⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC

Description:
Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.
Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.

Review:
Bear Grylls meets Survivor in this new tale from Lisa Unger.
Four strangers meet on Falcao Island, at an abandoned hotel set for demolition, to take part in an extreme game of Hide and Seek. The winner will win One Million Dollars. The question is, will anyone be left alive to collect it? This atmospheric thriller had me guessing until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Published:02/25/2025

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10 by Lisa Unger

A multilayered thriller about a single mother who joins a high-stakes hide-and-seek influencer competition on a remote island, only to realize the game has deadly consequences. This eerie, atmospheric story is equal parts mystery and commentary on influencer culture. While it's not my favorite from Unger, it's still highly entertaining and definitely worth the read!

Narrator Vivienne Leheney is exceptional! Voicing such a large cast of characters, providing a different voice for each of them, just showcases her immense skill. Well done! 👏🏼

Lisa Unger’s Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 takes the classic childhood game of hide-and-seek and turns it into a pulse-pounding fight for survival. What starts as a thrilling, social media-fueled challenge on a remote island quickly becomes a nightmarish battle against an unseen, lethal force.

The novel’s premise is irresistible: Maverick Dillan, an extreme adventurer and influencer, gathers contestants for the ultimate high-stakes game on Falcao Island. But as a storm descends and the players disappear one by one, it’s clear that this is no mere competition—someone is hunting them. At the heart of the story is Adele, a single mother whose survival instincts kick into overdrive. With every moment, the line between game and reality blurs, forcing her to make impossible choices to ensure she makes it back to her children.

Unger expertly weaves tension and psychological suspense, crafting an atmosphere thick with paranoia and uncertainty. As the contestants fall victim to the island’s unseen dangers, the novel explores themes of social media spectacle, the limits of human endurance, and the primal fight for self-preservation. Adele’s perspective grounds the novel, giving it emotional weight beyond the thrill of the chase. Readers will root for her as she navigates a world where trust is a liability, and every decision could mean life or death.

Fast-paced and filled with twists, Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is a gripping thriller that will keep you guessing until the final page. Fans of survival horror, locked-room mysteries, and psychological suspense won’t want to miss this harrowing, adrenaline-fueled ride.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) – Perfect for fans of Riley Sager, Ruth Ware, and Squid Game-style survival thrillers.

This was such a good read! I love her books!! It was a five star read! I loved they way the game played out.

I requested this book because I really enjoy Lisa Unger's work! I've read several of her books and like trying to figure out the twists. In "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" there were so many little threads to follow between characters and I was wondering how they were all connected. I liked having the perspectives of multiple characters and getting different takes on the events - even the perspectives from folks in real life vs when they were streaming live online. It kept me wondering what was going to happen next, who was telling the truth, and who was going to surprise me.

I like Lisa Unger and her slow burn thriller style of writing with a few twists added in. This novel didn't have the same effect, though. I didn't like the narrator so that distracted from the character development, but even with that aside, I couldn't connect to any of the characters. The whole premise of influencers going to a deserted resort to play hide and seek for a million dollars seemed far-fetched. The liability of this endeavor would automatically prohibit it, combined with a tropical storm that just happened to come in during the small time frame of the game, made this a non-starter. And there is no way a mom who was in debt and the single parent to teenagers would spend more money to attend this game, leaving her children in a precarious situation. I didn't buy it.

3.5⭐️

This thriller had potential as I liked the premise of competition on a faraway island. The pacing of the story slowed down quite a bit towards the middle of the book. By the end of the book, I was left with unanswered questions and disappointed by the ending. Parts of it felt more like a drama than a thriller and most of the characters were unlikeable.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book with an extreme game of Hide and Seek being the impetus for the story, and I really was captivated throughout the book, wanting to know what happened. Unger did an excellent job of creating suspense and making the reader wonder. I did struggle a bit in the audiobook to follow some of the jumps in time. This may have been much easier reading rather than listening, but some of the back and forth got a bit confusing.

My biggest holdup in this book was the number of voices in it. This story was told from five different POVs (I think I counted right) plus interjections from at least two more perspectives. It made it challenging to connect to any one character. I like a thriller where I can root for someone, and while there were absolutely redeemable, likable characters, I didn't get the chance to know them well enough to feel invested in their ending.

Speaking of endings, it was a touch anticlimactic for me. A number of important conclusions happen off-page, and we don't see much comeuppance for the antagonists. For a quick minute, it seemed as though there might be a greater commentary about the side effects of social media, but nothing followed through with that either. Though I certainly don't need any social commentary in my thrillers, it seemed an interesting point to throw in without exploring more with the characters.

Despite that, the book certainly kept my attention, and I listened to it rather quickly. It had just the right amount of thrill for me: a little spooky at times but not enough to give me nightmares. Overall, I'd say I enjoyed it but probably won't think much about it beyond this.

I went into Lisa Unger's "Close Your Eyes and Count to 10" with high hopes. Unger's thrillers are usually a solid bet, and the premise – a woman with a troubled past seeking a fresh start – had potential. However, this one just didn't deliver.
The narration was adequate, but nothing spectacular. It didn't breathe life into the characters or add the necessary tension. The real letdown, though, was the promised podcast component. I'm a huge fan of audiobooks that incorporate supplementary content like podcasts, interviews, or behind-the-scenes material. It adds a layer of depth and engagement. But in this case, the podcast felt tacked on, adding little to the story and offering no real insight. It was more of a promotional tool than a genuine enhancement.
The story itself felt predictable and slow-paced. The twists were telegraphed, and the characters lacked the complexity I've come to expect from Unger. I found myself struggling to stay invested, and the resolution was ultimately underwhelming.
While I appreciate the effort to experiment with the podcast element, it was a misfire. The core story needed to be stronger to stand on its own, and unfortunately, it wasn't. Two stars.

Parents cannot say video games cannot save lives anymore. Adele's kiddo did not save anyone with his buddy's help from online game; he saved his mother from the hurricane, murder, and lifelong destruction. Especially when Adele was the only parent her kids were left with.

Maverick Dillan was the x-factor guy. He did all sorts of stunts growing up and now he was setting up bunch of challenges and broadcast them live for whole world to watch. The new challenge was "hide and seek" on an island where majority of the buildings were about to collapse and hurricane about to hit. As much as he loved this world and benefits it brought, Maverick was struggling with the past chasing him. This could be more than a challenge for him. Adele on the other hand just wanted to earn the prize money so she could keep her kids fed and safe after her husband destroyed everyone's life through his work and disappeared. When these two worlds collided, we are left with who did what

I always liked the mysteries Lisa Unger created. This one had an interesting premise putting together reality TV and actual family tragedy. In the world of influencers and people willing to do anything for one more follower, she brought back the true reality into this virtual world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this was not the book for me. Although the premise described in the book was intriguing, I felt that there were too many storylines that had the potential for suspense and drama but didn't quite deliver. I was hoping for more hide and seek elements in the story, which were unfortunately missing. Overall, it's not a bad book, but it didn't meet my expectations.

This thriller had an interesting concept, but unfortunately we never really got to the interesting concept part. The book promises "an extreme game of hide and seek" but we never really god that at all. The rest of it was a predictable thriller. Ultimately this is fine for entertainment, but I really wanted more from the hide and seek aspect.

3.5 i loved the setting and the premise of this novel, however, none of the characters, including Adele were particularly likable. I would love to have read more about the competition and the fear surrounding that, but the drama was set more between the game controllers. With several perspectives and an alternating timeline. Overall, while the book had an intriguing premise and a decent ending, making it a mixed experience for me.

Thank you @parkrowbooks @harlequin_audio @netgalley for my complimentary digital and audio copies. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book takes readers to the world of a reality game show, where the stakes are high and the prize is a staggering million dollars!

Each character harbors secrets. Game master Maverick runs the website Extreme Games and he has planned a challenging hide and seek survivalist adventure for influencers. The setting: a dilapidated old hotel on a remote island. Mav has a shady past, and his present motives are shrouded in mystery. Angeline is his girlfriend, who helps run things behind the scenes. She adds a touch of vulnerability to the mix. Mav also has a staff who play large roles in the story. The influencer contestants include Cody, whose laid-back demeanor hides a fierce determination, Malinka, a popular influencer among teens, and Adele, who struggles with family drama.

MY THOUGHTS: I loved the chilling setting and the premise of this novel, which seemed different than the author’s previous works. However, none of the characters, including Adele were particularly likable. I would love to have read more about the competition and the fear surrounding that, but the drama was set more between the game controllers. With several perspectives and an alternating timeline, the story dragged at times. The conclusion, however, was exciting. Overall, while the book had an intriguing premise and a thrilling conclusion, it struggled with character development and pacing, making it a mixed experience for me. I would rate it a 3 out of 5.

I have really enjoyed Lisa Unger’s books in the past and was looking forward to this one, especially when I saw the audio. I’m very grateful for receiving this in exchange for an honest review. This one wasn’t for me, I was going in expecting a fast paced thriller but it was more of a slow burn suspense. So, for someone who is looking for that pace, they would probably really enjoy this book!

Lisa Unger has done it again, another suspensful ,creative,innovative book. The use of video gaming adds to the suspense. I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to friends to read.

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, by Lisa Unger, narrated by Vivienne Leheny, is a "locked-room" thriller set in an abandoned hotel on a creepy island. Reality show contestants, social media influencers, a massive storm, extreme mental & physical tests of survival, a ticking clock. This book was a thrilling experience! Highly recommend!!

Lisa Unger’s Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten is the kind of book that grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. Her writing is sharp, her characters feel so real it’s almost eerie, and the suspense builds in a way that keeps you flipping pages way past bedtime. It’s twisty, emotional, and just the right amount of unsettling—like that feeling when you know something’s not quite right but you can’t look away. If you love thrillers that mess with your head in the best way, this one’s a must-read.

Great premise with interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns. The narrator did an excellent job, and I’ll be looking for more by this author

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 was such a unique thriller that combines the age old concept of hide and seek with the ever-growing world of technology and social media. Parts of the book also included "mixed media", with snippets of social media posts, podcast excerpts, vlogs, video diaries, and live streaming which added a modern element. Unger builds both the suspense and back stories by alternating the narrative and jumping from various settings to keep readers hooked and waiting for the next chapter. This book was a perfect mix of psych0logical thriller and mystery, with multiple plot lines tying themselves into a neat bow at the shocking conclusion of this deceitful tale.

Adele is a single, working mother of two teenagers. After her husband disappeared due to suspected fraud, Adele is left with little money. looking for ways to grow their bank account and rebuild her reputation as social media influencer for health and fitness. When her son Blake hears of a reality-tv type contest of extreme hide and seek hosted by Extreme's Maverick Dylan, he encourages his mom to apply as a contestant. Upon acceptance, Adele leaves her children behind, heading to Falcao Island. But the challenge turns deadly when a treacherous storm approaches and the game reveals itself to be a sham for more sinister intentions. Can Adele survive both the island and the challenge and make it back to her children? Or will the treachery of Falcao Island and the secrets its guarding get the best of her?