Jennifer Jaynes (1972–2019)

I have loved Jennifer Jaynes books since I read Never Smile At Strangers. I devoured that series. When I saw this book was coming out I instantly pre-ordered it. Then I waited. I don't think I was ever so impatient for a book to be released! Was it worth the wait? Oh yes!

I never read any of the blurbs about it. In all honesty, given the title, I assumed it was going to be another book in the series. I was surprised when I began it and knew it wasn't. I was not surprised or disappointed at show more all though by the writing. This author is amazing. You definitely want to carve out enough time to read it non stop. The story will hold you captive. Don't worry though, it moves at a fast pace. I figured it out. Then doubted myself. Figured it out again. Changed my mind. Kept questioning myself and the clues almost to the reveal! Then after the reveal, I was asking myself a new set of questions. I am still playing the question game. I imagine I will be for awhile.

Jennifer Jaynes books tend to stay with me. I find myself recommending them long after I read them. This book will join the others on my favorites shelf. It will be a book I return to in the winter when I love to read a good thriller cuddled up with my dog, (who gives this book two paws up - four paws up being reserved for belly rubs), hot chocolate and snow outside. I am already eagerly waiting for the next book. If you are thinking of getting this book, like a fast pace, enjoy true crime, (this is not a true crime book though), stop thinking. Go get this thriller. show less

Don't Say a Word by Jennifer Jaynes is the third volume in the Strangers Series but can be read as a standalone. I have not (yet) read the first two volumes and can say that this story started strong and stayed strong right to the end.

As a psychological thriller this was wonderful. The depth with which we get to know the protagonist (even when read as a standalone) makes the tense action even more gripping. We experience nerve-wracking scenes through the psyche of a person who is a show more work-in-progress when it comes to anxiety, stress and confidence.

The characters are all drawn well and we learn enough about each to feel some investment depending on their situation. Life can hand a lot of pain and uncertainty to everyone, especially children, and each child will react differently under that stress.

Highly recommended for readers of psychological suspense/thrillers as well as fans of character-driven stories. The writing makes this a quick and compelling read, you won't want to put it down.

Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads' First Reads. show less

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Welcome to Disturbia

This is a book that really caught me off guard when I picked it up it was simply because I could not get myself to sleep so I figured hey I will read great call on my part because I read it all in one sitting. The only issue is that it left me with no sleep. The story begins with a brutal murder that happens one show more year on Halloween, Chelsea's college roommates were brutally murdered and Chelsea was clinging to life. After she is taken to the hospital, she awakes with not much recollection of what happened that night but is told that her boyfriend Ethan is being implicated in the murders, but has fled and has not been found. Now, almost five years later, Chelsea has relocated to Boston with her best friend Elizabeth, a nurse she met at the hospital after the attack and is doing her best to move forward in her life.

After she reconnects with someone from her past, Chelsea starts receiving threatening notes, and constantly feels like someone is watching her. She thinks she sees Ethan at random places, and she grows more paranoid that she is in danger...

I loved this book! I am a huge fan of books where a character is being stalked or feels like they are being stalked, so Disturbed was right up my alley. I loved Chelsea as our protagonist, and most of the book was told from her point of view, though there were a few additional POVs, especially at the end of the book, I think they worked well in this book in lending to the creepy nature of the story.

The book starts with a bang and ends with one too. I was immediately drawn into the story, and ended up finishing it in just one sitting! I got strong 'Final Girls' vibes, which was another book (written by Riley Sager) that I just adored, so that made me even more excited to see how this one would end and compare it to Final Girls. I will be interested to see if this story continues into another book or if the author will leave things open-ended which would be fine. show less

I have read all of the books written by Jennifer Jaynes. I enjoy her writing. She has a way of drawing you in and holding you tightly until the end. This book was a bit different from the others I had read. I wasn’t positive I would like it as much. I was wrong about that. I did not want to put the book down. I would call this a medical thriller. It is multilayered with secrets all around. In my opinion it is a well researched, thought provoking, gripping read. I highly recommend it. Read show more no further if you don’t want to know how this book was personal for me

My oldest daughter and her younger brother both had reactions to vaccines. Reading about Suzy almost had me hyperventilating. The scenario was nearly identical to what happened with my oldest daughter. The seizures that began after receiving a “necessary” baby shot have never gone away. Even though her seizures began while we were still in the doctor’s office, after the shot was administered, I was told it couldn’t be the shot. The doctor and nurses kept repeating that like a mantra. Fortunately it was the third shot so she didn’t need another soon after. In the months following the nightmare continued with her having multiple seizures every day. The doctor was ordering all kinds of test because the vaccine was “deemed safe”. When I had her brother I held off the shots. I was terrified. That was when the real campaign began. I was paranoid, (admittedly this was true, I was). I was harming my child. I was putting other children in grave danger. What kind of mother was I? Did I realize I was withholding medical care and could go to jail? Eventually they wore me down. I was scared to do it and scared not to. I really believed they would take my children from me. I gave in and he was given the first injection. He did not react the same as my daughter. However his thigh was swollen and extremely hard...even a month later. They assured me it wasn’t the vaccine. They gave him the second shot and his other leg had the same reaction. Long story short, my son had to have physical therapy from Easter Seals to learn to walk. My daughter has had to use anti seizure medication her entire life. (They are both adults now). Years later, it came out that a lot of children in the USA had reactions similar to those my children had. I learned that the dosage given to children here was the highest in the world. Europe had been successfully vaccinating their children with half the amount we were giving. It was at this time that I began understanding the money game in health care. I am very concerned with the way we are being told the best thing for children is a multitude of immunization and the everyday use of sanitizers. I am appalled at the number of vaccines a baby is given. I am shocked that instead of letting our children develop natural immunity and strong health systems, we are force fed the rhetoric of children are especially vulnerable to deadly illnesses. How in the world did anyone survive without all this that we do today? Not only did we survive but we were pretty much healthier. I understand that what I wrote may have a lot of people upset with me. I don’t mind. You have your opinion. I have mine. I honestly believe we over vaccinate and we over sanitize in this country.

I know Ms. Jaynes book is a work of fiction. I hope you choose to read it. It is a very good thriller. I hope you enjoy it. I hope you truly think about the subject. I don’t think what she wrote as fiction is very far from the truth. show less