Marisa Walz announces herself as a formidable new voice in psychological suspense with Good Intentions, a debut that showcases the kind of narrative sophistication typically found in seasoned authors. This is a novel that operates in the liminal space between empathy and horror, asking readers to inhabit a mindset that grows increasingly disturbing while remaining heartbreakingly human.

The novel’s masterstroke lies in its protagonist’s voice—a stream of consciousness that feels simultaneously rational and unhinged, creating an reading experience that’s both compelling and deeply unsettling. Walz demonstrates remarkable control over her unreliable narrator, allowing glimpses of truth to emerge through layers of self-deception without ever fully exposing the mechanisms of delusion. This creates a reading experience where understanding arrives gradually, each revelation forcing reevaluation of everything that came before.

What makes this particularly effective is Walz’s ability to ground psychological breakdown in recognizable human experience. The grief that drives the protagonist’s increasingly questionable choices feels authentic and overwhelming, creating a foundation of sympathy that complicates moral judgment. The author understands that the most frightening characters are often those whose motivations we can understand, even when their actions appall us.

The exploration of twin relationships adds psychological depth that extends beyond plot mechanics. Walz captures the specific intensity of identical twin bonds—the blurred boundaries, the shared identity, the devastating incompleteness when one half disappears. This relationship becomes the emotional core around which all other elements revolve, making the protagonist’s subsequent choices feel inevitable rather than arbitrary.

The pacing demonstrates impressive restraint for a debut thriller. Rather than rushing toward shocking revelations, Walz allows psychological tension to build through accumulating details and shifting perspectives. The gradual unveiling of truth creates sustained unease that proves more effective than sudden plot twists, maintaining reader engagement through character development rather than external action.

The writing itself carries literary weight that distinguishes it from genre fiction focused purely on plot advancement. Walz has crafted prose that captures the fragmented nature of traumatic grief while remaining consistently engaging. The internal monologue feels authentic to someone processing overwhelming loss, complete with the circular thinking and desperate rationalization that characterize psychological crisis.

Perhaps most impressively, the novel manages to create genuine moral ambiguity without becoming nihilistic. Walz presents a character whose actions range from questionable to horrifying while maintaining enough humanity to prevent complete alienation. This balance requires exceptional skill—too much sympathy would undermine the thriller elements, while too little would make the story unbearable.

The conclusion delivers emotional impact that lingers long after reading. Walz doesn’t provide easy answers or comfortable resolutions but instead offers something more complex—a ending that feels both surprising and inevitable, horrible and somehow fitting. This kind of sophisticated storytelling suggests an author with deep understanding of human psychology and considerable narrative instincts.

For readers who like:
-Unreliable narrators
-Explorations of grief
-Literary thrillers

Final Verdict
Good Intentions establishes Marisa Walz as a thriller writer to watch, delivering psychological suspense that’s both intellectually engaging and emotionally devastating. This is sophisticated genre fiction that respects its readers’ intelligence while providing the visceral satisfaction thriller audiences crave. For a debut novel, it’s remarkably assured—suggesting an author with the skill and vision to become a major voice in psychological suspense.

Grateful to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Marisa Walz for the Opportunity to Read an Advance Copy of This Story in Exchange for an Honest Review.

Buckle your seatbelts folks! There’s a new psychological suspense author in town and on February 3, 2026 her debut “Good Intentions” is going to begin its takeoff for new heights! I know you’ll have to wait several moths, so what you can do now is add it to your TBR because it is SO VERY, VERY GOOD!

At the heart of the story is Cady, a married, successful party planner whose identical twin sister Dana is not only her best friend but truly her other half. As the story opens, Dana has had a tragic accident and Cady is en route to the hospital. In the hospital waiting room, Cady keeps a watchful eye on Morgan, a woman who is also experiencing a serious tragedy. With themes of grief, the blurred lines between compassionate and obsession and how trauma can distort one’s judgement, Ms. Walz has crafted an intense, emotionally layered story that is thoughtful yet disturbing. While the book may not yet be released, this reader already looks forward to many more by the author who demonstrates a talent for creating consistent psychological tension throughout its pages.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the invitation to be an early reader of this phenomenal debut in exchange for my honest opinion. And congratulations to Marisa Walz for this standout debut!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. But they only gave me 48 hours. We’ll let me tell you. That’s all it will take to read this book. It grips you from the very beginning and it won’t let you go. More twists and turns on this roller coaster ride and the end just flipped me out you won’t see it coming. This story is about two inseparable twins. Who up to a couple of weeks ago did everything together. And then one of them was killed. The remaining twin talked to the twin that died the whole time. At first I thought, I wouldn’t like this, but it did add so much to the story.
I hate to give so much away, but the complete downward spiral of the remaining twin, was told in such a believe able story line. Great book club book, from this author. Just buy it. I can’t wait for her next book.

This is one of those books that had me shaking my head furiously and then going back to reread what I'd read! Cady and Dana were twins when Dana was killed. Now as an adult, Cady--still devastated--sees a man in the cemetery when she's visiting the grave and swears she "knows" him. But why is he there? It's one of those wonderfully convoluted plots that had me gasping and re-reading as I put the pieces together! SOOO worth the read!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

𝑮𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒇, 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉...𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒕: 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎, 𝒗𝒊𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖, 𝒏𝒐𝒕.

HOW was this a debut? GOOD INTENTIONS features one of the best unreliable narrators I've encountered in recent thrillers. With no introduction, no back story, we meet Cady on the first page and instantly know that she's...different. Her inner monologue is all over the place; she's clearly doing something she shouldn't be, and she goes back and forth between admonishing herself for her actions and making excuses (mighty convincing ones, I may add) for them. She's constantly addressing 'Dana' and just like that, I was invested.

Slowly, some truths were revealed. Dana is Cady's identical twin and other half. What they share goes beyond titles like friend and sister. When Cady receives the life-changing phone call that Dana has been in a serious accident and Cady arrives moments too late to say goodbye, her world falls implodes. But it's not Dana's death that devastates her. Always a people watcher, she noticed a grieving mother in the hospital waiting room the day her sister died. She's convinced that it can’t be a coincidence that they both experienced tragedy at the same moment, and she feels duty-bound to help this woman through her grief.

Buckle up. I absolutely do not want to risk spoilers, but when I tell you Cady's narrative is just brilliantly executed. It's full of paradoxes and should be written off as the ramblings of someone utterly broken by grief, but at the same time, she makes so much sense. That inner monologue lays her bare, her very being flayed open for readers to judge, criticize, or sneer at. But when she drops such revelations like this: '𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒈, 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.' she suddenly became some injured, broken soul that I felt I needed to nurture, all the way to that terrible, shocking ending. Cady's voice is going to stay with me for a long time, and I cannot WAIT to see what this author comes up with next. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this absolutely stunning early read. Look for this one February 3, 2026.

Good Intentions by Marisa Walz is one of those books that stays with you long after you close the last page. Walz’s writing is sharp and emotionally layered, balancing tension and tenderness in a way that feels both real and captivating. The characters are fully fleshed out, flawed yet deeply human, making their choices and struggles hit hard. Every twist felt earned, every quiet moment purposeful. It’s the kind of novel that makes you think, feel, and, just when you least expect it, breaks your heart a little before putting it back together.

An absolute standout read.

I literally read this book within 24 hours heart pounding gut wrenching read I could not go to sleep until i finished this awesome read the story the characters amazing

Oh…my…goodness. This book is so unsettling. Not in the typical thriller/horror way but the tension and constant ethical ambiguity mixed with the narrators tone creates the perfect environment for this type of story. The decision to tell this as Cady speaking to her sister really added to the depth of this story. Typically I don’t like that type of setup but this is exactly how it should be done. The casual tone in which Cady does some monstrous things really kept me hooked. I could never truly decide if I felt bad for her or was completely disgusted by her. The way the author managed to toe that line is admirable. The ending caught me completely off guard and taught me what it truly means to have my jaw dropped. At first I was unsure why this book was being marketed as suspense but upon reflection it does actually make a lot of sense.