What do you think?
Rate this book
Best Boy
Not yet published
Expected 25 Apr 26A gripping psychological thriller,
Best Boy
teeters on the knife-edge of memory and identity when the arrival of a shocking letter threatens the carefully constructed life of a woman desperate to outrun her past.
Viveca Stevenson has it a handsome and successful husband, an adorable ten-year-old son, and a coastal dream house in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has a solid group of girlfriends and is content with the afterglow of the film career she’s left behind. But when a threatening letter arrives—from a man she does not remember—it cracks open a part of her past she thought was buried for good.
A terrifying chain of events is set in motion, forcing Viveca to confront what happened on a shattering Halloween night in high school when she had a different name, a different face, a different voice. Who is the man contacting her now and was he really the best boy on her most famous film, Misty? Why can’t she remember him—or that night?
A taut psychological thriller, Best Boy explores identity, memory, and the dangerous power of forgetting.
Viveca Stevenson has it a handsome and successful husband, an adorable ten-year-old son, and a coastal dream house in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has a solid group of girlfriends and is content with the afterglow of the film career she’s left behind. But when a threatening letter arrives—from a man she does not remember—it cracks open a part of her past she thought was buried for good.
A terrifying chain of events is set in motion, forcing Viveca to confront what happened on a shattering Halloween night in high school when she had a different name, a different face, a different voice. Who is the man contacting her now and was he really the best boy on her most famous film, Misty? Why can’t she remember him—or that night?
A taut psychological thriller, Best Boy explores identity, memory, and the dangerous power of forgetting.
1 pages, Audio CD
Expected publication April 25, 2026
4 people are currently reading
5429 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Goodrich Royce
4 books623 followersDeborah Goodrich Royce’s Reef Road, a national bestseller, was named one of the best
books of 2023 by Kirkus Reviews and an Indie Next pick by the ABA. Ruby Falls won
the Zibby Award for Best Plot Twist, and Finding Mrs. Ford was hailed by Forbes, Book
Riot, and Good Morning America. Her newest, Best Boy, will be published on February
24, 2026.
Her Ocean House Author Series—in partnership with Martin House Books and WCRI—
brings world-class authors like Sarah Ferguson, Emma Straub, Chris Bohjalian, and
Katie Couric to Watch Hill. With fellow authors, Luanne Rice and Amy Scheibe, she
created the Deer Mountain Writers’ Retreat in the Catskills.
Deborah writes a book column for Providence Monthly and Hey Rhody magazines. She
began as an actress on All My Children and in multiple films, before transitioning to the
role of story editor at Miramax Films, developing Emma and early versions of Chicago
and A Wrinkle in Time.
Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree and two honorary doctorates, from both Lake
Erie College and the University of Rhode Island. With her husband, Chuck, Deborah
restored the Avon Theatre, Ocean House Hotel, Deer Mountain Inn, United Theatre,
Martin House Books, and numerous Main Street revitalization projects in Rhode Island
and the Catskills. She serves on multiple governing and advisory boards.
books of 2023 by Kirkus Reviews and an Indie Next pick by the ABA. Ruby Falls won
the Zibby Award for Best Plot Twist, and Finding Mrs. Ford was hailed by Forbes, Book
Riot, and Good Morning America. Her newest, Best Boy, will be published on February
24, 2026.
Her Ocean House Author Series—in partnership with Martin House Books and WCRI—
brings world-class authors like Sarah Ferguson, Emma Straub, Chris Bohjalian, and
Katie Couric to Watch Hill. With fellow authors, Luanne Rice and Amy Scheibe, she
created the Deer Mountain Writers’ Retreat in the Catskills.
Deborah writes a book column for Providence Monthly and Hey Rhody magazines. She
began as an actress on All My Children and in multiple films, before transitioning to the
role of story editor at Miramax Films, developing Emma and early versions of Chicago
and A Wrinkle in Time.
Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree and two honorary doctorates, from both Lake
Erie College and the University of Rhode Island. With her husband, Chuck, Deborah
restored the Avon Theatre, Ocean House Hotel, Deer Mountain Inn, United Theatre,
Martin House Books, and numerous Main Street revitalization projects in Rhode Island
and the Catskills. She serves on multiple governing and advisory boards.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 25, 2025
Best Boy- in a film crew is the chief assistant to the Gaffer or Key Grip.
