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Queen of Hearts:
A Gripping Psychological Thriller with a Twist
Domestic Thriller
Setting – West Virginia
Publisher : WoodHaven Press (July 23, 2024)
Paperback : 230 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8987556962
Kindle ASIN : B0D64RDGRY
Audiobook ASIN B0D9KR7NN6
Her readers love her…
but one has gotten a little too attached.Alexandra Dubois, a NYT bestselling author, has made a name for herself by crafting twisted serial killers in her romantic suspense series. When threatening notes from an “invested reader” escalate into violence, Alex has to admit she’s not safe in her own home. Although her autism makes any changes to her routine difficult, she reluctantly accepts her editor’s advice to fly to his sprawling vacation home in West Virginia so she can focus on her looming deadline.
Fighting paranoia that the stalker has discovered her mountain hideaway, Alex still forces herself to write several chapters in her novel. But when a thunderstorm leaves her stranded and she hears a knock at her door, she’s about to discover that life truly is stranger than fiction.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Dubois writes romantic suspense novels featuring warped serial killers. She is writing the final book in the series and she has an “invested reader” who has definite ideas on how they expect the series to end. They have been sending the author threatening notes to be sure she follows their instructions. It soon becomes clear she is in danger if she stays in her home. Alex’s editor offers his huge mountain vacation house in West Virginia as a retreat to stay safe and finish the book. Being autistic makes the move hard but she really doesn’t have a choice.
While trying to complete the book she gets distracted by something she finds in a drawer and incidents happening at the “safe house” Alex is worried her “invested reader” has found her. A thunderstorm doesn’t ease her fears.
The author has crafted an extraordinary protagonist in Alexandra Dubois. She has had challenges in her life being on the spectrum but she found ways to write and sell a successful romantic suspense series, deal with a narcissistic ex-husband, and a petulant author from her past. When she arrives in West Virginia she meets several residents but doesn’t know who she can trust. With her life on the line, she needs to dig down deep and find even more strength if she is going to survive. I was invested in Alexandra Dubois’s life from the start.
I appreciated the time Ms. Gilbert took to set the scenes in this story. Her words made it so easy to picture everything clearly from the “cabin” and its surroundings including the caretaker’s home, and the small-town shops in Cedar Gap. The mountain view was amazing and I could feel the thunderstorm with its wind and rain pulsing through the pages.
The book is a complex psychological thriller that turns Alex’s world upside down and inside out. A death in the past plays a critical part in the story giving depth to what was happening all around Alex. The author calls the story “A Gripping Psychological Thriller with a Twist” and she doesn’t lie. The story grabbed hold of me and held on tight. There are several twists and turns. There are several scary moments too. If I had been watching a movie, it would have been through my fingers over my eyes. I was breathless just reading Alex’s journey and then came the huge surprising twist that stopped me short. Talk about a wild ride!
Queen of Hearts is an exceptional suspense thriller with an original protagonist who is easy to root for. The story is plotted with such precision and detail to draw the reader in that you don’t realize how far until the very end and come back into the real world around you. I totally escaped into this book. That is why it receives my Paradise Rating. Look for Queen of Hearts on my Best Reads of 2024. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story full of suspense with a compelling main character. You can thank me later!
There are no explicit scenes or language in this thriller.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to WoodHaven Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About the Author
Heather Day Gilbert, an RWA Daphne du Maurier Award winner and 2-time ECPA Christy Award finalist, enjoys writing contemporary mysteries with unpredictable twists, much like the Agatha Christie books she read growing up. She also writes Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love.
Author Links
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Also written by Heather Day Gilbert
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”
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we start to get some details about her life prior to returning to Eden and her grandmothers. Her relationship with Steve is moving along but hits some bumps. He drove the truck and trailer filled with product for the Scrap This booth at the retreat and will be staying to help Faith in any way he can. Faith’s grandmothers don’t make the trip but Darlene and Gussie are attending the event and will be able to step in to help when needed, and oh boy, are they needed. With Faith helping Bob find the identity thief, Steve being hurt, inept retreat organizers, an upset hotel manager, an “undercover FBI agent” with an ax to grind, and a murderer to catch, Faith doesn’t have much time to man the store. I do enjoy the strong friendships that have been built between all the core characters. They all have huge hearts and are there for each other through thick and thin, even when bullets are flying.
kept me on my toes. It was so well-written that I was completely entertained. It is a great crafty mystery for cozy readers especially those that enjoy scrapbooking. I do recommend the series be read in order to meet Faith, her grandmas, and their friends from the start.
brings together Christina Freeburn‘s love of mysteries, scrapbooking, and West Virginia. When not writing or reading, she can be found in her scrapbook room or at a crop. Alas, none of the real-life crops have had a sexy male prosecutor or a handsome police officer attending.
Welcome to Cozy Wednesday! 
. I named my dog Agatha. 😉 She’s my fave comfort-read author, and I love her wit.
(releasing in June 2023), writing a secret project under a pen name, and working on a Christian YA novel later this year. Then I’ll return to my 
, and book 8 will likely release by the end of 2023. For those wondering, I have ten books planned in the series (unless sales skyrocket, at which point I’d consider more. LOL!). 
is the seventh book in this wonderful series. We are left with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end and there are some exciting things set to happen too. I really wish the next book was right around the corner but it, 
, won’t be released until next December. I have trust and faith in Heather Day Gilbert that the wait will be worth it. But I am going to miss these characters, human, canine, and feline.
