You Can Trust Me by Kiersten Modglin
Published: June 27, 2023
Kiersten Modglin
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pages: 226
I purchased a copy of this book on Amazon, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Kiersten Modglin is an Amazon Top 10 bestselling author of psychological thrillers and a member of International Thriller Writers, Novelists, Inc., and the Alliance of Independent Authors. Kiersten is a KDP Select All-Star and a recipient of ThrillerFix’s Best Psychological Thriller Award, Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award, a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Suspense, and a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Overall Book of 2021. She grew up in rural western Kentucky and later relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and their two Boston terriers: Cedric and Georgie. Kiersten’s work is currently being translated into multiple languages, and readers across the world refer to her as ‘The Queen of Twists.’ A Netflix addict, Shonda Rhimes superfan, psychology fanatic, and indoor enthusiast, Kiersten enjoys rainy days spent with her nose in a book.
Mae Barlowe’s annual beach trip is anything but a vacation.
It’s the anniversary of the worst day of her life.
When her husband and best friend surprise her with a last-minute itinerary change in the form of a couples’ cruise, she struggles to hide her reservations about the new plan.
A week spent cruising around in a tropical paradise sounds like a dream come true to everyone else, but for Mae, it’s an eerie reminder of chilling memories from her past.
Once on board the ship, a mysterious stranger causes confusion among the group, leading them to ask unsettling questions of one another.
Before they can get real answers, tragedy strikes.
Trapped on the vessel as it ventures toward their first destination, the friends struggle to come to grips with their new reality.
How do they stay safe when danger seems to be lurking around every corner?
Who can be trusted when nothing is quite what it seems?
How far will they go to protect the ones they love?
“Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?”
Mae thinks she and her husband, Blake, are spending time at the beach where she lost her brother as a child. When Blake and their best friend Flo surprise Mae with a cruise, she reluctantly agrees to go. When Mae ends up missing after a night out, Flo and Blake stop at nothing to find her; the truth has to be hidden somewhere on the ship.
This was a different element of KMod. The plot was filled with deliciously devious twists, and the characters all had an element of secrecy, but the setting was scarily realistic.
I liked how this story was told. The alternating narrators and perspectives kept the intensity building. The pacing was intense, and the fear was palpable. There was the perfect amount of doubt woven throughout to make you question everything while still holding out hope that this ship would settle.
This was a brilliant example of KMod’s talent for creating characters that leave readers speechless. I love that this book further proved that with Kiersten, you could never swallow any detail as too minor.
The twist in this book was unique and fascinating. The emotions were raw and genuine, and the human elements were well represented. This was a twisted nightmare with a setting so terrifying. On a cruise ship, there are only so many places to run.