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It's Not Her
A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.
A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.
A truth no one could have imagined …
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.
A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.
A truth no one could have imagined …
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…
496 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2026
9670 people are currently reading
212775 people want to read
About the author
Mary Kubica
26 books29k followersMary Kubica is a New York Times bestselling author of suspense thrillers including The Good Girl, The Other Mrs., and Local Woman Missing. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. She’s been described as “a helluva storyteller” (Kirkus) and “a writer of vice-like control” (Chicago Tribune), and her novels have been praised as “hypnotic” (People) and “thrilling and illuminating” (L.A. Times). She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,000 reviews
February 23, 2026
4.5/5 ★
I really enjoyed this one! My expectations may have been a little too high for the ending though.
In It's Not Her, Courtney Gray’s peaceful vacation turns into a nightmare when she finds her brother and sister-in-law dead at their lakeside cottage and her niece Reese missing. As police swarm the secret-filled town, Courtney races to uncover the truth and determine whether Reese is a victim—or the killer.
I have been busier than usual, or I would have finished this in just a couple of days. It was addictive and fast paced. I had heard great things about it, so I was excited to jump into it.
The story is set off the grid in a small Wisconsin town, with shady people surrounding Courtney and her family while they are on vacation. This whole set up really worked for me. I also enjoyed following Reese’s perspective in the past and seeing the trip from her eyes before the crimes happened. You could feel the tension building within the family and with some of those who lived in the town, which added to the suspense.
I found the characters themselves to be very realistic for modern everyday families. Reese’s mother constantly nagged her, the younger kids were having fun and oblivious to the tension, and Reese is going through what is typical of seventeen year olds who wish they could just be an adult already.
The crime and mystery surrounding it were layered, creepy, and hard to predict. I had heard there were some crazy twists in this one so my expectations for the resolutions were very high. Sadly, I was never fully shocked by anything and it went in a direction I typically don’t enjoy for thrillers. I wouldn’t say I guessed everything but shortly before the reveals, I knew where things were headed. There were no “WOOOW” moments for me, but the tension and steady unraveling of the truth kept me fully invested.
There were also a couple of moments where the use of social media with Reese felt unrealistic to me, but that won’t be a major thing for most people.
Overall, I love Mary Kubica’s writing, and it was the same here. I recommend it!
—
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I really enjoyed this one! My expectations may have been a little too high for the ending though.
In It's Not Her, Courtney Gray’s peaceful vacation turns into a nightmare when she finds her brother and sister-in-law dead at their lakeside cottage and her niece Reese missing. As police swarm the secret-filled town, Courtney races to uncover the truth and determine whether Reese is a victim—or the killer.
I have been busier than usual, or I would have finished this in just a couple of days. It was addictive and fast paced. I had heard great things about it, so I was excited to jump into it.
The story is set off the grid in a small Wisconsin town, with shady people surrounding Courtney and her family while they are on vacation. This whole set up really worked for me. I also enjoyed following Reese’s perspective in the past and seeing the trip from her eyes before the crimes happened. You could feel the tension building within the family and with some of those who lived in the town, which added to the suspense.
I found the characters themselves to be very realistic for modern everyday families. Reese’s mother constantly nagged her, the younger kids were having fun and oblivious to the tension, and Reese is going through what is typical of seventeen year olds who wish they could just be an adult already.
The crime and mystery surrounding it were layered, creepy, and hard to predict. I had heard there were some crazy twists in this one so my expectations for the resolutions were very high. Sadly, I was never fully shocked by anything and it went in a direction I typically don’t enjoy for thrillers. I wouldn’t say I guessed everything but shortly before the reveals, I knew where things were headed. There were no “WOOOW” moments for me, but the tension and steady unraveling of the truth kept me fully invested.
There were also a couple of moments where the use of social media with Reese felt unrealistic to me, but that won’t be a major thing for most people.
Overall, I love Mary Kubica’s writing, and it was the same here. I recommend it!
—
Follow my Bookstagram for all things mystery, thriller, and horror novels!
instagram.com/joshxreads
November 17, 2025
PHEW what a ride! Full review to come 👀
January 11, 2026
Despite the fact that I’m already seriously and chronically overbooked with advanced reader copies, as soon as I saw the email from The Hive offering up a crazy early chance to read It’s Not Her, I couldn’t pass up the chance. Boy, am I glad that I did despite the fact that I gave up a full night of sleep. Twisty, bingeable, and addictive in the extreme, it was everything that I’ve come to expect from a Mary Kubica novel plus a little bit more. From the anxiety-inducing plot to the expertly crafted characters, there was no end to the dread and foreboding that oozed off of the pages. And let me tell you…those twists? Ms. Kubica really outdid herself this time around. But the best piece of this dynamite puzzle was the creepy, leave-the-lights-on feel that won me over one thousand percent. After all, atmospheric thrillers are my bread and butter and this one managed to put most of my favorites to shame.
All said and done, I recommend this white-knuckle ride with every fiber of my being. Just be sure to cancel all plans before diving in. You see, this thriller will have you walking away from your chores and ignoring your children, so unless you want to cause chaos in your home, let everyone know that this is your Mary Kubica time. With addictive plotting, relatable characters, and a deliciously original storyline, it is guaranteed to be a blockbuster smash hit in 2026. Yes, that’s the only negative thing in my review. You’re all going to have to wait until February 3rd to get your hands on this rollercoaster ride of suspense. Until then, all I can suggest is going back and reading her backlist of unputdownable thrillers. As for me, this is one time I’m glad that my memory is nonexistent. After all, I know that I’ll be able to reread this super-charged spine-tingler closer to publication and not remember a thing. I already can’t wait! Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller
A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.
A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.
A truth no one could have imagined…
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…
Thank you to Mary Kubica, The Hive, HTP Books, Park Row Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: kidnapping, murder, bullying, sex, emotional and physical abuse, gun violence
All said and done, I recommend this white-knuckle ride with every fiber of my being. Just be sure to cancel all plans before diving in. You see, this thriller will have you walking away from your chores and ignoring your children, so unless you want to cause chaos in your home, let everyone know that this is your Mary Kubica time. With addictive plotting, relatable characters, and a deliciously original storyline, it is guaranteed to be a blockbuster smash hit in 2026. Yes, that’s the only negative thing in my review. You’re all going to have to wait until February 3rd to get your hands on this rollercoaster ride of suspense. Until then, all I can suggest is going back and reading her backlist of unputdownable thrillers. As for me, this is one time I’m glad that my memory is nonexistent. After all, I know that I’ll be able to reread this super-charged spine-tingler closer to publication and not remember a thing. I already can’t wait! Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller
A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.
A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.
A truth no one could have imagined…
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…
Thank you to Mary Kubica, The Hive, HTP Books, Park Row Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: kidnapping, murder, bullying, sex, emotional and physical abuse, gun violence
March 9, 2026
Kubica did it again! I devoured this twisty thriller with complete obsession—but I can also admit that some parts genuinely broke my heart. Beneath the shocking murders and layered mystery lies something deeply emotional, especially the mother-daughter elements and the exploration of how far a parent is willing to go to protect the ones they love. Those final chapters hit me much harder than I ever expected. I came for the thrills, but I stayed for the emotional devastation.
The story unfolds through dual timelines, moving between past and present, which creates a constant sense of tension and discovery. In the present, we follow Courtney, a woman in her early forties, mother to her young son Cam, and happily married to her attractive lawyer husband, Elliot. She works as a preschool teacher and is vacationing at a peaceful cabin resort with her brother Nolan and his family. Nolan’s wife Emily isn’t just her sister-in-law—she’s her best friend. Together they have three children: seventeen-year-old Reese, who has been strangely mean-spirited since arriving at the cabins; fourteen-year-old Wyatt; and ten-year-old Mae.
One morning, after Mae joins Cam for a sleepover and the husbands leave early for fishing, Courtney begins making pancakes for breakfast. But the peaceful morning is shattered by a piercing, blood-curdling scream coming from Nolan and Emily’s cabin. When Courtney runs toward the sound, she makes a horrifying discovery: her brother and her best friend have been brutally murdered.
Panicked and shaking, she contacts Dawn, the resort manager, and the authorities are called immediately. Soon, Detective Evans, a young red-haired investigator, arrives with his team. Wyatt is found unharmed—shockingly, he slept through the entire incident, claiming his mother gave him Benadryl for his allergies. But Reese… Reese is gone. She seems to have vanished into thin air.
Was she kidnapped by the killer? Or was she somehow involved in her parents’ deaths and fled?
The tension is so sharp it could cut skin. Everyone becomes a suspect. Trapped in the isolated cabins while the investigation unfolds, paranoia spreads like wildfire. Courtney cannot sit still and wait. She needs answers. She needs to find Reese. She needs to find the killer. But the deeper she looks, the more she begins to question everyone around her—even her own family.
Can she trust anyone? Or is she completely alone?
The only thing she knows for certain is this: there is a killer out there. And she will never be safe until she discovers who it is.
This is, without question, one of the best thrillers of the year, and you absolutely need to add it to your reading list. Actually—don’t even wait. Don’t procrastinate the pleasure. Go in blind and dive into it immediately. Mary Kubica is a brilliant storyteller.
From the very first page, she hooks you with the brutal crime scene and refuses to let you go. She masterfully feeds you crumbs of clues through different points of view—especially Reese’s past-timeline chapters—which slowly help you assemble the puzzle while simultaneously misleading you.
I had at least four solid suspects in my mind. None of them were the killer.
There was one moment—one tiny flicker of suspicion—but I dismissed it. I told myself, no, that doesn’t make sense. What would be the motive?
Well… I was wrong.
Because when the truth finally came out, the twist hit me straight in the face.
And what surprised me most was that the emotional reveals—especially Emily’s chapters—made me cry. Yes, cry. In a thriller.
Kubica also delivers an additional twist that was incredibly well executed and added another powerful layer to the story.
I will admit that while I was completely hooked from the beginning, Reese’s POV initially frustrated me. She was difficult, angry, and unpleasant. But as her story unfolded—her loneliness, her pain, her desperate need to feel loved and seen—I began to understand her. And eventually, I connected with her deeply.
Courtney, on the other hand, was immediately compelling. She is a fierce, protective, selfless “mommy bear.” She refuses to give up on Reese, even when evidence suggests Reese may be involved. Her determination, courage, and emotional strength made her incredibly easy to root for.
Throughout the book, the questions never stop:
Who killed Nolan and Emily?
What really happened that night?
Was Reese taken?
Is she alive?
Or is she hiding something far darker?
As I said before, if you want answers, there’s only one thing left to do:
Grab your copy and READ IT.
Trust me—you won’t recover from it anytime soon.
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The story unfolds through dual timelines, moving between past and present, which creates a constant sense of tension and discovery. In the present, we follow Courtney, a woman in her early forties, mother to her young son Cam, and happily married to her attractive lawyer husband, Elliot. She works as a preschool teacher and is vacationing at a peaceful cabin resort with her brother Nolan and his family. Nolan’s wife Emily isn’t just her sister-in-law—she’s her best friend. Together they have three children: seventeen-year-old Reese, who has been strangely mean-spirited since arriving at the cabins; fourteen-year-old Wyatt; and ten-year-old Mae.
One morning, after Mae joins Cam for a sleepover and the husbands leave early for fishing, Courtney begins making pancakes for breakfast. But the peaceful morning is shattered by a piercing, blood-curdling scream coming from Nolan and Emily’s cabin. When Courtney runs toward the sound, she makes a horrifying discovery: her brother and her best friend have been brutally murdered.
Panicked and shaking, she contacts Dawn, the resort manager, and the authorities are called immediately. Soon, Detective Evans, a young red-haired investigator, arrives with his team. Wyatt is found unharmed—shockingly, he slept through the entire incident, claiming his mother gave him Benadryl for his allergies. But Reese… Reese is gone. She seems to have vanished into thin air.
Was she kidnapped by the killer? Or was she somehow involved in her parents’ deaths and fled?
The tension is so sharp it could cut skin. Everyone becomes a suspect. Trapped in the isolated cabins while the investigation unfolds, paranoia spreads like wildfire. Courtney cannot sit still and wait. She needs answers. She needs to find Reese. She needs to find the killer. But the deeper she looks, the more she begins to question everyone around her—even her own family.
Can she trust anyone? Or is she completely alone?
The only thing she knows for certain is this: there is a killer out there. And she will never be safe until she discovers who it is.
This is, without question, one of the best thrillers of the year, and you absolutely need to add it to your reading list. Actually—don’t even wait. Don’t procrastinate the pleasure. Go in blind and dive into it immediately. Mary Kubica is a brilliant storyteller.
From the very first page, she hooks you with the brutal crime scene and refuses to let you go. She masterfully feeds you crumbs of clues through different points of view—especially Reese’s past-timeline chapters—which slowly help you assemble the puzzle while simultaneously misleading you.
I had at least four solid suspects in my mind. None of them were the killer.
There was one moment—one tiny flicker of suspicion—but I dismissed it. I told myself, no, that doesn’t make sense. What would be the motive?
Well… I was wrong.
Because when the truth finally came out, the twist hit me straight in the face.
And what surprised me most was that the emotional reveals—especially Emily’s chapters—made me cry. Yes, cry. In a thriller.
Kubica also delivers an additional twist that was incredibly well executed and added another powerful layer to the story.
I will admit that while I was completely hooked from the beginning, Reese’s POV initially frustrated me. She was difficult, angry, and unpleasant. But as her story unfolded—her loneliness, her pain, her desperate need to feel loved and seen—I began to understand her. And eventually, I connected with her deeply.
Courtney, on the other hand, was immediately compelling. She is a fierce, protective, selfless “mommy bear.” She refuses to give up on Reese, even when evidence suggests Reese may be involved. Her determination, courage, and emotional strength made her incredibly easy to root for.
Throughout the book, the questions never stop:
Who killed Nolan and Emily?
What really happened that night?
Was Reese taken?
Is she alive?
Or is she hiding something far darker?
As I said before, if you want answers, there’s only one thing left to do:
Grab your copy and READ IT.
Trust me—you won’t recover from it anytime soon.
medium.com
July 30, 2025
Totally gripping, breathless pacing, & a holy shooty balls thrill ride!
Okay let’s just pause for a moment. It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica is everything I want in a thriller. A quiet lake resort. A double murder. A missing teenage niece. And a main character stumbling right into the middle of it all. I didn’t even properly read the blurb if I’m being honest. Mary Kubica is one of my absolute favourite authors so I was all in the second I saw her name. No regrets. Zero. Zilch.
From the opening scene I was hooked. The story starts with a scream and just never lets up. Courtney discovers her brother and sister-in-law murdered, her niece Reese missing, and her young nephew asleep upstairs. No answers. Just suspicion, fear, and a tangled mess of secrets that kept me flipping pages faster than I could breathe.
Kubica builds this eerie sense of unease that had me second guessing every single person. I didn’t trust the neighbours. I didn’t trust the police. Honestly, Courtney was the only one I did trust. That slow unravelling of truth is so satisfying and the tension is perfectly done.
Just when I thought I had a grip on what was going on, the rug got pulled right out from under me. I mean it. One of those twists actually made me gasp out loud. Holy shooty balls. That is all I will say.
I know it’s still early but I am one hundred percent on the buzz train for this one. The writing is sharp, the emotion runs deep, and the pace never once stalls. A total winner from a longtime favourite.
Mood Reader Moment: Favourite author. Intriguing cover. Didn’t even pause to read the description. Just had to read.
Expected publication: February 3, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for the digital copy. I would hand-sell this to every fellow thriller lover I know.
Okay let’s just pause for a moment. It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica is everything I want in a thriller. A quiet lake resort. A double murder. A missing teenage niece. And a main character stumbling right into the middle of it all. I didn’t even properly read the blurb if I’m being honest. Mary Kubica is one of my absolute favourite authors so I was all in the second I saw her name. No regrets. Zero. Zilch.
From the opening scene I was hooked. The story starts with a scream and just never lets up. Courtney discovers her brother and sister-in-law murdered, her niece Reese missing, and her young nephew asleep upstairs. No answers. Just suspicion, fear, and a tangled mess of secrets that kept me flipping pages faster than I could breathe.
Kubica builds this eerie sense of unease that had me second guessing every single person. I didn’t trust the neighbours. I didn’t trust the police. Honestly, Courtney was the only one I did trust. That slow unravelling of truth is so satisfying and the tension is perfectly done.
Just when I thought I had a grip on what was going on, the rug got pulled right out from under me. I mean it. One of those twists actually made me gasp out loud. Holy shooty balls. That is all I will say.
