What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
0 days and 21:31:50
100 copies available
U.S. only
Live Through This
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
0 days and 21:31:50
100 copies available
U.S. only
A crime novelist reunites with old college friends to solve a decades-old murder in a riveting novel of psychological suspense by the bestselling author of Falls to Pieces.
Crime writer Gregg Dryer returns to his Pennsylvania campus for Homecoming weekend to revisit the death of his girlfriend Jess. During their freshman year, everyone assumed she took her own life when she fell from the roof of D’Amelio Hall—everyone except Gregg. After thirty years of struggling with grief, guilt, and personal demons, Gregg still has his doubts about how and why Jess really died that night.
His search for answers is also a chance to reconnect with four friends from his college class. Most of them have moved on from that terrible tragedy. Not Gregg. Nor Jess’s mother, who is convinced to this day that her daughter was murdered. As Gregg’s investigation leads deeper into a past he doesn’t recognize, the trail grows darker and more dangerous with each new revelation.
As a reunion among old friends becomes one of secrets and suspicions, Gregg must confront his own troubled history—and a truth with which he may not be able to live.
Crime writer Gregg Dryer returns to his Pennsylvania campus for Homecoming weekend to revisit the death of his girlfriend Jess. During their freshman year, everyone assumed she took her own life when she fell from the roof of D’Amelio Hall—everyone except Gregg. After thirty years of struggling with grief, guilt, and personal demons, Gregg still has his doubts about how and why Jess really died that night.
His search for answers is also a chance to reconnect with four friends from his college class. Most of them have moved on from that terrible tragedy. Not Gregg. Nor Jess’s mother, who is convinced to this day that her daughter was murdered. As Gregg’s investigation leads deeper into a past he doesn’t recognize, the trail grows darker and more dangerous with each new revelation.
As a reunion among old friends becomes one of secrets and suspicions, Gregg must confront his own troubled history—and a truth with which he may not be able to live.
- GenresMystery ThrillerFiction
303 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 28, 2026
6 people are currently reading
3493 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Corleone
34 books122 followersDouglas Corleone is the highly acclaimed and award-winning author of contemporary thrillers. His debut novel, ONE MAN'S PARADISE, introducing hotshot defense attorney Kevin Corvelli was a finalist for the 2010 Shamus Award for Best First Novel and winner of the 2009 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. Corleone's other novels in the Kevin Corvelli series include NIGHT ON FIRE and LAST LAWYER STANDING.
Douglas Corleone's highly acclaimed international thriller, GOOD AS GONE, featuring former U.S. Marshal Simon Fisk, was hailed by the Huffington Post as a "heart-wrenching, adrenaline-producing adventure that...leaves the reader gasping for breath." The second book in the series, PAYOFF is due out in August 2014.
Recently Douglas Corleone was selected by the Estate of Robert Ludlum, internationally bestselling author and creator of the Jason Bourne series, to continue Ludlum's series of thrillers featuring ex-Navy SEAL and former covert government agent Paul Janson. ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE JANSON EQUATION will hit stores early in 2015.
A former New York City criminal defense attorney, Douglas Corleone now resides in the Hawaiian Islands with his family, where he is currently at work on his next novel.
Douglas Corleone's highly acclaimed international thriller, GOOD AS GONE, featuring former U.S. Marshal Simon Fisk, was hailed by the Huffington Post as a "heart-wrenching, adrenaline-producing adventure that...leaves the reader gasping for breath." The second book in the series, PAYOFF is due out in August 2014.
Recently Douglas Corleone was selected by the Estate of Robert Ludlum, internationally bestselling author and creator of the Jason Bourne series, to continue Ludlum's series of thrillers featuring ex-Navy SEAL and former covert government agent Paul Janson. ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE JANSON EQUATION will hit stores early in 2015.
A former New York City criminal defense attorney, Douglas Corleone now resides in the Hawaiian Islands with his family, where he is currently at work on his next novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 14, 2026
Review of advanced copy from NetGalley
📖 Synopsis
Greg Dryer has spent decades carrying the weight of Jess’s death—a woman he loved and only knew briefly but she left a lasting impression on his life. Nearly thirty years later, circumstances pull him back into the past as he begins searching for answers about what really happened the night she died.
What starts as a painful revisit of old memories slowly reveals deeper layers of trauma, family dysfunction, and the complicated ways people cope with loss. The further Greg digs, the more he realizes that understanding Jess means confronting uncomfortable truths about the people around her—and about himself.
