You Can Trust Me

by Kiersten Modglin

For two happy couples, the cruise of a lifetime may cost their lives.

Mae Barlowe’s annual beach trip is anything but a vacation.
It’s the anniversary of the worst day of her life.

When her husband and best friend surprise her with a last-minute itinerary change in the form of a couples’ cruise, she struggles to hide her reservations about the new plan.
A week spent cruising around in a tropical paradise sounds like a dream come true to everyone else, but for Mae, it’s an eerie reminder of chilling memories from her past.

Once on board the ship, a mysterious stranger causes confusion among the group, leading them to ask unsettling questions of one another.
Before they can get real answers, tragedy strikes.
Trapped on the vessel as it ventures toward their first destination, the friends struggle to come to grips with their new reality.

How do they stay safe when danger seems to be lurking around every corner?
Who can be trusted when nothing is quite what it seems?
How far will they go to protect the ones they love?

Sun, sand, and secrets await on this cruise to die for.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

Unknown Binding

First published June 27, 2023

About the author

KIERSTEN MODGLIN is a #1 bestselling author of psychological thrillers. Her books have sold over two million copies and been translated into multiple languages. Kiersten is a member of International Thriller Writers, Novelists, Inc., and the Alliance of Independent Authors. She is a KDP Select All-Star and a recipient of ThrillerFix's Best Psychological Thriller Award, Suspense Magazine's Best Book of 2021 Award, a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Suspense, and a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Overall Book of 2021. Kiersten grew up in rural western Kentucky and later relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she now lives with her family. Kiersten's readers across the world lovingly refer to her as "KMod." A binge-watching expert, psychology fanatic, and indoor enthusiast, Kiersten enjoys rainy days spent with her favorite people and evenings with her nose in a book.

CONNECT WITH KIERSTEN:

➜ WEBSITE: kierstenmodglinauthor.com
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➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/kierstenmodglinauthor
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Kiersten Modglin may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:

➜ kierstenmodglinauthor.com/events

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your typical modglin book with simplistic writing and characterization, but still engaging for a couple of hours. The ending however was eye-rolling.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG, I don't even know how to review this. 🤬

Mae Barlowe gets a surprise annual trip this year. Her BFF, Florence has an amazing idea and planned a couples cruise. Mae is not overwhelmingly excited about it but why?

Can you love a book until the moment the pieces come together then you think, na uh, nope? 🖐️🙅‍♀️

You Can Trust Me and I did! I trusted EVERYONE! I really couldn't figure it out and well, I don't think you can either. I love the guessing game. I love 70-80% of this book, but the ending is terrible. Shocking, yes. But does it work? Not for me. I was so invested in these characters too, shame.

4⭐until 1⭐ending

I like multiple narrators for each PoV. Usually, I'm okay with two; male and female but four is even better! Narrated by Pete Cross, Laura Jennings, Kelli Tager, and Susan C. Hunter

Thank you, Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the ALC.
Audio out on Nov 7, 2023!
6 Hours, 28 Minutes

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read for when you just need to be entertained and don't need or desire to think too deeply about the story. Captivating enough to keep you reading, with thrilling twists that pityingly become implausible in the particulars.

[Emmie Marigold · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m entitled to financial compensation for having lost a day of my life reading this.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and gripping psychological thriller!

Every year, Mae would travel to the beach, a sacred ritual dedicated to honoring the memory of her departed brother. However, this year would be different since her parents would be absent due to her mother's recent medical diagnosis. For support, Mae extended an invitation to her husband, her BFF, and her BFF's new beau. Unexpectedly, her BFF changed Mae's annual seaside ritual into a couples' cruise vacation, an attempt to distract Mae from her grief-stricken thoughts. Not long into their vacation, Mae disappeared without a trace.

Kiersten Modglin's novels never fail to captivate me! The gripping story had me questioning the intentions of each character, unsure of who could be trusted. Right when I thought I had it all figured out, Modglin delivered a mind-blowing twist that left me speechless. This was a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

*** Thank you to NetGalley, Kiersten Modglin, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

[Tonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The perfect cruise or the perfect nightmare? This thriller shows that trust is fragile. Appearances are definitely deceiving as secrets are revealed and lives are changed forever. Who do you trust when reality is questioned and lies are abundant? Danger may be closer than imagined and the line between good and evil is blurred. They say “You can trust me”, but can you? The narration added a layer of intrigue and suspense. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my audiobook.

[Donna Mallery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m so mad right now! Another potentially 5 star ruined by the last twist. WHY do authors think this adds anything to the book! So many authors do it, that it’s almost a cliche! I think I’m going to start boycotting these authors! It really insults my intelligence. Do they think, “Boy, they really got me at the end?!” No! I think how stupid it is! Read the summary to find out what it’s about. I’m not wasting any more time on this review!

[Shannon Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the fast-pace of the first half, but the twist was dumb and unbelievable. Don’t waste your time. 😬

I like KMod, but this wasn’t her best.

[Sharon · Rating 1 out of 5]

How does this book have such a high rating? The writing was terrible and the twists were ridiculous. I have read a few books by this author and I am over it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was glued to my kindle for the last 20% of the book! The book is told in 4 parts. Part 2 was a little slow, but the rest of the book is very fast-paced!

[Kim C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is officially my last Kiersten Modglin book!

It started off so well. Then the twist happened which was so far-fetched and ridiculous. The last 1/3 of the book was so unbelievable that I didn’t care if I finished it!

She writes too many books too fast. She needs to take more time to develop plots and characters.

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ When Mae Barlowe’s husband and best friend surprise her with a couple’s cruise in lieu of their annual beach trip, she struggles to hide the grief she feels surrounding the anniversary of her brother’s death. When a mysterious stranger comes aboard the ship, and tragedy soon follows, the group must figure out what happened and why.

While all of Kiersten Modglin’s books are insanely bingy, with a few unexpected twists, this locked room mystery didn’t quite captivate my attention in the way her other books have. I struggled to connect to the characters on an emotional level which kept me at a distance. That said, it was still a fun read if you are looking for a popcorn style thriller and love an unpredictable ending.

Read if you like:
•domestic suspense
•psychological thrillers
•locked room mysteries
•cruise ship settings
•quick bingy reads

Thank you Libro.fm for the gifted audiobook.

[Melany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm just not sure about this. It was rather basic and nothing over the top. The ending was expected. I felt like this could've been such a good book if executed properly. I felt it lacked in depth of the story as well as characters. Though this read fell flat for me, it may be better for you. 2.5 stars

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be one of my favorite Kmod books to date. I went into the book blindly, and I was not disappointed. I guessed some parts but not how they’d come together. This one seems to have mixed reviews, but if you enjoy psychological thrillers, I’d recommend adding this one to your TBR. It's a solid 4-star book.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that I have said this about other KMod books in the past, but this has to be one of her best ones! Absolutely mind blowing. I have read ALL of her books and each time I think I can figure out her mind. I need to just accept that it’s never going to happen. KMod has been labeled as the Queen of Twists and this book does not disappoint in that department. I was right along for the ride in this fast paced novel, but my jaw hit the floor when the first major twist was revealed. Then it hit the flaw again on the very last pages when there’s another major twist revealed. Nothing about this book felt rushed. Everything seemed to be well thought out and well developed. This is a must-read book!

[Val · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I’ve done my due diligence…

This is the 11th book I have read by this author. 4 of the 11 I could not finish. I wish I had made this one the 5th. I really did enjoy The Arrangement series, and a few others, but this was just one long tedious read for me, with an ending beyond any reasonable person’s acceptance level. I may go back and look thru her earlier books to give her one last try, but in my opinion, the more recent books she is pumping out at breakneck speed are really suffering for it. And I just can’t suffer with them, sad to say.

[Court · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s books like these that remind me that Goodreads ratings are not an accurate reflection of how good or bad a book is. As with all art, it’s subjective. And subjectively, I disagree with the vast majority of the Goodreads reviewers who read this book, evidently.

It started off okay. I love the concept - four friends (who are couples) board a cruise ship, and one of them goes missing. Mae has disappeared in the night. Florence was the last one to see her, after walking back from the ship’s bar. Did Blake, the husband, do it? It’s all very nefarious. Love the setup.

It’s the execution where it rapidly goes south. I can’t tell you what happens because it’s a major spoiler, but it’s not even kind of what you’re imagining - I can nearly guarantee it. And I don’t mean that in a good way. I love twists and turns. But they need to make sense. And they need to add up. These don’t.

And the ending… no. I know it’s trendy to throw a shocker in at the end, but IT MADE NO SENSE. I throw my hands up in frustration.

You Can Trust Me?
Well, no I can’t.

This is rated above 4 stars on GR, and I quite literally don’t get it. It was Kindle Unlimited (free) and fast, so those are two perks.

[Jennifer Bendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced read that was hard to put down. When Mae went missing, I was second guessing everyone and thinking everyone was a suspect. I had a hunch that a certain character might show up and contradict what I thought I knew. I didn’t understand the parents’ obsession with always returning to the place where their son died, given the ending. I felt it didn’t really make sense. The last chapter made me so disgusted with that character but it certainly was a shocking twist.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: Kiersten Modglin is one of my top 10 favorite authors and I’m going to love just about any book she puts out. I am a hugely biased supporter and fan!! That said, this book did not disappoint. I can always count on Kiersten for the best twists. The ambiance of this read is pitch perfect if you’re on a cruise or island vacation. I was re-living past cruises I’ve been on and picturing what the characters were experiencing. There’s a nice build of tension where you’re itching to know what is happening. I was surprised and thoroughly enjoyed the ending.
Huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

[Erin Peterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boo! Don’t read this. Mom I’m mad at you for the recommendation lol

[Nikki | graciouslybooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up until 2 am reading this book. Could not put it down. I just had to know, “Where is Mae”?! I love books that are set either on a cruise ship or a remote island, or somewhere secluded like a “locked room” type of thriller. This book definitely had that vibe and you will be guessing to 👏🏼 the 👏🏼 very 👏🏼 end. 😵

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to like it more

Ugh! I’m a KMOD fan but I didn’t vibe with this one. Great writing as always but there was so much to disbelieve for the story to stick for me.

[Zizi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was entertaining and had a nice twist 3.75

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who can be trusted?

Thriller with adequate entertainment value and plenty of twists 👀

[SueCanaan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find myself in the group of readers who must read every Modglin book written (and there's a lot. This woman writes faster than I can complete a cycle of laundry from wash to fold to put away). Unsurprisingly, not every Modglin book is a success, yet here I am still reading.

You Can Trust Me is one of those books which immediately intrigued, then wrapped up with such an unbelievable plot that it left me unsatisfied. I hate books where, voila, the ending is explained. Summarized. Told to us that because of A, B happened. The end.

This one had so much potential - two couples who embark on a cruise and one of the women disappears. Side note: the cruise industry will not carry this book on its ship's libraries. Characters could have been fleshed out, intrigue could have been crafted to put us on the ship with them, and maybe, just maybe, make it more believable so we don't have to turn off our brains to accept the premise. I find it hard to believe a passenger DISAPPEARS and the Captain, security, crew just ho-hum along and the spouse and best friend have to become Scooby and Shaggy and solve the mystery.

On audio the group of narrators, Pete Cross, Laura Jennings, Kelli Tager and Susan C. Hunter did an excellent job of moving the story along. It was easy to keep track of characters, and no effort is required on the part of the listener to keep up.

Will I read the next Modglin which probably comes out in the next 8 minutes? You betcha. Is that an indicator the author has created a successful career and will continue to write? Yup.

[Jenifer Hoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book doesn't start finally moving along until you're 70% done with it. Then it just gets ridiculous. I do not recommend this book.

[Brittany Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to read this thriller pretty quickly, as most of her reads are fast ones. I honestly had an inkling about the ending but the final twists at the end, I did not expect them at all. A pretty twisted psychological thriller. It’s the predictability though and the inability to get too attached to the characters that brings this down a star.

[Katrina (Catching up on Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah. The plot twists in this one were not what I expected. I had to reread the ending twice just to take it all in! Kiersten Modglin might officially be one of my favorite authors now.

Mae’s husband and best friend surprise her with a couples cruise—right around the anniversary of her brother’s death. What should’ve been a relaxing getaway quickly turns into a nightmare when Mae goes missing.

[Mariam Salahudeen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!
A popcorn thriller!
I found the first part of the story most interesting because the mystery was quite intriguing. The story is divided into 4 parts, and the latter half is eyebrow raising.
You have to suspend disbelief and get ready for a wild ride for sure!