When @htphive sent this one out, you better believe I dropped every single thing! I feel so lucky to have gotten the chance to read this early!! Mary Kubica is one of the authors that got me into thrillers when I started reading again! I picked up her debut, Good Girl and have read every books of hers since! Her writing continues to excel and exceed my expectations! In true Kubica fashion, It’s Not Her starts with edge of your seat, pulse pounding suspense and doesn’t let up until the final jaw-dropping twist. Taking the reader on a wild ride with the dual timelines and POVs, masterfully building tension, the way only she can.
The ending of every chapter is a cliff hanger, forcing you to continue reading! Do not pick this up if you don’t have a few hours to finish it, also I wouldn’t recommend reading it alone, in the dark, and definitely not in the woods! It will have you looking over your shoulder and checking your locks! With It’s Not Her, Mary Kubica has once again proven that she is the queen of domestic thrillers!

Wow!! Just Wow!!

Why did Elliott leave so early to go fishing?

Why didn't Courtney hear him leave?

Where is Reece?

Questions, questions, questions but no answers as to who killed Emily and Nolan as their daughter comes screaming back to Courtney's cabin.

We follow two vacationing families not thinking about it or knowing that their family members would be murdered. Who would even think that?

All they were thinking about was having a relaxing break from everything.

We see life before and after the murder, where we think we know the characters were, and as we follow the investigation.

Who could have committed this horrific crime?

Who would think something like this could happen in a small town?

Ms. Kubica's newest has non-stop tension in this terror-filled, twisty read that has mostly unlikeable characters with secrets of their own, characters who lie, and a small town that also keeps secrets.

And what about the title? What does it mean?

Prepare to stay up late and have your jaw dropping!! 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

"It's Not Her" is a white-knuckle, nail biting, tense filled thriller that will have you questioning if you locked all of your doors and who you can truly trust..

This nightmare of a family vacation is packed full of plot twists, suspense, and lies. You will find yourself reading late into the night to try and see how this one unfolds.
Kubica was able to bring these families to life through the pages and give them such depth and raw unflinching realness, you don't know if you love them or hate them. I promise you won't see this ending coming!


Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and HTP The Hive for the opportunity to read and review this E-ARC. All opinions are my own.
Pub date February 3rd, 2026

Time to buckle up, because Mary Kubica is about to take you for a ride! From the explosive first chapter to its final twisty conclusion, this book held me in its clutches and didn’t let go for a minute!

When I say this one grabbed me right away, I’m not exaggerating! Just in the first chapter we have a young girl screaming and running full-tilt across the field, a cottage in the Wisconsin woods with the door hanging open, blood everywhere inside, and a dead body on the screened-in porch. Before you know it, we have another dead body, a missing teenage girl, and a family and small town both full of secrets.

Don’t start this one too close to bedtime unless you want to be up all night like I was – it’s that unputdownable! This gripping, atmospheric thriller is so intricately plotted and full of twists and turns that I felt like that guy in the meme with his board full of pushpins and strings, just trying to figure out how all of the threads of the story would come together, and I loved every minute of it! With red herrings, suspects galore, and ever-increasing tension, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, my dark thriller heart pounding. A five star banger and hands down Kubica’s best book yet!

HTP Hive, you are the absolute best for giving me a chance to be one of the first reviewers, thank you so much!

First of all... I about died when HTP (Hive) sent me an extreeeeeemly advanced copy of this book to read! I literally dropped everything to check it out!

If you are looking for a slow burn thriller, look the other way because OMG... This book, from the first few pages had my heart racing! I could not turn the page fast enough. The beginning is sooo good, it's 1000% unputdownable, but you are soo torn of rushing through to read and find out what is going on to not wanting it to end but it's just that good!

Two families vacation out in a resort, when Courtney hears her 10 year old niece screaming from her families cabin rushing to hers as if she was being chased. There she finds her brother and sister in law brutally murdered and her 17 year old niece missing, and her nephew upstairs sleeping and unharmed. As they start to investigate this tragedy, secrets start to unravel, and everyone has them!

It's been a while since I've read a thrilled that made my heart speed like Nascar the entire time I was reading it.

This book keeps you guessing until the very end with the twists that are so twisty you could never have guessed the ending! I am still shook!!!

This book doesn't release until Feb 2026 but I am telling you it will be worth the wait!

The way I screamed when I got an email saying I had the exclusive opportunity to read an early copy of one of my favorite author’s newest books 😭 a huge thank you to The Hive, HTP, and Park Row for this!!

In true MK fashion, she had my jaw on the floor with this one. She writes in a way that keeps you intrigued and wanting more. She starts off the story with a bang and I was invested from then. The story is told in dual POV (which I love) so it gives us snippets from the past and from current time. As we follow Courtney and Reece, we slowly can put together what lead up to and what happened on that tragic night. The characters Mary created had me suspicious and creating motives for each of them. At the end though, I was still baffled at the reveals. She threw me with those twists 🤯

This is one you definitely don’t want to miss! Go preorder your copy now!

🔥Exclusive Review 🔥

Huge massive thanks to #partner @htp_hive @parkrowbooks @htpbooks and @marykubica for exclusive access to #ItsNotHer to read and review.

As soon as @htp_hive shot out the email, I scooped this sucker up! I read my first Kubica book in 2018/2019 ….. The Good Girl and was OBSESSED!!! I had the pleasure to meet her in Houston two years ago at @murderbooks and she is the nicest human!!!

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica
Publisher- @parkrowbooks @htpbooks
Pub Date - 2/3/26

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 😱😱😱😱😱

As soon as I started this, I couldn’t stop. The only thing that kept getting in the way is that damn job or I would’ve had it finished sooner.

This one takes off from the start. Two parents dead. One missing girl. A family on vacation that turns terribly wrong. I was trying to figure out what was going on. I had my theories, but time and time again I was wrong. I freaking loved it!!! I’m sooo going to be late for work. Oh well 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@marykubica is a queen of suspense!!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WOW..what an absolute page-turner!! I would rate six stars if I could. This is going to be a hit thriller in 2026. I could not put this book down. I loved the two-person pov. It kept me wondering who it could be the entire time. I did not see that ending coming at all. I can't wait to get the physical copy and add it as a book trophy. This was such a great read. Thank you to The Hive, Netgalley, and Mary Kubica for the early ARC.

Mary Kubica does it again with another five star bingeable thriller!!

This book is so unique and gripping- full of tension and creepiness! It is beautifully written, has perfect pacing and a jaw dropping ending! I flew through this one so quickly and never wanted to put it down!

I loved the alternating POVs- one told by the Aunt Courtney that was set in the present timeline and one told by Reese, Courtney’s niece, told in the past timeline building up to the present. The way this unveiled the story made it build up with so much tension and suspense!

Highly highly recommend it! You need to mark this on your pre-order list, to be read as soon as released list, really on any of your lists!! It releases on February 3, 2026!

This book was downloaded, started, and finished in 2 days. I almost always know by the end of the first chapter if a book will keep my interest and the opening scenes sucked me in immediately! When I had to take a break from reading I was thinking about when I’d get to pick it up again and keep reading! I’ve loved every Mary Kubica book I’ve read and she’s set the bar high for herself, but this one exceeded all expectations. The multiple POV really kept me on my toes the whole time.

If you love nonstop tension and suspense with an ending you will NEVER see coming, then you’d better add this to your tbr!

Mary Kubica delivers a pulse throbbing, gripping, edge of your seat thriller in her newest novel coming out next year! There were more twists than a rollercoaster that kept you tense awaiting what secret would be revealed next. This was a terrifying read that will have you gasping and double checking to make sure your door is locked at night, because you never know who could be outside waiting to come in. a This is definitely a novel you're going to want to pre order!!

Despite the fact that I’m already seriously and chronically overbooked with advanced reader copies, as soon as I saw the email from @htp_hive offering up a crazy early chance to read It’s Not Her, I couldn’t pass up the chance. Boy, am I glad that I did despite the fact that I gave up a full night of sleep. Twisty, bingeable, and unguessable in the extreme, it was everything that I’ve come to expect in a Mary Kubica novel plus a little bit more. From the anxiety-inducing plot to the expertly crafted characters, there was no end to the dread and foreboding that oozed off of the pages. And let me tell you…those twists? Ms. Kubica really outdid herself this time around. But what was the best piece of this dynamite puzzle? That would be the creepy, leave-your-lights-on feel that won me over one thousand percent. After all, atmospheric thrillers are my bread and butter and this one managed to put most of my favorites to shame.

All said and done, I recommend this white-knuckle ride with every fiber of my being. Just be sure to cancel all plans before diving in. You see, this thriller will have you walking away from your chores and ignoring your children, so unless you want to cause chaos in your home, let everyone know that this is your Mary Kubica time. With addictive plotting, relatable characters, and deliciously original storyline, it is guaranteed to be a blockbuster smash hit of 2026. Yes, that’s the only negative thing in my review. You’re all going to have to wait until February 3rd to get your hands on this rollercoaster ride of suspense. Until then, all I can suggest is going back and reading her backlist of unputdownable thrillers. As for me, this is one time I’m glad that my memory is utter garbage. After all, I know that I’ll be able to reread this super-charged spine-tingler closer to publication and not remember a thing. I already can’t wait! Rating of 5 stars.

Thank you to Mary Kubica, The Hive, HTP Books, Park Row Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you SO much to Harlequin / Park Row for the incredible opportunity to read a freaking MARY KUBICA book nearly a year in advance.

Two families take a vacation to a lakeside cottage resort and their lives are forever changed. Courtney is awake in her cottage while her husband Elliott, daughter Cass, and niece Mae are asleep when she hears a scream coming from her brother & sister-in-law’s cottage next door. When she gets there, she finds them dead in an obvious attack. Their son Wyatt is still asleep and their daughter Reese is missing.

As the investigation unfolds, secrets within the family and secrets in the small town begin to seep through the cracks, including the re-emergence of a missing girl case from five years prior. Everyone has things that make them a suspect and no one is willing to come clean.

This book was truly unputdownable. I found myself sneaking pages wherever I could - at a red light, waiting for my coffee order, in the shower until the water ran cold - literally where and whenever I had a free 10 seconds to spare, I was pulling this book up.

Mary captures real emotions so well, I remember *being* Reese, having those feelings, wanting to grow up so fast. But I also relate so well to Emily’s beliefs of wanting kids to remember to please slow down, adulthood will get here faster than you realize, while also reminding them that high school is just a blip on the radar and your real life will be so much better. It’s kind of contradictory to hear both of those things when you’re a teenager, but as an adult there is no better advice than those two pieces. What is really mind-blowing though, is Mary’s ability to capture these real and raw emotions throughout the book while also writing tense and terrifying moments simultaneously.

I cannot say enough about the tension that’s built throughout. The chapters getting shorter and abrupt as we hit the 75% mark was equal parts genius and frustrating as I was just DYING to know more. But maybe the best part about it was that both POVs were equally as engaging and interesting. I could not wait to see what Courtney would uncover, but I also needed to know what Reese was experiencing in equal measure.

It’s Not Her made me want to make sure my husband and friends know EVERY LITTLE DETAIL of my life so there is no confusion if I’m murdered, go missing, or am a suspect! I absolutely loved how the doubt is placed time and time again in seemingly innocent things that could have an explanation…if they had just been discussed. It’s not miscommunication so much as lack of, but if this falls into the miscommunication trope then I have to say it’s the best damn miscommunication I’ve ever encountered.

Red herrings are everywhere in this one, and some of the parties involved I would’ve never guessed…and honestly, ugh gut. wrenching. I absolutely love a story that leaves me feeling ill when I’m done (yes, call my therapist, I know) & this one hit that mark. Without a doubt, 5 stars. Best book of Mary’s I’ve read yet and I cannot wait for it to be out in the world.

Oh. My. God. This book had me in a chokehold from the very first page. A family getaway to a peaceful lake resort turns into a nightmare when a murder interrupts their retreat — and from the first page on, the tension never lets up.
Told in two POVs — one in the present and one leading up to the murder — this structure just amps up the anxiety in the best way possible. My heart was racing. I was creeped out. I suspected every single person at one point, and yet I never saw that final chapter coming. It was WILD!!!!!

This is exactly what a thriller should be — atmospheric, unpredictable, and full of dread. Easily one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read. I’m so thankful to Mary Kubica and The Hive for the chance to read this early.

This comes out in early 2026, and I’m calling it now: it’s going to be a bestseller. Preorder this one. Trust me.

Thank you @htp_hive @harpercollins #partner for the gifted 5 star book!

WEEEOOOOO WEEEEOOOO WEEEEOOOO. Do you hear that? That’s the Banger Alert going off because Mary Kubica has done it again — not just a 5-star thriller, but an instant favorite for me. This book was terrifying in the best way possible. The very first chapter had me hooked like a fish on a lure, and from there it was a full-blown, white-knuckle, lock-your-doors kind of ride.

I found myself literally holding my breath at points. Kubica had me checking my own house locks, peeking out the window, and convincing myself the boogeyman was lurking in my backyard. PSA: Do not start this book if you have plans, errands, or anything resembling a social life — because once you pick it up, you’re not putting it down until it’s done.

Where do I even start? I love a thriller that keeps me second-guessing everyone, and this one had me flipping between suspects like a conspiracy theorist with a corkboard and red string. And the fact that she kept me guessing until the very last page? Perfection.

The multiple POVs were perfection — it added so much tension and made me feel like I was living inside the heads of every messed up, possibly murderous character. And let’s just say… after reading this, my cozy little cabin-in-the-woods vacation plans have been officially replaced with a nice, open, sunny beach trip. I’ll be where there’s WiFi, people, and zero creepy trees.

Mary Kubica is always a guaranteed win for me, but she seriously outdid herself with this one. Thank you for delivering an atmospheric, chilling, edge-of-my-seat thriller that I absolutely devoured like a girl starved for drama and danger. Early review? Guilty. But what’s a girl to do when she gets her grubby little hands on an early copy? She reads it… then immediately tells everyone they need to read it too. You’ve been warned.

Suspenseful and intriguing, this fact-paced thriller set in the atmospheric Northwoods of Wisconsin captivates the reader from the first chilling opening line to the eerie closure of the last. The terrifying mystery of two murdered people in their cabin while another has disappeared, unfolds from the point of view of Courtney who grapples with what happened to her family members, and Reese, her missing niece. The number of people to trust declines rapidly as secrets unravel and twists are revealed. An intense and riveting story that gets your heart racing.

It’s Not Her, Mary Kubica’s KILLER new thriller, left me shook, stunned, shocked, speechless, and WITH VERY SEVERE TRUST ISSUES. A masterclass in misdirection, I am still recovering from the WILD 11th hour twists Kubica delivered with that ending. Where should I send my therapy bills?

This novel absolutely SERVED. I was on edge of my seat from page one. Kubica lured me in and had me side-eyeing almost every character we met, only to later shatter all of my expectations. Some of my amateur sleuthing was correct— the book did an excellent job of leaving just enough of a trail (THAT TITLE, iykyk!!). But I should have known better than to fully trust Kubica or my own instincts. In my defense, this was my first book of hers. I DID NOT KNOW that I was signing up for an emotional ambush. Plz consider this review my formal request for an author-apology.

Thank you so much to HTP the Hive for the opportunity to read It’s Not Her in advance of publication.

IT’S NOT HER by @marykubica
ARC review • pub date 02.03.26

If I could describe this book in one word it would be INTRIGUING.

From the second I found out Mary Kubica had a new thriller I couldn’t wait to read it - and then I got super early access and cancelled all my plans 👏🏻 I’ve been reading & loving her books for years and I’m telling you - this is her best book yet!! Chapter one was off with a BANG - I was immediately pulled into this story and could not put it down. This book is a vacation gone wrong and will have you sleeping with one eye open.

Setting: isolated cottages in Wisconsin
Short synop: Courtney & her family go on a planned vacation with her brother & his family and a few days in, murder happens and Courtney is desperate to find out who & why

Told in dual POV & timeline of Courtney (now, when people are found dead) and her niece Reese (a week before, when the vacation starts, and all of her events leading up to the murders). The characters were so well developed that their own personality shone through the pages. Every chapter left me scrambling to get to the next. This book is the very definition of a page turner and you need to add it to your shelf immediately!

5+ ⭐️

HUGE thank you to @htp_hive , @htpbooks for my e-ARC - you made my whole MONTH with this!

Let me introduce you to my new favorite Mary Kubica book, and most likely my 2026 book of the year!

This book was INCREDIBLE, SHOCKING, GRIPPING, HEARTBREAKING, CREEPY, BINGEABLE, and TWISTED. Honestly, what more could you ask for??

@marykubica is back in her newest release, and dare I say, better than ever? Local woman missing has been one of my favorite thrillers for years, but I liked this one even more, which I didn’t think was possible.

I loved how the multiple POVs were done in this, you have one POV that is happening during “the now” and the other POV was happening during “the lead up” I honestly, did not have a single clue how this was going to all come together, and that LAST CHAPTER?! EXCUSE ME?! 🤯

Lock your doors.. Lock your windows.. Mary Kubica is going to keep you up at night reading this one! This book makes you feel like you’re part of an intense dual murder investigation. You’ll question every character...analyze every shred of evidence Kubica gives you.. and you won’t be able to stop reading until you find out what happened. This was incredibly immersive and hard to put down. I Loved the characters, dual POVs, and the desperate “I have to know what happened” feeling I felt throughout reading this book. A mystery thriller done right!

Thank you to the publishers for an extremely early copy 😊