I know it’s still early but I am one hundred percent on the buzz train for this one. The writing is sharp, the emotion runs deep, and the pace never once stalls. A total winner from a longtime favourite.
Mood Reader Moment: Favourite author. Intriguing cover. Didn’t even pause to read the description. Just had to read.
Expected publication: February 3, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for the digital copy. I would hand-sell this to every fellow thriller lover I know.
February 26, 2026
3.5 stars — DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK - I’M VENTING AND NEED AN OUTLET —-So, do I rate the first 90 percent of the book which I absolutely loved or do I judge the book based on its absolutely ridiculous implausible ending — that is the question. I remember having problems with endings of books before (“All Good People Here’ along with a few others), but “It’s Not Her” might be the biggest disappointment I have experienced while reading an otherwise well-written book. The reason why is that the first 90 percent of the book was absolutely spectacular —only to end in the greatest collapse since the Falcons blew a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl. The author did an absolutely wonderful job in building a very realistic and fast moving mystery around the violent deaths of a married couple while they were on vacation with their family. After Courtney discovers the dead bodies of her brother and sister in law, she calls the police who discover that the couple’s teenage daughter, Reese, is missing. The book does an excellent job in interweaving flashbacks with the current investigation in building a very plausible and interesting story. There are multiple intriguing, mysterious suspects. There is great character development —with several characters that were very well written and who I was totally invested in. There are surprises and clues that are mixed in that really left me wanting to turn each page to find out what was going to happen next. But then —-there was the ending— which can best be described as Mary Kubica trying to pull an Alice Feeney with multiple “surprise twists’ from the most unlikeliest of suspects and failing miserably. And when I say unlikely I’m talking about not recognizing your own daughter unlikely. I’m talking about doing actions totally outside of what any human would do to get their missing daughter back after searching for her for years. Uh— call the police maybe to check out the lead rather than murdering the parents and kidnapping their daughter because of some random Facebook post that someone posted on your missing daughter’s page saying a random teenage girl was your daughter years later. A girl who looked nothing like the daughter and who the mother of the missing girl immediately said —‘this isn’t your daughter’. Grief that you carry inside of you for years can make you do a lot of things, but for an otherwise normal person to react to a Facebook post of a non-lookalike girl wearing a necklace similar to your daughter’s by murdering the parents of another girl and kidnapping their daughter—no way. And then the cherry on top was to have the detective over the case be the murderer of the young girl who was missing. A murder he got away with even though his sister saw him driving towards the bike of the girl he ran over and told him she knew he did it. A girl he murdered by running over the girl in his car after hitting her while she was riding her bike. The police investigated him, but I guess they found no blood on his car or damage to the paint where he hit the bike and ran over the girl. Also, he was seen burying the body by the owner of the resort, but she ‘misidentified’ who it was and kept the secret her entire life because she felt sorry for the person she thought murdered the girl. 🙄🙄EXHALE —-THANK GOSH I GOT THAT OFF MY CHEST.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2026
OH MARY A TIME WAS HAD WITH THIS ONE!
It’s not her is a suspenseful ‘whodunnit’ when a family trip goes tits up when Courtney Gray’s family vacation comes to a shattering halt when she hears a scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is also missing, and her nephew Wyatt is found upstairs asleep unharmed. What the hell happened!?
Oooooh scandalous!!!! This was one juicy hell of a read. Told in the two POVs of Reese (past chapters) and Courtney (present chapters). I couldn’t get enough. When I tell you everyone was a suspect to me… EVERYONE WAS A SUSPECT!
The characters were realistic, if not annoying at times and I wanted to twist a few of their ears and tell them to GROW TF UP! my disdain for Reese and her childish behaviour not only irked me but spurred me on reading further because we have all been young with hormones once upon a time, so I guess its relatable right!?
The suspense and mystery of it all was an exciting read and I really enjoyed how the author made sure to always keep our attention while having our pulse pounding in just wanting to get to the answers!
The reveal and ending gave me whiplash and I honestly had to chuckle when I finished because WTF was that!??? I will say it is very barbaric and outlandish so suspension of disbelief is highly required. There’s a particular procedural scene at the end with a character that just had me side-eyeing because the nonchalance of it just sounded so weird and unrealistic but it’s ‘fiction’ eh!?
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ The drama
➽ The Twist
➽ Suspenseful
➽ Short Chapters
➽ Easy to Read
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ Some highly irritable characters
➽ The reveals were outlandish and OTT
➽ A few of the red herrings I could have done without (but I also see why it was placed)
All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I had the same nostalgic vibes I had when I read ‘Local Woman Missing’ by this author. It kept my attention, it was juicy and I am looking forward to reading her future releases.
4.5 ⭐
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
Local Woman Missing is still my top fave from this author!
I am hoping this one is just as good!
Spoil Me Ms. Kubica!
💛💜💛💜
It’s not her is a suspenseful ‘whodunnit’ when a family trip goes tits up when Courtney Gray’s family vacation comes to a shattering halt when she hears a scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is also missing, and her nephew Wyatt is found upstairs asleep unharmed. What the hell happened!?
Oooooh scandalous!!!! This was one juicy hell of a read. Told in the two POVs of Reese (past chapters) and Courtney (present chapters). I couldn’t get enough. When I tell you everyone was a suspect to me… EVERYONE WAS A SUSPECT!
The characters were realistic, if not annoying at times and I wanted to twist a few of their ears and tell them to GROW TF UP! my disdain for Reese and her childish behaviour not only irked me but spurred me on reading further because we have all been young with hormones once upon a time, so I guess its relatable right!?
The suspense and mystery of it all was an exciting read and I really enjoyed how the author made sure to always keep our attention while having our pulse pounding in just wanting to get to the answers!
The reveal and ending gave me whiplash and I honestly had to chuckle when I finished because WTF was that!??? I will say it is very barbaric and outlandish so suspension of disbelief is highly required. There’s a particular procedural scene at the end with a character that just had me side-eyeing because the nonchalance of it just sounded so weird and unrealistic but it’s ‘fiction’ eh!?
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ The drama
➽ The Twist
➽ Suspenseful
➽ Short Chapters
➽ Easy to Read
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ Some highly irritable characters
➽ The reveals were outlandish and OTT
➽ A few of the red herrings I could have done without (but I also see why it was placed)
All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I had the same nostalgic vibes I had when I read ‘Local Woman Missing’ by this author. It kept my attention, it was juicy and I am looking forward to reading her future releases.
4.5 ⭐
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
Local Woman Missing is still my top fave from this author!
I am hoping this one is just as good!
Spoil Me Ms. Kubica!
💛💜💛💜
December 1, 2025
4.5 rounded up to 5 for GR! Mary Kubica is soooo back. get excited for her 2026 release yall!!!!
her last few releases (this + SHES NOT SORRY + LOCAL WOMAN MISSING) are arguably my fave 3 of hers. she does SUCH a good job weaving in family/domestic drama (think Lisa Jewell or Alice Feeney vibes) into a slow burn thriller and her twists always packs a punch.
and the ending!!!! if you’ve been following me for a minute you know i love my thrillers to have a shocking ending / don’t love when they’re all wrapped up in a little bow and Mary delivered that here! it was such a fun surprise at the end 😳
this thriller follows two families that go away to a lake/cabin trip in the summer and two of them end up murdered. but the question is…who did it, and why?
i took .5 off because the pacing was a bit slow for me in the middle. it was very much a slow burn which is totally fine but i was wanting a twist earlier on to pick things back up. that said, it still grabs you immediately and i was constantly wondering who the killer was—i couldn’t figure it out or get a good guess!
along w the thriller parts, i liked the family drama too. everyone is stressed and scared and starts wondering if the other person had something to do with the murders and it built some great suspense.
such a fun read! this one is out in Feb—be sure to pre order it! thanks to HTP books for the gifted early copy.
her last few releases (this + SHES NOT SORRY + LOCAL WOMAN MISSING) are arguably my fave 3 of hers. she does SUCH a good job weaving in family/domestic drama (think Lisa Jewell or Alice Feeney vibes) into a slow burn thriller and her twists always packs a punch.
and the ending!!!! if you’ve been following me for a minute you know i love my thrillers to have a shocking ending / don’t love when they’re all wrapped up in a little bow and Mary delivered that here! it was such a fun surprise at the end 😳
this thriller follows two families that go away to a lake/cabin trip in the summer and two of them end up murdered. but the question is…who did it, and why?
i took .5 off because the pacing was a bit slow for me in the middle. it was very much a slow burn which is totally fine but i was wanting a twist earlier on to pick things back up. that said, it still grabs you immediately and i was constantly wondering who the killer was—i couldn’t figure it out or get a good guess!
along w the thriller parts, i liked the family drama too. everyone is stressed and scared and starts wondering if the other person had something to do with the murders and it built some great suspense.
such a fun read! this one is out in Feb—be sure to pre order it! thanks to HTP books for the gifted early copy.
March 10, 2026
I wanted to love this. Ugh so many popular thrillers don’t work for me 😩
The opening genuinely hooked me — it reads like the start of a slasher film. Family vacation, isolated setting, something already wrong beneath the surface, a girl running across the lawn in fear. It had serious Jason-Vorhees-movie energy and I was fully in.
Unfortunately, it never sustained that momentum.
Without getting into spoilers, the story places a surprising amount of narrative weight on certain characters in a way that made one of the major twists fairly easy to anticipate. I didn’t have every detail figured out, but I clocked early on who was going to turn out badly, which drained much of the suspense the book seemed to be building toward.
I also struggled with Reese’s storyline involving an adult man obsessively pursuing and attempting to lure a seventeen-year-old girl. Grooming…
I understand thriller fiction often leans into uncomfortable material, but this element seemed gross af to me considering the current world news cycle.
Courtney’s chapters were the strongest part of the novel — those sections held tension and emotional grounding — while Reese’s perspective was harder to engage with for the same reasons above.
Overall, I kept waiting for the early promise to pay off, and it just… didn’t. What began as a gripping setup ultimately left me underwhelmed and washing the ick off.
*
*
*
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
The opening genuinely hooked me — it reads like the start of a slasher film. Family vacation, isolated setting, something already wrong beneath the surface, a girl running across the lawn in fear. It had serious Jason-Vorhees-movie energy and I was fully in.
Unfortunately, it never sustained that momentum.
Without getting into spoilers, the story places a surprising amount of narrative weight on certain characters in a way that made one of the major twists fairly easy to anticipate. I didn’t have every detail figured out, but I clocked early on who was going to turn out badly, which drained much of the suspense the book seemed to be building toward.
I also struggled with Reese’s storyline involving an adult man obsessively pursuing and attempting to lure a seventeen-year-old girl. Grooming…
I understand thriller fiction often leans into uncomfortable material, but this element seemed gross af to me considering the current world news cycle.
Courtney’s chapters were the strongest part of the novel — those sections held tension and emotional grounding — while Reese’s perspective was harder to engage with for the same reasons above.
Overall, I kept waiting for the early promise to pay off, and it just… didn’t. What began as a gripping setup ultimately left me underwhelmed and washing the ick off.
*
*
*
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
January 14, 2026
Summer vacation in the Northwoods of Wisconsin turns into a nightmare when Courtney Grey hears a horrified scream coming from the cabin beside hers, where she discovers her brother and sister-in-law brutally murdered, her teenage niece Reese missing. As the police work to figure out what happened in that cabin, family secrets come to light, leaving Courtney unsure who she can trust.
A banger of a book from start to finish, Mary Kubica never disappoints. While I knew going in that I was sure to enjoy IT’S NOT HER based on both my previous love of Kubica’s novels and the high rating it already had, I had no idea it would take ahold of my life the way it did. I could not put it down, and when I was forced to, I simply could not stop thinking about it or the characters at the center of it.
The atmospheric nature was brilliantly haunting, and at multiple times, I found myself jumping at the sound of a door opening or someone calling my name. With such descriptive and evocative writing, I often felt as though I too was in the story. It was me in any given scene, alongside the character in focus. Me unable to run, me waiting for the door to open as I heard the footsteps…
It is for this very reason that this book meets the definition of a nail biter, from the eerie isolated wooded setting to the ghastly cabin scene that haunts characters and readers alike; the quiet moments that are as jarring as the loud. I could in fact feel my heart racing throughout (I feel this should count as exercise on some level tbh) and it is one of the more intense psychological thrillers I have read. The haunting quality combined with the true crime aspect and proceeding police procedural made for an incredibly fast read, as like I said, it becomes near impossible to put down.
I am such a fan of the “who can you trust” trope, and Kubica executes it perfectly in a way that feels as chilling as it does entertaining. I am often left disappointed by my ability to see behind the curtain and spoil the twists too early on. That is not the case here as I had no idea who the culprit(s) was, nor what had actually happened on that horrific night both in the present as well as the past. I found myself, like our MC, questioning everything I knew to be true. Twist after twist, reveal after reveal, until the final mic drop moment when Kubica allows us the peek behind the curtain in the final moments, where once again I was caught off guard. And this above all is why I adore her writing so much.
Read if you like:
▪️isolated settings
▪️locked room mysteries
▪️ensemble casts
▪️dual perspectives/timelines
▪️things that go bump in the night
▪️true crime vibes
▪️who can you trust?
▪️bingy reads
✨ 2025 Favorites and #1 thriller of the year
Thank you Park Row Books and HTP for the advanced copy.
A banger of a book from start to finish, Mary Kubica never disappoints. While I knew going in that I was sure to enjoy IT’S NOT HER based on both my previous love of Kubica’s novels and the high rating it already had, I had no idea it would take ahold of my life the way it did. I could not put it down, and when I was forced to, I simply could not stop thinking about it or the characters at the center of it.
The atmospheric nature was brilliantly haunting, and at multiple times, I found myself jumping at the sound of a door opening or someone calling my name. With such descriptive and evocative writing, I often felt as though I too was in the story. It was me in any given scene, alongside the character in focus. Me unable to run, me waiting for the door to open as I heard the footsteps…
It is for this very reason that this book meets the definition of a nail biter, from the eerie isolated wooded setting to the ghastly cabin scene that haunts characters and readers alike; the quiet moments that are as jarring as the loud. I could in fact feel my heart racing throughout (I feel this should count as exercise on some level tbh) and it is one of the more intense psychological thrillers I have read. The haunting quality combined with the true crime aspect and proceeding police procedural made for an incredibly fast read, as like I said, it becomes near impossible to put down.
I am such a fan of the “who can you trust” trope, and Kubica executes it perfectly in a way that feels as chilling as it does entertaining. I am often left disappointed by my ability to see behind the curtain and spoil the twists too early on. That is not the case here as I had no idea who the culprit(s) was, nor what had actually happened on that horrific night both in the present as well as the past. I found myself, like our MC, questioning everything I knew to be true. Twist after twist, reveal after reveal, until the final mic drop moment when Kubica allows us the peek behind the curtain in the final moments, where once again I was caught off guard. And this above all is why I adore her writing so much.
Read if you like:
▪️isolated settings
▪️locked room mysteries
▪️ensemble casts
▪️dual perspectives/timelines
▪️things that go bump in the night
▪️true crime vibes
▪️who can you trust?
▪️bingy reads
✨ 2025 Favorites and #1 thriller of the year
Thank you Park Row Books and HTP for the advanced copy.
February 27, 2026
i want to go back in time so i prevent this book from being published.
February 13, 2026
With ‘Local Woman Missing’ being one of my favorite thrillers of 2024, I had high expectations for Kubica’s new novel. Unfortunately this wasn’t my favorite and didn’t work for me. A lot of things didn’t add up, police procedurals were laughable, some even questionable. There was a lot of repetition and reminders and as we got closer to the truth, it was easier to solve the whodunnit.
Cant say this was her best.
RTF!
Cant say this was her best.
RTF!
February 9, 2026
Holy smokes, excuse me while I recover from that plot twist. This was great. Loved the tension building suspense. This book packs a lot and it pays off. I secretly wanted a little more fall out for Wyatt as he was a little twat all through the book. Seriously, great ending!
March 12, 2026
This author is quite popular in my Little Free Library Shed. Whenever one of her books is donated, it is quickly snapped up by an eager reader.
Fair warning…don’t read this one at night.
The tension begins on the very first page. Before the end of the opening chapter, readers see what Courtney sees: her brother and sister-in-law dead at their cabin—clearly murdered. The shock is immediate, and the questions begin just as quickly. What exactly happened? Who killed them, and why?
Through dual narratives, Courtney shares what is happening in the present, while Reese—her missing niece—reveals the events of the preceding week. Where is Reese? Who took her? Or did she have something to do with her parents’ deaths?
This form of storytelling, alternating between past and present, is a formula that has worked well for this author, as noted in my review of “Every Last Lie.” (If interested, see link below.) She has a talent for building suspense while steadily guiding readers toward the final reveal.
Here, too, the story unfolds as a slow-burn, atmospheric, twisty page-turner. The setting—a rustic, run-down resort surrounded by a forest and lake in the Northwoods of Wisconsin—adds an eerie and isolating backdrop that heightens the tension.
With an intriguing plot and multiple possible suspects, readers become fully invested in uncovering the truth. What becomes clear is that grief, uncertainty, and emotional investment shape how each character sees events. Narrators feel unreliable not because they intend to deceive, but because they themselves are unsure of what to believe.
And just when readers think they know the truth, the story shifts again. Not everything is as it seems.
A compelling unputdownable thriller filled with twists, emotional depth, and characters grappling with loss—this is another solid, suspenseful read.
Every Last Lie: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fair warning…don’t read this one at night.
The tension begins on the very first page. Before the end of the opening chapter, readers see what Courtney sees: her brother and sister-in-law dead at their cabin—clearly murdered. The shock is immediate, and the questions begin just as quickly. What exactly happened? Who killed them, and why?
Through dual narratives, Courtney shares what is happening in the present, while Reese—her missing niece—reveals the events of the preceding week. Where is Reese? Who took her? Or did she have something to do with her parents’ deaths?
This form of storytelling, alternating between past and present, is a formula that has worked well for this author, as noted in my review of “Every Last Lie.” (If interested, see link below.) She has a talent for building suspense while steadily guiding readers toward the final reveal.
Here, too, the story unfolds as a slow-burn, atmospheric, twisty page-turner. The setting—a rustic, run-down resort surrounded by a forest and lake in the Northwoods of Wisconsin—adds an eerie and isolating backdrop that heightens the tension.
With an intriguing plot and multiple possible suspects, readers become fully invested in uncovering the truth. What becomes clear is that grief, uncertainty, and emotional investment shape how each character sees events. Narrators feel unreliable not because they intend to deceive, but because they themselves are unsure of what to believe.
And just when readers think they know the truth, the story shifts again. Not everything is as it seems.
A compelling unputdownable thriller filled with twists, emotional depth, and characters grappling with loss—this is another solid, suspenseful read.
Every Last Lie: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 7, 2025
Two families, excitedly anticipating a perfect vacation at a secluded lake resort, find themselves unexpectedly caught in a nightmare that feels straight out of a horror film. What was meant to be a tranquil getaway quickly spirals into chaos when a piercing scream disrupts the calm of a quiet morning, echoing from a neighbouring lakeside cottage. Rushing to investigate, Courtney Gray stumbles upon a horrific scene: her sister-in-law and brother lie lifeless, and her teenage niece, Reese, has vanished without a trace. Meanwhile, her nephew, Wyatt, remains blissfully asleep upstairs, utterly unaware of the terror unfolding around him.
As the local police swarm the once-peaceful resort town, unsettling secrets about Courtney’s family begin to surface, painting a complicated picture of hidden truths. Whispers about the town’s dark past seep into the investigation, leaving Courtney grappling with troubling questions. Is Reese simply another victim of a brutal crime, or is there a chance she could be mixed up in the sinister events that have transpired?
Determined to uncover the truth, Courtney delves deeper into the mystery. Each revelation exposes the hidden secrets of those involved, and as the lines between ally and adversary blur, the stakes rise to a dangerous level. With lives hanging in the balance, Courtney must expertly navigate a tangled web of deception and peril, all while struggling to determine who she can truly trust.
It's Not Her is a masterclass in suspense, Full of dramatic twists, intricate clues, and a suffocating atmosphere filled with chilling revelations. It's Not Her will keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the final jaw-dropping twist. Throughout the story, my heart raced with anticipation, and it felt like an intense rollercoaster ride, packed with unexpected surprises at every turn. This was my first time reading a book by Mary Kubica, and it certainly won’t be my last. I can’t wait to explore her backlist!
The plot is anxiety-inducing, with expertly crafted characters that add to the relentless feeling of dread and foreboding. And those twists! They are truly mindblowing! But what really stands out is the creepy, claustrophobic atmosphere that made me leave the lights on as I turned page after page late into the night. As someone who loves atmospheric thrillers, I found this one managed to outshine many of my favourites.
In summary, I absolutely recommend this suspenseful adventure! Just a friendly tip: clear your schedule before you dive in, you might find yourself so engrossed in this thriller that chores and family time take a backseat. To truly enjoy Mary Kubica’s latest book, consider giving everyone a heads-up that you're dedicating the day to reading. Put a do-not-disturb sign on your favourite reading nook, enjoy, and get ready for an unforgettable experience!
Get ready for a blockbuster smash hit in 2026! With its gripping plot, relatable characters, and an undeniably original storyline, this thriller is set to take the world by storm. Mark your calendars for February 3; you won't want to miss this suspense-filled roller coaster ride!
I want to thank Edelweiss, Park Row and Harper Collins for the DAC, and a special thanks to Laurie Mularchuk at Harlequin Sales
Short review, I will write a full review tomorrow. I have not been able to put this book down. I have been reading since 10:00 am on this Thanksgiving Monday. (13 hours total I’m going to have a book hangover! 😆📚)
Full of dramatic twists, subtle clues, and claustrophobic atmosphere and chilling reveals, It's Not Her will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final twist. My heart actually raced at times. It was an intense rollercoaster ride!
As the local police swarm the once-peaceful resort town, unsettling secrets about Courtney’s family begin to surface, painting a complicated picture of hidden truths. Whispers about the town’s dark past seep into the investigation, leaving Courtney grappling with troubling questions. Is Reese simply another victim of a brutal crime, or is there a chance she could be mixed up in the sinister events that have transpired?
Determined to uncover the truth, Courtney delves deeper into the mystery. Each revelation exposes the hidden secrets of those involved, and as the lines between ally and adversary blur, the stakes rise to a dangerous level. With lives hanging in the balance, Courtney must expertly navigate a tangled web of deception and peril, all while struggling to determine who she can truly trust.
It's Not Her is a masterclass in suspense, Full of dramatic twists, intricate clues, and a suffocating atmosphere filled with chilling revelations. It's Not Her will keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the final jaw-dropping twist. Throughout the story, my heart raced with anticipation, and it felt like an intense rollercoaster ride, packed with unexpected surprises at every turn. This was my first time reading a book by Mary Kubica, and it certainly won’t be my last. I can’t wait to explore her backlist!
The plot is anxiety-inducing, with expertly crafted characters that add to the relentless feeling of dread and foreboding. And those twists! They are truly mindblowing! But what really stands out is the creepy, claustrophobic atmosphere that made me leave the lights on as I turned page after page late into the night. As someone who loves atmospheric thrillers, I found this one managed to outshine many of my favourites.
In summary, I absolutely recommend this suspenseful adventure! Just a friendly tip: clear your schedule before you dive in, you might find yourself so engrossed in this thriller that chores and family time take a backseat. To truly enjoy Mary Kubica’s latest book, consider giving everyone a heads-up that you're dedicating the day to reading. Put a do-not-disturb sign on your favourite reading nook, enjoy, and get ready for an unforgettable experience!
Get ready for a blockbuster smash hit in 2026! With its gripping plot, relatable characters, and an undeniably original storyline, this thriller is set to take the world by storm. Mark your calendars for February 3; you won't want to miss this suspense-filled roller coaster ride!
I want to thank Edelweiss, Park Row and Harper Collins for the DAC, and a special thanks to Laurie Mularchuk at Harlequin Sales
Short review, I will write a full review tomorrow. I have not been able to put this book down. I have been reading since 10:00 am on this Thanksgiving Monday. (13 hours total I’m going to have a book hangover! 😆📚)
Full of dramatic twists, subtle clues, and claustrophobic atmosphere and chilling reveals, It's Not Her will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final twist. My heart actually raced at times. It was an intense rollercoaster ride!
February 22, 2026
4.5 Stars.
I cannot believe how quickly this flew by. Full review is coming!
I cannot believe how quickly this flew by. Full review is coming!
February 8, 2026
What starts as a nice family vacation at a lake resort in Wisconsin takes a tragic turn when Courtney’s brother and sister-in-law are brutally murdered and her niece, Reese, is missing. The story then unfolds in alternating POV’s between Courtney and Reese with Courtney’s timeline handling the present investigation and Reese filling in the blanks up until the murders. There are plenty of suspects that will have you guessing until the on what really happened and who was involved.
I was guessing and second-guessing who the culprits were the entire time. I was definitely surprised by the resolution and found it to be satisfying for sure. It’s amazing the cause-and-effect of what happened. There were times, however, that I felt it was a bit drawn out and wanted it to move just a tad quicker, but that could’ve just been me being impatient to get to the end! As for the last chapter… I personally didn’t feel that it was needed and I wasn’t a huge fan of it.
Kubica has been a hit or miss author for me, but her last few have been winners, including this one. She has a way with her words to draw you in and never let go until the final pages.
I was guessing and second-guessing who the culprits were the entire time. I was definitely surprised by the resolution and found it to be satisfying for sure. It’s amazing the cause-and-effect of what happened. There were times, however, that I felt it was a bit drawn out and wanted it to move just a tad quicker, but that could’ve just been me being impatient to get to the end! As for the last chapter… I personally didn’t feel that it was needed and I wasn’t a huge fan of it.
Kubica has been a hit or miss author for me, but her last few have been winners, including this one. She has a way with her words to draw you in and never let go until the final pages.
February 14, 2026
This is the third book that I’ve read by this author, and they’ve all been hits!! 👏 Now, I will admit I wasn’t so sure about this one as it did seem to drag on a bit through the middle. I also was not a fan of how disrespectful and arrogant the teenagers were in this story (specifically Wyatt and Reese), that because of them my rating almost went down. I figured out early on where this story was going (I’ll admit, I have read my fair share of thrillers), but it still wrapped up so well, that I was left feeling so glad that I stuck with this book.
This story starts off with Courtney Gray and her family vacationing in a cottage in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Along with Courtney’s family, her brother Nolan, and his family are staying in a cottage on the same property as them. They are all vacationing together. Upon arrival, they notice there are flyers of a missing girl from five tears prior…
After a sleepover at Courtney’s cottage, her niece comes running back over after she had been screaming upon arriving at her cottage. Her niece Mae is crying, and now has blood on herself. When Courtney goes to her brother and sister in law’s cottage to see what’s happening, she finds them both murdered. Although her brother Nolan, and his wife, Emily have been murdered- their son Wyatt is sleeping upstairs unharmed. Their 17 year old daughter Reese is missing. Who could have done this horrible act? And why?
This story then comes to us in alternating chapters of Courtney (present), and Reese (past), as we try to piece this murder together. And let me tell you, you will be questioning every single person!
I will say that I did not like how Reese called her parents Emily and Nolan (instead of mom and dad), because it kept throwing me off at first. I kept thinking Reese was talking about different people, as opposed to her own parents. Wyatt was only 14 years old, but let me tell you, he needed a serious butt-whooping!!
Anyways, the last chapter (the ending), really sealed the deal for me in this book, and for that my rating went up. I do recommend this book, as I think it is one that many will enjoy.
This story starts off with Courtney Gray and her family vacationing in a cottage in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Along with Courtney’s family, her brother Nolan, and his family are staying in a cottage on the same property as them. They are all vacationing together. Upon arrival, they notice there are flyers of a missing girl from five tears prior…
After a sleepover at Courtney’s cottage, her niece comes running back over after she had been screaming upon arriving at her cottage. Her niece Mae is crying, and now has blood on herself. When Courtney goes to her brother and sister in law’s cottage to see what’s happening, she finds them both murdered. Although her brother Nolan, and his wife, Emily have been murdered- their son Wyatt is sleeping upstairs unharmed. Their 17 year old daughter Reese is missing. Who could have done this horrible act? And why?
This story then comes to us in alternating chapters of Courtney (present), and Reese (past), as we try to piece this murder together. And let me tell you, you will be questioning every single person!
I will say that I did not like how Reese called her parents Emily and Nolan (instead of mom and dad), because it kept throwing me off at first. I kept thinking Reese was talking about different people, as opposed to her own parents. Wyatt was only 14 years old, but let me tell you, he needed a serious butt-whooping!!
Anyways, the last chapter (the ending), really sealed the deal for me in this book, and for that my rating went up. I do recommend this book, as I think it is one that many will enjoy.
February 27, 2026
Eeep, you might wanna rethink that summer vacation you've planned at the lake. Lord knows, this one turned into a freaking nightmare. 👀
Taking inspiration from the true-crime Keddie Cabin murders of 1981, Mary Kubica starts It's Not Her with a blood-curdling scream and never lets up for 300+ pages.
Both parents are brutally murdered.
The police find a son asleep in an upstairs bedroom, seemingly unaware that anything has happened.
And, a teen daughter is missing.
So much for a relaxing week at the lake.
Naturally, Kubica throws in lots of red herrings.
As the mystery unravels, so does our trust.
We soon realize that everyone seems capable of deception.
I had multiple theories. All were wrong.
The novel unfolds over just a few days and is frought with tension.
Be forewarned: prepare to keep turning pages late into the night and kiss your normal bedtime goodbye.
With its jaw-dropping twist, It's Not Her is already optioned for development as a television series.
A summer staycation looks pretty darn good right now.
February 20, 2026
4.5 stars! Did not see that coming at the end 🤯
February 16, 2026
Despite the fact that I’m already seriously and chronically overbooked with advanced reader copies, as soon as I saw the email from The Hive offering up a crazy early chance to read It’s Not Her, I couldn’t pass up the chance. Boy, am I glad that I did despite the fact that I gave up a full night of sleep. Twisty, bingeable, and addictive in the extreme, it was everything that I’ve come to expect from a Mary Kubica novel plus a little bit more. From the anxiety-inducing plot to the expertly crafted characters, there was no end to the dread and foreboding that oozed off of the pages. And let me tell you…those twists? Ms. Kubica really outdid herself this time around. But the best piece of this dynamite puzzle was the creepy, leave-the-lights-on feel that won me over one thousand percent. After all, atmospheric thrillers are my bread and butter and this one managed to put most of my favorites to shame.
All said and done, I recommend this white-knuckle ride with every fiber of my being. Just be sure to cancel all plans before diving in. You see, this thriller will have you walking away from your chores and ignoring your children, so unless you want to cause chaos in your home, let everyone know that this is your Mary Kubica time. With addictive plotting, relatable characters, and a deliciously original storyline, it is guaranteed to be a blockbuster smash hit in 2026. Yes, that’s the only negative thing in my review. You’re all going to have to wait until February 3rd to get your hands on this rollercoaster ride of suspense. Until then, all I can suggest is going back and reading her backlist of unputdownable thrillers. As for me, this is one time I’m glad that my memory is nonexistent. After all, I know that I’ll be able to re-read this super-charged spine-tingler closer to publication and not remember a thing. I already can’t wait! Rating of 5 stars.
UPDATE: As promised, I just had to re-read it now that it’s officially out in the world. A heart-stopping ride that exposed a perfectly plotted mystery, I was stunned into silence yet again by the twisty last third. I guess that’s the benefit of reading books in one single sitting. So if my old review didn’t convince you to grab this book now, hopefully my undying love for it the second time around will persuade you to give it a go. After all, Ms. Kubica just wrote a masterclass on how to deliver the perfect amount of suspense, tension, mistrust, and dread.
SYNOPSIS:
Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller
A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.
A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.
A truth no one could have imagined…
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…
Thank you to Mary Kubica, The Hive, HTP Books, Park Row Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: kidnapping, murder, bullying, sex, emotional and physical abuse, gun violence, child death, sexual assault, death of a parent, suicidal thoughts
All said and done, I recommend this white-knuckle ride with every fiber of my being. Just be sure to cancel all plans before diving in. You see, this thriller will have you walking away from your chores and ignoring your children, so unless you want to cause chaos in your home, let everyone know that this is your Mary Kubica time. With addictive plotting, relatable characters, and a deliciously original storyline, it is guaranteed to be a blockbuster smash hit in 2026. Yes, that’s the only negative thing in my review. You’re all going to have to wait until February 3rd to get your hands on this rollercoaster ride of suspense. Until then, all I can suggest is going back and reading her backlist of unputdownable thrillers. As for me, this is one time I’m glad that my memory is nonexistent. After all, I know that I’ll be able to re-read this super-charged spine-tingler closer to publication and not remember a thing. I already can’t wait! Rating of 5 stars.
UPDATE: As promised, I just had to re-read it now that it’s officially out in the world. A heart-stopping ride that exposed a perfectly plotted mystery, I was stunned into silence yet again by the twisty last third. I guess that’s the benefit of reading books in one single sitting. So if my old review didn’t convince you to grab this book now, hopefully my undying love for it the second time around will persuade you to give it a go. After all, Ms. Kubica just wrote a masterclass on how to deliver the perfect amount of suspense, tension, mistrust, and dread.
SYNOPSIS:
Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller
A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.
A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.
A truth no one could have imagined…
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…
Thank you to Mary Kubica, The Hive, HTP Books, Park Row Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: kidnapping, murder, bullying, sex, emotional and physical abuse, gun violence, child death, sexual assault, death of a parent, suicidal thoughts
February 5, 2026
2.5. I HATED reading from the teenager's perspective. I don't read YA for a reason. Reese was so rude, annoying, and miserable. I didn't care if she was ever found. Her whole personality being "woe is me" got so old and repetitive. This book was a huge letdown for me.
May 21, 2025
Huge massive thanks to #partner @htp_hive @parkrowbooks @htpbooks and @marykubica for exclusive access to #ItsNotHer to read and review.
As soon as @htp_hive shot out the email, I scooped this sucker up! I read my first Kubica book in 2018/2019 ….. The Good Girl and was OBSESSED!!! I had the pleasure to meet her in Houston two years ago at @murderbooks and she is the nicest human!!!
As soon as I started this, I couldn’t stop. The only thing that kept getting in the way is that damn job or I would’ve had it finished sooner.
This one takes off from the start. Two parents dead. One missing girl. A family on vacation that turns terribly wrong. I was trying to figure out what was going on. I had my theories, but time and time again I was wrong. I freaking loved it!!! I’m sooo going to be late for work. Oh well 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@marykubica is a queen of suspense!!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As soon as @htp_hive shot out the email, I scooped this sucker up! I read my first Kubica book in 2018/2019 ….. The Good Girl and was OBSESSED!!! I had the pleasure to meet her in Houston two years ago at @murderbooks and she is the nicest human!!!
As soon as I started this, I couldn’t stop. The only thing that kept getting in the way is that damn job or I would’ve had it finished sooner.
This one takes off from the start. Two parents dead. One missing girl. A family on vacation that turns terribly wrong. I was trying to figure out what was going on. I had my theories, but time and time again I was wrong. I freaking loved it!!! I’m sooo going to be late for work. Oh well 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@marykubica is a queen of suspense!!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 9, 2026
4 solid stars - a pretty decent thriller, but won't be my favorite from this author. A bit long in the middle perhaps, but the twist ending was good and I didn't mind the final epilogue chapter either, kinda guessed that TBH
February 4, 2026
I really did not care for this book. I found it extremely boring and rather predictable. There were quite a few plot holes and unnecessary characters throughout the story. Don’t give me characters in a story just for the sake of a plot twist. And if you do choose to do that at least make the plot twist a good one. Trust me if you pay attention you will see the twist coming a mile away. I also found some of the sentence structuring and some of the words used a bit odd at times. Not a fan of this one.
February 15, 2026
This one didn’t work for me. I loved Kubica's 'Local Woman Missing' but this felt like a step down.
The main character wasn’t very sharp and honestly got on my nerves. There was way too much inner monologue before anything remotely interesting happened. The story dragged, repeated itself, was predictable and took forever to get to the point.
I saw the twist coming from a mile away, and the writing felt more YA than adult thriller. Surprising for this author.
I would have given two stars but since I finished it, three stars it is.
The best part? The audiobook production. That’s about it.
The main character wasn’t very sharp and honestly got on my nerves. There was way too much inner monologue before anything remotely interesting happened. The story dragged, repeated itself, was predictable and took forever to get to the point.
I saw the twist coming from a mile away, and the writing felt more YA than adult thriller. Surprising for this author.
I would have given two stars but since I finished it, three stars it is.
The best part? The audiobook production. That’s about it.
March 5, 2026
It’s Not Her written by Mary Kubica peeked my interest and had my curiosity when the hype began to swarm … I was enticed and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book!
Set in the Midwest, two families decide to vacation at a Lakeside Resort outfitted with individual family cottages which were surrounded by a close knit neighboring community. It also included elements one would expect to find in a “nail biting” thriller …. an isolated woodsy backdrop, a quiet unassuming shoreline, a creepy cemetery, peculiar resort employees, domestic tension, rebellious teenagers, and missing girls! I mean this sounded like it was gonna be thrilling…. And ….not so much … sigh….🫤 Even with all of these pieces, Kubica’s novel tethers between a tepid mystery and a story in slow motion motion.
The Main characters:
👉The Gray family; Courtney-is married to Elliot and is the sister to Nolan Crane. Courtney and Elliot have one daughter.
•Courtney is our primary narrator. She is suspicious, in her head-a bit of a worrier, and is unsure of everyone around her.
•Elliot, a seemingly supportive husband, is fit and confident. His actions and behaviors do not match what comes out of his mouth.
•Cass is ten and a happy child.
👉The Cane family; Emily is married to Nolan (Courtney’s brother) and they have 3 children
•Emily is best friends with Courtney. Emily is a bit nosey, abrasive, controlling and a tad high strung.
•Nolan is put out by Emily and her “trying to control everything” nature. His is quiet, passive and a bit under the radar depressed.
•Reece is the oldest and our secondary Narrator. She has a contentious relationship with her mom, struggles to fit in and is resentful to be on this vacation instead of hanging with her friends. She has a bit of an anger issue and is rough around the edges.
•Wyatt is quiet, but observant. He seems a bit detached and spies on his sister. They do not get along. He is secretive.
• Mae a happy ten year old.
👉Daniel Clarke: a creepy Resort employee who comes across as strong willed, controlling and unreliable. He has interest in Reece.
👉Joanne and Sam Matthews: Local homeowners who are the grieving parents of the missing child Kylie from years prior.
👉The local Police Detective: Purposely, he keeps a low profile, is unassuming and a slow processor and mover.
🌲Let’s take a peek inside:
A horrific home invasion leaves Emily and Nolan Cane dead and their oldest daughter Reece is missing. Wyatt is found alive but asleep upstairs. Their youngest had a sleepover at Aunt Courtney’s house with Cass. Come morning, everything has changed and their lives will never be the same. This is how we begin- a story that grabs you!
This story unfolds at a pretty slow pace. For many chapters, the story goes nowhere and we learn nothing. With many unreliable characters, there are plenty of suspects to consider… but literally no one uncovers or discovers a thing. A slow, slow start for me and too much telling and not enough “showing” - YES, I’m frustrated 😩
With the POV alternating from “the past” (one week leading up to the murders) to “the present” (the investigation and suspicions), it takes quite a bit of time, concentration and patience to get through the pages of this novel. While the initial storyline was drawing and exciting - Kubica fell short when it comes to pacing and delivery.
I give this a 2.75 stars but rounded up for
surprise villain(s) in the end!
Set in the Midwest, two families decide to vacation at a Lakeside Resort outfitted with individual family cottages which were surrounded by a close knit neighboring community. It also included elements one would expect to find in a “nail biting” thriller …. an isolated woodsy backdrop, a quiet unassuming shoreline, a creepy cemetery, peculiar resort employees, domestic tension, rebellious teenagers, and missing girls! I mean this sounded like it was gonna be thrilling…. And ….not so much … sigh….🫤 Even with all of these pieces, Kubica’s novel tethers between a tepid mystery and a story in slow motion motion.
The Main characters:
👉The Gray family; Courtney-is married to Elliot and is the sister to Nolan Crane. Courtney and Elliot have one daughter.
•Courtney is our primary narrator. She is suspicious, in her head-a bit of a worrier, and is unsure of everyone around her.
•Elliot, a seemingly supportive husband, is fit and confident. His actions and behaviors do not match what comes out of his mouth.
•Cass is ten and a happy child.
👉The Cane family; Emily is married to Nolan (Courtney’s brother) and they have 3 children
•Emily is best friends with Courtney. Emily is a bit nosey, abrasive, controlling and a tad high strung.
•Nolan is put out by Emily and her “trying to control everything” nature. His is quiet, passive and a bit under the radar depressed.
•Reece is the oldest and our secondary Narrator. She has a contentious relationship with her mom, struggles to fit in and is resentful to be on this vacation instead of hanging with her friends. She has a bit of an anger issue and is rough around the edges.
•Wyatt is quiet, but observant. He seems a bit detached and spies on his sister. They do not get along. He is secretive.
• Mae a happy ten year old.
👉Daniel Clarke: a creepy Resort employee who comes across as strong willed, controlling and unreliable. He has interest in Reece.
👉Joanne and Sam Matthews: Local homeowners who are the grieving parents of the missing child Kylie from years prior.
👉The local Police Detective: Purposely, he keeps a low profile, is unassuming and a slow processor and mover.
🌲Let’s take a peek inside:
A horrific home invasion leaves Emily and Nolan Cane dead and their oldest daughter Reece is missing. Wyatt is found alive but asleep upstairs. Their youngest had a sleepover at Aunt Courtney’s house with Cass. Come morning, everything has changed and their lives will never be the same. This is how we begin- a story that grabs you!
This story unfolds at a pretty slow pace. For many chapters, the story goes nowhere and we learn nothing. With many unreliable characters, there are plenty of suspects to consider… but literally no one uncovers or discovers a thing. A slow, slow start for me and too much telling and not enough “showing” - YES, I’m frustrated 😩
With the POV alternating from “the past” (one week leading up to the murders) to “the present” (the investigation and suspicions), it takes quite a bit of time, concentration and patience to get through the pages of this novel. While the initial storyline was drawing and exciting - Kubica fell short when it comes to pacing and delivery.
I give this a 2.75 stars but rounded up for
surprise villain(s) in the end!
March 6, 2026
3.5 stars
Two families, a much needed vacation in isolated cabins in a lakeside location in North Wisconsin. When a bloodcurdling scream pierces the early morning air, Courtney discovers the bodies of her brother Nolan and sister-in-law Emily and that her niece Reese is missing. A police investigation is launched as a shell shocked Courtney tries not only to seek the truth about why this has happened to Nolan and Emily but also to try to find her niece. The story is told principally by Courtney and Reese.
First of all, the setting is really good and the author utilises it to great effect in the storytelling. Mary Kubica creates a creepy, claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere which I enjoy and this is maintained throughout. It’s good on who can or can’t be trusted with plenty of suspects to cast a gaze upon. The domestic situation between both families is conveyed well and there’s an abundance of resentment between the partners amongst other other things, with tension between siblings and parents. There are suspenseful moments scattered throughout and there are some twists and turns in the storytelling, as well as some red herrings.
However, at times the pace is very slow as I think the author prevaricates and includes extraneous details that add nothing to the plot or the dilemma that Courtney faces. There’s a lot of repetition throughout the novel, especially with some phrases that are repeated time and time again. There is a great deal of internalising and attempts to rationalising that which is far from rational in Courtney’s perspective. Reese‘s point of view is irritating as she displays brattish teenage behaviour and probably inevitably her point of view feels like a YA novel. The plot has some predictable elements and I find the ultimate ending to be somewhat unrealistic and a bit of a stretch.
Overall though, there’s plenty to keep you interested and reading on, but in my opinion, it’s not Mary Kubica’s best book.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to the publishers for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Two families, a much needed vacation in isolated cabins in a lakeside location in North Wisconsin. When a bloodcurdling scream pierces the early morning air, Courtney discovers the bodies of her brother Nolan and sister-in-law Emily and that her niece Reese is missing. A police investigation is launched as a shell shocked Courtney tries not only to seek the truth about why this has happened to Nolan and Emily but also to try to find her niece. The story is told principally by Courtney and Reese.
First of all, the setting is really good and the author utilises it to great effect in the storytelling. Mary Kubica creates a creepy, claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere which I enjoy and this is maintained throughout. It’s good on who can or can’t be trusted with plenty of suspects to cast a gaze upon. The domestic situation between both families is conveyed well and there’s an abundance of resentment between the partners amongst other other things, with tension between siblings and parents. There are suspenseful moments scattered throughout and there are some twists and turns in the storytelling, as well as some red herrings.
However, at times the pace is very slow as I think the author prevaricates and includes extraneous details that add nothing to the plot or the dilemma that Courtney faces. There’s a lot of repetition throughout the novel, especially with some phrases that are repeated time and time again. There is a great deal of internalising and attempts to rationalising that which is far from rational in Courtney’s perspective. Reese‘s point of view is irritating as she displays brattish teenage behaviour and probably inevitably her point of view feels like a YA novel. The plot has some predictable elements and I find the ultimate ending to be somewhat unrealistic and a bit of a stretch.
Overall though, there’s plenty to keep you interested and reading on, but in my opinion, it’s not Mary Kubica’s best book.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to the publishers for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
February 23, 2026
the setup…
Courtney Gray is on a family vacation at a quiet lake resort in Northwoods Wisconsin with husband Elliott and 10-year old daughter Cass. Her brother Nolan and his family (wife Emily, 17-year old daughter Reese, 14-year old son Wyatt and 10-year daughter Mae) are also vacationing with them at a nearby cabin. When Mae returns home after a sleepover with Cass, Courtney soon hears her bloodcurdling scream. She races to her rescue, finding the bodies of Nolan and Emily, Wyatt upstairs asleep and Reese missing.
the heart of the story…
We begin with the murder present day from Courtney’s point of view and seven days earlier from Reese’s perspective. I found the transitions brilliantly constructed as the things discovered during the investigation are given context by Reese’s perspectives. Every family has mess and these two had a lot, causing me to develop multiple theories and countless suspects until I just went with the flow.
the narration…
Jennifer Jill Araya (Courtney) and Brittany Pressley (Reese) are two favorites and gave great storytelling performances. Pressley also sold me on her bratty teenage character. They brought the tension and suspense.
the bottom line…
Kubica does it again, crafting a compelling mystery that unravels slowly but deliberately and with characters who have lots of layers and complexities. I gave up trying to figure out the whodunnit or where Reese might be and just let the story sweep me up and carry me wherever it chose to go. Describing this as twisty doesn’t even come close to doing this story justice and the ending…well, didn’t see it coming. Bravo! 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Courtney Gray is on a family vacation at a quiet lake resort in Northwoods Wisconsin with husband Elliott and 10-year old daughter Cass. Her brother Nolan and his family (wife Emily, 17-year old daughter Reese, 14-year old son Wyatt and 10-year daughter Mae) are also vacationing with them at a nearby cabin. When Mae returns home after a sleepover with Cass, Courtney soon hears her bloodcurdling scream. She races to her rescue, finding the bodies of Nolan and Emily, Wyatt upstairs asleep and Reese missing.
the heart of the story…
We begin with the murder present day from Courtney’s point of view and seven days earlier from Reese’s perspective. I found the transitions brilliantly constructed as the things discovered during the investigation are given context by Reese’s perspectives. Every family has mess and these two had a lot, causing me to develop multiple theories and countless suspects until I just went with the flow.
the narration…
Jennifer Jill Araya (Courtney) and Brittany Pressley (Reese) are two favorites and gave great storytelling performances. Pressley also sold me on her bratty teenage character. They brought the tension and suspense.
the bottom line…
Kubica does it again, crafting a compelling mystery that unravels slowly but deliberately and with characters who have lots of layers and complexities. I gave up trying to figure out the whodunnit or where Reese might be and just let the story sweep me up and carry me wherever it chose to go. Describing this as twisty doesn’t even come close to doing this story justice and the ending…well, didn’t see it coming. Bravo! 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
February 15, 2026
4 chilling thriller stars
I hardly know how to review this one without spoilers. This was a perfect one to listen to on audio, as it held my interest, and I always wanted to listen more to find out the resolution. I've read three others by this author, and I like her style!
A summer trip to a lake resort turns into a tragedy for two families. We get chapters from Courtney, one of the moms, and Reese, the teen in the other family. Each perspective paints a different picture of the events that happen at the lake houses.
As Courtney races to figure out who is to blame, everyone is under suspicion. Did her husband really go fishing? Where is Reese?
Filled with twists, I thought I had some things figured out. But that very last chapter, WOWZA!
My thanks to my local library and Libby for the chance to listen!
I hardly know how to review this one without spoilers. This was a perfect one to listen to on audio, as it held my interest, and I always wanted to listen more to find out the resolution. I've read three others by this author, and I like her style!
A summer trip to a lake resort turns into a tragedy for two families. We get chapters from Courtney, one of the moms, and Reese, the teen in the other family. Each perspective paints a different picture of the events that happen at the lake houses.
As Courtney races to figure out who is to blame, everyone is under suspicion. Did her husband really go fishing? Where is Reese?
Filled with twists, I thought I had some things figured out. But that very last chapter, WOWZA!
My thanks to my local library and Libby for the chance to listen!
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