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Because of Her
“I can hear the sirens in the background. They are still faint, so I have a little more time to watch it all burn.”
Emily Lewis is ready for a big change in her life.
She has moved to a new city, started a new business, bought a new house, and changed her appearance. But what is she trying to escape? Perhaps a dark past?
Victoria Berman is coming home.
She's coming home from a failure, from an embarrassment and shame that she doesn't want to share with her family, and is looking for solace in her long-time confidant, her brother Hudson. But is this shameful secret the ONLY thing that Victoria is hiding?
Everything for Emily is going well, until she meets, and eventually falls for Hudson, which puts her and Victoria on a collision course. Victoria’s jealousy, suspicion, and anger cause Emily betrayal and heartache and force her to take matters into her own hands.
Emily and Victoria battle as each of their truths are revealed and, in the end, who will live happily ever after, and whose life will be forever changed; all because of her.
Emily Lewis is ready for a big change in her life.
She has moved to a new city, started a new business, bought a new house, and changed her appearance. But what is she trying to escape? Perhaps a dark past?
Victoria Berman is coming home.
She's coming home from a failure, from an embarrassment and shame that she doesn't want to share with her family, and is looking for solace in her long-time confidant, her brother Hudson. But is this shameful secret the ONLY thing that Victoria is hiding?
Everything for Emily is going well, until she meets, and eventually falls for Hudson, which puts her and Victoria on a collision course. Victoria’s jealousy, suspicion, and anger cause Emily betrayal and heartache and force her to take matters into her own hands.
Emily and Victoria battle as each of their truths are revealed and, in the end, who will live happily ever after, and whose life will be forever changed; all because of her.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2023
81 people are currently reading
2521 people want to read
About the author
Chrystal Murphy
3 books125 followersPsychological thriller author Chrystal Murphy is an Oregon Native who currently lives in the Midwest. With a love and passion for thriller novels, she decided to finally capitalize on a dream and write her own stories. Her first book has sold thousands of copies, and her second and third books are available now.
Chrystal lives in the suburbs with way too many kids, an extremely handsome husband, two dogs, (the newest of which she bought and brought home without consulting anyone, not that her husband is bitter about that) and the cutest hairless cat. She spends her days among all the chaos imagining the tawdry secrets and drama that takes place in her subdivision. She's sure there's someone having a rendezvous with the landscaper, perhaps a cleaning lady stealing priceless sentimental silver decorative bowls, and at least one jilted lover with a body buried below the garden shed.
Chrystal lives in the suburbs with way too many kids, an extremely handsome husband, two dogs, (the newest of which she bought and brought home without consulting anyone, not that her husband is bitter about that) and the cutest hairless cat. She spends her days among all the chaos imagining the tawdry secrets and drama that takes place in her subdivision. She's sure there's someone having a rendezvous with the landscaper, perhaps a cleaning lady stealing priceless sentimental silver decorative bowls, and at least one jilted lover with a body buried below the garden shed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 21, 2023
Great book! A little slow to start off but great story and I loved the romance and thriller crossover 🤞🏼
March 21, 2025
Rating: 4.5
If you’re a fan of suspense and thrillers, this book should definitely be on your list. It hits all the marks you’d expect from a bestselling thriller and keeps the adrenaline pumping from start to finish. Chrystal takes her time building the story, paying close attention to all the little details that make a mystery so satisfying. The result? A fast-paced, gripping read that’ll have your heart racing and leave you guessing until the very end.
If you’re a fan of suspense and thrillers, this book should definitely be on your list. It hits all the marks you’d expect from a bestselling thriller and keeps the adrenaline pumping from start to finish. Chrystal takes her time building the story, paying close attention to all the little details that make a mystery so satisfying. The result? A fast-paced, gripping read that’ll have your heart racing and leave you guessing until the very end.
March 15, 2023
I won this book via Goodreads Giveaway.
I made it to page 66 and couldn’t continue.
This book was really boring. It read like a diary. “I answered the phone. It was loud. I went to the bathroom. I sell things on Craigslist.” I didn’t feel invested or interested in the characters.
Much more tell than show.
I made it to page 66 and couldn’t continue.
This book was really boring. It read like a diary. “I answered the phone. It was loud. I went to the bathroom. I sell things on Craigslist.” I didn’t feel invested or interested in the characters.
Much more tell than show.
May 10, 2023
Who’s Guilty?
This was a book that I could not put down! Victoria is an adopted daughter/sister in a well-to-do family. Emily is an orphan. Emily meets Hudson, Victoria’s brother. Emily & Victoria have an instant dislike for each other. The book & scenes build until you wonder who is telling the truth! A must read for those who love mysteries!
This was a book that I could not put down! Victoria is an adopted daughter/sister in a well-to-do family. Emily is an orphan. Emily meets Hudson, Victoria’s brother. Emily & Victoria have an instant dislike for each other. The book & scenes build until you wonder who is telling the truth! A must read for those who love mysteries!
January 21, 2024
Love this!! Read it in 2 days. Some parts were a little predictable but honestly keeps you guessing the entire time.
June 11, 2023
exciting
This book captured my attention immediately. I couldn’t put it down, had to know who the bad person was and what would happen to her.
This book captured my attention immediately. I couldn’t put it down, had to know who the bad person was and what would happen to her.
March 12, 2024
It was a slow start but a fast read. The shocking plot twists towards the end made you not want to put it down. Great book!
February 9, 2025
This was a good read. It did take a minute to get into the book at the beginning but every time I thought I had it figured out the plot took another twist. Worth a read!
March 17, 2023
Ugh, this book was an absolute masterpiece that had sobbing, swooning, and screaming! Also, see how aesthetic the cover looks. I tore through this book and couldn't put it down. Furthermore, i am so intrigued by the cover and the title.
Going into this, I only heard great things and let me tell you - this book is worth the hype. From the very first chapter I was hooked and each chapter had my heart melting.The shock factor the emotion, the love all rolled into this book makes it the best book I've EVER read!! I can't give this book enough stars on a rating I am gobsmacked I can't find the words to do this book.
I fell in love with the small town setting and the emotional plot line, but it was the characters who stole the show for me. Emily and Victoria's eventual relationship was so sweet and endearing. And Hudson is probably the most sweetest, Character & I absolutely adore him.
Also, i was really bumped and got emotional When they were all finally happy until two years later when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She held on for quite a long time, but the cancer eventually consumed her, and she died just a few weeks after her nineteenth birthday. That was the first heartbreak in her life. This made my heart ache so much!
The one of the main character, victoria, is such a dark, twisty, complex person who appears devoid of conscience. While she's not someone I would want to be friends with (or have as a sister!), she ended up being enjoyable, She has a dark past and there are so many levels to her- so much more than what is in the blurb (but I don't want to give anything away!) Even though there was so much going on, I think that it was all perfectly executed and tied together well in the storyline.
There was really good character development in this book. There weren't miscellaneous characters introduced just for the sake of filling pages. Every character had depth and history to them and they held weight in the storyline. All the characters just work. I think Emily was my favorite character.
Favorite quote:
"No matter how hard you try, your past can always come back to haunt you, and sometimes it's the deeply buried secrets that are the most dangerous."
I liked this book because all of it felt realistic.
While some of the twists were a little predictable, there were a few I didn't see coming and the story itself kept me engaged and interested.
Also, In case you haven't caught on: I loved this book. Adored it. Will always let it live in my head rent free. Overall, this was such a cute & emotional read that I recommend to everyone!
Going into this, I only heard great things and let me tell you - this book is worth the hype. From the very first chapter I was hooked and each chapter had my heart melting.The shock factor the emotion, the love all rolled into this book makes it the best book I've EVER read!! I can't give this book enough stars on a rating I am gobsmacked I can't find the words to do this book.
I fell in love with the small town setting and the emotional plot line, but it was the characters who stole the show for me. Emily and Victoria's eventual relationship was so sweet and endearing. And Hudson is probably the most sweetest, Character & I absolutely adore him.
Also, i was really bumped and got emotional When they were all finally happy until two years later when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She held on for quite a long time, but the cancer eventually consumed her, and she died just a few weeks after her nineteenth birthday. That was the first heartbreak in her life. This made my heart ache so much!
The one of the main character, victoria, is such a dark, twisty, complex person who appears devoid of conscience. While she's not someone I would want to be friends with (or have as a sister!), she ended up being enjoyable, She has a dark past and there are so many levels to her- so much more than what is in the blurb (but I don't want to give anything away!) Even though there was so much going on, I think that it was all perfectly executed and tied together well in the storyline.
There was really good character development in this book. There weren't miscellaneous characters introduced just for the sake of filling pages. Every character had depth and history to them and they held weight in the storyline. All the characters just work. I think Emily was my favorite character.
Favorite quote:
"No matter how hard you try, your past can always come back to haunt you, and sometimes it's the deeply buried secrets that are the most dangerous."
I liked this book because all of it felt realistic.
While some of the twists were a little predictable, there were a few I didn't see coming and the story itself kept me engaged and interested.
Also, In case you haven't caught on: I loved this book. Adored it. Will always let it live in my head rent free. Overall, this was such a cute & emotional read that I recommend to everyone!
May 1, 2023
WOW! Holy WOW. A MUST Listen Psychological Thriller!
By: Chrystal Murphy
Narrated by: Shannon Nicole Locke
Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 04-30-23
Emily and Victoria, both damaged from past betrayals, both still feeling the pain of past hurts. Now, brought together because of HIM, both see each other as rivals. How far will they go, will either of them survive, and who will be their collateral damage … this time. “Because of Her” is a fascinating, well written psychological thriller that had me twisting and turning, my loyalties constantly switching back and forth, between the two! The “feeling” of THIS story is positively foreboding, No spoilers! There is no way I can go into plot details without giving up the goods, and that is the last thing I want to do. I will say that my reality was suspended as I became totally immersed in this unusual, albeit sometimes disturbing, but completely compelling, and fascinating story! Both the dialogue and scene setting are utter perfection, keeping the story moving forward at a steady pace, while at the same time imparting any necessary background information, to insure the story made sense! This listener was completely captivated! The characters are not only succinctly described, but beautifully defined, their dialogue written to perfectly suit to their individualized personalities! The narration was a joy! The voicing choices perfectly suited, especially to Emily and Victoria’s personalities, and emotions clearly conveyed by vocal intonation, really adding to the “feel” of the story! I really loved everything about “Because of Her”, I loved the way everything settled out, again, no spoilers, and I am really looking forward to more from this author and narrator! Five fantastic stars!
By: Chrystal Murphy
Narrated by: Shannon Nicole Locke
Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 04-30-23
Emily and Victoria, both damaged from past betrayals, both still feeling the pain of past hurts. Now, brought together because of HIM, both see each other as rivals. How far will they go, will either of them survive, and who will be their collateral damage … this time. “Because of Her” is a fascinating, well written psychological thriller that had me twisting and turning, my loyalties constantly switching back and forth, between the two! The “feeling” of THIS story is positively foreboding, No spoilers! There is no way I can go into plot details without giving up the goods, and that is the last thing I want to do. I will say that my reality was suspended as I became totally immersed in this unusual, albeit sometimes disturbing, but completely compelling, and fascinating story! Both the dialogue and scene setting are utter perfection, keeping the story moving forward at a steady pace, while at the same time imparting any necessary background information, to insure the story made sense! This listener was completely captivated! The characters are not only succinctly described, but beautifully defined, their dialogue written to perfectly suit to their individualized personalities! The narration was a joy! The voicing choices perfectly suited, especially to Emily and Victoria’s personalities, and emotions clearly conveyed by vocal intonation, really adding to the “feel” of the story! I really loved everything about “Because of Her”, I loved the way everything settled out, again, no spoilers, and I am really looking forward to more from this author and narrator! Five fantastic stars!
June 6, 2023
I'm not sure why they titled this book Because of Her. Emily and Victoria really had nothing in common. Emily is a young girl that is trying to make something of herself. Victoria is a spoiled rich girl that has an instant dislike for her. But their paths cross when Emily rents space in a building that Victoria's soon to be ex-husband's family owns. Both girls have secrets that are best left hidden, but they seem to bring out the worse in each other by one- upping back and forth. There isn't a real connection with the main characters that would cause this much friction in my opinion. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
August 28, 2023
Normally, romantic thrillers are not my genre. But I found this to be an effortless read, almost like an Elmore Leonard novel. I think the book ticks off all the boxes: multiple characters that you are interested in, plot twists that you don't see coming, just the right amount of description without being overly wordy or pretentious, and most important to me, realistic dialogue where you feel like you are truly hearing different voices instead of one way of talking coming from different characters (here's looking at you, Aaron Sorkin). I definitely recommend this book and I won't be surprised if it is made into a movie one day.
June 30, 2023
An entertaining read!
For complete transparency, I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
This was an easy but enjoyable read. Some of the characters are nasty but seem nice and some are just how they appear. I will leave it up to you to read and figure out who is pretending. Enjoy!
For complete transparency, I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
This was an easy but enjoyable read. Some of the characters are nasty but seem nice and some are just how they appear. I will leave it up to you to read and figure out who is pretending. Enjoy!
Read
April 27, 2025DNF - 39%
I was looking for ‘Romantic Thriller’ type of book and this one pooped up. It’s boring, there’s no thriller, the MMC is a weirdo, the FMC is giving me whiplash. She was interested in Hudson first but when he showed a little interest - She bailed out.
She’s the first book character who has the same birthdate as me..
I was looking for ‘Romantic Thriller’ type of book and this one pooped up. It’s boring, there’s no thriller, the MMC is a weirdo, the FMC is giving me whiplash. She was interested in Hudson first but when he showed a little interest - She bailed out.
She’s the first book character who has the same birthdate as me..
March 31, 2023
I loved reading this book! Great character development, which led me loving the characters and feeling like I was a part of the story. An action packed ending with a finale I wasn’t expecting. Lots of room for more stories from the book… hoping this is a series!
April 29, 2023
Well to start with I wasnt sure - thought it might be overdramatic but the more and more I got into the story it got really good so much so that finished it within a few days. The ending was brilliant just loved it.
The narration really suited it.
The narration really suited it.
May 8, 2023
Loved the narration of Shannon Nicole Locke, who brought out the suspense and thrill of this book
Emily and Victoria, have secrets, their lives keep intertwining, they do not like each other. There are a lot of twists and turns in the story and it’s an emotional rollercoaster
Emily and Victoria, have secrets, their lives keep intertwining, they do not like each other. There are a lot of twists and turns in the story and it’s an emotional rollercoaster
May 11, 2023
Because of her
This is amazing story about two mental unstable women who fight each other for one man love while one comments murder and one caused fire that harm the some in the Building then the stocking girlfriend enable one to run
This is amazing story about two mental unstable women who fight each other for one man love while one comments murder and one caused fire that harm the some in the Building then the stocking girlfriend enable one to run
May 17, 2023
This psychological thriller was chilling. The heroine was convincing which was scary. She was truly a psychopath. The scary thing is Hudson's sister, Victoria was just as conniving and manipulative. Narrator Shannon Nicole Locke was fantastic!
January 10, 2025
Another fabulous read! Kept me on the edge of my seat from the get go! For those wanting a little romance mixed in with a lot of secrets this is the book for you! Murphy takes you on a wild ride of guessing what’s next!
March 17, 2023
Excellent book! Easy to read. I couldn’t put it down.
May 10, 2023
Great Book
This is a very good and inspiring book. It keeps your interest. A who done it keeping you in suspense until the end.
This is a very good and inspiring book. It keeps your interest. A who done it keeping you in suspense until the end.
July 14, 2023
I found the first 65% of this book pretty boring and tedious. The action in the last 35% did not make up for the slog.
July 17, 2023
I'm stingy with 5 star ratings, but this one earned it. Well written story with engaging characters. Will be following this author!
September 4, 2023
I enjoyed this book a lot. It followed smoothly and I believed everything until the truth came out. Unexpected ending
November 12, 2023
It was a good read.
December 9, 2023
Definitely keeps you guessing who the real villain is. As soon as I thought I had figured out what was going on and who was the baddie, I was forced to change my mind. Loved it!
January 2, 2024
Enjoyed this - good storyline!
December 7, 2024
Was an ok book
February 20, 2025
Fast read, full of twists, ok ending. 3.5 ⭐
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews