Make Him Leave

by AJ Carter

Everyone loves him.
But mother knows best…

When Zoey’s daughter brings her new boyfriend home, everyone thinks he’s charming, handsome, and flawless. But when no one's watching, something flickers behind Finn’s eyes. Something cold. And the harder Zoey tries to warn her family, the more they close ranks against her. They think she’s losing her mind.

And maybe that’s just what he wants…
—————

"A masterclass in domestic suspense.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"AJ Carter crafts tension like a spider spinning its web – slowly, deliberately, until you're completely ensnared." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"A chilling exploration of family dynamics that will have you checking the locks twice." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Just when you think you know where it's going, AJ Carter pulls the rug out from under you. Brilliant!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Deliciously twisted. I devoured it in one sitting!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Had me holding my breath until the very last page. Another triumph from the twisted mind of AJ Carter." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"If you read one thriller this year, make it this one." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

462 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2025

Reviews

[Medollga · Rating 1 out of 5]

it started out boring and repetitive, had one semi-decent plot twist, and then became unbelievable and not logical in the slightest 🆘🫣

[Jennifer Sweeney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out as a decent read, but about 2/3 through, it took a turn that just went too far for me.

[Anika · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was extremely repetitive I thought I was rereading the same chapter back to back because of how redundant it was. Good plot twists but skipped through a lot of the repeated thoughts of the mom. Was very ready for it to be over

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so hoping to love this book, but I did suspect the outcome quite a ways before the end, and I honestly didn’t find it all that thrilling.
Am I just on the hunt for the ultimate unicorn of mystery/thrillers? Yes. Yes I am. 😂

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it on two sittings, kept me guessing..

I love AJ Carters books and this latest story doesn’t disappoint. It’s a tense, unsettling psychological thriller that taps into a mother’s deepest instinct: knowing when something is wrong, even when no one else believes her. As Finn’s perfect façade convinces everyone else, the creeping dread builds through Zoey’s isolation and self-doubt. The slow unraveling is chilling, making the reader question appearances, gaslighting, and how easily evil can hide in plain sight. Gripping and disturbing, it’s a story that lingers long after you’ve finished reading it.

[Phyllis Fried · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense

Dark, heart stopping, pulse pounding and so twisted. This is not a book that is easy to put down. I kept thinking one more chapter but sleep won out. I found some of it sad and scary but it was so well developed and claustrophobic and an excellent thrill ride.

[Ciarra · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 29% this is incredibly redundant to the point I keep thinking iv been rereading the same thoughts over and over but nope it’s just the book. It’s also boring and very slow paced that I’m not even interested anymore… urgh first dnf of 2026

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like this author’s books, but this one not so much. It started off good, had me curious as to what was going on, but the last quarter of the book was rubbish. It just didn’t make any sense. It was too far-fetched. None of the supposed reveals made any sense. What exactly had her husband planned? It seemed disoriented and haphazard. And as for Finn, that never made sense from the beginning as to why he would want to kill her …for having a one night stand? And the ending was just ridiculous. A torture chamber? Just locked rooms painted black was torture and terror? Please. Again, no plausible explanations, just totally silly unbelievable ones. I was very disappointed in this jumbled mess as I have read other of his books and enjoyed them.

[Hope Noar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Book Ever

This book will definitely go down as one of my very favorites. I had a hard time stopping it each night to go to bed. I could not wait to get back to it every day. What a fantastic ending….almost leaving you thinking what is real. I guessed one thing, but I won’t give it away. I have read enough of these books to sometimes guess the twist.
Please get this book and read it. You will absolutely love the excitement, and will be amazed at what a great imagination the author has.

[Frankie Stoffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real thriller!

Zoey's daughter brings home her new boyfriend. Everybody thinks he's wonderful - everybody except for Zoey, who thinks he's evil.

The suspense builds right from the start, but nothing goes the way you think it will. I found this story to be really gripping, and each new development made sense, even when it shocked me.

Highly recommended, and I can't wait to read more by this author.

[Camie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept my interest! Finally after attempting 5 books in a row that I DNF. Finn is creepy to say the least. Zoey had her gut feelings about Finn, but no one in the family believed her. But there’s more than what meets the eye in this story. The twists were nerve wracking. There were some parts that seemed improbable, but the story is still well written. Wait until the end. You’ll get whiplash.

[Cara Lynn Kasonovitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise is good, but the plot progression gets overshadowed by the sheer repetitiveness of the narrative. The author really beats things into the ground, and it drags the book out in an annoying way. There were some great story jabs but that’s the only highlight. None of the characters were at all likable and I got tired of the same old things over and over again. I don’t recommend it.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m wore out with this book. So much of it was repetitive. Just over and over. It could have been a third the length it was. Plus, the story line was just too outlandish in parts to even resemble believable. The crazy thing is, I’ve read several of his books and usually enjoy most of them. Not sure what happened here.

[marisa espey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining enough. not very well written though- gets very repetitive, was kind of hard to finish due to that. I was tired of hearing the same things- hearing about her line of work, the sketchiness of buffy’s boyfriend. just got old.

[Desiree C. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dude...

This was a great read! I always feel like I'm ahead of an AJ Carter novel. Nope, not at all. Make Him Leave is definitely one where I had a plan A, B &C for what was happening. Yeah, no.

[Jo An Chewning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crazy…Convoluted…Complex

About half way through this novel, I decided I would have to skim the rest. I could not stand to read any more of its myriad and unbelievable twists and turns. It was the right decision because the plot line(s) became even more convoluted.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read but so many errors

I like this author but this book has so many errors in it! How do editors not catch them!? Holes in the story or the timeline or settings. And kind of an unbelievable twist at the end.

[Joan Wink · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a thriller.....

So many twists and turns, I literally couldn't put it down! What a totally unexpected end! Complex characters and a plot that keeps you guessing from the start! This is a MUST read!

[Thundyr Myah · Rating 3 out of 5]

so many twists and turns

Just when you think you have it figured out there’s another twist and turn that changes. Everything you thought you knew. The ending definitely not what I expected.

[Samantha O'Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

You start reading this thinking one thing and one thing only, she's maybe a bit over protective about her daughter. But wow, just wow! Never expected that ending! Gripped from start to finish!

[Stacie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out well - engaging characters, interesting story. Then I noticed that the main character’s inner dialogue became repetitive. The same thoughts and reasoning, over and over. The redundancy bugged me. And then, the plot became ridiculous. Too much for me.

[patricia Pritchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not for the faint hearted

I could not put this book down, it was way past my bedtime when I finished it. I thought I had it figured out but was I wrong. This book is well, very well written. The imagination of AJ Carter is something else.
What an ending that I never expected.

[Leslie preston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of twists

Book was full of twists and turns. The storyline was an excellent concept, but was so redundant , I skimmed the last half and still got the premise. Disappointed as this could have been an great read.

[Mark Dube · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a book

Great read I can’t believe how hatred and revenge can control you to such a degree that you would destroy your child Wow

[Valerie Lacross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense psychological thriller, a roller coaster ride of emotions filled with shocking twists and turns!

[Cheryl Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out ok, but just got too unbelievable.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again!!! I had to stay up late to keep on reading!!!
Never ever did I expect the ending. Oh I had it all figured out… a few times!! Wrong! AJ is an exceptional author!!

[Amy Geier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

Oh my !! One of the best books I’ve read in a very long time! The thrills & I never thought what happened in the ending!! You must read this book!!!

[brenda read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review

An enjoyable book with a well put together story line that kept the reader engaged throughout.
An ordinary family until it fell apart.