Great weekend read. The characters were very interesting. Storyline had me keep wanting to read more. I didn’t hate the ending but I just wish we were giving more of one.

This was an enjoyable, quick read. Engaging characters, a fast paced plot and enough twists to keep me reading late into the night. A couple of the characters were intentionally annoying but I would love to see Ava return as part of a series - I would definitely read that. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for an advanced reader copy.

This book hooked me from the beginning. I gasped when I hit P2. The surprises kept coming. An overall enjoyable story.

A clever, unputdownable cat and mouse thriller about estranged siblings who find out their dead mother hasn’t left them in her will. When they realize their mom died under suspicious circumstances, and her second husband has absconded with their inheritance, the siblings decide to find out who exactly he is—and get their money back.

Deliciously gripping and stylishly written, Trust Issues is a fascinating look at trust, asking how well you ever really know someone, even if they are family. Gorgeously disturbing, ferociously smart and full of tension, this one shines.

This story started out really intriguing but unfortunately got a bit far fetched and boring by the end. I did enjoy the really unlikeable characters and seeing how everything came together.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Dutton for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In the beginning of this book Peter finds out that his wife Janice was found dead at the Cloisters the place she worked and Janice was also very wealthy. Turns out that Peter is a grifter who takes advantage of older women who don’t have any family and lots of money. Hazel and her brother Kagen have both been supported by their mother for years and they learn after her death that they will not be getting anything or any family heirlooms that they later learned that Peter/Walter stole. Months pass and they locate Peter’s daughter that he says died in a fire that he apparently set. Peter’s daughter Ava used to be part of his schemes until she got out and had been avoiding him since. Ava, Hazel, and Kagen find out that Peter is swendeling a woman named Ivy in Florida in Boca Raton and they go there and spoil his plans. Ava steals his money from him and leaves him with only his birth certificate and a fake obituary for Walter. Ava decides to follow Janice’s wishes and sends Hazel and Kagen to rehab where after finishing the mandatory time they will get their family heirlooms and some money to help them until they get proper jobs.

I am a sucker for a domestic thriller! This one was great! I really enjoyed the storyline! The characters were awful, but that was sort of the point! I loved to hate them! I enjoyed the format and the conclusion was done so well for me!! I was so happy to see karma come in! I was surprised and delighted by this one!

This was a twisty book about siblings wanting revenge for their mother’s death which included their stepfather skipping town with all the money. I enjoyed this story and kept waiting to see what twists would come up next. Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton books for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

This is an engaging story involving family dynamics, a mysterious murder, a con artist and many twists and turns. The siblings were both not very likeable, and were only interested in their inheritance but they made it lively and fun to read.

It was a quick and enjoyable read.

Trust Issues by Elizabeth McCullough Keenan is a compelling read with a strong mix of suspense and emotion. The characters are layered and relatable, and the story kept me hooked with its twists and turns. While a few parts felt a bit slow, the overall plot was engaging and delivered a satisfying conclusion. A great pick for anyone who enjoys a good domestic thriller!

An estranged pair of siblings team up after
their mother passes and their mysterious step father takes off with the inheritance.

I was not bored for a single moment of this one, an that’s really how I determine a five star read. This was a fun cat and mouse chase that really makes you want things to end right. I loved Ava and wish we got even more of her childhood; maybe a prequel would be great! The ending shocked me and certainly made me laugh in an ironic way.

“It’s hard to spot the red flags when you’re wearing rose-colored glasses.”

Trust Issues comes out 1/28.

This is a twisted tale of two siblings who have nothing in common other then when their mother dies, they find out that not only has their mother cut them out of her will, but that she died in a way they find suspicious. In trying to research their mysterious stepfather they find out that maybe not everything is quite on the up and up. In hopes of tracking their stepfather down they recruit his daughter who is straight out of jail. Readers will be taken on an adventure into the world of con artists and will have to decide if they truly can trust anything happening. This is a great read for those looking for twists and turns but no blood or gore.
Thank you so much to Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Who can you trust when family inheritances are on the line?

When Janice Thornhill is found at the foot of an overlook in Fort Tryon Park, near the Cloisters where she is a volunteer tour guide, her estranged adult children are surprised to learn they have been cut out of her will. Expecting a sizable inheritance which would solve their various financial problems, both Hazel, a social media influencer with a taste for extreme wealth, and her brother Kagan, an addict who can’t hold a job or stay married, suspect their new stepfather, Perry, is to blame for their change in fortune. As if that’s not enough, the police suspect foul play and begin to focus on Hazel and Kagan. Perry, meanwhile, has an airtight alibi.

