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and the author herself but I stuck around for the exciting story about twins and holidays.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy of the ebook!

Was this review helpful?

A Fatal Affair is a detective mystery/crime drama/murder mystery with a Hollywood setting.

The book features lots of third person POVs. The main characters were detectives Farah and Kevin, twin Hollywood actors Hugh and Trent, and Hugh's fiancée Nora. There is also a missing woman and child and a husband.

The beginning and end of this book both captivated my attention. There were a bunch of fun twists that I did not see coming.

I really did enjoy this book. I did see value in having so many viewpoints. But I think maybe the sheer number of POVs made it so that I didn't really connect with any of the narrators. Although the main narrator was the female detective. And I definitely liked her POV the most.

This book had lots of short chapters. And there were so many fun secrets. I couldn't wait to see how everything came together in the end. I've enjoyed so many of this author's books. And this was another fun read!

Was this review helpful?

Finally my first A.R. Torre read! I had high hopes for this one and I wasn't disappointed, but this was definitely a middle of the road, average read for me. That said, I will still be checking out her backlist as I have several on my bookshelf already.

This was fast and entertaining with short chapters and multiple POVs. I love rich people drama and police procedurals and this had little touch of each. BUT as an identical twin myself, I just have to say LOL NO. And again for the people in the back LOL NOOOOO. Okay maybe if I wasn't a twin, I would have liked this one more but I can't unread what I read and I can't unsee the images and scenarios created in my brain.

I will say that the storyline was creative, even for a twin thriller. I did find it a bit over-the-top and far-fetched,. but it was easier to look past that than the twin thing and the author choosing to use the word "brewski."...twice.

Was this review helpful?

AR Torre has quickly become one of my favorites! This book is no exception! Told from multiple POVs and interconnecting the lives of the characters in the most twisted ways makes this book fun from start to finish. I’ll buy anything this author releases! Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A Fatal Affair, by A. R. Torre, is a solid mystery and excellent police procedural. Told from multiple POVs, it follows Beverly Hills detectives Farah Anderson and Kevin Mathis as they investigate a murder/suicide in the home of Hollywood celebrities. Along the way, they encounter a cult-like children’s charity, led by Momma Beth, that culls its recipients from Make-a-Wish requests, and they find a Facebook group of not-so-wonderful mommies heavily involved in the mystery.
The multiple POVs of Nora, Hugh, Kyle, and especially the first-person POVs of Kerry and Miles, kept this story dynamic and compelling. Having the story set in Hollywood added to the illusion effect that “everything is not what it appears,” and the detectives have the added challenge of deciding whether the actors are truthful, or just really good-at-their craft liars. The huge twist at the end of the story wrapped this up with a satisfying conclusion.
This is an excellent mystery, with lots of breadcrumbs to follow, in pursuit of the killer and the motive. The short chapters add a sense of urgency to the arc of the story. And the witty repartee between the detective partners lends a bit of warmth to a tale full of darkness.
I recommend this suspense novel to readers who enjoy a good police procedural and readers who follow A. R. Torre, who never disappoints in her incisive thrillers!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC. These opinions are solely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Written in very short chapters, this suspenseful novel begins when Hollywood royalty is found dead at his twin's guesthouse along with a tortured woman.

The twists and turns in this novel were excellent and the pacing was well-done. I really enjoyed the detectives working on the murder mystery (especially their banter). I appreciated how so much of their work had to be managed with Hollywood expectations, as well.

This was my first read by A. R. Torre but will not be my last.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

Was this review helpful?

Hugh and Trent Iverson are twins, and well-known actors. When Trent is found dead along with an unknown woman, the police are called and begin an investigation. Hugh and his fiancé Nora are questioned. I will be honest - this book just did not hold my attention. I found what I did read to be very predictable, before I eventually DNF at 40%. I am only leaving feedback as a requirement for my NetGalley review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

3.5/5 stars.

What begins as a fast-paced twisted Hollywood tale with murder and Munchausen by Proxy sprinkled in unfortunately ended in a fast-paced tale with predictable plot points, reveals, and loose ends.

The first half was quite strong, in my opinion. We quickly switched between POVs, we got to know each character in accordance to where we were in the plot, and the author familiarizes us with the situation quite fast. However, after that... there's not much less. I felt like each character never broke out of the role they were assigned at the top of their chapter. For example - the detective was simply the detective. While we knew her relationships and we got to see her dynamic in relation to other characters, she was *just* the detective. She ceases to exist outside of this role. Every character reads this way and I wanted them to be at least a little bit more developed.

It was still a four star read, though! It was thrilling, it kept me turning the pages, and I was genuinely invested enough to actively want to know the final outcome.

That all changed with the very end - the accumulation of easily guessable reveals mixed with a really - uh, not well done? - device of "it's the FBI's problem now, so I guess we'll never know!" really soured my reading experience.

This was my first A. R. Torre and I can tell that there is an audience that will enjoy it, I'm just not fully convinced I belong with this audience.

Was this review helpful?

A Fatal Affair is a fast-paced crime thriller set in Hollywood, where lies and deception thrive. Actress Nora is in love with two men; both twins with opposite personalities and when one of the twins, Trent, and an unidentified woman are found murdered, Nora and Hugh’s reputations and possibly lives are at stake. Two LA detectives work to solve the murders they encounter layers of deception in a cunning cat-and-mouse game. This wild read had a bit of everything; glamour, seduction, police procedural, court room drama, and even romance. Hooked from page one, Torres masterfully plants seeds of doubt and skillfully reveals the twists that keep you engaged until the end.

Was this review helpful?