Marion by Leah Rowan Publishes- 6/2/26


 4.5 Stars- This novel is for all the women out there who have ever been scared or intimidated by a man.  In this fantastic twist on Psycho, the female is no longer the victim.  


Marion is on the run with stolen money.  She didn't mean to steal the money, she is just trying to help her sister.  She ends up stuck in New Paltz, NY instead of getting to Saratoga Springs when the bus she was taking breaks down.  Marion ends up in a run down resort where she ends up renting a cabin from Norman Bates.  He is a handsome man who not only provides her with a room but also dinner.  He is nothing but charming and helpful as he also takes care of his sick mother.   Everything is going well until she finds him trying to kill her in her shower.  Marion is not about to let that happen as her survival instinct that has been drilled into her by her mom kicks in.  Now Marion must find a way to not only help her sister but get herself out of this mess.  


I devoured this thriller in a day as I had to keep reading to find out what happened to Marion.  The story is told from Marion's point of view but also from Hannah, a private investigator searching for a young blond woman.  Hannah offers some other insight and had me wondering the entire time how her story was connected to Marions. I absolutely loved the twist that Marion was able to defend herself and not just be another blonde victim.  It was such a fresh turn of events to have the woman be the one in control.  I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves thrillers and strong female characters. 


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Where the Girls Were by Kate Schatz Publishes 3/3/26

Image
 I wish that everyone who had an opinion about women's bodies and what they can do with them would take the time to read a book like this.  Reading is so powerful because you can truly have empathy and understanding of a situation that you might never be in yourself.  I don't know how anyone could read this story and not feel for Baker and all that she went through.  Baker has everything going for her.  She is the valedictorian of her 1968 class and has big dreams of becoming a writer and living in Paris after she attends Stanford University.  Everything is going her way until she goes out to a concert with her cousin and falls in love.  Like so many girls during this time, Baker has very little understanding of her own body and received no education about how to prevent pregnancies.  Baker becomes pregnant and has very few options of what she can do.  Being an unwed mother during this time is pure scandal and will completely destroy her futu...
Read more

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

Image
  This was excellent!  Historical fiction blended with contemporary to create an excellent story that blends family drama, mystery, and romance.   The modern-day story follows Audrey Fisher, a talented chef striving to escape the shadow of her famous, troubled mother, Meredith Fisher. They return to Winthrop Island, a place with complicated memories, to help Meredith dry out and Audrey gets over the abandonment of her husband. While there, Audrey unearths a hidden trove of paintings that pulls them into a historical mystery, drawing in the charming Sedge Peabody and igniting a quest for answers. The author beautifully crafts their emotional journeys, making their struggles and discoveries feel deeply personal and relatable. Intertwined with Audrey and Meredith's story is the breathtaking saga of Providence Dare, a woman fleeing her past aboard the luxury steamship Atlantic in 1846. Her journey is a gripping cat-and-mouse game against a relentless detective, set again...
Read more

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner

Image
  Witches, magic, the sea, kidnapping, murder, and romance, what more could you ask for in a novel! I thoroughly enjoyed this dual timeline novel that takes place on the Amalfi Coast in the early 1800s and present day. Mari is a streghe or sea witch in Positano. Mari and other women from her village use the power of the sea to protect their village and help them be prosperous. The only problem is Mari hates the sea and wants to leave her village. The sea took her mother and sister and she no longer wants any part of it. She has a plan to escape and find happiness when things go horribly wrong. In the present day, Haven is an underwater archaeologist. She has been exploring sunken ships since she was a little kid with her father. Before her father's death he thought he found a big find that might include treasure. Haven is determined to continue his legacy and find that treasure. What she does not expect is that bad weather will derail her plans and she will be thrown on course to s...
Read more