So begins this con artist/revenge tale that builds suspense dramatically until an action-packed finale with a satisfying twist at the end. McCullough Keenan and Wands weave a tight plot, told through multiple points of view and chock full of sketchy characters you will love to hate and whom you certainly can’t trust.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This book is a frustrating read from start to finish. The plot is muddled, and the characters feel more like caricatures than fully developed people, making it hard to care about any of them. The dialogue is often stilted, and the pacing drags on unnecessarily, leaving the story feeling repetitive and drawn out. The central themes of trust and betrayal are overshadowed by poorly executed plot twists that feel contrived and unrealistic. Overall, it lacks emotional depth, and instead of building tension, it leaves you more annoyed than engaged. A disappointing experience, especially for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with substance.

Such a fun read! Laugh aloud humor and shocking gasps with several of the most despicable characters ever! The authors have created a spinning book of odd circumstances, cons and chaos resulting in an entertaining story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Janice Walters, tragically, plunges to her death leaving her husband, Perry, in charge of her wealth and her children, Hazel and Kagan, desperate to get their hands on their shares. Sadly, Hazel, a MeTube influencer, has already spent through her trust fund. Kagan spent all of his on his addictions. Both kids are entitled and bratty and old enough to know better. When they appeal to Perry for their inheritance, it is not forthcoming. Even more sinister, they quickly come to believe that Perry isn’t who he claims to be. To complicate matters, the police don’t think their mother’s death was an accident and Perry has a watertight alibi, while the kids fall under suspicion. Going broke and desperate to get their hands on their mother’s money, they seek out Perry’s daughter, Ava. In her they hope to find help in getting to their money and clarity on the real Perry Walters but, instead, the siblings quickly fall under her spell as they compete for her affection. In the end, it’s anyone’s guess who will end up with Janice’s fortune.

This story is full of suspense and surprises. If you love sketchy characters then this one is for you!

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Group Dutton, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on January 28, 2025

What a stellar con mystery with an emotional depth not always found in this subgenre!

When siblings Hazel and Kagan get a call from their stepfather saying their estranged mother was found dead, decades long, complicated family dynamics bubble to the surface as they immediately worry about the inheritance they are due. After meeting with their stepfather, they learn they've been cut out of their mother's will, prompting them to look into the man they barely knew. The more they discover about his invisible existence, the more questions they have, and when they encounter someone who just might be able to take him down, a revenge plot is hatched. But as they plot their vengeance, their warring motivations lead to an explosive finale.

I loved diving into the world of Hazel and Kagan, which immediately had me questioning everyone's motives. As an avid fan of both con and revenge stories, I was hooked by their journey for vengeance, even as they became more and more unlikeable characters. The character development felt authentic to the situations the siblings grew up around, and the ending was absolutely fantastic and satisfying!

Fans of First Lie Wins and The Lies I Tell will devour this one!

Thank you Dutton for the gifted digital ARC!

When Ashley Winstead posts about a book, trust and believe it will go to the top of my TBR.

This book is a case of "everyone sucks here" but not in a way that annoyed me one bit. I was fascinated by every single one of these unlikeable characters. (Actually there was one exception but I won't say who so I don't spoil anything).

I really liked how this story progressed and I felt the twists were very well-placed and added a lot to the story. I also found the ending to be incredibly satisfying!

Trust Issues pub date is January 28.

This was such a fun and engaging premise. After Kagan and Hazel’s mom tragically dies under suspicious circumstances, they are surprised to learn they are not included in the will. They begin to suspect their mom’s second husband, and a game of cat and mouse begins. There are plenty of twists which make for good surprises.

While I enjoyed having a book chock-full of unlikeable characters (Hazel and Kagan are spoiled and ungrateful, more concerned about getting free money than their mom when she was alive), I did find it difficult to believe that Kagan and Hazel were around 40. Both their personalities and the way they thought made them seem early 20s. This would throw me sometimes when something would remind me they were older, but this immaturity portrayed could have also been intentional. I would have preferred them written slightly differently though.

Thank you @duttonbooks #partner for the gifted copy of this eARC!

What it’s about:

Hazel and Kagan’s mother recently found herself at the bottom of a cliff and her children suspect something isn’t quite right. When they meet with their estranged step father they quickly question whether he is
someone they can trust. You’ll be shocked to know…they all have trust issues! 😂 He is taking control of the money their mother left behind leaving her kids feeling hopeless. They decide their only way to fight back is to dig into their stepfathers past life and they dig up someone unexpected!

Thoughts:

What a tangled web these crazy characters weaved! This is a juicy, deceitful, unpredictably fun book where the characters are the type you love to hate! I am not sure I liked any of the characters in this one but trust me it’s why I liked this book! This book was deliciously twisty with the perfect amount of suspense! I would definitely categorize this one as more of a popcorn thriller so grab your cocktail and settle in for a very wild ride!