**What worked well:**
- A tense, high-stakes premise
- An eerie, storm-ravaged island setting
- A mix of survival thriller and corporate intrigue

Lisa Unger sets up an enticing locked-room mystery with a social media-driven game of hide-and-seek gone horribly wrong. The isolated island, dangerous weather, and shifting alliances create a solid foundation for suspense. The concept feels fresh, blending elements of virtual challenges with real-world danger, and there’s a strong sense of unease as the stakes become deadly.

However, the execution doesn’t fully deliver on the setup. The pacing is uneven, slowing down when the tension should be mounting, and racing through moments that could have had a stronger impact. Character development, particularly for Adele, feels surface-level, making it harder to connect with her struggle. Instead of the classic one-by-one elimination I expected, much of the story revolves around the behind-the-scenes operators of the game, which shifts the focus away from the players’ fight for survival.

While the writing is immersive and the atmosphere is well-crafted, the climax lacks the payoff needed to make this a standout thriller.. It's a solid read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers, but not quite as gripping as it could have been.

This book was a ride! I did get kind of confused with the flashbacks in the middle of what is currently happening. However, I kept wanting to know what was going to happen! Who will when the game?? Why are people randomly going missing?! Thank you for an opportunity to read this. It was good!

Thank you to Lisa Unger, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Netgalley for the arc copy of Close Your Eyes And Count To 10! This is an atmospheric locked “room” thriller! Competitors playing extreme hide n seek for a chance to win 1 million dollars! But the story is so much more than that! So many moving pieces, the past being brought to light, & revenge! Keeps your interest from the very beginning & I did not see the ending coming! This book publishes on 2/25/25! Add it to your TBR! In the meantime check out The New Couple In 5B & Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger! Both also fantastic reads!

I loved the new Lisa unger book. Her titles are always captivating but I found the setting of this book to be superb. The characters were highly believable. The plot tied into the theme and there was enough action to satisfy crime Readers. I felt the book had a good flow. No boring parts. The suspense slowly builds throughout the chapters. I would recommend to crime and mystery readers alike.

A good thriller really enjoyed and the hide and seek aspect of the story. Easy to follow thrilling adventure. Great for those who like survival stories and reality tv

The premise sounds great - a secluded island with a cash-prize game of hide and seek that turns into survival. It was too slow paced with too many characters.

Wow! This was probably my favourite Lisa Ugner books. I also feel like I said that about her last book, but this one definitely tops the last one. There was so much happening in this every complex thriller with multiple POVs and many different stories to follow.
The main premise of the story is that social media influencers go to remote island for a hide & seek reality show game. The host is an eccentric online thrill seeker who was involved with a missing contestant from a previous event. Since then a cloud of scrutiny has been following him. The island itself was an interesting setting and gave another layer of mystery and intrigue to the story.
This book was fast-paced and kept me at the end of my seat with all the secrets, lies and deception.

I was curious to see how the online coverage of the island would unfold, almost like a survey. I thought it would offer some insightful and organized details, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations. The entire process seemed rushed, and it lacked the depth I was hoping for.

While the coverage was quick, which was a plus, there was a lot of confusion throughout. The information felt disorganized, and I found myself constantly trying to piece things together. I was hoping for a more reliable and clear experience that would provide consistent updates.

In the end, while it didn't take up too much time, the lack of clarity and reliability made it less enjoyable. It was definitely not what I had in mind when I first started, but at least it was over quickly.

Maverick is a daredevil who likes to create extreme games for influencers to participate in. His latest game is hide and seek near the remains of a crumbling resort on a remote island said to be cursed. Adele is a mom of two, down on her luck and desperate for the extra cash winning this challenge would provide. A childlike game of hide and seek turns into a game of survival as people start to go missing, and the truth comes out.

Thoughts 💭
The premise and atmosphere set the creepy tone that permeates the story. The island itself seems to be alive and collects souls who dare enter. We are first introduced to Adele, who is a mom of two, struggling to make ends meet after her husband skips town. But, even her background creates mystery and intrigue that makes you question how everything will tie together. I was honestly a little disappointed that her husband didn't make more of an appearance during the game. I thought he would somehow be connected to it.

The story is chaotic to read. There are multiple POVs from almost every character and even characters who don't have a main role in the story. You jump between points of view and different time frames, so it's hard to understand what's going on and when since there isn't a solid base to go off of. I think the intent was to make a crazy story seem even more disjointed but I would've loved to have it told in a more linear format with more time spent on the actual game that was being talked about. Instead, it was a lot of behind the scenes action. The game itself was actually such a small part of the story, and most of the characters were not really likable. The atmosphere and premise were great, but the execution fell a little short for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unfortunately, I don’t think this book was for me. I usually love this author’s books but I just didn’t connect with this one. I think I am over the “reality show” type plots. I will definitely read her next book, as I said I usually really enjoy them, but this one didn’t work for me.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC. “Close Your Eyes and Count to 10” releases February 25, 2025.

When single mom, Adele enters an extreme reality game of hide and seek, hosted by extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan, she hopes to win the million dollar prize. This would go a long way in getting her and her children back on their feet after her husband vanished, running from police for committing fraud and embezzlement. The game takes place on a basically deserted island, and all hell breaks loose with an oncoming storm, natives who want them off the island, and some unknown person who seems to be stalking the game and Maverick. This was a rollercoaster ride, and I loved every minute of it! This is a pulse-pounding adrenaline rush of a read!

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a twist and turn thriller. Maverick Dillan, a famous adventurer, hosts an ultimate hide and seek game and the winner will earn a $1 million dollar prize. The contestants, social media influencers, gather on Falcao Island and the event quickly spirals into a test of survival.

The premise for the book is intriguing. There are multiple point of views which at times was tough to follow —perhaps even too many POVs. I felt that the book didn’t really have a flow and struggled to read it. I love Lisa Unger books and really wanted to like it more.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Park Row for the Advanced Reader Copy.

This unfortunately didn't work for me, and I'm not quite sure why. I didn't like the characters very much and the story felt so incredibly disjointed. I think I wish it would've leaned into some story points and backed off on others. I was hooked at the beginning but my interest quickly tapered off.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this E-ARC.

I love Lisa Unger. Her books are always so suspenseful. A wild ride yet extremely easy to follow. I can cruise through one of her books in 48 hours and feel like I ran a marathon. A lot of things happen at the same time but I never feel confused. I don’t feel like the books are too long with too much information. They are just perfect. I love them!

Adele had everything she ever wanted. A happy marriage to a man that was extremely wealthy. With two beautiful children that she loves. Until she finds out that her husband embezzled money and has disappeared. 5 years later she had no money. Is struggling to keep up financially. She’s still happy and still has her kids but doesn’t have the money anymore. Until her son shows her a hide and seek challenge on an island that can make her the winner of 1 million dollars. All she has to do is stay hidden and be the last person found.

Everything will be live streamed. Influencers galore. There’s only 4 players. How hard can it be? Except that it seems kind of dangerous. And there was that one girl who was never found from a previous challenge. But still 1/4 chance to win a million? She can do that! Right?
Read and find out.

Hide and seek reality tv game on a secluded island! It’s a fast paced book. The cast and characters were all very interesting and made the read so captivating. I loved the multiple point of view of a few of the players. Lots of secrets and twists. The storm and atmosphere of the island really amped up the experience with this story. I recommend going in blind to just experience the game and book.

Close your eyes and count to 10 was a typical twisty mystery. It was Pretty easy to figure out but I enjoyed the story. It’s a good reminder everyone we see online is only letting us see what they want us to see.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a fun thriller about a game of hide and seek. Influencers battle it out in this game of hide and seek that turns deadly. Fans of Lisa Unger’s previous books will enjoy this one.

Although this is marketed toward adults, and one of the main characters is a single mom, I still think this has a lot of YA qualities to it. There are a few scenes that are a little too much for my students, so I couldn't recommend this to them, but overall I think this could resonate more with a slightly younger audience. Mav gives Paul brother or Mr. Beast energy, and it was interesting to see things from his (and the Extreme crew's) perspective. The entire time I thought the premise of the "hide and seek" game felt low-stakes on it's own. I wasn't sure how exactly it was supposed to be engaging content (if not for what ended up actually happening). Despite the endings for each character, I still somehow felt unsatisfied. I am rating this book 4 stars overall, though, because there was a lot that was fun about this novel, and a lot that kept me guessing. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives, although I would have liked more from Miller and the Extreme guys. I didn't really think Blake AND Violet needed their own POVs. I didn't think the podcaster's parts were really needed, because the one big reveal they "found" could have been explained in two lines by the characters at the end. I liked the obstacle of the island natives, and Tavo's seemingly inner conflict regarding this. I wish there was a little more of this element explored at the very end, but it seems this became mostly forgotten after the "rescue" (which- came out of nowhere considering all prior behaviors from these characters). The ending felt a little too convenient, and therefore as I said, unsatisfying. However, this was overall fun and fast-paced, and I think anyone who is a gamer or moderately online might really enjoy it.

I listened to the audio book version of this book. The narrator did an amazing job bringing the story to life. Lisa Unger utterly kept me captivated with her storytelling, and the characters were so diverse and interesting. I was hooked from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. I thought this was such a good book. And the twist... it was so well done. I am so glad I got the chance to read this book. I think that Lisa is in a class of her own. I can't wait for more from her. I highly recommend this book to other thriller/mystery readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Harlequin, and Lisa Unger

This is an intense and suspenseful novel filled with secrets and lies. What starts out as a way to win money in a high-stakes game turns into a fight for survival against an unseen threat, and Mother Nature.

Unger pulls us into Adele’s world, and her struggles, straight away-pulling at the heartstrings of the reader, and spurring us on to root for her to win. Adele is a fighter, a loving mother, and is willing to do whatever it takes to give her family a chance to come out on top. she refuses to let her husband’s choices dictate her and her children’s outcome.

Juxtaposed to her is Maverick-the intense and cocky owner of Extreme. He’s the master of false fronts and smooth words. He will also do whatever it takes to keep his business going, even if that means lying about how well his business is doing, and putting the contestants in danger. He will not quit. A part of you wants to like him, given his past and pain, but another part of you can’t square with his recklessness and refusal to think about others before making decisions.

Unger does a good job of laying on the tension and unease almost straight away. She lays the groundwork for something to go wrong; you’re just not sure what it is. Turns out, it’s multiple things. And event go awry quickly, leaving the contestants scrambling to figure out what is going on. Is the game still on? Where are the Extreme employees? Are they going to survive the storm and make it off the island?

They are also having to contend with a mysterious person following them. Who is this person? What do they want? Am I safe from them? As they wrestle with these questions on one part of the island, Maverick and his crew are dealing with their own problems. The cracks are showing, lines are being drawn, and everything is coming to a head.

As a whole, this was a decent thriller with good suspense and twists. I will say that I didn’t really care for Maverick or his girlfriend. They were not likable, IMO. I also could see some of the reveals coming, but it didn’t take away from me enjoying the book. 3.75 stars