I received this book as an ARC for my review.

Wow! The layout of this book, the past to the present and back to the past was fun to read. I felt like we got to know the characters so well through their trials and being able to go back and read for situations. I read a review stating this was a mystery book and I was thinking, yeah, I like it so far but where is that?? But then I got to it and I was like, wait, what!? Overall, a great read. Definitely will read more by this author.

This book was so captivating and filled with twists that keep you on the edge of your seat! From start to finish, I found myself eagerly turning pages, constantly guessing what would happen next. The way the story weaves between Maggie's present-day life, the months leading up to the funeral, and her teenage years was such a clever narrative choice that kept the suspense alive and added layers of depth to the plot. Maggie herself is a wonderfully complex character, and her family is just as engaging, with their quirks and dynamics making every scene a joy to follow. It’s a rollercoaster of emotion, mystery, and rich storytelling that keeps you hooked from the first chapter to the last. If you’re looking for a book that blends intrigue with heart, this one is a must-read!

Thank you NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Marshall Karp for the e-ARC!

This book was such a great reintroduction to Marshall Karp, who has coauthored many books with James Patterson, including the NYPD Red series. He writes so well and I was confident that any parts where the story appeared to lag were part of Mr. Karp’s plan. I can’t wait to read other books he’s written, including the most recent NYPD Red series installment that he wrote on his own without Patterson. Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Mr. Karp himself for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this thriller.

What a book! Was not expecting a few of the plot twists, i identify with Lizzy and that dark sarcastic humor also with her point of view of life and death. Also identified with Maggie on being a bit of a control freak. I enjoyed reading this roller coaster. Ps: we all need a Johnny Rollo in our lives!!!!

Marshall Karp’s Don’t Tell Me How to Die is a unique blend of humor, suspense, and emotional depth. The premise—a dying woman determined to control her family’s future—hooks you immediately, and Karp delivers with sharp wit and well-drawn, relatable characters.

The story will keep you engaged, while the protagonist’s darkly humorous narration adds a refreshing and entertaining edge. While the ending may feel slightly rushed, the story’s emotional resonance and unpredictable turns make up for it.

Perfect for fans of thrillers with heart and humor, Don’t Tell Me How to Die is a memorable and satisfying read!

Wow! Wow! Wow! Stay with it…the book seems a bit slow in parts but STAY WITH IT! Such a wild ride - five big stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Don’t tell me how to die - Marshall Karp

Format: Kindle
Genre: Thriller
Date read: 12 January 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maggie Dunn has it all. An adoring husband, a loving family, and a rewarding job as mayor of a thriving upstate New York town.

But it all comes crashing down when she is diagnosed with the same fatal blood disease that claimed her mother. As a teenager, Maggie watched in horror as "a parade of perfumed piranhas in pretty pink dresses" flocked to her grieving father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. And when the wrong woman stepped in to take her mother's place, the consequences were devastating.

Maggie refuses to let the same thing happen to her family. With months left to live, she puts the well-being of her soon-to-be-widowed husband and motherless children above her own. Maggie vows to find the next Mrs. Dunn before she dies.

Her end-of-life quest takes a dark turn as long-held secrets begin to surface, and Maggie is caught up in a whirlwind of duplicity, betrayal, and murder. Make that plural. Murders.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

The first thing you need to know is this is a slow burn thriller. About halfway through the book I found myself wondering what I need all of this backstory for but trust me it all comes together beautifully in the end.

We start of the book with Maggie as an adult and then we are transported back in time to when she was a teenager and her mother was dying, before returning to the current timeline where Maggie has received her own terminal diagnosis.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, and I found my opinion on Maggie constantly changing. The real star of the book is Lizzie, Maggie’s sister, with her quick sense of humor and wit she kept me laughing through the whole book.

I did see one of the twists coming about 60% through the book but the ending still had my jaw on the floor.

If you are looking for a thriller with an emotional storyline filled with twists and turns until the very last page I highly recommend this one.

"Don't Tell Me How to Die" was such a gripping read that I'm confident it will be one of my favorite books of 2025, even though the year has just started!

I made the classic mistake of starting this book right before bed, and what an emotional rollercoaster! Going in completely blind, my usual style, I was shocked to find myself in tears on that first night—who knew this gripping tale would hit me so hard? This isn't your typical thriller; it's a rich tapestry woven with family drama and love. So what is this book? Is it a deliciously twisted thriller, a poignant family drama, or a moving love story? You'll have to read it and find out!

The twist that brings in the thriller aspect is a game-changer, popping up when I least expected it. I wanted to devour this book in one sitting and wasn't ready to part with these characters or their enthralling stories. They are phenomenal; it's nearly impossible to pick just one favorite. The McCormick family is one I'd love to be a part of, even knowing heartache is on the horizon. Maggie and Lizzie McCormick truly shine with their fierce spirits and sharp wit! The narrative gracefully dances between generations, exploring their tumultuous journeys of love and loss poignantly and thrillingly. Even though I usually gravitate towards fast-paced thrillers, this book made an impression.

