Heartstone NY Mayor and former prosecutor Maggie Dunn, who seems to have the perfect life, learns at age forty-three that she has months to live.

Maggie is determined to find the perfect 'right Mrs. Dunn' to marry her surgeon husband Alex and mother their children Kevin and Katie when she dies.

This is a gripping read, filled with sympatico characters and surprises at every turn. Don't miss this one!

Don’t start this book on a time crunch. This book is addictive, you start it and next thing you know it’s 2:15am, and you’re fighting your inner demons to go to bed rather than keep reading.

I was hesitant on a book about rare disorders. But as a cancer patient it was handled well, wasn’t overly triggering, and was part of a story you won’t soon forget.

Don’t Tell Me How to Die is a solid, fast-paced crime thriller packed with action, sarcasm, and plenty of sharp dialogue. Marshall Karp delivers another engaging entry in the Lomax & Biggs series, with the usual mix of wit and dark crime drama.

The mystery kept me hooked, with enough twists to stay interesting without feeling over the top. Lomax and Biggs are still a great duo—smart, funny, and full of chemistry. If you’re a fan of detective banter with serious stakes, you’ll enjoy this.

It’s not breaking new ground in the genre, but it is a reliably entertaining read—perfect for fans of fast-moving police procedurals with heart.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Flip-the-Script Page-Turner Till the Very End

Don't Tell Me How to Die is an absolute page-turner! Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story flips the script and keeps you guessing. The twists were unexpected and brilliantly done, with tension building right up to the final pages. It’s smart, gripping, and packed with suspense. I couldn’t put it down! A must-read for anyone who loves a thriller that keeps you on your toes until the very end.

Maggie Dunn has always been something of a control freak. She’s pretty sure it was due to her beloved mother dying from a rare, hereditary blood condition when she and her younger sister Lizzie were only in their teens, leaving their entire family both bereft and adrift.

Kate McCormick had done her best to prepare her daughters for her passing. Perhaps most importantly, she warned the girls that they needed to look out for their dad, who had no idea what he’d be in for as a handsome, successful middle-aged widower. The teenagers promised to protect their family, with Maggie making good on her vow even if the rest of her adolescence was filled with poor choices and multiple walks on the wild side.

Eventually, Maggie and Lizzie grew up, one becoming a lawyer and the other a doctor, but both of them responsible and fully functional members of society. Maggie even met the man of her dreams, got married and had two kids. But now the illness that felled her mother has come for her as well.

While Maggie knows better than to fight the inevitable, there are still some things she knows she can control. Foremost among them is what will happen to her family once she’s gone:

QUOTE
The more I ruminated about it, the more obsessed I became with their lives after my death. It was not a random obsession. My shrink confirmed what I already knew. It was PTSD.

When my mother died, I watched in horror as a parade of perfumed piranhas in pretty print dresses flocked to my grieving father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. And when the wrong woman stepped in to take my mother’s place, the consequences were devastating.

I refused to let the same thing happen to Alex and my kids. [...] I was going to spend my last remaining days on earth searching for the next Mrs. Dunn. I might not find her, but I would die trying.
END QUOTE

Maggie isn’t about to settle for just any woman to take her place as the next Mrs Dunn either. She wants a good, loving person to step into her shoes, and will leave no stone unturned in her quest to find the perfect replacement.

Thing is, Maggie has a lot of secrets – a trait that she’ll soon discover isn’t unique to herself as she scrutinizes potential candidates and discovers that some women in her hometown of Heartstone are even less suitable, and more dangerous, than she’d expected. What should be the stuff of tearjerking dramadies quickly takes on a sinister aspect as Maggie realizes that selecting her successor isn’t the only thing she should be doing with her limited time on earth. Maggie’s always been the proactive kind, so why not use her remaining days to avenge a few wrongs while she’s busy investigating?

No one seems to be a more worthy target of Maggie’s vengeance than the woman who sets off a media hubbub with her sudden on-camera appearance during veteran reporter Irv Hollingsworth’s live broadcast of local flooding:

QUOTE
And then, as if the media gods had come down to help the big man claim his place in broadcasting history, she appeared on camera. A woman. Floating face down on the surface of the pond.

