Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book. Opinions shared are mine.

Before we begin, can we please take a moment for that cover? It sent a shiver up my spine when I saw it! PARANOID was my first Lisa Jackson novel and I’ve already started looking for more.

Thanks to PARANOID, my laundry piled up and the dishes were ignored. It’s a whirlwind of action with a few nuggets of romance thrown in. The characters’ paranoia might just get you to look over your own shoulder!

Though I still read YA occasionally, I really like books with characters who are around my own age. The setting for PARANOID is a small town that reminds me a bit of the area where I live. I recently attended a high-school reunion, so that felt familiar as well. Thankfully, none of our classmates were murdered amidst the reunion festivities!

The main character, Rachel, had her hands full with a couple of sneaky, back-talking teens. Paired with her rocky relationship with ex-husband Cade, it read almost like a Lifetime movie. The author presented the background of the story through a lot of flashbacks and mentions of the past. At times, this made me feel like I missed a previous book or something. The familial relationships and small town friendships were so incredibly complicated that I had to take notes. Normally I avoid note-taking while I read (seems too much like school!) but it was necessary to keep everything straight. It seems like the family tree could have been simplified a bit, but the author did use it to her advantage in the story.

At almost 400 pages, this was a fairly long book. Much of the story included needless recaps of the mystery and drama. Was this meant to throw the reader off the trail? I’m not sure. I guessed the “whodunnit” about halfway through, but wasn’t positive about it. The “aha” was one of several bullet points I had written down in my little book of notes.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson will haunt your summer with… PARANOID. This new book is a dark, suspenseful psychological thriller – with a touch of romance. There are people in her small Pacific Northwest hometown who think that twenty years ago, Rachel got away with murder. Or did she? Now, as the anniversary of her half-brother’s death approaches, Rachel feels her imagination playing tricks on her, convincing her that objects in her house have moved. That there’s a hint of unfamiliar cologne in the air. That someone is watching her home. Sending her messages… Is the past haunting her? Or is it hunting her?

Look for PARANOID at your favorite bookstore on June 25, 2019!