1998 -Ingrid Lind, a Halloween party, hazy memories, a hospital bed, multiple aches and pain, cop questions and more agony but all she can clearly remember is arriving at the party and waking next morning on the school parking lot. In the aftermath, many believe she has suffered a terrifying ordeal whereas others do not. She is forever changed, inside and out and two years later she leaves her nowhere town and heads west towards a reinvention.
2018. Former successful actress Viveca Stephenson lives happily in Greenwich with husband Henry and son Theo, who is her best boy but an unpleasant letter from another best boy threatens to shatter the peace she has created from the wreckage of her past as a sequence of events unleash.
This domestic suspense/psychological thriller has a number of good elements to it and it’s certainly atmospheric. I like the angle the author takes on memory and the conundrum of what’s true, what is conjured up or projected or indeed forced in order to cover up gaps. There’s a good focus on identity via the deeply flawed and damaged character of Viveca who becomes increasingly uncertain of what is real and what is not. There are some creepy and unsettling scenes which further unseat Viveca’s stability. At times, perhaps she’s guilty of seeing the things she wants to see rather than what is actually there but given the circumstances her reactions are understandable. There is, however, a different kind of guilt lurking at the heart of it all and there’s much mystery that surrounds a lot of this.
Unfortunately, after an intriguing start it goes off track and so loses my attention from time to time. This is because the author cannot resist giving very detailed and extraneous descriptions which totally take my eyes off the plot ball. Whilst there’s much to be said for the technique of the past fusing with the present, some of the backtracking jars so it doesn’t flow well and to be honest at times it makes my head spin. As for the ending after all the buildup, the tension, the suspense, the blind alleys and red herrings, it’s part melodramatic and part weakly disappointing. I expected it to go out with a bang and it’s a whimper.
Overall, it’s far from being a bad book as it has much to recommend it but it’s not without its issues in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Post Hill Press for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
1998 -Ingrid Lind, a Halloween party, hazy memories, a hospital bed, multiple aches and pain, cop questions and more agony but all she can clearly remember is arriving at the party and waking next morning on the school parking lot. In the aftermath, many believe she has suffered a terrifying ordeal whereas others do not. She is forever changed, inside and out and two years later she leaves her nowhere town and heads west towards a reinvention.
2018. Former successful actress Viveca Stephenson lives happily in Greenwich with husband Henry and son Theo, who is her best boy but an unpleasant letter from another best boy threatens to shatter the peace she has created from the wreckage of her past as a sequence of events unleash.
This domestic suspense/psychological thriller has a number of good elements to it and it’s certainly atmospheric. I like the angle the author takes on memory and the conundrum of what’s true, what is conjured up or projected or indeed forced in order to cover up gaps. There’s a good focus on identity via the deeply flawed and damaged character of Viveca who becomes increasingly uncertain of what is real and what is not. There are some creepy and unsettling scenes which further unseat Viveca’s stability. At times, perhaps she’s guilty of seeing the things she wants to see rather than what is actually there but given the circumstances her reactions are understandable. There is, however, a different kind of guilt lurking at the heart of it all and there’s much mystery that surrounds a lot of this.
Unfortunately, after an intriguing start it goes off track and so loses my attention from time to time. This is because the author cannot resist giving very detailed and extraneous descriptions which totally take my eyes off the plot ball. Whilst there’s much to be said for the technique of the past fusing with the present, some of the backtracking jars so it doesn’t flow well and to be honest at times it makes my head spin. As for the ending after all the buildup, the tension, the suspense, the blind alleys and red herrings, it’s part melodramatic and part weakly disappointing. I expected it to go out with a bang and it’s a whimper.
Overall, it’s far from being a bad book as it has much to recommend it but it’s not without its issues in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Post Hill Press for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
January 4, 2026
Best Boy by Deborah Goodrich Royce is a psychological thriller that is definitely more of a slow burn thriller rather than a thriller with constant twists. From the very beginning, it isn’t overwhelmingly shocking; it has this undercurrent that feels eerie, and you just kinda feel like something or someone is…. off? If that makes sense.
You meet Viveca Stevenson, who on the outside appears to have the perfect, cookie-cutter life… if you just ignore the fact she hasn’t always been known as Viveca. She lives in the perfect neighborhood, she has the perfect husband and perfect son, but when a mysterious letter arrives from a man she has no recollection of, the cracks begin to show. What follows is a slow unraveling of identity and the unsettling idea that forgetting might be more dangerous than remembering.
