The "Queen of revenge plots," Author Emily Shiner, returns after her sizzling (Dec 2022) I'm Following You (5 Stars) with YOU CAN'T HIDE —another addictive domestic psychological suspense of revenge/obsession mixed with dark, twisted humor.

Shiner is on FIRE! Her BEST yet.

It is difficult to write a short review because I have so much to discuss, and I love her books! I want everyone to read them.

Two storylines converge for a heart-pounding explosive showdown. You can RUN, but you cannot HIDE. The past and dark secrets rise to the surface.

A cautionary tale: Note: WATCH OUT FOR THE CAMERAS! Also, REVENGE has no expiration date.

LIZZY: As the book opens in rural Turkey Pen, Alabama, we meet Lizzy, a young woman down on her luck after being stranded on the roadside. A trap of a car, and she has no money to call a tow truck or AAA.

She needs to get to Pop's Diner for her shift and hopes someone will stop and help. After several cars pass, she starts walking. A good-looking guy in a suit stops. Wow, how did she get so lucky? At least he is not a killer. ...What she does not know yet.

His name is Zachary. He says he borrowed the truck since he is getting new tires on his Lexus. He is the new doctor in town— A doctor? And he looks like he could be on the cover of G.Q. For real?

He takes her to the Diner and then asks for her keys. He will see if he can repair her car and drop it off for her before her shift ends. Who is this guy? He indeed does what he says.

It turns out he is a REAL doctor. Dr. Zachary Pierce, Board-certified family practice, went to Duke University and completed a residency in Chicago. What is he doing here in this small town? Usually, men have an ulterior motive, but what is his?

Unfortunately, she will find out, but only when it is too late. Also, Lizzy has a dark past. One that she wants to stay buried.

BLACKMAIL. This guy is PURE EVIL! A monster. A master manipulator. He knows about her past. If she does not do what he says. He will tell the world. He knows what she did. He wants someone to fix. She is the victim.

He wants the perfect wife. The perfect marriage. The Perfect life. Perfect wins. Lizzy wants the perfect murder!

She soon learns (after the marriage) her husband is a control freak and a psychopath. A devil in disguise. He is abusive. Tortures. He keeps her prisoner in her own home with cameras everywhere so she cannot leave the house. He makes sure she has no friends. He planned this very carefully. He knows her every move. Then when she disobeys, she is moved to the basement as a prisoner. He wants to make her body perfect. A sicko.

How will she ever escape? She has killed before to save herself and she will do it again, given the chance.

BETH: In alternating chapters, we meet Beth.

Beth, a florist, and her husband, Ian Myers (very sweet guy), a high school teacher/photographer. She is very private due to her past, but her husband does not know about her past and he puts it all out there on social media.

They live in the N.C. mountains, but they are headed to upstate New York near Canada in the middle of a snowstorm. Of course, N.Y. snowstorms are nothing like N.C.

The reason for the urgency is that Ian inherited his family's mountain cabin and wants to clean the place to prepare for putting it on the market. They need to sell the cabin to help finance the costly IVF treatments. They want children, and it has been not easy.

He says she does not have to go, but she goes along. Once there, she sees the cabin is nestled way back in the woods, in the middle of nowhere. They have to walk through the woods to get to it from the main road. This is difficult since it is night and the snow is so deep. They can barely see in front of them.

Once they finally arrive, a dead deer is next to the cabin. Then inside, it appears someone has been living here. There is a cat, food in the refrigerator, a book (The Art of Never Letting Go), a hunter, and someone who has built a fire recently. Weird!

She is concerned, but Ian thinks the property manager/caretaker may be looking after it. They have no cell phone coverage or internet.

This makes no sense to Beth. What if who had been staying here comes back? Who is this person he is referring to named Ryan, the caretaker?

Then things become very weird and freaky at the cabin, and Beth thinks something sinister is happening. They must get out of here. They will clean and then leave. But with power problems and other things, they are delayed. They took a week off from work and Ian is not in a hurry to leave.

She is not wrong for worrying. They are trapped. She feels like she is in the middle of a horror movie. She feels like someone is watching them. Is there a squatter? There is also a shed outside the cabin. They must leave the cabin. Start their family and leave New York, and never look back.

However, the mysterious intruder returns, and he has a PLAN. Beth is about to come face to face with her past. One she thought was long buried. What happens next will blow your mind. What he is demanding. It is sick and horrifying.

Now she and her husband are both in danger. How will they escape? Who will live, and who will die?

At first, you are unsure where Emily is taking you with Lizzy (as this part is not in the book description summary). Be patient, and enjoy the journey.

All will come together at the cabin. Oh, and then wait. Just when you think all is tied up with a bow at the end. Watch out. There is another signature Shiner jaw-dropping wicked twist to leave you smiling.

I was dying, before this twist, saying GET THE CAMERA!! PLEASE.

OMG! Between the evil Zachary doctor, the basement, and the creepy Ryan property manager at the cabin in this claustrophobic snow setting in the woods, this book is spine-chilling! The vivid settings and the characters jump off the page.

Around 50% into the book, readers will learn about Lizzy's past. You will sympathize with her until the end. She reminds me of Freida McFadden's, Millie (The Housemaid & The Housemaid's Secret. She cannot catch a break and her past keeps surfacing and being used against her.

This book was so good and I read it in one sitting. The way the two stories came together was quite clever, and that...ENDING!

YOU CAN'T HIDE pulses with suspenseful twists propelling the reader to the explosive end. Cameras are a big part of both storylines. I loved it! It would make a great movie and audiobook!

All her books are unique and original. When I start reading an Emily Shiner book, I am in for an entertaining ride. I always clear my calendar before starting one of her books because they are addictive and unputdownable.

I discovered Emily not long ago and have loved everything she writes. I love N.C. authors (I am a native) and enjoy her crisp writing style. She never takes you on a side trip. It is propulsive all the way. One of my favorite authors, and making my way through her backlist in between all my new ARCs.

This book is very unique and not like any others, but when reading parts of it, I am reminded of these (all favorites too).

~Kimberly Belle: The Personal Assistant
~Lisa Unger: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
~Clemence Michallon: The Quiet Tenant (Out June 2023) So good, a favorite of the year.
~B.A. Paris: The Prisoner.
~Freida McFadden: The Housemaid and The Housemaid's Secret

A special thank you to #InkubatorBooks and #NetGalley for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Get this one on your list now!

Blog review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Feb 19, 2023
Feb 2023 Must-Read Books

I read a lot of thrillers and sometimes I feel like I’m exhausted because they can all become quite samey - this book wasn’t like that. It took me a while to work out the story. Very good!

This one was okay. It’s disturbing - highlighting a severe case of domestic and psychological violence - but not nail-bitingly suspenseful or shocking.

The book immediately jumps into the thick of the plot - which in some ways I like, but it mostly felt hasty and rushed. The lack of detail in the characters, plot & story context was not as thorough as I like. It was very short (187 pages), so it was definitely a quick read, which I both liked and didn’t like (I tend to like a book that I can sink my teeth into a little more). All in all, an interesting concept but didn’t love it.

This was a very tense book. It goes back and forth between the stories of two women, Litzy and Beth. We have no idea if their stories are related or not, but with the back and forth, it’s logical that they must be - we just don’t know how! I thought the book moved at a quick pace and the characters were fairly well written. You could feel the tension and desperation throughout. I would have liked a more complete ending, we are left with some questions that I would have liked some resolution to, but otherwise I thought it was a good book and would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tense, thrilling and totally captivating. I was hooked immediately.

I’ve not read this author before, but wow am I desperate for another! This book was so good I literally couldn’t put it down.

I loved how suddenly the book became so claustrophobic and tense. Throughout the whole narrative is this heightened sense of panic which is why is struggled to put it down. This book is a real page turner and absolutely terrifying!

The book reminded me a bit of BA Paris’ ‘Behind Closed Doors’ but having read a few books of a similar theme, until now, I don’t think I’ve come across another that’s been written so well.

There’s two stories that run in parallel throughout this book but you’re not told whether they are related, in the same time frame or if they’re the same person. Both are totally different and yet going through a traumatic time and in a awful situation. I did make a good guess as to their connection but even still I didn’t figure out how it would all play out.

An absolute must read! Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Beth and Ian head up to his old family cabin for the weekend but get trapped there by a blizzard. Beth thought she had escaped her sketchy past but someone’s watching and waiting for her..

Following two different plots this book was dark, tense and shocking. Wondering how and if the two plots were going to merge was great.

I flew through this book and really didn’t want to put it down! Think I’ve found another author whose books I’m going to devour.

Great 2 views story..I really couldn't figure out what they had to do with each other. Love that I can't figure out a book!! All came together brilliantly with a powerful ending.

Thanks to the author,the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book

This gave me BA Paris, and Riley Sager vibes and I loved it. (Trigger warning for domestic abuse and emotional abuse)

Emily has written a tension filed book with a main character that grows which is everything that I need in a book. Through the first 80% of the book there is two different stories woven together that eventually merge into a fantastic conclusion.

I loved this book perfect read. Cannot say enough good things about this one

I could not put this book down! I was totally invested in the characters. This could have been a 5 star for me had it not been for that ending. I felt like it wasn’t really tied up and I was searching for more pages. Overall, a great domestic thriller though.

Emily Shiner has a way with writing that makes you not wanting to put the book down. This book is told from the POV of two woman but the timelines are different. One woman’s story is mainly over a weekend and the other woman’s is over many years. You know the POV must be connected but you don’t know how. That is what I love most about Shiner’s books. You never know what will happen. They are dark psychological thrillers that keep you reading until the very last page!

Hold up...

What did I just read?

I have been a long time fan of Emily Shiner having read I'm Following You, Her Perfect Life, She Knew He Lied and now You Can't Hide. I can say with 100 percent certainty that this is my favorite book of hers to date.

Jam packed with twists and turns, you will not be able to catch your breath before being thrown for another loop. This was a quick and easy read that flowed with perfection. I was able to easily read this book in one sitting . However, I was drenched in sweat from all the suspense and plot twists I was put through.

Zero regrets.

I will continue to read everything and anything Emily Shiner publishes..

I would like to thank Emily Shiner, Netgalley, and Inkubator Books for allowing me to read and review You Can't Hide, in exchange for an honest review .

Teaser :

Beth thought she’d escaped her past. But all this time, it’s been waiting for her…

Beth and Ian are desperate to have a child. So much so that they decide to sell his family cabin in upstate New York to pay for IVF.

When they arrive at the cabin, they meet Ryan, the caretaker. But Ryan is not who he says he is… He’s here because he knows Beth has a dark secret. And now he intends to use it against her.

He threatens to tell Ian everything about Beth's past unless she does exactly what he says.

Beth finds herself caught in a nightmarish trap. If Ian discovers what she’s been hiding from him, she’s sure he’ll leave her. She’ll lose everything she cares about, including the chance to have a child of her own.

On the other hand, what Ryan wants her to do is so dark and twisted it’s beyond horrifying.

Either way, Beth is sure her life is over, she can see no way out. Unless… Unless she digs deep and finds a part of herself that is willing to do something so awful it doesn’t even bear thinking about…

✨You Can’t Hide - Emily Shiner✨

This thriller felt a little darker than some of the others I’d read - which is definitely a good thing!

I’ve read quite a few thrillers, so I feel like I’m never shocked anymore as I’m used to the format. However, it did take me a little while to piece together this story.

This thriller follows two seemingly unconnected women, Lizzy & Beth. Beth is currently at a cabin with her husband Ian to clear it out ready to be put on the market, while Lizzy is a prisoner in her own home and marriage.

The twist and turns in this story kept me guessing constantly, and I genuinely felt claustrophobic when reading parts of Lizzy’s story!

A great thriller to add to my collection ☺️

"There's nothing down here I can use as a weapon, nothing that will save me from my husband when he gets home."

Beth and Ian are at his cabin to spruce it up before they put it up for sale. But it sure seems like someone has been there, living there, as recently as that day. A dead deer is sprawled out on the front steps and someone wearing hunter orange is skulking around the property. Nothing about the situation is quite right.

Lizzy and Zachary are married and he's not at all the man he portrayed himself to be in the early days. He's controlling, abusive, and obsessed with perfection. He's also smart and calculating which, thus far, had eliminated any escape or self defense for poor Lizzy.

How do this stories coincide? What or who is their common denominator?

"But I've killed to save myself once before. And I won't have a problem doing it again."

Captivating, addictive, fast-paced, tense--I loved this book and absolutely devoured it. Shiner is one of my favorite authors and she knocked it out of the park with this twisted thriller.

Beth and Ian take a trip to Ian’s family cabin to get it cleaned up and put on the market. A blizzard hits and suddenly things start to take a different turn.

The beginning of this book was iffy for me. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it as much as I hoped. The relationship between Lizzy and Zachary felt really rushed and just kind of odd.

BUT THEN….I was HOOKED! As things started unfolding and pieces started fitting together, I couldn’t put it down. This book kept me guessing until the end. And let me tell you, Beth is a bad ass! Do yourself a favor and get this book.

Read through Netgalley before the publication date of 19th February 2023.
I really really enjoyed this book, great page turner and I loved the ending, so brilliantly written and I just could not put the book down. Finished within a day.

5 stars would recommend to anyone that enjoys thrillers

Beth and Ian are desperate to have a child. So much so that they decide to sell his family cabin in upstate New York to pay for IVF.
When they arrive at the cabin, they meet Ryan, the caretaker. But Ryan is not who he says he is… He’s here because he knows Beth has a dark secret. And now he intends to use it against her.
This book had such an amazing twist! There were two women who narrated this and with two completely different stories to tell. The entire time I tried to figure out how their stories aligned, if they did. Two different women with two different stories. Wow couldn't put it down! Highly recommended!

4. 5⭐

A disturbing, heartbreaking psychological thriller that hooked and shocked me from start to finish!

This is a must read for lovers of We Were Liars! Emily Shiner has a wonderful way with words, keeping her readers both hooked and disturbed at the same time.

The well written characters, clearly thought out plot and nail biting moments had me on the edge of my seat, so on edge my jaw dropped at Shiner's breathtaking plot twist.

This is a book I will gladly recommend and read in just two days! Good job, Emily! This one was a page turner!

This book was suspenseful and captivating! I loved every second of it and couldn't read it fast enough. 5 stars!

Okay, Emily Shiner, I see you. This is my second book by this author, and I am obsessed. This was a psychological thriller with so many twists and turns I couldn't put it down.
Beth and Ian go to pack up their cabin in preparation to see it to pay for IVF treatment. When they arrive at the cabin, it appears someone has been staying there. Ian insists it is the caretaker, Ryan, who he hired to take care of the cabin while they are away. It turns out Ryan is not who he says he is. He knows a secret from Beth's past and plans to use it against her.

This book was really good! It was full of twists and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened next.

There were some pretty big plot points that were obvious and easy to guess. Such as Lizzy/Beth's identity, that the guy in the cabin was Zachary's brother. But even though they were easy to guess, Emily did an incredible job of writing those scenes to still make them interesting and full of suspense. The timing was perfect with the two different POV's.

I feel so many emotions for Lizzy/Beth. She was dealt such a rough life from being abused by her father, and then thinking she found a good guy only for him to do a complete 180 and control every aspect of her life. I am glad it seems that things work out for Beth and Ian. I was really worried for a bit that Ian was either going to turn on Beth, be in on the plan with Jacob, or Beth would be forced to kill him.

I do wish there was more to the ending. I get it is a mystery/thriller and they almost always have an open-ended ending, but I want to know more about Ian having the photos from the cabin and what Beth was going to do.