Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this wild ride—I devoured it like hot tea on a cold night, and baby, it was piping!

This book gave me everything I crave in a thriller: we’ve got murder (check), suspense (double check), mistaken identity (yes, please), a little romance (spicy), and twists so sharp I got whiplash. The drama? Delicious.

So here’s the setup: Jake’s just been released from prison after serving only 13 months of a 25-year sentence. Why? Oh, just because it turns out the prosecutor was sleeping with the judge—messy much? Jake had been convicted of murdering the beloved Ms. Applebaum, a teacher everyone adored… until she was found in the freezer at her own house. Yep. Freezer.

Add to that: Jake’s hair and his notebook—like, sir—were discovered at the scene. Case closed, right? Not so fast. Grace, a neighbor and one of Ms. Applebaum’s students, saw someone lurking in the backyard that night. Someone who wasn’t Jake. Hmm…

From there, it’s chaos in the best way. Rumors start flying, social media goes full-on sleuth mode, and everyone’s got something to say—but no one’s telling the full truth. The web of lies? Sticky. The tension? Thick. And the vibes? Immaculate.

What I loved most is how the story keeps you guessing until the very last page. Just when you think you know what happened… plot twist! And then another. And another. Every time I thought we hit the climax, the book said, “Hold my wine.”

This one is perfect for fans of small-town secrets, scandalous courtroom drama, and that “no one is safe” energy. The characters are messy, the stakes are high, and the ending? Whew. That ending. You won’t see it coming.

Put this on your thriller radar ASAP—you’re gonna want to talk about this one. I'm definitely grabbing a physical copy for my book shelf!