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A Different Type of Poison
Not yet published
Expected 25 Nov 25Not every invitation is meant to be accepted. This one could be her last.
When a bestselling author receives an invitation to return to her hometown, she never suspects she may be walking into the most unsettling plot twist of her life.
After her first two books flatlined, author Molly Archer is delighted that her dark campus thriller, Birds at Night, is an instant hit. A newly divorced parent raising two children in an upscale community north of Manhattan, Molly will do whatever it takes to sustain her novel’s momentum and support the lifestyle she’s worked so hard to achieve.
When an enthusiastic book club organizer from her hometown reaches out, Molly welcomes the opportunity to meet readers. Traveling back to Ohio offers the perfect excuse to check on her widowed mom, whose health—and memory—appear to be unraveling.
As much as she looks forward to the trip, one thing troubles She can’t remember Anna Fox, the woman who extended the invitation and seems all too eager to reconnect.
Will Molly’s visit introduce her to a new group of adoring fans or is she stepping into her deadliest chapter yet?
A simmering, slow-burn domestic suspense novel, A Different Type of Poison explores the stories we tell, secrets we bury, and the price we pay for both. Misery meets The Plot in this taut literary thriller perfect for fans of Sally Hepworth, Liane Moriarty, and Lisa Jewell.
When a bestselling author receives an invitation to return to her hometown, she never suspects she may be walking into the most unsettling plot twist of her life.
After her first two books flatlined, author Molly Archer is delighted that her dark campus thriller, Birds at Night, is an instant hit. A newly divorced parent raising two children in an upscale community north of Manhattan, Molly will do whatever it takes to sustain her novel’s momentum and support the lifestyle she’s worked so hard to achieve.
When an enthusiastic book club organizer from her hometown reaches out, Molly welcomes the opportunity to meet readers. Traveling back to Ohio offers the perfect excuse to check on her widowed mom, whose health—and memory—appear to be unraveling.
As much as she looks forward to the trip, one thing troubles She can’t remember Anna Fox, the woman who extended the invitation and seems all too eager to reconnect.
Will Molly’s visit introduce her to a new group of adoring fans or is she stepping into her deadliest chapter yet?
A simmering, slow-burn domestic suspense novel, A Different Type of Poison explores the stories we tell, secrets we bury, and the price we pay for both. Misery meets The Plot in this taut literary thriller perfect for fans of Sally Hepworth, Liane Moriarty, and Lisa Jewell.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 25, 2025
17 people want to read
About the author
Liz Alterman
7 books450 followersLiz Alterman lives in New Jersey with her husband, three sons, and two cats.
Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Parents, McSweeney's, and other publications.
She spends most days microwaving the same cup of coffee and looking up synonyms.
For information on events and new releases or to have Liz join your bookclub, visit lizalterman.com.
Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Parents, McSweeney's, and other publications.
She spends most days microwaving the same cup of coffee and looking up synonyms.
For information on events and new releases or to have Liz join your bookclub, visit lizalterman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 28, 2025
Kindle.
Misery meets Fatal Attraction meets Yellowface in the latest novel by one of my favorite thriller authors out there. (I still consider Alterman's He'll Be Waiting to be one of the best YA thrillers ever.)
I am super tired today because I stayed up far past my bedtime last night. Why? Because I had to know how this wild story was going to play out. And oh yeah, did it ever play out in dramatic fashion. A whole lot gets skewered in this book, both literally and figuratively.
Molly is a successful author who is trying to write the sequel to her runaway bestseller. That, on top of being a divorced mother of two young children, having an agent who won't stop emailing, and the constant haranguing from her jerk of an ex, make for some serious stressing.
Anna volunteers at the library down in Molly's hometown in Ohio. She's a broken, lonely woman. She is also obsessed with both Molly and Molly's novel, so much so that she has it almost memorized. When she invites Molly to appear at her book group and Molly accepts (mostly because Molly's mother lives there and she feels guilty she hasn't brought the grandkids around for a while), it's all Anna can do to prepare for the meeting--a meeting that will lead to far different outcomes than either of the women could have expected.
Holy cow but this was a great mindf&&%k of a book! So many twists. So many turns.
Great side characters. Spot-on dialogue. I couldn't read it fast enough.
Big thanks to the author and NetGalley for my download.
Misery meets Fatal Attraction meets Yellowface in the latest novel by one of my favorite thriller authors out there. (I still consider Alterman's He'll Be Waiting to be one of the best YA thrillers ever.)
I am super tired today because I stayed up far past my bedtime last night. Why? Because I had to know how this wild story was going to play out. And oh yeah, did it ever play out in dramatic fashion. A whole lot gets skewered in this book, both literally and figuratively.
Molly is a successful author who is trying to write the sequel to her runaway bestseller. That, on top of being a divorced mother of two young children, having an agent who won't stop emailing, and the constant haranguing from her jerk of an ex, make for some serious stressing.
Anna volunteers at the library down in Molly's hometown in Ohio. She's a broken, lonely woman. She is also obsessed with both Molly and Molly's novel, so much so that she has it almost memorized. When she invites Molly to appear at her book group and Molly accepts (mostly because Molly's mother lives there and she feels guilty she hasn't brought the grandkids around for a while), it's all Anna can do to prepare for the meeting--a meeting that will lead to far different outcomes than either of the women could have expected.
Holy cow but this was a great mindf&&%k of a book! So many twists. So many turns.
Great side characters. Spot-on dialogue. I couldn't read it fast enough.
Big thanks to the author and NetGalley for my download.
October 15, 2025
4.5 stars
Molly has hit it big. She's written a couple of just okay books, but her most recent one? It's a banger, and people have absolutely noticed. In addition to bringing her fame and other professional opportunities, it's also highlighted some challenges in her personal life. Molly has fairly recently gotten divorced (thankfully - the description of her ex's tattoo alone? BLEH) and is parenting her two children (kind of three if you count the ex) on her own. There are pressures to promote her current book as well as deliver the next, and Molly can only handle so much.
While Molly is mostly keeping it together despite the many obvious challenges surrounding her, readers are much more aware of a looming threat than she is because we can see into the perspective of a separate nefarious character. One thing Molly hasn't quite figured out yet is that not all of one's fans have good intentions. When she's presented with an invitation to attend a book club in her hometown, she is not at all skeptical enough about who or what might really be waiting for her. Readers go on a wild ride anticipating what the heck is going to happen when two characters finally converge. In the meantime, we're also learning - through joint perspectives and snippets from Molly's book - what's at the core of this ill-fated potential meeting.
If this is your genre, this book is going to remind you of others that have similar characters and situations, but it also stands on its own. The characters are well developed, and Molly, though deeply flawed, makes moves that seem mostly realistic. She is a bit naive at times, and that can be irritating. One thought: WHY are you so eager to trust folks when you have some challenging secrets in your own past? You write fiction, Molly. You should know better.
This was a fun ride from an author whose work I have consistently enjoyed. I'm already looking forward to what Alterman offers up next and feeling grateful that she clearly knows better than to accept sus invites from mysterious parties!
*Special thanks to NetGalley and One More Page Press for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Molly has hit it big. She's written a couple of just okay books, but her most recent one? It's a banger, and people have absolutely noticed. In addition to bringing her fame and other professional opportunities, it's also highlighted some challenges in her personal life. Molly has fairly recently gotten divorced (thankfully - the description of her ex's tattoo alone? BLEH) and is parenting her two children (kind of three if you count the ex) on her own. There are pressures to promote her current book as well as deliver the next, and Molly can only handle so much.
While Molly is mostly keeping it together despite the many obvious challenges surrounding her, readers are much more aware of a looming threat than she is because we can see into the perspective of a separate nefarious character. One thing Molly hasn't quite figured out yet is that not all of one's fans have good intentions. When she's presented with an invitation to attend a book club in her hometown, she is not at all skeptical enough about who or what might really be waiting for her. Readers go on a wild ride anticipating what the heck is going to happen when two characters finally converge. In the meantime, we're also learning - through joint perspectives and snippets from Molly's book - what's at the core of this ill-fated potential meeting.
If this is your genre, this book is going to remind you of others that have similar characters and situations, but it also stands on its own. The characters are well developed, and Molly, though deeply flawed, makes moves that seem mostly realistic. She is a bit naive at times, and that can be irritating. One thought: WHY are you so eager to trust folks when you have some challenging secrets in your own past? You write fiction, Molly. You should know better.
This was a fun ride from an author whose work I have consistently enjoyed. I'm already looking forward to what Alterman offers up next and feeling grateful that she clearly knows better than to accept sus invites from mysterious parties!
*Special thanks to NetGalley and One More Page Press for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
October 17, 2025
I went into A Different Type of Poison expecting a slow, psychological story, and that’s exactly what I got. Liz Alterman built tension through quiet moments and subtle clues that kept me second-guessing everything.
This story is a tense psychological thriller about Molly, an author whose return to her hometown for a book event stirs up unsettling memories. When a mysterious woman named Anna pushes to reconnect, Molly begins to question her own past—and realizes some secrets are more dangerous than she ever imagined.
I’ve been wanting to read one of Liz Alterman’s books for a while now, so I was happy to get a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher, One More Page Press. Her writing creates a slow-burn tension that builds through subtle details and emotional unease. The prose was clean and character-driven, keeping the focus on psychology over action.
Collectively, this story had a haunting, quiet intensity that I enjoyed. While it wasn’t one of the more compelling books I’ve read in this genre-mainly because it focused more on tension, secrets, and perception than on shocking twists-I’ll still be keeping an eye out for more from Liz Alterman.
Thanks Net Galley and One More Page Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This story is a tense psychological thriller about Molly, an author whose return to her hometown for a book event stirs up unsettling memories. When a mysterious woman named Anna pushes to reconnect, Molly begins to question her own past—and realizes some secrets are more dangerous than she ever imagined.
I’ve been wanting to read one of Liz Alterman’s books for a while now, so I was happy to get a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher, One More Page Press. Her writing creates a slow-burn tension that builds through subtle details and emotional unease. The prose was clean and character-driven, keeping the focus on psychology over action.
Collectively, this story had a haunting, quiet intensity that I enjoyed. While it wasn’t one of the more compelling books I’ve read in this genre-mainly because it focused more on tension, secrets, and perception than on shocking twists-I’ll still be keeping an eye out for more from Liz Alterman.
Thanks Net Galley and One More Page Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 22, 2025
When thriller author Molly heads back to her hometown, she throws herself into marketing her book, even accepting an invitation to a local book club. Anna, the coordinator, seems to know Molly though Molly can't remember how or when she has met her. Can Anna be trusted?
This wasn't the most original storyline however the execution was excellent and made for gripping reading. Told through dual POVs and with short chapters, it was so easy to get lost in this book. With plenty of twists, Liz Alterman has delivered once again. I am already eagerly awaiting her next book.
This wasn't the most original storyline however the execution was excellent and made for gripping reading. Told through dual POVs and with short chapters, it was so easy to get lost in this book. With plenty of twists, Liz Alterman has delivered once again. I am already eagerly awaiting her next book.
October 23, 2025
Release: Nov 25, 2025
Author: Liz Alterman
Publisher: One more page press
Rating: 3.75 ★
A Different Type of Poison is a slow-burn psychological thriller about the blurred line between the stories we tell and the secrets we hide.
Molly Archer is finally living the life she’s worked for. After two failed novels, her latest book — a dark campus thriller called Birds at Night — has become a breakout success. She’s juggling single motherhood, fame, and the pressures of keeping her career afloat, when an unexpected invitation pulls her back to the one place she’s avoided for years: her hometown in Ohio.
An overly friendly book club organizer named Anna Fox invites her to come speak about her novel, and Molly agrees, seeing it as a chance to meet fans and check in on her mother, whose health and memory are slipping. But there’s something about Anna that feels… off. Molly can’t remember her at all — yet Anna acts like they share a history.
As Molly’s visit unfolds, buried memories and half-truths begin to surface, and she starts to realize that the line between her fiction and her real past might not be as separate as she thought. What begins as a simple book club event turns into a tense unraveling of secrets, lies, and revenge — the kind that could destroy everything Molly’s built.
A chilling, character-driven thriller that questions how much of our truth we can rewrite, and what happens when the past we’ve buried decides to dig itself back up.
A Different Type of Poison is a smart, twist-filled psychological thriller that completely hooked me from the start. Liz Alterman delivers a story that’s fast-paced, clever, and full of deliciously flawed characters hiding secrets they’d rather keep buried.
Molly Archer, a novelist whose latest book has finally made her a success, is juggling a lot — fame, pressure, single motherhood, and the shadow of her ex-husband (whose tattoo description alone says everything you need to know about him). She’s barely keeping it together when she’s invited back to her hometown to meet a book club eager to discuss her new hit. Seems innocent enough… except the reader quickly learns that not everyone waiting for her has good intentions.
I loved how the story alternates perspectives, giving us a glimpse into both Molly’s world and a darker, more sinister mind plotting something dangerous. It builds this delicious tension where you can feel the trap tightening before Molly even realizes she’s walked into it. And the way snippets from her fictional novel are woven in adds such a clever, meta layer — it’s truly a “book within a book” thriller.
The pacing is excellent: slow-burn suspense that suddenly kicks into high gear as everything collides in the final chapters. It’s twisty without ever feeling gimmicky, and every reveal lands exactly when it should. Molly’s a bit naive at times — which makes you want to yell at her through the pages — but her flaws make her feel real, not just another cookie-cutter thriller heroine.
This is one of those stories that keeps you guessing and second-guessing right up until the end. Sharp writing, great pacing, and tension that builds like a pressure cooker. I tore through the last half in a single sitting.
Favorite Quote:
“the stories we tell, the secrets we bury, and the price we pay for both.”
Author: Liz Alterman
Publisher: One more page press
Rating: 3.75 ★
A Different Type of Poison is a slow-burn psychological thriller about the blurred line between the stories we tell and the secrets we hide.
Molly Archer is finally living the life she’s worked for. After two failed novels, her latest book — a dark campus thriller called Birds at Night — has become a breakout success. She’s juggling single motherhood, fame, and the pressures of keeping her career afloat, when an unexpected invitation pulls her back to the one place she’s avoided for years: her hometown in Ohio.
An overly friendly book club organizer named Anna Fox invites her to come speak about her novel, and Molly agrees, seeing it as a chance to meet fans and check in on her mother, whose health and memory are slipping. But there’s something about Anna that feels… off. Molly can’t remember her at all — yet Anna acts like they share a history.
As Molly’s visit unfolds, buried memories and half-truths begin to surface, and she starts to realize that the line between her fiction and her real past might not be as separate as she thought. What begins as a simple book club event turns into a tense unraveling of secrets, lies, and revenge — the kind that could destroy everything Molly’s built.
A chilling, character-driven thriller that questions how much of our truth we can rewrite, and what happens when the past we’ve buried decides to dig itself back up.
A Different Type of Poison is a smart, twist-filled psychological thriller that completely hooked me from the start. Liz Alterman delivers a story that’s fast-paced, clever, and full of deliciously flawed characters hiding secrets they’d rather keep buried.
Molly Archer, a novelist whose latest book has finally made her a success, is juggling a lot — fame, pressure, single motherhood, and the shadow of her ex-husband (whose tattoo description alone says everything you need to know about him). She’s barely keeping it together when she’s invited back to her hometown to meet a book club eager to discuss her new hit. Seems innocent enough… except the reader quickly learns that not everyone waiting for her has good intentions.
I loved how the story alternates perspectives, giving us a glimpse into both Molly’s world and a darker, more sinister mind plotting something dangerous. It builds this delicious tension where you can feel the trap tightening before Molly even realizes she’s walked into it. And the way snippets from her fictional novel are woven in adds such a clever, meta layer — it’s truly a “book within a book” thriller.
The pacing is excellent: slow-burn suspense that suddenly kicks into high gear as everything collides in the final chapters. It’s twisty without ever feeling gimmicky, and every reveal lands exactly when it should. Molly’s a bit naive at times — which makes you want to yell at her through the pages — but her flaws make her feel real, not just another cookie-cutter thriller heroine.
This is one of those stories that keeps you guessing and second-guessing right up until the end. Sharp writing, great pacing, and tension that builds like a pressure cooker. I tore through the last half in a single sitting.
Favorite Quote:
“the stories we tell, the secrets we bury, and the price we pay for both.”
October 26, 2025
This book certainly had multiple twists packed into it - and it flowed together really well which each twist and turn.
Author M.J. Archer releases her first best-selling book and before she knows it - her success skyrockets overnight. A hot demand for a sequel, monetary success, and even a movie deal for her book - she has it made. Or, so it seems. Behind the success, MJ is freshly divorced with a strained relationship with her ex-husband, struggling to write the sequel to her best selling book, and struggling to juggle single motherhood with fast approaching deadlines. One day, a mysterious email appears inviting MJ back to her hometown from an old friend hosting a book club featuring her book, whom MJ can’t remember. Desperate to please her readers and keep her success afloat, MJ accepts. Who is this mysterious Anna Fox? Why is she so eager to have MJ back in their hometown? And, why can’t MJ remember Anna?
Definitely a suspenseful and twisty book - my only complaint is the last chapter left me a bit confused and I wished there was a bit more elaboration before the book abruptly ended. Still recommend!!
Author M.J. Archer releases her first best-selling book and before she knows it - her success skyrockets overnight. A hot demand for a sequel, monetary success, and even a movie deal for her book - she has it made. Or, so it seems. Behind the success, MJ is freshly divorced with a strained relationship with her ex-husband, struggling to write the sequel to her best selling book, and struggling to juggle single motherhood with fast approaching deadlines. One day, a mysterious email appears inviting MJ back to her hometown from an old friend hosting a book club featuring her book, whom MJ can’t remember. Desperate to please her readers and keep her success afloat, MJ accepts. Who is this mysterious Anna Fox? Why is she so eager to have MJ back in their hometown? And, why can’t MJ remember Anna?
Definitely a suspenseful and twisty book - my only complaint is the last chapter left me a bit confused and I wished there was a bit more elaboration before the book abruptly ended. Still recommend!!
October 23, 2025
Review of ‘A Different Type of Poison’ by Liz Alterman, due to be published on 25 November 2025 by One More Page Press.
Author Molly is in a whirlwind of promoting her book, trying to write a sequel, parenting her two children and putting up with her recently ex husband accusing her of not putting her family first.
When Molly receives a request to visit a book club in her old home town by a lady called Anna, she agrees, using it as a good excuse to see her best friend and visit her mum.
This storyline is told as a ‘book within a book’ which was a concept I enjoyed. There are many secrets and lies woven into the narrative, and all is not as it seems.
A twisted, dark, psychological thriller that keeps you guessing, and then throws an almighty shock into the end. A recommended read.
Author Molly is in a whirlwind of promoting her book, trying to write a sequel, parenting her two children and putting up with her recently ex husband accusing her of not putting her family first.
When Molly receives a request to visit a book club in her old home town by a lady called Anna, she agrees, using it as a good excuse to see her best friend and visit her mum.
This storyline is told as a ‘book within a book’ which was a concept I enjoyed. There are many secrets and lies woven into the narrative, and all is not as it seems.
A twisted, dark, psychological thriller that keeps you guessing, and then throws an almighty shock into the end. A recommended read.
October 20, 2025
I received this as an ARC from Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley. This review is my own. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it won’t be the last! Molly Mason is the author of a wildly successful mystery/thriller “Birds at Night.” She’s busy promoting her novel and writing the sequel, while balancing being a mother and navigating co-parenting with her ex husband. Molly receives an invitation to a book club in her hometown and agrees to attend, though she can’t remember the old acquaintance who invites her. The story unfolds with mysteries inside mysteries and shocking twists that keep the reader guessing to the very end. Excellent!!
October 29, 2025
This was a fun, twisty, and quick read. Once I got going, I found myself not being able to put it down (luckily I was traveling and had a ton of reading time!). I didn't necessarily LOVE any of the characters, which made me a bit less likely to care what happened to them, but I still had fun along the way. My biggest gripe was the last couple of chapters. I didn't think they were necessary and maybe a bit overdone. It'd probably be worthy of 4.5 stars without those last couple chapters. Overall, I think it is definitely worth spending a day reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Page Press for an ARC of this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Page Press for an ARC of this novel.
October 21, 2025
I love a good domestic thriller and this one was kept me reading way too late, which are the best kind.
An author, a possible stalker and the downfalls of becoming famous.
Author Molly Archer is now a hit after a couple of books. She is newly single and raising two children. She wants to maintain her lifestyle after her divorce, but it becomes a struggle when she gets unwanted attention.
Be careful what you wish for!
This title should let you know you are in for a crazy ride.
An author, a possible stalker and the downfalls of becoming famous.
Author Molly Archer is now a hit after a couple of books. She is newly single and raising two children. She wants to maintain her lifestyle after her divorce, but it becomes a struggle when she gets unwanted attention.
Be careful what you wish for!
This title should let you know you are in for a crazy ride.
October 18, 2025
3.75
I ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK! All dark vibes and twisted characters. A book within a book. It is good pick for someone who is willing to dive in blind (as I did) and wants a good build-up, though I found the first half of book more intriguing than second half, it was overall an interesting thriller read.
I ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK! All dark vibes and twisted characters. A book within a book. It is good pick for someone who is willing to dive in blind (as I did) and wants a good build-up, though I found the first half of book more intriguing than second half, it was overall an interesting thriller read.
October 21, 2025
This book is full of Mysteries and twists, lots of secrets and memories . This was a first read from this author for me and I was so consumed in the story. This book had me turning pages wanting to find out what was really going on.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews