Manipulation

Pen Pals and Serial Killers #6

by Jo Michaels

What would cause a woman to brutally murder a man she loves?

January hits the big time when she marries millionaire Warren Vanderhorn. With looks, money, and charisma, he's the ideal GQ cover guy.

When he ends up murdered, all signs point to her as the perpetrator. As she uncovers some of Warren's long-hidden secrets, suspects start popping out of the woodwork, and her own history with violence starts making her question herself. People she thinks she knows—and trusts—turn out to be liars who keep things from her. Everyone around her suddenly has a reason to want Warren dead, but she's the only one who was there that night.

Now, she's questioning everything, even her own sanity, as her life unravels.

560 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2019

About the author

Jo Michaels loves writing novels that make readers gasp in horror, surprise, and disbelief. While her browser search history has probably landed her on a list somewhere, she still dives into every plot with gusto, hoping "the man" will realize she's a writer and not a psychopath about to go on a rampage. Her favorite pastimes are reading, watching Investigation Discovery, and helping other authors realize their true potential through mentoring. She's penned the award-winning Pen Pals and Serial Killers series and the best-selling educational book for children, Writing Prompts for Kids, which has rocketed the kids that use it into several awards of their own.

Most of Jo's books feature the places she's lived: Louisiana, Tennessee, and Georgia. That's given her a special amount of insight to what makes those locations tick. Her works are immersive and twisty, and she wouldn't want it any other way.

Reviews

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love this book!!! This is an amazing thriller that did more than just grab me, it consumed me! Lots of action, lots of suspenseful moments and then the ending blew me away.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle your seatbelts and prepare for the ride that is Manipulation. I am a huge Jo Michaels fan, so I’m hardly surprised at how captivating this novel is, but dang, she knocked it out of the park with this one!

Psychological thriller is likely Jo Michaels middle name. She is a force in this genre and she proves it with every book. Manipulation is no exception. With every chapter, the story becomes more of a puzzle, with new questions. Every time I thought I understood what was happening, a new twist would come.

I did not see the ending coming. It blew my mind. One thing I love about the characters in Jo Michaels’ novels are that they are super intriguing and not always trustworthy. That is what I felt in Manipulation. There was a lot of secrets and things that didn’t quite feel right. I love that. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

I highly recommend Manipulation! This is definitely a contender for my favorite book of the year.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a release blitz with Lady Amber's Reviews & PR. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com

[Joyffree · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will want to settle in for this ride - once it starts you will find you can't walk away until the final curtains close.
And DAMMMMMNNNN what a curtain call.

I was originally introduced to Jo Michaels work with the short read 'Innocent'. She left me wanting more back then but with Manipulation? She took mystery and suspense to a whole new level.
Every page was a bit more twisted - A touch more convoluted - I had no idea where we were headed. Every time I thought I figured it out BAM a new event was thrown into the mix changing the whole flavor of events.
The storyline is crafted in a way that... I felt like I couldn't look away in fear that I would miss a clue, some subtle hint that would shed some light on the truth. And wait till the truth is revealed... So did not see that coming.
If you enjoy relaxing with a good suspense do NOT pass this one up
I read a comp copy

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...just WOW!!!! Jo Michaels is freaking amazing!

Edit since book released:

I was honored when Jo Michaels asked me to beta read her sixth installment of Pen Pals and Serial Killers. Maybe I’m now bias because I’m totally obsessed with this series but I literally couldn’t put it down and lost sleep because I needed to know.

Manipulation is a twisted tale of a woman’s dreams come true, but are they? Secrets are reviewed and you start to speculate who killed Warren. January is going crazy, it must be her! But then again how could it if... a definite must read and excellent addition to this magnificent series.

[United Indie Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manipulation is a twisted tale of a woman who just wanted to be loved. She finds herself in an abusive marriage that ends tragically. January is a strong woman, from the flashbacks we see that she is hardworking and determined. Warren gets what he wants and he wanted January. There is a lot of going from past to present and back. It helps with the storyline. The ending was a surprise.

Review by Raychel

[Denita Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great read

I really enjoyed reading this exciting story. It was hard to not finish in sitting. I could relate some to the main character January.
I will have to read the whole series now. I just grabbed this one and it is a stand alone, but it has peaked my interest to read the entire series.
I recommend reading for those who enjoy crime thrillers. I actually rate this with 4 stars.

[Jaime Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hesitant with this story and did not know what to expect. It was definitely not what I anticipated. It was a suspenseful ride and I wasn’t sure where it was going to end. An interesting plot with characters that I didn’t fully trust yet found intriguing. I will definitely be checking out more from this author because it was a ride that I definitely would take again.

[Stalking · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAH!!! Devilishly Awesome

This story. This story is .... just absolutely crazy good. I don’t think I’ve doubted myself this much since finishing Verity (Colleen Hoover). I yelled at January a lot, like a lot. I facepalmed often and yelled at myself for not seeing a couple of things. But they were impossible to see coming!!! Ahhhh, I’m still kicking myself at that ending.

[Diksha Garg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa!! This was my first read by Jo Michaels and oh my!!! Not what i expected and that ending 🤯can't wait to read more!

[Jo Michaels]

This book will have you guessing until the very end, and I have to say, January is one of my favorite characters EVER! :)