Welcome to Litsy!

I tried reading this in two different formats, and I think it‘s time to admit it‘s just not for me. This “thriller” has two first person narrators who are not particularly likable and, even worse, not particularly interesting. Any would be thrills get lost in Nina and Christian woodenly delivering unnecessarily drawn out details of a crime that seems to be created by a series of bad decisions made by them and their respective spouses. 🥱 Next!

I'm a fan of Mary Kubica's writing style—she dives deep into each character‘s psyche and weaves their stories with precision. Her plots twist unexpectedly, always keeping you on edge. In this one, two close couples quietly envy each other‘s marriages. But when one husband vanishes, secrets begin to unravel, and the illusion of perfection shatters in a chilling game of truth ,deception, and unwanted revelation. 😱😱

🎧

This was good. I figured out the twists, didn‘t make it less interesting. I liked how it played out. The writing was good. I‘ve enjoyed all of the Kubica that I‘ve read so far.

Started this today. I enjoy most of the books I‘ve read by Kubica. I think I may have figured out some of the twist In this one. About halfway through it.
#breaktheblock #audiobooking

I would have liked this book a lot more but I couldn‘t stand how blindly the not missing husband went through the whole thing without a question. Very annoying. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

An entertaining audiobook with great narrators. It‘s a simplistic/mundane writing style, but I didn‘t notice it in the audiobook format.

The characters are not smart and get themselves into all sorts of trouble. But I was engaged and needed to know the truth. I didn‘t love that the ending happened so quickly. When we do find the truth, there are questions remaining since we skip to six months later. But it‘s a fun fall read for back to school.

3.75⭐
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬⇩
-The twists in the second half made this story much more fun…ya know, in a jaw-dropping way.
-The fantastic narration, she is my all-time fav.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬⇩
-A slow beginning.
-The writing is a little choppy and repetitive, although, it was more so with one particular character.
-Frustrating characters…I was confused as to why they did or didn‘t do certain things.

I couldn‘t believe I found this for only $6. Her books are so fun to read, and try and guess what the plot twist will be

#11.2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I found nearly every character annoying and their behaviors idiotic. I found them obtuse and bordering on insipid. Truth be told, I was constantly bi!tching at them. 😆 And yet, somehow, I enjoyed the book overall and the story development. 😝

#audioread

Good pacing and some twists.

#BookSpinBingo #ReadAway2024
@TheAromaofBooks @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

This was very entertaining! I did guess the major “twists“ but still, it was good and moved quickly.
I feel sometimes with these murder mysteries, the plot is dragged out which leads either to ridiculous events to sustain itself or just a slowdown and eventually disinterest on the part of the reader.

First post in probably about at least a year😬.
2 new books by one of my favourite authors.
📚😊🤘🏻📖

I know I‘m in trouble when I read the first chapter and I already don‘t like one of the main characters. This was just a meh for me. Twist wasn‘t too hard to figure out. Blah blah blah.

This one was good but not my favorite by her. I thought some of the choices by the characters were not smart and I was able to figure out some of the twists. I am not one that can typically figure out the twists. I listened on audio, and the performers were enjoyable.

This was INSANE. That's all I can think to say.

Oh Lookie Lookie!! The outside reading chair is out and the sun is shining. It‘s getting to be that time. #11of2024

This one was fast-paced, unique, and kept me guessing throughout. Kubica hasn't let me down yet.

February 8, 2024 I would give the book 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! The book was very fast paced and kept me on my toes, trying to guess at who killed Jake. Was it Lily and Christian? Was it Nina? Probably not if she was the one trying to figure out if her husband was coming home. Or could it be Nina's mom??? From page 292 until the end, Mary Kubica writes a twisting ending. I never saw it coming... Read the book to find out who actually killed Jake 🧐

February 7, 2024 Am I sure glad that I picked up this book! I can't say enough good things about it. Mary Kubica keeps one guessing about what will happen next. I am on page 165 and I am so honed into the text. Is Jake really dead? Is Jake missing? Is Jake getting revenge on Christian? Do Lily Christian really know who Jake is? So many questions to ponder while reading thriller books I must say...

February 7, 2024 Read more of the book OF COURSE So hard to put down when it is a thriller... It really does pull you back in even when you just put it down for a day of two! It does not stop getting suspenseful. On page 130 and A LOT has happened ( Christian goes to Nina's house to get a key so he could move Jake's car from the murder scene; at the same time Nina's mom thinks that Nina is home ) yikes Did Christian get caught by Nina's mom????

February 5, 2024 Who is into thrillers? ME me and me ✋🏻 I am not even halfway through the book and Mary Kubica is giving me 🥶 Reading the words is giving me suspense... esp where Christian and Lily walk through the forest that Nina had walked in and saw Jake. Jake tried to take her to a part of the trail (which was off the beaten path) and then when Jake kissed Lily, Lily INSTANTLY defends herself by throwing a rock at Jake. What now?

February 3, 2024 WHY DOES JANUARY GO BY IN A BLINK?!!! Anyway, sorry to kill the mood. Ik that I had said A Flicker in the Dark would be my next TBR but i began reading it and I said, "Wait, this sounds familiar." Lo and behold, I bought a hardcover version of it before. SO, Just the Nicest Couple is actually my new TBR.

Four friends. Two couples. One missing husband.
Something happened. No one knows.

The premise was strong as the book started, became too stretched out in the middle and towards the end it just became silly. The twist in the end was decent but I guessed it long long back, if only it was done better. It became more about the characters' monologues, than the actual plot.
Any good recommendations by the author?
2.5/5🌟

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This was a fast, easy, domestic thriller read that was pretty good! The book matched my Stanley so that made for a good picture 😂

This book is good but takes a bit to really get into the suspenseful part of the story. It focuses more on the couples‘ relationships than the plot at times, which gives away some details and allows you to figure most of the story out chapters before they‘re revealed. 3.5 ⭐️

19/30 - better than last year but hoping to read more next year. Happy New Year everyone!

I thought this had a really good build up and a good amount of suspense throughout the book. There was a lot going on, but I definitely enjoyed this one and the twist at the end was a good one that I didn‘t see coming!

I think Mary Kubica may be my favorite author. I've seen mixed reviews on this one but I really enjoyed it.
The part... you know the part... it was so graphic. I was horrified.
I cannot wait to read more by her.

I've read Local Woman Missing and now this one. Anyone have any favorites by her?

09.03.23

Whoa… I was not expecting that ending!! Twisty, although at times unrealistic… a solid read!

Saturday reading 🥰

This was quite the mystery! Really enjoyed the puzzlement of this story and am in awe of Kubica‘s ability to transform such ordinary characters into complex monsters :)

I really enjoyed reading this. Apparently it was in just right the mood for a story where only a handful of characters were required to tell a unveil a twisty twisty mystery.

I really tried to like this, but I can‘t into books where mistakes are made and instead of doing logical things the characters do really stupid things that make them look guiltier than they are. Christian is a moron and Nina is naive, yet these are the two points of view we get. The ending, was dumb.
Book #28 in 2023

Started strong, slowed right down, then it got a bit silly

#StoryGraph: fiction mystery thriller emotional reflective medium-paced
352 pages • first pub 2023

DESCRIPTION

Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband…

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend‘s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

3-2-23: My 26th finished book of 2023! Jake Hayes is missing after a fight with his wife Nina. Lily Scott a friend of Nina‘s, thinks she is the last person to see Jake before he went missing. She tells her husband Christian about their encounter and he decides that they have to remain silent about this information. The story is told from Nina and Christian‘s point of views. Nina is searching for the truth and Christian is hiding it.

Another month of no bingo, but it‘s fun to try! I definitely took some liberties this month to get books on the board (I decided that Carrie Soto FOR SURE has a messy bun), so don‘t look too closely. 😂😂 Thanks @Clwojick and @TheAromaofBooks for adding more fun to my reading goals! #ispybingo

The premise of this was promising, but it ended up being pretty boring. The characters were unlikable, bland, made ridiculous choices, and refused to accept reality. The writing was really simplistic and repetitive. I figured out the “twist” early on and it‘s been done better by other authors. I think this tried too hard to be clever, resulting in an anticlimactic mediocre thriller. Bummed that this was my first Kubica, but I‘ll try another. 2⭐️

Although not my favorite of here, still a very good read!!

I‘ve made the goal of finishing two books for this month‘s #20in4 readathon. Finishing these will keep me on track toward my goal of reading 100 books this year. 😀

This is between a so-so and a pick. Not bad at all just sort of meh. Every…single….character in this is unlikable in some way or another - which isn‘t necessarily a bad thing but doesn‘t make me really care about what‘s going on- and the ending was just 😳🤔🤨. I listened to the audiobook which I think helped me enjoy it…if I‘d been physically reading the book I might have bailed or disliked it more. If you like this author give it a try! 🌟🌟🌟💫

Extremely disappointing for me after Local Woman Missing was SO good 😣! And the ending.. ?! What? 😒

Wow! I have to read more books by Mary Kubica! The twist in the book was 🤯🤯! This was definitely another five star book for this year! I am adding her other books to my TBR asap!

So I have mixed feelings about this one. The book drew me in from the beginning. It was a nice concept, and it kept me guessing. I kind of figure who the killer was, though. I loved the character, and it was hard to decide who I wanted to win here. It started great, but as it went on, there was missing information. I found myself questioning things I never got the answer to.The ending felt rushed. And the story was left incomplete for me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another twisty book filled with unlikable people. I‘m alway impressed with how many times my mind changes about who actually “dunit” in Kubica books.

I LOVED this book! I flew through it! Great character driven thriller! I don‘t want to say much bc I don‘t want to give anything away, but basically it‘s about two couples are intertwined when one of them goes missing. This one has lots of twists and turns. I really liked the character Christian. I hope that everyone who reads this book enjoys it as much as I did!

Unfortunately, this had me bored and looking for something more interesting to read... It may just be me though, a bit of a slow start. I plan to circle back so I won't rate it as a pan yet.

A fun and free little author thing on Facebook, the Killer Author group. Mary Kubica talked about her latest, Just The Nicest Couple. I got the book yesterday, I like her twisty thrillers.

“A husband‘s disappearance links two couples in this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Mary Kubica.”