“Betrayal and love are close bedfellows, but make for poor sleep.” (ARC reviewer) The police say Ryn Davis is guilty of murder.Ryn claims she was asleep. Sound asleep. Dead-to-the-world asleep.An insomniac with a long history of sleepwalking, night terrors, and other sleep disorders, Ryn’s dodging a life-changing decision. Should she leave her iconic rock-star lover? Are his fame and money worth … iconic rock-star lover? Are his fame and money worth his mood swings? After a particularly explosive argument, she goes to bed. He follows. The argument escalates. Exhausted, she goes to the guest bedroom. She pops a sleeping pill. One melatonin, she rationalizes, determined to think more clearly. Technically, a hormone. Not a drug.
She wakens the next morning, groggy and disoriented. Fragments of a dream fade in and out of memory. Not the argument with Stone … but something more disturbing. When she enters their bedroom, she sees him in bed—a red hibiscus blooming on his chest.
Unable to produce the melatonin bottle, Ryn acts more and more defensive and guilty. The police ridicule her testimony. Definitely bitter, can she prove how an insomniac slept through two bullets?
For fans of Alison Gaylin, Meg Abbott, Laura Lippman, and authors writing about strong women sleuths.
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All Things Considered – I love to read the work of this author and I enjoyed this book as well as her other books that I have read. Although I figured early on who the murderer was, there was more to the story than I expected and a couple of surprises at the end. After a bit of a slow start, this well written book became so intriguing and interesting, it became difficult to put down, I found all the characters interesting and realistic, and liked that the rock stars were not stereotypes, but real people. I giggled a few times at the words that come out of the Texan’s mouth, but not everybody hangs in TX to learn our speak. It turns out that there is another book coming out later this year and I want to read that one, too. 4*
Ready or Not – I found this suspense-filled thriller interesting, intriguing and fast paced. In addition to the good storylines and storytelling, I found man of the characters interesting and well developed, although Karen got on my nerves for a lot of the story. Wiley was a well-done and likeable character. The sicko’s identity was easy to figure out but the story was not damaged by that knowledge since Ms. Plum always provides some extra, unexpected twists to her yarns. 4*
The Early Years #1 – My first book by this author and it’s a kick. Michael makes Brooke Shield and Bettye Davis’ roles look like normal, bible study children. The story is well written but with some vulgar language and deviant sex scenes. The story moves at a fast pace and the reader is intrigued with what unfolds. I wouldn’t want to read more books like this, but I will finish the five books of this series. Interesting prologue. Minor editing needed.
The Lost Days #2 – The pain and gain and loss that come from the actions performed in The Early Years come to head in this book. Michael for all his intelligence is still a little boy that didn’t cover all the bases in his plans. His mother wasn’t at her best, either. The story is well written and intriguing. The characters continue to grow and the plot twists with surprises not expected. Interesting prologue. Minor editing needed.
The In-Between Years #3 – Another interesting and intriguing story. The characters are steady growing and still with interesting dialog. The plot manages to keep the reader interested until the last page. Interesting prologue. Minor editing needed.
The Reckless Year #4 – The intrigue and interest still abounds in this story. The reader has to wonder about Michael’s love interest, but it’s not his IQ that’s running the show here. The characters continue to develop; their dialog is realistic; and the plot while not the best of the books, is keeps the reader involved in the story. Interesting prologue. Editing needed.
The Dispensable Wife #5 – I had a few days between the first four books and this one. I didn’t care to much for the beginning of the book, several chapters of wasted words and repetition. The reader is now seeing his and her sides of the story and it takes a while for the book to become interesting. I didn’t care for the last two or three chapters; I didn’t find them interesting or flowing. Interesting prologue. Minor editing needed.
Update for The Dispensable Wife #5: As of February, 2018, I’ve had the chance to proof Broken-Hearted Many #6. While I was disappointed originally with Wife, because it changed the main characters from the first four books, I found Wife and Many were about the wife and children and their future without Michael and the secrets they carry inside themselves. So I’m changing my previous review to acknowledge that Wife is better with the addition of reading Many. I still think a better transition in Wife would not have been as shocking/distracting/confusing/pick your word to find Michael and Dimitri tossed in the background. They were the reason I was reading the series. Wife and Many fit together as #1 – #4 fit together; I just had to get used to Michael as a minor character in these books.
I found Wife on AXP and volunteered to review it, since I already owned the other four books. Since then I’ve purchased Wife.
The Boy Nobody Loved – The prequel, which I read after I read the first five books of the Misfit series. It’s a good choice to read first since it lays the foundation of Michael’s beginning years and what he lived through. The story is well written and intriguing. The characters are developing and their dialog is realistic.
This is another great book by this author. I love the way she lets you feel the main character’s emotions. I loved the plot. It has lots of surprising happenings too! I was impressed with the plot and where the author took me in this book. It is definitely worth your time to read this great book!
Ryn is living with a rock star. If that isn’t hard enough, she has a history of not being able to sleep. She decides to sleep in the guest room one night and takes melatonin to help her relax and get some sleep. The next morning she finds herself groggy like she was drugged. When she goes and checks on Stone, she finds him dead. Why can’t she remember anything? The police think she killed him, but she gets fragments of an argument and it isn’t with Stone. Who is it? Why are they arguing? You will have to read the book for the answers to the questions and so much more. I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book.
I’m a big fan of AB Plum’s psychological thrillers…and now a big fan of her mysteries. All Things Considered is well-written with twists and turns to keep you guessing whodunit. AB Plum writes sharp, edgy, gritty characters and holds back no punches in getting them from Page 1 to The End.
Churchill once spoke of a situation as “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key”.
In this edge of your seat psychological thriller, it is difficult to tell what happened, to whom, and why . I mean that in the best way – the prone to sleep walking, night terrors and dream acting Ryn is mostly sure of her innocence in the murder of her long time love.
But what is Ryn truly capable of when asleep?
And is there one or more other badly twisted mind at work trying to frame and gaslight Ryn?
Living with a famous rocker, she finds she has few true friends.
Trying to sort out what and whom she can trust – trying to drive her mad seems to be at least part of the motivation – if she really is not at fault.
It is a deadly game, and she must survive to win, and win to survive – if she can.
The kind of won’t let you sleep book you want to read to the end!