Embrace the thrill - Lapena knows what she’s doing…and you won’t see it coming!

Lapena always keeps me on the edge of my seat; this time, instead of an adrenaline-fueled read, she gave me the satisfaction of piecing together a complex puzzle and a peek behind the curtain at the rich tapestry and complex emotions of this genre that she knows so well.

With so much unpredictability and uncertainty in the world today, I find myself reaching more for books such as these that not only give me the thrill of a well-crafted mystery and escapism but also a sense of control. I loved piecing together the clues, trying to predict who the murderer was, and hoping to achieve it all before the characters did! Lapena always brings me along for the ride, making me feel more like an active participant in her story than a passive observer.

I’m still not sure about that ending, though….

She Didn't See it Coming is a relentless mix of murder, secrets, lies and twists that will surprise you.

A complex cast of characters: those we love ( well only a few of those), those we love to snarl at and those we have no words for.

Detective Jayne Salter is on a missing persons case which quickly turns out to be a murder.

The suspect list is long .

The secrets are many.

People are not who they seem to be.

Shari Lapena does an amazing job of leading the reader down a twisted path full of red herrings, secrets and lies.

Even when I thought I knew who the murderer was, the roller coaster of a ride continues and the ending was perfection.

I could not put She Didn't See it Coming (neither did I) and read it one sitting . I quickly preordered the book for my daughter.

Thankst to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Adult)/Doubleday Canada for a heartpounding read I wont soon forget.

She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena is another fantastically twisty domestic thriller from one of the current queens of the genre.

Bryden fails to pick up her child from daycare one day, which is totally out of character. Her husband Sam reports her missing, but is puzzled by the fact that her car is still in its space at their luxurious condo, and her laptop remains open on her desk after a day of working from home. As the investigation into her disappearance intensifies, police put the couple's marriage, their families, friends and neighbours under the microscope, but seem to have no solid leads as they race against time to find the missing mother before it is too late.

This is a pacey, unpredictable whodunit, though there are suspects and red herrings aplenty, as suspicions shift, so too do alibis, and Ms Lapena masterfully keeps us guessing until the very end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC.

I’m a little sad to say that it was your typical domestic thriller with a very predictable ending. The storyline has been used time and time again and this book was really no different. It seemed to drag on with no real shocking twists or turns. I didn’t enjoy the way it was written and just felt there were too many characters. I feel it could have gone many different routes that would have made it much more enjoyable.

Publishes in July.

3⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have read all of Shari Lapena's thrillers before this one and they are all a solidly good read. This one is no exception, solid but not quite perfect. The first half went quickly with several great prospects for the main suspect, then started getting a bit repetitive, and finally finished with a plausible yet not very shock ending. Loads of red herrings and twists, would have loved more depth and backstory for all the suspects, but very entertaining nonetheless.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this thriller/mystery.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Bryden fails to pick up her daughter from daycare and so her husband Sam reports her missing. Very quickly this turns into a murder investigation. The detective in charge, Jayne, is a sympathetic and competent character, and looks into suspects as varied as husband Sam, sister Lizzie, friend Paige, a man living on the same floor who has been accused of abduction and rape, and Derek (whose Tesla Bryden had recently rear-ended).

This was an easy and fast-paced read, although the narrative switched through the perspectives of a multitude of the characters, which was confusing at times. Every one had secrets, although Jayne was good at uncovering these. I did feel that the leap Jayne and the media made in relation to the fate of Derek's mother-in-law was a bit of an unlikely stretch... The characterization in general was pretty good and I enjoyed this.

Shari has done it again, she never misses when it comes to a heart-racing, mind running, second guessing thrillers!

Great read! Keeps you guessing till the end! Loved how everything unravelled at the end! Thank you for the ARC!

Shari Lapena is the master of domestic thrillers. So many intriguing characters and possibilities and with each page turn, the intrigue deepens. Loved it all, right down to the perfect, unexpected ending.

Another fantastic murder mystery by Shari Lapina! I was hooked by the first chapter and read this in one sitting! So many twists and turns, as the story unfolds around the murder of a 35 year old wife and mother. It seems like the answer is straight-forward, but Lapina, as always, keeps her readers guessing until the end.