This is great propaganda for why rich people shouldn't be allowed to procreate.

Honestly the more I think about this book the more annoyed I get. However I would like to start with my biggest takeaway from this book:
Megan Lally is a very talented writer. There are a lot of things about this book that made me kind of dislike it, but the writing is very good.

This book is about Brooke Goodwin (a name you will never forget because she literally will not let you). A (little less than a) year before the start o the novel, Brooke was throwing a party at her family's lake house. At this party Brooke's nemesis, Claire Heck, ends up dying in what is ruled an accident. In current day, it's becoming increasingly clear to Brooke that someone doesn't believe Claire's death was an accident. They've been harassing her for months, which all culminates in Brooke (and her best friend Jena) getting tailgated on a rural highway. The girls have to fight to stay on the road and eventually fight to stay alive.
It's honestly a really good plot. It's engaging, it's intense, it really uses the stranded and isolated setting well. The plot of this book is the best part of the entire story, and if it weren't for the end I think it could've low-key saved this book for me. Lally knows how to write tension and danger SO WELL.

The real problem here is the characters. I. hate. every. single. one. And this is so confusing to me because the characters in Lally's debut were so likeable and interesting, even the literal villain was sympathetic. The characters in this book are TRASH. They are EVIL. All of them!!! This is the reason I keep getting more annoyed the more I think about this book, because I just keep getting more annoyed about the characters.

But anyway I digress. I can't get into that without spoiling the entire book, so all I'll say about it is that the characters ALL turn into the worst people ever by the end of the book and I'm left with not a single person to root for. I think I'm supposed to think the characters at the end are the "good guys", but I also hate them. They are also terrible people. All this book really ended up giving me was a bunch of people I think deserve way worse than they got.
However!! Lally does a really good job of making the characters switch rapidly between sympathetic and intolerable. I started the book hating Brooke, and then when we meet Claire I was suddenly on Brooke's side (despite how awful she is) because of how EVIL Claire is. It is genuinely such a good example of character work, even if I hated every character.

I guess I didn't really digress....
Anyway.
The setting of this is so well done. It's spooky and isolated and you can FEEL the fear in Brooke's POV. I read this book in two days because the plot was so intense that I needed to know what happened. Maybe it's because I'm always a little worried about accidentally driving off a cliff, but the setting of this really works for me as a thriller.
I also think the past timeline was really well-utilized. It didn't feel like it detracted from the current timeline, and I still found it really interesting. It doesn't feel irritating when it switches from this high-caliber chase scene to this low stakes party scene, because the party somehow doesn't feel low stakes (even though MOST of it is).

So overall, I didn't really ENJOY this book per se, but I still would recommend this simply because Lally is such a fantastic writer. I really did like her debut and I will absolutely be reading whatever she puts out next. I just can't in good faith say I liked this book. Also genuinely F*** Brooke's dad. Hate that man.

Megan Lally has done it again! This was such a fun YA mystery thriller that grabbed my attention from the very start! A girl dies the summer before, and now the main character, Brooke, is receiving mysterious no-caller ID phone calls. Who could possibly be out to get this “It” girl? If you’re looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and is a quick read, this is the one! Big thanks to @netgalley and @sourcebookfires for the E-Arc!

Megan strikes again with another twist I wasn’t anticipating. One messed up night is about to Chang everything. Who can you lean on when even your family is only looking out for themselves?

I was rooting for the villain for 85% of the book whoops.

rating: 4

when i saw this on netgalley, i knew i had to apply immediately. i've listened to one other megan lally book before and i really enjoyed it.

this book had me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time. i truly cannot believe the ending. i didn't want to come up with any theories in case i was wrong/disappointed, but the ending was CRAZY.

everyone needs to read this book immediately. megan's thrillers are such a fun time.

Brooke Goodwin has it all - top grades, a jam-packed extracurricular schedule, and a reputation for throwing the best parties at her fancy school. But that was before. Six months ago, a tragic boat accident during one of her parties left her ex-best friend turned sworn enemy, Claire, dead. And while the world has moved on, someone clearly hasn't. Brooke starts getting creepy messages and nonstop calls from someone who is convinced she had something to do with Claire's death. After all, Brooke was seen fighting with Claire the night of the incident.

Brooke's plan? Keep her head down, get through the rest of senior year, and head off to college, where she can leave all this behind. Easy, right? Wrong. Things take a dangerous turn after a night out with her BFF Jena when Brooke's stalker ups the ante with a terrifying game: truth or die. Just when she thinks it can't get any worse, a Bronco appears out of nowhere, and starts chasing them down. Now, Brooke has no choice but to play along if she wants to stay alive.

Megan Lally KNOWS how to write a thriller! This book had me biting my nails, holding my breath, and flying through the pages because I had to know what was going to happen next. She is so talented at creating suspense and tension! When Brooke and Jena were driving in the car to escape, I swear my heart was pounding like I was right there with them. And that twist at the end? I didn't see it coming at all. By the time I closed this book, I had a lot of feelings about Brook, but I'll let you figure that out for yourself. If you love YA thrillers with nonstop suspense and unexpected twists, this one's a MUST READ! I'm giving it 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)!

P.S. If you haven't read her other book, That's Not My Name, DO IT. It was one of my top reads of 2024, and Megan Lally has officially made it on my auto-buy list. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

read this book in one sitting, super fast paced and tons of drama! a bit predictable but still overall entertaining

Okay Megan Lally, I see you! I thought there was no way this book would be better than her previous one That’s Not My Name, but holy cannoli, it is amazing!! I know her books are geared more towards young adults but, this 53 year old is having a blast reading her books. I’m already excited for another one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy and thank you Megan for taking me on another thrilling ride.

Megan Lally has quickly established herself as one of my favorite authors in the thriller genre. The plot twists in her stories are completely unexpected, adding an exciting element of surprise. Her skillful character development ensures that readers remain invested in the narrative from beginning to end. Lally has a remarkable ability to maintain a high level of suspense throughout, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Review and rating posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Megan Lally’s No Place Left to Hide is a riveting thriller that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The story is driven by compelling characters and an atmosphere of tension that builds steadily.

Megan Lally’s writing pulled me in, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.
With a suspenseful narrative, it’s a gripping read that kept me invested until the very end.

I haven't yet read Megan Lally's debut book, so this is my first read from the author. I now have purchased That's not my name and it will be my next read! Really enjoyed No place left to hide and I have heard that Megan's debut was even better, so I can't wait for future books.


Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire and Megan Lally for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

No Place Left To Hide is a heart pounding, addictive, unputdownable, fast paced thriller that had me absolutely consumed. After Megan's debut which was absolutely amazing, I had high hopes for this one and once again she delivered. The suspense throughout the whole book is on high. The Before & After timelines were truly getting inside the thick of what happened. Once those twists started hitting it just fuelled my need to keep on reading and race to the end.

Beware these are some of the most unlikeable characters ever. They are seriously hard to love. They're not quite adults but not teenagers either, they're 18, so sometimes their decision making might not make sense to you, but it's normal, they're still figuring themselves out. This is a YA thriller and this is what Lally does best, for me she did a great job with it. The plot was great, the storyline also everything progressed nicely with all the thrills. The author truly has a special way of writing and building her stories that am I truly a fan of !

This is a great binge worthy YA thriller with unexpected twists and turns that will keep your heart racing until the end.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @sourcebooksfire, RB Media & @meganlally for my gifted ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading That’s Not My Name, the author’s debut, I was really excited to see what she did next.

We follow Brooke. She is really focused on finishing the academic year with the best grades, being accepted to her dream college and moving out of this town.

Her parents are putting a lot of pressure on her and she is avoiding parties and any scandals in order to protect the family name.

Something happened some months back that she is trying to forget.

Since school is over and she wants to celebrate, she agrees to go to a last party in hopes to talk to her long-time crush, Dylan.

However the party leaves a bad taste in her mouth and while she is driving back home with her bestie, Jen, some psycho starts to follow them.

Told from a dual timeline perspective in which we follow the two nights that changed Brooke’s life forever, this heart pounding thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat.

I read this book in two days because I was really engaged and I was desperate to know the truth even though the book can start to get pretty predictable towards the end.

However the thrill of the dangerous chase and the mystery that starts to be uncovered are truly entertaining and it does have a deeper meaning.

The author really knows how to keep the tension going and keep the pace and the action flowing to get the reader to devour the book in one sitting.

4.5💫
Happy pub day @meganlally!!! Another book by this author that I loved!! Brooke is a privileged senior in high school that has worked hard her entire life to get into Yale as her entire family went there as well. However after “the incident“ her life may not go as planned. I loved the drama and suspense as secrets are revealed in this YA thriller. I devoured this book just like her first!! This gives I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes!
I love this author and can’t wait to read more from her!!! Thank you so much @sourcebooksfire for partnering with @thrillersbythebookclub.mke for our bookclub and sending us copies of this amazing book!
Also thank you @netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

*4.5 stars*

"No place left to hide" by Megan Lally is about the privileged high school student Brooke. She comes from a wealthy family where honor means everything. When she finally receives the letter saying she has been accepted to Yale, her future is set. But her past continues to haunt her. Something happened six months earlier, and now someone is after her to force her to tell the truth about how a former friend died.

I loved this YA thriller! It was a delightful mix of "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Pretty Little Liars." The pace was super fast, and something was always happening. The language was easy to read and believable, and the characters felt real. I loved the school setting, the entire cast of characters, and how the story jumped between past and present. Even though I could sense the twist in the book halfway through, it didn't matter. I was entertained throughout the story and read it in just two sittings. The book was as addictive as a truly binge-worthy TV series. I loved it!

I stared at the wall for a little bit after finishing this one. The final reveal kinda broke me in the best way. The pacing of the story is incredible, Lally puts her foot on the gas and truly does NOT let up until the very last sentence. “The incident” is told through well-timed flashbacks and jaw-dropping reveals. It had the right mix of high school drama and "IS THIS A YA?!” twists and turns! I have not read a lot of YA Thrillers, my sister highly recommended Megan Lally’s first book and after LOVING No Place Left to Hide, I am so excited to read it!
 
Thank you very much Source Books Fire and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I was super excited to read this since I read her debut book last year and loved it! But this one unfortunately fell a little flat for me but in a very specific way. I LOVED the story and finished the book in 24 hours, I didn't guess the twist of where it was going which I always love, it just felt like I was maybe a little too old for the book in general. The characters read VERY young to me, and the motivations behind why they did things just felt so juvenile and very "high school drama' which is totally fine! This is a YA book so that makes sense, but I just don't think I was quite the target audience for this one.

Having loved this author's debut, I dove right into this one with high expectations. This was immediately addicting with plenty of action, emotion, and revenge. The characters, whether I loved or hated them, were compelling and convincing. This was hard to put down and written in a captivating way. Needless to say, my expectations were met, and I ended up loving this one even more. I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us next. Four solid stars from me.

Thank you, Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire, for this ARC.

I loved this authors debut novel, That’s Not My Name, so it’s safe to say I was super excited to receive an arc of her newest book! No Place Left to Hide was a fun YA thriller. Between the alternating timelines, short chapters, DRAMA, and suspense it made for a quick, easy read. Although some of the twists were a bit predictable and the ending felt rushed, I still enjoyed it. Her first book is definitely still my favorite, but I’m excited to see what she writes next! 3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Lally, and Sourcebooks Fire for the eBook. This was an absolutely gripping thriller from start to finish! While the characters often frustrated me, I believe that was intentional and added to the story's impact. The plot had as many twists and turns as the winding road the characters were traveling on!

This book is a rollercoaster from start to finish, so you better take a deep breath before you open it, because once you start reading it you won’t be able to put it down until it’s over! Oh, and once Megan hits you with that shocking revelation at the end, you’ll need a few minutes to process what just happened and calm down.

📍The story takes place in a town in Oregon where Brooke Goodwin is the absolute star of her high school, where she shines bright because of her own impressive achievements, and also because of her family’s power, which keeps both the family’s name and legacy intact… sort of.

✍️The events of the book basically happen in one day, alternating the narration between the present day and an incident that happened around three months earlier, which ended with the loss of a student, Claire. The author’s wonderful writing style allows her to introduce you to a mystery that will unravel in a truly chaotic way, with Brooke being an incredibly unreliable narrator while explaining the incident, with her point of view being slightly different than what really happened, as you will discover with the chapters based on past events. This story reads as a Mean Girls book where her social status gives Brooke an unbreakable armor, which feeds her ego but weakens her humanity until she has practically nothing left.

👥The main charactor and the narrator of this story is Brooke, who stands right at the middle of the story and commands its development, but almost as equally important is Claire, the victim of the incident and, truth be told, the other side of the coin along with Brooke. Her friendship turned sick, twisted rivalry completely dominates the pacing of the book, in which Jena, Dylan, Felix and Brooke’s father play with their own cards, redirecting the story until its brutal ending.

I want to very briefly address the way the author carefully elaborated all the characters not only around Brooke and Claire’s conflict, but also because of it. A special mention goes to Jena, who is the girls’ best friend, she sticks with Brooke through thick and thin after they lose Claire, and while she’s her biggest cheerleader, she’s not afraid to call her out when Brooke needs to be checked. Also Dylan is Claire’s ex and Brooke’s crush, a shy boy who always play by the rules and hates confrontation, but he’s willing to work his charm and bend the rules for the greater good. And Brooke’s father, a strict, cold man who wants his daugther to live up to the family name and avoid anything that might scratch the curated legacy of the Goodwins, which means he’s a fan of doing whatever it takes to win.

🖇️All in all, this thriller will pull you in right from the very first party at the beach until the last hospital visit, dragging you along for a high risk car chase and a run through the woods that will leave you breathless. And right at the front of all the action, the criticism to the priviledged, rich people who live in their bubbles where they think nothing bad can touch them, which the author masterfully carries through the story in the attitudes of different characters.

Jaw. Dropped.

I have so much to say but also nothing to say because wow.

READ THIS BOOK. Go in blind and just experience it. Twists. Turns. Suspense. It is all there.

Seriously. Read it.