Close Your Eyes and Count to 10: A Heart-Pounding Thriller Blurring the Lines Between Reality and Deception Amid a Ruthless Battle for Survival
"[Unger's] great at keeping you interested and not seeing all the twists that are coming with a fabulous cat-mouse game." --Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emmy-award winning actress
An extreme game of hide-and-seek turns deadly in this riveting new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger, the "queen of thrillers you can also discuss with your book club" (BookPage).
Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.
Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.
Looking for more spine-tingling thrillers? Check out these other titles by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger:
An extreme game of hide-and-seek turns deadly in this riveting new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger, the "queen of thrillers you can also discuss with your book club" (BookPage).
Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.
Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.
Looking for more spine-tingling thrillers? Check out these other titles by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger:
- Under My Skin
- The Stranger Inside
- Confessions on the 7:45
- Last Girl Ghosted
- Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
- The New Couple in 5B
- Served Him Right
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Community Reviews
When adventurer Maverick Dillan invites contestants to a high-stakes hide-and-seek game on Falcao Island, it quickly turns into a battle for survival amidst a deadly threat and a raging storm. Adele, a single mother and influencer, joins the game for a million-dollar prize to support her children. The atmosphere becomes tense with warnings about the island’s curse and sinister events unfolding.
Adele’s determination to protect her children drives her through the chaos, as contestants vanish, and danger escalates. The novel effectively portrays her resilience, while the plot intensifies with adrenaline-fueled action. Although some subplots, like Adele’s absent husband, remain unresolved, the story excels in vivid characterization and a chilling atmosphere.
The blend of reality show dynamics and survival horror creates a captivating narrative, highlighting social media’s impact and exploitation of personal struggles. Despite minor pacing issues, the novel offers a thrilling and satisfying read, perfect for fans of suspenseful survival stories and those intrigued by the dark side of reality TV.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing & Park Row for providing this digital copy.
Adele’s determination to protect her children drives her through the chaos, as contestants vanish, and danger escalates. The novel effectively portrays her resilience, while the plot intensifies with adrenaline-fueled action. Although some subplots, like Adele’s absent husband, remain unresolved, the story excels in vivid characterization and a chilling atmosphere.
The blend of reality show dynamics and survival horror creates a captivating narrative, highlighting social media’s impact and exploitation of personal struggles. Despite minor pacing issues, the novel offers a thrilling and satisfying read, perfect for fans of suspenseful survival stories and those intrigued by the dark side of reality TV.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing & Park Row for providing this digital copy.
An engaging suspense thriller with an interesting premise. The inclusion of social media obsession and gaming makes the story feel especially relevant to today’s digital culture. Some moments feel a bit predictable, but it’s still an entertaining and satisfying read that keeps you hooked until the end.
This book is so falsely advertised, I'm actually pissed. There is no hide and seek AT ALL. There's the idea of it, but, spoiler alert, the plot is not at all about that and everything falls apart way before the game you're expecting actually begins.
This is a Mr. Beast fanfiction, or like anti-fanfiction, if something like that existed. But not only did Lisa Unger invent a fake Mr. Beast, she also invented a fake YouTube and called it WeWatch, fake Instagram and called it Photogram and a fake Snapchat but I forgot the fake name for that one. My question is: why?? We obviously know what she's referring to, why invent a stupid new name?
The plot, except for not being about a hide and seek game at all, is incredibly disjointed, unbelievable and stupid. What was the point for any of it? Why were there so many little storylines that led nowhere? Why did we have a podcast? Why did we have to follow so many POVs? So many whys with this book.
This was a waste of time and I'm angry with myself for not DNFing but I was genuinely hoping the pace would pick up once we got to the actual game. Well, joke's on me I guess.
Trust the low average rating. There are so many better books out there if you're looking for a game/reality show thriller. This one is just not it. I feel like I just read a book targeted for Gen Z, but written by a middle-aged woman (I have no clue how old Lisa Unger is and I'm too lazy to Google it) who never met a Gen Z person.
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