The strongest part of this book is the built-up psychological tension that Royce begins creating from the very first page. Her exploration of memory— what we choose to forget, what we’re forced to remember and confront, and how unreliable our own minds can be— is done perfectly. The mystery surrounding Viveca’s previous life adds another layer of intrigue that makes you keep turning the page, especially as the story circles back to a single, terrifying night that we get a glimpse of at the very beginning of the book.
That being said, I’m using more of a fast-paced thriller lover, so this was a bit too slow for my tastes. However, this was also a really quick read, so you might now mind the slower pace! The thing that made me rate this 3.5 stars (I rounded down) instead of 5 was you spend a lot of time with this slowly built up tension, which is all leading up to questions finally being answered, but the answers just weren’t satisfying for me. It definitely has a quieter ending than I was anticipating. I do think a lot of people will appreciate this for what it is, though!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for this eARC!
You meet Viveca Stevenson, who on the outside appears to have the perfect, cookie-cutter life… if you just ignore the fact she hasn’t always been known as Viveca. She lives in the perfect neighborhood, she has the perfect husband and perfect son, but when a mysterious letter arrives from a man she has no recollection of, the cracks begin to show. What follows is a slow unraveling of identity and the unsettling idea that forgetting might be more dangerous than remembering.
The strongest part of this book is the built-up psychological tension that Royce begins creating from the very first page. Her exploration of memory— what we choose to forget, what we’re forced to remember and confront, and how unreliable our own minds can be— is done perfectly. The mystery surrounding Viveca’s previous life adds another layer of intrigue that makes you keep turning the page, especially as the story circles back to a single, terrifying night that we get a glimpse of at the very beginning of the book.
That being said, I’m using more of a fast-paced thriller lover, so this was a bit too slow for my tastes. However, this was also a really quick read, so you might now mind the slower pace! The thing that made me rate this 3.5 stars (I rounded down) instead of 5 was you spend a lot of time with this slowly built up tension, which is all leading up to questions finally being answered, but the answers just weren’t satisfying for me. It definitely has a quieter ending than I was anticipating. I do think a lot of people will appreciate this for what it is, though!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for this eARC!
September 22, 2025
3⭐
Thanks to Netgalley, Post Hill Press & Deborah Goodrich Royce for this copy of the book!
Best Boy promised a mystery-thriller that blended the shadows of past with the consequences it brings to the present. Viveca Stephenson has her life set with a rich and successful husband, an adorable son and a beautiful home at Greenwich, Connecticut. But when a letter from her past from a man she doesn't remember comes dropping, she questions if she really escaped the past she left behind.
All in all, I don't think it was really the past that caught up to our lead character. It was just an accumulation of wrong decisions and judgments. The past just felt like a reason to define why Viveca was Viveca.
Thoughts while reading:
1. While reading the prologue, the writing seemed vague. But as I got hooked in the first few pages, I realized it was intentional. [liked]
2. The past, though necessary, seems a little dragged out at times. I get show, don’t tell. But describing the entire place? A bit too much & unnecessary. [disliked]
3. Keeps getting off track from the point at certain times [dislike]
4. The pace was slow but picked up at around 57% mark, got very interesting [like]
5. Around 70% mark the past memory plot kind of became predictable but it held my attention.
6. The ending felt sudden and watered down. After all the build up, loopholes and questioning, I was expecting a more ‘what the helly? is this real?’ ending. [disliked]
Overall a nice 3 stars!
Thanks to Netgalley, Post Hill Press & Deborah Goodrich Royce for this copy of the book!
And it was that juxtaposition of light to dark, onstage to off, player to audience, that she tried to recreate with the shadow boxes she started making when she was nine years old.
Best Boy promised a mystery-thriller that blended the shadows of past with the consequences it brings to the present. Viveca Stephenson has her life set with a rich and successful husband, an adorable son and a beautiful home at Greenwich, Connecticut. But when a letter from her past from a man she doesn't remember comes dropping, she questions if she really escaped the past she left behind.
All in all, I don't think it was really the past that caught up to our lead character. It was just an accumulation of wrong decisions and judgments. The past just felt like a reason to define why Viveca was Viveca.
