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Kiss Me, Kill Me
When Zoe meets Dan, he's everything she is looking for in a man - intelligent, charming, supportive.
It's only after they're married that she realises that he's controlling, aggressive, paranoid.
And there's no way out.
Or is there?
Zoe knows she has to escape, but Dan's found her once before, and she knows he can find her again.
But Dan has plans of his own. Plans that don't necessarily include Zoe.
Be careful who you trust . . .
It's only after they're married that she realises that he's controlling, aggressive, paranoid.
And there's no way out.
Or is there?
Zoe knows she has to escape, but Dan's found her once before, and she knows he can find her again.
But Dan has plans of his own. Plans that don't necessarily include Zoe.
Be careful who you trust . . .
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2018
19 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
May 25, 2018
When Zoe met Daniel she couldn't believe her luck. He was everything she was looking for in a man, until they were married,
This book is divided into three different parts. In the first part we learn how Zoe met Daniel while she was at her work, got married and the physical and emotional abuse she has suffered ever since. Of how she is no longer allowed contact with her best friend, Lizzie. The second part we are told things from Daniels point of view. The third part I can't really tell you about as it would contain too many spoilers.
Although I have given this book four stars there are parts of this book (especially in the first part) that I found hard to believe. I do like the authors style in writing and I have read and enjoyed some of his books before. The book is well written with a believable storyline, though some parts are far fetched. In parts this story is quite gripping. We are told the story in the present though we do get flashbacks of the past. I did prefer the first half of this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author J. S. Carol for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is divided into three different parts. In the first part we learn how Zoe met Daniel while she was at her work, got married and the physical and emotional abuse she has suffered ever since. Of how she is no longer allowed contact with her best friend, Lizzie. The second part we are told things from Daniels point of view. The third part I can't really tell you about as it would contain too many spoilers.
Although I have given this book four stars there are parts of this book (especially in the first part) that I found hard to believe. I do like the authors style in writing and I have read and enjoyed some of his books before. The book is well written with a believable storyline, though some parts are far fetched. In parts this story is quite gripping. We are told the story in the present though we do get flashbacks of the past. I did prefer the first half of this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author J. S. Carol for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2018
Kiss Me, Kill Me by J. S. Carol was a psychological thriller that had me hooked from the first page. Zoe and her husband Dan are in a relationship where he controls her every move and punishes her if she does not stick to his rules at all times. Zoe was a great character and I was in her corner all the way. I really enjoyed this book. I would like to thank NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2019
Very confusing and very slow.
Not rating
Not rating
February 22, 2018
In Kiss Me, Kill Me, we get to meet Zoe who is in an abusive marriage with Dan. My heart went out to her straight away. From the off you can tell what a manipulative, horrible piece of work her husband is. Everyday he puts out what clothes she has to where what food she can have, what time she has to have it at, he really is an absolute control freak and she has no life at all. Who could blame her for wanting to leave him.
The story flicks between Zoe and Dan and the more I read about Dan, the more my dislike for him grew.
It is sooo hard to really say much about this story as to do so would just reveal major spoilers. There is so much I want to talk about but I can’t. So people need to seriously hurry up and read this! What I will say is that if you loved The Kind Worth killing by Peter Swanson, you will absolutely love this book!
Kiss Me, Kill Me is yet another thrilling and gripping read by the author. The author draws you in and gets you comfortable as you think you know where the story is headed, THEN he catapults you into a different direction of which my excitement just intensified. I literally could not turn those pages fast enough as I had absolutely no clue where the author was taking me and I didn’t really care, all I knew was that there was no way I was missing out on the roller coaster of a journey he was taking me on. An exhilarating and highly entertaining read!
My thanks to Bonner Zaffire for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The story flicks between Zoe and Dan and the more I read about Dan, the more my dislike for him grew.
It is sooo hard to really say much about this story as to do so would just reveal major spoilers. There is so much I want to talk about but I can’t. So people need to seriously hurry up and read this! What I will say is that if you loved The Kind Worth killing by Peter Swanson, you will absolutely love this book!
Kiss Me, Kill Me is yet another thrilling and gripping read by the author. The author draws you in and gets you comfortable as you think you know where the story is headed, THEN he catapults you into a different direction of which my excitement just intensified. I literally could not turn those pages fast enough as I had absolutely no clue where the author was taking me and I didn’t really care, all I knew was that there was no way I was missing out on the roller coaster of a journey he was taking me on. An exhilarating and highly entertaining read!
My thanks to Bonner Zaffire for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
December 11, 2017
**4.5 stars**
So the psychological thriller is still going strong - I read lots because I like the vibe but I get fed up when you get the same story constantly where often it feels like just the character names have been change - I like looking for those stand out ones - so it's refreshing when you kind of DO get the same story in some ways but it's in the hands of a master.
Anyone who's read the Jefferson Winter novels will know that James Carol can twist a plot and keep you edgy - in "Kiss Me Kill Me" his first novel for Bonnier Zaffre he takes on that "Gone Girl on a Train whose Sister is missing due to a twist you'll never see coming" thing and gives us a right proper page turner, where things are unpredictable in that reading comfort way, the characters are truly compelling and you do have a few of those "AARGH now what?" moments that just keep you turning the pages faster.
Poor Zoe - she's not having a happy time of it - but be careful what you wish for because you just might get it - that is all I'm going to say about the plot. Which is written in a kind of 3-episode tv series way that does give you the opportunity to at least get a cup of tea while you think about what you just read. Starting off as a psychological thriller and then finishing off with some real edge of the seat type stuff, Kiss Me Kill Me is genuinely engaging, extremely well written and pretty much does exactly what it says on the tin.
When you get to the end I'm not entirely sure whether you'll want to kiss James Carol or Kill him - but either way you'll have had a banging good read and met some darkly delicious characters.
Recommended.
So the psychological thriller is still going strong - I read lots because I like the vibe but I get fed up when you get the same story constantly where often it feels like just the character names have been change - I like looking for those stand out ones - so it's refreshing when you kind of DO get the same story in some ways but it's in the hands of a master.
Anyone who's read the Jefferson Winter novels will know that James Carol can twist a plot and keep you edgy - in "Kiss Me Kill Me" his first novel for Bonnier Zaffre he takes on that "Gone Girl on a Train whose Sister is missing due to a twist you'll never see coming" thing and gives us a right proper page turner, where things are unpredictable in that reading comfort way, the characters are truly compelling and you do have a few of those "AARGH now what?" moments that just keep you turning the pages faster.
Poor Zoe - she's not having a happy time of it - but be careful what you wish for because you just might get it - that is all I'm going to say about the plot. Which is written in a kind of 3-episode tv series way that does give you the opportunity to at least get a cup of tea while you think about what you just read. Starting off as a psychological thriller and then finishing off with some real edge of the seat type stuff, Kiss Me Kill Me is genuinely engaging, extremely well written and pretty much does exactly what it says on the tin.
When you get to the end I'm not entirely sure whether you'll want to kiss James Carol or Kill him - but either way you'll have had a banging good read and met some darkly delicious characters.
Recommended.
February 20, 2018
WOW, WOW and triple WOW! I loved Kiss Me Kill Me by J. S. Carol what a dark and twisted psychological thriller this one turned out to be. Any crime thriller lover will be familiar with James Carol and his crime books featuring Detective Jefferson Winter, which I’m a huge fan of by the way, the author has taken a step away from this series and written Kiss Me Kill Me a standalone psychological thriller.
From the book description I was expecting a “run of the mill” domestic noir kind of read, but how wrong I was! The author has written a gripping and highly compelling book that made it impossible to put down, cliched I know but in this case it’s very true. It’s one of those reads that unnerved me from the beginning with a constant sense of foreboding you just know this is one marriage that’s not going to end in a “happy ever after”.
Apologises for the vague review but this is definitely one of the less you know the more shocking the ride. What I loved about this book was the author’s ability to mislead the reader at every opportunity and he does it time after time, every time I thought I had it all worked out J. S. Carol hit me with another surprise. There are some uncomfortable scenes that deal with the ugly side of domestic abuse but they are fundamental to the plot and very much set the scene for the events that unfold.
J. S. Carol has taken the well used subject of domestic abuse and deftly turned it in to something much more than your garden variety psychological thriller. Kiss Me Kill Me is highly original, heart thumping and so very cleverly done, in case you haven’t already guessed I really, really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a psychological thriller with more than twists than a roller coaster.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
From the book description I was expecting a “run of the mill” domestic noir kind of read, but how wrong I was! The author has written a gripping and highly compelling book that made it impossible to put down, cliched I know but in this case it’s very true. It’s one of those reads that unnerved me from the beginning with a constant sense of foreboding you just know this is one marriage that’s not going to end in a “happy ever after”.
Apologises for the vague review but this is definitely one of the less you know the more shocking the ride. What I loved about this book was the author’s ability to mislead the reader at every opportunity and he does it time after time, every time I thought I had it all worked out J. S. Carol hit me with another surprise. There are some uncomfortable scenes that deal with the ugly side of domestic abuse but they are fundamental to the plot and very much set the scene for the events that unfold.
J. S. Carol has taken the well used subject of domestic abuse and deftly turned it in to something much more than your garden variety psychological thriller. Kiss Me Kill Me is highly original, heart thumping and so very cleverly done, in case you haven’t already guessed I really, really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a psychological thriller with more than twists than a roller coaster.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
February 24, 2018
I’m a big fan of this author so I was incredibly excited to get sent a copy of his first book for Bonnier Zaffre. Kiss Me Kill Me has a fantastically creepy and atmospheric cover so I couldn’t wait to dive into its pages and see what direction J.S Carol was planning to take me…..And I have to admit that it was a rather unexpected one! If ever a book could give you whiplash then it’s this one! I found myself twisting and turning in so many different directions that I practically needed a neck brace by the end of it!
This book is divided into three very different sections. Part One was the most chilling for me as our eyes are opened to the full extent of the present day emotional and physical abuse heaped upon Zoe by her husband of three years, Daniel. We look back with her as she describes their first meeting and we watch alongside her best friend Lizzie as she misses the signs of control that are slightly more obvious to those who are watching their relationship from a safe distance. This part of Zoe and Daniels story made my skin crawl as I watched this manipulative husband separate Zoe from her friends and job as he used his control to decide what she ate and when, what she wore and where she went. Zoe seemed resigned to her fate until one day something happens and she knows things need to change.
Which leads me nicely to Part Two where we see things from Daniels point of view including a rather shocking twist that I hadn’t seen coming! There’s a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of Daniels narrative which then flips the story right on its head for Part Three with some jaw dropping revelations.
The third part of Kiss Me Kill Me took on a very different feel and pace to the first two parts and for me wasn’t quite as strong for that reason. Saying that, this still became an unputdownable adrenaline rush towards the end, heading where I expected it to go but still leaving a few questions in my mind about it’s journey to get there.
I devoured this book during one afternoon, unable to let go of the characters until I knew everyone’s fate. The characterisation was spot on here. I hated Daniel but I also wanted Zoe to show more of a backbone at times even though I knew how dangerous her situation was. Watching them interact during those first few disturbing chapters actually gave me goosebumps and I wanted to read through my fingers at times as their domestic situation become clearer.
Reading Kiss Me Kill Me was an intense experience that began with a gripping hook and then catapulted the reader into a rollercoaster of emotions. It was a very chilling and claustrophobic account of a toxic marriage and even I had to escape at times, even if it was just to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.
Definitely one to watch out for.
This book is divided into three very different sections. Part One was the most chilling for me as our eyes are opened to the full extent of the present day emotional and physical abuse heaped upon Zoe by her husband of three years, Daniel. We look back with her as she describes their first meeting and we watch alongside her best friend Lizzie as she misses the signs of control that are slightly more obvious to those who are watching their relationship from a safe distance. This part of Zoe and Daniels story made my skin crawl as I watched this manipulative husband separate Zoe from her friends and job as he used his control to decide what she ate and when, what she wore and where she went. Zoe seemed resigned to her fate until one day something happens and she knows things need to change.
Which leads me nicely to Part Two where we see things from Daniels point of view including a rather shocking twist that I hadn’t seen coming! There’s a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of Daniels narrative which then flips the story right on its head for Part Three with some jaw dropping revelations.
The third part of Kiss Me Kill Me took on a very different feel and pace to the first two parts and for me wasn’t quite as strong for that reason. Saying that, this still became an unputdownable adrenaline rush towards the end, heading where I expected it to go but still leaving a few questions in my mind about it’s journey to get there.
I devoured this book during one afternoon, unable to let go of the characters until I knew everyone’s fate. The characterisation was spot on here. I hated Daniel but I also wanted Zoe to show more of a backbone at times even though I knew how dangerous her situation was. Watching them interact during those first few disturbing chapters actually gave me goosebumps and I wanted to read through my fingers at times as their domestic situation become clearer.
Reading Kiss Me Kill Me was an intense experience that began with a gripping hook and then catapulted the reader into a rollercoaster of emotions. It was a very chilling and claustrophobic account of a toxic marriage and even I had to escape at times, even if it was just to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.
Definitely one to watch out for.
July 20, 2018
I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley!
T/W- Abusive Relationship, Murder, Controlling Behaviour
I won't lie, this was one of the most disturbing books I've ever read and not in a good way that I normally feel with thrillers. Right from the start, I was not only struggling to engage with the story, I couldn't connect to any of the characters and the pacing/constant switching back and forth between the past and the present day was extremely distracting. The main character Zoe is in a relationship with Daniel, yet he is abusive and controlling. Some of his actions throughout the first half of the story made me feel very uncomfortable. I wasn't a fan and therefore, will not be re-reading this book.
T/W- Abusive Relationship, Murder, Controlling Behaviour
I won't lie, this was one of the most disturbing books I've ever read and not in a good way that I normally feel with thrillers. Right from the start, I was not only struggling to engage with the story, I couldn't connect to any of the characters and the pacing/constant switching back and forth between the past and the present day was extremely distracting. The main character Zoe is in a relationship with Daniel, yet he is abusive and controlling. Some of his actions throughout the first half of the story made me feel very uncomfortable. I wasn't a fan and therefore, will not be re-reading this book.
March 8, 2018
This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be looking out for more. This was a behind closed doors story with many many twists!!
From the outside Zoe and Daniel looked like the perfect couple in their beautiful house and expensive cars.. but don't believe everything you see. Daniel is controlling, to the point where Zoe can't even choose her own clothes or food. To be honest for a while there Zoe really did annoy me for putting up with it but as I got further in I felt sorry for her. The last part of this book was so intense but not wanting to spoil it for anybody.
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions. I realis d only today that it came out in February but the NetGalley date shows May.. sorry my review is late
From the outside Zoe and Daniel looked like the perfect couple in their beautiful house and expensive cars.. but don't believe everything you see. Daniel is controlling, to the point where Zoe can't even choose her own clothes or food. To be honest for a while there Zoe really did annoy me for putting up with it but as I got further in I felt sorry for her. The last part of this book was so intense but not wanting to spoil it for anybody.
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions. I realis d only today that it came out in February but the NetGalley date shows May.. sorry my review is late
June 29, 2018
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
Kiss Me, Kill Me is an addictive, clever psychological thriller with some truly challenging, provocative characters. Told through various points of view, we slowly unpick more about Zoe's life with her awful husband Dan, and the more we find out, the more I hate him and feel for Zoe.
I don't want to give too much away about the story but you're really rooting for Zoe to escape this awful life with him, but Dan makes it incredibly hard to do so - and he's managed to stop her before. Will she finally manage it - or is Dan one step ahead?
There are surprises along the way, which meant that even when I thought I knew what was going on and had a handle on things, I suddenly found I had got it all wrong - and I love those sorts of novels!
In some ways the pace is fairly slow, for example when we're learning about how Zoe met Dan and their younger life together, and at times I wanted to get back to the present tense so I could find out whether Zoe's plans to escape would be successful. However, the background all helps you understand the bigger picture, so it's worth it!
This is the first novel I've read by James Carol and it's certainly piqued my interest in other titles. I'd recommend this novel to anyone looking for a clever plot, convincing characters and great writing!
Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
Kiss Me, Kill Me is an addictive, clever psychological thriller with some truly challenging, provocative characters. Told through various points of view, we slowly unpick more about Zoe's life with her awful husband Dan, and the more we find out, the more I hate him and feel for Zoe.
I don't want to give too much away about the story but you're really rooting for Zoe to escape this awful life with him, but Dan makes it incredibly hard to do so - and he's managed to stop her before. Will she finally manage it - or is Dan one step ahead?
There are surprises along the way, which meant that even when I thought I knew what was going on and had a handle on things, I suddenly found I had got it all wrong - and I love those sorts of novels!
In some ways the pace is fairly slow, for example when we're learning about how Zoe met Dan and their younger life together, and at times I wanted to get back to the present tense so I could find out whether Zoe's plans to escape would be successful. However, the background all helps you understand the bigger picture, so it's worth it!
This is the first novel I've read by James Carol and it's certainly piqued my interest in other titles. I'd recommend this novel to anyone looking for a clever plot, convincing characters and great writing!
Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
February 28, 2018
I tend to read a lot from the psychological thriller genre, I enjoy books that get right into my head and mess it up a bit with twists and turns and WTF's.
Kiss Me, Kill Me was an enjoyable read, the first half being it's better half. As the story progressed, I felt that it went off on an unexpected tangent, which kept my interest piqued all the way through to the conclusion, but at times, it did get a bit far-fetched for my liking.
The characters behaviour and reasonings were just bordering on unbelievable. Putting myself in Zoe's shoes, the main protagonist, I felt that her thought processes and decisions didn't properly reflect the sheer seriousness and intensity of the situation. She was a bit wet behind the ears, shall we say.
I also found that the dialogue didn't have a huge amount of depth, making the characters undeveloped and slightly uninteresting. The repetitive use of 'keep you safe' started to get on my nerves after I'd read it for the tenth time.
Now, it sounds like I'm properly dissing this book, but rest assured, I most definitely am not. As I said at the start of my review, I enjoyed reading this. I REALLY enjoyed reading this. These kinds of thrillers are pouring out all over the show lately, and I'm a tough reader to please in this genre, because I feel like I've read it all before.
Kiss Me, Kill Me was different in that it's unusual spiral of events were unexpected and never have I come across a psycho-thrill that went off on such a crazy-assed tangent! For that reason alone, my brain was getting a good old mashing that was keeping me turning those pages.
I'd like to thank the publishers Bonnier Zaffre for sending me an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2018
This is my first book by J.S. Carol - in fact coming across this book was the first time I heard/saw the authors name! I am going to grab all of James Carol's other titles today and am excited to dig right in! I agree that fans of M J Arlidge and Angela Marsons would enjoy this immensely as I did.
From page one I knew I was going to love this one. Sometimes you just get that feeling, you know. Boy, was I right about that one! I was thoroughly invested from the very beginning. I felt his writing style really suited me and made it an easy and fluid read. I was so under this books spell that I finished it in one day and swiftly searched the web for the author and his other titles for me to get my hands on!
Most of the twists and turns were not ones I could predict beforehand which gives the story a fantastic shock value when situations do arise. The book is told from two different perspectives - Zoe's and Daniel's and also flicks back and forth between the past and present. This is rather a difficult review to compose as a lot of the content cannot really be disclosed as it would be considered a spoiler and I hate to alter the experience of other readers so my review will remain spoiler free.
For those who like to read quality psychological thrillers - This is well worth your time!
Thank you to J.S. Carol, Bonnier Zaffre & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
From page one I knew I was going to love this one. Sometimes you just get that feeling, you know. Boy, was I right about that one! I was thoroughly invested from the very beginning. I felt his writing style really suited me and made it an easy and fluid read. I was so under this books spell that I finished it in one day and swiftly searched the web for the author and his other titles for me to get my hands on!
Most of the twists and turns were not ones I could predict beforehand which gives the story a fantastic shock value when situations do arise. The book is told from two different perspectives - Zoe's and Daniel's and also flicks back and forth between the past and present. This is rather a difficult review to compose as a lot of the content cannot really be disclosed as it would be considered a spoiler and I hate to alter the experience of other readers so my review will remain spoiler free.
For those who like to read quality psychological thrillers - This is well worth your time!
Thank you to J.S. Carol, Bonnier Zaffre & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
June 1, 2018
Daniel was everything Zoë could have hoped for in a man. Why wouldn't she marry him? If only she knew then what she knows now!
From being a charming and supportive man, Dan has morphed into an obsessive, abusive, controlling and paranoid monster. Her only hopes are focused on escaping the horrifically dreadful situation she is in, especially now that she is pregnant. But will she be able to get it right this time around?
The book jumps from Zoë and Dan's perspective as well as the past and present. I really can't reveal much more, but know that this is not your straightforward wife escaping her abusive husband story. It is so much more, with the author stupefying the reader with unexpected twists and turns, taking the plot in a direction that I wouldn't have dared guess.
Although some turn of events seemed somewhat far-fetched, I enjoyed reading this fast-paced, emotional psychological thriller that had me in its grips to the very end.
Many thanks to J.S Carol, Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.
From being a charming and supportive man, Dan has morphed into an obsessive, abusive, controlling and paranoid monster. Her only hopes are focused on escaping the horrifically dreadful situation she is in, especially now that she is pregnant. But will she be able to get it right this time around?
The book jumps from Zoë and Dan's perspective as well as the past and present. I really can't reveal much more, but know that this is not your straightforward wife escaping her abusive husband story. It is so much more, with the author stupefying the reader with unexpected twists and turns, taking the plot in a direction that I wouldn't have dared guess.
Although some turn of events seemed somewhat far-fetched, I enjoyed reading this fast-paced, emotional psychological thriller that had me in its grips to the very end.
Many thanks to J.S Carol, Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.
January 23, 2018
OHMYGOD what?!
This is Not what I expected! I definitely did not see this book taking a whole 180° turn.
The story follows a young girl in her twenties, Zoe, who gets married to a guy named Daniel but after her wedding she realizes that Daniel isn't the person she thought she married.
Buuuuuutttt noooo. It might seem like you've got the whole story figured out but no no no!
You just have to understand that everything is not what it seems.
I would've given this book a 5 star rating but the dialogues weren't good enough to convince me.
All in all, Zoe had one hell of a bumpy ride!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Bonnier Zaffre for giving me an arc of this book!
This is Not what I expected! I definitely did not see this book taking a whole 180° turn.
The story follows a young girl in her twenties, Zoe, who gets married to a guy named Daniel but after her wedding she realizes that Daniel isn't the person she thought she married.
Buuuuuutttt noooo. It might seem like you've got the whole story figured out but no no no!
You just have to understand that everything is not what it seems.
I would've given this book a 5 star rating but the dialogues weren't good enough to convince me.
All in all, Zoe had one hell of a bumpy ride!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Bonnier Zaffre for giving me an arc of this book!
February 22, 2018
Warning - This review contains spoilers.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book which started off stronger than it finished. The first section of the book was thrilling and culminated in a shocking twist which the reader didn’t see coming. Zoe is trapped in a loveless marriage with the controlling and abusive Daniel. Whilst much of Daniel’s backstory goes untold (save a quick reference to a neglectful childhood) this portion of the book borders on the believable and creates a sense of genuine fear and unease in the reader. The chapters jump between the past and present, slowing revealing how Zoe ended up where she was. When Zoe finds out she is pregnant she knows the time has come when she has to escape and begins to make a plan. The story rapidly shifts perspectives as Daniel is informed his wife has died in a sudden fire at the family home just as he is about to leave on a Business trip. It is soon revealed that Daniel had arranged the hit on Zoe, after discovering that she was having an affair with his business partner. I felt that Daniel’s paranoia and need to control Zoe by any means necessary was understandable, however I found it hard to believe that Zoe would have slept with Josh, knowing the risk this would pose to her if Daniel was to find out.
The remainder of the book felt confused and disappointing; after escaping her husband by nothing more than a twist of fate, Zoe finds herself a prisoner once more. Locked in a remote cabin in the woods, Zoe is kept captive by her overprotective step-brother which results in several repetitive and unsuccessful attempts to escape. Having killed both Daniel and Josh, Gabriel insists that Zoe must stay hidden in order to protect herself. Having lost both his wife and young daughter in a house fire, the ex-sniper turned hitman is driven by a twisted desire to protect Zoe and replace the family he once lost. Zoe eventually manages to escape by setting fire to the cabin and stealing a car, running Gabriel over in the process. After driving to the nearest hospital, Zoe recounts the story to the police who are happy to believe she had no involvement with the killings and inform her that Gabriel has yet to be found. Zoe gives birth to a daughter and proceeds to start a life on the run, fearful that one day Gabriel will catch up with her.
I found the ending rather unsatisfactory and the switch from Daniel to Gabriel as the ‘bad-guy’ felt strange and unnatural. After the initial twist the plot continues at a slow place and there is little character development or growth and whilst I wasn’t necessarily expecting a happy ending for Zoe it seemed odd that after all she had been through she would end up running from the one man she thought she could trust, who may not even be alive. I didn’t understand why Zoe would turn to her step-brother when she already had a plan in place to escape with her ex-best-friend Lizzie, or why the author didn’t just have Daniel go crazy and drag Zoe off to the woods himself. I love a far-fetched thriller as much as the next reader, however this one went a bit too far for my liking and I was ultimately left disappointed.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book which started off stronger than it finished. The first section of the book was thrilling and culminated in a shocking twist which the reader didn’t see coming. Zoe is trapped in a loveless marriage with the controlling and abusive Daniel. Whilst much of Daniel’s backstory goes untold (save a quick reference to a neglectful childhood) this portion of the book borders on the believable and creates a sense of genuine fear and unease in the reader. The chapters jump between the past and present, slowing revealing how Zoe ended up where she was. When Zoe finds out she is pregnant she knows the time has come when she has to escape and begins to make a plan. The story rapidly shifts perspectives as Daniel is informed his wife has died in a sudden fire at the family home just as he is about to leave on a Business trip. It is soon revealed that Daniel had arranged the hit on Zoe, after discovering that she was having an affair with his business partner. I felt that Daniel’s paranoia and need to control Zoe by any means necessary was understandable, however I found it hard to believe that Zoe would have slept with Josh, knowing the risk this would pose to her if Daniel was to find out.
The remainder of the book felt confused and disappointing; after escaping her husband by nothing more than a twist of fate, Zoe finds herself a prisoner once more. Locked in a remote cabin in the woods, Zoe is kept captive by her overprotective step-brother which results in several repetitive and unsuccessful attempts to escape. Having killed both Daniel and Josh, Gabriel insists that Zoe must stay hidden in order to protect herself. Having lost both his wife and young daughter in a house fire, the ex-sniper turned hitman is driven by a twisted desire to protect Zoe and replace the family he once lost. Zoe eventually manages to escape by setting fire to the cabin and stealing a car, running Gabriel over in the process. After driving to the nearest hospital, Zoe recounts the story to the police who are happy to believe she had no involvement with the killings and inform her that Gabriel has yet to be found. Zoe gives birth to a daughter and proceeds to start a life on the run, fearful that one day Gabriel will catch up with her.
I found the ending rather unsatisfactory and the switch from Daniel to Gabriel as the ‘bad-guy’ felt strange and unnatural. After the initial twist the plot continues at a slow place and there is little character development or growth and whilst I wasn’t necessarily expecting a happy ending for Zoe it seemed odd that after all she had been through she would end up running from the one man she thought she could trust, who may not even be alive. I didn’t understand why Zoe would turn to her step-brother when she already had a plan in place to escape with her ex-best-friend Lizzie, or why the author didn’t just have Daniel go crazy and drag Zoe off to the woods himself. I love a far-fetched thriller as much as the next reader, however this one went a bit too far for my liking and I was ultimately left disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2018
During the first section of this three-part story I thought I was reading a domestic suspense novel which was far too similar to one or two others about abusive relationships that I've read before. How wrong I was! When the perspective changed in part two, it became clear this was going to head somewhere different. It became increasingly gripping at this stage, but it didn't stop there. James Carol threw in several more surprises and in true fashion to his other books, this became one wild, unpredictable and totally engrossing journey. Love this author's writing and pleased to say he hasn't let me down yet. 4.5 stars. Great audio narration.
August 10, 2020
I liked how the story had a major twist that I didn't see coming and kept the story fresh. I wasn't exactly hooked as much as I have been other books - but the story was good and definitely worth a read. I liked Zoe's character, how you can tell she's strong even when Dan is trying to break her. I love strong characters in books and I do love the twists I don't see coming. Definitely worth a read.
May 31, 2018
Kiss Me, Kill Me is a twisty psychological thriller by JS Carol. When Zoe meets Daniel, she believes he is the one. But slowly, she begins to see a different side to him. Where before he was loving, he is now controlling. And dangerous. Zoe realizes that there is only one way out of her marriage and has to find the courage to put her plan into motion. Twisty. 3 stars
May 6, 2019
A book of two halves for me, which I'll explain best I can without giving anything away. Part one of the book had me totally engrossed. Told from Zoe's POV, the abuse she suffers at the hands of her husband makes for hard reading at times - though my blood was boiling with indignation, I couldn't put it down. Then it was, "WHOA!!" I didn't see THAT coming!" - how nice to be taken by surprise ;o)
The twists were by no means over as the story took an unexpected tack. Yet from this point to the conclusion, the story had a different feel to it & didn't enthral me quite the same, finding at times the later parts were less than credible. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but to be fair I so often am, so that's no detriment but I would've have liked something more dramatic...or even better to have been shocked by a final twist! :o)
The twists were by no means over as the story took an unexpected tack. Yet from this point to the conclusion, the story had a different feel to it & didn't enthral me quite the same, finding at times the later parts were less than credible. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but to be fair I so often am, so that's no detriment but I would've have liked something more dramatic...or even better to have been shocked by a final twist! :o)
March 14, 2018
A girl living in a small town aspires to be a New York Times bestselling author. Until then she works in a restaurant to make ends meet with her friend and roommate Lizzy. Life is good. It’s even better when handsome, charming Daniel walks into her life. He is everything she could possibly ask for in a partner. Caring, supportive, stable, loving. Zoe had a rough start but now life has delivered to her a future tied with bow. And despite Lizzy’s concerns, she throws herself into the relationship. Because Daniel is all that matters. He is “The One.”
A young woman sits in her kitchen, listening to the sound of her husband’s footfalls upstairs, awaiting his departure for work. It is their third anniversary and she celebrates with the meagre portion of food he restricts her to and thoughts of her punishment should she ignore orders. Married life is not what she expected it to be. From the moment of the honeymoon, it has entailed fear, anguish, hunger and punishment. It is three years since she met him in that restaurant and for three years she has suffered his abuse. But now Zoe is pregnant and she will do anything to keep her child safe from Daniel.
Something I loved about Kiss Me, Kill Me is how J. S. Carol familiarises you with the characters, settles you into the story, then pulls the rug out from under your feet. I was sure I had the ending figured out, then all off a sudden, everything shifts and I’m left wondering where the afternoon went. I really felt for Zoe in this book. She rushed into a relationship with this man, blindsided by his intelligence and charm, completely dubious to his manipulation and cunning tricks. And when she tries to run away, he tracks her down like a predictor on the hunt for its prey and forces her to return home with him. For three years she was stuck in a marriage and when the possibility of escape arrives, it is almost as frightening and dangerous as staying. Not only is this a gripping read, it is also a very emotional one!
J. S. Carol’s characterisation is fantastic, his writing wonderful. I really, really enjoyed Kiss Me, Kill Me. As soon as I read the first sentence, I was hooked. This is a fantastic new addition to the genre, a slice of perfection that will have psychological thriller fans in it grips for hours!
Thrilling. Shocking. Fabulous
A young woman sits in her kitchen, listening to the sound of her husband’s footfalls upstairs, awaiting his departure for work. It is their third anniversary and she celebrates with the meagre portion of food he restricts her to and thoughts of her punishment should she ignore orders. Married life is not what she expected it to be. From the moment of the honeymoon, it has entailed fear, anguish, hunger and punishment. It is three years since she met him in that restaurant and for three years she has suffered his abuse. But now Zoe is pregnant and she will do anything to keep her child safe from Daniel.
Something I loved about Kiss Me, Kill Me is how J. S. Carol familiarises you with the characters, settles you into the story, then pulls the rug out from under your feet. I was sure I had the ending figured out, then all off a sudden, everything shifts and I’m left wondering where the afternoon went. I really felt for Zoe in this book. She rushed into a relationship with this man, blindsided by his intelligence and charm, completely dubious to his manipulation and cunning tricks. And when she tries to run away, he tracks her down like a predictor on the hunt for its prey and forces her to return home with him. For three years she was stuck in a marriage and when the possibility of escape arrives, it is almost as frightening and dangerous as staying. Not only is this a gripping read, it is also a very emotional one!
J. S. Carol’s characterisation is fantastic, his writing wonderful. I really, really enjoyed Kiss Me, Kill Me. As soon as I read the first sentence, I was hooked. This is a fantastic new addition to the genre, a slice of perfection that will have psychological thriller fans in it grips for hours!
Thrilling. Shocking. Fabulous
January 24, 2018
The first half of the book describes how Zoe meets with Dan and discovers, after marrying him, that he is not at all what she thought. Flitting between past and present the reader sees how Dan isolated her from her friend and essentially keeps her a prisoner in her own home.
Quite early on I wondered whether to continue with the book. I seem to have read a few books lately about dysfunctional relationships and abusive husbands and this book felt really obvious. There was no nuance, no character development, no real reason why Zoe would fall for Dan or why he behaved the way he did. I checked out a few reviews and there was mention of a big plot twist so I continued reading on this basis, and honestly felt like I had just wasted a couple of days reading a book that offered nothing new. The plot twist was really just another character who wanted to keep Zoe a prisoner. Again, there was no real reason why and no character development. All in all the book felt very flat to me.
Thanks to the publishers and net galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Quite early on I wondered whether to continue with the book. I seem to have read a few books lately about dysfunctional relationships and abusive husbands and this book felt really obvious. There was no nuance, no character development, no real reason why Zoe would fall for Dan or why he behaved the way he did. I checked out a few reviews and there was mention of a big plot twist so I continued reading on this basis, and honestly felt like I had just wasted a couple of days reading a book that offered nothing new. The plot twist was really just another character who wanted to keep Zoe a prisoner. Again, there was no real reason why and no character development. All in all the book felt very flat to me.
Thanks to the publishers and net galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.
June 10, 2018
I tried so hard to get into this but I found the characters a bit blasé, I didn’t identify with anyone and I feel that 2018 has been the year of ‘domestic abuse psychological thrillers’. They seem to be coming in droves at the moment and my heart sunk a little when it followed the exact same pattern the others have.
November 4, 2021
Sadly gave up on this book, beginning was great but as the author wrote on page 337 'it ran out of steam' the beginning was interesting then it became boring and dragged out a pretty boring story line for some time, made it to page 346/410
January 6, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advance copy of Kiss Me, Kill Me, a stand alone psychological thriller set in Portland, Oregon.
After three years of marriage Zoe is desperate to escape her abusive husband, Daniel. But how, when he doesn't let her have any money and micromanages her every waking hour?
I thoroughly enjoyed Kiss Me, Kill Me on various levels. Firstly I think the structure is amazing and perfect for the subject matter. It is made up of three parts with parts one and two being Zoe's and Daniel's versions of their current life with flashbacks to how they got there. The contrast is fascinating. The third part is Zoe's life in real time and boy, does it contain some twists. Secondly I like the way Mr Carol takes a fairly generic tale of abuse and turns it into something completely different. The tension ratchets up as the novel continues. Thirdly I wonder about Mr Carol's own domestic arrangements when his imagination can conjure up such creepy details of abuse.
The novel starts with some details of Daniel and Zoe's life. They make the savvy reader slightly uneasy and suspicious but as the full extent of his control becomes apparent it's deeply unsettling, not least because there is little explanation for it and because of the gradual nature of it. Zoe, however, is not a particularly likeable protagonist as she comes over as a bit of a wet blanket but constant abuse and degradation have that effect so she's probably very well depicted. Her poor judgement is at the root of many of her problems. Her terror and desperation are well described and easy to identify with. I'm not even going to discuss Daniel as controlling psychopath covers his character adequately.
What happens as the novel progresses is a major twist I defy any reader to anticipate. It's not very likely but it ratchets up the tension and draws the reader in further, turning a sad story of domestic abuse into a tense thriller.
Kiss Me, Kill Me is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
After three years of marriage Zoe is desperate to escape her abusive husband, Daniel. But how, when he doesn't let her have any money and micromanages her every waking hour?
I thoroughly enjoyed Kiss Me, Kill Me on various levels. Firstly I think the structure is amazing and perfect for the subject matter. It is made up of three parts with parts one and two being Zoe's and Daniel's versions of their current life with flashbacks to how they got there. The contrast is fascinating. The third part is Zoe's life in real time and boy, does it contain some twists. Secondly I like the way Mr Carol takes a fairly generic tale of abuse and turns it into something completely different. The tension ratchets up as the novel continues. Thirdly I wonder about Mr Carol's own domestic arrangements when his imagination can conjure up such creepy details of abuse.
The novel starts with some details of Daniel and Zoe's life. They make the savvy reader slightly uneasy and suspicious but as the full extent of his control becomes apparent it's deeply unsettling, not least because there is little explanation for it and because of the gradual nature of it. Zoe, however, is not a particularly likeable protagonist as she comes over as a bit of a wet blanket but constant abuse and degradation have that effect so she's probably very well depicted. Her poor judgement is at the root of many of her problems. Her terror and desperation are well described and easy to identify with. I'm not even going to discuss Daniel as controlling psychopath covers his character adequately.
What happens as the novel progresses is a major twist I defy any reader to anticipate. It's not very likely but it ratchets up the tension and draws the reader in further, turning a sad story of domestic abuse into a tense thriller.
Kiss Me, Kill Me is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
May 28, 2018
I wasn’t expecting this book to have so many twists and turns when I read the blurb.
The book starts off from Zoe’s perspective, and we learn that her whole life is being controlled by her husband. He even decides what she eats and drinks, and makes her weigh herself in front of him once a week.
Zoe is not allowed money or a phone and her attempt to escape Daniel ended up badly so she is hesitant to try again.
I really felt for Zoe and just wanted her to get the hell out of there!
She starts to make plans to escape again and then this is when the book switches over to Daniel’s perspective. Because I’d read how badly he’d treated Zoe I really didn’t want to hear his view on the situation.
More twists and turns then kick in and head towards a great ending.
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The book starts off from Zoe’s perspective, and we learn that her whole life is being controlled by her husband. He even decides what she eats and drinks, and makes her weigh herself in front of him once a week.
Zoe is not allowed money or a phone and her attempt to escape Daniel ended up badly so she is hesitant to try again.
I really felt for Zoe and just wanted her to get the hell out of there!
She starts to make plans to escape again and then this is when the book switches over to Daniel’s perspective. Because I’d read how badly he’d treated Zoe I really didn’t want to hear his view on the situation.
More twists and turns then kick in and head towards a great ending.
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
June 8, 2018
Zoe meets Daniel, they get married and everything is perfectly hunky-dory until Zoe realises that Dan is not only controlling but cruel. She hatches a plan to escape. Unfortunately nothing goes to plan and she finds herself in a bigger pickle than ever.
Those are the barest of bones to this awful, awful book.
It is so badly written, stuffed with cliches, predictable (yes, even the “twist”), and so totally unbelievable. You want detail? It's all here – every single thing explained to the nth degree; nothing is left to the imagination. This author doesn't trust his readers to draw their own conclusions, so it's all laid out for you, which is so tiresome. You've forgotten one of those details? Fear not, the author repeats, and repeats, especially Zoe's reactions and thoughts. The first two parts of this book are written with alternating chapters of Now and Then which is not only unnecessary, but irritatingly confusing.
Why do we need to know that the owner of a house is a widow with three cats? Thank goodness I was told Zoe's umbrella had a “large canopy and was as colourful as Mary's dressing gown”, and that she'd bought it on her second day in Seattle; I would have felt cheated if I hadn't known that.
The oh-so-cheesy dialogue, especially between Zoe and Daniel (by the way, he hates to be called Dan). Example of the sparkling dialogue:
“Look, I love you Zoe. I want your face to be the last thing I see at night and the first thing I see in the morning, and call me selfish, but I want that every day. I want us to be together forever.........”
Wow – original, or what!
Zoe is, apparently, a writer, although she hasn't actually produced anything. Finally she manages to write a novel, the subject of which is treated so casually by Mr Carol, I actually gasped. How she manages this without months of research is beyond me. Ironically Zoe knows that “.....plenty of work that still needed to be done, but it was nothing a good editor couldn't help with”. Note to self, Mr Carol. And why is it necessary to refer to her book by its title every flipping time it's mentioned? Mr Carol seems to have a fixation on cars as it's not enough to mention the car, but the make of each car every single time! Enough already!
There are so many flaws in this: Given that Zoe had a car why didn't she go to a women's refuge? She has Victim written all over her forehead, and my word, she plays it for all it's worth - but why is there no explanation for Daniel's behaviour? It's not as if this author is shy about giving us explanations and stating the obvious. Why is it necessary to state, every time he appears, that Detective Tommy Wang is an Asian? He's also very accepting of all explanations offered to him.
Timeline inconsistencies are not only confusing but annoying. Maybe the author was as confused as I, and just decided not to bother getting it right.
And don't get me started on the ending....
I wouldn't have been surprised had this been this author's first novel, but apparently he's written a whole series (!) of successful books. Well, this is the first and last I will reading from Mr Carol.
This wins my Worst Book of the Year.
Thanks (I think) to Amazon for an ARC
Those are the barest of bones to this awful, awful book.
It is so badly written, stuffed with cliches, predictable (yes, even the “twist”), and so totally unbelievable. You want detail? It's all here – every single thing explained to the nth degree; nothing is left to the imagination. This author doesn't trust his readers to draw their own conclusions, so it's all laid out for you, which is so tiresome. You've forgotten one of those details? Fear not, the author repeats, and repeats, especially Zoe's reactions and thoughts. The first two parts of this book are written with alternating chapters of Now and Then which is not only unnecessary, but irritatingly confusing.
Why do we need to know that the owner of a house is a widow with three cats? Thank goodness I was told Zoe's umbrella had a “large canopy and was as colourful as Mary's dressing gown”, and that she'd bought it on her second day in Seattle; I would have felt cheated if I hadn't known that.
The oh-so-cheesy dialogue, especially between Zoe and Daniel (by the way, he hates to be called Dan). Example of the sparkling dialogue:
“Look, I love you Zoe. I want your face to be the last thing I see at night and the first thing I see in the morning, and call me selfish, but I want that every day. I want us to be together forever.........”
Wow – original, or what!
Zoe is, apparently, a writer, although she hasn't actually produced anything. Finally she manages to write a novel, the subject of which is treated so casually by Mr Carol, I actually gasped. How she manages this without months of research is beyond me. Ironically Zoe knows that “.....plenty of work that still needed to be done, but it was nothing a good editor couldn't help with”. Note to self, Mr Carol. And why is it necessary to refer to her book by its title every flipping time it's mentioned? Mr Carol seems to have a fixation on cars as it's not enough to mention the car, but the make of each car every single time! Enough already!
There are so many flaws in this: Given that Zoe had a car why didn't she go to a women's refuge? She has Victim written all over her forehead, and my word, she plays it for all it's worth - but why is there no explanation for Daniel's behaviour? It's not as if this author is shy about giving us explanations and stating the obvious. Why is it necessary to state, every time he appears, that Detective Tommy Wang is an Asian? He's also very accepting of all explanations offered to him.
Timeline inconsistencies are not only confusing but annoying. Maybe the author was as confused as I, and just decided not to bother getting it right.
And don't get me started on the ending....
I wouldn't have been surprised had this been this author's first novel, but apparently he's written a whole series (!) of successful books. Well, this is the first and last I will reading from Mr Carol.
This wins my Worst Book of the Year.
Thanks (I think) to Amazon for an ARC
March 9, 2018
I am SUCH a fan of J.S. Carol’s writing. He’s one of my very favourite authors so when an unexpected delivery of book post arrived and his name was on the cover, I have to confess, I whooped for joy! And maybe did a little jig around the kitchen, but unless you have photographic evidence of that it’s not something I’m going to confess to anytime soon.
J. S. Carol is the author of the incredible Jefferson Winter series (click HERE for my review of the fourth book in the Jefferson Winter series, The Quiet Man) plus the awesome standalone thriller The Killing Game). As authors go, I think it’s safe to say that J. S. (or James) Carol is one of my all-time favourites. So I was a little giddy to have his latest release in my paws. So giddy I made a start on it almost straight away (which is kind of unheard of at damppebbles HQ. I regularly leave books on the shelf for large periods of time; some glaring at me, some giving me the eye!) Anyway, to cut to the chase, Kiss Me, Kill Me is published in eBook by Bonnier Zaffre on 22nd February (happy eBook publication day!) and in paperback towards the end of May 2018.
Zoe believes she has met the perfect man in Daniel. He’s everything she has always wanted in a partner. Life is pretty much perfect; Daniel is at her beck and call, he lavishes her with expensive and ornate gifts, and treats her as though she is the centre of his world. So when Daniel proposes, Zoe gleefully accepts. Life is good. They’re married, they’re in love and it’s everything Zoe has always wanted (plus he gives her time and space to write the novel she has wanted to pen for years). But a few weeks into married life things take an unexpected turn and Daniel suddenly starts to show his true colours. He becomes domineering, controlling and threatening. Zoe has no say, no control and no way out. Who can she trust? Who can she turn to, to escape the man she loves?
So, this book made me angry (in a ‘provoking a reaction or an emotion’ way). Reading the chapters set in the present day I was aghast at the way Daniel treated Zoe and in all honesty, it was making my blood boil. To the point where I had to put down Kiss Me, Kill Me on a couple of occasions and just walk away. Regular visitors to my blog will know that I read a lot of crime, which translates to a lot of bad people doing a lot of bad stuff, but this…! This despicable, deviant character with his callous, intimidating behaviour towards this poor woman who had been totally duped into marrying him. Well, this sort of plotline is obviously my breaking point. I felt sick to my stomach for Zoe, I wanted to reach into the pages and rescue her from her nightmare. Hats off to the author for provoking such a strong emotional response in me. Brilliantly written but oh my gosh, hard to read at times.
The book is divided into three parts. The first part is told from Zoe’s point of view; her day to day incarceration, her carefully measured and balanced diet, the way her clothes are laid out for her each and every day. The second part is told from Daniel’s perspective and drops a bombshell on the reader that you really don’t expect. I loved both of these sections. By this time, both Zoe and Daniel had gotten under my skin and I was pretty much obsessed with the pair of them. The third part lost a little of the ‘pull’ that the first two parts had, for me. It was still gripping and I was completely hooked but not in the same way as before.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It’s superb, incredibly entertaining and really quite disturbing in places. I was completely smitten with Carol’s characters in this novel but in quite different ways. There was one section where I could see what was coming but everything else took me completely by surprise. The ending was missing a few undotted i’s and a couple of uncrossed t’s, so it makes me wonder if we will see some of these characters again in a future novel. I certainly hope that is the case! I loved this book. Love, love, loved it!
Five out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Kiss Me, Kill Me. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
J. S. Carol is the author of the incredible Jefferson Winter series (click HERE for my review of the fourth book in the Jefferson Winter series, The Quiet Man) plus the awesome standalone thriller The Killing Game). As authors go, I think it’s safe to say that J. S. (or James) Carol is one of my all-time favourites. So I was a little giddy to have his latest release in my paws. So giddy I made a start on it almost straight away (which is kind of unheard of at damppebbles HQ. I regularly leave books on the shelf for large periods of time; some glaring at me, some giving me the eye!) Anyway, to cut to the chase, Kiss Me, Kill Me is published in eBook by Bonnier Zaffre on 22nd February (happy eBook publication day!) and in paperback towards the end of May 2018.
Zoe believes she has met the perfect man in Daniel. He’s everything she has always wanted in a partner. Life is pretty much perfect; Daniel is at her beck and call, he lavishes her with expensive and ornate gifts, and treats her as though she is the centre of his world. So when Daniel proposes, Zoe gleefully accepts. Life is good. They’re married, they’re in love and it’s everything Zoe has always wanted (plus he gives her time and space to write the novel she has wanted to pen for years). But a few weeks into married life things take an unexpected turn and Daniel suddenly starts to show his true colours. He becomes domineering, controlling and threatening. Zoe has no say, no control and no way out. Who can she trust? Who can she turn to, to escape the man she loves?
So, this book made me angry (in a ‘provoking a reaction or an emotion’ way). Reading the chapters set in the present day I was aghast at the way Daniel treated Zoe and in all honesty, it was making my blood boil. To the point where I had to put down Kiss Me, Kill Me on a couple of occasions and just walk away. Regular visitors to my blog will know that I read a lot of crime, which translates to a lot of bad people doing a lot of bad stuff, but this…! This despicable, deviant character with his callous, intimidating behaviour towards this poor woman who had been totally duped into marrying him. Well, this sort of plotline is obviously my breaking point. I felt sick to my stomach for Zoe, I wanted to reach into the pages and rescue her from her nightmare. Hats off to the author for provoking such a strong emotional response in me. Brilliantly written but oh my gosh, hard to read at times.
The book is divided into three parts. The first part is told from Zoe’s point of view; her day to day incarceration, her carefully measured and balanced diet, the way her clothes are laid out for her each and every day. The second part is told from Daniel’s perspective and drops a bombshell on the reader that you really don’t expect. I loved both of these sections. By this time, both Zoe and Daniel had gotten under my skin and I was pretty much obsessed with the pair of them. The third part lost a little of the ‘pull’ that the first two parts had, for me. It was still gripping and I was completely hooked but not in the same way as before.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It’s superb, incredibly entertaining and really quite disturbing in places. I was completely smitten with Carol’s characters in this novel but in quite different ways. There was one section where I could see what was coming but everything else took me completely by surprise. The ending was missing a few undotted i’s and a couple of uncrossed t’s, so it makes me wonder if we will see some of these characters again in a future novel. I certainly hope that is the case! I loved this book. Love, love, loved it!
Five out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Kiss Me, Kill Me. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
February 7, 2019
It’s taken me longer than usual to reach for this book but it certainly reminded my why I love this author so much! I hadn’t even read the synopsis when I started but a few pages in and I couldn’t have cared less.
Zoe shares a flat with her friend Lizzy and is working as a waitress when she meets Dan. He seems to be everything she had dreamed of however within the space of a few months her life starts to change. It’s clear from the outset that Zoe is in the midst of a very controlling and abusive relationship however what I enjoyed the most was the way the story was told. We see the extent of the abuse early on and I was wishing Zoe the courage to get away from the early stages, I just hadn’t realised just how wrong it could all go.
I was truly into the story when a curveball is thrown and the story switches gears and we see Daniels story beginning to be told. The relentless feeling of desperation seeps off the pages but then sadly a new element is shown. To that point I had enjoyed the book and the pace and had no criticism.
However the last quarter of the book although still enjoyable and something I read very quickly felt a little bit off kilter. The addition of Gabrielle, Zoe’s Step-brother felt a little bit like a last minute addition. With that small niggle aside this was a very different type of book comparing them to James Carol’s series of books. That said, it still was a very engaging book that I read in two days and enjoyed. I would say this is a great book but very different to his usual type of book
Zoe shares a flat with her friend Lizzy and is working as a waitress when she meets Dan. He seems to be everything she had dreamed of however within the space of a few months her life starts to change. It’s clear from the outset that Zoe is in the midst of a very controlling and abusive relationship however what I enjoyed the most was the way the story was told. We see the extent of the abuse early on and I was wishing Zoe the courage to get away from the early stages, I just hadn’t realised just how wrong it could all go.
I was truly into the story when a curveball is thrown and the story switches gears and we see Daniels story beginning to be told. The relentless feeling of desperation seeps off the pages but then sadly a new element is shown. To that point I had enjoyed the book and the pace and had no criticism.
However the last quarter of the book although still enjoyable and something I read very quickly felt a little bit off kilter. The addition of Gabrielle, Zoe’s Step-brother felt a little bit like a last minute addition. With that small niggle aside this was a very different type of book comparing them to James Carol’s series of books. That said, it still was a very engaging book that I read in two days and enjoyed. I would say this is a great book but very different to his usual type of book
March 13, 2022
This felt like 2 separate books clumped together with a very tenuous link between them. It started off with real promise but sadly just didn’t deliver for me. Told in 3 parts through a series of flashbacks it was just really lacklustre and flat.
Zoe meets Daniel. He’s a bona fide Prince Charming, successful, doting, interested in Zoe’s interests and encouraging of her dreams….obvs he’s “the one”! He’s also “one” messed up abusive control freak that alas Zoe does not learn until it’s too late! She needs to escape….but how does she’s manage it when Daniel tracks her every move, is the help she enlists from step-brother Gabriel really all it seems to be and does her escape result in freedom or has she swapped one prison for another?
The first few chapters were brilliant. The author captured the real insidious nature of domestic abuse and coercive control but then it went off on a really strange tangent and lost most if not all of its credibility. I can’t give examples without giving out spoilers but the characters didn’t stand up, the logic behind the story felt to far fetched and it just became quite farcical and boring!
As a psychological thriller it failed to explore the nuances of the what might drive a persons thoughts and actions. It dipped in and out of trauma as a token gesture towards giving some justification for why Daniel became an abusive spouse and why Gabriel is one of the oddest and most 2D characters I’ve ever read but didn’t connect.
Zoe meets Daniel. He’s a bona fide Prince Charming, successful, doting, interested in Zoe’s interests and encouraging of her dreams….obvs he’s “the one”! He’s also “one” messed up abusive control freak that alas Zoe does not learn until it’s too late! She needs to escape….but how does she’s manage it when Daniel tracks her every move, is the help she enlists from step-brother Gabriel really all it seems to be and does her escape result in freedom or has she swapped one prison for another?
The first few chapters were brilliant. The author captured the real insidious nature of domestic abuse and coercive control but then it went off on a really strange tangent and lost most if not all of its credibility. I can’t give examples without giving out spoilers but the characters didn’t stand up, the logic behind the story felt to far fetched and it just became quite farcical and boring!
As a psychological thriller it failed to explore the nuances of the what might drive a persons thoughts and actions. It dipped in and out of trauma as a token gesture towards giving some justification for why Daniel became an abusive spouse and why Gabriel is one of the oddest and most 2D characters I’ve ever read but didn’t connect.
January 16, 2019
This is a story that really did work well for me, it had the right amount of suspense and drama that had a real sense of controlling power to it. I found myself quickly siding with and willing Zoe on in her life. The manipulation was done in such a way that it blindsided Zoe and it shows how she was oblivious to the signs.
The story took some unexpected twists and turns and definitely kept me hooked. If you like crime, thriller, and suspense reads that focus on spousal manipulation then this is one you should read.
The story took some unexpected twists and turns and definitely kept me hooked. If you like crime, thriller, and suspense reads that focus on spousal manipulation then this is one you should read.
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