A group of influencers play extreme hide and seek at a remote island for a million dollar prize. Contestant Adele has the support of her two teens, but she’s added to her debt to buy challenge supplies. Besides a brewing storm, locals who want them gone, and a contestant with a secret agenda, there’s a murderer in the mix.

My favorite thing about the story is the video game Red World that several of the characters play. Red World provides an alternate landscape for interaction while furthering the plot. The game version they prefer and the avatars they use provide clues to their personalties. The various social media venues such as WeWatch, similar to YouTube, and Photogram, similar to Instagram, play a big role in the story as does the hustle of being a celebrity or an influencer.

The story is told though a number of perspectives including Adele, her two kids, another player, and the people who are part of the company that set up the challenge, Maverick’s Extreme Games and Insane Challenges. Of the characters, I particularly enjoyed Adele, her daughter Violet, and Wild Cody, a player who hoped participating would help redeem him after being canceled. I felt less connected to the members of Maverick’s Extreme, but they each played a critical role in the plot.

As always Unger delivers a solid story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Park Row Books, an imprint of Harlequin Enterprises ULC, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maverick is an infamous influencer known for his Jackass like stunts and extreme adventuring lifestyle. He announces a million dollar payday for the winner of his game of hide and go seek on a desolate island in an old abandoned mega hotel and resort. Three influencers arrive ready to take part and capture the mega-payday: single mother Adele, disgraced former adventurer turned environmentalist Cody, and hiker extraordinaire and business owner Malinka. All have their secrets and haunted pasts that they are trying to outrun. When they arrive they are warned by a local elder that the land doesn’t want them and that the impending tropical storm cannot be weathered at the game site. When bodies start turning up and the dangers keep piling up will they all get outlive?

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is an extremely entertaining page turner that serves up undulating storylines that keep the reader guessing. The characters are clever, believable and interesting. 4.25 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

I just don’t think Lisa’s writing is for me. This was my 2nd book of hers and I really struggled to get through it. The plot was all over the place & there was no big character development

I really enjoyed this book. The mysterious island, a contest, what's not to love. The descriptions and characterization kept me engaged the entire time. The first part is a slow but stick with it. The second half is amazing.

Many thanks for my gifted copy. This review will be shared shortly to my Instagram account.

3⭐️s - split on this one. It had the perfect backdrop: remote island with with a raging storm. Dark thriller with reality show vibes. I just wasn’t a huge fan of that cast of characters and the story going in the direction that was most obvious. But I can see others liking the reality show gone bad with fun influencers.

Expected release: 2/25/25

✨Special thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this complimentary digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
A remote island, a group of influencers, a game of hide-and-seek that turns into a game of survival, and a storm brewing…what could go wrong?? At the last game of hide-and-seek something went terribly wrong, and a girl disappeared and was never found. Surely history won’t repeat itself, or will it? As the storm intensifies and people start disappearing from the island, fingers are pointed and suspicions brew. Is the island cursed?
This was a fun read full of adrenaline and suspense, although I would say it is a slow burn, it definitely grabs the readers attentions with the different characters and their backstories. I loved how Unger painted the eerie, isolated, remote setting of the island which left me feeling claustrophobic throughout. If you enjoy a game of hide-and-seek, a reality tv show gone wrong, and the ultimate game of survival then this one is for you! However, the flaw for me was the fact that the story ended up being predictable. There are several different ways this could have played out that would have left me feeling shocked, but instead it was too neatly wrapped up, fleshed out, and predictable. It had all the potential to be a five star read, but because of this factor it fell a bit flat for me.


𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Remote and isolated settings
✦Influencers, a game of hide-and-seek, and the ultimate survival game
✦Reality tv shows
✦Lots of different characters
✦A predictable ending

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5

What in the Mr. Beast fan fic did I just read?? This whole book reads to me like “What if we talked about Mr. Beast, but made him evil?” It’s giving Squid Games vibes. Honestly wasn’t bad, but was a very slowwww burn for me and it took me a while to get into it. Thank you to The Hive and HTP for the advanced copy! Releases Feb 15th!

