| Category: | Suspense & Thrillers |
|---|---|
| Author: | Shivani Jai |
| Publisher: | Independent |
| Publication Date: | August 8, 2025 |
In Shivani Jai's psychological thriller, What's
Coming to You, Marilys Daniels falls for the charismatic Mason Goodridge and
can’t believe it. Mason is everything any woman wants in a man. But she soon
finds out that she is trapped in a marriage poisoned by his infidelity and her
desperate desire for a family. Mari is pregnant when she discovers Mason's
affair with her assistant Jeanine Alder, and their final confrontation turns deadly.
Mason strangles Mari in a fit of rage and, with Jeanine's complicity, stages
her death as a tragic car accident at the local quarry lake. But getting rid of
Mari doesn’t make life any better for Mason: his mistress is more obsessive,
his mother is suspicious, and the townsfolk don’t seem to believe his story. Moreover,
something else haunts Mason, manifesting in terrifying ways — locked nursery
doors and mysterious phone calls. Meanwhile, Detective Cora Hoxton works
tirelessly to dismantle Mason’s alibis and unravel the truth. Can Mason ever
get away with what he has done?
Shivani Jai delivers a complex character study through
Mason's narcissistic sociopathy, Mari's tragic blend of strength and authenticity,
and Jeanine's delusional obsession. These characters were exciting, and I
couldn’t take my eyes off them even for a bit. They are sophisticated, and each
of them is genuinely flawed and believable. The setting in the rain-soaked
Pacific Northwest of Eastview felt like a place I knew, because it was so
finely drawn, with details of the locals and imagery that reinforced a sense of
place in the story. What is most intriguing is the way the author captures the
gloomy atmosphere and the oppressive dread that settles over the Goodridge home.
What's Coming to You is tangled in plot, and the mix of elements of
police procedures and sleuth work, a tinge of horror, with moments like the
appearance of Mari’s teeth in the toilet or the phantom baby monitor made the
story irresistible to me. You’ll get a lot of tension in this tale. It is a
terrific read that explores karmic justice, the violent entitlement of
unchecked ego, and the insidious nature of gaslighting. Jai has crafted a story
with a pacing that accelerates from domestic drama to psychological thriller,
and at the explosive denouement, you are left with the conviction that some
debts must only be paid in full.
Hand-picked reviews our authors and readers are loving right now
Essays, author interviews and publishing advice for curious readers and writers.
Discover how to get your book reviewed with our ultimate guide. Learn how to secure editorial book reviews, navigate paid book reviews, and leverage book reviews for authors to boost sales!
Read the article →
The book market is more competitive now than ever. Here are the major changes to know if you want your book to stand out.
Read the article →
What Decades of Book Reviews and Editorial Book Reviews Reveal about Children's Books
Read the article →
A practical guide to building flawed, complex characters readers can still love.
Read the article →
Why Most Self-Help Books Don't Work (And the "Cheat Code" We’re Missing)We are addicted to advice. The self-help industry is worth billions of dollars. Every year, millions of people buy books promising to help them lose weight, start businesses, or find inner...
Read the article →
There is a particular kind of silence that falls in the early hours — not the absence of sound, but the quiet rearrangement of the world before it begins again. A kettle sighs. The light finds its way through the window in thin, precise strokes. In that stilln...
Read the article →.jpg)
 Mommys_Boy_6x9.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
