3.5 rounded up

This was an interesting premise and definitely felt timely and very current pop culture. Overall that was the best part? The book was good, audio was good, and was overall enjoyable enough.

Advanced reader copy provided by Harlequin but all opinions are my own.

What a wild ride! This was a great read!

A riveting and extreme game of hide and seek becomes dangerous when a storm encircles the small island its held on. Not only is the storm deadly but, there are people who are hell bent on revenge. This game could be the answer to many of the players needs but, it could also turn fatal.

A crumbling hotel resort with 3 contestants and the owners of the extreme team on a storm ridden path. Who will survive? Will anyone win? The way Lisa wrote this kept the story enticing, it kept me coming back to want to see “whodunnit”, and it kept it creepy at times. I really enjoyed it along with the setting – what could be better than a derelict hotel set on an island with a huge storm looming overhead? 4️⃣⭐️❗️

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book was the ultimate game of cat and mouse, with so many narratives going on, I just didn’t know how they would all weave together in the end. I loved the idea of Extreme Challenges, as I just finished the Beast Games show, this was the perfect read. This book was very much binge worthy and easy to read, it was thrilling and left me wanting more and to figure out the plot twist each time I started to read it. The idea of a high stakes survival game, mixed with some murder, drama, missing characters, greed, and competition was a great cocktail for a book! Thank you @netgalley and @parkrow for the advanced copy.

Synopsis: Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.

Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.

I was really looking forward to this one. The idea of an adult version of hide and seek with significant prize money at stake was super! Let’s get the party started! The contestants are transported to remote Falcao island and the tension is off the charts for Maverick, a social media star, his daredevil company, and the team members they’ve enlisted. Everybody wants to win!

However, it fizzled and plopped in the middle and really never recovered. There were too many contestants spotlighted and just too much distraction from the central idea of a game-show-like competition. I was hoping to hear a lot about the actual strategies of the players and instead the narrative bogged down in the backstories of the individuals.

Three stars for this one! I’m still a fan of the author and look forward to her next one.

I received a copy of the digital ARC via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

What a ride! Lisa Unger delivers a gripping, twisty thriller with Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten—a survival game show concept turned deadly that had me flipping pages late into the night. If you’re a fan of reality TV competitions like Survivor or Fear Factor and love a thriller with high stakes, this book is right up your alley.

The setup is irresistible: a group of influencers agree to participate in a high-stakes game of hide and seek on a remote island, chasing a million-dollar prize. But what begins as an extreme challenge quickly devolves into something far more sinister. It’s not just about winning anymore—it’s about survival.

The first half of the novel leans into character development, and I appreciated the time spent getting to know each contestant, their motivations, and the secrets they carry. Everyone’s playing for something—money, fame, redemption, or validation—and that made the psychological layers of this game even more compelling.

By the second half, the pacing ramps up, and the tension is palpable. I could feel the wind, the rain, the desperation. Unger’s descriptions of the island and the storm that crashes down felt so real I nearly grabbed a blanket.

Standout characters for me were Adele and Malinka—two women from completely different walks of life, each risking everything for reasons that were both heartfelt and haunting. Their stories added an emotional depth that grounded the suspense.

This book also offers sharp commentary on influencer culture—the constant chase for likes, validation, and visibility—and what people are willing to sacrifice for recognition or relevance.

While a few plot points stretched believability, the sheer intensity and vivid storytelling more than made up for it. At its heart, Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten reminds us that, when stripped of status and filters, what really matters is survival, love, and connection.

🔪 Fast-paced
📸 Commentary on influencer culture
🌪️ Atmospheric and cinematic
👀 Secrets, suspense, and a storm you won’t forget

A deliciously dark page-turner that’s equal parts thrilling and thought-provoking.

"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐭."

Lisa Unger is back with another multi-point of view popcorn thrill ride!

I know I can always count on Unger's books to be entertaining page turners. This book does just that, with single mother Adele joining an Extreme Challenge of Hide-And-Go-Seek on a remote island, in order to help rebuild her life after her husband laundered money and disappeared. But all is not what is seems with the group that is sponsoring the game: the owners of Extreme have their own secrets that they are fighting to hide, and the game becomes much more dangerous than anticipated. There are many points of view but they aren't hard to keep track of. Each vividly-developed character has made mistakes that they are running from, while attempting to look for a new future. The chapters are a bit longer than what I might have anticipated, but the constantly changing character perspective from one chapter to the next makes them feel quick. The story makes some pointed remarks about society, both about online life and how humans constantly try to take what isn't theirs. The commentary on social media, with its exploitation of personal lives entertainment and the addictive nature of constantly searching for validation online added a thought-provoking layer. I loved the setting of Falcão Island with the abandoned hotel. Both are isolating and eerie, adding to the sense of danger, while the name of the hotel also pushes the theme of taking what does not belong - the original name is Esperança, while Maverick calls it Enchantments. Fun fact, while Falcão Island is fictional, Unger based it on an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean called the Azores! I do wish the hide-and-seek game was further developed; things fell apart for the characters before it really got going, which felt like a missed opportunity for some tight tension and suspense. A few subplots, like Adele's missing husband, felt a bit underdeveloped too, and thus didn't reach as satisfying a conclusion, as other parts of the story.

Close Your Eyes And Count To 10 is a slow-burn popcorn thrill ride with a motley crew of vivid characters. If you enjoy Unger's previous books, you will enjoy this influencer-life-gone-wrong tale. Thank you to Park Row, Harlequin & NetGalley for the ARC!

Lisa is an auto-buy for me and is an author who NEVER disappoints! I felt like I was reading an episode of the game show from you know where. I reading this book while looking over my shoulder the entire time! It's all fun and games until some is unalive!
Give this book a READ NOW!

This very anticipated thriller unfortunately just didn't cut it for me. The premise is interesting: an extreme haunted game of hide and seek on a remote island, where remnants of an old hotel stand, and players are in it to win one million dollars. However, the game barely even has the chance to start in the story, mainly due to a combination of a storm and a dead body to deal with, which essentially halts the game. With reason, I suppose. But therefore, as a reader, I was left hanging and was robbed of what the synopsis left me thinking was the main plot.

The rest of the story? Quite forgettable. A missing father. A few cases of fraud and embezzlement of which the motives are a bit unclear. A poorly developed plot and immature characters. An ending that more or less ties the loose ends. The writing style felt juvenile and I expected a lot more from Lisa Unger, a renowned thriller and mystery author.

🙏Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for a gifted advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten" by Lisa Unger is a gripping and intense thriller that captivates you from the very first page. Unger's storytelling is masterful, weaving together suspense and emotion in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters are complex and believable, and the plot is full of unexpected turns. It's a thrilling read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted mystery with depth and excitement.

An innocent game of hide-and-seek in a remote location where the winner gets one million dollars? What social media influencer could resist that? Not Malinka, Wild Cody or Adele. They each arrive ready to play, but a brutal storm threatens to wash the competition out.

The Falcao Island setting provides a chilling atmosphere for the game. The competitors need to be careful of more than just the crumbling ruins. There’s something else afoot!

The author’s commentary on the exploitation of personal struggles for sheer entertainment reminds me a bit of the message in The Hunger Games. Thank you so much @htp_books and @htp. For gifting me the opportunity to read this via @netgalley

Unfortunately Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 was a miss for me. I usually love Lisa Unger, but this was just chaotic and left much to be desired. I was bored and disinterested.

Thank you for my gifted copy!

I want to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row, Lisa Unger and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a bit different from other Lisa Unger thrillers I have read. It was still a good story, but had a family element, mystery and a social media aspect. Things are tough for Adele and her two teenagers. Her husband embezzled a lot of money from his company and when the police were closing in, he disappeared. The town has not treated the family well. Her son is being terribly bullied at school and Adel is have trouble making ends meet. Her son has been playing an online video game and through one of the players her learns about a livestream hide and seek game on isolated Falcao Island. The game is being sponsored by charismatic, daredevil, influencer, Maverick Dillan. Adele applies and is invited to participate to win the million dollar prize. She is sure this will solve all their problems. Once she arrives the contestants meet, but there is a vicious storm coming in. They are advised to leave, but no one wants to give up before they start. There are other influencers, a washed up children's TV star and Adele. With the help of her son's friend, who just happened to live on Falcao Island, she had a good idea where to go and hide. As the storm gets worse, they are in danger. Who will survive?

This story was a slow build up, as Adele's and her family's story took some time to lay out. Once she gets to the island, the pace picks up quickly. There are side stories dealing with the other players as well as Maverick and his partners that are all part of the suspense. When someone disappears, the tension ratchets up. The setting was very eerie and atmospheric. The hotel on the island had been abandoned years earlier and it was crumbling and nature was reclaiming the land. I liked Adele, she was realistic and helped others, even if it diminished her chances of winning. The only thing I didn't like about her was that she left her two teenagers to risk her life for money. I guess until you are in that situation, it's hard to tell what you would be willing to do. The story gets a bit sinister, with some secrets being revealed what could result in someone's death. The ending pulled everything together in a rather quick way, leaving me satisfied, but not overly so. Although I enjoyed this book, it was not one of my favourites by Lisa Unger.

I thought this book was mysterious but often seemed predictable. I also do not appreciate the overdone storyline of "surviving" a murderer on an island during a horrific storm. While I did finish the book, there are far more better thrillers to be read out there.

Loved this story. Dark, intriguing, atmospheric- all the things that make a good suspenseful thriller.

A abandoned manor on a remote island draws an extreme challenge show producer to throw a million dollars up for grabs- to whoever wins a dark and deadly game of hide and seek. All of this while the nation watches.

An interesting story, for sure. There were a few loose ends that could have been tied up at the end- I'm still waiting foe the rest of the Miller story. Over all 4 stars for this book.

An extreme game of hide-and-seek on a remote island sounds like the experience of a lifetime, with one winner being promised a life-changing cash prize. Adele, a single mother determined to set up a future for her family, takes her social media presence into the daredevil adventure in hopes of winning it all. Quickly, things start to turn as the contests, and hosts, realize that things are far more nefarious than expected.

As with most locked-door thrillers, this story takes a bit of time to set up. Truthfully, longer than would be ideal as I did almost lose interest. Things started to pick up and in the last one third or so really escalated in intensity. What kept me hooked was the desire to know what was going to happen not only in this game, but also a secondary mystery from the past. How would it all connect, and who would make it out alive?

I enjoyed the audio version, and I think listening to it actually helped me stay engaged a bit more as I was able to take in the story while also being productive.

Overall a fair mystery, but not my favorite of Lisa Unger's. I feel like there was a lot of setup for not very much bang. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Really cool premise. I enjoyed it. I liked all of the different POVs. There was a lot of introspection and a lot of plot.

Such a fun read! This book follows Adele - a mom and small scale influencer whose husband disappeared after committing a bunch of white collar crimes, leaving her and her two children broke and left to clean up his mess. She ends up joining an extreme hide and seek game to win a million dollars to help her family stay on their feet but she gets more than she bargained for. Disaster, storms and murder quickly follow the group’s arrival to the island and not everyone will make it out. Overall the plot was fast paced and enjoyable and the characters were fun to read and connect to. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review

Lisa Unger’s Close Your Eyes, Count to 10 introduces an intriguing premise for a high stakes mystery, but unfortunately, it struggles to live up to its full potential. The story begins with an engaging setup but quickly loses momentum, resulting in a disjointed and ultimately underwhelming experience. The plot follows Maverick, a daring social media influencer, who orchestrates a risky game of hide-and-seek at the abandoned Esperanca Hotel on Falcao Island, ignoring clear warnings to stay away. This tension filled concept, however, loses its steam as the story becomes fragmented, failing to build upon its early intrigue. Maverick’s extreme adventurism initially sets the stage for thrills, as four influencers each with a degree of fame are chosen to compete for a one-million-dollar prize. The stakes are high, and the money could significantly change the lives of the contestants. However, the game’s commencement is delayed for over a third of the novel, detracting from the suspense. One of the novel’s main weaknesses is its uneven pacing. While moments of genuine suspense do emerge, they are often overshadowed by long, tedious expositions that impede the story’s flow and leave important details, like the game’s rules, unexplained. Instead of maintaining a focused narrative on the high-stakes competition within the isolated hotel, the story veers into the characters' relationships and their secrets, disrupting the momentum and reader engagement. While the characters initially show potential, their development remains shallow. Their motivations are unclear, and their reactions to escalating danger feel muted. This lack of emotional depth weakens the stakes and makes it difficult for the reader to connect with their plight. Additionally, although Close Your Eyes, Count to 10 includes several plot twists, they fall flat. Instead of offering genuine surprise, the twists feel predictable and fail to generate the adrenaline rush typically expected of a thriller. Unger does succeed in establishing an unsettling atmosphere and crafting a palpable sense of place, but these strengths are not enough to elevate the overall narrative. The resolution, rather than offering a satisfying conclusion, feels rushed and anticlimactic. In the end, Close Your Eyes, Count to 10 fails to deliver on its promising premise of a thrilling, high-stakes mystery. Despite moments of intrigue, the story’s pacing issues and thematic inconsistencies result in a reading experience that feels erratic and ultimately underwhelming. Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Unger, and Park Row/Harlequin Publishing for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. (2.5/5 rounded up to 3/5)

Adele's husband mysteriously disappeared and when Adele is invited as an influencer to an extreme game of hide and seek at an abandoned hotel she can't turn the money down. The writing of the scenery was quite vivid. I wish there had been more description about the history of the abandoned hotel and the story behind it. Overall, this was a decent read.