💭 My Thoughts
This was my first time reading anything by Douglas Corleone, and I absolutely adored his writing style. His prose is sharp, witty, and often laced with just the right amount of sarcasm, which makes the narrative feel incredibly human.
One aspect of the novel that really stood out to me was how it explores the ripple effects of trauma and family dysfunction. Corleone presents this in such a grounded way that it reminds you there’s often a deeper story behind people’s struggles.
I also appreciated the way the book explores love and perception. Greg only knew Jess for six weeks, and I can imagine some readers wondering why she matters so much to him. But sometimes it’s not about how long you know someone—it’s about how someone makes you feel. That emotional pull is what drives Greg’s search for answers.
And I will say this…there’s a twist in this story that genuinely caught me off guard. I thought I had a sense of where things were going, but Corleone definitely had other plans.
📚 Overall
Live Through This is thoughtful, emotionally layered, and compelling. Corleone balances mystery with meaningful reflections on grief, memory, and human connection. As someone who enjoys discovering new authors and sharing thoughtful reviews, this was a memorable introduction to his work.
🙏 Thank You
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. #NetGalley #LiveThroughThis #LovedIt
📖 Synopsis
Greg Dryer has spent decades carrying the weight of Jess’s death—a woman he loved and only knew briefly but she left a lasting impression on his life. Nearly thirty years later, circumstances pull him back into the past as he begins searching for answers about what really happened the night she died.
What starts as a painful revisit of old memories slowly reveals deeper layers of trauma, family dysfunction, and the complicated ways people cope with loss. The further Greg digs, the more he realizes that understanding Jess means confronting uncomfortable truths about the people around her—and about himself.
💭 My Thoughts
This was my first time reading anything by Douglas Corleone, and I absolutely adored his writing style. His prose is sharp, witty, and often laced with just the right amount of sarcasm, which makes the narrative feel incredibly human.
One aspect of the novel that really stood out to me was how it explores the ripple effects of trauma and family dysfunction. Corleone presents this in such a grounded way that it reminds you there’s often a deeper story behind people’s struggles.
I also appreciated the way the book explores love and perception. Greg only knew Jess for six weeks, and I can imagine some readers wondering why she matters so much to him. But sometimes it’s not about how long you know someone—it’s about how someone makes you feel. That emotional pull is what drives Greg’s search for answers.
And I will say this…there’s a twist in this story that genuinely caught me off guard. I thought I had a sense of where things were going, but Corleone definitely had other plans.
📚 Overall
Live Through This is thoughtful, emotionally layered, and compelling. Corleone balances mystery with meaningful reflections on grief, memory, and human connection. As someone who enjoys discovering new authors and sharing thoughtful reviews, this was a memorable introduction to his work.
🙏 Thank You
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. #NetGalley #LiveThroughThis #LovedIt
April 16, 2026
An entertaining campus thriller with solidly rendered sense of place.
This is an interesting story and one that never veers away from its campus-centric story, which I greatly appreciated. It’s a more complex mystery than what it first appears to be, which gives the plot a bit more heft than what we usually get out of this subgenre.
Though (fortunately) most of us don’t have a friend who died under mysterious circumstances during college, a lot of this really does feel close to the undergrad experience, which helps the story to feel immersive and authentic.
I was a little put off by all the addiction stuff, and the rendering of the narrator’s backstory with his abusive mother felt a little clumsy, but on the whole this is a well-structured and well-paced read with an excellent sense of place.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is an interesting story and one that never veers away from its campus-centric story, which I greatly appreciated. It’s a more complex mystery than what it first appears to be, which gives the plot a bit more heft than what we usually get out of this subgenre.
Though (fortunately) most of us don’t have a friend who died under mysterious circumstances during college, a lot of this really does feel close to the undergrad experience, which helps the story to feel immersive and authentic.
I was a little put off by all the addiction stuff, and the rendering of the narrator’s backstory with his abusive mother felt a little clumsy, but on the whole this is a well-structured and well-paced read with an excellent sense of place.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
February 2, 2026
Gregg Dryer is returning for a school reunion at his old university in Pennsylvania. Not that Gregg has great memories of his time there. The girl he loved, Jess, died after a plunge from the roof of D'Amelio Hall where she lived on campus. The investigation concluded it was suicide at the time, but Gregg has never accepted that explanation. Given Gregg's addiction issues and volatile behaviour at the time, many people thought he killed her and got away with it. Gregg has struggled his entire life with the trauma inflicted by his abusive mother during his childhood, recovering from addictions, anxiety, depression, and flashbacks, going on to become a successful author. Back on campus and faced with surroundings and people he hasn't seen in years, Gregg is about to tackle the demons of his past and get to the bottom of Jess's death at last.
