What You Wish For: A psychological suspense thriller

by N.L. Hinkens

Someone is trying to frame me for murder.

Sage Golding manages a popular thrift store in town, but her personal life is a secondhand wreck. She’s drowning in credit card debt, her teenage daughter is living on the streets, and she’s just found out her husband is cheating on her with a nineteen-year-old college student. It’s the last straw for this suburban mom.

She dreams of revenge, but before she can execute her devious plan, her husband’s young mistress goes missing. He adamantly denies any involvement, and swears he wants to recommit to their marriage. Dubious of his intentions, Sage is sorting through donations one morning when she makes a chilling discovery: an urn full of ashes.

Is her husband hiding his dead mistress in plain sight, or has a threat from her past come back to haunt her?

Genres: Thriller

266 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2024

About the author

NYT and USA Today bestselling author N. L. Hinkens writes twisty psychological suspense thrillers with unexpected endings. She’s a travel junkie, coffee hound, and idea wrangler, in no particular order. She grew up in Ireland—land of legends and storytelling—and now resides in the US. Her work has won the Grand Prize Next Generation Indie Book Award for fiction, as well as numerous other awards. Join her VIP Reader Club for hot new releases, stellar giveaways, exclusive content, behind the scenes and more. https://normahinkens.com/

Pseudonym for author Norma Hinkens

Reviews

[Celeste Velocci (bookrecs_by_celeste) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great Kindle Unlimited thriller find! It was the perfect palette cleanser and kept me interested the entire time.

Past mistakes and choices come back to haunt you in this twisty thriller. You get a little bit of everything with this one! Crime , unreliable narrators , difficult family relationships , unhinged partners , revenge - all of the best things you can ask for in a thriller!

I’ve read a few of this authors books over the years on KU and this one was for sure my favorite of them.

[Donna Mallery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hinkens is one of those authors whose books I seek out! This was another hit! You really empathize with the protagonist and feel angry at her stupid husband. She also has a daughter who is causing the a lot of grief. When the young student that her husband had an affair with goes missing, all bets are off. And everyone becomes a suspect. There are red herrings galore and finally we reach a satisfying conclusion!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

What You Wish For was a mixed reading experience for me, largely because I found the characters universally unlikable and hard to invest in. While the story did offer a few surprising twists, the pacing often slowed to a drag, making it feel longer than necessary.

[Patti Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved What You Wish For by N.L. Hinkens. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading What You Wish For. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Who does not love a psychological suspense thriller with a surprise ending? Once again N. L Hinkens has shown that she is a master storyteller and continues to be one of my favorite authors to read. I love how she developed the story line and the characters. It was an incredible psychological suspense thriller and has me guessing who was behind everything that was taking place in the story. It was impossible to put it down and I loved every moment on every page of this page turner. I love that the story is told from the perspective of the main character. I loved getting inside the thoughts and feelings of the character. I love all the plot twists and turns in What You Wish For. I could not determine the identity of the who is behind the events in the story until it was revealed. It took me by surprise how everything and everyone was tied together in this revenge plot. What You Wish For is the story of Sage and Andrew Golding, and Raven, their twenty-year-old college dropout daughter. It is revealed that Andrew, a college professor, was having an affair with college student, Jemma Knight, who goes missing days after he ends things with her. This revelation puts his marriage to Sage in jeopardy. As a teenager, Sage was involved with a drug dealer, who she helped put away for forty years for murder. Someone starts blackmailing Sage informing her that they knew what she did. After Raven drops out of college, Sage and Andrew believe that she is into drugs and homeless, based upon pictures that she has sent to them. That is not the case, she is house-sitting and waiting to start a new job in computer security. Sage owns Thrifty Tails, a thrift store that benefits pet shelters. Sage hires Nikki Patterson, a former high school classmate of Raven’s not knowing the history between them to help at Thrifty Tails. Raven believes that Andrew had something to do with Jemma’s disappearance and takes what she believes are Jemma’s ashes to the police along with pictures of Jemma and Andrew together. Nikki shows up at the house where Raven is staying and blackmails Raven because of what happened between the two of them in high school. I kept trying to figure out who was behind mysterious events and Sage’s blackmail, it appeared that it could have been any one of the characters. I loved following the exploration to determine what was really going on in their lives. I love how the story details what really transpired and who was behind the mystery. My favorite part was the surprise ending, I did not see it coming. I love how everything that was going on was all interconnected. It was an incredible thriller. Looking forward to reading more books by N.L. Hinkens. Looking for a great thriller, then I highly recommend What You Wish For. I received an advanced copy from the author.

[Barbara Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

So twisted

So much happens in this story. So many crimes, so much backstabbing, so many conspiracies, blackmail, kidnappings, and a whole lot of secrets. Good story with plenty of story twists.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a thrilling, exciting, keep-me-at-the-edge-of-my-seat read! The pacing of the story was amazing and quick, keeping me wanting to read more and more. I loved almost everything about the book. I loved the not conventional thrift shop setting, the right amount of guessing on who could be involved in the blackmailing that was involved in the story. Ms. Hinkens is definitely an amazing story teller!

My only points of improvements were that none of the characters were likable, especially at the beginning. Toward the end, I got to like some of them. Also, the way both Sage and Raven became involved in life-threatening scenarios were them just not being smart. For instance, why would anyone go visit the person that was in jail for thirty years who just got out, especially by yourself at night? Or why would you visit a person who possibly abducted someone by yourself at night? Neither made any sense. Yes, it led to exciting moments in the story, but frustrated me while I read those scenes.

Overall, though, an exciting and well worth read that kept me up at night, wanting to read more! Even with those two points mentioned earlier, I absolutely look forward to reading more by N.L. Hinkens!

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out “What You Wish For” by N.L. Hinkens if you’re into heart-pounding psychological suspense! It’s like a wild rollercoaster ride that’ll keep you hooked till the end.

Meet Sage Golding, dealing with the fallout of her husband’s affair. Her life takes a dark turn when his mistress disappears, dragging Sage into a web of revenge and secrets.

Hinkens nails it with characters you can’t help but root for. Sage’s journey from a struggling mom to a truth-seeking powerhouse is totally gripping. And the side characters, like her troubled daughter Raven and old pal Nikki, add layers of mystery.

The book blends past and present to slowly reveal how everything’s connected. Even if you can guess some twists, the pace keeps you glued.

Bottom line: “What You Wish For” is a thrilling read that hits all the marks. Dive in for a wild ride of secrets, lies, and justice-seeking that’ll keep you flipping pages 'til the end!

[David Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Multi-perspective psychological thriller.

What You Wish For is the 15th book by N.L. Hinkens that I’ve read. From reading her previous stories I’ve come to realize I’m usually wrong when I feel like I’ve figured out the who or why of the story. Once again this was the case, I just “knew who the culprit was.” That feeling lasted until the moment I found out I was wrong. In this case it may be more accurate to say mostly wrong.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers populated with interesting characters that keep you entertained and guessing how they will solve their situation give What You Wish For. If you are new to N.L. Hinkens’ writing this book is a very good introduction and most likely will set you on the path of reading her other books. I received an Advance Reader Copy of What You Wish For from the author and chose to provide my review.

[Voracious Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

What You Wish For is a reminder to always be careful what you wish for. This book was full of twists and turns taking the reader on a roller coaster ride. N.L. Hinkens spins a tale of a woman who is slowly watching her life fall apart. Someone is out to break her in more ways than one. Who is behind it and why are the questions the pages reveal as they are quickly turned to reach the ending. At first I wasn’t sure I even liked the characters but as their stories were told I learned how events came to a head and made them the people they became. I came to better understand them and empathize with them. The tale taught me to be careful what I wished for. Sometimes you learn it was in front of you all the time.

I received an ARC of this book. My opinion is freely shared.

[Lesley McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well rounded psychological thriller What You Wish For is a quick read at 260 pages but it kept me guessing and turning pages to reach the satisfactory outcome .
N.L Hinkens is a master at portraying her characters and in this novel it is a family being torn apart with a number of past secrets threatening to wreck their lives .
It is a fast paced thriller with unexpected twists and turns which makes it a satisfying compelling read , which will be enjoyed by a wide age group
I read this as an e-copy kindly sent by the author for an honest review and I am grateful to have been able to enjoy this book ahead of release day .

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

What You Wish For: A psychological suspense thriller (Wicked Ways Collection - Standalone Thrillers), my fifteenth amazing (260-page) read from author N.L. Hinkens. I enjoyed the outstanding psychological thriller with its intricately woven twists and turns, all of Hinken's works have had more knots than Alexander the Greats Gordian Knot! Norma (N.L.) Hinkens has become one of my favorite authors! I was given a Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! This story grabbed me from the first page and took me on a thrilling ride. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Non- stop action from page one. The characters are relatable and believable. I like the way the family unites when people around them are trying to drag them down. Ms. Hinkens has a talent for developing an exciting story and the characters to bring it to life. The twists were wild and the climax was worth the wait. I would definitely recommend it. I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Emily C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! WHAT YOU WISH FOR piques my interest tremendously from Chapter 1, and I am totally drawn into the state of fear, frustration and jeopardy of Sage Golding as the story unfolds with the unforeseen twists and turns! The story is so gripping that it keeps me on the edge of my seat until I reach the end to find out the truth!
N.L. Hinkens has the knack of incorporating adrenaline-driven mystery and suspense into her twisty thrillers that you wouldn’t want to miss if you enjoy psychological thrillers!

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed What You Wish For and finished it pretty quickly. The character's are interesting and well established. The plot keeps you involved and hoping for a positive outcome. I loved how the past and present are intertwined. I also enjoyed some of the "flawed" characters finding some redemption and growth. The small negative was that it was fairly predictable. Maybe because I enjoy reading a lot of these types of books. Definitely worth picking up and reading.

[Kenneth Lingenfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another thriller from N.L. Hinkens. A family in turmoil with the husband having an affair with a student at the college where he teaches. A wife being blackmailed regarding her past life. An estranged daughter that wants nothing to do with her parents. Kidnapping and scandal within the family. A heart pounding novel to keep you reading into the night.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought I had this one figured out, but I was very wrong. I always enjoy the writing of Hinkens and this was no exception. It alternates between three main POVs which leads to an interesting narrative. Lots of good thrills and action!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Real Surprise Gem

I was taken by surprise at how fascinating and relevant this novel was. The young adult daughter feeling sanctimonious about the failings of her parents is confronted by her own shortcomings. The irony won’t be lost on most adults! So enjoyable!

[Maria-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody has a secret

Intriguing story. I have read this story before and felt like listening to the audio. It had been long enough that I had forgotten some of the finner points in the story. I enjoyed it as much as before.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding story once again. Full of secrets, suspense and danger. Saige’s life isn’t going too well, will she be able to put it back together again. Can’t wait for the next one.

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating plot, the emotions, the characters were so real, I thought. Couldn't turn pages fast enough to know the ending. Well written and I recommend
Given arc for my voluntary review.

[Kacee Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book!

It was slow at the beginning but then got so good I couldn't put it down. Lots of twists and turns...great psychological thriller imo.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining.

[Gena Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast moving

Lots of twists and turns. Completely dysfunctional family. All in all, a quick read that will keep you guessing. Worth a read.

[Kim Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read

It was a page turning book. Not a lot of twist and turns but a good story. First read from N.L. Hinkens I will definitely read another book.

[Patricia Goldman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow this was awful. A mystery written like a children’s book.

[VA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Twists & misguided turns. Some predictability, but most guessing. Great writing style. Pulls you in from the beginning. Highly recommended

[Betty Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast-paced thrill ride of a story. It really kept me guessing and gasping until the very end. I've read all of this author's books and she NEVER disappoints

[Elizabeth Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Ms. Hinkens for an ARC of this book. It’s another outstanding mystery she can add to her repertoire. This one involves secrets and blackmail and tests the bonds of family. Sage is hiding health issues and a dark secret from her past, Andrew is hiding an affair, and their daughter Raven is harboring her own secrets—although she is quite judgmental about theirs, which has led to a rift between her and her parents. It takes an apparent murder frame-job to set them on the path toward working together.

The plot is tense, with cut-and-thrust chapter breaks that compel the reader to keep going—despite the hour and the need for sleep. It switches between three POVs, which means that often, when a chapter ends mid-scene, it takes a few more chapters to find out what happens to that character next. It’s maddening, but very well done. It’s also one of those stories that lulls you into a sense of safety before shocking you with another hidden threat. The climax of the story is definitely unexpected, and might I say, mind-blowing.

If you’re looking for an action-packed story filled with unexpected detours and tense interactions with the villain(s), this is for you. I’m inclined to add this to the list of Ms. Hinken’s best novels—and she has some great ones. Highly recommended.

[KristieReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful, twisty and a page turner. This family has many issues…so dysfunctional to the point of destruction.

NL weaves an amazing tale that has so many parts and pieces. Her writing is so good and she keeps you guessing until the end.

Sage is a hot mess and is only getting worse by keeping all of her secrets. Why doesn’t she just come clean??

Andrew is a jerk. He’s self centered, blames others and has secrets of now he’s trying to cover.

Raven is a brat! But as the story unfolds her anger is justified but she still should have had a conversation with her parents.

These three are in a tangled hot mess…if they would just communicate then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad…but fear has them all holding onto their secrets.

This may be my favorite book she’s written…the intrigue, action, twists and the last couple of chapters will have you on the edge of your seat!

Sylvia Goncalves gave a great performance. She gave the characters perfect voice, personality and emotion.