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Allison Must Die: A Thriller
Not yet published
Expected 15 Sep 26A deadly game of manipulation and deception begins in a shocking psychological thriller by the authors of
Gravewater Lake
and
The Last Girl Left
.
Evelyn Hughes has it all—a job she loves at a hot gaming studio, an adoring boyfriend, and a tight-knit circle of friends, including her brilliant bestie, Allison—until a series of increasingly unnerving events threaten to unravel her perfect life. Messages she didn’t send, being blamed for things she didn’t do, and the creeping sensation that she is being followed. As the incidents grow more personal, driving a wedge between Evelyn and those she loves, she finds herself isolated and alone.
Then Allison is brutally murdered, and Evelyn becomes the prime suspect.
With the pressure mounting, Evelyn is desperate to clear her name. But the more she discovers, the more twisted the truth becomes. Someone is out to get her. Someone who knows her every move. The question is, who…and why? In a deadly game of mirrors and deception, the answer is more disturbing than anyone could have imagined.
Evelyn Hughes has it all—a job she loves at a hot gaming studio, an adoring boyfriend, and a tight-knit circle of friends, including her brilliant bestie, Allison—until a series of increasingly unnerving events threaten to unravel her perfect life. Messages she didn’t send, being blamed for things she didn’t do, and the creeping sensation that she is being followed. As the incidents grow more personal, driving a wedge between Evelyn and those she loves, she finds herself isolated and alone.
Then Allison is brutally murdered, and Evelyn becomes the prime suspect.
With the pressure mounting, Evelyn is desperate to clear her name. But the more she discovers, the more twisted the truth becomes. Someone is out to get her. Someone who knows her every move. The question is, who…and why? In a deadly game of mirrors and deception, the answer is more disturbing than anyone could have imagined.
332 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 15, 2026
About the author
A.M. Strong
17 books281 followersA.M. Strong is a British-born writer living and working in the United States. He has worked as a graphic designer, newspaper journalist, artist, and actor.
He currently resides most of the year on Florida’s Space Coast, where he can watch rockets launch from his bedroom balcony, and part of the year on an island in Maine, along with his wife and two furry bosses, Izzie and Hayden.
A.M. Strong also writes under the pen name Anthony M. Strong.
He currently resides most of the year on Florida’s Space Coast, where he can watch rockets launch from his bedroom balcony, and part of the year on an island in Maine, along with his wife and two furry bosses, Izzie and Hayden.
A.M. Strong also writes under the pen name Anthony M. Strong.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of those thrillers that kept me reading, even though it never completely won me over. I finished it quickly because I wanted to know how everything would play out, and that’s always a good sign.
I guessed one of the major twists pretty early. I was fine with that because I assumed there had to be something else coming. There was. The thing is, I ended up liking the second twist even less. It felt like the story took a turn that didn’t earn the payoff.
The bigger issue for me was the characters. Evelyn is clearly meant to be unlikable, but the book spends so much time in her head that it became exhausting. I also wasn’t rooting for anyone else. Nearly every character managed to be insufferable in one way or another. Brynn, the downstairs neighbor, was the one exception. She was the only person I consistently enjoyed.
I also couldn’t quite buy Allison’s reaction to Evelyn sleeping with Tara’s boyfriend. Given the history between these characters, it just didn’t feel emotionally believable to me.
I did appreciate the ending, though. I honestly thought Evelyn was going to get away with everything, so I was happy to see the story go in a different direction.
If you like a well-paced thriller with plenty of twists and don’t mind spending time with deeply flawed characters, I think you’ll have a good time with this one. It didn’t completely work for me, but it was still an engaging read that kept the pages turning.
This is one of those thrillers that kept me reading, even though it never completely won me over. I finished it quickly because I wanted to know how everything would play out, and that’s always a good sign.
I guessed one of the major twists pretty early. I was fine with that because I assumed there had to be something else coming. There was. The thing is, I ended up liking the second twist even less. It felt like the story took a turn that didn’t earn the payoff.
The bigger issue for me was the characters. Evelyn is clearly meant to be unlikable, but the book spends so much time in her head that it became exhausting. I also wasn’t rooting for anyone else. Nearly every character managed to be insufferable in one way or another. Brynn, the downstairs neighbor, was the one exception. She was the only person I consistently enjoyed.
I also couldn’t quite buy Allison’s reaction to Evelyn sleeping with Tara’s boyfriend. Given the history between these characters, it just didn’t feel emotionally believable to me.
I did appreciate the ending, though. I honestly thought Evelyn was going to get away with everything, so I was happy to see the story go in a different direction.
If you like a well-paced thriller with plenty of twists and don’t mind spending time with deeply flawed characters, I think you’ll have a good time with this one. It didn’t completely work for me, but it was still an engaging read that kept the pages turning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2026
I read this as an ARC from NetGalley and I’m so glad I did. I was hooked from the Prologue and it just got better and better. I thought I'd be reading a good thriller, but to be honest I totally lost it to this book, it was excellent. I felt like I was getting a grasp but the story really just picked the worst possible moments to prove me wrong. This book was filled with twists, with the kind of tension that keeps you glued to the pages
Something I really appreciated about this book was the atmosphere of tension and mystery that kept me doubting everything and everyone. I changed my mind many times on what I thought was going on and I never got it right. I would tell myself to just read one more chapter, and then hours somehow passed and I was still reading
The complex and messy characters kept me wondering, and really made this book a hit. I was invested in every single reveal and the chaos and mystery that surrounded them
This book combines a thriller that is hard to put down with the kind of story that will keep you guessing and keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you want a book that will keep you second guessing, and will have you questioning every character and your theories on the story every couple minutes, read this book. It is the perfect addition for your TBR which is due to be published in September
This book is an easy 5 star book for me, I loved every second of it
Something I really appreciated about this book was the atmosphere of tension and mystery that kept me doubting everything and everyone. I changed my mind many times on what I thought was going on and I never got it right. I would tell myself to just read one more chapter, and then hours somehow passed and I was still reading
The complex and messy characters kept me wondering, and really made this book a hit. I was invested in every single reveal and the chaos and mystery that surrounded them
This book combines a thriller that is hard to put down with the kind of story that will keep you guessing and keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you want a book that will keep you second guessing, and will have you questioning every character and your theories on the story every couple minutes, read this book. It is the perfect addition for your TBR which is due to be published in September
This book is an easy 5 star book for me, I loved every second of it
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Evelyn and Allison work for a gaming company, Evelyn in marketing and Allison in coding. Strange things begin to happen where people see Evelyn in places she shouldn’t have been, and when clients receive communications from her that she would never send, much less copy her boss on! But she has no idea what’s happening, and it gets harder and harder for everyone to believe she’s not capable or guilty of what she’s being blamed for. And then Allison is killed, and who do you think is blamed? Yup, Evelyn, of course. After that, things get all kinds of crazy.
Unfortunately, I was not surprised by one of the reveals because I just had that feeling. So, from there, it was just a matter of the characters realizing the truth and seeing how it plays out. I appreciated the many layers involved in the deception because most stories wouldn’t go that deep, and it sets this one apart.
The ending with Evelyn’s mom was the best, and I was so glad for that part, even if we don’t really know what will happen next. But it left me with hope that justice could still be served. I love these authors and the stories they write together because it’s always a fun, campy ride!
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
Unfortunately, I was not surprised by one of the reveals because I just had that feeling. So, from there, it was just a matter of the characters realizing the truth and seeing how it plays out. I appreciated the many layers involved in the deception because most stories wouldn’t go that deep, and it sets this one apart.
The ending with Evelyn’s mom was the best, and I was so glad for that part, even if we don’t really know what will happen next. But it left me with hope that justice could still be served. I love these authors and the stories they write together because it’s always a fun, campy ride!
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the free advanced reading copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed the short chapters because it made this a really fast and engaging read. From the beginning, the dynamic between Allison and Evelyn felt tense and uncomfortable. Despite their long friendship their relationship felt off at times. Evelyn is also not an easy character to like, she seemed cold,rude and dismissive to the people around her.
But what kept me going back to the book was the mystery itself. The story quickly becomes suspicious and even though you know Allison is murdered I genuinely had no idea where things were heading. I kept making assumptions but kept changing my mind about what really happened up until the end.
The pacing is great, fast and tense. Something was always going on and never felt boring. The multiple POVs also helped elevate the story. As the book progresses Evelyn’s behavior and personality start to make more sense but I didn’t connect with any of the characters, there wasn’t anyone I was rooting for.
Overall, it was compelling and kept me hooked.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC
But what kept me going back to the book was the mystery itself. The story quickly becomes suspicious and even though you know Allison is murdered I genuinely had no idea where things were heading. I kept making assumptions but kept changing my mind about what really happened up until the end.
The pacing is great, fast and tense. Something was always going on and never felt boring. The multiple POVs also helped elevate the story. As the book progresses Evelyn’s behavior and personality start to make more sense but I didn’t connect with any of the characters, there wasn’t anyone I was rooting for.
Overall, it was compelling and kept me hooked.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is for you if you’re looking for a quick read that will have you wondering what is going on/what the answer is the whole time. I read the majority of this on a quick flight and it made the flight go by way faster!
Evelyn and Allison are best friends and coworkers for a gaming company and they’re working on a secret side project video game that has the potential to be big. Then all of a sudden it seems like everything in Evelyn’s life starts to go wrong. She’s having issues at work, she has the sense she’s being stalked (with events that have her feeling on edge), she’s having problems with her friends and her relationship.
Overall this was a quick read, chapters were short and it was easy to keep track of characters. What I did have trouble figuring out (part of the story) was Evelyn, Eve and Zoe. It all comes together in the end. The story wraps up with most questions answered other than, what ends up happening to Evelyn after all?
I’m stuck on a 3.5 on this one. I enjoyed it, it was a good read, not obsessed with it.
This book is for you if you’re looking for a quick read that will have you wondering what is going on/what the answer is the whole time. I read the majority of this on a quick flight and it made the flight go by way faster!
Evelyn and Allison are best friends and coworkers for a gaming company and they’re working on a secret side project video game that has the potential to be big. Then all of a sudden it seems like everything in Evelyn’s life starts to go wrong. She’s having issues at work, she has the sense she’s being stalked (with events that have her feeling on edge), she’s having problems with her friends and her relationship.
Overall this was a quick read, chapters were short and it was easy to keep track of characters. What I did have trouble figuring out (part of the story) was Evelyn, Eve and Zoe. It all comes together in the end. The story wraps up with most questions answered other than, what ends up happening to Evelyn after all?
I’m stuck on a 3.5 on this one. I enjoyed it, it was a good read, not obsessed with it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this one! The short chapters made it really easy to fly through, and I found myself wanting to keep reading to see if my theory was right. Around halfway through I was pretty sure I knew what was going on, so I spent the rest of the book waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The pacing felt a little funny at times. It moved quickly but also seemed to take a while to get where it was going. That said, I was still invested the whole time. I suspected the ending twist, but I needed that final confirmation, and there were still a few surprises along the way.
Overall, a fun and engaging thriller that kept me turning the pages.
I enjoyed this one! The short chapters made it really easy to fly through, and I found myself wanting to keep reading to see if my theory was right. Around halfway through I was pretty sure I knew what was going on, so I spent the rest of the book waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The pacing felt a little funny at times. It moved quickly but also seemed to take a while to get where it was going. That said, I was still invested the whole time. I suspected the ending twist, but I needed that final confirmation, and there were still a few surprises along the way.
Overall, a fun and engaging thriller that kept me turning the pages.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one STARTS with murder and makes you wonder how it all went wrong.
We follow Evelyn, who seems to have a good life, a good job in the gaming industry, solid relationship, and a close circle of friends including her best friend Allison. And then things start unraveling fast with Evelyn. There’s messages she doesn’t remember sending, people acting like she’s done things she’s sure she didn’t do, and a sense of someone following her. Then Allison is murdered. She’s not only grieving but she’s the prime suspect. Is Evelyn guilty or is someone setting her up?
I loved the concept of this one and I did enjoy it. But there are times when it felt a bit wordy and drawn out which slowed it up at times. But it still took me on a wild ride!
We follow Evelyn, who seems to have a good life, a good job in the gaming industry, solid relationship, and a close circle of friends including her best friend Allison. And then things start unraveling fast with Evelyn. There’s messages she doesn’t remember sending, people acting like she’s done things she’s sure she didn’t do, and a sense of someone following her. Then Allison is murdered. She’s not only grieving but she’s the prime suspect. Is Evelyn guilty or is someone setting her up?
I loved the concept of this one and I did enjoy it. But there are times when it felt a bit wordy and drawn out which slowed it up at times. But it still took me on a wild ride!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Evelyn and Allison have been best friends since college, and currently even work for the same company. Evelyn's life seems to be going great, until everything starts to unravel.
Was this story engaging? Yes. Was it predictable? Also yes. I also felt it wasn't well written. I felt the wasn't enough difference between the thoughts/actions of the two POVs. I also felt like there were really only two endings, so it wasn't really as twisty as I usually like.
Evelyn and Allison have been best friends since college, and currently even work for the same company. Evelyn's life seems to be going great, until everything starts to unravel.
Was this story engaging? Yes. Was it predictable? Also yes. I also felt it wasn't well written. I felt the wasn't enough difference between the thoughts/actions of the two POVs. I also felt like there were really only two endings, so it wasn't really as twisty as I usually like.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one pulled me in fast and didn’t let go. The story moves quickly, and I kept changing my mind about what was really going on and who could be trusted.
The short chapters made it easy to fly through. I found myself reading “just one more” until I hit the end. Some twists hit harder than others, but it stayed engaging throughout.
A fast read that keeps you turning pages.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!
The short chapters made it easy to fly through. I found myself reading “just one more” until I hit the end. Some twists hit harder than others, but it stayed engaging throughout.
A fast read that keeps you turning pages.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!
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May 24, 2026Allison Must Die by A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent is a stand alone published by Thomas & Mercer.
A thriller that had me in suspense from start til the last chapter. The friendship between Allison and Evelyn isn't what it seems, there are twists and turns galore.
A well written pageturner, 4.5 stars.
A thriller that had me in suspense from start til the last chapter. The friendship between Allison and Evelyn isn't what it seems, there are twists and turns galore.
A well written pageturner, 4.5 stars.
June 15, 2026
*arc received from netgalley
I love a book where you’re reading from different point of views! This was an intriguing read with quite the twist! Somewhat predictable but very enjoyable nonetheless. :)
I love a book where you’re reading from different point of views! This was an intriguing read with quite the twist! Somewhat predictable but very enjoyable nonetheless. :)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book. Wow! This book was absolutely the definition of a great thriller! It had me going the whole entire time and I was absolutely shocked by those twists!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow what a great thriller, I am absolutely blown away by the twists on this book. With so much thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher Thomas & Mercer for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews