Amber Cowie

The premise of Amber Cowie's new book, Last One Alive, hooked me right away.

What's it about? From the publisher: "A team of researchers exploring the myth of a witch find their numbers mysteriously dwindling in this irresistible psychological thriller for fans of Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, and Lucy Foley."

I love 'locked room' mysteries. In this case, it's ten people on the site of an historic crime. And yes, one by one they die. But here's the thing that kept me guessing 'til the final pages. show more Is it the curse of the witch? Is there really something to the legends? Or is one of the ten turning on their fellow researchers?

Penelope is the organizer of the trip. While she has a good reason for the trip and says and does all the right things, I didn't like her. Or any of the ten for that matter. There's something 'off' with each and every one of them. Which only serves to have more suspects!

The setting descriptions easily conjured up a detailed picture in my mind. The isolation, the forest, the rocky beach, the old outbuildings and more all add to the unsettled feeling of the endeavor.

But what I enjoyed the most was trying to solve the whodunit - keeping track of who was where at a certain time, who was together, what was overheard, what was found. (I always wanted to be Nancy Drew.)

I did find some chapters ended quite abruptly and I would have to flip back to make sure I hadn't missed something.

Cowie's book is well written, not easy to suss out and kept me interested right through to the final pages. show less

Screw You (In The Best Possible Ways), Amber Cowie! Interesting story, solid mystery that begins to slowly drag you in. Mystery heats up in the back half, and then... that ending. The reason for the title of the review. Great book, and clearly shows Cowie's growth as a storyteller and writer on now her 3rd effort. But that ending... well, read the damn book and see what you think. You may well have exactly the same reaction I did.

If you love suspense novels, you're going to want to pick Amber Cowie's new book - The Off Season.

The set up for this tale was perfect! Jane has just married a man she's known for only six months, he's thirteen years older, has a teenage daughter and has been married already. Jane doesn't want children and is rebounding from something that went very bad in her work. A recipe for disaster? Maybe. How about adding in being caretakers for a remote lodge in the winter? Oh definitely yes...

The show more setting is wonderfully described. The lodge is large and luxurious. The forest surrounding the lodge beautiful - but also dangerous. And this crossed my thoughts...Redrum...

Cowie's character building is perfect. The dynamics between Jane and Dom are still in the honeymoon stage. But relations between Jane and Dom's daughter Sienna, are fractious, to say the least. The past is also a character in the plot. But is anyone telling the truth at all?

Oh my gosh - with every chapter Cowie builds and builds the tension in the lodge. There was no way I was going to stop reading! The plotting is great - I had no idea how things were to going to play out. Cowie kept me guessing right through to the last pages.

The Off Season is a fantastic entry for your summer reading list! show less

This is a great new psychological thriller by a debut author. Given the intensity and writing in this debut novel, I can't wait to see what Amber Cowie writes next.

Cara and Anna live in the small town of Rapid Falls. Cara is the oldest but Anna is the prettiest and the two sisters always seem to be in competition. On Cara's graduation night, Anna is driving drunk and Cara's boyfriend ends up dying in the wreck. Anna's life is ruined and after jail time it goes into a downward spiral of drugs show more and alcohol. Happily married Cara is always available to help her sister out of her latest problem. At least all of this is what Cara would have you believe -- is it the real truth or Cara's truth?

The secrets are slowly revealed in alternating chapter - the past(1992) and present day. As past secrets unfold and nothing is what it seems anymore, Anna desperately searches for the truth. But what if Cara doesn’t want her to find it?

My only problem with this book is that the two main characters are pretty unlikable. I mean Cara has absolutely no redeeming traits - she is poor sister, mother, wife and daughter. But once I decided that it was ok not to like her, the story became more enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. show less