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Paranopia
The invitation was exclusive. The island was private. The rules were never explained.
Seven top performers arrive expecting luxury—and a shot at promotion.
Their host knows more about them than he should, and they know almost nothing about him.
Then he’s attacked. And disappears.
Cut off from the mainland, with no signal and no way out, the retreat begins to unravel.
As a storm closes in and tempers rise, every conversation begins to feel like a test. Something isn’t right—and the longer they stay, the harder it becomes to tell who’s playing along… and who’s playing their own game.
Seven top performers arrive expecting luxury—and a shot at promotion.
Their host knows more about them than he should, and they know almost nothing about him.
Then he’s attacked. And disappears.
Cut off from the mainland, with no signal and no way out, the retreat begins to unravel.
As a storm closes in and tempers rise, every conversation begins to feel like a test. Something isn’t right—and the longer they stay, the harder it becomes to tell who’s playing along… and who’s playing their own game.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 30, 2026
Imagine a bunch of people, trapped on an island … what’s the worst thing that could happen??
This mind blowing psycholocal twisting thriller is phenomenal! This one will stay with me for a very long time!!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This mind blowing psycholocal twisting thriller is phenomenal! This one will stay with me for a very long time!!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 30, 2026
I received this book courtesy of Booksprout for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
Overview: Seven high level executives of a corporation have been brought out to the CEO's private island for a company retreat. Once there, the executives find out there's a promised promotion involved in this retreat. When the second-in-command gets injured, and must make a quick run to the mainland, the executives find themselves trying to hold things together. Now seven executives and one cook are left questioning what happened, and thinking that they will soon see the big boss. However strange things are beginning to happen. Who spiked Haze's food? Where did the knives go? And why is there no connection to the outside world? Let's find out.
Dislikes: While we get a beginning, middle, and ending to this book, we do not get a complete story. Yes, we watch some of the people become suspicious of those around them. But, we don't understand any of Lester's motivations, or why all this is going on. I suspect that we were supposed to put the puzzle together by ourselves. Yet, we aren't given much information to do that.
Likes: John was trying to hold people together. His priorities, however, and reasons for finding a cell signal were a little off. My priorities would be to call the cops first.
Nancy did try to get the lawyers to help.
Conclusion: This started out strong, but ultimately fell flat. If you just want to see people go crazy, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
Overview: Seven high level executives of a corporation have been brought out to the CEO's private island for a company retreat. Once there, the executives find out there's a promised promotion involved in this retreat. When the second-in-command gets injured, and must make a quick run to the mainland, the executives find themselves trying to hold things together. Now seven executives and one cook are left questioning what happened, and thinking that they will soon see the big boss. However strange things are beginning to happen. Who spiked Haze's food? Where did the knives go? And why is there no connection to the outside world? Let's find out.
Dislikes: While we get a beginning, middle, and ending to this book, we do not get a complete story. Yes, we watch some of the people become suspicious of those around them. But, we don't understand any of Lester's motivations, or why all this is going on. I suspect that we were supposed to put the puzzle together by ourselves. Yet, we aren't given much information to do that.
Likes: John was trying to hold people together. His priorities, however, and reasons for finding a cell signal were a little off. My priorities would be to call the cops first.
Nancy did try to get the lawyers to help.
Conclusion: This started out strong, but ultimately fell flat. If you just want to see people go crazy, then this book is for you. Enjoy the read.
Read
June 7, 2026In the business world, where the keen ones jostle for position, seven ambitious senior executives are escorted to the CEO’s private island by their boss, Lester Sinclair. They soon find that there is no phone signal. Then Lester is stabbed by an intruder and disappears, leaving the seven to fend for themselves. What could go wrong?
The characters cover the full range. There’s a lot of focus on John Rivers, who is told by Lester that he is in charge after Lester has to seek medical treatment on the mainland. The smartest character is Nancy from HR, who in Chapter 1 thinks that everything ‘stank to high heaven’.
This story is more paranoia than Paranopia, with plenty of arrogance, self-doubt and suspicion of everyone else thrown into the mix. There is plenty of room for the reader to speculate on what the real motives might be and while some chapters don’t seem to move the story forward a great deal, there are enough twists along the way to keep you engaged. There was no way I wanted to leave this and not find out what it was all about.
The characters cover the full range. There’s a lot of focus on John Rivers, who is told by Lester that he is in charge after Lester has to seek medical treatment on the mainland. The smartest character is Nancy from HR, who in Chapter 1 thinks that everything ‘stank to high heaven’.
This story is more paranoia than Paranopia, with plenty of arrogance, self-doubt and suspicion of everyone else thrown into the mix. There is plenty of room for the reader to speculate on what the real motives might be and while some chapters don’t seem to move the story forward a great deal, there are enough twists along the way to keep you engaged. There was no way I wanted to leave this and not find out what it was all about.
April 10, 2026
📚 Book Review by R.M. Campbell 📚
PARANOPIA
BY
Mark B. Dawkins
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seven corporate executives of Seabring Int. are unexpectedly asked to attend a three-day retreat on the company’s CEO's private paradise island, at his massive private residence perched high on a cliff, with no communication to the outside world except one line. How could any of them say NO, and the reason for their jaunt was still unclear. The leader of the group was a person unknown to everyone, Lester, the party’s coordinator. Over the first night’s dinner, Lester announced that one of them was going to be promoted to Junior Vice President of a newly created division, with all its perks, and Lester was going to choose who that person would be. Early the next morning, John was awakened hysterically by Lisa, who told him that Lester had been stabbed and needed help. When John reached Lester, he found him stabbed in the arm, which Lester claimed he had been attacked by a local fisherman. Lester explained that the wound was not that bad, he would take the boat back to the mainland for treatment, and return. He put John in charge until he returned. When asked why they all weren’t returning, Lester said that the CEO, Corey Brewer, and his wife headed for the island later that morning. Soon after Lester leaves the island, a bad storm hits the area, and all communication is lost, and hope of any rescue is delayed. The scenario begins to deteriorate when personalities clash, and strange things begin to happen. All trust seems to dwindle away, as well as the food and water supply.
I enjoyed this mystery on many levels. The character relationships were well developed and matured as the story progressed. Trust becomes a big issue and is well portrayed. The plot developed into one of deception, suspense, tension, excitement, and betrayal. There were some unpredictable twists, with haunting components, but also some tender and funny moments that made the story entertaining. The action was cumulative as the plot progressed, and kept me turning pages in an effort to find out what was coming next. I thought the conclusion was somewhat muddled, and I had to reread the last three chapters for a better understanding of what had happened. All in all, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
PARANOPIA
BY
Mark B. Dawkins
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seven corporate executives of Seabring Int. are unexpectedly asked to attend a three-day retreat on the company’s CEO's private paradise island, at his massive private residence perched high on a cliff, with no communication to the outside world except one line. How could any of them say NO, and the reason for their jaunt was still unclear. The leader of the group was a person unknown to everyone, Lester, the party’s coordinator. Over the first night’s dinner, Lester announced that one of them was going to be promoted to Junior Vice President of a newly created division, with all its perks, and Lester was going to choose who that person would be. Early the next morning, John was awakened hysterically by Lisa, who told him that Lester had been stabbed and needed help. When John reached Lester, he found him stabbed in the arm, which Lester claimed he had been attacked by a local fisherman. Lester explained that the wound was not that bad, he would take the boat back to the mainland for treatment, and return. He put John in charge until he returned. When asked why they all weren’t returning, Lester said that the CEO, Corey Brewer, and his wife headed for the island later that morning. Soon after Lester leaves the island, a bad storm hits the area, and all communication is lost, and hope of any rescue is delayed. The scenario begins to deteriorate when personalities clash, and strange things begin to happen. All trust seems to dwindle away, as well as the food and water supply.
I enjoyed this mystery on many levels. The character relationships were well developed and matured as the story progressed. Trust becomes a big issue and is well portrayed. The plot developed into one of deception, suspense, tension, excitement, and betrayal. There were some unpredictable twists, with haunting components, but also some tender and funny moments that made the story entertaining. The action was cumulative as the plot progressed, and kept me turning pages in an effort to find out what was coming next. I thought the conclusion was somewhat muddled, and I had to reread the last three chapters for a better understanding of what had happened. All in all, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
June 1, 2026
I don't read a lot of thrillers, but Paranoia: Seven Were Left Behind by Mark B. Dawkins is the kind of book that starts quietly and then, almost without you noticing, has you reading with your jaw slightly clenched.
The premise sounds simple enough — a group of coworkers are flown to a private island for what turns out to be a competition for a major promotion. But Dawkins is too smart to let it stay simple. By the time the cracks start showing, you're already too invested in these people to put it down.
What I appreciated most is how the author handles character. Nobody here is purely good or purely suspicious. John, the de facto leader once things go sideways, is charming and capable but clearly carrying something heavy at home. Nancy, the HR rep, is sharp as a tack and possibly the most clear-eyed person in the room — her internal commentary alone is worth the read. Haze is the kind of loud, blunt personality you think you've figured out immediately, and then you haven't. And Kyle — Kyle made my skin crawl in the best possible way.
The writing is lean and confident. Dawkins doesn't over-explain anything, which I found refreshing. He trusts you to pick up on the details — a glance that lasts a second too long, a door being pulled shut, a smile that doesn't quite leave someone's face. The tension builds through accumulation rather than dramatic reveals, and that approach works extremely well here.
There are moments of genuine humor too, which surprised me. The banter between John and Singh feels real, and Lisa's chaotic energy provides some welcome comic relief before things get dark. That tonal balance — funny one moment, deeply unsettling the next — is hard to pull off and Dawkins manages it without it ever feeling jarring.
My one note is that the pacing in the very early chapters is deliberately slow, and some readers might find the setup a little long. Stick with it. The payoff is worth it.
If you enjoy stories where the real danger isn't a monster or a villain but just a group of ordinary people pushed into an extraordinary situation and watching each other closely — this is exactly that. I finished the first third in one sitting and immediately regretted starting it at midnight.
July 16, 2026
This was a quick, high-stakes, corporate thriller that kept the tension high. This was an entertaining read and it kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next. But, for me, there were a few issues. I'll try to explain without spoilers. Early on, one character is injured and end us leaving the island on a boat, but near the end, that's completely flipped with no explanation as to how it happened. Even the characters don't question it, they just accept that the thing happened. I would think, being high ranking business professionals, someone would have questioned why or how, but nope. The reader is left to either accept it, or scratch their head and move on.
Speaking of the characters, there were so many that it was difficult to keep up with them, especially when they didn't feel really fleshed out. By the time I got to the end of the book I was able to start distinguishing them. I prefer a bit more character development myself. If you're one who loves a book that moves at breakneck speed, then this is for you. Personally, I want to feel for the characters and really get to know them.
And finally, the author even tells us at the end that this kind of story isn't supposed to end "clean" and wrap everything up. Fair enough, I'll accept that, because I still had several questions. But beside that, some of the characters did wildy strange actions that were never addressed. One such instance, an inhaler went missing, one character found it and put it in his pocket, and in another scene it falls out of his pocket. When the owner reaches to get it, the one who found it kicked it into a ravine for no apparent reason. It is for these reasons I
Speaking of the characters, there were so many that it was difficult to keep up with them, especially when they didn't feel really fleshed out. By the time I got to the end of the book I was able to start distinguishing them. I prefer a bit more character development myself. If you're one who loves a book that moves at breakneck speed, then this is for you. Personally, I want to feel for the characters and really get to know them.
And finally, the author even tells us at the end that this kind of story isn't supposed to end "clean" and wrap everything up. Fair enough, I'll accept that, because I still had several questions. But beside that, some of the characters did wildy strange actions that were never addressed. One such instance, an inhaler went missing, one character found it and put it in his pocket, and in another scene it falls out of his pocket. When the owner reaches to get it, the one who found it kicked it into a ravine for no apparent reason. It is for these reasons I
July 19, 2026
The story is an engaging mystery with entertaining characters that held my attention from the beginning to the end.
Author Mark. B Dawkins beautifully narrates the story with clear events and three-dimensional characters. It's not just the mystery embedded in the story; it also has great character interactions. The reader is immersed in the food and drinks, along with a touch of romance in it.
The main characters, Haze, John, Singh, Nancy, Lester, etc play their roles well in the story. There is intrigue around one of the characters going missing and being hurt; a mystery involving missing knives and a stolen inhaler adds to the story's overall suspense.
The characters reach a point where their food stock becomes scarce, forcing them to ration it, and they are in a dilemma as to when and how they can get off the island on which they are brought.
The ending is happily ever after, even though there are a couple of losses of lives, and the author successfully ties all the loose ends.
This story is dialogue-oriented, and I like the writing style of the author. It is lucid and clear to understand without any confusion in any of the events the author has crafted.
I highly recommend this story for all the mystery lovers who like a character-driven story with a touch of romance in it!
Author Mark. B Dawkins beautifully narrates the story with clear events and three-dimensional characters. It's not just the mystery embedded in the story; it also has great character interactions. The reader is immersed in the food and drinks, along with a touch of romance in it.
The main characters, Haze, John, Singh, Nancy, Lester, etc play their roles well in the story. There is intrigue around one of the characters going missing and being hurt; a mystery involving missing knives and a stolen inhaler adds to the story's overall suspense.
The characters reach a point where their food stock becomes scarce, forcing them to ration it, and they are in a dilemma as to when and how they can get off the island on which they are brought.
The ending is happily ever after, even though there are a couple of losses of lives, and the author successfully ties all the loose ends.
This story is dialogue-oriented, and I like the writing style of the author. It is lucid and clear to understand without any confusion in any of the events the author has crafted.
I highly recommend this story for all the mystery lovers who like a character-driven story with a touch of romance in it!
June 14, 2026
This is a tense story about a group of professionals who find themselves isolated on an island, unable to escape, and completely perplexed about the reasons behind this scenario. Whilst their accommodation is luxurious, and the whole situation more akin to being in a top class resort, the feeling of comfort and luxury soon begins to dissipate, and tempers fray. This feels like an office convention with a chilling difference. Told by an all-seeing narrator, we are given glimpses into the thought processes of the participants and their changing relationships with each other. Along with the protagonists, the reader is invited to solve the mystery as a series of false trails are revealed. As their days of isolation continue, the tension mounts, and mutual suspicion and paranoia abound. Add to this the atmospheric description of their surroundings and you have the perfect recipe for a tense story that holds the reader gripped throughout. It is a well written, and original story , well worth its five stars. I particularly liked the author’s comments at the end: “ stories like this aren’t meant to resolve cleanly. They blur lines, shift perspectives, and leave space for doubt. “ This sums it up perfectly.
May 21, 2026
“Paranopia” by Mark B. Dawkins, is a taut and twisty thriller. The cover depicts a man in silhouette walking towards a big house, with several men in silhouette visible within the home. With little explanation or advance warning, 8 employees are sent on a “mystery weekend” at an expansive house on a remote island with no cell service. Upon their arrival, they are informed by Lester that one of the 7 would be chosen by him for a promotion. However, before anything of substance can happen, Lester is mysteriously stabbed in an attack by a fisherman, who apparently fled on his boat. Lester takes their boat alone to go seek medical attention, and the other 7 people are left on their own. After a while, it seems one or more of them might be in danger, and one of them may be the culprit. Meanwhile, Lester has not returned, and when one of the employees snoop around in his room, they make a disturbing discovery.
June 14, 2026
Oh, I do so love a good murder mystery. Doubly so if it involves a far off location where it isn’t so easy for everyone to get away and the mystery has to be solved while time is ticking by. These are all the ingredients for a truly fantastic book. And Mark B Dawkins certainly adds them to the story with gusto and serves up an entertaining read.
The characters ran the gamut of necessary personalities for this kind of story to work. I found them to be believable and was pleasantly surprised by some of them.
The story flowed at an easy pace with the author’s writing style being accessible and entertaining all at once.
The atmosphere was heavy and the setting beautifully realised.
I found myself entertained to the very end with enough twists to keep me guessing.
As for the cover of the book, it is just gorgeous. Caught my attention right away.
This book is well worth the read.
The characters ran the gamut of necessary personalities for this kind of story to work. I found them to be believable and was pleasantly surprised by some of them.
The story flowed at an easy pace with the author’s writing style being accessible and entertaining all at once.
The atmosphere was heavy and the setting beautifully realised.
I found myself entertained to the very end with enough twists to keep me guessing.
As for the cover of the book, it is just gorgeous. Caught my attention right away.
This book is well worth the read.
July 10, 2026
not bad
This psychological thriller had a promising setup: seven ambitious employees invited to a secluded island retreat by their enigmatic boss, only for things to spiral into paranoia and suspicion after an attack. The author does a solid job building tension through human flaws and bad choices rather than overt supernatural elements, which kept me turning pages at first. However, the middle dragged with repetitive doubts and some underdeveloped characters, making it feel less gripping than it could have been. The twists were decent but not shocking. It’s an entertaining quick read for mystery fans, but it didn’t fully deliver on the intense payoff I was hoping for. Worth a try if you enjoy locked-room style suspense with corporate intrigue.
This psychological thriller had a promising setup: seven ambitious employees invited to a secluded island retreat by their enigmatic boss, only for things to spiral into paranoia and suspicion after an attack. The author does a solid job building tension through human flaws and bad choices rather than overt supernatural elements, which kept me turning pages at first. However, the middle dragged with repetitive doubts and some underdeveloped characters, making it feel less gripping than it could have been. The twists were decent but not shocking. It’s an entertaining quick read for mystery fans, but it didn’t fully deliver on the intense payoff I was hoping for. Worth a try if you enjoy locked-room style suspense with corporate intrigue.
July 22, 2026
Paranopia has a strong setup and an effective isolated-island atmosphere, but the execution is uneven. The early chapters create real intrigue, with the corporate retreat premise and stranded characters giving the story plenty of tension. However, the pacing wobbles as the book goes on, shifting between breakneck developments and stretches that feel stalled. The characters also felt wooden and underdeveloped, with little depth to make their fears or rivalries truly compelling. The dialogue rarely lands as realistic, making their interactions feel forced rather than tense. Although the mystery keeps the pages turning, the ending is less than satisfying, leaving too many moments rushed or unresolved. Overall, it is a decent thriller with promise, but not fully rewarding.
May 27, 2026
Paranopia is a psychological thriller affecting the lives of several employees invited to spend the weekend at a private island where they learn one of the characters will become a Junior Vice President for their business corporation. The characters are well developed with their flaws, weaknesses, and strengths revealed during the book. At first the group starts to compete for the new position until a surprising event results in suspicion and the growing prevalence into paranoia. This book will keep your reading attention as it slowly builds in tension, intrigue, and danger.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 30, 2026
Paranopia is a fast-paced psychological thriller that blends corporate ambition, isolation, and mounting paranoia into an entertaining suspense story. The novel begins with an intriguing premise: seven high-achieving employees are invited to an exclusive retreat on a private island, where they expect luxury, networking opportunities, and the possibility of career advancement. When their mysterious host is attacked and disappears, however, the retreat transforms into a tense survival game where trust becomes increasingly difficult to maintain
June 29, 2026
I do love a good thriller and this author knows how to sinks their hooks into you and have you gripping the very edge of your seat. In this Seven top performers arrive expecting luxury and a shot at promotion on a private island, not expecting things to go south and fast as their host is attacked and leaves them stranded on the island. It’s gripping, it’s thrilling and the twists and turns keep you guessing and the intrigue has you captivated and unable to put this down as this turns into a fight for survival!
July 3, 2026
So this one is well paced and fairly adept at building tension. All I ask for in a thriller with an isolated (and fairly believable) setting. Likable characters are nice too, and this one is a mixed bag there. Did not care for John on multiple levels. Nancy was great. So you had a decent mix of sacrificial lambs. As for the ending, well let’s keep this spoiler free. Overall I would say this is a 3.5, but we can’t do halves and I had fun so we’ll call it a 4 out of 5.
April 24, 2026
The ending was very muddled and did not answer or conclude anything. I’m not saying all books need to be wrapped up in a neat bow but there were too many things unanswered and of the 7, you only had the POV 2 characters so it just seemed like things were missing.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 19, 2026
I really enjoyed this cabin in the woods style story, where I was constantly left in a state of worry and found myself suspicious of everyone. It felt like those sorts of movies with the tension and mystery in the secluded island and the promise of a promotion served its purpose and sowed the deceit between the characters. It worked up to a worthy ending.
May 2, 2026
Great thriller! It is a quick read and love the character interactions.
May 13, 2026
I would not have read this book if I’d known the end was vague and unresolved, with no sequel
June 3, 2026
Eh soso. I had higher hopes for it but it was still entertaining
July 3, 2026
Great read until the end. There is no ending. What happened to Lester? Why did he send them to the island? Too many unanswered questions.
July 20, 2026
New ARC reader and reviewer. Overall good story, intriguing premise, fast read. Seven different people, with seven different personalities, and seven different agendas, was a lot to keep up with.
July 28, 2026
Same old story about so many people stranded on island & ‘who done it’? It kept you interested throughout the book but disappointed at ending.
September 15, 2026
This sounded really good, but I am so confused. Good enough to finish but the end doesn’t explain how the situation came to be and it doesn’t t include what happens after. Just okay.
May 7, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The author writes tension well. The reader can feel the stress and anxiety emanating from the characters during the more dramatic parts of this book.
This book is a slow burner for the majority of the story. The start of the story shows the characters bubbling with excitement, promises of luxury and newness offered to them.
However, once they get to the island, and once the ‘big thing’ happens (no spoilers here!), I felt that the book dipped in pace. I know the characters are uncertain and biding time but I feel that this section of the book was slow.
The climax is fast paced and chaotic, and I would have liked it if the book had a few more racy moments throughout. The end is swift, and I felt it could have been teased out more.
The author writes tension well. The reader can feel the stress and anxiety emanating from the characters during the more dramatic parts of this book.
This book is a slow burner for the majority of the story. The start of the story shows the characters bubbling with excitement, promises of luxury and newness offered to them.
However, once they get to the island, and once the ‘big thing’ happens (no spoilers here!), I felt that the book dipped in pace. I know the characters are uncertain and biding time but I feel that this section of the book was slow.
The climax is fast paced and chaotic, and I would have liked it if the book had a few more racy moments throughout. The end is swift, and I felt it could have been teased out more.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews