
Member Reviews

I was immediately drawn into this story. The plot was unsettling yet incredibly captivating, keeping me on the edge of my seat. I found it impossible to put down, and the shocking conclusion left me completely stunned.

What a read! A seriously dark read with an absolutely abhorrent main character! A fast paced, chilling story that does not hold back. A truly terrifying plot of evil and/or crazy at its worst.

I was hooked from the very beginning. What a disturbing but thrilling ride this was! I could not put it down. And the ending had my mouth left hanging open. Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me this copy.

John Marrs can literally do no wrong for me. I will forever purchase every one of his books and will read them immediately. The best thrillers with the best twists and this book didn't disappoint. This one was dark and intense, but I ate it up!

I’m a huge John Marrs fan and I was excited to read this one and yet again it’s a stunner…until you have to suspend all of your disbelief.
Obviously it’s a very dark plot and Laura is largely appalling to read, which is mated by beautiful writing.
I would have loved this book was it not for the implausibility but this is definitely a great book for those a little more imaginative than I.

I have to admit, John Marrs just isn't an author for me. This is my fourth book by him, and while I still find his writing a bit too sensational and his plots sometimes strain credulity, The Good Samaritan is the one I've disliked the least. It’s a solid thriller with a truly unsettling premise, but it doesn't quite land a five-star rating.
The book follows Laura, a deeply disturbed woman who works on a suicide hotline, and Ryan, a widower trying to understand why his pregnant wife took her own life. This dual narrative structure is where the book shines. Laura is a genuinely chilling character, and Marrs does a decent job of getting into her psyche, though her motives sometimes feel a little underbaked. The cat-and-mouse game between her and Ryan is the driving force, and it’s where the tension really builds.
Where the book stumbles for me is in its execution. The plot, while clever, relies on a few too many convenient coincidences and moments that stretch belief. A few of the twists felt more shocking than earned. That said, I found myself turning the pages quickly, eager to see how it all played out. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with a dark, twisted heart, you'll probably enjoy this more than I did. It's a gripping read, even if it didn't fully win me over.

This was such an interesting premise!
Laura works for a suicide help line but instead of talking people down from the ledge her aim is to make sure they step of it.
The first part of the book is from Laura’s POV and then switches to the POV of the husbands of one of the people she has ‘helped’
This book was dark and twisty and kept me hooked throughout.
Definitely something different and worth a read!

The Good Samaritan is dark, chilling and unputdownable!
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

I must say John Marrs is one of my favourite authors, his story lines are so unique. This story was no exception I thoroughly enjoyed it!!!

Note: I was approved for the audiobook as well, and this is the same review/feedback
WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?? Oof that was one crazy fantastic ride! If you're ever in need of help or hope, you better pray you don't get Laura on the other end of the phone.
Also, I REALLY hope there i a sequel in the works because....GRRRRRRR!!!! IYKYK

I usually really like John Marrs, but I found that I had to suspend belief quite a lot with this book. It did keep me entertained and the subject was super heavy. It also showed how trauma can alter a person completely, but wow I couldn't stand any of the characters and everyone was unreliable which is what made the book a good read.

Thank you John Marrs, Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing (UK) and NetGalley for the copy! This book follows a woman who works for a phone line that provide a non-judgemental listening ear for those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts. Her warped intentions are not always for the good of the person. Partway through the book it becomes a dual narration between her and one of her callers. this is a very dark book that keeps you guessing and always feeling a little uneasy. As always, John Marrs kept me captivated and entertained.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted copy of this novel!
I went into this one almost completely blind, just knowing that I am a fan of this author’s writing. I was immediately hooked by the unique premise of this novel, and only put it down because of other obligations. This one is twisty, fast-paced, and highly bingeable. I was invested in the main characters, despite and flaws, and did not see any of the twists coming. With the most recent release, the author added a chapter, to which set this book apart from the rest even more. I would definitely recommend checking out any relevant trigger warnings in this novel before picking it up, as there are some dark concepts discussed, but otherwise highly recommend this book!

Loved it the first time I read it, enjoyed it even more the second time! The plot is so simple but so brilliant, and the extended newly added epilogue really contributed to the story line.

This author is a GENUIS! I love the way he writes and every book I have read which now is most of them have just left me speechless, just like his re-written book called The Good Samaritan by John Marrs. Now, this book was another 5 ⭐️ read and I loved it especially as I ended up reading it in one sitting just like I did when it first came out back in 2017. But, this book has a bonus chapter - an exclusive epilogue; and this was excellent! 👌
The Good Samaritan was a disturbing book but I loved the way everything came together and I could not turn the pages over to read what happens next. very addictive
I highly recommend this book especially if you have read it before or your first time reading it...... the exclusive epilogue was mind blowing and excellent. . . . . Superb read! 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
💙 💙 The Good Samaritan now returns with a fresh new cover. This version incorporates an exclusive epilogue; while this enhances the reading experience, the main narrative is unchanged from earlier editions. 💙 💙

The Good Samaritan by John Marrs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Holy mother of all thrillers, this was such a wild ride.
Meet suicide hotline volunteer Laura; who brings in home baked good for everyone in the office and is the perfect mother and wife. Under the facade, is Laura who encourages callers to end their life. She has a sick fascination in “helping” them achieve their goal and take their last breath. Things go wrong after she agrees to “assist” yet another lost soul, and this time in person.
OMG! Laura is a wicked lady. John Marrs knows how to write such a despicable character. Absolutely loved it

I could not stop reading! The Good Samaritan is about Laura, a woman that volunteers at the End of the Line hotline. Her role is to be a supportive person to anyone who calls and provide a safe space for callers to express themselves, without judgement. But she uses the hotline as her hunting grounds. She manipulates vulnerable, suicidal callers and gives them that extra push to end their lives.
When Ryan’s pregnant wife kills herself, he starts to unravel the truth behind her death and come face to face with Laura. He is onto her and does everything he can to stop her. Laura, scared of being exposed and losing her family, will not go down without a fight.
Wow, what an incredible read! This book was filled with so many twists and turns. I enjoyed the dual POVs because it revealed more details about each character’s motives. John Marrs did an amazing job writing such a disturbing character with Laura. If you like dark psychological thrillers, this one's for you!
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK | Thomas & Mercer, for the ARC of this revised edition.

What did I just read? This story gripped me from the beginning, and I wasn’t quite able to predict where it would go. Laura is crazy, and I had to know what was going to happen next. I definitely enjoyed the journey Marrs took me throughout the book. I would definitely recommend this book to others, but I would recommend checking trigger warnings before due to the sensitive subject of the book.

Thanks to @netgalley, the author @johnmarrs.author, and the publishers for a copy of this newly formatted book!
I can't believe it has taken me so long to read any of John's books, but I am now hooked!
I couldn't put this book down, it had me totally engrossed, especially the second half of the book. It was dark and psychologically manipulative. I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did!

This was really good! It took awhile to get in to it- and to be honest I wasn't sure it was for me, at first. I held on and about 20% of the way through I was like.- ohhhh now I'm interested.
One thing i absolutely love about John Marrs is that his books are original. They aren't popcorn thrillers that you go through and think, "ok, next!" This was definitely a well thought out plot and didn't use "twists," for the sake of having a plot twists. There were definitely twists and this story is absolutely twisted but they never seemed like drops for shock factor. They were well thought out crescendos that smacked you in the side of the head when you weren't looking. They were also somewhat believable in an unbelievable story. JM definitely had me engrossed. I don't think I've read a book of his I didn't like.
I'm a true thriller reader to my core (and all my life) and this book made my dark heart beat a little faster in more than one part. There are very few thrillers that do that to me. A true author can achieve this even without jaw dropping bombs. Not that my jaw wasn't dropped!
Laura considers herself a savior. A "freer of lost souls," if you will. Volunteering for a suicide help line, Laura can't help to exercise her talents. Laura "helps," those who wish to end their lives. One day a caller asks her to be with him person as he crosses over. Laura is torn but eventually agrees. That's where the story takes off. As you can imagine chaos ensues.
I just loved how JM worked the unreliable narrator piece in. I feel like it was a bit more original than other authors attempting the same. I can't wait to read more of John Marrs! Thank you for an added bonus chapter at the end! This book has left me feeling an immense need for revenge 😂⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you @netgalley @amazonpublishingUK for a copy of this jem. All my reviews are unbiased.