3.5/5 Stars – A Dark, Twisting Thriller About Trauma and Consequences

Joseph Souza’s Cruel & Bitter Things dives into the psyche of a woman who has spent her life haunted by violent urges and desperate for normalcy. It is a psychological thriller that blends suspense, moral ambiguity, and family drama, creating a story that is as unsettling as it is compelling.

At the center is Gwynn Denning, a mother and director of a home for neglected children, whose seemingly stable life unravels after a chance encounter with Sam Townsend. Believing Townsend guilty of date-raping her college friend, Gwynn takes justice into her own hands, swearing it will be her final act of violence. Yet, as the investigation unfolds and witnesses emerge, Gwynn finds herself entangled in lies, secrets, and a dangerous attraction to the detective assigned to the case.

What makes the novel intriguing is Gwynn herself. She is not a typical thriller protagonist but a deeply flawed woman who balances nurturing instincts with darker compulsions. Souza paints her with complexity—sympathetic in her desire to protect the vulnerable, yet chilling in her capacity for murder. Her sessions with Dr. Kaufman offer some of the book’s most revealing and unsettling moments, as her past trauma and buried family secrets surface.

The pacing is brisk, with one complication after another pushing Gwynn further into dangerous territory. However, the novel sometimes leans heavily on melodramatic twists, and certain character decisions—particularly Gwynn’s romantic entanglement with the detective—strain believability. While these elements heighten tension, they also risk undermining the novel’s psychological depth.

Souza’s writing is sharp and accessible, and he knows how to sustain suspense. Readers who enjoy morally gray characters and thrillers that explore the cost of secrecy will find much to appreciate. Still, the book doesn’t quite achieve the emotional nuance or narrative precision that would elevate it beyond a solid entry in the genre.

Unfortunately I have decided to DNF this one, it wasn't for me.
I will continue to check for future books from this author as I like to give author's a second chance and I won't be put off from DNF this one for my future reads.

Cruel & Bitter Things by Joseph Souza grabbed me from the first line—Gwynn sees Sam Townsend and kills him—so raw and wild. Gwynn's a mom and runs a home for abused kids, but also secretly kills people she thinks deserve it, and that contrast totally cracked me up. She swears it’s her last kill, but when someone spots her leaving with him, everything spirals. Then she falls for the detective investigating the murders—major conflict, right? I loved how you’re always torn—should you root for her or hope she gets caught. I also liked how we see inside her head and get chapters from the therapist and detective, making it feel real. It's twisted, fast, and hard not to think about when you're done.

This theme of women killers revenging friends and family is becoming more popular. Gwynn sees Sam at at fund raiser and realizes he is the man who raped her college roommate. She vows revenge and promises herself this will be her last body. The police are investigating her because someone saw her and Sam Townsend leaving the event together. Now she is falling for the lead detective. What could go wrong?

When I first started the book I thought this wasn’t going to interest me because of revenge plot from the 1st page but once that was ‘dealt with’ I devoured the book it was well paced and kept me really gripped to it

I got this book early from NetGalley and I am posting this of my own free will

This was a quick and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

This was a wtfffff did I just read moment so so good I loved this tea kept me at the edge of my seat I can not wait till others are able to read this because it’s so juicy I will recommend this page turner

CRUEL & BITTER THINGS
By Joseph Souza
This one was quite a wild ride! I found the FMC to be very unique, and really enjoyed the way the author developed her character and situation. There were elements of the conclusion that did feel pretty obvious but that did not detract from the enjoyment I had during the last few chapters seeing how things would come together. The pacing was steady and the characters were well developed even if some elements of their behavior were unbelievable, I found myself saying out loud: “oh no she/he did not just do that!” a few times through this book and I really think this story will be well received among the domestic thriller audience as a fresh take on the genre. 4.5⭐️ #JosephSouza #arcreader #arcreview #netgalley #bookstagram #thrillerbooks
Many thanks to @netgalley @josephsouza2060 @levelbestbooks for the ARC🖤

Cruel and Bitter Things is one of the first psychological thrillers that deeply engaged me in a long time. It's an exploration of the dark mind of a serial killer, Gwynn, with the theme of nature vs. nurture, the impact of past actions in the present and concept of good and evil. I found the pacing to be slower at times but suspenseful and kept me interested to see where the story goes.

I liked this but there was a lack of character development that had me thinking about what this could've been if I gotten closer to thee characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is the third book that I’ve read by this author and it was just okay for me. The storyline was good, but I felt there could have been more character development.

This book had a slow start. The initial pace and character development might not capture your attention immediately, but the narrative picks up and delivers some unexpected surprises. This story definitely took time to build a rich world of complex characters before revealing their full potential. Even though you might struggle initially, you must persevere through the opening chapters to fully appreciate the intricate storytelling that unfolds.

Cruel and Bitter Things started off amazing, teetered off in the middle, and ended with a dud. I expected more at the end since the beginning was so strong. I want to give it 3.5, but since we can’t, 3 is what it gets.

Gwynn Denning is a serial killer with a haunted past. She believes she is killing people who deserve it due to some horrific crime they have not been punished for and/or because she wants to keep her own child safe in her home only. She meets Detective Peters after her third consecutive murder and things start to go awry for her and Peters then. Will she be caught? Will she go free?

This book was hard for me to get into to. It does start pretty slow and some of the characters are lackluster. Eventually it does start to get better and the twist and turns keep you on your toes.

I made it to 22% in before DNFing, here is why:

-The book starts strong and promising
-Writing style takes a bit of time to get used to, then is engaging
-Then things started to take a turn, for the worst in my opinion.

Context: I read a lot of horror books, particularly splatterpunk and extreme horror, so when I pick a thriller up, I am hoping to not have the elements found in those genres in a thriller.

The events that happened in this book needed a trigger warning:
-Animal loss
-Self harm and extreme blood loss
-Drugging
-The usage of the word "rape" about" 40 times in the first two chapters

I didn't get much further after these as they were very unexpected for a thriller. This began to feel like trauma writing early on unfortunately, with the most intense and extreme things you can think of thrown in and not given proper weight. Due to this, the execution was lacking in my opinion, and this book was much darker than I anticipated. I think this should have been categorized differently maybe?

I did not enjoy the fact that everything seemed to happen at once, and then we have a therapist thrown in the mix, which seems cliche to me and unrealistic, and then very intense and serious things are not given the weight they truly need, making for a weird reading experience.

Thank you for providing me with a free eARC. I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.

3.5 stars. This was a roller coaster ride from the first chapter and I was just along for the ride! It was such a page-turner! I couldn’t stop

Cruel and Bitter Things by Joseph Souza is the kind of thriller that grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go until the final twist. I devoured this book in a single sitting. The plot feels fresh and original, packed with sharp turns and unexpected reveals that kept me completely hooked. The characters are dynamic and exciting, each adding tension and intrigue in just the right doses. And that ending? Pitch perfect! Totally satisfying without being predictable.

This isn’t a story that tries to be overly cerebral, and honestly, that’s part of its charm. It knows exactly what it is: a smart, tightly written popcorn thriller that delivers on a high entertainment level. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a quick, twisty, high octane read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Level Best Books, and Joseph Souza for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I absolutely loved this book!! It had me hooked from the first chapter! I wish this story would’ve never ended because it was so good! I always love a “good guy” falls for “bad guy” storyline and this one did that and then some! First story I’ve read from this author but definitely won’t be the last! I really hope he writes another story to pick up where this one left off because I have so many questions and theories and I need answers!

I don't even know where to begin. The ending started out really slow for me and I almost DNF'd it but I kept going. We are following Gwynn who we soon find out is not who she seems and we find out her intentions. This book kept me hooked once I got past the first few chapters and I found myself not being able to put it down. Is it my absolute favorite thriller? Not even by a longshot but it is worth the read.

The ending though leaves alot to be desired. I wanted it wrapped up better than that....

3.5 stars rounded up :)

**I received this book for free as an arc in exchange for my honest review***
Thank you NetGalley!

Books are great for so many things, not the least of which is fodder for your therapist, because DAMN, I think this unlocked (or at least brought to light) a bit of a vigilante kink.

Who knew?

I loved a lot about this book (aside from the Dexter-esque murder).

I loved the characters (give me strong females getting shit done), I loved the setting of the home for neglected kids and the quarry, I particularly loved the secondary POV.

The ending was cuckoo-town, and the perfect way to end this funhouse of a book.

I can’t wait to see where Book Two goes.