I hated reading this book, as I found it so unenjoyable in countless ways. I think I should steer away from Lisa Unger's books because they always seem very intriguing and thrilling to me from the synopsis, but it's never given any justice. For this novel in particular, I think the blurb is very deceiving. It doesn't mention many factors of the book. In my opinion, they are not spoilers, but they are essential portions of the book to know. This includes the witchy/supernatural element. Many readers would probably skip and/or pick up this book if they knew this element was included. This is a shame because the storyline had lots of potential!

Not one character was liked by me. I found every single one to be so cringey, and I hated the way everyone communicated with each other. This is probably one of the top reasons it was boring. To mention characters, why were there so many??? It was incredibly difficult to keep up and know who I was reading about. It made me feel as if I should be taking notes. Maybe in a fantasy, but definitely not in a thriller/mystery novel.

I was waiting for the hooking moment in the beginning, but it never came. I think this is one of the reasons this book was not great for me. The author never made me care about the events or characters in the book.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Lisa Unger for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first book I’ve read by this author and won’t be the last. This actually had the perfect vibes for fall and this is definitely the vets season to read it in! A great thriller that I really enjoyed!

Ana hosts an “ex-orcism” brunch at her sister Vera's house to celebrate her breakup with Paul Hayes. Unanimously, the guests were not Paul fans. Ana's friends include college pal Iggy, their mutual friend Esme, and sharp lawyer Payton. In the middle of brunch, the police show up to inform the crew that Paul is dead. The police also want to question Ana, as she has a history of a temper and acting impulsively and explosively. By day’s end, one brunch guest collapses after eating food Ana prepared. Was it Ana, or was it one of the many others who did not like Paul?

This book was engaging and interesting. It was a bit challenging to get the lay of the land of the characters. The brunch characters also had POV chapters, and at the beginning, it was hard to keep everyone straight. The book is also dual timeline and goes back to Vera and Ana's somewhat eerie and supernatural upbringing.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Served Him Right by Lisa Unger pulled me in right away with its brunch-gone-wrong setup. I liked how the book blended family drama, mystery, and even a little witchy/ritual vibe — it gave the story a unique twist compared to a typical thriller. The sister relationship between Ana and Vera was one of my favorite parts, because it felt messy and real.

That said, I did find some of the pacing uneven, and a few of the characters were hard to really connect with. At times there were so many layers — secrets, lore, different perspectives — that it felt a little crowded.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the suspense and the atmosphere. It kept me guessing until the end, and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers with a darker, slightly mystical edge.

picked this up expecting a typical revenge thriller, but Lisa Unger completely subverted my expectations. What initially seemed like a straightforward "angry ex gets framed" story quickly morphed into something much more complex and unsettling.
What I loved most was how Unger used the brunch setting - something so normal and celebratory - as the launching point for all this chaos. There's something deliciously ironic about toxic revenge being served alongside mimosas and avocado toast. The contrast really worked for me.
Ana as a protagonist fascinated me. She's not particularly likeable with her "bad reputation," but that's exactly what made her compelling. I found myself constantly questioning whether I should trust her narrative or not. Was she being framed, or was she actually capable of what everyone suspected? That ambiguity kept me turning pages late into the night.
The relationship between Ana and her sister Vera added such depth to the story. Their "long-buried history" subplot gave the thriller an emotional weight that elevated it beyond just plot twists. I especially appreciated how Unger wove their past into the present mystery without info-dumping.
The secret network using "ancient methods" for justice was the element that really hooked me. It gave the whole story an almost mystical edge that I wasn't expecting from a contemporary thriller. The way Unger slowly revealed this aspect, dropping hints before the full revelation, was masterfully done.
My only minor complaint is that some of the secondary friends at the brunch felt underdeveloped - I wanted to know more about their connections to Paul and their potential motives.
Overall, this was exactly the kind of twisty, atmospheric thriller I love - one that made me suspicious of everyone while keeping me genuinely surprised by the reveals. Perfect for anyone who enjoys their psychological thrillers with a dash of the unconventional.

I was very excited to get an advanced copy of Lisa Unger's newest book, Served Him Right. Unfortunately, i DNF this book partially in chapter 2. You knew how the book was going to start and what was going to happen, and I spent that whole chapter screaming at her to get out of the office....I just couldn't do it after the chapter ended, as we knew it would....this was not a winner for me

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book first! I felt like the book was hard to follow and I wasn’t really a fan of the witchy vibes.

I have read a lot of Lisa Unger’s books and they are usually hit or miss for me. This was a hit. Fast-paced with multiple POVs, sometimes difficult to keep track of. But overall, I enjoyed it.

Served Him Right by Lisa Unger due out March 10, 2026....

"Served Him Right” is a psychological thriller that thrives on secrets, family bonds, and the shadows of suspicion. Sisters Anna and Vera, raised under the watchful yet mysterious care of Aunt Agnes, find themselves at the center of a suspenseful storm when Anna’s ex-boyfriend is found dead. Soon after, her closest friend becomes gravely ill, further tightening the web of doubt. The author crafts a narrative full of misdirection and layered tension, leading the reader to question every character’s motives. With a blend of family drama and psychological suspense, this is a novel that keeps you reading and guessing until the very end.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, Lisa Unger and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Vera Blacksmith is the calm, staid older sister, often coming in to rescue Ana, who is seen as more fiery and apt to fly off the handle. Both are sent to live with their aunt Agnes, a master florist, who takes them in when Ana and Vera's father dies, possibly at the hand of their mother Sybil, Agnes' sister. When the ex of Ana shows up dead under malicious circumstances, friends and family of the Blacksmith sisters must quickly mobilize and in this action learn truths that they'd rather keep hidden. Is someone out there intentionally poisoning those that have wronged them and can they be stopped?

The character work in Lisa Unger's latest work is absolutely phenomenal. With multiple POVs (that of sisters Vera and Ana and detective Timothy) we learn so much about the case and the desires that drive each individual. To wit: As main character Vera (one of the two Blacksmith sisters profiled here) calmly explains: "Protecting badly behaved women in my family is my birthright."

Author Unger's prose is sharp and well honed, make this action packed story well paced and exciting.

Served Him Right is a sharp, intriguing look at the way women wield their power in a man's world. The members of The Cove are looked at by some as dangerous witches instead of the natural healers that use natural elements of the earth to heal (and to harm when it's absolutely necessary). 4.25 stars for this well told thriller.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Fast, twisty, and deliciously dark. Unger’s ability to weave complex characters into high-stakes situations makes this read unmissable. The tangled web of lies and betrayals kept me hooked straight through to the end.

I enjoy reading Lisa Unger’s mystery novels and was looking forward to this one also. When Ana invites her sister and friends to a brunch to celebrate her breakup with her boyfriend Paul, they found out Paul was murdered and one of her friends gets ill and hospitalized. Who killed Paul and who poisoned her friend? That is the mystery. Also, Ana, Vera and her friends are all wiccans and called their group the Cove. Not what I expected from this story, but there was enough suspense to keep me reading and a entertaining climax to make it worth it.

Served Him Right by Lisa Unger
Publication date March 10, 2026

Ah, this book had me so excited from the beginning! I am such a fan of Lisa Unger and I usually love her books. But unfortunately this one did not sit right with me.

I was confused most of time. Too many characters, too much messiness.
I don’t think it was the worst book by ANY means; just got a little discouraged by the whole thing.
3.2/5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this Earc. These are all of my personal and honest opinions.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t stick for me. It started off interesting. Even though the beginning wasn’t very original, it still had me coming back for more in hopes of some good storytelling and a good thrill. I didn’t like when the story started to become a bit weird with witchy/supernatural themes. I would have preferred that part of the story be left out and it just be a regular thriller. I also didn’t like any of the characters and found them to be annoying and juvenile at times. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but perhaps someone else will enjoy it. In the future, I hope the author will disclose in the description when she intends to include witchcraft themes in her novel in case it makes some uncomfortable. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and I especially liked the premise. I really liked the witch, potion, etc portion of it. It was different and very interesting. I would recommend this!

Kind of witchy but kind of not and soooo many threads that by the end, I didn't even care who killed who and who did what. Also did not help that all of the characters were deeply unlikable.

“Witch is just another word for a powerful, fearsome woman in control of herself and connect to the earth. It’s a male word, something that justifies the institutional punishment and control of half the species. Because there is nothing more terrifying than than a woman who won’t submit, who has some secret knowledge that can’t be regulated”
Lisa Unger is one of my favorite mystery/ thriller writers and this book not only didn’t not disappoint but far exceeded my expectations! Ana and Vera are sisters whose bond goes beyond anything they can put into words. When Ana breaks up with her ex boyfriend she throws herself an ex-orcism to help get over Paul, only to find out mid brunch her ex was found dead. As rumors of who could have killed Paul circulate their small community rumors of a secret network of women known as The Coven and the sisters connection to it start to swirl. This book was fantastic and I couldn’t wait to read more and more to see how the story unfolded! So beyond grateful for the ARC and was the perfect read for my fall books!

A bunch of girlfriends get together to celebrate one of their friends most recent breakups.
The police show up at their brunch and inform them that this ex-boyfriend was found dead, possibly murdered.

To be honest this was not suspenseful or a thriller to me
it was more a murder mystery with Practical Magic vibes,
it's a very slow burn with not enough going on for me where I did some skimming.
I love Lisa's books and writing but I needed more action vs a story telling mystery.

3.5 stars

This book was so good. Freaking love Lisa Unger books and this one didn’t disappoint. Love the multiple different perspectives of this book and story just flowed together well. Overall another hit by the great Lisa Unger and can’t wait to read this again next year.

Served Him Right is a twisty thriller that kept me hooked from the start. Lisa Unger delivers l believable characters and a fast-moving plot full of secrets and betrayals. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story surprised me again. A quick, read perfect for fans of psychological suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review.