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on February 6th, 2025. Links provided.

In Lisa Unger’s new thriller, a competition for a million dollars involving a game of hide-and-seek on Falcao Island takes a dark turn when a storm strikes and a hidden danger begins to target the group. Maverick Dillan, a social media star and daring adventurer, has organized the hide-and-seek game as a live social media event in an effort to draw in millions of eyes and dollars. But, things quickly spiral out of control as drama among Maverick and his crew, as well as an impending storm, threaten their plans. Among the contestants is Adele, a single mother who unknowingly steps into a dangerous game filled with secrets and betrayal. As the storm intensifies and secrets emerge, Adele must rely on her wits and determination to survive and find a way back to her children, all while navigating the uncertainty of whether this is all just a ploy for virtual views or real life danger.

I was definitely initially intrigued by this book, especially with the premise of an extreme game of hide and seek on a remote island. It sounded like an exciting concept and excellent setting for a suspenseful thriller, but unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While I did enjoy the setting of the book, I honestly felt like a large portion of the story dragged in its pacing and I found it difficult to get invested in the characters. I liked Adele for the most part, but almost every other character in the novel was either not very memorable or not very likable. Also, I usually love books with multiple points of view, but it did not work for me in this book. With the multiple points of view, there was often a jump in the timeline of the story as well, yet there was never any indication of a change in time (as in “before," “day 1," or even time stamps like 12 hours before the start etc.). Due to the jumping back and forth in the timeline, I found it difficult to really get hooked as each portion seemed underdeveloped. I was also disappointed in the way this book was presented. While the premise makes it seem like the majority of the book will be about a high stakes game of hide-and-seek, the game doesn’t even really happen at all (and there’s only three people who are playing??) and so much of the story is actually about the history of the people running the event or about Adele’s family. It seemed like the book tried to have three different plots to make it more exciting but it just led to me being less invested altogether. The twists weren’t very surprising, and the climax felt a bit rushed and anticlimactic. Overall, while the idea behind the book was solid, the end result didn’t quite hit the mark for me, and I never really got fully engrossed in the story.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 in return for my honest review.

Would you go to a remote island in an old abandoned hotel to play a game of hide-and-seek to try to win a million dollars? Our story starts with Adele, a mother of two teenagers who's been abandoned by her husband who's wanted by the FBI for fraud. He left her holding the bag with very little money to take care of their kids. The story starts out solely about her and her kids and then takes a turn and becomes about the Extreme app's owners and creators. They are hosting the game that Adele has signed up to participate in. I found parts of this book confusing, wasn't sure if it was current day or flashing back. I found parts to be slow building up to the action on the island. I think maybe it was a bit to long and could ended sooner.

Lisa Unger delivers an addictive read that I tore through in no time! The story dives into the dark side of internet fame, exploring just how far influencers will go for clout—and whether the real issue lies with them or the audience fueling their rise.

While the concept isn’t entirely new, the execution kept me hooked. The multiple characters and subplots added depth without making things confusing, and the pacing made it an effortless weekend binge. If you’re looking for a fast, thought-provoking thriller, this one’s worth picking up!

Although it took a bit to get me into this one, I did end up enjoying the concept of this story. I do think it could have been refined a little more but overall it was a fun locked room type mystery. It did keep me guessing so that was fun for me as well.

2.5/5

A locked-room thriller with an intriguing premise but a lackluster execution.

This book dragged so much, making it extremely difficult to get attached or interested in the storylines or the characters. And all the characters felt very flat while also being annoying and unlikable.

This book is slow and that is emphasized by nothing really happening for the first nearly three-quarters of the book.

Spooky island games sounds like so much fun! That made this all the more disappointing. I think I've just come to the conclusion that Lisa Unger's writing isn't for me. Sorry, Lisa.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Ooh, I enjoyed this one from the very start!!

A big hide and seek competition for a huge amount of money is what we have here, and Adele NEEDS a that money. She needs it to pull her and her children out of the rut her husband left her in.

She makes it into the competition and arrives as a big storm approaches. This event is also a big deal to Maverick, the man behind the curtain. This even could make or break his business. Not only do they have the storm to contend with, but this game quickly proves deadly and Adele just needs to survive.

With a big cast and a wild plot, there is never a dull moment. Lisa Unger knows how to tell a story.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Maverick Dillan has always been extreme and now he holds Extreme Hide and Seek challenges in remote location and pulls in influencers from everywhere to compete. The latest is Falcao Island and he is running up against plenty of resistance from the locals, and maybe someone mysterious, set on stopping his latest game before it even gets off the ground.
I really enjoyed this locked room thriller, and where better than a remote island with a nasty storm approaching. There were multiple POVs and multiple time frames(which could add to a bit of confusion if you aren’t paying attention). Fast paced and a lot going on with each characters that just added to the excitement! #lisaunger #lisaungernovel #closeyoureyesandcountto10 #closeyoureyesandcounto10lisaunger
#suspensethriller #suspense #thriller
#bookstagram #readersofinstagram

I feel like it's getting really hard to read a thriller that doesn't feel like something else I've already read. This was a stereotypical isolated game to win money with a smattering of odd characters. The people who own the show were adult-children and petulant. Naturally, the only likeable characters were the kids who lost everything. If you're looking for something mindless to read between other books, this would be fine.

Mr. Beast meets murder and deception. First of all, this being set in Portugal was nice since I am traveling there this summer! There were many points of view and everyone being a social media influencer did make the audio a bit hard to follow. But I always enjoy books playing on the social media influencer lifestyle since it’s so prominent these days. The twists were twisty which I always look for and I did somewhat guess the ending but it was still enjoyable.

Maverick Dillan, a larger-than-life extreme adventure influencer (think Mr. Beast x Bear Grylls) has just announced his next challenge. Extreme hide-and-seek at the ruins of a crumbling tropical resort—and the winner gets a million dollars. It’s a bold move, not least because his last hide-and-seek challenge ended with a girl’s disappearance. Adele, a struggling single mom with a small following as a fitness influencer, is up for the challenge. This could be her family’s path back to stability, and she’ll stop at nothing to win. Along the way, the contestants will face a natural disaster, an armed militia and mysterious threatening messages…and not everyone will make it out alive.

The premise of this book is incredibly creative. I think we were overdue for a YouTube challenge-inspired thriller. I thought the characters were well-written and fun to follow, and I feel like even the side characters had well-developed backstories. That said, this book wasn’t perfect. It felt like there were a few too many narrative threads, and the pacing in the middle of the book wasn’t as tight as I’d like it to be. But if you’re a thriller reader looking to scratch the itch for a good plot twist, this one is unlikely to disappoint.

I was really looking forward to reading this one but, unfortunately, it was not for me. The “extreme game of hide and seek” doesn’t really feature heavily. I was expecting an “And then there were none” scenario and it is not that at all. There are many characters, some of which are not even in the game, and I didn’t connect with anyone, so I wasn’t particularly interested in what happened to them. The plot is strong but, when you’re not invested in the story, it doesn’t really matter much. I’m happy to see that other readers enjoyed this novel. In my case, it was a matter of expectations. This wasn’t what I had in mind, so I felt let down.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row.

Lisa Unger crafts an eerie, atmospheric thriller that thrives on isolation. The island setting is haunting and immersive, adding an extra layer of tension to the mystery. The alternating narrators keep the story engaging, offering fresh perspectives while deepening the suspense.

Adele is a standout—flawed, complex, and deeply human. Her journey pulls you in, making her one of the novel’s strongest elements. While the pacing lags in places and some twists are predictable, the moody setting and psychological tension make up for it.

A compelling, slow-burn thriller perfect for fans of character-driven suspense.

Adele, a single mom, decides to become involved in an extreme game of hide and seek hoping to win the million dollar prize after being left in debt by a criminal husband. The story is told through multiple points of view and the reader was able to gain insight into each character. This was a fun and gripping suspenseful story full of twists.