I could not put this novel down last night until I finished it! It is a tense, anxiety-riddled ride through Gregg Dryer's turbulent past and his moment of reckoning with his actions during his college years. Gregg is a character the reader can empathize with. He survived a terrible childhood with a cruel and abusive mother, fortunately meeting a father figure who became his friend, sponsor and supporter; enabling him to finish college and realize his dream of becoming a published author. But Gregg had inflicted damage of his own along the way, especially during his troubled college years when he drank heavily and sometimes treated others very badly without realizing it. During his reunion, he faces many of these bad memories and makes his peace with the past and with his old friends and enemies. All except for one - one person has not been willing to forgive and forget about Gregg's actions in those days. Gregg's redemption cannot be complete until he has faced the full extent of his sins.
Great work Mr. Corleone! I loved it.
I could not put this novel down last night until I finished it! It is a tense, anxiety-riddled ride through Gregg Dryer's turbulent past and his moment of reckoning with his actions during his college years. Gregg is a character the reader can empathize with. He survived a terrible childhood with a cruel and abusive mother, fortunately meeting a father figure who became his friend, sponsor and supporter; enabling him to finish college and realize his dream of becoming a published author. But Gregg had inflicted damage of his own along the way, especially during his troubled college years when he drank heavily and sometimes treated others very badly without realizing it. During his reunion, he faces many of these bad memories and makes his peace with the past and with his old friends and enemies. All except for one - one person has not been willing to forgive and forget about Gregg's actions in those days. Gregg's redemption cannot be complete until he has faced the full extent of his sins.
Great work Mr. Corleone! I loved it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Some people go back to college for nostalgia. Maybe a football game, a cheap beer, a little “wow I used to survive on ramen and bad decisions.” Gregg Dryer goes back and immediately chooses emotional warfare. Not with others at first, no no, with himself. Which honestly sets the tone perfectly because this entire book is basically one long, slow spiral into “what if everything you believed about your past was wrong and also your friends are… suspiciously chill about it?”
Live Through This is sitting firmly in that delicious space where grief and obsession hold hands and skip straight into chaos. Gregg is a crime writer now, which feels less like a career choice and more like his trauma said, “we’re not done here,” and he said, “cool, I’ll monetize it.” Thirty years ago, his girlfriend Jess died after falling from a dorm roof, ruled a suicide, case closed, everyone go home. Except Gregg never emotionally left that rooftop. And now he’s back, poking at old wounds like that’s going to end well for literally anyone involved.
And the second the old friend group starts circling back together, you can feel it. That weird, tense energy where everyone is smiling just a little too hard and asking questions that are just a little too careful. It’s giving “we all survived something and agreed never to talk about it again,” but Gregg did not sign that agreement. He brought a flashlight, a notebook, and decades of unresolved issues.
What I really loved here is how the story leans into that contrast. Everyone else has built lives, stable, functional, probably attending therapy like responsible adults. Meanwhile Gregg is emotionally stuck in a time capsule of grief, guilt, and suspicion. And instead of the book judging him for it, it kind of just… sits in that discomfort. Like yeah, this is messy. This is what it looks like when closure never shows up and you’re left to build a personality out of question marks.
Now let’s talk about the audiobook, because Eric Altheide understood the assignment. His performance is all quiet intensity, like he’s constantly holding something back, which works so well for Gregg’s whole deal. There’s this undercurrent of tension in his voice that makes even the calmer moments feel like they could tip over at any second. He doesn’t go full dramatic meltdown, which thank God, because that would have been exhausting. Instead, it feels intimate. Like Gregg is unraveling in real time and you’re just… there for it.
