If you’re into domestic thrillers that make you side-eye every character, then ‘Hemlock’ by Kiersten Modglin might be right up your creepy little alley. I just finished this one and it is packed with secrets, lies, and twists so sharp they’ll leave you dizzy. And that’s just the beginning!
It seems like Kiersten Modglin has pretty much perfected the art of psychological suspense, and Hemlock was my first Modglin novel so that’s saying alot! I had heard that she is famous for her fast-paced, gripping thrillers, and I can confirm that Modglin certainly delivers stories that leave readers gasping at every turn. With a knack for domestic tension, unreliable narrators, and characters who always seem to have something lurking beneath the surface, she has built a reputation for keeping readers hooked until the very last page.
Along with Hemlock, we are going to take a look at a few of her other novels that I have recently added to my TBR. Among those include ‘The Roommate’, ‘Mother-in-Law’, ‘The Missing’, ‘The Arrangement’, and its jaw-dropping sequel, ‘The Amendment’. Each of these books promise to showcase Modglin’s skill in weaving tales of suspense and betrayal.
First on the list, ‘Hemlock’
Thirteen years ago, Maggie Ellis left her small town and vowed to never return. In her rearview mirror were two men she loved and an ominous secret that would forever haunt her. Now, tragedy has brought her back, and she’s determined to forget that fateful night. But in a town like Myers, with familiar faces and chilling memories lurking around every corner, moving on is easier said than done.
Before the ink can dry on the closing documents for her new residence, Maggie begins to feel unsettled. In every room, there’s the unmistakable sensation she’s being watched. The strange sounds, odd smells, and bizarre occurrences only add to her paranoia. There’s something sinister about her new home…
When she discovers the devastating truth about the house and its grim history, Maggie’s worst fears are realized. In order to survive, she must unearth the secrets she’d always planned to keep buried. After all, they say that home is where the heart is, but home is also where the skeletons lie.
Seamlessly blurring the edges between psychological thriller and romantic suspense, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings us a dark and twisted romantic thriller that’s perfect for fans of Verity, Tell Me Lies, The Ghost Writer, and You.
(Via Amazon)
Next up on my TBR from Kiersten Modglin is ‘The Roommate’
Heartbroken and in desperate need of a place to stay while he gives his wife the space she’s asked for, Wes is shocked when he runs into a familiar face from his past. As they catch up, Wes quickly learns his old classmate has an extra room and a non-existent social life. He can’t help feeling grateful to spend time with someone who remembers who he was during their glory days, long before his life fell apart. So, when Elias offers to rent out his spare bedroom, it seems like the answer to all Wes’s problems. Wes takes his old friend up on the offer without hesitation.
Living with someone you barely know is better than living with a stranger… Isn’t it?
But soon, Wes realizes moving in with Elias may have been a mistake.
Between the wild mood swings, strange occurrences, and total disregard for his new roommate’s privacy, Wes begins to wonder if Elias will be his savior or his worst nightmare.
When his wife reveals devastating news that destroys the final bit of shaky ground Wes was standing on, his new roommate may be all he has left.
Maybe that’s what Elias wanted in the first place…
Or maybe it’s all in Wes’s head.
(Via Amazon)
We’ve all heard the phrase “Monster-in-Law”. Some of us have even lived it.
But in the Psychological Thriller ‘Mother-in-Law’, Modglin takes family drama to a whole new level.
When Loren meets Jack, she’s sure he’s the man she’s been waiting for—a perfect husband and a father for her young daughter. Shortly after their wedding, the couple’s plans to start a life together are interrupted by the news of Jack’s father’s death.
In an effort to appease her new husband, Loren invites her mother-in-law, Coralee, to stay with them while she grieves. When strange things begin to occur just after her arrival, Loren questions how much she knows about the woman she invited into her home.
One calculated move after the next, Coralee attempts to drive a wedge between Loren and her new husband. Jack believes his mother’s strange behavior is just further proof she needs their help, but Loren isn’t so sure. As Coralee’s actions become increasingly sinister, Loren is pushed to her breaking point and she realizes she must do whatever it takes to get rid of her mother-in-law for good.
(Via Amazon)
Having been compared to Lost, The Lord of the Flies and the Hunger Games, ‘The Missing” is a spooktacular thriller. Just in time for fall.
When five strangers are abandoned on an island without any idea where they are or whom to trust, their nightmarish new reality begins to unfold.
Someone is lying.
Someone is hiding a terrible secret.
They’d all do anything to get home… Wouldn’t they?
As the group struggles to uncover the truth about their mysterious whereabouts, only one thing is certain: every choice they make on the island will affect the others.
And when they uncover a strange note with a chilling revelation, the group begins to question everything they thought they knew. If they want to make it off the island alive, they’ll have to discover who brought them there and why…before it’s too late.
(Via Amazon)
If you think you’ve heard every twist on the “domestic thriller,” Modglin’s ‘The Arrangement’ will prove you wrong
The premise seems simple: A couple agrees to open their marriage in a last-ditch effort to save it. But in true Modglin fashion, nothing is ever that straightforward.
The arrangement was just meant to fix their marriage.
No one was supposed to get hurt.
But when the rules of this open marriage are broken, the consequences are sinister.
Ainsley Greenburg is a fixer.
It’s what she prides herself on.
So, when she realizes her marriage is at its breaking point, she makes a decision to repair it, no matter the cost. Approaching her husband to propose the arrangement is supposed to be the hard part, but Peter agrees to the salacious plan almost immediately.
The rules are simple:
- They will each date someone new once a week.
- They will never discuss what happens on the dates.
Soon, though, the rules are broken, turning terrible mistakes into unspeakable consequences.
When the only person they can count on to keep their darkest secret is each other, new questions and deceits surface. Can they truly trust the person they share a life with, or will the vicious lies that have mounted over the years destroy everything they’ve built?
Once, Peter and Ainsley vowed to stand together forever, but as they push boundaries of deception, suspicion, and temptation, each begins to wonder if ’til death do us part may come sooner than they’d intended.
(Via Amazon)
If ‘The Arrangement’ left you breathless, then ‘The Amendment’ promises to be the knockout punch.
This sequel picks up where the first left off, but things only get darker and more twisted from here.
First, there was the arrangement.
A simple, yet salacious fix to the problems looming in their marriage.
But when things took a tragic turn, Peter’s and Ainsley’s lives quickly fell into disarray.
Now, their secrets have been exposed.
They know the truth—about each other and their marriage.
As they struggle to move on from their past and the damage they’ve caused, new problems begin to surface.
Someone they love is hiding a catastrophic secret. The fragile ground they stand on is starting to crumble. Their family is being torn apart at the seams. And, maybe worst of all, a threat from the past is lurking, ready to unveil the things they’d kill to keep hidden.
They thought the nightmare they’d made it through was over, but the worst is just beginning…
Once, they vowed to do anything to make their marriage work.
Now, that vow will push every boundary they have left.
In order to survive, they’ll need to completely trust each other.
But can they?
Last time they did, things went terribly wrong…
This time, it might be worse.
If there’s one thing that’s certain, their secrets are too big to let anyone walk away alive.
(Via Amazon)
The Modglin Effect
What appears to set Kiersten Modglin apart is her ability to create characters who seem so ordinary at first glance but reveal themselves to be anything but. Her stories are fueled by the idea that anyone can harbor dark secrets, making her books feel unsettlingly real. Whether she’s writing about the strangers we find in our homes (The Roommate) or the people we marry (The Arrangement), Modglin always finds a way to upend our sense of security, leaving us questioning everything and everyone.
Kiersten Modglin’s books are the kind of thrillers that keep you hooked from start to finish. Whether it’s the claustrophobic tension of ‘Hemlock’, the family drama of ‘Mother-in-Law’, or the twisted mind games of ‘The Arrangement’ and ‘The Amendment’, Modglin never fails to deliver a gripping experience. If you haven’t picked up one of her novels yet, do yourself a favor and dive into her world of twists, secrets, and betrayals. But fair warning: you may never look at the people in your life the same way again.
If you need to pick up your copy of any of these great titles, you can get them here on Amazon. Or get one for free when you sign up for a free trial from Audible.
Until next time, you bookish babes, keep it brash, keep it bookish, and as always, keep it true to you!
