Category Archives: Liv Constantine

July 8, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine

Title: The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length. 336 pages:
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A diabolically twisty, psychologically unsettling novel about a woman with no recollection of her past from the authors of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish and The Wife Stalker.

Addison’s about to get married, but she’s not looking forward to the big day. It’s not her fiancé; he’s a wonderful man. It’s because Addison doesn’t know who she really is. A few years ago, a kind driver found her bleeding next to a New Jersey highway and rescued her. While her physical wounds healed, Addison’s memory never returned. She doesn’t know her real name. Or how she ended up injured on the side of a road. Or why she can’t shake the notion that she may have done something very, very bad . . .

In a posh home in the Boston suburbs, Julian tries to figure out what happened to his loving, caring wife, Cassandra, who disappeared without a trace two years ago. She would never have left him and their seven-year-old daughter Valentina of her own free will—or would she?

As these two lives intersect, The Stranger in the Mirror hooks readers with riveting drama, told with Liv Constantine’s hallmark blend of glamour, tense psychological thrills, and jaw-dropping twists.

Review:

The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine is a mesmerizing domestic mystery.

Addison Hope is engaged to Gabriel Oliver who works in his family-owned art gallery. Between her upcoming marriage and photography show, she should be on top of the world. Instead, Addison is anxious about her future because she has no memories of her past. Her life began two years ago when a helpful trucker picks her up when she was hitchhiking. Ed and his wife, Gigi, have become surrogate parents who help her as she navigates her new life. Outside of a few disturbing flashes, Addison has absolutely no recollections from before Ed found her. With the assistance of her future mother- and sister-in-law, Addison and Gabriel’s wedding planning is underway. She loves Gabriel, but Addison’s continued memory loss remains deeply troubling.

Dr. Julian Hunter has been raising his seven-year-old daughter Valentina on his own because his beloved wife Cassandra vanished two years ago. Although the detective he hired turn up no trace of her, he remains hopeful she will one day return. What could have happened Cassandra? Is she still alive? If so, where could she be? And more important, will Julian find her?

The Stranger in the Mirror is a clever domestic mystery with an intriguing storyline and interesting characters. Addison remains uneasy about her upcoming nuptials and the few glimpses of memory leave her questioning what type of person she used to be. Gabriel’s love for her is steadfast and he is unconcerned about her past. Julian mourns the disappearance of his wife but without any leads, will he ever locate her? The plot is quite well-executed but some of the late in the story twists require a suspension of disbelief. With a few shocking turns, Liv Constantine brings this fast-paced domestic mystery to a very unanticipated conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Harper, Liv Constantine, Mystery, Rated B, Review, The Stranger in the Mirror

May 18, 2020 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

Title: The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 316 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish returns with a psychological thriller, filled with chilling serpentine twists, about a woman fighting to hold onto the only family she’s ever loved—and how far she’ll go to preserve it.

Named one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year by Goodreads, Bustle, SheReads, and Library Journal; A LibraryReads pick of the month 

Breezing into the upscale seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent.

Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self, paying attention again to Evie and Stelli, the children they both love beyond measure, Joanna is shocked to discover that it’s not her loving support that’s sparked his renewed happiness—it’s something else.

Piper. Leo has fallen head over heels for the flaky, New Age-y newcomer, and unrepentant and resolute, he’s more than willing to leave Joanna behind, along with everything they’ve built. Of course, he assures her, she can still see the children.

Joanna is devastated—and determined to find something, anything, to use against this woman who has stolen her life and her true love. As she digs deeper into Piper’s past, Joanna begins to unearth disturbing secrets . . . but when she confides to her therapist that she fears for the lives of her ex-husband and children, her concerns are dismissed as paranoia. Can she find the proof she needs in time to save them?

Review:

The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine is an absolutely riveting domestic mystery.

Joanna quietly waits for Leo Drakos to emerge from the deep depression he has been battling for several months.  She is thrilled when he begins working again but she is soon frustrated to discover that someone else is responsible for his increasing happiness.  After Joanna is pushed aside, she is determined to uncover everything she can about the new woman in his life.

Piper Reynard’s new beginning in Westport, CT is off to a fantastic beginning. She is the owner of a successful wellness center and she focuses on the positive. After meeting lawyer Leo Drakos, she quickly falls for him and their relationship progresses quickly. Piper is soon stepmom to eight year old Evie and six year old Stelli and she is settling into her new life. As Leo puts in long hours working on his cases, she works on her relationships with her stepchildren. Evie is a delightful little girl who genuinely likes Piper but young Stelli is resistant to accepting her into the fold.  Although frustrated, Piper is determined to make her marriage work.

Meanwhile, Joanna is doing everything she can to try to win Leo back.  She is also fighting hard to regain visitation rights with Evie and Stelli.  She deeply resents Piper’s intrusion into their life so she is furiously attempting to uncover her foe’s secrets. Digging deep into Piper’s past, Joanna grows increasingly certain Stelli, Evie and quite possibly, Leo, are in danger. Certain time is running out, Joanna  takes extreme measure to try to save the people the loves.

Alternating between Joanna and Piper’s point of view, The Wife Stalker is a captivating mystery.  The storyline is well-developed and the short chapters keep the story moving at a brisk pace. Piper is a bit standoffish and she desperately wants to put her past behind her. Joanna will go to any lengths to protect her loved ones.  With starling twists and eye-popping turns, Liv Constantine brings this mesmerizing mystery to a jaw-dropping conclusion. An outstanding mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Liv Constantine, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Wife Stalker

May 6, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine

Title: The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 313 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In a world of wealth and privilege, a killer is hiding . . .

The internationally bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish follows that success with an addictive novel filled with shocking twists about the aftermath of a brutal high-society murder.

Dr. Kate English has it all. Not only is she the heiress to a large fortune; she has a gorgeous husband and daughter, a high-flying career, and a beautiful home anyone would envy.

But all that changes the night Kate’s mother, Lily, is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home. Heartbroken and distraught, Kate reaches out to her estranged best friend, Blaire Barrington, who rushes to her side for the funeral, where the years of distance between them are forgotten in a moment.

That evening, Kate’s grief turns to horror when she receives an anonymous text: You think you’re sad now, just wait. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll wish you had been buried today. More than ever, Kate needs her old friend’s help.

Once Blaire decides to take the investigation into her own hands, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems in Baltimore high society. As infidelity, lies, and betrayals come to light, and tensions rise to a boiling point, she begins to alienate Kate’s friends and relatives with her relentless, accusatory questions, as she tries to find Lily’s killer. The murderer could be anyone—friend, neighbor, loved one. But whoever it is, it’s clear that Kate is next on their list. . .

In The Last Time I Saw You, Liv Constantine takes the lightning pace of The Last Mrs. Parrish and raises the stakes, creating an exquisitely tension-filled and absorbing tale of psychological suspense in which innocent lives—and one woman’s sanity—hang in the balance.

Review:

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine is a suspenseful, character driven mystery.

Dr. Kate English is absolutely shocked by the murder of her mother, Lily.  The only silver lining in this devastating loss is her reunion with long estranged childhood friend Blaire Barrington. Kate is further comforted by her friend’s presence when she begins receiving threatening texts that indicate she might become the killer’s next victim. In order to protect his wife and daughter, Annabelle, Kate’s husband Simon moves back into the family home and hires around the clock security for the family. With a long history of anxiety, Kate is barely functioning as she, along with Blaire, try to figure out who murdered Lily.

Kate is a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon who is calm, cool and collected in the operating room. Until recently, her anxiety has been well controlled but her recent separation from Simon has shaken her. She is convinced he is cheating on her but following Lily’s death, she is willing to allow him to return home until her mother’s murderer is arrested. When the chilling texts and frightening occurrences within the home continue despite the security measures, Kate cannot help but wonder if she is losing her grip on reality. Because the only other option is someone is attempting to gaslight her, but who could be behind such a nefarious scheme?

Blaire never imagined voicing her concerns about Simon on Kate’s wedding would lead to the loss of her friendship.  Although she never quite got over the loss of Kate and her parents, Blaire is now happily married to Daniel, a successful author with whom she co-writes a best-selling mystery series.  Blaire is thrilled with the opportunity to resume her friendship with Kate and she is determined to figure out who murdered Lily. Despite the passage of time, the women resume their friendship and Kate soon heavily relies on Blaire as her anxiety spirals out of control.

Alternating between Kate’s and Blaire’s perspectives, The Last Time I Saw You is a clever mystery that is quite engrossing. Kate is an increasingly unreliable narrator who is deeply suspicious of the people around her. Blaire is determined to unmask Lily’s killer and protect Kate, but how far will she go to ensure an arrest? With plenty of unexpected twists and diabolical turns, Liv Constantine ratchets the tension to a fever pitch as the novel comes to an thoroughly stunning conclusion. I highly recommend this riveting mystery to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Liv Constantine, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Last Time I Saw You