This is my first encounter with Marshall Karp, and I'm eager to read more—he's officially made it onto my favorite authors list! I thoroughly recommend "Don't Tell Me How to Die" to anyone looking for a powerful read!

Thank you to the author and Blackstone Publishing for providing this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#DontTellMeHowToDie #NetGalley #MarshallKarp #BlackstonePublishing

Thank you, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley, for this eARC of Don’t Tell Me How To Die.

I downloaded this copy because of a giveaway opportunity and walked away a new fan of Marshall Karp.

I'm not typically a fan of Nonlinear timelines, but it worked here.

This book had me completely glued to my Kindle. If I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.

I went into this story completely blind, and I'm so glad I did.
It was a slow burn that kept me engaged, which is no easy task!

This story took me on an emotional rollercoaster. There was an outstanding balance in many areas, from grief to romance to mystery, murder, and MORE! The banter was entertaining as well. It had me giggling and tearing up all the way through. If you want it all, you've got it all right here!

When I thought I had the story pegged, I was blindsided (more than once).
So many things were happening within this story that all fell beautifully Into place. It had me rooting for the “bad guys”.

Maggie for President!!!!

A 5 star read.

This book was slow at first but then got really good i couldn’t put it down I’ve never read one of Karps books but this one was really good so glad i was able to read it

This book was a remarkable experience. I found it engaging, emotionally charged, and full of unexpected twists. The plot developments were completely unforeseen. I highly recommend it; you won't be disappointed. I give it a solid 5 star!

Okay, the reviews for this book almost always included one thing: "Trust the process," and they were right. I was pretty hooked early on into this book, but around the 60% mark, it became a little flat and I wasn't sure the description was accurate. However, around 70-80% it took off and NEVER STOPPED. It is no exaggeration when I say this book is a rollercoaster. My brain had no clue what was real during the third act, and I think my jaw was consistently on the floor. It reminded me a lot of an Alex Michaelides thriller, but this one is definitely more on the fiction side than being a true thriller. My only complaint is that the main character Maggie, is definitely a woman written by a man, and while it makes sense at times, at others it was way too over the top.

As a side note that I'm including in my NetGalley review only; this book still has a lot of editing to go through. Several timing inconsistencies and spelling errors might have made me put this one down if it had been a published copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good book! I was not expecting it to end the way it did. I liked the twists and turns throughout the book. I enjoyed the main character and liked how we saw her life play out over the years. I liked the different time points as well. I also enjoyed the hearfelt moments as well, I did shed some tears! Overall, it was a good thriller with family drama and I would highly recommend it.

Wow! My first 5 ⭐️ read of the year and it was completely unexpected.
This book was not what I expected at all. I thought I was reading a touching book about a mom with a terminal illness. And that’s what it was for the first half. I thought it was going into be a 3.75⭐️ book at the end which I would have rounded up for GR and then it took me by surprise and became an absolute page turner with twists and turns that left me dropping my jaw and literally pontificating out loud.

Full disclosure once things started unwinding I was able to piece things together before the reveal but it was exciting. The best part of it was that it was smartly written. Too often these days I’ve read thrillers where the twist comes out of nowhere and isn’t backed up by earlier prose. This was the exact opposite where the lightbulb goes off and you realize the significance of several things that seemed mundane.

I am so thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from Blackstone Publishing through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

This book comes out March 4, 2025. I highly suggest it for mystery/thriller lovers out there!

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Oh my goodness—what. A. Ride!

I am not a huge mystery/thriller reader, but. I was immediately hooked with this one! I devoured the book in under 48 hours!!

I went in completely bind, which I recommend everyone does unless you have trigger warnings to check for!

The author did a phenomenal job of connection SO many different tiny details!!

This book was an interesting concept... reading it as present tense but it actually being told as a memory. First as a teenager Maggie with her mom's death and dad's grief, then as an adult Maggie with kids and her dad is now the grandpa.

This book was completely unpredicable. Just when I thought one thing, it was something completely different. No one is as they seem.

Around 70% it started to drag just a little but I still couldn't put it down, just waiting for something big to happen. It picked back up by 80 something percent and the rest was just crazy. It all ties together and every detail and question is answered. Very well written.

This book surprised me. I went in kinda blind and it did not disappoint. It was emotional with twist and sucked me in. Oh and the twist it had I never, let me repeat, I NEVER saw them coming. I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed.

This book surprised me. I went in kinda blind and it did not disappoint. It was emotional with twist and sucked me in. Oh and the twist it had I never, let me repeat, I NEVER saw them coming. I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this truly amazing book.

I was almost half in before I realized it! Totally engrossing and amazing. You will cry, you will be on the edge of your seat, and you will be totally astounded by the ending.

I am ready for a reread.

This is going to be one people will be talking about for years. A best seller for sure!

Highly recommend.

This is not a fast paced book but boy is the slow burn worth it! I really enjoyed the build up of the characters, it gets you feeling super connected to them. The emotional pull in the first half of the book was so good. The last chunk of the book had my jaw dropped and my mind blown! The crazy plot twists I did not see coming and I loved how it all came together. A new favourite for me. And a moment for the motorcycle scene, so good!