The pacing? Rude. In the best way. This book absolutely knows how to keep you hooked. Chapters end and you’re like, “okay just one more,” and suddenly you’ve emotionally committed to a man making increasingly questionable decisions in pursuit of the truth. The reveals come steadily, and even when you start to piece things together, it’s still satisfying because the tension is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
But listen, I need just a little more chaos. This friend group had the potential to go fully feral, and instead we got… restrained dysfunction. Which is realistic, sure, but I wanted at least one scene where everything just blows up. Secrets flying, accusations, someone storming out dramatically. Give me the group chat meltdown energy. Some of the side characters feel like they’re holding back their worst selves, and I, personally, would have liked to meet those worst selves.
And yeah, if you read a lot of thrillers, you might see a few twists coming. It’s not reinventing the genre, it’s playing in familiar territory. But it plays it well. This is less about shocking you and more about slowly tightening the screws until you’re like, “oh… oh no… this is worse than I thought.”
What really sticks, though, is the emotional core. This isn’t just about solving a mystery. It’s about what happens when you build your entire identity around something unresolved. When grief calcifies. When the past isn’t past, it’s just quieter and waiting for you to come back and look at it again. And Gregg? He looked. He absolutely looked.
So yeah, 3.5 stars. Solid, engaging, a little predictable but elevated by strong emotional undercurrents and a narrator who knew exactly how to sit in the discomfort without overplaying it.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Distrust Every Single Person at This Reunion Including the One Who Brought Snacks
And a big thank you to Brilliance Publishing, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the ALC and ARC. My trust issues have been fully refreshed.
Live Through This is sitting firmly in that delicious space where grief and obsession hold hands and skip straight into chaos. Gregg is a crime writer now, which feels less like a career choice and more like his trauma said, “we’re not done here,” and he said, “cool, I’ll monetize it.” Thirty years ago, his girlfriend Jess died after falling from a dorm roof, ruled a suicide, case closed, everyone go home. Except Gregg never emotionally left that rooftop. And now he’s back, poking at old wounds like that’s going to end well for literally anyone involved.
And the second the old friend group starts circling back together, you can feel it. That weird, tense energy where everyone is smiling just a little too hard and asking questions that are just a little too careful. It’s giving “we all survived something and agreed never to talk about it again,” but Gregg did not sign that agreement. He brought a flashlight, a notebook, and decades of unresolved issues.
What I really loved here is how the story leans into that contrast. Everyone else has built lives, stable, functional, probably attending therapy like responsible adults. Meanwhile Gregg is emotionally stuck in a time capsule of grief, guilt, and suspicion. And instead of the book judging him for it, it kind of just… sits in that discomfort. Like yeah, this is messy. This is what it looks like when closure never shows up and you’re left to build a personality out of question marks.
Now let’s talk about the audiobook, because Eric Altheide understood the assignment. His performance is all quiet intensity, like he’s constantly holding something back, which works so well for Gregg’s whole deal. There’s this undercurrent of tension in his voice that makes even the calmer moments feel like they could tip over at any second. He doesn’t go full dramatic meltdown, which thank God, because that would have been exhausting. Instead, it feels intimate. Like Gregg is unraveling in real time and you’re just… there for it.
The pacing? Rude. In the best way. This book absolutely knows how to keep you hooked. Chapters end and you’re like, “okay just one more,” and suddenly you’ve emotionally committed to a man making increasingly questionable decisions in pursuit of the truth. The reveals come steadily, and even when you start to piece things together, it’s still satisfying because the tension is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
But listen, I need just a little more chaos. This friend group had the potential to go fully feral, and instead we got… restrained dysfunction. Which is realistic, sure, but I wanted at least one scene where everything just blows up. Secrets flying, accusations, someone storming out dramatically. Give me the group chat meltdown energy. Some of the side characters feel like they’re holding back their worst selves, and I, personally, would have liked to meet those worst selves.
And yeah, if you read a lot of thrillers, you might see a few twists coming. It’s not reinventing the genre, it’s playing in familiar territory. But it plays it well. This is less about shocking you and more about slowly tightening the screws until you’re like, “oh… oh no… this is worse than I thought.”
What really sticks, though, is the emotional core. This isn’t just about solving a mystery. It’s about what happens when you build your entire identity around something unresolved. When grief calcifies. When the past isn’t past, it’s just quieter and waiting for you to come back and look at it again. And Gregg? He looked. He absolutely looked.
So yeah, 3.5 stars. Solid, engaging, a little predictable but elevated by strong emotional undercurrents and a narrator who knew exactly how to sit in the discomfort without overplaying it.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Distrust Every Single Person at This Reunion Including the One Who Brought Snacks
And a big thank you to Brilliance Publishing, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the ALC and ARC. My trust issues have been fully refreshed.
April 22, 2026
The premise for Live Through This is a strong one: a crime writer returns to his college campus decades after his girlfriend's death, still convinced it wasn't suicide. There’s so much potential for a layered psychological mystery, but instead the narrative gets bogged down in a disjointed structure with a narrator who's difficult to trust in a way that felt more confusing than intentional. The timeline shifts and Gregg's issues with substance abuse, anger, trauma, and memory left me feeling more frustrated than intrigued.
One gripe is the number of threads who are introduced and suddenly abandoned. The story hints at deeper commentary within the friend group but never follows through. Moments that should have carried more weight are brushed aside after an initial flicker of rage or suspense, and there's a noticeable lack of accountability or resolution.
The cast ranges from forgettable to actively unlikeable, and Gregg was a difficult character for me to buy into or feel for. It's obvious he's been obsessively fixated on Jess for thirty years and by the end, that fixation seems to evaporate practically overnight because of some underwhelming twist that didn't land for me. At all. For a story centered on a decades old death, the reveal and resolution fell flat and, again, sidestepped any sort of accountability for what actually happened. This scot-free hea pivot was abrupt at best, totally unearned at worst. Gregg's traumatic past with his mom, which we see through small flashbacks, felt like little more than background noise. If these were meant to add any sort of emotional weight or psychological suspense, it missed the opportunity to do so.
The writing leans a little simplistic for me, feeling more in line with a YA thriller. Which isn't inherently a bad thing, but it didn't align with my expectations going in. I've also been enjoying atmosphere a lot lately, and for a campus-set mystery steeped in the past, this never really felt like a place or a moment when. Overall, it was an easy and quick read, but the execution didn't deliver.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.
One gripe is the number of threads who are introduced and suddenly abandoned. The story hints at deeper commentary within the friend group but never follows through. Moments that should have carried more weight are brushed aside after an initial flicker of rage or suspense, and there's a noticeable lack of accountability or resolution.
The cast ranges from forgettable to actively unlikeable, and Gregg was a difficult character for me to buy into or feel for. It's obvious he's been obsessively fixated on Jess for thirty years and by the end, that fixation seems to evaporate practically overnight because of some underwhelming twist that didn't land for me. At all. For a story centered on a decades old death, the reveal and resolution fell flat and, again, sidestepped any sort of accountability for what actually happened. This scot-free hea pivot was abrupt at best, totally unearned at worst. Gregg's traumatic past with his mom, which we see through small flashbacks, felt like little more than background noise. If these were meant to add any sort of emotional weight or psychological suspense, it missed the opportunity to do so.
The writing leans a little simplistic for me, feeling more in line with a YA thriller. Which isn't inherently a bad thing, but it didn't align with my expectations going in. I've also been enjoying atmosphere a lot lately, and for a campus-set mystery steeped in the past, this never really felt like a place or a moment when. Overall, it was an easy and quick read, but the execution didn't deliver.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this one. It is a mystery that flips between 1993 and 2023, and the dual timeline works really well. The 90s setting, especially the music, gave the story a nostalgic feel that pulled me in right away. The book feels like a mix of plot driven and character driven, which made it easy to stay invested.
There is a strong focus on the flaws and struggles of the characters, and the development is done really well. It is not a diverse cast, but the characters feel believable and layered, and I found several of them relatable. The story also touches on childhood trauma and addiction in a way that feels honest without taking over the entire mystery.
The mystery kept me guessing the whole time. I bounced between suspects constantly, and at one point I honestly wondered if the main character was imagining everything because the book plays so well with doubt and memory. There was also one reveal I absolutely did not see coming, and it completely caught me off guard in the best way.
There are a lot of characters, and I did get a little mixed up toward the end when everything starts coming together, but once it clicked, it turned into a wild ride. It is a quick read but still manages to pack in a lot of emotion and tension.
The narrator was great. He added personality and emotion, made it clear who was speaking, and kept the story easy to follow even with the bigger cast. He definitely brought the right energy to the story and made the audiobook enjoyable from start to finish.
Overall, this is a well written, fast moving mystery with a strong sense of place and a storyline that keeps you on your toes. A solid 4.5 stars for me.
There is a strong focus on the flaws and struggles of the characters, and the development is done really well. It is not a diverse cast, but the characters feel believable and layered, and I found several of them relatable. The story also touches on childhood trauma and addiction in a way that feels honest without taking over the entire mystery.
The mystery kept me guessing the whole time. I bounced between suspects constantly, and at one point I honestly wondered if the main character was imagining everything because the book plays so well with doubt and memory. There was also one reveal I absolutely did not see coming, and it completely caught me off guard in the best way.
There are a lot of characters, and I did get a little mixed up toward the end when everything starts coming together, but once it clicked, it turned into a wild ride. It is a quick read but still manages to pack in a lot of emotion and tension.
The narrator was great. He added personality and emotion, made it clear who was speaking, and kept the story easy to follow even with the bigger cast. He definitely brought the right energy to the story and made the audiobook enjoyable from start to finish.
Overall, this is a well written, fast moving mystery with a strong sense of place and a storyline that keeps you on your toes. A solid 4.5 stars for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It has been thirty years since Gregg’s girlfriend, Jess, fell from a roof in a suspected suicide, and it’s haunted him ever since. He’s never believed she would take her own life and is returning to his college campus on Homecoming weekend to determine what really happened. Not only would it put his demons to rest, but it might also be the premise for his next bestseller. No surprise that he writes crime stories for a living.
Of course, the old friend group is all there, and as he catches up with each, he also not so subtly tries to get answers. They can’t believe he’s still questioning what happened, and they fear he’ll never move on with his life. So did I, more than once - he has quite the insipid personality. But someone tries to scare him off with threats and warnings, so he refuses to give up. But how much will it cost him to learn what really happened to Jess?
So yes, nothing new here with the ‘reunion of old friends decades after one of them died’ plot. But, as my past reads reveal, I never pass these up for some reason! They’re always entertaining if nothing else, and this one’s no different. There’s a lot of buildup in the current narrative and flashes from the past. Pretty much everyone who knew Jess had some reason or other to do her harm, and you’ll consider each character a suspect at some point. The ending doesn’t disappoint; whether you’re shocked by the reveal or smug because you saw it coming, it’s a fitting end to a fun, nostalgic story.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
Of course, the old friend group is all there, and as he catches up with each, he also not so subtly tries to get answers. They can’t believe he’s still questioning what happened, and they fear he’ll never move on with his life. So did I, more than once - he has quite the insipid personality. But someone tries to scare him off with threats and warnings, so he refuses to give up. But how much will it cost him to learn what really happened to Jess?
So yes, nothing new here with the ‘reunion of old friends decades after one of them died’ plot. But, as my past reads reveal, I never pass these up for some reason! They’re always entertaining if nothing else, and this one’s no different. There’s a lot of buildup in the current narrative and flashes from the past. Pretty much everyone who knew Jess had some reason or other to do her harm, and you’ll consider each character a suspect at some point. The ending doesn’t disappoint; whether you’re shocked by the reveal or smug because you saw it coming, it’s a fitting end to a fun, nostalgic story.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
April 21, 2026
Thirty years of grief have a way of calcifying into obsession, and this novel portrays that very well. Corleone’s prose is very sharp. There’s a precision to the way he captures how childhood trauma doesn’t just leave marks—it rewires you and reshapes the lens through which you see everything that comes after. Gregg’s grief for Jess isn’t melodramatic; it’s baked into who he became as a man and a writer. That psychological texture is the novel’s strongest suit, and it kept me turning pages even when the story itself started to lose its grip on me, which it does, from time to time. The pacing sags at some points. The reunion framework—old friends, old secrets, old resentments—is well-worn territory, and Corleone doesn’t always find a fresh angle through it. The ending, felt a bit pat. I would have loved to see a better twist.
Eric Altheide narrates in a way that suits Gregg Dryer perfectly—a man carrying decades of unanswered questions like stones in his pockets. The production is clean and well-done.
I’m rounding up to four stars because Corleone earns it on his excellent writing and in his unflinching portrayal of what unresolved loss actually does to a person. But this one sat closer to 3.5 for me in the reading—a novel with real strengths that doesn’t quite deliver on all of them. I’m still amazed at how much emotional weight Corleone manages to pack into the quieter scenes, and I’ll be curious to see where he goes next.
Thank you to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.
Eric Altheide narrates in a way that suits Gregg Dryer perfectly—a man carrying decades of unanswered questions like stones in his pockets. The production is clean and well-done.