Thoughts while reading:
1. While reading the prologue, the writing seemed vague. But as I got hooked in the first few pages, I realized it was intentional. [liked]
2. The past, though necessary, seems a little dragged out at times. I get show, don’t tell. But describing the entire place? A bit too much & unnecessary. [disliked]
3. Keeps getting off track from the point at certain times [dislike]
4. The pace was slow but picked up at around 57% mark, got very interesting [like]
5. Around 70% mark the past memory plot kind of became predictable but it held my attention.
6. The ending felt sudden and watered down. After all the build up, loopholes and questioning, I was expecting a more ‘what the helly? is this real?’ ending. [disliked]
Overall a nice 3 stars!
Read
September 18, 2025I loved the authors last book Reef Road, but this one was not for me. I could not get into the characters. However saying this, it might be for others. I will try to read again at another time.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Title: Best Boy
Author: Deborah Goodrich Royce
Publisher: Post High Press
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: February 24, 2026
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages 280
Prologue starts in 1998 when Viveca was a teenager. Her name was Ingrid and she was raised in a blue-collar family, she was not popular – in fact since her mother cut her hair it was always done correctly. She got the nickname Woodstock has her blonde hair stuck up on top like Snoopy’s bird in the Peanuts cartoon. Her best friend Emilia ‘Em’ was a year older but they were in the same class. Ingrid was younger so tagged along. One Halloween they went to a party where she should not have gone and ended up in the hospital with serious injuries. It resulted in permanent damage to her vocal corda and her facial injuries required plastic surgery. When finished she looked and sounded completely different. She and her mother moved about and started a new life.
2018 ~ Viveca Stephenson is a former has her life set. She lives happily in Greenwich with husband Henry and son Theo, who she calls her best boy. But when an unpleasant letter from another best boy now a man from her past threatens to shatter the life Viveca has created. She is forced to confront what happened one Halloween night back in high school when she had a different name, a different face, a different voice.
Story goes back and forth between Viveva/Ingrid past and present.
I read a lot of psychological thrillers so have a certainly expectation.
In fact, I read Ruby Fall a couple years ago and loved it. I could not put it down. I give very few stories 5 stars. But it definitely was 4++
I was curious about who the man was and if he was the one who attacked Ingrid.
This was a bit difference than my expectation- not that it was bad –perhaps the timing was wrong as to me it just wasn’t great.
Want to thank NetGalley and Post Hill Press for this uncorrected text copy.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 24, 2026.
Author: Deborah Goodrich Royce
Publisher: Post High Press
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: February 24, 2026
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages 280
Prologue starts in 1998 when Viveca was a teenager. Her name was Ingrid and she was raised in a blue-collar family, she was not popular – in fact since her mother cut her hair it was always done correctly. She got the nickname Woodstock has her blonde hair stuck up on top like Snoopy’s bird in the Peanuts cartoon. Her best friend Emilia ‘Em’ was a year older but they were in the same class. Ingrid was younger so tagged along. One Halloween they went to a party where she should not have gone and ended up in the hospital with serious injuries. It resulted in permanent damage to her vocal corda and her facial injuries required plastic surgery. When finished she looked and sounded completely different. She and her mother moved about and started a new life.
2018 ~ Viveca Stephenson is a former has her life set. She lives happily in Greenwich with husband Henry and son Theo, who she calls her best boy. But when an unpleasant letter from another best boy now a man from her past threatens to shatter the life Viveca has created. She is forced to confront what happened one Halloween night back in high school when she had a different name, a different face, a different voice.
Story goes back and forth between Viveva/Ingrid past and present.
I read a lot of psychological thrillers so have a certainly expectation.
In fact, I read Ruby Fall a couple years ago and loved it. I could not put it down. I give very few stories 5 stars. But it definitely was 4++
I was curious about who the man was and if he was the one who attacked Ingrid.
This was a bit difference than my expectation- not that it was bad –perhaps the timing was wrong as to me it just wasn’t great.
Want to thank NetGalley and Post Hill Press for this uncorrected text copy.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 24, 2026.
September 22, 2025
Best Boy reads like a Lifetime movie that took a creative writing class and decided to get fancy. Viveca Stephenson has it all: the rich husband, the perfect Greenwich mansion, and that whole "I've totally reinvented myself" vibe that screams "this will definitely not come back to bite me."
Then BAM! Mystery letter from a man she claims not to remember. Because apparently, selective amnesia is the new black in psychological thrillers.
Royce gets a bit too fond of her own world-building, describing every brick and doorknob like she's conducting a real estate tour. Yes, we get it—the setting is atmospheric. But after the fifth detailed room description, I started wondering if I accidentally picked up an interior design magazine.
The story has ADHD issues, constantly wandering off on tangents when you just want to know what's in that damn letter. Around the 70% mark, the past becomes as predictable as a rom-com meet-cute, which is unfortunate timing for a psychological thriller.
Then comes the ending—oh boy. After all that meticulous buildup, all those breadcrumbs and red herrings, Royce serves up a conclusion that feels like she had a deadline and just... stopped. I was expecting a "holy crap, reality is melting" moment, but got more of a "well, that happened" shrug.
Pros: Good atmosphere (when not overdone), solid character work, engaging premise
Cons: Gets lost in descriptions, loses focus, predictable back story, anticlimactic ending that squanders the buildup
Bottom Line: It's like a guilty pleasure soap opera in book form—entertaining enough for a weekend read, but don't expect to be quoting profound passages at your book club. Perfect for when you want drama without having to think too hard.
Would I recommend? Sure, if you enjoy domestic suspense and don't mind some eye-rolling moments. Just don't expect it to change your life—unless your life is also built on mysterious lies, in which case, maybe take notes.
Then BAM! Mystery letter from a man she claims not to remember. Because apparently, selective amnesia is the new black in psychological thrillers.
Royce gets a bit too fond of her own world-building, describing every brick and doorknob like she's conducting a real estate tour. Yes, we get it—the setting is atmospheric. But after the fifth detailed room description, I started wondering if I accidentally picked up an interior design magazine.
The story has ADHD issues, constantly wandering off on tangents when you just want to know what's in that damn letter. Around the 70% mark, the past becomes as predictable as a rom-com meet-cute, which is unfortunate timing for a psychological thriller.
Then comes the ending—oh boy. After all that meticulous buildup, all those breadcrumbs and red herrings, Royce serves up a conclusion that feels like she had a deadline and just... stopped. I was expecting a "holy crap, reality is melting" moment, but got more of a "well, that happened" shrug.
Pros: Good atmosphere (when not overdone), solid character work, engaging premise
Cons: Gets lost in descriptions, loses focus, predictable back story, anticlimactic ending that squanders the buildup
Bottom Line: It's like a guilty pleasure soap opera in book form—entertaining enough for a weekend read, but don't expect to be quoting profound passages at your book club. Perfect for when you want drama without having to think too hard.
Would I recommend? Sure, if you enjoy domestic suspense and don't mind some eye-rolling moments. Just don't expect it to change your life—unless your life is also built on mysterious lies, in which case, maybe take notes.
October 5, 2025
At the start, I did enjoy the writing style and found the premise to be intriguing. We learn that the main character, Viveca, has gone through a traumatic experience that altered the course of her life. That single event plays a huge role in her adult life.
The overall feeling I had about this story at the end was that it was just okay. One issue I had while reading was the jumping timelines. The story jumps between the time of the incident, Viveca's recent past, and the present. I think there may have been other random years in there as well, but as a reader it was too much to keep track of. I understand that it was done to add more suspense to what had happened to the character while revealing the truth bit by bit, but oftentimes I had to stop and think about where I was in the character's life. This often took me out of the story.
I did think the main character was intriguing. I understood some of the reasons behind the decisions she made and felt bad for her in regards to the sequence of events that happened. Everything in the plot built up suspense for the reader to figure out what happened, but I felt that the ending was so rushed. I didn't fully buy into the storyline with the main character's husband and was still left with questions in that regard. Based on the synopsis, I thought the letter was going to play a bigger role than it did. Also, the appearance of certain characters at the end felt out of place. I enjoyed the writing, but still have many questions after having finished.
Thank you to Post Hill Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The overall feeling I had about this story at the end was that it was just okay. One issue I had while reading was the jumping timelines. The story jumps between the time of the incident, Viveca's recent past, and the present. I think there may have been other random years in there as well, but as a reader it was too much to keep track of. I understand that it was done to add more suspense to what had happened to the character while revealing the truth bit by bit, but oftentimes I had to stop and think about where I was in the character's life. This often took me out of the story.
I did think the main character was intriguing. I understood some of the reasons behind the decisions she made and felt bad for her in regards to the sequence of events that happened. Everything in the plot built up suspense for the reader to figure out what happened, but I felt that the ending was so rushed. I didn't fully buy into the storyline with the main character's husband and was still left with questions in that regard. Based on the synopsis, I thought the letter was going to play a bigger role than it did. Also, the appearance of certain characters at the end felt out of place. I enjoyed the writing, but still have many questions after having finished.
Thank you to Post Hill Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
September 30, 2025
The overall impression this story left with me is meh. Viveca gave up her acting career to marry a wealthy man who could provide the stability she’s been craving all her life. She receives a letter one day that references a movie she was working on and is supposedly written by a crew member, the ‘best boy.’ She doesn’t remember him, but apparently that’s not unusual, as she has migraine blackouts that leave holes in her memory. As someone who’s had migraines for over 30 years, I wish I could blackout through the pain, but that’s never occurred. But sure, if it works for the story.
Which is told in several different timeframes, by the way, and it doesn’t work. It jumps from 2018 back to 1998, then ahead to 2006, and probably several other years in between that I don’t remember. It just doesn’t work, it’s too much, it’s never in a logical order, and I wish it hadn’t been written that way. She experienced a trauma as a teen that caused her to get out of town, easily settle near Hollywood, and become an actress with no real effort. Not quite believable. And what plastic surgeon does extra work for free just because she was an attractive teenager?? Give me a break. That was before she moved to California, by the way.
There’s not much more to the plot; she tries to figure out who the letter writer is while we go through all of the backstory. And then at the end, it’s a no-brainer who was behind everything because who else would know all of that and have reason to do any of it?
So unfortunately, I was disappointed that this one wasn’t as good as I expected.
Which is told in several different timeframes, by the way, and it doesn’t work. It jumps from 2018 back to 1998, then ahead to 2006, and probably several other years in between that I don’t remember. It just doesn’t work, it’s too much, it’s never in a logical order, and I wish it hadn’t been written that way. She experienced a trauma as a teen that caused her to get out of town, easily settle near Hollywood, and become an actress with no real effort. Not quite believable. And what plastic surgeon does extra work for free just because she was an attractive teenager?? Give me a break. That was before she moved to California, by the way.
There’s not much more to the plot; she tries to figure out who the letter writer is while we go through all of the backstory. And then at the end, it’s a no-brainer who was behind everything because who else would know all of that and have reason to do any of it?
So unfortunately, I was disappointed that this one wasn’t as good as I expected.
November 26, 2025
Reviewing books is a tricky thing. On one hand, you want to be honest, so people don’t believe you enjoyed the book and read it themselves and think you lied to them. On the other hand, someone may read something that doesn’t connect with the reviewer and have a completely different view of the work. The hardest part for me is I admire anyone that sculpts and curates any artform (paintings, drawings, music, acting, writing, directing) and puts their heart and soul into something only to have a keyboard warrior rip their baby to shreds.
That being said, and with all due respect to the author, I didn’t get this at all. I’m pretty much done with the multiple timeline books. Mainly because, as in this case, it doesn’t add to the story, it distracts from it. This novel felt all over the place.
And skipping to the ending (which is what I really wanted to do after the first few chapters), that ending was completely flat. It wasn’t like some authors do where they just wrap it all up in a neat bow because they have in mind a certain page count. Nope. This one kept going after the “mystery” was solved. It just was “meh” there. No emotional release. No joy. No feeling of victory or the good guy came out on top. It just was over with without much fanfare or drama. Maybe the author thought there was drama in that scene. If so, I did find it.
Too many good books out this winter. This, for me, was not one of them.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
That being said, and with all due respect to the author, I didn’t get this at all. I’m pretty much done with the multiple timeline books. Mainly because, as in this case, it doesn’t add to the story, it distracts from it. This novel felt all over the place.
And skipping to the ending (which is what I really wanted to do after the first few chapters), that ending was completely flat. It wasn’t like some authors do where they just wrap it all up in a neat bow because they have in mind a certain page count. Nope. This one kept going after the “mystery” was solved. It just was “meh” there. No emotional release. No joy. No feeling of victory or the good guy came out on top. It just was over with without much fanfare or drama. Maybe the author thought there was drama in that scene. If so, I did find it.
Too many good books out this winter. This, for me, was not one of them.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
September 9, 2025
Best Boy is a stylish, slow-burning thriller that slips between memory and mystery with effortless grace. Deborah Goodrich Royce invites us into the world of Viveca—former actress, devoted mother, and reluctant keeper of secrets—whose carefully curated life begins to unravel with the arrival of a letter from someone she doesn’t remember.
What follows is a layered exploration of identity, fame, and the shadows cast by a long-forgotten film set. Royce’s writing is crisp and cinematic, with just the right amount of glamour and grit. The pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build as Viveca’s past creeps into her present, and the question of what really happened on that Halloween night grows more urgent.
There’s a quiet elegance to the way Royce handles trauma and memory—never sensational, always emotionally grounded. Viveca is a compelling lead: flawed, introspective, and increasingly unsure of what’s real. The final reveal is both satisfying and unsettling, tying together the threads of guilt, fame, and forgotten truths.
Perfect for readers who enjoy psychological suspense with a literary edge and a touch of old Hollywood mystique.
Thank you to Deborah Goodrich Royce, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
What follows is a layered exploration of identity, fame, and the shadows cast by a long-forgotten film set. Royce’s writing is crisp and cinematic, with just the right amount of glamour and grit. The pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build as Viveca’s past creeps into her present, and the question of what really happened on that Halloween night grows more urgent.
There’s a quiet elegance to the way Royce handles trauma and memory—never sensational, always emotionally grounded. Viveca is a compelling lead: flawed, introspective, and increasingly unsure of what’s real. The final reveal is both satisfying and unsettling, tying together the threads of guilt, fame, and forgotten truths.
Perfect for readers who enjoy psychological suspense with a literary edge and a touch of old Hollywood mystique.
Thank you to Deborah Goodrich Royce, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!
I am going to be honest, I decided to read this book because I was looking for a good mystery/thriller and I think this book has some elements of that but not enough. The first chapter was promising but while I enjoyed getting to know Vivica as well as Ingrid, some of the scenes in the past felt unnecessary. The second part of the book is more engaging and interesting but I wish the conclusion was a little messy/had more action.
This book was not bad, I will say that if you are looking for a mystery/thriller this is not it but if you want to read about a story where the main topic is identity and overcoming past traumas with a smidge of mystery, I think you would like this book.
I am going to be honest, I decided to read this book because I was looking for a good mystery/thriller and I think this book has some elements of that but not enough. The first chapter was promising but while I enjoyed getting to know Vivica as well as Ingrid, some of the scenes in the past felt unnecessary. The second part of the book is more engaging and interesting but I wish the conclusion was a little messy/had more action.
This book was not bad, I will say that if you are looking for a mystery/thriller this is not it but if you want to read about a story where the main topic is identity and overcoming past traumas with a smidge of mystery, I think you would like this book.
December 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I found Best Boy a really smooth and engaging read. The story of Viveca, whose comfortable life is disrupted by a mysterious letter, pulled me in right away. The mix of past and present and the slow reveal of her hidden memories creates a nice sense of tension.
The writing is elegant and the psychological aspect is definitely the strongest part of the book. I liked following Viveca’s inner struggle and watching her past surface piece by piece.
Still, once I reached the ending, I was hoping for something with a bit more impact. After such a promising build up, the conclusion felt a little too gentle. I missed an exciting twist or a moment that truly surprised me.
Overall, Best Boy is an enjoyable and well written psychological thriller that reads quickly, but the ending left me wishing for a little more spark.
I found Best Boy a really smooth and engaging read. The story of Viveca, whose comfortable life is disrupted by a mysterious letter, pulled me in right away. The mix of past and present and the slow reveal of her hidden memories creates a nice sense of tension.
The writing is elegant and the psychological aspect is definitely the strongest part of the book. I liked following Viveca’s inner struggle and watching her past surface piece by piece.
Still, once I reached the ending, I was hoping for something with a bit more impact. After such a promising build up, the conclusion felt a little too gentle. I missed an exciting twist or a moment that truly surprised me.
Overall, Best Boy is an enjoyable and well written psychological thriller that reads quickly, but the ending left me wishing for a little more spark.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Viveca Stephenson seems to have it all - a handsome husband, an adorable 10 year old son Theo, a former actress life in Hollywood, and a cushy life in Greenwich, CT. But things aren’t as they seem - anywhere in this story. Viveca has reinvented herself from what she was as a girl growing up in Detroit. Thinking she’s let all the secrets and heartache behind, she struggles to forget her past of being assaulted, and her role in the aftermath.
