Outlier alert! I’m definitely in the minority with my thoughts on this book. While I did enjoy it, I found the premise completely implausible, and I just couldn’t connect with a dying mother expecting a teenager to find a new spouse for her father. A good deal of the middle of the book dragged for me. I’m sorry to say I didn’t love it as much as others. But I definitely think you should give it a try for yourself because I seem to be the only one who didn’t love it. I will say that the audiobook narration was very well done and maybe the reason I didn’t DNF.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5 stars rounded up

Marshall Karp weaves a scintillating tale full of twists and surprises that left me gasping for air.

Maggie has been diagnosed with the same illness that killed her mom and her first thought is to find him a new wife. Her motivations are built from traumas related to events after her own mother’s death and she will do anything to prevent her husband and children from experiencing something similar.

She chooses a date to tell her family about the news, but before she can, her husband disappears.

Multiple timelines are explored as we learn about the source of Maggie’s fears and the events after he husband’s gone missing.

The characters are well-rounded with dynamic relationships. I loved seeing Maggie as a dedicated mother, wife, and daughter. She is a high powered woman with secrets that are revealed in meticulous layers.

Well paced with satisfying reveals, this is a unique story told in a way that leaves the reader questioning everything.

This book was so entertaining! It was comical at times, but definitely fits into the thriller/mystery genre. It is very well-written. There were twists after twists and multiple timelines, but the flow of the book was clear and I feel like there were no plot-holes or unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the characters, especially Lizzie.
The synopsis is a tiny bit misleading, I truly thought I’d read more about a dying woman trying to find her husband a new wife…but I ended up reading something much more intriguing. I loved the flashbacks to the teen years of Maggie and Lizzie. The ending is very twisty, I felt like I was fighting for air with all of them coming at me so close together!
The narrator did an excellent job! The different tones and voices she used for the characters were great and really helped me feel immersed in the story.

Ohhh man, this one was so good! One of my absolute fave audios this year, hands down. The mix of psychological thriller and drama? Chef’s kiss. And let’s talk about the secrets—my ultimate fave thing in books! The way they were woven in, slowly unraveling but never too much at once, just ugh, perfection.

Also, the twists. There weren’t a million of them, which I actually loved because sometimes thrillers go so overboard, but here? They hit just right. The story was so simple in a way, but so well plotted that it didn’t even need any extra fluff. Just solid, gripping storytelling. And the whole past-and-present thing? The way they kinda mirrored each other but never felt repetitive—genius. I was completely hooked.

Honestly, I just gotta take a bow to this one. So well done, so addictive, and exactly the kind of story I love.

3.5 stars, rounded up
Much different than I was expecting! Fast paced and twisty.

I went into this book with zero expectations, I didn't even read the synopsis. I had just seen all of my book friends raving about it, so I wanted to give it a try. For at least the first half of the book, I was really wondering what on earth all of the fuss was about, but then when the twists started coming they came quickly and furiously.

I liked that things were never what they seemed in this book, and that kept me invested to get the answers. I listened to the audiobook narrated by January LaVoy, and she did a spectacular job giving Maggie a voice. I love her narration and she elevated the novel.

It's not a perfect book, I thought the setup and the time in the past was a bit too long and drawn out, much longer than necessary. I didn't love the "protect your father from the predatory women" angle, it seemed too heavy handed and over the top. Yet overall, since I was looking for an escapist read I ended up really enjoying my experience with this unique book.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I really enjoyed the smooth and intriguing storylines throughout the book as well as the twists and turns at the end that I definitely didn’t see coming! Highly recommend!!!

This book was not what I was expecting, it started out like a detective novel but it was more about life in general. Pretty good lessons in here, glad I read it.

The beginning had me CRYING and checking to see if it really was a thriller because wow my heart! This book will make you feel all the emotions. I definitely did not see the twists coming.

Through a publication I read some hype about this book that was coming out. I requested an ARC copy through Netgalley. I am so glad that I did. I both read and listened to this book. The narration was fantastic.

I am going to start by saying I have never read anything by Marshall Karp. I loved this book from the beginning. I was hooked with the family. The chapters are short. I love that. I could just pick up and read a little. I listen on my way to work and in the car. Then I couldn't stop listening.

There were twists and turns. You got a little more information later in the book that you did not have in the beginning. It kept me going until the very end. I definately had tears while reading.

This was a fantastic read and I cannot wait to read more.

Wow! This was so good and even better in audio form with my favorite narrator. This book will keep you guessing and it was a refreshing read in some ways for me because of the author's writing style. I loved it. The suspense and twists were great, and I could not wait to see what was going to happen next.
This was my first book by Marshall Karp, and I will be looking to read more of his books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing – Audiobooks for the ALC of Don’t Tell Me How To Die by Marshall Karp, narrated by January LaVoy. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Don’t Tell Me How To Die is part family drama and part thriller/mystery. Since I enjoy both genres, and I am loving thrillers on audio, I was excited to be gifted a copy of this title.

Maggie seems to have it all, she is mayor of her hometown, married to a highly-reputed, handsome physician, and has two great kids. There is only one problem. Maggie is dying. Now in her early 40’s, Maggie, has learned that she has been diagnosed with the same rare blood disease that her mother succumbed to when Maggie was only 17 years old. Also, a woman has shown up dead in the town lake, and this is causing a media uproar unwanted by the mayor. These are not spoilers. We learn all this in the first few pages of Karp’s new novel. There were some truly heartbreaking moments, which were softened (sometimes unrealistically) by humor in the quick, snappy, and occasionally cheesy dialogue.

Although I wouldn’t call this a propulsive read, I was intrigued. The chapters were short and I was eager to figure out where the plot was going. There were a lot of characters, but I was able to easily keep everyone straight, except for all of the “casserole-toting” well-wishers that showed up after Maggie’s mom passed. The ending was mind-blowing, and completely unexpected to me, which I love in a thriller.

There were times in this book when there was a lack of emotion put forth by the characters during stress and tragedy that did not seem realistic. In fact, I had to suspend my disbelief many times throughout this story.

January Lavoy, however, was a fantastic narrator. She masterfully carried across the multitude of emotions that Maggie experienced at different stages of her life, as the time-lines alternated between Maggie’s teen years, and present day, and while she wrestled the many challenges facing her.

What ended up bringing my rating down was the author’s descriptions of women, especially, but not exclusively (i.e my reference to casserole-toting well-wishers), the young women/teenagers. There were some truly cringeworthy moments.

That being said, this book is receiving many glowing 5-star reviews, so my thoughts may be in the outlier category.

2 Stars for the book.
4.5 Stars for January LaVoy's narration

I loved every second of this book- thank you so much to NetGalley, Marshall Karp, and Blackstone audio for an advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review. I devoured this one in three sittings. Naturally, I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen and I was shocked to my core. This is a beauty of a book and I cannot wait to read more from this author! Our narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life and making me feel like I was a part of the story.
This one is out now and you don’t want to miss it!

Just one question: why did I never read any of Marshall Karp's books before?????? Well, this is something I will change after that burner!!!

As a teenager Maggie and her sister Lizzie lose their mother to an incurable blood disease. One thing her mother asked her was to take care of her father and 'protect' him against a certain kind of women.
As an adult Maggie has made it. She even is the mayor of her hometown and a happily married mother. Nothing could go wrong, could it? We soon find out, that she suffers from the same disease that killed her mother. But she will not go before taking preferations for her family, just like her mother did!
For me this was one more example of never to judge a book by its cover: a psychological thriller with deception, and misdirection all over. And who would have thought this story would end like that??? Not me that's for sure!

Thank you #NetGalley #Blackstone Publishing for this audiobook

It’s been a long time since I read a book that caught me off guard with almost every single turn. I’m not sure I would consider this one a thriller, but it certainly was twisty and turny and kept me on the edge of my seat. I listened to the audiobook of this one and I really liked the narrator. This book is told in two timelines the first when Maggie was 17 and her mother died of a rare blood disease at 43 and when Maggie was 43 and diagnosed with that same blood disease. Both timelines were fascinating and took me places I was not expecting to go. There are definitely some mysteries the reader will find and lots of craziness. It was a fun book and since I rarely find books that have multiple twists take me off guard I definitely had to give it 5 stars. Definitely an author I will keep an eye out for.

Thank you Netgalley for an arc audio of this book. I enjoyed the narration and the characters in this story. I thought it was a very well done thriller.

The set up: Maggie is found to be suffering from the same fatal illness as her mother, who died at the age of 41. She is determined to find a suitable wife for her husband after she’s gone, after her father was the victim of a con artist after her mother died.

But the majority of the book is set in the past with teenage Maggie behaving badly while her friends, parents, and sister speak in pithy, smart-ass comments. They find hilarity and humor even when faced with the death. The problem is the humor wasn’t funny in the least.

Everything that happens in this book requires a massive suspension of disbelief. Everything, and I mean everything, is completely implausible. If it wasn’t so stupid and cheesy I would have been laughing.

The adults at 43 were indistinguishable from their 16 year old selves. They were all insufferable. The dialogue was ridiculous, and bears no resemblance to how people really talk to one another.

The final nail in the coffin is the author portrays women to be predatory, gold-digging, casserole-wielding piranhas out to snare new widowers in their web. Misogyny at its finest. Very offensive.

I was ready to DNF early but the glowing reviews kept me listening to the audiobook, sure that at 50% the book would pick up. It did not.

The synopsis promised a thriller with biting humor. Don’t believe it. The author seems like a good person, working with international charities, but it still doesn’t redeem this book.

January LaVoy did her usual excellent job narrating the audiobook!

Thank you so much Blackstone #partner + NetGalley for the book and audiobook narrated by the one and only January LaVoy!
——

Even though we have a host of characters, Maggie is at the center of the story. Maggie has a beautiful family and has overall had a good life. But now she is diagnosed with the same terminal illness as her mother was. And just as her mother was worried leaving her husband with predatory women, Maggie faces the same thoughts with her 2 kids. But Maggie would like to think Alex is a doctor and dotting father who will not make the same mistakes her dad did.

The major chunk of the book explores Maggie’s history with her family and friends in her small town and this is where I had a hard time with the pacing of the book and the family interactions, some of which felt unnatural to me. Maggie is a go-getter, ambitious personality who will stop at nothing to climb up, which is an aspect I love to see about women in books. However it felt particularly forced to me and I found Maggie to be insufferable in many of her actions, well into adulthood. (This is where I’ll insert my opinion nobody asked for, that women are best written by women authors).

The last 30% or so of the book had the pacing I expect from thrillers and a lot of jaw-dropping twists that I didn’t see coming, and overall redeemed the book for me. January LaVoy was the saving factor for me to keep reading the book because she’s the queen of audiobooks and was simply flawless with breathing life into this story.

I realize that I’m in the minority and this book comes with accolades of 5 stars so please take my review with a grain of salt and I urge you to try the book for yourself.

Marshall Karp delivers an exhilarating and witty thriller in Don’t Tell Me How To Die, a novel that keeps readers on their toes from start to finish. With his signature blend of humor and suspense, Karp masterfully crafts a narrative that is as engaging as it is unpredictable.

The story unfolds with gripping intensity, challenging readers to piece together the truth as twists and revelations continually shift expectations. Karp’s writing style is sharp, immersive, and effortlessly entertaining, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. His characters are well-developed, their dialogue infused with humor and realism, adding depth to the novel’s already compelling mystery.

What sets Don’t Tell Me How To Die apart is its ability to surprise. Just when you think you have it figured out, Karp turns the narrative on its head, proving that nothing is as it seems. This clever storytelling ensures an experience that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.

For fans of crime fiction that delivers both suspense and a dose of humor, Don’t Tell Me How To Die is a must-read. Karp’s ability to blend tension with levity makes for an unforgettable ride, and this book is a testament to his skill as a storyteller. Highly recommended.

What begins as a slow burn read leads to family drama, lies, deceit, and betrayal. This was such a good book that drew me in quickly. It was an addictive listen, and the twists!! OMG, I didn’t see any coming or guessed any of them! The twists sent me in a tailspin and what an incredible addicting psychological read. The characters were all wonderful and complex. I cried several times while reading, that’s how amazing the characters are written. I gasped so loud, I scared my kids several times. One of my favorites of the year.
The narrator, January LaVoy does a wonderful job portraying Maggie, the pain and loss she felt were very well done and I truly felt many ranges of emotions while listening. LaVoy is very talented and she truly brought all of the characters to life. When is the movie/series coming out? Because I need it!

I received this book on Netgally. The release date is March 4th, 2025. The book is said to be a psychological thriller, I did not find that to be true until maybe the last fourth of the book. I listened to this on audio, and I enjoyed the narrator.
I found that for me, the majority of the book was a family drama. I liked all of the characters and thought it was a great read.