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In the Blood: A Novel Hardcover – January 7, 2014
Purchase options and add-ons
A Best Book of the Year (Suspense Magazine)
A Silver Falchion Award Winner for Best Novel
A Best Book Nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards
A CBC Morning Show Top Book Pick
An Amazon Best Book of the Month
An Indie Next Best Books of the Month Pick
"A brisk, crafty and fascinating psychological thriller... In The Blood is a complex mosaic as well, one that's tricky, arresting and meaningful." (The Washington Post)
Liar, liar, pants on fire . . .
College senior Lana Granger has told so many lies about her past that the truth seems like a distant, cloudy nightmare. But she meets her match when she begins babysitting for a volatile, manipulative eleven-year-old boy. Soon after Lana takes the job, her close friend Beck mysteriously disappears. Lana instantly begins fabricating stories - to friends, to police, to herself. Why doesn't her account jibe with those of eye-witnesses? Lana will do anything to bury the truth about that night ... and about her life. But someone else knows her secrets. And he's dying to tell.
As darkly startling and finely crafted as her blockbuster bestsellers Beautiful Lies and Fragile, Lisa Unger's masterful new psychological thriller has already "set the bar for thrillers to come" (BookReporter) and is "guaranteed to keep the pages turning long past the midnight hour." (BookPage)
- Print length352 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherGallery Books
- Publication dateJanuary 7, 2014
- Dimensions6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101451691173
- ISBN-13978-1451691177
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Amazon Guest Review of In the Blood
By Karin Slaughter
Reading In the Blood is like grabbing a live wire. You’re minding your own business, just looking for a good read, then suddenly you’re jolted into a shocking, unputdownable thriller. There’s no way you can let go—the thought of never finding out what happens to these manipulative and terrifying characters is not an option.
The story begins with Lana, a deeply troubled young woman who is a student at a private university in upstate New York. Lana is a psychology major with a knack for working with troubled children. She takes a job as a babysitter for a disturbed young boy named Luke, but it’s not just the experience she craves—there’s something about Luke that unsettles Lana to her core. Maybe it’s because Luke seems to know Lana a little too well. Maybe it’s because she’s a firm believer in keeping your enemies close. Luke is a master manipulator, a budding psychopath who loves playing games. And he seems dangerously close to figuring out Lana’s secrets.
Luke isn’t her only worry. The police have found out that Beck, Lana’s friend, has gone missing. They start asking her questions she can’t answer. Her quiet, academic life turns upside down. The sheltered campus is suddenly against her. Worse, throughout it all Luke wants to play a mysterious and disconcerting game that seems eerily connected to Lana’s troubled past. And the longer she plays, the more the game seems connected to the night that Beck disappeared too. Lana hasn’t told anyone what happened, so why does it feel like the only way to find her friend is to keep playing Luke’s horrific game?
Lisa Unger is a master at creating psychologically damaged characters. Lana is refreshingly original, an engaging yet completely unreliable narrator. We want to trust her, but should we? Luke is equally inscrutable. He has a dangerous side that both horrifies and draws you in. Is Lana playing Luke’s game, or are they both playing the reader? The answer delivers the kind of shock that will leave you stunned long after the last page is turned.
Review
“In The Blood may be [Unger's] best one yet. . . . Keeps the shocks and twists coming at a breakneck pace.” Source: Tampa Bay Tribune
“Always scary…Unger neatly distorts our perceptions, so there’s no telling what is what. Well done.” Source: New York Daily News
“A riveting chess match of twists will keep you guessing—and keep you up at night.” Source: Family Circle
"Prepare to be scared. Creepy characters, grippingplot, chilling description — this novel is a perfect weekend read . . . This issimply a great, scary psychological thriller." Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune
"[A] gripping novel of psychological suspense. . . [with a] tense, surprise-laden plot." Author: Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Nothing is what it seems as Unger pulls off some beautiful surprises in this intriguing thriller. . . . Masterfully told." Source: Associated Press
“Unger pulls off a bravura feat. . . . Readers will … savor the pleasure of being guided by Unger’s sure hand along a deliciously twisted narrative path. Another scary winner from an accomplished pro.” Source: Kirkus Reviews
"A fantastic novel full of suspense and intrigue. Massively recommended." Source: The Sun (UK)
"This fast-moving book is a rollercoaster thrill ride, withholding crucial facts and then pounding you with them as the chapters wind down. It’s a quick, adrenaline-filled read with a slam-bang climax. Unger’s skill with words, combined with a pace that never lets up, is guaranteed to keep the pages turning long past the midnight hour." Source: Bookpage
"Unger's latest offering is full of engaging twists and turns. . . . Skillfully keeps the reader guessing. . . Fans of mystery and psychological suspense. . . will be delighted with this imaginative story." Source: Library Journal
“Unger is a compelling storyteller whose tales rest on human frailty. . . . She makes it impossible to stop reading.” Source: The Charlotte Observer
“The brisk plot churns.” Source: Sun Sentinel
“In the Blood is an absolute corker of a thriller that cements Lisa Unger's status as one of the brightest stars in the game.” Author: Dennis Lehane
"Reading In the Blood is like grabbing a live wire. . . . A shocking, unputdownable thriller." Author: Karin Slaughter
"In the Blood is a riveting new thriller from Lisa Unger. Dark and haunting, with a deadly twist that you won't see coming 'til you're hit between the eyes, this book is a winner." Author: Linda Fairstein, author of Death Angel
"In the Blood is a psychological thriller that played me--in the best sense--from beginning to surprising end. I guarantee Lisa Unger will pull the rug out from under you more than once, so hold tight." Author: Andrew Pyper, author of The Demonologist
“Stellar... Heartbroken should be on everyone’s summer to-read list. For best results, read it alone on an island on a dark and stormy night.” Source: USA Today (4 stars)
“Heartbroken has all the makings of a high-wire thriller. But it's the twisted psyches of its main characters that really unsettle.” Source: People (3 ½ stars)
“Deeply plotted and complex and carries an undeniable momentum. Lisa Unger’s enthralling cast of characters pulled me right in and locked me down tight. This is one book that will have you racing to the last page, only to have you wishing the ride wasn’t over.” Author: Michael Connelly
“A nail-biting, nuanced whodunit." Source: People
“Riveting psychological suspense of the first order. If you haven’t yet experienced Lisa Unger, what are you waiting for?” Author: Harlan Coben
“I read Black Out in one hungry gulp and spent the rest of the night trying to calm my jangled nerves. This is a stunning, mind-bending shocker with moments of sheer terror — one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year!” Author: Tess Gerritsen
“Unger’s latest keeps the adrenaline pumping with a roller-coaster plot and harrowing psychological suspense. … Well worth the ride.” Source: People
“Suspenseful, sensitive, sexy, subtle … The best nail-biter I have read for ages. Highly recommended.” Source: Lee Child
“Perfect pitch, characters we can recognize as versions of ourselves, a plot in which a vague sense of suspense almost instantly appears and then grows with the speed of a waterslide. … Lip-smacking good.” Source: Chicago Tribune
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
1
The winter day was gray and cool, not frigid as it had been. But still it was a very typical January day in upstate New York—barren, chill, flat. I rode my bike around the small, deserted campus, reveling in a quiet that is at its most total right before everyone returns from winter break. The trees were bare, twisted fingers reaching up into the thick, low cloud cover.
I had just returned to school from an unbearable holiday spent with my unbearable aunt and unbearable cousins. (And I know for a fact that they feel exactly the same way about me.) But we did bear up, because that’s what family does, isn’t it? We bear up, together, like it or not.
And so they tolerated the dark-haired, dark-eyed sulking interloper, a wraith in their sunny, golden-haired midst. And I tolerated their terrible happy togetherness. But I knew, and so did they, that I had not quite been folded in. I was a cockroach in the batter of their sweet lives. Too polite to remove me, they ate around me.
I can’t fault them, really. Because they are kind and good, and they took me in against all advice and good sense. And I do try to be polite, and they do, as well. And we are all very good at enduring unhappiness, especially my aunt, who had a great deal of practice early on.
“I have created my life,” she said, in one of the torturous heart-to-hearts she tried to have with me. “And you’re smart enough to do the same.”
She believes that, she really does. She thinks that we are made and not born, that it is the power of choice that forms our lives. With enough positive energy and good feng shui we can overcome almost anything. She’s one of those, the magical thinkers. I think I envy her, even if I can hardly suppress my disdain.
It was that time, with graduation right around the corner, when people wanted to know what you were going to do with your life. Graduate school seemed like a good bet, if for no other reason than it delayed my emergence from the freedom and indulgence of academics into the world of alarm clocks and ambition, and nine-to-five. I couldn’t see myself sitting in a cube somewhere—file cabinets and ringing phones, office birthday cakes and paper cuts. What was a psychology major fit for, if not for more education? The human mind, with all its mystery, bears endless study. Doesn’t it?
But if I hadn’t quite made any decisions on that front, I knew one thing. I needed a job. There was money for everything—for school and housing, for books and extras. My parents, whatever their failings, had made sure of it. There was an account, and I had a lawyer whom I called if I needed something: Skylar Lawrence, the man with the checkbook. He always sounded young on the phone, like a teenage girl. But he was old, ancient even—stooped and bald, draped in expensive suits, sporting gold-rimmed spectacles. He had known my parents for many years, and was the executor of my mother’s estate and manager of my trust. We’d met a couple of times over the years—solemn visits in his office, where he droned on about the status of my mother’s investments, budgets, conditions of the trust. I would sit, nodding sagely, with no idea what he was talking about, too shy to ask many questions.
When I thought of him, which was really only when I needed money, I always envisioned him dwarfed in his huge leather chair, with his stunning view of Manhattan spread about him like a glittering carpet. With a gnarled hand, he’d press a button and money would appear in my checking account. I know: a trust-fund baby, how annoying. Believe it, you wouldn’t want to be me.
During my last conversation with Sky, he suggested that I might find some work since my class schedule was light.
“It would be a good thing for you,” he said. I heard a sharp inhale and slow exhale. He was a smoker; there was an occasional edge to his otherwise youthful voice, sudden bursts of wet, rattling coughs. “To earn something of your own.”
“Okay,” I said. I always said that. It was my stock response when I didn’t know what to say.
“Because you’re an adult now,” he went on, as though I’d put up an argument. “And you need to decide what you are going to make of your life. Earning your own way is part of that.”
“You sound like Aunt Bridgette.”
I heard the hiss of a match lighting, and he drew in another breath sharply. I suppose it wasn’t a stretch to think that this was a scheme they’d hatched together. We choose who we are, she’d said over break, certainly not for the first time. And I could tell that it was important to her that I believe that. We don’t inherit everything.
“Am I out of money or something?” I asked.
“Not yet,” he said. “But as you know, there is a period of diminished support after graduation. You won’t come into your trust until you’re thirty. It was your mother’s wish that you find your calling, and earn your own way.”
“Right,” I said. Of course, I knew this. Both Sky and Bridgette had mentioned it repeatedly. But somehow it had always seemed so very far away, that time when I’d spread my wings and fly on my own. Here I was, on the edge of the academic nest and looking down. I had no idea whether I’d take to the air or crash into a pile of bones.
“So, when you say ‘diminished support,’ you mean . . . ?”
He told me the small yearly sum I would receive, just to help make ends meet and to provide for some extras should I have a low-paying job. “Your mother wanted you to follow your dreams, make a difference. It was her hope that you’d help people. She didn’t want you to choose your career based on how much it paid, but she did want you to do something.”
Of course, no one ever mentioned my father or what he wanted from me.
“I know,” I said. “I will.”
So, that first day back after my winding, solitary bike ride around campus, I walked to the office of student affairs to gaze at the job board. I was weirdly excited. I liked the idea of doing something other than studying, which I had been doing diligently for years. I had been the valedictorian of my high school class. I had a perfect 4.0 average at university. Knowledge and the regurgitation of such in the form of essay and exam came very easily to me. It was everything else that came hard.
Dog walker? Coffeehouse waitress? Bookstore clerk? Librarian assistant? Math tutor? The board was a colorful riot of help-wanted notices, and the possibilities seemed endless. The office assistant was typing behind me. Beside me the phone rang three times, went silent, then started ringing again. I ripped off little paper tags with phone numbers on them. I imagined myself tugged down the street by five dogs with bladders about to burst, or rushing between bistro tables delivering espressos to the undercaffeinated, or quietly filing homeless books, putting them in proper order. Is that what my mom would have wanted for me? Did these jobs qualify as helping people?
“What about this one?”
Startled from my reverie, I saw my psychology professor lingering nearby. He was looking at yet another board brimming with offers. So many people with menial needs, offering positions to those of us desperate for pocket money. It was a sub-economy: easy jobs for overprivileged youth. It seemed like an inside joke. While the larger economy faltered and the working poor labored tirelessly only to make ends meet, some of us drifted on a silly cloud, only asking to receive. Or maybe that’s just me being cynical.
I walked over to stand beside him. He was squinting through his glasses as he pulled a notice off the board and handed it to me.
“?‘Single mother looking for afternoon help with her eleven-year-old son,’?” I read. “?‘After school through dinner, some overnights.’?”
“Should work with your schedule,” he said easily. I had mentioned to him my need for a job before break and he’d promised to be on the lookout for something suitable.
In addition to being my teacher, he was also my school counselor. He’d come to the university shortly after I started. And we’d always walked the line of friendship, which was easier now that I was older.
Langdon Hewes was a study in propriety. We had only met in public places, or with the door to his office wide open. He was too young to be so cautious, but he hinted at having had some kind of negative past experience. And I didn’t pry—because I certainly didn’t want to talk about my past either. He ran a hand through the perpetual tousle of his dark hair, and looked down at me from his towering height.
“Nanny?” I said, skeptical.
“More like babysitter,” he said.
“What’s the difference?”
He shrugged, looked up. He had this way of searching the sky or the ceiling for his answers. He’d tilt his head up and squint into nothingness, as if it were all there in the ether, just waiting to be found.
“Nannies are for little kids,” he said finally. “It’s more of a full-time position. Babysitting is, like, more casual, more as needed.”
He said this with a firm nod that brooked no questioning. Even though he surely knew nothing about nannies or babysitters, I took him at his word. He did have a Ph.D. in child psychology, was the known expert in childhood psychopathy. He’d published several articles in major consumer magazines—including the New York Times Magazine, Psychology Today, Vanity Fair, as well as the ever-important academic journals. Publish or perish; it was no joke at this school. He was currently at work on a book, a collection of case studies that was, he hoped, a blend between a text and something more mainstream. So maybe his opinion on this topic counted for something. At least that’s what I told myself.
I held the ad in my hand. Unlike the other pink and green and yellow sheets, with their fun or fancy typefaces, this was just a plain white paper, with centered Times New Roman text. It offered nothing but its own simplicity. A need in black and white, waiting to be filled.
“You only have three classes this term,” he said. “Mine, criminal psychology, and art. Light load. Never a good idea to have too much time on your hands.”
I wouldn’t call him handsome, but there was something pleasant about his aspect. Even his slouch, his perfectly pressed oxfords and chinos (sometimes jeans), those Merrell cross-training shoes, had a kind of comforting predictability. With Langdon, there were never any surprises. My own inner life was always chaotic, churning. I wondered what it was like to be so even, so measured. His presence never failed to calm me.
“I’ll be your reference.”
“I don’t have any babysitting experience.”
“You’re a psych major,” he said. “There was your internship at Fieldcrest. You were fabulous with the kids.” He said this with a smile, as though it was a little private joke. “You got an A in my class.”
My work at Fieldcrest, a school associated with the university for troubled and emotionally challenged young people, had been intense, to say the least. I was pleased that he thought I’d done a good job there. It was the first time he’d said so out loud, even though the internship evaluation he’d written had been glowing. I shifted forward, closer to him, feeling a little jolt of excitement. There was something about the paper in my hand, about his being there, about the prospect of something new in my life.
I fished my phone from my backpack and dialed the number as we walked into his office. I sat across from his desk and he sat, spun to face his computer, and started typing.
“My name is Lana Granger,” I said when a woman answered. “I’m answering your ad.”
“Oh, great,” she said. She sounded slightly breathless. I heard paper rustling in the background. “Can you come for an interview today?”
Outside the window, it seemed like a ray of sun had broken through the cloud cover and I saw a little bit of blue in the sky for what seemed like the first time in months.
“Uh,” I said stupidly. I hadn’t expected things to progress so quickly. But why not? I guess when you needed a sitter, you really needed a sitter. I looked at my wrist only to realize that I wasn’t wearing a watch. I didn’t even own a watch. And I knew that I had nothing whatsoever to do that day anyway. “Sure.”
“Perfect,” she said. She sounded bright and cheerful; nice, I guess. “After lunch, say twoish?”
We made all the arrangements, exchanged necessary information like her address (?just a quick bike ride away from campus), her name (Rachel Kahn, son Luke), my phone number. After I hung up, Langdon turned to look at me. He had an odd expression on his face, something I couldn’t read. But he was like that, a total brain, his mind always working, figuring, developing theories.
“Good work,” he said.
“I didn’t do anything,” I answered. “It was just a phone call.”
“Today is the beginning of your real life,” he said. “This could be your first actual job.”
I couldn’t tell if he was making fun of me in that sweet, gentle way that he had. But I found myself smiling at him. It did feel like kind of a big deal, and my stomach was a little fluttery with happiness. And I was glad I had him to share it with.
“I’ll take you out to lunch to celebrate,” he said. “Let’s go get some pizza.”
I thought about my aunt Bridgette, who is not really so unbearable. Seriously. It’s only that she’s not my mother. Though I know she cares for me, she doesn’t love me. Only a child who has lost a mother knows how yawning and uncrossable is the space between those two things. Just because horrible things have happened to you doesn’t mean you can’t have a happy, normal life, she’d said to me once. I had felt sorry for her, only because I suspected that she might be wrong. I was marked, wasn’t I? Forever? But for whatever silly reason as we left Langdon’s office, I let myself wonder if maybe she was right after all.
Product details
- Publisher : Gallery Books; First Edition (January 7, 2014)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1451691173
- ISBN-13 : 978-1451691177
- Item Weight : 1.12 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,443,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18,506 in Murder Thrillers
- #20,804 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
- #55,850 in Suspense Thrillers
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10. With books published in thirty-three languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, she is regarded as a master of suspense.
Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only a few authors including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book interesting and enjoyable to read. They appreciate the twists and turns in the storyline, as well as the writing quality. The characters are well-developed and interesting. The book provides depth and meaningful insight into mental illness. Readers describe the pacing as fast and engaging, making it a quick and enjoyable read.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book engaging and entertaining. They describe it as a good mystery, suspense, and thriller that keeps them hooked from start to finish. Readers appreciate the suggestions for further reading.
"...Good mystery/suspense/thriller books, such as this one, gives you that satisfied feeling when all the pieces finally click into place after all the..." Read more
"...I have always enjoyed psychology, and I found this book both entertaining and enlightening...." Read more
"...What a great novel! Though I read close to 100 books a year, I rarely (once a year?) stay up late to finish a story - but I just couldn't stop...." Read more
"The first 70 percent of this book was good not bad, but wow did the last 30 percent take a nose dive into the dumpster of unreality...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's twists and turns. They find the story intense, suspenseful, and well-crafted with an interesting premise. The story explores mental illness and its tendency to run in families. Readers appreciate the well-woven plot with multiple storylines that mesh together by the end. Overall, it's described as a twisted tale of murder, lies, and self-discovery.
"...only that chilly, unsettling tone but it also gave the book an intriguing protagonist and antagonist that made the story so compelling for me...." Read more
"...This book was gripping in a way I couldn't put down. You know a train wreck is coming, but you just don't know how...." Read more
"...There are 2 or 3 story lines and they mesh very well by the books end...." Read more
"...in the most basic of ways, nonetheless, she carries her protagonist through with believability and not a little dignity...." Read more
Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They find it easy to read and full of suspense. The characterization is wonderful, and the plot development is meticulous and strategic. Overall, readers appreciate the intelligent and creative writing style.
"...The book was put together so well with intelligence and creativity. I was intrigued from the first pages to the end...." Read more
"...The prose is just excellent. Unger offers many little observations of life and relationships, all integral to the story, that really resonate...." Read more
"...Still, as always, Unger writes so well that you get engrossed in the story...." Read more
"...Well-written, and a definite must for those that like psychological thrillers and blind-corner plot twists, I can't wait until my friends read this..." Read more
Customers find the characters well-developed and interesting. The book is told in the words of two characters, with the main character being a young adult who has had a horrible childhood made worse by abuse.
"...All of the characters are very interesting, and there are a couple of kids who are particularly creepy...." Read more
"...That said, I still loved it! I loved the main character, whose complexity was gradually revealed as the book progressed, and the writing style of..." Read more
"...The dialogue flows and is character correct. I am a fan of Lisa Unger's and have read all her previous work this one is her best! WOW!..." Read more
"...just an absolutely gripping tale with outstanding writing and character development. I highly recommend it." Read more
Customers find the book insightful and meaningful. They say it's an engrossing story with subtle clues. The author provides great insights into minds and thoughts of mentally ill people. The book is described as intelligent and entertaining, with an intriguing mystery.
"...the mystery and suspense while also being very introspective and philosophical. It brought a lyrical fluidity to the story that pleasantly surprise...." Read more
"...The prose is just excellent. Unger offers many little observations of life and relationships, all integral to the story, that really resonate...." Read more
"...It is chilling and intriguing, and wraps you up with all of the twists and turns that continue from chapter to chapter...." Read more
"...I loved the main character, whose complexity was gradually revealed as the book progressed, and the writing style of chapters alternating between a..." Read more
Customers find the book fast-paced and suspenseful. They say it's an easy read that makes time pass quickly. Readers also mention the story builds slowly, keeping them on edge of their seats. Overall, they find the pacing engaging and the book unputdownable.
"...The pace is brisk and the story really zips along...." Read more
"...A really quick and engaging read!" Read more
"...was the perfect book to be stuck in an airport-- it made the hours of killing time fly by...." Read more
"...The flow of the book is fast moving. This book is unputdownable! I mean I read it in one day!..." Read more
Customers find the book engaging. They describe it as a page-turner and a powerful psychological thriller masterpiece.
"Wow, Lisa Unger does it again. This is a powerful, page turning, psychological thriller masterpiece! I could not put this book down...." Read more
"I read this book in one day - it is a page-turner with an multifaceted, complicated main character and a backstory that you'll be thinking about..." Read more
"...Keeps you guessing, a good page-turner." Read more
"Engaging,page turner with interesting plot twists. This is the first book by Lisa Unger that I have read. I would definitely read more by this author" Read more
Customers find the book engaging and hard to put down. Some say they even took it to work with them.
"...This book made it difficult for me to put it down because I just wanted to know more...." Read more
"...The book is hard to put down and has quite a surprise ending. It is a story about 2 families told with a psychological slant." Read more
"Twists and turns with every chapter. Impossible to put down so avoid reading this book when you are with friends and family because you will be..." Read more
"Keeps you interested and hard to put down...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2015I know a book has gotten to me when it has the ability to make me feel stupid, making me feel that I should’ve seen that detail coming but didn’t. I don’t mind when this happens since it’s a reflection of how well the book was written and formulated. In the Blood was a unique mystery read that I was into from the very beginning.
This book carried a different tone to other mystery thrillers that I’ve read. A lot of that had to do with the writing of Lisa Unger. Her writing was different from some of the other authors of this genre. Many times I’ve found the writing in these types of to be good and methodical but with a touch of rigidness that made the narrative a little flat for me. The case was so different with this book. It was surprising to find a story that built up the mystery and suspense while also being very introspective and philosophical. It brought a lyrical fluidity to the story that pleasantly surprise. Now while the narrative can get a little long-winded where you’re waiting for the point to be made or for the next scene to emerge (here you can lose your attention), it still gave the story that personal touch. The story being told in first person narrative really aids this. On the whole, I thought Unger did an amazing job with the book’s writing.
Along with the writing, the book’s use of misdirection, structure and characterization was something that I loved. I thought Unger was really creative in how she combined these aspects into the story. I got the sense of purposeness in how and when the details were revealed. Unger gave you enough where you had an idea of what may be going on, but as you read there’s always that sense that you don’t really know what’s going on. It’s that feeling that something is just around the corner and you feel compelled to make that turn to see what it is. This book made it difficult for me to put it down because I just wanted to know more. Add to the fact that all the characters involved, both protagonist, antagonist and everyone in between were damaged in their own way, gave the book that awkward and uncertain feel. I thought the way the narrator was written aided in creating the unsettling atmosphere. I thought it was smart in how Unger used the first pov, flashbacks, and diary entries. They all combined to deceive you about what’s going on until you get towards the end of the book. Good mystery/suspense/thriller books, such as this one, gives you that satisfied feeling when all the pieces finally click into place after all the brainstorming and conjectures.
Unger did a great job of using the concept of the “abnormal/damaged child” in her story. It gave the book not only that chilly, unsettling tone but it also gave the book an intriguing protagonist and antagonist that made the story so compelling for me. The book was put together so well with intelligence and creativity. I was intrigued from the first pages to the end. This was my first Lisa Unger book, but it definitely won’t be the last.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2017Lana Granger has buried her past under a bed of lies and is attending a small liberal arts college in The Hollows in New York. She thinks she has managed to put her past behind...but has she? A babysitting job puts Lana in the position of caretaker for 11 year-old Luke, a disturbed child likely on his way to becoming a psychopath. Lana feels the urge to help Luke and his long-suffering mother. And she knows a thing or two about abnormal psychology. Soon after accepting the job, Lana's good friend, Beck, disappears after the two fought in the library. Witnesses saw both Lana and Beck go into the woods, but only Lana came out. Lana is continually feeding lies to the police about her relationship with Beck and another co-ed who disappeared on campus two years ago, one who also had a connection to Lana. Meanwhile, Luke sucks Lana into playing a scavenger hunt that feels more dangerous than a simple game. Lana begins to find her lies are unraveling, and more people know truths about her past she'd rather hide.
After all, Lana is a bad seed. Her father killed her mother and sits on death row. Her grandfather murdered five teenage girls and was executed. Luke has unsettling ways of getting into Lana's head and seems to know more about her than he should. Meanwhile, Lana's college advisor, Langdon, her aunt Bridgette, and her psychiatrist all seem to be trying to help her. As Lana feels the police closing in on her, she makes one last-ditch effort to find her friend Beck and solve the last riddle to Luke's scavenger hunt, but it may very well be her undoing.
This book was gripping in a way I couldn't put down. You know a train wreck is coming, but you just don't know how. It makes you ponder the question of nature versus nurture and if some people are truly born bad and beyond the realm of help. I have always enjoyed psychology, and I found this book both entertaining and enlightening. It's not for the faint of hear, but if you want a good psychological thriller, I definitely recommend this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2014The review I read in the Washington Post was so good I couldn't pass up "in the Blood", despite my usual dislike of psychological thrillers. What a great novel! Though I read close to 100 books a year, I rarely (once a year?) stay up late to finish a story - but I just couldn't stop. And at the very beginning, I was not many pages into the book when I knew with dead certainty that this was a winner. The prose is just excellent. Unger offers many little observations of life and relationships, all integral to the story, that really resonate. The pace is brisk and the story really zips along. All of the characters are very interesting, and there are a couple of kids who are particularly creepy. There are 2 or 3 story lines and they mesh very well by the books end. The protagonist is a young woman studying psychology at a small college in New York state. To make a little money she interviews to babysit an 11 year old boy after school; he is the only child of single Mom Rachel who has just moved to town and opened a new bookstore. It's not long before the sparks begin to fly and the tension mounts. I would strongly suggest to any prospective readers that you do not read any detailed reviews; the less known about this story and its themes, the better off you are. This is my first Lisa Unger and now I will check out a potential treasure trove of her earlier books. This is my best read for quite a while!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2014The first 70 percent of this book was good not bad, but wow did the last 30 percent take a nose dive into the dumpster of unreality. I was going to give this book 4 starts before the last third of the book, but wish I could give it 2.5 half instead. The turn that this book took amazes me it went off the tracks and turned into a soap opera in the end. What happened in the last 30 percent of this book were 10 million to one----it defies common sense. It could not happen. I feel let down by that this book could have had a real good suspencefull ending
Top reviews from other countries
- nitereaderReviewed in Australia on November 21, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Read it in one sitting!
Un-put-downable! It's been a long while since I was so riveted by a book. Full of excellent subject matter and is intelligently written. If you're disappointed by this book you must simply be hard to please!
- bsReviewed in Canada on February 15, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
I love lisa unger ,her books never fail to entertain and surprise . The characters are great and a little twisted and the plot moves so quickly that your just along for the ride. Great twists and turns that really keep you guessing til the end. I'd definately recommend this book
- Laura LangReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!
Well I don't know what I expected from this book when I bought it, but it exceeded any expectations I may have had.
There are only a few main characters in the story and you will end up insane yourself if you think you've figured it out, because once you do another twist comes and puts you right back to the start! I honestly couldn't put it down once I started and am blown away by the way the author managed to link every story together and keep me guessing almost all the way to the last page
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more from this author, soon!!
- andyhReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 13, 2017
4.0 out of 5 stars Gripping
Very good read. Great ending. Would definitely read more by this author. It's very easy to lose yourself in this book.
- Arianna lefevbreReviewed in Canada on May 22, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
I quite enjoyed the fast paced suspense.