⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Kindergarten 101: Never, ever, ever, ever talk to strangers.

⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: It’s 1991. After the murder of her roommate and as a serial killer stalks the campus, Charlie Jordan desperately needs a ride home to Ohio from her college in New Jersey, so she enlists the help of Josh Baxter whom she meets at a ride-share board. But the further she drives the further she suspects something isn’t quite right with “Josh.”

💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I feel like I spun on a tilt-A-whirl: dazed, thrilled, and maybe a little sick. I read this book lightening fast – the proverbial could-not-put-down book that kept me up flying through the pages, up in the night, clutching my beagles (they were ok with it). Fast-paced, surprises, all the twisty bends mystery fans adore. This book makes tension palpable – the tension was like its own character it was so rigid.

The devolution of this book transpired like this: at about 60%, Charlie irked me (but then won me back). If you follow my reviews, you’ll know a pet peeve of mine is the “stupid-but-supposed-to-be-smart-female-protagonist commits stupid acts a smart person would never do.” I soldiered on with my feminist self and was glad I did, because as Charlie’s mental state became more evident – a true state of depression (and more) her actions were justifiable. So that view switched off. See what I mean? What a ride! I can’t say I was COMPLETELY on board, but I was able to suspend a little disbelief for the sake of one enjoyable thriller.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery (and might I add this would make an interesting premise for a play!!)

😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: All the quick-read standard mystery fans.

🙅‍♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: the “weak female lead” could turn off some readers.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Dutton Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and note that I’m sending you money for anxiety therapy.