For a second, maybe two, the only sound that could be heard was the white noise of the rain hammering on the water. Then Big Irv regained his composure and heralded her arrival with two words. Probably not the same two that most people would choose, but Irv was a TV pro. He knew what would resonate.

“Good Lord,” he said in a reverent breath.
END QUOTE

There’s no way that a death this public could go uninvestigated. Will everyone accept the eventual and official ruling of the woman’s suicide? Will Maggie get away with murder? How would you punish someone who’s already at death’s door anyway?

This twisty thriller had me gasping at the sheer audacity of Marshall Karp’s fiendish plotting, as he expertly unfolds this complicated and dazzling story. Maggie is genuinely doing her best to look out for her family, even as she runs into unexpected obstacles and makes some horrifying discoveries and decisions.

As someone who far prefers mysteries to domestic dramas, I did find that some of the more sentimental passages dragged for me. Those were, however, just Mr Karp’s way of lulling readers into a false sense of security before pulling the rug out from under us with yet another terrific plot twist. Trust no one in this genre-mashing thriller, even as you can’t help but cheer for Maggie on her quixotic quest to make the best of her imminent death and secure her family’s safety and happiness even after she’s gone.

This book was good! It was easy to read and super fun. It had me hooked from the beginning! The characters were amazing! I loved the way they were described

What a ride! This was a trhiller worth the name thriller. It's fast paced so as a reader you never get a pause but it's so much fun and twisty that I don't want it to stop. A perfect page turner!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for my honest opinions.

This read is dark, comical and emotional all in one. What would you do when faced with your own mortality, how would you help your spouse and children cope without you?
Find a new wife and mother for them, duh…

The story follows a fiercely determined mother who, upon learning she has only months to live, embarks on a mission to find her replacement—before someone else does it badly. What starts as an unconventional love story quickly spirals into a tension-filled exploration of legacy, trust, and control. With its unexpected twists and signature sardonic humor, the novel walks a fine line between heartbreak and hilarity.

Maggie sets out on an almost absurdly practical yet deeply heartfelt mission: finding the perfect woman to replace her in her family's life. With sharp wit and a no-nonsense attitude, she navigates grief, control, and love in a way that is both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. If you enjoy strong, flawed heroines, a touch of twisted humor, and an exploration of what it means to truly care for those you leave behind, this book is a must-read.

Equal parts darkly funny and emotionally gripping, Don't Tell Me How to Die is a heart-wrenching, fast-paced tale of love, mortality, and one woman’s audacious plan to secure her family’s future—on her own terms.

This author has delivered a unique take on a protagonist who’s facing terminal illness not with despair, but with calculated determination.Making this more than a suspenseful ride—it's a poignant look at what we leave behind and who we become when the clock is running out.

🤩 I loved this! 🤩

Omg this was so freaking good. I went into it somewhat blind (which is to say, I read the blurb a while ago & decided I wanted to read it, but when I went back to start reading it, I completely forgot what it was about 🥲). I thought it was a thriller of some kind, but the first part is more so a domestic drama- which I wasn’t sure if I was going to like, but even that was fantastic. When more of the thriller aspect comes to play, I was blown away.

I cried at parts of this; I laughed; I was holding on to the edge of my seat. I just straight up loved this. Talk about a genre-bender! Definitely one of my top reads this year.

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Everyone! Just go in blind, and have a fun time!

Marshall Karp's Don't Tell Me How To Die plunges you into a world where the line between life and death is razor-thin, and the clock is ticking with every pulse. This isn't just a thriller; it's a high-stakes race against time, where every twist and turn reveals a new layer of danger.

Karp masterfully crafts a narrative that crackles with suspense, drawing you into a web of intrigue and deception. The characters are compelling, the plot is intricate, and the pacing is relentless, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the final, heart-stopping revelation.

Don't Tell Me How To Die is a gripping and suspenseful read that will leave you breathless. If you crave a thriller that combines sharp wit with relentless action and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end, this is the book for you.

Okay fine. Everyone that said this was five star book was RIGHT. I didn’t know what the hype could possible be about but eventually you get to a point in the book where you realize HOLY SH!T. It was the best moment ever.

I knew from reviews that this thriller would pack an emotional punch and let’s just say it was not the punch I thought it was. It was better!

This book took me on emotional rollercoaster at first and then when there was this shift, I clung to this book for dear life. Definitely one of my favorite books of the year!

Oh and Marshall is awesome and a cool author makes a good book that much better!

This was such a compelling suspenseful gripping story plot! It had me wanting to keep reading and so intrigued! Such a page turner and loved the way it wrapped around.

I don't even know where to begin here. I've never read a book like this. The concept was unique and it was executed brilliantly.

The first third of the book is ugly cried. I lost count of how many times to be honest. The second and third parts kept me absolutely riveted. There's a lot of heart here, beautiful, beautiful heartfelt passages that no one would expect from a book marketed as a thriller. The twists and turns here keep me reeling and I could not put this down.

This is one of those rare books you will wish you could read again for the very first time.

Off to find ever other thing this author has written!

LOVE this book. This was a first for me from this author and i will read more! Story sucked me in and i did not figure out the twist.

I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. I've never read anythng by Marshall Karp before, but the title certainly intrigued me. I am so glad I went for it because WOW! What a fantastically twisted and emotional ride this was. This is NOT your typical psycological thriller by any means, but in the best way possible!!!

This book starts out with a dead body appearing in a lake in the present time, then reverts back in time 26 years ago, when a mother and a wife dies at the age of 43 from a rare blood disease, leaving behind a loving husband and two adoring young teenage daughters. Before she dies, she warns her daughters that their father wil need a new "life partner" and that "women will flock to him like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. I'll die happier knowing the two of you will be there to love him, and watch over him, and...and..." Lizzie says, "Keep the bitches from digging their claws into him." Need I say more?

Fast forward 26 years later, Maggie, the oldest daughter, finds out she too has the same disease her mother had and is facing death in the very near future. Determined to follow in her mother's footsteps, she sets out to find her husband a new wife and from there, so many twists and turns, ups and downs in the very best way! I loved the teenage hijinx between the daughters because it was so true to real life and how they coped with the impending and ultimate loss of their mother. I loved how much they truly loved their father and would do anything for him! Lizzie had several perfectly timed one-liners that made me chuckle. I laughed, I cried and I yelled out loud so many times! Just when you are getting comfortable with what is happening, bam, another twist! You just don't know where this is going, but rest assured, the author ties everything up in a twisty little bow at the end, so you will NOT be disappointed!

I loved the characters so much and I truly enjoyed this twisty and heartfelt story. Highly, highly recommend!!!!

I'm giving this book 5 completely full wine glasses 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷!

Thanks NetGalley, Marshall Karp and Blackstone Publishing for the chance to read an advanced copy. Available now!

This book grabbed me right away with its sharp, addictive pacing and emotional family dynamics. I actually loved the beginning—it felt layered and real, especially the bond between the sisters and their mission to protect their dad.

The premise is unique: Maggie, now a mayor and mother, learns she has the same fatal illness that took her mom and sets out to find the perfect woman to care for her family after she’s gone. It’s heartfelt, with a twist of dark humor that keeps the pages turning.

Some moments did feel a little far-fetched, especially later the twists in the story, but it still entertained me all the way through. It’s like a popcorn thriller with emotional depth—a bit messy at times, but hard to put down.

I would like to thank Blackstone Publishing & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

Told in dual timelines—Maggie at 17 and again at 43, facing the same rare illness that killed her mom—it was emotional, unpredictable, and full of drama. I wasn’t expecting the wild turns, but I was all in.

A fun, twisty read that earns a solid 5 stars from me. I’ll be keeping an eye out for more from this author!

I would like to thank Blackstone Publishing & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

4.5 stars, I loved that book!
I really loved the past and present timeline in this and the plot twist completely got me by surprise!
I would say however that this is not much of a thriller but more of a drama (in my own opinion) and the only negative comment I could make is the mention of 9/11. To me it had nothing to do in that book honestly and it was just weird.
Besides that I loved the storyline and the characters, it felt like a really unique story and I might pick up more from this author!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Damn! Run, don't walk, read this one today. This book kept me on my toes the whole way didn’t disappoint!

Don’t Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp is the ultimate mindf**k. At first, I was like ok well this isn’t really a thriller but I’m enjoying reading about these characters. Then, bam, the twists start and they don’t really stop until you read the last page. I found Karp’s writing to be captivating and the humor dark (just the way I like it). Guess I’m jumping on the bandwagon for this one!!