Rewind

"You've already missed the start. To get to the full picture you must rewind the tape and play it through to the end, no matter how shocking..."
Once I read the books description I knew I had to read this as soon as possible and that's exactly what I did. The opening scene planted a seed of underwear and thrill in me that stayed with me throughout the book. I loved the way the chapters were captured with rewind, pause, play and fast forward, taking you from past to present. As for the plot, I thought it was very original and it really was a mix of Psycho and Fatal Attraction in the best ways possible. It was engaged, fast paced and thrilling. I honestly never knew what was going to happen when I turned the page. I found the characters very dynamite and interesting in their own way. I also loved how their relationships slowly began to entertwine as the book progressed. The ending was one not to be believed. I was on the edge of my seat for the last fifty pages. It was a climax that I could not have predicted in a million years and that is what made this book one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. This was extremely well done.

Damn.

This was an addictive and thrilling read from Catherine Ryan Howard. I’m turning into such a huge fan of hers. The Liar’s Girl was really lovely, and Distress Signals hooked me in with the cruise ship premise (anything on a boat, people!) but this book. Wow. I stayed up till after midnight to finish (could not put it down, and I mean that sincerely – it was so difficult to lift my eyes from my Kindle – the pacing was perfect).

Tense, elegantly written and superbly plotted, Rewind takes place in the Instagram-era, when everything we do is curated on screen, for audiences large and small. The novel is told from varying points of view, and shifts both perspective and time in a way that would have been dizzying in the hands of a less accomplished author.

In one part of the tale, a woman is murdered on camera, and the owner of a series of holiday homes watches from the secrecy of his living room, unable to help, horrified when the killer then smashes the lens. How did he know the camera was there?

Natalie O’Connor, Instagram influencer, visits the holiday homes, intent on discovering the key to a mystery she’s trying to solve in her own life – and she disappears.

Desperate to escape the drudgery of click-bait reporting, an Irish journalist traces Natalie’s footsteps into the dark.

In a run-down guest house in Dublin, a woman plots to be with the man she loves – whatever the cost.

Play. Rewind. Fast Forward. Pause. The book swings back and forth, giving small windows into the picture, letting colours bleed through, frames splice together, static recede, until it’s all there, on the big screen, like a crescendo of sound and light – the final, horrifying truth. What it all meant. What it was all for.

Simply ingenious plotting, with a startling twist at the end, and characters I truly empathized with – like I said before, damn. This is a masterful thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate it!

PLAY

Andrew, the manager of Shanamore Holiday Cottages, watches his only guest via a hidden camera in her room. One night the unthinkable happens: a shadowy figure emerges on-screen, kills her, and destroys the camera. But who is the murderer? How did they know about the camera? And how will Andrew live with himself?

PAUSE

Natalie wishes she’d stayed at home as soon as she arrives in the wintry isolation of Shana more. There’s something creepy about the manager. She wants to leave, but she can’t—not until she’s found what she’s looking for …

REWIND

Psycho meets Fatal Attraction in this explosive story about a murder caught on camera. You’ve already missed the start. To get the full picture you must rewind the tape and play it through to the end, no matter how shocking …

WOW. Rewind kept me reading all night. turning the pages at some trance-like speed. right through to the shocking end. This was a crazy read Filled with .jealousy, guilt, misguided chivalry. Mind games. I enjoyed the book and sometimes my mind would overload the whole thing. Very well written.

Thanks for the advance copy of the book Rewind NetGalley.

The manager of Shanamore Holiday Cottages has a dirty secret, he has a camera hidden in his guest room. He wanted an eyeful and he got one when he saw his guest murdered. He’s not sure who the killer is or if he’s aware he was on candid camera. This creepy story is a little bit Psycho and a little bit Scream. 100% riveting

Rewind is a psychological thriller with a twist. The story, chapters, are structured like playback features on a DVD. Play, fast forward, rewind, etc. These features transfer you back and forth in time and to different characters. It's like smaller stories within a larger story. It doesn't begin at the beginning. The plot is intriguing and suspenseful and unpredictable at every turn. I'm reminded again of the ever present yet often overlooked dangers of social media platforms like Instagram. And, characters making bad decisions that lead to worse things. The story moves well, and it's a little confusing at times. Overall, I did enjoy reading this story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Hmmm... This story begins with a horrific murder.

Natalie, is an online "celebrity" on Instagram. Her life is fading after moving house and she is curious about her husband's behavior. Natalie travels to Shanamore Cottages for a "time out" and to quell her curiosity about her husband...

Meanwhile, Audrey, a tabloid reporter who is on the lowest rung of the paper, has nowhere to go but up. Her manager, Joel, gives her a story to pursue. Natalie O'Connor has been missing for a week and her husband just now called the police. Audrey checks Natalie out online and gives Natalie's husband, Mike, a call. He agrees to an interview - this turns out to be more of a coup for her than she imagined.

Rewind; In Shanamore, Natalie meets both Andrew, the cottage's manager, and Richard - a handyman? All of the cottages are deserted. She has to be in cottage #6 - and she is led there by Andrew! Most of the cottages are glass and some mirrors. Strange...

Through a series of rewinds, pauses, and a few fast forwards, spins a riveting tale that is sure to be an enjoyable read for all thriller/suspense book lovers!

Just when you think you have everything all figured out, a twist is in sight !

Many Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a thrilling ride!

You had me at Psycho meets Fatal Attraction as I'm a huge Hitchcock fan! Then I realized I'd read Distress Signals and The Liar's Girl and loved them both so here we go! The premise was interesting as well; start at the end and "rewind" to find out who is stalking Natalie and who killed her at the cottage where she escaped to unravel the mystery of where her husband had been. Because Natalie is an Instagram Influencer, of course it is likely she will have followers who go a little manic, but how does one ever know who is a real friend and who wants to get closer to you believing everything online is not just posed for added fandom? Many suspects including the creepy handyman and Andrew, the manager (who I swear I heard as Norman Bates as I was reading)! Great mystery that sucks you in!

“REWIND” by Catherine Ryan Howard was such a good read! The story begins with the ending and we must “rewind” to unravel the layers which bring us back to that fateful and shocking end.

To begin, we have Natalie, a married instagram “celebrity” who has gone missing, Audrey who is a reporter assigned to look into her disappearance and write a story as well as Andrew, a “Norman Bates” type peeping Tom and caretaker of cottages.

I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book, their individual stories and how everything came together in the end. Good mix of thriller/suspense and the creeps.

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard is an addictive page-turner from the outset, beginning with the murder of Irish Instagram star Natalie O'Connor. In order to discover what led to Natalie's demise, we must 'rewind' to the beginning.

Natalie, seeking answers outside of the realm of social media, finds herself at Shanamore Cottages. The property manager, Andrew, has placed a camera in one of the cottages so that he can spy on unsuspecting guests, which immediately brings to mind the proclivities of one Norman Bates. But when he witnesses a murder in cottage #6, Andrew is terrified that his voyeuristic tendencies will be revealed. But if he is not responsible for Natalie's death, then who is the shadowy and murderous presence in cabin #6?

This is a twisty tale that was fully successful in holding my interest throughout. The break between 'chapters' to delineate past, present, and future events was most effective and pertinent to the advancement of the plot. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC.

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard
Ok this is another one of those books that hops all over making you keep track on what is going on when, usually I am not a fan if this type of book, requires me to think more than just letting the story flow through my mind but I have got to say this story was different, in a good way. Natalie who fears her husband is making her think she is losing her mind, Mike, her husband who doubts what his wife is telling him is happening, throw in a mysterious bill from an out of the way place that he says he has never heard of, add a peeper and a man who prefers his girls young, very young and add a mystery woman stir it all up and you've got one heck of a read! Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this book and give my opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of Rewind.

This is my first book by the author and I enjoyed it.

It begins with the death of a young woman, an Instagram star, and the story rewinds and skips back and forth to show what ultimately led this lady to her tragic death.

I liked the way chapters were titled Pause, Rewind and Play, though it got a little confusing at times, because it brought you out of that particular moment.

There are plenty of despicable characters, men and women alike, and you never feel you can trust anyone, which makes for a more tense read.

The author throws in a credible twist here and there, and it's not hard to suspend disbelief, since parts of this plot sound eerily like something you would read in the papers or see in the news.

The writing is good, though a bit slow paced to build up to certain anxious scenes.

I noticed some characters were developed, yet others, including the main character, weren't fleshed out, which was confusing.

The author seemed to spend more time on the losers than on the good guys, which was kind odd, in my opinion.

Overall, not a bad read.

Natalie O'Connor is a famous Irish Instagram star .... her following is astronomical. She thought her maraige with Mike was ideal. However, suddenly a myriad of random events make her consider the possibility of "another woman" or he was "gaslighting" her into insanity. In search for the truth she feels compelled to investigate a possible link to the remote seaside village of Shanamore. When she checks into the Shanamore Holiday Cottages the proprieter Andrew appears strange or possibly on the spectrum, but actually proves to be a "sicko" As the narrative unfolds it's obvious his psychological development is far from normal. His best qualities appear to be a peeping Tom and abuser of very, very young girls. But, could he be a murderer?
Early on we witness the brutal murder of Natalie throuhg a hidden camera in Cottage #6 .... the shadowy figure is in all black, including the balaclava. The Who and Why are incrimentally alluded to as the narrative unfolds in a rather herky-jerky fashion. The writer utilizes a literary device with the Chapters being structured like a playback feature of a DVR .... rewind, pause, forward, and rewind. I found this awkward and not particularly helpful or enjoyable ... but confusing. Nonetheless the writer proves to be an artful storyteller, capturing and maintaining a suspenseful and unpredictable tale that propels to a riveting and twisted denouement.
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Psycho meets Fatal Attraction meets Pulp Fiction in this riveting novel. This book time hops (the Pulp Fiction part) beginning with the murder of Instagram star Natalie in a cabin at a small resort. Andrew, the resort proprietor, is a sick ticket with a proclivity for filming his guests without their knowledge. He inadvertently records her murder but can't decide what to do with the footage as its very existence implicates him in his crime.

As the story unfolds, we get to meet a handful of truly whackadoo people, any one of which could be responsible for Natalie's demise. This book is a creepfest of enormous proportions, a social media cautionary tale and a great thriller.

I highly recommend!

Thank you to Catherine Ryan Howard, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for giving me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love all things by this author. I have always bee pleases with the plot and the thrill of the next page. Thank you for approving this title for me. Keep them coming

Rewind is a great thriller with a unique style on the chapters. The characters are interesting and the book is well written. I would read more by this author.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley & author.

I really enjoy Catherine Ryan Howard's books. She's a VERY talented writer. The chapters are separated in a very unique way.... rewind, play, and fast forward. The book was well written, the characters are well developed and unique. Rewind is athriller, and you'll definitely be drawn in.

Check this book out!

This was a very interesting and thrilling book. The characters kept it moving at a good pace. I am not familiar with this author but will be looking at more of her books. I recommend reading it.

While many aspects of the thriller genre have become tired and cliche, REWIND doesn't fall into that category. The disjointed narrative technique and creative chapter titles work to heighten the suspense, and the characters' unique money-making ventures are interesting to read about--especially the influencer angle, which is timely and plausible.

The author expertly blends the culturally relevant with the "what if" factor as multiple storylines converge to demonstrate how pervasive suspicion and shame really are.

From its characters to its conflict, REWIND offers thriller fans fresh and absorbing material to devour! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, I have a new-to-me author to follow.

So well written so chili g so tense.The author has written a unique story a book that drew me in from the first pages first horrific scene.Highly recommend.#netgalley #blackstonepublishing.

A great novel, beautiful depiction of the characters with some tense moments thrown into the mix. Will definitely pick more books by this talented author.

Twisting turns, suspense, whodunit, story. What a thrill ride reading this fantastical story about a popular Instagram star, a beautiful woman with thousands of followers. I couldn't help but think about so many people I know, on the internet with a large following that always get some kind of psycho stalking them. This story made me realize how things could and probably have become dangerous for people. But the story weaves flawlessly between different point of views, with an ending that leaves you quiet
satisfied. Intricate detail about each character's personality. It successfully adds just enough information at each segment leaving you in limbo wanting to know more. What a fun ride. The rewind, pause, and so on did confuse me a bit.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook.

Catherine Ryan Howard demonstrates with Rewind why she is Edgar nominated. An engrossing read until the final page!

I really enjoyed this! Kept me on the edge of my seat. I found the chapter titles a little bit confusing. I found myself not really paying attention to that and just figuring out what 'timeline' I was in by what was happening. I thought this was well written and unpredictable. Would definitely recommend!

I loved this book. I love how you got to undercover what happened along with the main character with a couple extra thrown in to keep you guessing. This book was so hard to put down and finished it within a couple days.

Play, Pause, Rewind. The book starts as a Rewind. We know what happens we just don't know why or by who. Andrew, who is a manager at an Inn, likes to watch and videotape his guests, until one night he sees one of his guests killed in their room. The masked killer then turns and goes directly to the camera and removes it. How did they know it was there? The guest that was killed is a "famous' Instragram star who has suspicious that her husband has been unfaithful.. She decides to get away for a few days to see if she can prove it and becomes the victim of a murder.
I had a little bit of a hard time getting into the book and at first found the chapter names a bit confusing.
However, as the story went along I really enjoyed the different style of storytelling. We learn a lot about the characters surrounding our Instragram star and her husband, along with the Inn Manager. The ending was creepy and made for a great thriller. I will definitely check out more by this author.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book for my opinion.

The manager of a remote vacation property witnesses the murder of a guest, thanks to the hidden camera he was using to spy on female occupants of the cottages. This particular creep is only one of a whole cast of unappealing characters participating in slimy activities. The action skips back and forth in time, and the slightly gimmicky chapter headings indicate the relative timing of the various events. A clickbait-writing entertainment “journalist" is finally given a chance to investigate and report on a real story—the disappearance of a well-known social media personality—and she follows the clues to the vacation home where the murder took place. The tenacity and determination of this reporter, who pursues her story even when called off, are appealing, and a number of other characters are equally well-drawn. The plot is twisty and disturbing. It’s only a matter of time before someone makes this one into a movie.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance digital review copy.

Taking a page from a couple of classic thrillers, this one begins violently and was almost too graphic for this gentle bedtime reader. Still, intrigued, I proceeded. Then the well-plotted thriller settles into another classic well-known timeline switch back. Usually, that meant delving into the backstory of another of the main characters. Which also meant a switch of POV and really the storyline carries no major protagonist.

The characters are well-developed, giving us more clues each switch back to the individual. The victim Natalie O'Connor becomes more sympathetic, and Andrew more loathsome. Audrey Coughlan is struggling to find a niché and determines that this is it. Sean, the newly installed, unseasoned garda of the village is appealing.
Indeed, the Cork village itself becomes a character; dark, cold, the people tight and mistrusting, unwilling to share a pint but more than willing to share the latest gossip. Andrew is the manager of Shanamore Holiday Villages, a failed development of exclusively odd cottages; Icky Dickie, who should have moved on.

Natalie, a major Irish Instagram personality has disappeared. Audrey is looking for the story and finds herself in the same unit as Natalie. Working through the timeline, the reader is gradually caught up to present day and conclusion, which has snuck in quietly and without a whimper. We knew who it was all along but needed the full explanation and reveal. Also it was necessary to wait for Audrey and the police to ferret out the truth, dropping crumbs and red herrings along the way, to finally name the heinous antagonist(s).

It's a tale about privacy given away, truth bent for stats, perhaps too freely in social media, and the following the media attracts. It is an intense and engaging, fast-paced suspense-filled thriller. I was given the ARC download by the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for any who enjoy a disturbing thriller. 4.5/5 stars

After taking a hiatus from reading, I am glad I was afforded the opportunity to start back with an interesting and exciting read like Rewind. I do admit, I was a little thrown off by the change in perspective of different characters and the constant change in timeline but after getting 1/3 through the book,I was a pro and easily handled the shifting narrative. Many people may not like the idea of a book going back and forth in time to reveal important details of the plot piece by piece, but I feel this is what made the book so exhilarating and engaging. The plot never felt dull and kept me intrigued to find out the big picture in the end. I loved how unpredictable the ending was due to the way the book was written. I was forced to stop making terrible guesses and just enjoy wherever the book decided to take me in the end, which was really refreshing for a change.
I think this book would be a great addition to anyone's summer reading, as once you begin, it's difficult to put down without finishing. Rewind is easy to get into, fast paced, and the ending will leave you feeling satisfied. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Wow!!! A 5 plus star read for me, but I absolutely love the more disturbing books! This book was so intense, thrilling, shocking, and chilling; but also descriptive in the subject matter, which some might not enjoy. If you enjoy the demented books, check this one out, you WILL NOT REGRET IT!
Will make sure to highly recommend in Chapter Chatter Pub!

Take one measure of what could be a predictable domestic thriller, add in a splash of creepy voyeurism, and mix well with a wildly split timeline. Serve over a quaint backdrip of the Irish countryside, a look at clickbait journalism, and the world of Instagram influencers. That's what you're getting with Rewind.

The driving force (the murder mentioned in the plot synopsis) starts immediately. From there, the books jumps around in time so many times that you would this Tarantino had a hand in the writing. That's not a slight against the book; it proves to make it far more satisfying.

My only minor gripe was that I had a hard time trying to figure out how the chapter titles fit within the realm of the overall timeline, but eventually just realized that thinking of events as relative to each other was best.

Beyond the fractured timeline, the writing is excellent. There are a ton of characters and the vast majority have their own minor side plots. However, I think all are handled well and not too over or under detailed - the rare Goldilocks of sub plotting. All plots (including the twisty main narrative) are fleshed out in their entirety by the end, which is also unheard of in this day and age of franchise bait.

This is the third or fourth book in a row I got from NetGalley that I have absolutely loved. I've got one more before I clear out my To Read shelf, and the bar has been set extremely high. Be sure to check this one out.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A woman is murdered in a vacation rental cottage and it is captured on tape by the strange guy that runs the place. From there the story goes backward and forward about what lead her to be at that place and who murdered her.

This was a 4.5 star for me. I thought the back and forth and the shear number of characters introduced would be too much to keep straight and I wouldn’t enjoy it but I did enjoy it. I thought the ending was solid and feasible. I liked it a lot.

Thank you to the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
How can any thriller lover not want to read a book with the following description:
“Psycho meets Fatal Attraction in this explosive story about a murder caught on camera”?
This book lives up to its description, it was an original, unique, clever, creepy and highly addictive thriller.
This is the 1st book that I have read by Catherine Ryan Howard and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.
I highly recommend this book.

WOW!!!!! My mind is blown after finishing this story. I literally could not put this down and already plan to re-read it. I must admit that I was very confused at first because I was gathering pieces of a story from all over the place literally in terms of location and with various characters and literally in terms of time of occurrence of events. However, DO NOT let that put you off of this story. I don't want to give away too much for fear that I will ruin it for readers, but I must say that is absolutely worth the confusion you feel at first as the story begins to play out and you get more and more of the events that have occurred. I was just certain I had it "all figured out" multiple times and then some new information or plot twist would come my way and I would be left feeling as though I was completely wrong all over again! I do not mean that as a criticism, but as an extreme compliment! The writing is genius and the concept by which this was written is not only thoroughly engaging for the reader but completely captivating in every sense! What a fun, yet dark and mysterious read this is!! HIGHLY recommend!!

If you like mystery/psychological thrillers and are looking for a quick read, this is a great one to pick up!

The thing that really makes "Rewind" stand out is its formatting. As a Kindle book, it was a bit difficult to really get into the how the author juggled the story line. She uses the header "rewind" to talk about the past, "fast forward" to talk about the future, and "play/pause" for the present. She flips back and forth between these, so the story is not told in a linear fashion. As an ARC copy with some formatting issues, it wasn't as easy to view these subheaders, which led to a few confusing moments. Yet, I'm sure that it will be corrected for the final proof and the back-and-forth of it is what really made it stand out. If the story was told in regular time, it wouldn't have been nearly as suspenseful.

Unfortunately, I didn't really like any of the characters. Four stars because the mystery itself was interesting and the pacing was spot-on for a psychological thriller. Also, this takes place in Ireland- I love 'traveling' to other countries! There were a few completely unpredictable moments that I enjoyed, but of course, don't want to spoil. Catherine Ryan Howard really thought this through, and I'm very happy with how everything pulled together in the end.

A satisfying read! Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced readers copy of this book.

Good suspense set in Cork County, Ireland.

The novel started with a video of a murder. Little by little the author brings the reader the 5 W’s. The first is Where. We learn that pretty quickly. But then we’re left with When? Who? What? And Why? All the action takes place in just a few days so it’s not a matter of skipping back and forth several decades or generations. However, the reader does need some background.

The really unique thing about this novel from Catherine Ryan Howard (who is new to me) is the layout (for lack of a better description) and manner in which she utilized flashbacks. The video in the opening scene was critical to the plot. Each new chapter was entitled by a command for viewing a video: fast forward, rewind, pause, play, etc.

I really enjoyed this and will look for other books written by CR Howard.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

WOW!!! What a creepy, suspenseful read this was! I read this in two sittings. It is told in a very unique style... Play, Pause, Fast Forward, and Rewind. It starts off with the video of a murder. And as the story unfolds there are some unsavory characters doing some very unsavory things. I couldn’t wait to see how the mystery unfolded. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!!

Rewind is a psychological thriller. There were plenty of plot twists that kept me wondering how the story would end. I will definitely be reading more books written by Catherine Ryan Howard.

My thoughts:

At first, I was unsure if I would like this book. The first chapter describes a bloody and vicious murder on a sleeping woman, all captured on a hidden camera. Honestly, I dislike opening with such violence before I know or care about either character. Even then, I understood that Howard had a master plan and that there were valid, good reasons for this opening, but it was still a risky strategy. My notes mentioned this, adding, Hope the payoff is worth it.

I’ll tell you straight out: it was worth it.

Here’s why:

1. That strategic opening

As I’d suspected, this opening was strategic. It’s the event that every other event revolves around.

The chapters are labelled rewind, pause, fast-forward, and play. The narrative skips around in time. Sometimes it fast-forwards into the future, presumably after the death. At other times, it rewinds into the past before the killing. Then it plays, once more, bringing us closer to the central events. And sometimes, it pauses to dwell on a particular character.

It was difficult for me to judge the effectiveness of the labels. Reading an e-book on my smart phone sometimes does strange things to manuscript formatting. (Not anyone’s fault. It just happens. Occupational hazard.)

But the changes in time are effective at building suspense. She knew exactly when to cut away from a scene, at the exact moment when I didn’t want it to end, and force me to fast-forward or rewind or pause. And of course, I kept reading. I had a migraine and I’d read the ending first (as I always do), but I still had to keep reading Rewind.

2. The perception versus reality theme

Another thing I loved was how Howard used Instagram-era obsessions.

Natalie is revealed as a social media junkie. She judges scenery by its potential for Instagram-worthy shots, gets the jitters without her phone, and knows the exact moment when she lost her signal. She’s absolutely lost without the internet. She judges all “real” things by their Internet counterpart: her walking time versus Google maps’ estimate, the scenery of Shanamore versus the images of it on the web.

No surprise, though. She’s a rising micro-influencer on Instagram with thousands of devoted and sometimes crazy followers. She makes a living off the differences between perception and reality.

Many of the characters use this, though each has different motivations. Audrey is a tabloid reporter for an online paper’s entertainment section. Actually, it’s clickbait articles, the type that exploits our cultural need to know exactly what our celebrities are doing, complete with lots of innuendo and lies.

Andrew, of course, is caught by his addiction to watching hidden camera images.

Even the architecture reminds us of a curated reality. When Natalie checks into Shanamore Cottage No. 6, she notes the floor to ceiling windows and the contrast between the inside’s neutral tones and the outside’s vivid colors. It is “as if the floor-to-ceiling windows were screens and some amazing filter had artificially enhanced the view” (Chapter titled “Rewind 0:00:20”).

Note the irony that it’s nature that appears artificial, not the decorated living room.

3. A creeping sense of dread

Howard is good at developing a sense of impending doom. Dread creeps throughout the lines. The book feels claustrophobic, with the characters trapped in a warped reality that blurs with perceptions, even when describing the vast world of the internet. The plotting is well-paced.

4. Realistic and sympathetic characters

I liked Audrey immediately. She’s being forced to find a new place to live in less than a month, her job pays almost nothing, and her ambitions outsize her experience. When she begins investigating Natalie’s disappearance, it’s obvious that she’s out of her depth and feels awkward interviewing others. But she’s smarter than others think. I sympathized with her, even though she’s exploiting Natalie’s disappearance to gain website clicks and further her career.

It took a while to warm up to Natalie, more for personal reasons than anything else. But once I did, I felt sorrow at how her life has turned out.

5. And some creepy characters

Richard Flynn, Shanamore Cottages’ “handyman” with a tendency to ignore personal space conventions. Jennifer, a bed-and-breakfast manager, whose love for a married man is outsized only by her arrogance.

And then there’s Andrew.

It might sound strange to feel sympathetic toward Andrew. Most readers will hate him, I think, and understandably so. He’s a disgusting, evil person. But he also knows that he’s disgusting, even when he tries to justify his immoral actions. (Which he knows aren’t justifiable.) He isn’t sure how to live with himself, either. That small degree of self-knowledge and remorse saves him from being a caricature. And that’s what made my loathing for him tinged with sympathy.

This was a thrilling read. It’s guaranteed to keep you reading. It might also make you rethink your social media accounts (or at least what you share on them).

Thanks again to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Note: This review will appear on my blog on August 19, 2019: meredithrankin.com/rewind-catherine-ryan-howard, and I will link that on Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/meredithrankin4/)

4.5 STARS

Has anyone else watched that movie Bad Times at the El Royale? Personally, I adore that film, and its similarities to this book could be why I enjoyed reading Rewind so thoroughly. Sure, the plots are completely different, but both feature a large cast that jumps around in the timeline given, and someone dies in a hotel room that features hidden cameras. While Rewind doesn't feature Chris Hemsworth's glorious bare abs and low riding jeans, it DOES have an immediate tension that holds true from start to finish.

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MOVING ON.

This book is, at heart, a murder mystery, but it is told in such a clever way. The beauty of Rewind is that, even though I had most of the twists figured out before the reveals, it did not detract one bit from my overall enjoyment of the novel. It could be because there were still a few twists that took me off guard, but I think the likeliest explanation is that Catherine Ryan Howard can write a flipping good book. It feels like she knows how to play off of the readers emotions by keeping that thread of suspense engaged at full capacity, where we aren't really hanging on for the whodunnit, but the sheer terror of knowing what's coming and not being able to do a dang thing to stop it. My friends, when an author can keep their audience engaged without having to tout "a super humongous massive enormous twist that you won't see coming", you know they have genuine talent. Highly recommended to those readers looking for a lightning fast read that you'll find impossible to put down.

What a unique, twisted, dark and captivating book I just finished! I love the "Movie" aspect of Rewind, but I honestly did not want to hit "stop". A true page turning thriller.

We start the book with what seems to be a very brutal murder caught on camera, but what follows is the "rewind", "pause", and "fast forward" of the story that introduces us to all the players involved, past and present. And you can't get enough of the small town characters and the crime that took place. Trust me. From the husband, to the IG influencer to the cottage manager to the reporter and everyone in between, everyone is a crucial part of the story and you are going to want to pay close attention if you want to figure out the outcome. A bit Fatal Attraction with a side of Psycho? .... I was hooked!

Even though I figured out (or had a good idea of) the culprit early on, I was still fully invested in the story and the connections between each character. Because those connections weren't laid out for us until the last 20% or so. And some of them were crazy threads connecting each person to each other. Some of the "rewind" and "pause" numbers on the "tape" (chapters) left me a little confused, but I bet if I were to have written them down, it may have made a little more sense. But that did NOT hinder how much I enjoyed the small town thriller and the way this story played out.
It was a perfect blend of a character driven story with a setting that seemed almost tangible. Some parts were uncomfortable to read, but tantalizing at the same time. This would be an entertaining book to see on the big screen....if you like thrillers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley.

Rewind is a psychological thriller with a twist. The story, chapters, are structured like playback features on a DVD. Play, fast forward, rewind, etc. These features transfer you back and forth in time and to different characters. It's like smaller stories within a larger story. It doesn't begin at the beginning. The plot is intriguing and suspenseful and unpredictable at every turn.

This story was great with so many different characters intersecting to set the stage for what happens. Every time you think you have it all figured out, some new piece of information is introduced to keep you on your toes. I really enjoy this book and definitely recommend for when you have time to jump into a book you won't be able to stop until you finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read an ARC or Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard.

Rewind grabbed my attention for the beginning and never let go. This book was written in an unique way and it worked! It had me guessing how it was going to end the whole way through. This was my first book by Catherine Ryan Howard and I can't wait to read another one.

I finished this book yesterday and I wanted to write the review as soon as possible..... But I also wanted to put it off, because I feel like when this review is done then I am officially done with the book. And I loved the book and don't want to move on so soon. Haha. Which really tells me, and I believe you as well, something about this book. I absolutely LIVE for books like this. The ones that leave you in a book hangover, where you need time to really process everything you've read and what you've found out in this book, and Rewind was definitely one of those books.



This is my second novel by Catherine Ryan Howard (the first was Distress Signals, which you can read my review of HERE) and I loved her first one I read, so I was really excited when I got the opportunity to read Rewind. This book did not disappoint at all. It had the same suspense/thriller arc as the last novel of hers I read, which I loved. Catherine Ryan Howard does suspense so well, and I hope she never stops because I have really fallen in love with her books and how she writes. This book was so different, and I enjoyed how it jumped not only to different POVs but also different places at different times, and it didn't bring everything together until the very end. At first I had a pretty good idea of what had happened, but then that changed about midway through, and then at the end I was left with my jaw on the ground realizing that even when I knew, I didn't know. Such a great roller coaster ride, and I wish I could go on it again for the first time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!

4 STARS!!

This is my second novel by Catherine Ryan Howard and it did not disappoint! I love how all the characters had their own POV but everything was intertwined so neatly! This is one rollercoaster ride of a “whodunit” thriller!!

I would definitely recommend this novel to thrill seekers and suspense lovers!

WOW! The story is an unusual setting for a murder that sets a fast pace in the first chapter and carries through to the last one. It combines so many differing "views" of the crime that you'll have to pay close attention to keep track of who is watching who. The premise of a murder caught on film where you can view it over and over to see all the small details is very unique. The way the video is shared is startling. I'd love to know how Catherine Ryan Howard got the idea for this book. It really is an unexpected thriller.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

I received an advanced digital galley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for the chance to read and review!

REWIND by Catherine Ryan Howard begins with a gripping scene, a woman is seen sleeping unaware that there is someone looming over her in the dark. As the reader we witness her murder and apparantly so does someone else because the opening concludes with the killer destroying a camera recording the whole thing. From here, REWIND takes the reader on a journey, rewinding to prior events and fast forwarding to events yet to play out . There are no typical chapter numbers, but instead each jump in the story is marked with your typical symbols for rewind, fast-forward, pause, etc. along with time stamps.

There's Andrew, the manager of the Shanamore Holiday Cottages in Ireland where this event has taken place. He's the guy watching behind the camera, but he's clueless as to who the masked figure is and how they knew the camera was even there. There's Natalie, an Instagram influencer who's used to living in the spotlight but now trying to fly under the radar. There's Audrey, a reporter who doesn't typically follow the real news, but she senses there's a story behind Natalie's Instagram hiatus.

I hadn't read anything by Catherine Ryan Howard, but she has received a lot of acclaim, including a Edgar Award nomination for Best Novel on her last book, THE LIAR'S GIRL. The premise and the author made me very excited to pick this one up and I was not disappointed! The opening of the book immediately had me hooked and I couldn't tear myself away from the story to determine what exactly happened!

I would say that the jumps in time caught me a little off guard in the beginning. I wasn't sure how much attention I needed to be paying to the timestamps given (i.e., Fast-Forward 0:00:44 vs. Rewind 0:00:17), but I realized that if I just paid attention to the story, it was easy enough to get into the pace. I would say that if you are a reader that wants things to happen sequentially and do not enjoy time jumps, this likely isn't the book for you!

Overall, I found the mystery compelling and the story very engaging. Some things I saw coming (I mean, you do get the murder in the first couple of pages), but there were little elements of the story that the author dropped in that kept me guessing on how the different timelines would all meet up!

You will want to check out REWIND when it releases on 9/3/2019! For me, I will be adding Catherine Ryan Howard's prior novels to my TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Ms. Catherine Ryan Howard for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "Rewind"

Publishing September 3, 2019
🌟🌟🌟🌟

A pulse pounding story that you can't put down.

Irish Instagram star "Natalie" is missing. Last seen staying at Shanamore Cottages.

Her husband "Mike" is appealing to the public for help in finding his beloved wife.

Audrey, young Irish journalist who is hot for her own bi-line, investigates Natalie's disappearance.

In an age of social media and instant gratification, everyone is weighing in on where Natalie might be.

This is the Natalie's story told through numerous windows of time by characters who are dysfunctional, self absorbed and seriously creepy.

Play: Natalie rents a cottage in the Irish Countryside

Pause: It's a creepy place and Natalie definitely regrets going here but she needs to know. She has to know.

Rewind: Mind games, half truths and jealousy...Wait, what just happened?

Fast Forward: More lies, horrible choices and explosive hatred...
Oh! Didn't see that coming!

Plot twisting from "play", this is one psychological thriller not to be missed.

Well Played Ms. Catherine Ryan Howard!

In Rewind, a creepy inn proprietor in a desolate seaside resort town has been recording his guests, while an Instagram star has begun to suspect her husband of cheating on her at that very inn. When she spontaneously drives there to collect evidence, she steps into the cross hairs of a killer, exposing secrets of the town's residents along the way.
This book moved along nicely, I loved the Irish seaside setting, and the ending was satisfying without being too out there.

Rewind is a crazy thriller that will keep readers needing to read until they find out the truth or fiction.

The murder mystery jumps around in time as well as person to person but is able to keep readers focused on what is happening keeping them from getting lost. The author is able to keep readers hooked even while jumping time lines as well as person to person. The story jumps off the pages as did the did the movies Bad Times at the El Royaled did for movie goes. The story is a amazing story to that has this readers wanting more from Catherine Ryan Howard.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Corvus for the advance copy of Catherine Ryan Howard Rewind.

Four let’s PLAY to read moving story reminds us so much the movie “Bad Times at the El Royale”, a creepy hotel located out of nowhere, a suspicious, gives you chills kind of WTH is wrong with the hotel manager, rooms designed for BIG BROTHERS’ stalking desires and PAUSE we have a live video of murder at one of these hotel rooms and REWIND: let’s find out who did it STARS!!!

PROS ABOUT THIS book:

-Moving back and forth between past and present and sometimes we stop to take some restroom breaks. Okay kidding, we’re paused because we need to create a small bridge which connects past and present on our minds to understand more about the murder and solve the mystery. If you keen on mind bending, head hurting stories, you gotta put all pieces together to make sense of the story like Memento starts with its ending and Pulp Fiction ends in the first half of the movie when Bruce Willis rode his bike and says his memorable line: “Zed is dead baby!”, this book is a gem for you! Just concentrate, keep attention alive, it’s totally worth it!

- Creepy Andrew gives us Norman Bates vibes (small spoil his BFF is not his momma), Natalie acted like Janet Leigh, because she’s hiding something. She’s an Instagram star, at first we don’t know the reason why she chose to stay this place! But then somebody breaks into her room. And …nope she didn’t get stabbed in the shower when the eerie music was blaring to bleed our ears. But it still gives you shivers!
-
Multiple times to be PLAYED PAUSED REWOUND might be exhausting experience but don’t worry, it’s a whodunit book. There are not many surprises or unexpected twists, mouth gaping, shocking revelations at the end! I know it’s also a “cons” for a cynical a septic kind of reader like me. But at least it saves you from more burning cells and smoke coming out from your head.

CONS:
There are so similarities with Bad Times At Royal but we didn’t see Chris Hemsworth dancing performance with Deep Purple’s Hush kind of entertaining sequences which would be more encouraging for the readers to stick to the story. At some parts you may catch some lazy writing which make you lose interest about what’s going on! (I used those parts as my PAUSE PARTS and took my coffee breaks)

SUMMARY:
Writing technique is good, smart, attention catcher.

The characters are a little dull. At some parts pacing gets slower and the ending is mediocre.

But the references to my favorite movies, the beginning of the story and the balanced usage of mystery elements are satisfying.

I read better thrillers but I mostly liked this one because of trying something different based on great references.

Thanks to Corvus and Netgalley to send me ARC COPY of this great book in exchange my honest review.

I received a free ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Great story, but it is hard to figure out just what is going on for the first few chapters. You feel like you are jumping around, and the backstory doesn't come out right away. However the plot, characters, and story is very intriguing and captivating. Really enjoyed the overall plot.

Hitchcock like thriller! Excellent story told from several points of view. Moves back and forth in time centering around a horrific event that is at the center of this book. Relentlessly creepy story of an Instagram influencer, a voyeur, and a town full of nosy locals and how their paths cross. Fantastic book that is impossible to put down.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Love the title and I love the format of the book. The story is told on rewind, but also fast forward, play etc.

Its another cautious tale on technology and social media. I always enjoy when the books start off with the murder and then the story plays backwards (hence the title!)

I've always enjoyed Catherine Ryan Howard's books and this one is no exception!

Rewind is a fast paced thriller told through multiple view points. The story is told almost like a DVD- play, rewind, fast forward, etc which was a unique and interesting concept. It did however, make it a little confusing at times (as well as the number of points of view it was told from). However, I enjoyed the story overall. With the number of players involved I do think it impacted character development and I would have liked to learn a bit more about various characters. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An extremely addicting murder mystery. It takes sometime getting used to the jumping back and forth in time, but the mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This is a very suspenseful and kind of complicated book as it is done in a then and now format with several different plots and characters to follow. It was fascinating and really creepy at times. Natalie is an Instragram success and she suspects her husband, Michael, might be cheating on her. She goes to Shanamore Cottages to spend a couple of nights of nights to try and find out if he had been there previously with another woman. The cottages are managed by Andrew who is creepy and has his own problems. Meanwhile, Audrey is living with her sister Dee and needs to find her own place. Audrey is a reporter and ends up doing an article about Natalie disappearing. There are lots of twists and turns along with some creepy characters which adds to this very suspenseful story. Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishers for the ARC of this really good book.

A riveting thriller that kept my interest through out the book. Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars from me!

I really liked this book. I went into this read with no previous knowledge of it or preconceived ideas and I really enjoyed it. The pace and the writing were captivating and kept me engaged.

Catherine Ryan Howard gave the mystery/thriller plot a serious twist with this book. The creep factor went up exponentially when you think about staying in hotel or rental house and wonder if anyone is watching. What would you do if you were the voter and caught a horrific crime? This book jumped back and forth, with time before, and after the crime, and with characters. There were so many little connections that came back to be bigger parts of the puzzle. The "who" and "why" were both things I didn't see coming!

This is the first book I have read by Catherine Howard and I will definitely be looking to read more by her. The vivid descriptions of the settings really lets your imagination take you there and the characters are well-written and able to imagine and you might even know some of them in your life. It was a suspenseful plot told through different perspectives.

I think that the description comparing this book as Psycho meets Fatal Attraction is spot on! This book has a "Bates Motel" vibe to it that I just loved. Andrew is very much a Norman Bates type character. The author has written this thriller in quite a unique manner instead of just going back and forth in the past and the future its written as Rewind, Fast Forward, pause etc. The story actually begins with a gruesome murder - then you have to go back in time (Rewind) and Forward in time (Fast Forward) to find out what is going on. Overall this was an intriguing read for me although I did get just a bit confused in parts and had to reread sections. My first book by this author and i will look forward to reading her again.

Instagram influencer Natalie O'Connor has a beautiful house in Dublin, a seemingly happy marriage to Mike Kerr, and a lifestyle she loves.
So why does she walk away from it all to stay at Shanamore Holiday Cottages, a remote off-season tourist retreat?
Andrew Gallagher is the creepy manager at the cottages. A voyeur with hidden cameras set up in the rooms. As he watches, a dark figure enters the room and attacks the sleeping woman. The murder is bloody and savage.
Then the killer goes directly to the hidden camera and destroys it!
Audrey Coughlan, a wanna-be reporter is consumed with Natalie's disappearance. After interviewing Mike, she heads off to the cottages to investigate.
The story is told in a unique viewpoint with chapters of PLAY, PAUSE, FAST-FORWARD and REWIND, going forward and backward in time.
A menacing atmosphere with eerie characters and a chilling narrative about the pitfalls of social media.
This twisty thriller will keep you guessing!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the e-ARC via NetGalley.

This was quite an interesting way of writing a murder mystery, where the chapters had play, pause, rewind, and fast-forward as its headings.

Instagram influencer Natalie seemed to have everything, yet she walked away from all of her happy life to stay at Shanamore Holiday Cottage which had a creepy manager. He was a voyeur with hidden cameras where he witnessed a figure killing the woman.
A reporter Audrey wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery of the Natalie's disappearance. She headed to these cottages to find out the truth.

Author Catharine Howard has written a thrilling book which shocked me not only in its innovative format but also the way the story unfolded. The suspense was intense where the creepiness took me by a surprise. I loved the way the author had connected the different jigsaw pieces to make a creepy picture. That made me keep tapping at my kindle till the very end...

This book had me captivated from the blurb. This was a shockingly well written book that makes you never want to stay somewhere again. The characters and plot made me read this book in one night. The way the author built up the suspense and the twists held me until the end. This will not be the last book that I read by this author, she is added to my one click list. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

I received a free e-copy of Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard from NetGalley for my honest review.

Wow, wow, wow!!! This book is a pulse pounding and thrilling read that is straight up addicting.

Natalie, a young and famous social media influencer is missing. Audrey, a journalist is researching and looking for the truth in what happened to her. Audrey follows up on a tip of Natalie going to Shanamore in County Cork. Why would Natalie go to this very creepy cottage? Then there is Mike, Natalie's husband and the secrets he is hiding while at the same time pleading to the public to help find his fine.

Then there is Andrew, the very creepy manager of the Shanamore Holiday Cottages, who has witnessed his only guest get murdered through his spy camera.

I don't want to give anything else away but you absolutely need to read this book. It is amazing, it's clever and well just bloody brilliant!

I loved how Natalie's story is told through all the different characters in this book. Some very creepy characters at that.

A twisty thriller that will have you flipping pages to fly through the story. Fast paced, engaging, twisty.

I love a good murder mystery. I especially liked how the constant jumping back and forth through the timeline added to the intrigue. Definitely not a book you’re going to want to put down.

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

An awesome whodunit with a broken timeline? Yes and yes. Gripping, pulse quickening at a fast clip. Excellent read to check out from reality with.

5 out of 5 stars. Recommended reading.