In an encounter straight out of fiction, Katie might have met Mr Right on the long-haul flight from Melbourne to New York. Richard Sinclair is charming, handsome, wealthy, cultured—and married. In an open marriage, according to him. When he invites her to join him in his lush lakeside villa in Italy as his son’s au pair, it might just be the opportunity for a reset that Katie has been longing for.
The mansion at the edge of Lake Scanno is a romantic’s dream. But despite the perfect golden afternoons, tranquil waters and luxurious surrounds, all is not what it seems. In the nearby village, there are ominous rumblings about ghosts, drownings and the tragic fate of the women who came before her. What dark depths of obsession and betrayal will Katie uncover in this fairy-tale paradise? And when all the secrets and lies are unburied, will she be able to live with the devastating consequences of her choices?
J. P. Pomare is a New Zealand author who lives in Melbourne, Australia.
He is the author of a number of critically acclaimed and best-selling novels including Seventeen Years Later, Tell Me Lies, and The Wrong Woman.
His novel In The Clearing was adapted for the screen as an eight part miniseries by Disney (The Clearing) and The Last Guests (Watching You) has been adapted as a series by Stan.
I've read better by J.P. One of my fave authors. Katie meets an older man while working for an airline and winds up working for him at his mansion in Italy. Richard needs a nanny for his son and wants to also have an affair with Katie as he and his wife have an open relationship. Katie is there for different reasons which become apparent half way through the book. Not bad twists in this short suspense
Ouch. This was not good. The story lacked depth. Also, there were a lot of unanswered questions in the end. The narrator, while voicing the same character, sometimes went from a British accent to a New Yorker accent which made the listening experience very strange. The story started out promising but quickly plummeted. 👎
What I enjoyed the most about this book is the writing style. I really liked it. And the narrator. These two elements elevated this book to a 3 stars because otherwise, this book would have been maybe a 2 stars.
We have the story of a flight attendant who gets into some sort of relationship with a wealthy traveller on one of her flights.
The book is extremely predictable. One can see things coming from a mile. The lack of ending is also a little bit disappointing. I didn't think the girl was just buying to the it is all done, let me go on with my life thing.
But it's a good read, it's a fairly short book and it's entertaining. I liked it.
There was potential for so much more. I loved how the story started and was invested from the very first chapter, it sparked conversations and had a much stronger impact than the ending.
It was well structured with minimal confusion, I just expected more from the plot.
J.P. Pomare’s A Chance Encounter is a suspenseful and atmospheric psychological thriller that begins with Katie meeting the charming Richard Sinclair on a long-haul flight and quickly being drawn into his world. The idyllic setting of his villa on Lake Scanno, with its whispers of ghosts and tragic drownings, creates a haunting backdrop that Pomare uses to build tension beautifully. Katie’s vulnerability and Richard’s allure make their dynamic compelling, and the ambiguity around his motives keeps the reader engaged. While the pacing lingers a little too long on the romantic setup and some twists feel predictable, the novel still delivers a satisfying blend of romance and menace. Overall, it is a solid four-star read, unsettling and slow-burning, exploring how easily charm can mask danger and leaving you reflecting on trust, desire, and the risks of surrendering to temptation.
Good storyline, and good plot, even though I saw the twist emerging early in the story. I gave three stars simply because for me, it was a very slow start. Which had me wanting to tune out.. then the good stuff hit about ⅓ way through.
This was a great read! The narrator was excellent and did a really great job of the different character voices, especially alternating between accents. Some twists I predicted early on, but some I didn’t at all which made for an enjoyable listen with a satisfying ending.
Every time you thought something exciting was going to happen it ended up being really dull. It was obvious who killed Rachel the entire time. This was the basic jealous wife killing the mistress story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
J.P. Pomare is a master of the "slow-burn" psychological thriller, and A Chance Encounter is a perfect example of how he can take a classic setup—the "too good to be true" stranger—and twist it into something genuinely unsettling.
The story follows Katie, who meets the seemingly perfect Richard Sinclair on a flight from Melbourne to New York. When he offers her a job as an au pair at his stunning villa on Lake Scanno in Italy, it feels like the ultimate "reset." But as the golden afternoons pass, the fairy tale begins to rot at the edges.
What I Loved:
The Atmospheric Setting: Lake Scanno is practically a character itself. Pomare does an incredible job of contrasting the luxurious, sun-drenched Italian villa with the dark, ominous folklore of the nearby village. You can feel the tension rising from the "tranquil" waters.
The Psychological Depth: This isn't just a "whodunnit"; it’s a "why-is-this-happening." The exploration of obsession, gaslighting, and the ambiguity of Richard’s "open marriage" keeps you guessing about who is truly the predator and who is the prey.
Narrative Tension: The audiobook format really shines here. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the local rumors of ghosts and tragic predecessors to build a sense of impending doom that makes the final reveal hit much harder.
The Audio Experience: As an Audible Original, the production quality is top-notch. The narration captures Katie’s transition from hopeful and smitten to isolated and paranoid with great nuance. It makes the "ominous rumblings" of the village feel much more immediate and threatening.
Final Verdict: If you enjoy psychological thrillers where the setting is as beautiful as the plot is ugly, this is a must-listen. It loses one star only because the "romance-to-thriller" transition might feel a bit slow for those looking for immediate action, but the payoff is well worth the wait. It’s a haunting look at the consequences of the choices we make when we're desperate for a new beginning.
Sinclair the millionaire crosses paths with Katie on board a flight to New York and we're offered a romantic fantasy of povo princess meets rich, tall, dark and handsome [married] man. Pomare, who has a penchant for a sad orphan backstory props Katie up with it and through sympathy we forgive her and her husband stealing ways. She is far from meak. Instead of the sooky la la in a sundress that you usually find in slasher films and romance novels our girl Katie seems determined to get a free upgrade in life by using the man as her sole financial plan. It works, because Sinclair whisks her away to Italy where he hopes to pound her body like a passport stamp. Despite the mutual benefits their fling provides, there are more red flags here than in a Qantas Airbus A320.
Once we land in Italy katie is reminded Sinclair is married and has a child and we're reminded the book is a mystery/suspense and not a love story.( A good prologue could have cut out an hour of cringe flirting.)
Turbulence hits and we're treated to a heap of action and a decent pass-the-time plot... The ending wasn't much of a surprise but I love a civilian sleuth/personal vendetta story and in that aspect it delivered.
The narrator as Maddy Macrae was a toughie. She did well but i spent a bit of time placing her voice and then it was impossible not to picture her as the main character. I couldn't always reconcile her image with how Katie was presented. It also had me pausing the story and nosediving into her tiktok reels instead.
J P Pomare continues to pull excellently written stories out of the bag.
The beauty and the beast of this story is finely tuned.
A first class passenger on a flight from Melbourne to New York, a beautiful flight attendant seeing to his needs. Kadey sees it all in the skies but this chance encounter with wealthy passenger Sinclair, whilst not normally her type is just what she is looking for.
The reader is being led to believe all Kadey wanted was a rich man to give her a luxurious lifestyle.
But the manipulation by Kadey of the situation wasn’t quite evident at the beginning but once in the beautiful home of Sinclair in Italy the dots start to join. The relationship between the two unfurls slowly with Kadey keeping Sinclair at arms length and she staying in control. She is doing this for her sister Rachel. Rachel was declared dead after disappearing 8 yrs previously presumed drown in the waters near Sinclair’s Italian home. Locals talk of the missing Australian girl and stay away from the island that sits in view of the town. But that island must hold secrets and whilst Sinclair tells her not to go there Kadey needs answers.
Marco the son comes across as a very odd child that seems little more than just an appendage to Sinclair and his wife Eva lives. There doesn’t seem much love for him, he appears to live in the house on his own at times and the night terrors are just accepted.
Does it feel predictable, yes. It’s easy to realise what is going on and who is to blame.
I listened to this on audible and the Italian accent was a little annoying.
A deadly encounter, a web of fate I was hooked on “A Chance Encounter” by J.O. Pomare and narrated by the enchanting Maddy MacRae. This Aussie thriller had my attention from the start. Add to this fact that I discovered it in Audible Plus at no cost and I was ecstatic. Katie's life-changing encounter with the dashing Richard Sinclair on a long-haul flight to New York might be too good to be true. As she escapes to his Italian lakeside villa, the picturesque setting hides a dark undercurrent of secrets, lies and obsession. MacRae's pitch-perfect vocals bring this engrossing listen to vivid life. I was thoroughly audicted as Katie navigates the treacherous waters of Richard's world, where nothing is as it seems. The atmospheric setting adds to the tension, and the ominous whispers of ghosts, drownings and tragic fates in the nearby village held just the right amount of “creep” factor. With its intricate plot, well-developed characters and expertly woven twists, “A Chance Encounter” is a gripping, twisty tale that kept me listening into the late hours. Fans of this genre won't want to miss this captivating listen available in Audible Plus. MacRae's narration is superb, bringing depth and nuance to the complex characters and eerie atmosphere. “A Chance Encounter” gives off a dark, eerie vibe that’s both captivating and unsettling. I cannot stress it enough. Highly recommended, so grab this one now. Epic, indeed!
A Close Encounter is one of those audiobooks that grabs you from the opening chapter and never loosens its grip. Pomare delivers a clever, slow-burn psychological thriller wrapped in romance, danger, and that delicious sense of something is very wrong.
We follow Katie, who thinks she’s stumbled into a real-life fairytale after meeting the magnetic Richard Sinclair on a flight from Melbourne to New York. He’s charming, cultured, wealthy… and married—but in an “open marriage,” according to him. When he invites her to become his son’s au pair at his pristine lakeside villa in Italy, Katie sees a fresh start. Instead, she steps straight into a maze of secrets.
The Italian setting is lush, eerie, and beautifully atmospheric—golden afternoons masking whispers of ghosts, drownings, and the mysterious women who came before her. The tension builds chapter by chapter, twisting into a story of obsession, betrayal, and the high cost of ignoring your instincts.
The audiobook narration is sharp, moody, and perfectly matched to Pomare’s unsettling tone. It’s bingeable, addictive, and gives off the exact vibes of a holiday romance that curdles into a nightmare.
If you love: ✔️ isolated mansion mysteries ✔️ unsettling small-town whispers ✔️ morally messy characters ✔️ audiobooks you can devour in a day
Brillant. Another incredible masterpiece by J.P Pomare.
I was so excited to start this, and it did NOT disappoint. I could tell really quickly that this was written by J.P, just by the choice of wording, the sentence format, and over all vibes. Every time I read a book by J.P, I get that giddy butterfly feeling, like kid opening a present they really wanted.
The characters, pacing, setting, mystery crime thrill, kept me engaged throughout. I had so much fun listening to this. I didn't know who to believe, nor who to trust. Paired with the language barrier that Katie was experiencing, left me unsettled. Like tell me the truth. I loved the journal chapters. They added more depth, a different angle and timeframe to the story.
Based on J.P's previous books, I knew that the initial speculation of who did it at the end, wasn't going to be the final answer. So, when it was revealed who did it, I wasn't surprised. I had a feeling prior, but it was still shocking. I felt so bad for Katie. As well as Marko, poor kid.
I highly recommend this. Also, I loved the little The Last guest easter egg in this.
A quick free audible original with a good mystery. This story takes some time in the start focusing on the set up of Katie meeting Mr. Sinclair as his first class flight attendant and quickly getting an invite from him to travel to Italy with him to work as his sons tutor. It is also clear that he wants more than a professional relationship while she's there and claims to be in an open marriage. We learn right away that Katie is up to something in trying to get Mr. Sinclair's attention. And yes she, she only calls him "Mr. Sinclair", making their age difference and relationship that much harder to accept.
This includes rich people who can pull strings to do anything they want, a mystery about a missing tutor presumed to have committed suicide 8 years ago, and a personal investigation into what happened. There are some twists, even though I would say the general plot was predictable. Maybe I missed it, but I felt like what happened was implied through Benito and the epilogue, but it would have been nice to have an actual account with all of the information together at the end and more from Eva's perspective. Overall, it was a solid plot.
A Chance Encounter is a gripping psychological thriller about how one seemingly harmless moment can completely unravel a life. When a woman has a brief, unexpected encounter with a stranger while traveling ✈️, it feels innocent—forgettable, even. But once she returns to her normal routine, strange and unsettling things begin to happen 👀⚠️.
What starts as coincidence slowly turns dark as secrets surface 🕵️♀️, trust begins to crumble, and perspectives shift. Pomare masterfully plays with perception, showing how easily boundaries blur and how dangerous it can be to believe we truly know the people around us 🧠💭. Obsession, manipulation, and hidden motives weave together to create a constant sense of tension 😰.
Dark, twisty, and emotionally charged, A Chance Encounter will keep you questioning every character until the very end 🔥📖—a chilling reminder that even the smallest moments can have the biggest consequences 🖤.
This book did not turn out like I thought from the beginning. It starts with a young flight attendant wanting to find a rich mate working in first class and she finds a man who is reading that she has researched to be extremely wealthy that she has set her eyes on. She flirts with him the entire flight and he ends up taking her out when they land in NYC. After their weekend together he invites her to come be his paid nanny to look after his soon and teach him English because he is married to an Italian. He explains they have an open marriage. She agrees and when she arrives she begins the hunt for her sister who died while caring for his son a few years earlier. She keeps it hidden who she is and eventually kills him. I liked it but I enjoyed the Australian accent the book was narrated in more.
A revenge mystery thriller. Katie is an airline attendant in first class. She meets a wealthy American businessman, and he invites her to meet for drinks. They develop a very strong chemistry almost immediately. And he invites her to become his son's "nanny" in Italy for several months. And mentions that he and his Italian wife have a mutual understanding that they can see other people if they so desire.
Katie takes the job and moves into his mansion in Italy and it is then we realize that this is all falling into place for Katie. She is looking to find out what happened to her older sister 8 years ago. The official cause of death was drowning, maybe even suicide. But Katie knows that isn't true, and that this man knows what happened to her sister...maybe even murdered her himself.
This is my first book by the Author. I was pleasantly surprised as I had just finished a horrible book. I loved the pace and the plot. Nice Mystery but I tend to like a Clean obvious who did it at the end where everyone knows who did it and why. I was kind of bummed that MFC did not get that but we did. I wanted a bit more on what went down with coverup… how it was handled vs my speculation. Still a good read/listen. Poor Marco.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started listening. At first, I thought it would be a typical mystery-romance, but I got interested when the story changed direction halfway through. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations for a good mystery. The main character seemed to have a plan until it was set in motion.
For such a quick listen, this was a good thriller. I don't love it just because it was really easy to guess who all might have been involved. The twist at the end didn't even surprise me, and I only really love thrillers when I can't see the twist coming. But, it would recommend this for a quick listen if you like thrillers like me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.