But secrets don’t stay buried, as she comes to find out. Someone is stalking her and seems to know about her past, but who - and why? A great page-turner story with lots of twists - this was a quick read and I enjoyed it. Pub date 2/24/26, so time to add to your TBR! Thanks to the author for sharing with our book club!
But secrets don’t stay buried, as she comes to find out. Someone is stalking her and seems to know about her past, but who - and why? A great page-turner story with lots of twists - this was a quick read and I enjoyed it. Pub date 2/24/26, so time to add to your TBR! Thanks to the author for sharing with our book club!
December 26, 2025
After a series of tragedies befall Ingrid, she decides to change every aspect of her life, including her name. Years later, she’s finally living the life of her dreams, when a new crisis begins to loom. We follow Ingrid (now called Viveca) as she does all she can to protect herself and her son, until she’s forced to face her own demons in the process. This book was a good lesson in false appearances and how they can come back to bite us.
September 29, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for the ARC!
Spooky reading season continues! The central tragic event of this novel centers around Halloween night. I really enjoyed the writing and the main character. I did feel like she could have made a tighter thriller because I like more twist in my thrillers!
Spooky reading season continues! The central tragic event of this novel centers around Halloween night. I really enjoyed the writing and the main character. I did feel like she could have made a tighter thriller because I like more twist in my thrillers!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this book.
Unfortunately after about 20% it could not hold my attention and it was a DNF for me.
The writing itself was good, but I could not connect with the characters. For me they lacked an authentic feel to them.
I am sure others will connect. It simply did not happen for me.
Unfortunately after about 20% it could not hold my attention and it was a DNF for me.
The writing itself was good, but I could not connect with the characters. For me they lacked an authentic feel to them.
I am sure others will connect. It simply did not happen for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a psychological thriller that followed Ingrid/Viveca as she deals with a horrific event in high school to becoming an actress to being a wife and mom in Connecticut. The timelines are all woven in throughout the book and it really kept me guessing. Thank you to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for a chance to read this one early in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a short read, that was interesting enough for me to finish it. the style was a bit detached/old fashioned which made it harder for me to get into. There was a lot of build up to the various secrets being revealed and then left hanging by the quieter ending. Hard to talk about without giving spoilers so will just leave it like that.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was not good at all. LOL that’s all I have to say! I hate to diss on a book (after all, I could not write one!); however, there is nothing about this I connected with. I didn’t care about the characters and didn’t find it “psychologically thrilling” at all.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 19, 2025
Another thrilling read from Deborah Goodrich Royce that kept me on my toes and guessing until the very end! The dual timelines were seamlessly weaved together as the story took shape and reached the jaw dropping conclusion.
September 15, 2025
I’m giving this 3.5 stars. I found it a little hard to read at times but I needed to know what happens!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Best Boy is a gripping psychological thriller that seamlessly slips into twists, creating a compulsively readable narrative.
Read
November 7, 2025DNF at 50%
I really tried to get into this book, but unfortunately, it just didn’t hold my interest. The buildup was slow, and by the halfway mark, nothing had truly grabbed me enough to keep going. I don’t usually DNF books — I tend to push through even when it’s dragging — but since nothing wowed me by 50%, I decided it was time to move on to something else.
The story follows multiple timelines throughout the FMC’s life, which made things a bit confusing and scattered at times. I think that structure might work for some readers, but it just wasn’t clicking for me. The premise itself was intriguing, but the execution felt too drawn out for my taste.
I might circle back to this book another time when I’m in a different mood, but for now, it just wasn’t the right fit.
I really tried to get into this book, but unfortunately, it just didn’t hold my interest. The buildup was slow, and by the halfway mark, nothing had truly grabbed me enough to keep going. I don’t usually DNF books — I tend to push through even when it’s dragging — but since nothing wowed me by 50%, I decided it was time to move on to something else.
The story follows multiple timelines throughout the FMC’s life, which made things a bit confusing and scattered at times. I think that structure might work for some readers, but it just wasn’t clicking for me. The premise itself was intriguing, but the execution felt too drawn out for my taste.
I might circle back to this book another time when I’m in a different mood, but for now, it just wasn’t the right fit.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews