I wanted to enjoy this one more and I do think it had some nice elements to it…but it felt a bit disjointed to me. The author tried to throw some red herrings in the mix to keep you guessing, but per usual always trust your first instincts. ( )

Maggie Sparkes has left the village where she has been involved in charity work to fly to New York where her best friend, Celine Gonzalez has killed herself. Spending time in Celine's apartment is nostalgic, but what she finds there opens old wounds and creates new ones. Celine had been keeping secrets that may have gotten her killed, and Maggie is determined to find out what happened to her friend. The search leads her to many things she didn't want to know about Celine and her lifestyle, but it also leads her to suspects who may have had reason to kill her.

He Will Be My Ruin is not romantic suspense as I expected when I started reading. There is some romance in the novel, but it is part of the mystery and does not lead to a traditional HEA. This story is definitely a thriller/mystery in which the reader follows the protagonist as she investigates and finds clues. The story opens with a scene that actually takes place near the end, and then the plot flashes back to what happened to lead Maggie into this situation. Overall, He Will Be My Ruin is a decent mystery/thriller but just not what I expected. ( )

4.5 stars.

With a labyrinthine plot and plenty of dark secrets, He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker is spellbinding mystery that keeps readers guessing what exactly happened to Maggie Sparkes' best friend Celine Gaonzalez.

Best friends since childhood, Maggie and Celine come from completely different backgrounds and live very different lives. Wealthy heiress Maggie puts her trust fund to good use funding the philanthropic organization she founded. Not content to just write checks and raise money, Maggie also invests plenty of sweat equity in the foundation as she works side by side the other volunteers in some of the world's poorest and most remote regions. Celine, on the other hand, is from humble beginnings and she is barely scraping by as she saves money to complete her degree in hopes of landing a job with a prestigious auction house. Maggie is stunned to learn of Celine's shocking death and she cannot accept that her friend committed suicide. While packing up Celine's apartment, she discovers stunning secrets that convince her there is more to Celine's death than meets the eye. Maggie hires a private investigator to help uncover the truth but she puts herself in danger when she continues investigating on her own.

Maggie is quite idealistic but with her wealthy background, she is rather insulated from the realities of normal life. Tenacious, determined and strong willed, she refuses to give up on finding out the truth about what happened to Celine. Maggie's quest leads to her to make some questionable decisions but it is difficult to find fault with her refusal to give up on getting answers about Celine's death.

Growing up with a single mom who struggled financially, Celine wants a better life for herself. With an astute eye for antiques, she scours estate and garages sales for hidden treasures and her collection of valuable pieces is quite extensive. Too proud to accept Maggie's offers of financial assistance, Celine supplements her meager pay in a somewhat unorthodox manner. Finally on the verge of moving forward with her plans when a major setback occurs, Celine ends up on a crash course with disaster.

The secondary cast of characters is eclectic and entertaining. Celine's octogenarian neighbor Ruby Cummings is endearing and her astute observations are invaluable. Laidback building super Grady is quite charming and Maggie finds him too sexy to resist. Several clues point Maggie to wealthy, successful hedge fund financier Jace Everett but he does not seem to have a motive to harm Celine. Private investigator Doug Murphy is relentless in his pursuit of answers and his trusty computer expert Zac is rather colorful yet likable.

He Will Be My Ruin is a twisty, turny suspense laden mystery that is quite riveting. Intricately plotted with clever misdirects and well-placed red herrings, K.A. Tucker brilliantly obscures the perpetrator's identity until virtually the end of the novel. Although a few loose ends are left dangling, this mesmerizing whodunit is a satisfying, smart read that is sure to be a hit with fans of the genre. ( )

A Fun, Twisty Read

I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down. A little implausible, but the mystery hooked me right away and kept me guessing the whole time, right up to the satisfying and surprising ending. A big theme in the novel was how well can we really know people? As Maggie tries to solve her friend's murder - deemed a suicide by the police - the answer to this question proves to be elusive and dangerous. ( )

I am huge fan of K.A. Tucker, but I have been holding off on grabbing for this one since it was a mystery/suspense. I am not normally a huge fan of thrillers. This was good, but just did not do it for me like her other work. It was not bad by any means, just not something I loved.

I did not love the characters. I never connected with Maggie or Celine. I also did not love the romances involved or where they went within the story. The ending was underwhelming and some of the twists and turns were pretty predictable.

Overall, this was just good. ( )