I’m rounding up to four stars because Corleone earns it on his excellent writing and in his unflinching portrayal of what unresolved loss actually does to a person. But this one sat closer to 3.5 for me in the reading—a novel with real strengths that doesn’t quite deliver on all of them. I’m still amazed at how much emotional weight Corleone manages to pack into the quieter scenes, and I’ll be curious to see where he goes next.
Thank you to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The novel hinges on the "unreliable memory" trope, but with a grounded twist. Gregg isn’t just an acting as a detective within his own past; he’s a man whose entire career as a crime novelist has likely been a 30-year subconscious attempt to rewrite a tragedy he couldn't prevent.
Key Themes
• The Weight of "Moving On": The tension between Gregg (who is stuck) and his four friends (who have moved on) creates a classic "outsider looking in" dynamic.
• The Role of Guilt: It’s not just about the loss, but how the survivors played a role in the events leading up to that night on the roof.
• Validation: Jess’s mother represents the "forgotten victim"—the person who refuses to let the narrative be settled by a convenient police report.
Why It Works as a "Quick Read"
Even though the subject matter is dense with "grief and personal demons," the structure of a Homecoming weekend provides a natural ticking clock.
• The Setting: A Pennsylvania campus is the perfect backdrop for a reunion that turns into an interrogation.
• The Hook: Re-examining a "suicide" as a "murder" decades later allows for a dual-timeline feel without actually needing to leave the present day.
The unraveling at the end with the difficult decisions left at Gregg’s hands and then the sheer violence he endured left me utterly astounded.
Overall I was reminded of how every decision has an impact, even if unseen in the moment.
Key Themes
• The Weight of "Moving On": The tension between Gregg (who is stuck) and his four friends (who have moved on) creates a classic "outsider looking in" dynamic.
• The Role of Guilt: It’s not just about the loss, but how the survivors played a role in the events leading up to that night on the roof.
• Validation: Jess’s mother represents the "forgotten victim"—the person who refuses to let the narrative be settled by a convenient police report.
Why It Works as a "Quick Read"
Even though the subject matter is dense with "grief and personal demons," the structure of a Homecoming weekend provides a natural ticking clock.
• The Setting: A Pennsylvania campus is the perfect backdrop for a reunion that turns into an interrogation.
• The Hook: Re-examining a "suicide" as a "murder" decades later allows for a dual-timeline feel without actually needing to leave the present day.
The unraveling at the end with the difficult decisions left at Gregg’s hands and then the sheer violence he endured left me utterly astounded.
Overall I was reminded of how every decision has an impact, even if unseen in the moment.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC review copy received from NetGalley
in 1933 Gregg Dryer loses Jess, the girl he loves under mysterious circumstances. It's unclear whether her death was an accident, suicide, or maybe even murder. Thirty years later Gregg returns to their old school for his class reunion, and to revisit old wounds. This school happens to be the scene of the fall that took Jess' life. And Gregg's never been convinced that her death was suicide or an accident.
He questions everyone he can think of; his and Jess' old friend group. Jess' mother. Even people that only Jess herself was close to. Along the way, he strings together more and more of his own muddled memories.
I found our protagonist to be a very gripping and compelling character. His struggles and flaws made him extremely believable, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to uncover the truth of what happened to Jess right along with him.
I did not see the ending coming, and it held my attention from start to finish. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to review this book.
in 1933 Gregg Dryer loses Jess, the girl he loves under mysterious circumstances. It's unclear whether her death was an accident, suicide, or maybe even murder. Thirty years later Gregg returns to their old school for his class reunion, and to revisit old wounds. This school happens to be the scene of the fall that took Jess' life. And Gregg's never been convinced that her death was suicide or an accident.
He questions everyone he can think of; his and Jess' old friend group. Jess' mother. Even people that only Jess herself was close to. Along the way, he strings together more and more of his own muddled memories.
I found our protagonist to be a very gripping and compelling character. His struggles and flaws made him extremely believable, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to uncover the truth of what happened to Jess right along with him.
I did not see the ending coming, and it held my attention from start to finish. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to review this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Nearly 30 years ago crime novelist and attorney Gregg Dryer was a freshman in college and when his friend, a woman he liked a lot, jumped off the roof of the dorm to her death. Ruled a suicide, Gregg always wondered what really happened to her. Now, the college is celebrating Homecoming, he is lured back by other friends, where he learns the truth, the whole truth, and it will truly change his life. Can he handle that? This was an intense ride, all the way through. This is eery well written, taking the reading down paths that are unexpected, and leaves no stone unturned until we arrive, completely shocked and somehow pleased when the truth is unearthed. Douglas Corleone delivers an incredible thriller with this story. The audiobook is narrated by Eric Altheide, with a smooth delivery and completely bringing Gregg to life.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I usually love an unreliable narrator, but this took his level of unreliable up too many notches. It was like he's unreliable because of this, oh but also because of this, oh and in case you can overlook that, there's also this. So you're listening to this whole story not once knowing what happened officially because you can't really listen to or believe a thing from this guy. I mean, you know she died years ago...that's all you can safely say. I think there is a lot of potential here and quite a few characters that could have added much to the story, but the author clearly had a lot of ideas and wanted to use them all. I would check out more from this author in the hopes they learn to tighten it up and really focus on a few ideas instead of all the ideas.
January 29, 2026
(ARC review) I really enjoyed this book. There were parts of it that felt very repetitive, but for the most part the story was very well laid out.
The way the author brings each character to life was really great. I find myself still thinking of them after I’ve finished the story. All of the characters were, but I feel like I will always remember Greg, Jess, and Liv.
I love a book that alternates between past and present, and I think this author did a great job at executing that. There was a good twist at the end that I hadn’t expected, so it kind of had that “plot twist” wow factor that a lot of thriller books go for.
The way the author brings each character to life was really great. I find myself still thinking of them after I’ve finished the story. All of the characters were, but I feel like I will always remember Greg, Jess, and Liv.
I love a book that alternates between past and present, and I think this author did a great job at executing that. There was a good twist at the end that I hadn’t expected, so it kind of had that “plot twist” wow factor that a lot of thriller books go for.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Live Through This by Douglas Corleone follows Gregg Dryer, a struggling author who returns to his college campus to uncover the truth behind his girlfriend’s death. Was it suicide—or murder? And if it was murder, who was responsible?
The story weaves between past and present, creating an emotional journey filled with unresolved trauma, the weight of past choices, and the lasting consequences of those actions.
The audiobook narration by Eric Altheide was excellent and truly brought the story to life. Overall, the production quality was outstanding.
Thank you to NetGalley & Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for letting me read this ARC.
The story weaves between past and present, creating an emotional journey filled with unresolved trauma, the weight of past choices, and the lasting consequences of those actions.
The audiobook narration by Eric Altheide was excellent and truly brought the story to life. Overall, the production quality was outstanding.
Thank you to NetGalley & Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for letting me read this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!
I did not see the whole revelation coming, man that was wild! This book will draw you in and keep you guessing as to what really happened! I do wish that there was a little more to the story with Jess' mom and her finding out what really happened because she deserved closure.
The Narrator has a great voice that just keeps you sucked in and wanting to hear more and more of the story.
I did not see the whole revelation coming, man that was wild! This book will draw you in and keep you guessing as to what really happened! I do wish that there was a little more to the story with Jess' mom and her finding out what really happened because she deserved closure.
The Narrator has a great voice that just keeps you sucked in and wanting to hear more and more of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2026
I love when stories are set near my hometown, it’s always fun for me to hear familiar town names and local landmarks.
This was a quick read, I enjoyed the plot although I did feel like parts were repetitive and a little murky. The characters were well written and Gregg’s past / present flips back and forth in an intriguing way.
The narrator of the audio book did a great job bringing this to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC!
This was a quick read, I enjoyed the plot although I did feel like parts were repetitive and a little murky. The characters were well written and Gregg’s past / present flips back and forth in an intriguing way.
The narrator of the audio book did a great job bringing this to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC!
April 23, 2026
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Eric Altheide from NetGalley. These opinions are my own. I really enjoyed the narration but did feel like the story repeated itself in some areas. I enjoyed the twists as it kept me on my toes. This was my first by this author and I enjoyed the nostalgia of the 90’s.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was okay but I found it hard to enjoy this writing style and a lot I felt was repetitive. Thank you NetGalley for providing me a ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Absolutely loved this book! It enjoyed trying to figure out what happened to Jess. Also as a born and raised Pennsylvania girl it was cool to here to here Allentown, Pennsylvania in the book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Tense, well-written, and interesting book filled with interesting and flawed characters. 4 stars. tysm for the E-ARC.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews