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Deserve to Die
Dom and Stacey have the perfect life. Until they meet Tamara. Brilliant, beautiful, she hides a horrifying secret. One that may destroy them all.
Happily married with two wonderful children, Dom and Stacey are living the dream. He runs a successful design agency, she is finding fame as an author of children’s books.
Everything is perfect. But then they meet the mesmerizing Tamara and their lives are changed forever.
Because Tamara is a woman with a plan. She executes it step by step – patient, systematic, methodical.
And as her plan unfolds, Dom and Stacey find their lives slipping out of control. Taking them from heaven into the deepest, darkest hell…
Deserve to Die is a compelling psychological thriller with a heart-stopping ending that will keep you gripped until the early hours. Perfect for fans of K. L. Slater, Teresa Driscoll and Andrew Hart.
Happily married with two wonderful children, Dom and Stacey are living the dream. He runs a successful design agency, she is finding fame as an author of children’s books.
Everything is perfect. But then they meet the mesmerizing Tamara and their lives are changed forever.
Because Tamara is a woman with a plan. She executes it step by step – patient, systematic, methodical.
And as her plan unfolds, Dom and Stacey find their lives slipping out of control. Taking them from heaven into the deepest, darkest hell…
Deserve to Die is a compelling psychological thriller with a heart-stopping ending that will keep you gripped until the early hours. Perfect for fans of K. L. Slater, Teresa Driscoll and Andrew Hart.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2019
2629 people are currently reading
1284 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Rijks
43 books874 followersMiranda Rijks is the author of 26 psychological thrillers, many of which have been Amazon bestsellers. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband and black Labrador.
Her fast-paced, twisty thrillers are inspired by scary things that have happened to her or places she has visited.
Miranda turned to writing after recovering from Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She's so grateful that she's now a full-time author and living the dream!
Visit www.mirandarijks.com to get her FREE novella, The Cheat, and the chance to name characters in her books.
Her fast-paced, twisty thrillers are inspired by scary things that have happened to her or places she has visited.
Miranda turned to writing after recovering from Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She's so grateful that she's now a full-time author and living the dream!
Visit www.mirandarijks.com to get her FREE novella, The Cheat, and the chance to name characters in her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
August 20, 2024
Tamara definitely brought it all to the table. Her plans and little checklists did a great job to turn this into an entertaining read.
July 15, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
DESERVE TO DIE by Miranda Rijks is a new domestic psychological thriller. I read the mystery, “Fatal Fortune” by this author that I enjoyed so I was excited to give this book a read. I was not disappointed.
Dom and Stacey are happily married with two children. Dom is the head of a successful design agency and Stacey works from home writing and illustrating children’s books. They are very happy.
It is a complete shock when the account executive of Dom’s firm commits suicide and blames his unhappiness on his job. Conveniently, the perfect replacement shows up for his job. Tamara is beautiful, classy and highly motivated. She has a plan, not only for the company, but also for Dom and Stacey.
As Tamara’s plan begins to unfold, the seeds of mistrust between Dom and Stacey grow. Stacey is gas-lighted by Tamara as she moves to replace her at Dom’s side and in her home.
The story is told in alternating chapters between Stacey and Tamara. The pace increases as the story progresses and the tension escalates to the point of not wanting to put the book down. All of the steps Tamara takes really scared me because of how believable it was and how easily it was done. I did have some difficulties with Dom and Stacey though. Dom switched sides a little too quickly for me if they were as happy as it seemed and he even believed Tamara over his two children. I liked that Stacey went for help when needed, but she seemed completely incompetent when looking into Tamara’s background. She worked at Dom’s company before their children and she is an author, so I found it difficult to believe.
Overall this is an intense and well written domestic psychological thriller. It is not unique, but it kept me turning the pages and I was satisfied with the ending.
DESERVE TO DIE by Miranda Rijks is a new domestic psychological thriller. I read the mystery, “Fatal Fortune” by this author that I enjoyed so I was excited to give this book a read. I was not disappointed.
Dom and Stacey are happily married with two children. Dom is the head of a successful design agency and Stacey works from home writing and illustrating children’s books. They are very happy.
It is a complete shock when the account executive of Dom’s firm commits suicide and blames his unhappiness on his job. Conveniently, the perfect replacement shows up for his job. Tamara is beautiful, classy and highly motivated. She has a plan, not only for the company, but also for Dom and Stacey.
As Tamara’s plan begins to unfold, the seeds of mistrust between Dom and Stacey grow. Stacey is gas-lighted by Tamara as she moves to replace her at Dom’s side and in her home.
The story is told in alternating chapters between Stacey and Tamara. The pace increases as the story progresses and the tension escalates to the point of not wanting to put the book down. All of the steps Tamara takes really scared me because of how believable it was and how easily it was done. I did have some difficulties with Dom and Stacey though. Dom switched sides a little too quickly for me if they were as happy as it seemed and he even believed Tamara over his two children. I liked that Stacey went for help when needed, but she seemed completely incompetent when looking into Tamara’s background. She worked at Dom’s company before their children and she is an author, so I found it difficult to believe.
Overall this is an intense and well written domestic psychological thriller. It is not unique, but it kept me turning the pages and I was satisfied with the ending.
July 31, 2019
5☆ Chilling, Really Addictive, Calculating Psychological Thriller!
Wow was this book chilling, dark, calculating and really addictive!
The opening chapter was brilliantly intriguing, all the intricate sprinkles of information was just the start of a whole web of deceit, lies, manipulation, secrets and tension that I absolutely loved!
Ohh i so want to delve into the plot but I fear I might give something away!
The story is told in two POV Tamara and Stacey.
Tamara is manipulative, sexy, clever, calculating, devious, but such a fantastic character.
Stacey is Doms wife, but she's merely a pawn in Tamara's game.... But to what outcome?... you will have to read it to find out more!
Deserve to Die is a dark and twisty psychological thriller that had me utterly compelled and gripped!
The plot is juicy, Suspenseful, has cleverly plotted twists and turns, it definitely had me hooked as i really wanted to know what Tamara's Motives was.
The Characters were perfectly written, flawed and complex perfect for this type of read.
This is my first encounter with Miranda Rijks and I'm very excited to read more.
Would I recommend reading this Highly intriguing and compulsive read...... Without a Doubt.... 100%..... Yes!!
Thank you to Emma at Damppebbles tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
Wow was this book chilling, dark, calculating and really addictive!
The opening chapter was brilliantly intriguing, all the intricate sprinkles of information was just the start of a whole web of deceit, lies, manipulation, secrets and tension that I absolutely loved!
Ohh i so want to delve into the plot but I fear I might give something away!
The story is told in two POV Tamara and Stacey.
Tamara is manipulative, sexy, clever, calculating, devious, but such a fantastic character.
Stacey is Doms wife, but she's merely a pawn in Tamara's game.... But to what outcome?... you will have to read it to find out more!
Deserve to Die is a dark and twisty psychological thriller that had me utterly compelled and gripped!
The plot is juicy, Suspenseful, has cleverly plotted twists and turns, it definitely had me hooked as i really wanted to know what Tamara's Motives was.
The Characters were perfectly written, flawed and complex perfect for this type of read.
This is my first encounter with Miranda Rijks and I'm very excited to read more.
Would I recommend reading this Highly intriguing and compulsive read...... Without a Doubt.... 100%..... Yes!!
Thank you to Emma at Damppebbles tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
August 11, 2019
Dominic and Stacy Nicholson seem to have it all, they are a successful loving couple bringing up their two children. Stacy writes and illustrates children’s books while Dominic is a Managing Director.
When Dominic’s employee Dylan is found in his bath following an overdose and slitting his wrists, his nearest and dearest are horrified as they did not have a clue that he was struggling with work and his life.
Dylan’s job is up for grabs and along comes Tamara, beautiful and very talented, but she is there for her own agenda which includes making Dominic’s family suffer!!
Told from both Stacy and Tamara’s points of view, they both have their own secrets. We know who the baddie is from the start but not the why. This is written in a very clever way that keeps the suspense going through the book and does not slow down in its intensity. My heart nearly burst out of my chest at one point, it’s a roller coaster of a ride exhilarating and thrilling at the same time.
This is such a great book. I was hooked completely from the first page and was in its spell until the last .There are lots of twists along the way and I did found myself screaming at times as I was desperate for Stacy to realise what was happening to her and her family.
A must read book. I cannot recommend this enough!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
When Dominic’s employee Dylan is found in his bath following an overdose and slitting his wrists, his nearest and dearest are horrified as they did not have a clue that he was struggling with work and his life.
Dylan’s job is up for grabs and along comes Tamara, beautiful and very talented, but she is there for her own agenda which includes making Dominic’s family suffer!!
Told from both Stacy and Tamara’s points of view, they both have their own secrets. We know who the baddie is from the start but not the why. This is written in a very clever way that keeps the suspense going through the book and does not slow down in its intensity. My heart nearly burst out of my chest at one point, it’s a roller coaster of a ride exhilarating and thrilling at the same time.
This is such a great book. I was hooked completely from the first page and was in its spell until the last .There are lots of twists along the way and I did found myself screaming at times as I was desperate for Stacy to realise what was happening to her and her family.
A must read book. I cannot recommend this enough!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
February 21, 2020
"On my way home, I pass a homeless man huddled inside a filthy sleeping bag. I extract $100 from my wallet and gingerly shove it into the opening under his chin. It's $100 that I can't spare, as it only leaves me $10, but I like to atone for what I do".
Deserve To Die by Miranda Rijks
This is one sick book..and I do not mean that in a negative way at all!
It is very possible if you read this, you will miss sleep. Because, of coarse, you will not be able to put the book down.
So this is a premise that has been done so many times. I knew little of the book going in and when I realized the way it was going, I was prepared to dislike it as I am burnt out on the "evil woman will destroy good family" story line.
Yet it did not go that way. I was hooked folks by the end of page..one! This writer..she knows how to write.
Dom and Stacy are a happily married couple. Enter Tamra. Tamara is beautiful, determined, icy cold and Batshit crazy. Severely so.
I do not have to paint a portrait of where this goes. You will know early on. I think what surprised me most is how into the book I got. I got so invested in the outcome. The building of tension was just done in such a superb way.
Not only is this a gripping mystery but for reasons I cannot get into without giving stuff away it would be perfect for a book club as well. The only reason I did not give a four was for reasons that have nothing to do with the writing.
SPOILERS:
It is hard for me to read about children crying. Or being bullied by an insane psycho. I didn't skim but it was tough to read those parts. I do know for story purposes that had to be included and at least nothing tragic happens but I did not know for awhile what would happen and was a bit creeped out.
Also..Dom. Now I do not know if the writer purposely made him an idiot or not. But I could not stand him. I mean..this is a husband? He spends no time reassuring his kids, moves Tamara in like Stacy's old news. Maybe she forgives him..but I sure don't. What a jerk. This man owns his own company?
KUDOS to the writer for not doing something it seems every other book like this does. There was no "Tamara comes out of the water" or "Tamra is hiding out on some tropical island". I was shocked she didn't go there. In fact I was so shocked I honestly thought I skipped a page. That is so cool though. I just want this couple to have some peace. I hope no Tamara part two unless she swoops in and takes Dom off to live with her on said island.
In all seriousness..you should check this author out. It is no small thing to take a topic that's been done hundreds of times and make it seem fresh. I was really impressed and I will read more from her..maybe later on because there was this preview of another book she wrote and that sounds fascinating. (a woman sees her own obituary in the paper).
Always nice to read a thriller that works. 3.5 stars.
Deserve To Die by Miranda Rijks
This is one sick book..and I do not mean that in a negative way at all!
It is very possible if you read this, you will miss sleep. Because, of coarse, you will not be able to put the book down.
So this is a premise that has been done so many times. I knew little of the book going in and when I realized the way it was going, I was prepared to dislike it as I am burnt out on the "evil woman will destroy good family" story line.
Yet it did not go that way. I was hooked folks by the end of page..one! This writer..she knows how to write.
Dom and Stacy are a happily married couple. Enter Tamra. Tamara is beautiful, determined, icy cold and Batshit crazy. Severely so.
I do not have to paint a portrait of where this goes. You will know early on. I think what surprised me most is how into the book I got. I got so invested in the outcome. The building of tension was just done in such a superb way.
Not only is this a gripping mystery but for reasons I cannot get into without giving stuff away it would be perfect for a book club as well. The only reason I did not give a four was for reasons that have nothing to do with the writing.
SPOILERS:
It is hard for me to read about children crying. Or being bullied by an insane psycho. I didn't skim but it was tough to read those parts. I do know for story purposes that had to be included and at least nothing tragic happens but I did not know for awhile what would happen and was a bit creeped out.
Also..Dom. Now I do not know if the writer purposely made him an idiot or not. But I could not stand him. I mean..this is a husband? He spends no time reassuring his kids, moves Tamara in like Stacy's old news. Maybe she forgives him..but I sure don't. What a jerk. This man owns his own company?
KUDOS to the writer for not doing something it seems every other book like this does. There was no "Tamara comes out of the water" or "Tamra is hiding out on some tropical island". I was shocked she didn't go there. In fact I was so shocked I honestly thought I skipped a page. That is so cool though. I just want this couple to have some peace. I hope no Tamara part two unless she swoops in and takes Dom off to live with her on said island.
In all seriousness..you should check this author out. It is no small thing to take a topic that's been done hundreds of times and make it seem fresh. I was really impressed and I will read more from her..maybe later on because there was this preview of another book she wrote and that sounds fascinating. (a woman sees her own obituary in the paper).
Always nice to read a thriller that works. 3.5 stars.
September 16, 2019
A Gripping Psychological Thriller!
Hold On! You may think you have read this story line before? Think again and give this a read, it is not your average run of the mill domestic thriller. This book will be hard to put down.
The story revolves around a supposedly happy couple and their family and a very devious (possibly psychotic?) woman who unexpectedly comes into their lives while unknown to them, she has a skewered agenda for this family and will not let anything or anyone get in her way as she carries out (without any guilt) her plans to insinuate herself into their lives. Why did Tamara pick this couple? What is her ultimate goal? Is she an evil woman or a sick person? Read and find out why there are so many good reviews for this book.
This is a clever and fast read. Immediately the reader knows who the villain is but will not understand the reasons behind her motives until the end of the book. I enjoyed this author's storytelling so it was an easy read from start to finish. I will definitely read more of Miranda Rinks books in the future.
Thank you to the publisher "Inkubator Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!
I have to an a rating of 4 Devious 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
Hold On! You may think you have read this story line before? Think again and give this a read, it is not your average run of the mill domestic thriller. This book will be hard to put down.
The story revolves around a supposedly happy couple and their family and a very devious (possibly psychotic?) woman who unexpectedly comes into their lives while unknown to them, she has a skewered agenda for this family and will not let anything or anyone get in her way as she carries out (without any guilt) her plans to insinuate herself into their lives. Why did Tamara pick this couple? What is her ultimate goal? Is she an evil woman or a sick person? Read and find out why there are so many good reviews for this book.
This is a clever and fast read. Immediately the reader knows who the villain is but will not understand the reasons behind her motives until the end of the book. I enjoyed this author's storytelling so it was an easy read from start to finish. I will definitely read more of Miranda Rinks books in the future.
Thank you to the publisher "Inkubator Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!
I have to an a rating of 4 Devious 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
July 31, 2019
Dominick and Stacey seem to have it all .... they love each other, they have 2 great kids, Dom's business is going great, and Stacey is a work at home mom, writing and illustrating children's books.
And then things start to happen. An associate in Dom's business has committed suicide ... an overdose followed by cutting his wrists. They found him in his bathtub.
Tamara is hired to replace him at Dom's business. She's got a ton of referrals, she's bright, methodical, and she's beautiful. She's also hiding a deep, dark secret.
She has a plan ... a plan to turn their lives upside down. She doesn't want the family to die ... she wants them to suffer.
This is a well-written psychological thriller. The reader knows the WHO from the beginning. It's the WHY that will keep you guessing from start to finish. Tamara is a character you will love to hate. She's vicious, cunning, manipulative, and just plain evil.
Many thanks to the author / Inkubator Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
And then things start to happen. An associate in Dom's business has committed suicide ... an overdose followed by cutting his wrists. They found him in his bathtub.
Tamara is hired to replace him at Dom's business. She's got a ton of referrals, she's bright, methodical, and she's beautiful. She's also hiding a deep, dark secret.
She has a plan ... a plan to turn their lives upside down. She doesn't want the family to die ... she wants them to suffer.
This is a well-written psychological thriller. The reader knows the WHO from the beginning. It's the WHY that will keep you guessing from start to finish. Tamara is a character you will love to hate. She's vicious, cunning, manipulative, and just plain evil.
Many thanks to the author / Inkubator Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
September 2, 2019
This is a psychological thriller that from the opening chapter managed to set the stage and pull me straight into the given narrative capturing my attention and compelling me to keep heading forward.
Deserve To Die was told alternately from two POV's: Tamara and Stacey and Straight from the onset, it's understood just who the preditor here actually is, we know the who but not the why this is kept a complete mystery for us to discover alongside Stacey herself.
and as we methodically run through Tamara's to-do list alongside her as she gradually moves towards her mysterious end-game I felt completely on edge and in fear for poor Stacey and her potential fate.
I so wanted Stacey to realise just what was unfolding around her and her unsuspecting family and I was just so upset that her husband Dom had so little faith in his wife and was just such easy prey for Tamara to reel in and play with.
I get that the evidence was stacking up against Stacey and it didn't look good but I wanted him to just have a little faith in the woman he professed to love.
Dom was at heart a good man but I do think he was a weak man and very easily manipulated there is no way I could be as forgiving as his poor wife.
Yes, Tamara was good at what she did managing to systematically dismantle their life brick by brick but you can't destroy what refuses to be broken now, can you?
I enjoyed this a lot but I did find the ending a tad rushed and slightly anticlimactic after all the previous build-up things here things just withered away slightly and there was not enough closure for me.
Also, it's been several days since I finished this and I am still quietly seething away.
I know its fiction but what I ultimately need here is some bloody good grovelling from Dom to excuse his blatant disloyalty and sheer stupidity other than that I'm all grand.
This was a fast-paced easy read that wasn't incredibly complicated in terms of its plot but was still a major pageturner.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Deserve To Die.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
July 25, 2019
THIS WAS BLOODY AMAZING!! With an eerie cover and an intriguing blurb, this book pulled me in with its first two chapters. Black widow were the words that came to my mind soon. Tamara had a plan, a plan of destruction, and her target was Dom and Stacey and everything they held dear.
Having read books by this author, I expected another routine thriller. But Miranda Rijks blew me away with her strong beginning. I knew I was in for a ride. The plot arc did sound familiar, but I knew that there were some secrets which were deeper and darker. And I wanted nothing more than to bring them to light by reading the book in a few hours.
Told in dual POV, both Miranda and Stacey had their ways of working. I wondered who was really innocent. Each had the other as a target in mind. Sometimes things are not as they appear to be, and this story showed me exactly that.
I could guess the ending, but the compelling need to still read it was new. Bubbles of excitement burst into me, sizzling under my skin. Both the characters played havoc in my brain. An impending sense of thrill arose in me, knowing things would soon reach a climatic end. And it did!! Wow!!
Having read books by this author, I expected another routine thriller. But Miranda Rijks blew me away with her strong beginning. I knew I was in for a ride. The plot arc did sound familiar, but I knew that there were some secrets which were deeper and darker. And I wanted nothing more than to bring them to light by reading the book in a few hours.
Told in dual POV, both Miranda and Stacey had their ways of working. I wondered who was really innocent. Each had the other as a target in mind. Sometimes things are not as they appear to be, and this story showed me exactly that.
I could guess the ending, but the compelling need to still read it was new. Bubbles of excitement burst into me, sizzling under my skin. Both the characters played havoc in my brain. An impending sense of thrill arose in me, knowing things would soon reach a climatic end. And it did!! Wow!!
August 3, 2019
When Emma at Dampebbles Blog Tours sent out the synopsis for this one, I was immediately drawn to it. Who can resist a good domestic thriller that includes a couple with the perfect marriage living the perfect suburban life with a “patient, systematic, methodical” femme fatale thrown into the mix? NOT this girl!
What did I love about this book? Ev. Er-Y. Thing. In terms of pacing, this is the fastest moving page-turner I’ve read in a long, long time. I read it in two sittings but I know many of you could easily read it in one. (Darn kids!) The reason for this is that Deserve to Die is written in a pretty unique way. Straight away we (think we) pretty much know the what and the who (or do we?) but not the why. I found myself compelled to get to the bottom of it. For better or worse, the author keeps us in suspense till very end. That’s all I can say about the plot without risking spoilers.
As for the characters, love them or loathe them, they all drew me in. Their various and sundry flaws made me despise them, root for them (with one exception), and want to slap them, sometimes simultaneously. And if you, like me, are a fan of very smart but very cold and ruthless villains, you’re in for a treat!
If you’re looking to end your summer with a compelling, page-turning, domestic suspense/thriller, I highly recommend Deserve to Die. This is the first book written by Miranda Rijks that I’ve read and I’m already looking forward to her next.
You can read all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.
What did I love about this book? Ev. Er-Y. Thing. In terms of pacing, this is the fastest moving page-turner I’ve read in a long, long time. I read it in two sittings but I know many of you could easily read it in one. (Darn kids!) The reason for this is that Deserve to Die is written in a pretty unique way. Straight away we (think we) pretty much know the what and the who (or do we?) but not the why. I found myself compelled to get to the bottom of it. For better or worse, the author keeps us in suspense till very end. That’s all I can say about the plot without risking spoilers.
As for the characters, love them or loathe them, they all drew me in. Their various and sundry flaws made me despise them, root for them (with one exception), and want to slap them, sometimes simultaneously. And if you, like me, are a fan of very smart but very cold and ruthless villains, you’re in for a treat!
If you’re looking to end your summer with a compelling, page-turning, domestic suspense/thriller, I highly recommend Deserve to Die. This is the first book written by Miranda Rijks that I’ve read and I’m already looking forward to her next.
You can read all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.
September 13, 2022
Wickedly-evil femme fatale books are my favorites.
When a seductive female villain uses her charms to ensnare unsuspecting protagonists, I'm almost always instantly intrigued.
Author Miranda Rijks' new femme fatale tale of villainy, "gaslighting", and revenge did not disappoint.
The book was fast-paced and cleverly plotted with ample twists and turns and strong characterizations.
I did feel that the femme fatale's motive for revenge was borderline-lame.
Also, the husband in this book had my eyes rolling too many times.
Overall, however, the book was an engaging page-turner.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were good but not great.
I am a huge fan of Miranda Rujks and I look forward to listening to this author's future titles.
When a seductive female villain uses her charms to ensnare unsuspecting protagonists, I'm almost always instantly intrigued.
Author Miranda Rijks' new femme fatale tale of villainy, "gaslighting", and revenge did not disappoint.
The book was fast-paced and cleverly plotted with ample twists and turns and strong characterizations.
I did feel that the femme fatale's motive for revenge was borderline-lame.
Also, the husband in this book had my eyes rolling too many times.
Overall, however, the book was an engaging page-turner.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were good but not great.
I am a huge fan of Miranda Rujks and I look forward to listening to this author's future titles.
January 20, 2021
Second book of Rijks I've read and I am still a fan!!!
Deserve to die is centred around two women Tamara and Stacey. Stacey is appears to have the perfect life great husband Dominic two amazing kids Ivy and Arthur plus she is an established children's author and illustrator. However when Tamara seeks out her family and starts working at her husband firm, Stacey's picture perfect life starts to vanish.
were written so well. Plus I was always on edge about what Tamara's next move would be.
The book is written from the POV of both ladies and is in first person. I love well written first person dramas. The chapters alternate between Stacey and Tamara. I absolutely loved Tamara's chapters her inner voice said some crazy but hilarious things.
Both Stacey and Tamara are great leading ladies. Two very strong women but with different roles. I love the idea of comparing the domesticated and the career driven women. Both being very highly demanding roles to play
There are some unrealistic elements to the story but I don't read a book for reality.
I really enjoyed this book mainly because I really had no clue where it was going. I wanted to know what the link was and why Tamara was so hell bent on destroying Stacey's life. I found the psychological elements of this book fantastic. The little things that make someone feel like they are loosing their mind.The mental health element of the story is written quite well it really makes you think how easy it can be to believe someone is having a mental health crisis.
I found the story gripping from the very first chapter Rijks really knows how to grab the readers attention. I highly recommend giving this book a read it's quite fast paced and kept me guessing until nearer the end. I think the fact that it didn't just go from zero to one hundred like alot of books in this genre do, I appreciated. It really was a great read. Happy to give 5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley, Miranda Rijks and the publishers for the digital advanced copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
Deserve to die is centred around two women Tamara and Stacey. Stacey is appears to have the perfect life great husband Dominic two amazing kids Ivy and Arthur plus she is an established children's author and illustrator. However when Tamara seeks out her family and starts working at her husband firm, Stacey's picture perfect life starts to vanish.
were written so well. Plus I was always on edge about what Tamara's next move would be.
The book is written from the POV of both ladies and is in first person. I love well written first person dramas. The chapters alternate between Stacey and Tamara. I absolutely loved Tamara's chapters her inner voice said some crazy but hilarious things.
Both Stacey and Tamara are great leading ladies. Two very strong women but with different roles. I love the idea of comparing the domesticated and the career driven women. Both being very highly demanding roles to play
There are some unrealistic elements to the story but I don't read a book for reality.
I really enjoyed this book mainly because I really had no clue where it was going. I wanted to know what the link was and why Tamara was so hell bent on destroying Stacey's life. I found the psychological elements of this book fantastic. The little things that make someone feel like they are loosing their mind.The mental health element of the story is written quite well it really makes you think how easy it can be to believe someone is having a mental health crisis.
I found the story gripping from the very first chapter Rijks really knows how to grab the readers attention. I highly recommend giving this book a read it's quite fast paced and kept me guessing until nearer the end. I think the fact that it didn't just go from zero to one hundred like alot of books in this genre do, I appreciated. It really was a great read. Happy to give 5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley, Miranda Rijks and the publishers for the digital advanced copy in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
December 26, 2020
Another gripping read by author Maranda Rijks. Her books are fast paced and full of twists and turns that make the books really enjoyable. This one has some great characters that will frustrate and excite the reader, suspenseful plot and a tense finale.
Married couple Dom and Stacey have a great marriage and share a perfect life, that is until they meet Tamara. Tamara is beautiful, intelligent and gets results but she also has a secret. The secret threatens to destroy Dom and Stacey. Dom runs a successful design agency and Stacey is enjoying the successes from writing children’s books. Life couldn’t be any better and they are so happy with their two children.
Then Tamara comes into their life and everything including their happy marriage is threatened. Tamara has a plan and won’t let anything stand in her way whatever the consequences. Dom and Stacey’s marriage is put under pressure from Tamara’s scheming and they are heading for disaster.
This is a page turner and you will struggle to put it down. Fast paced and full of suspense.
Married couple Dom and Stacey have a great marriage and share a perfect life, that is until they meet Tamara. Tamara is beautiful, intelligent and gets results but she also has a secret. The secret threatens to destroy Dom and Stacey. Dom runs a successful design agency and Stacey is enjoying the successes from writing children’s books. Life couldn’t be any better and they are so happy with their two children.
Then Tamara comes into their life and everything including their happy marriage is threatened. Tamara has a plan and won’t let anything stand in her way whatever the consequences. Dom and Stacey’s marriage is put under pressure from Tamara’s scheming and they are heading for disaster.
This is a page turner and you will struggle to put it down. Fast paced and full of suspense.
May 13, 2023
Sometimes you need to read a book (or more than one) with no actual surprises, some good characters, some bad, that let you puzzle about the who and why. Miranda Rijks writes them. Her books follow a pattern, you learn that someone dies at the start but you don't know who and who the killer is. The characters are not always very likable but that's good because that's not how the world is, filled with lovely people...
In Deserve to Die the killer is very well drawn out, and although utterly mad in my eyes, it's a very clever and determined person. The victims, in their own way, were nearly not as clever, despite being successful in life and business.
I enjoyed it!
In Deserve to Die the killer is very well drawn out, and although utterly mad in my eyes, it's a very clever and determined person. The victims, in their own way, were nearly not as clever, despite being successful in life and business.
I enjoyed it!
August 28, 2019
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews
Deserve To Die was tense, spine chilling, unnerving, addictive and intriguing (yes I’m going to put all synonyms here because they are so apt in describing the book) psychological thriller that revolved around happily married and happily living couple Dom-Stacey and not-so-happy Stacey who was after them with mission to destroy their life. It was about family love, betrayal, mistrust, and revenge.
Characters–
Characters were simply amazing, especially villain.
Tamara– She gave bad vibes from the very beginning. Hurricane of disaster, manipulating horrible witch, it all got one new word- Tamara. She was orderly, calculative, and a terrific planner with beauty and brain. She had everything you would want in villain. Her narration was most frightening in whole book.
Stacey was author children’s book. She was realistic, sensitive, and not too strong but one should not underestimate her when it comes to her kids and husband. You can easily place yourself in her situation and could see how precisely her actions and reaction were written. I like how mom turns to supermom when their kids are in trouble. I liked the way she fought back. She was great in the book.
Let’s not talk about husband here, because I was not happy with his actions. He should be more cautious while hiring her. What happened to employee background check?! I know Tamara was so believable but that’s no excuse. Other side characters were also good.
What I liked-
Writing was great. I liked author’s style the way she kept the nervousness alive from the very first page. Book was flawlessly written in first person narrative from Stacey and Tamara’s POV, one heroine, one villain who played their role terrifically. I liked the town, mom gossips and children’s stories in this book.
Plot was just brilliant. Book started with Tamara getting info about SAID, Dominic’s company, from its account director and putting forward her plan. It was blood chilling to read her callous plan and act. All I could think about was, why? What she had against Dominic? Or Stacey? Was it money, or something else? Stacey’s happy moments of signing contract with biggest publisher didn’t stay long when Tamara encroached in her life.
As I read more the more I disgusted felt towards Tamara, I was holding breath every time she executed her sinister plan, I felt so bad for Stacey and wanted to drag her out of this book. I kept thinking why Tamara is targeting this particular family. Is it her one of the game, destroy families and get all the money or something else? I couldn’t figure out the real reason until last 20% of the book.
It had somewhat ‘The Breakdown’ vibe, disbelieving husband, protagonist questioning her own sanity, all the bad things coming from all directions and where is her best friend all this time? But I’m sure husband doesn’t have anything to do here.
And this was just the first half. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. You can see from series of questions how intriguing this book was. You might think you know where this will end and what might be the reason behind Tamara’s game but I tell you it was not that simple. It was getting even thrilling and darker in second half.
There was constant tense and anxious feel that didn’t die until the end. Twist and turn were surprising, I couldn’t guess Stacey and Tamara’s next step. At some point I thought things would get worse, Tamara played so perfectly that I couldn’t see how Stacey was going to prove her point.
And then came the revelation, the reason behind all these terrifying plan. I liked those backstories that cleared the fog of uncertainty. Climax was exciting. I was sitting on the edge chewing my nails till the end. I must say I wanted closure but I liked the way end was concluded. I’m sure I’m going to check out other books by author.
I’m glad I read author’s note in the end. All kid’s stories in this book were her own creation and I’m off to check author’s website where there is more info on them.
Overall, it was tense, gripping, and clever psychological thriller with brilliant plot and characters. I highly recommend this book.
*** Note : I received e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. ***
Deserve To Die was tense, spine chilling, unnerving, addictive and intriguing (yes I’m going to put all synonyms here because they are so apt in describing the book) psychological thriller that revolved around happily married and happily living couple Dom-Stacey and not-so-happy Stacey who was after them with mission to destroy their life. It was about family love, betrayal, mistrust, and revenge.
Characters–
Characters were simply amazing, especially villain.
Tamara– She gave bad vibes from the very beginning. Hurricane of disaster, manipulating horrible witch, it all got one new word- Tamara. She was orderly, calculative, and a terrific planner with beauty and brain. She had everything you would want in villain. Her narration was most frightening in whole book.
Stacey was author children’s book. She was realistic, sensitive, and not too strong but one should not underestimate her when it comes to her kids and husband. You can easily place yourself in her situation and could see how precisely her actions and reaction were written. I like how mom turns to supermom when their kids are in trouble. I liked the way she fought back. She was great in the book.
Let’s not talk about husband here, because I was not happy with his actions. He should be more cautious while hiring her. What happened to employee background check?! I know Tamara was so believable but that’s no excuse. Other side characters were also good.
What I liked-
Writing was great. I liked author’s style the way she kept the nervousness alive from the very first page. Book was flawlessly written in first person narrative from Stacey and Tamara’s POV, one heroine, one villain who played their role terrifically. I liked the town, mom gossips and children’s stories in this book.
Plot was just brilliant. Book started with Tamara getting info about SAID, Dominic’s company, from its account director and putting forward her plan. It was blood chilling to read her callous plan and act. All I could think about was, why? What she had against Dominic? Or Stacey? Was it money, or something else? Stacey’s happy moments of signing contract with biggest publisher didn’t stay long when Tamara encroached in her life.
As I read more the more I disgusted felt towards Tamara, I was holding breath every time she executed her sinister plan, I felt so bad for Stacey and wanted to drag her out of this book. I kept thinking why Tamara is targeting this particular family. Is it her one of the game, destroy families and get all the money or something else? I couldn’t figure out the real reason until last 20% of the book.
It had somewhat ‘The Breakdown’ vibe, disbelieving husband, protagonist questioning her own sanity, all the bad things coming from all directions and where is her best friend all this time? But I’m sure husband doesn’t have anything to do here.
And this was just the first half. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. You can see from series of questions how intriguing this book was. You might think you know where this will end and what might be the reason behind Tamara’s game but I tell you it was not that simple. It was getting even thrilling and darker in second half.
There was constant tense and anxious feel that didn’t die until the end. Twist and turn were surprising, I couldn’t guess Stacey and Tamara’s next step. At some point I thought things would get worse, Tamara played so perfectly that I couldn’t see how Stacey was going to prove her point.
And then came the revelation, the reason behind all these terrifying plan. I liked those backstories that cleared the fog of uncertainty. Climax was exciting. I was sitting on the edge chewing my nails till the end. I must say I wanted closure but I liked the way end was concluded. I’m sure I’m going to check out other books by author.
I’m glad I read author’s note in the end. All kid’s stories in this book were her own creation and I’m off to check author’s website where there is more info on them.
Overall, it was tense, gripping, and clever psychological thriller with brilliant plot and characters. I highly recommend this book.
*** Note : I received e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. ***
October 19, 2019
Tamara is a young woman who knows what she wants. Stacey has a lovely marriage to Dom and they adore their children Arthur and Ivy. Tamara would very much like a life like Stacey's and if her plans work out, she can have the life of her dreams.
Deserve to Die gets off to a very dramatic start and I was gripped. It is creepy but realistic. Then in the next chapter the point of view changes from Tamara to Stacey. Deserve to Die is a psychological thriller with the stress put on both the characters and the reader. The tension starts from the first chapter all the way to the end.
Character development is wonderful, it just builds and builds. Tamara and Stacey are so different. Tamara is youthful, sexy, sharp and dynamic, with shed loads of attitude. Stacey is a yummy mummy running a messy, untidy home. I loved all the bitchy remarks Tamara made about Stacey, they made me chuckle because they were so catty. There is something so funny when women have a go at each other.
I thought Deserve to Die has a good pace and a great plot. I was impressed by the quality of writing and amazed by the extensive vocabulary used. Every chapter I had to call up an obscure word to check it's definition. I do not feel this was the author showing off, I believe she simply has the linguistic skills to finely describe what is going on.
I loved the format of Deserve to Die with alternating chapters from Tamara and Stacey. It also has a linear time line which pleased me big time as one of my pet hates is novels that jump backwards and forwards in time.
Okay Tamara is a nasty woman but she makes for a thrilling read. You do not have to like her but she is not some boring bimbo into beauty and cupcakes.
I really enjoyed reading Deserve to Die and found it an engaging story. I loved the tension and the way the story was told. I think Deserve to Die is an OUTSTANDING read which gets the top score of 5 stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher Inkubator Books for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
Deserve to Die gets off to a very dramatic start and I was gripped. It is creepy but realistic. Then in the next chapter the point of view changes from Tamara to Stacey. Deserve to Die is a psychological thriller with the stress put on both the characters and the reader. The tension starts from the first chapter all the way to the end.
Character development is wonderful, it just builds and builds. Tamara and Stacey are so different. Tamara is youthful, sexy, sharp and dynamic, with shed loads of attitude. Stacey is a yummy mummy running a messy, untidy home. I loved all the bitchy remarks Tamara made about Stacey, they made me chuckle because they were so catty. There is something so funny when women have a go at each other.
I thought Deserve to Die has a good pace and a great plot. I was impressed by the quality of writing and amazed by the extensive vocabulary used. Every chapter I had to call up an obscure word to check it's definition. I do not feel this was the author showing off, I believe she simply has the linguistic skills to finely describe what is going on.
I loved the format of Deserve to Die with alternating chapters from Tamara and Stacey. It also has a linear time line which pleased me big time as one of my pet hates is novels that jump backwards and forwards in time.
Okay Tamara is a nasty woman but she makes for a thrilling read. You do not have to like her but she is not some boring bimbo into beauty and cupcakes.
I really enjoyed reading Deserve to Die and found it an engaging story. I loved the tension and the way the story was told. I think Deserve to Die is an OUTSTANDING read which gets the top score of 5 stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher Inkubator Books for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
August 3, 2019
YES!! After reading that first chapter I was hooked. This was an utterly gripping, dark and suspenseful psychological thriller. The writing was brilliant and the story was clever and full of plenty of twists and turns. Told through the two points of view of Stacey and Tamara, Tamara was one of the most conniving, evil, two-faced women I have ever read about and I loved every minute of it! I Can't wait to see what Miranda Rijks does next. Without a doubt 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2020
Tamara will go to outrageous lengths to ruin Stacey’s life and I was unable to put it down. A good, fast read! I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 12, 2019
"Deserve to Die" was a fabulous read that had me totally gripped from the start. With a fantastic plot-line and brilliant characters, this was a superb thriller that kept me guessing "the why" throughout. This amazing novel by Miranda Rijks should certainly not be missed. A magnificent read and well worth five stars!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Inkubator Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Inkubator Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
September 20, 2019
Crazy suspense and absolutely unputdownable! Deserve To Die is a brilliant and twisted suspense book that will have you reading into the morning! I for one, could not put this one down. While I have read books on similar themes before, the execution of the script and the way Miranda Rijks weaves this story is simply thrilling and leaves you wanting to get to that next chapter asap!
Dom and Stacey have a perfect life. Until they meet Tamara. Brilliant, beautiful, she hides a horrifying secret. One that may destroy them all.
Happily married with two wonderful children, Dom and Stacey are living the dream. He runs a successful design agency, she is finding fame as an author of children’s books.
Everything is perfect. But then they meet the mesmerizing Tamara and their lives are changed forever.
Because Tamara is a woman with a plan. She executes it step by step – patient, systematic, methodical.
And as her plan unfolds, Dom and Stacey find their lives slipping out of control. Taking them from heaven into the deepest, darkest hell…
The characters in this book are amazing. They're strong, crazy and so believable. I loved how all of them are portrayed and characterized right from Tamara & Stacey to Ivy & Arthur. There is a lot of domestic drama, but that adds the flavor to this one. The plot is strong and excellent. Like I've said before, you'll probably feel you've read this book before but it oh so different! The story in this told from two POVs Tamara and Stacey alternately. Both of POV's were equally thrilling and dramatic and left me turning page after page and then some. Also what a beautiful cover! I finished this in one sitting. This is the best from Miranda Rijks yet!
Thank you, NetGalley, Inkubator Books & Miranda Rijks for an arc!
Dom and Stacey have a perfect life. Until they meet Tamara. Brilliant, beautiful, she hides a horrifying secret. One that may destroy them all.
Happily married with two wonderful children, Dom and Stacey are living the dream. He runs a successful design agency, she is finding fame as an author of children’s books.
Everything is perfect. But then they meet the mesmerizing Tamara and their lives are changed forever.
Because Tamara is a woman with a plan. She executes it step by step – patient, systematic, methodical.
And as her plan unfolds, Dom and Stacey find their lives slipping out of control. Taking them from heaven into the deepest, darkest hell…
The characters in this book are amazing. They're strong, crazy and so believable. I loved how all of them are portrayed and characterized right from Tamara & Stacey to Ivy & Arthur. There is a lot of domestic drama, but that adds the flavor to this one. The plot is strong and excellent. Like I've said before, you'll probably feel you've read this book before but it oh so different! The story in this told from two POVs Tamara and Stacey alternately. Both of POV's were equally thrilling and dramatic and left me turning page after page and then some. Also what a beautiful cover! I finished this in one sitting. This is the best from Miranda Rijks yet!
Thank you, NetGalley, Inkubator Books & Miranda Rijks for an arc!
September 18, 2023
Stacey and Dom live in martial bliss with their two children, that is until Tamara enters their lives. Tamara through an unfortunate suicide death of a colleague is employed by Dom. She becomes the perfect employee, at the same time Stacey’s life spirals out of control. Is this coincidence or is Tamara behind Stacey’s fall from grace and attempt to steal her life. This book was engaging and left until the last minute for resolve. The story was enjoyable to read and left the reader searching for the outcome.
February 21, 2025
Book #11 by Miranda Rijks says she’s one of my favorite go to authors!!!! This book had great narrators and it was hard to stop listening. Loved this book with lots of twists and turns until the end.
March 31, 2023
A good domestic thriller! It’s starts out with a chilling murder, and the action doesn’t stop there. There is a crazy woman bent on destroying another woman’s life so what does she do? She infiltrates her way into the husband’s work and eventually the whole family. Her deeds are just nasty. You wander how the wife will ever get her life back. Yes, there are other books like this. What prompted my 5 star is how fast I read this book. The tension held perfectly throughout!
April 22, 2022
This book was a train wreck of epic proportions. However, it was just fast-paced enough that with enough eye-rolling I was able to get through it on my day off.
You definitely have to suspend disbelief with this one for a lot of reasons. One of my biggest issues with this story was Dom and how incredibly stupid he was. To begin with, Tamara applies for the job of a recently deceased employee, and on paper, she looks like the perfect candidate, and yet he doesn't check out ANY of her references or speak to any past employers? He just accepts her resume at face value and hires her? He also doesn't find it suspicious that she insists upon attending the funeral of said deceased employee even though they had never met?
His stupidity continues when he invites Tamara into his home, where she not only is given access to his wife's laptop that has confidential story-boards for her upcoming children's book on it, but she is also able to sneak around the upstairs of their house going as far as to steal Stacey's car keys, and put a 100-pound note in her wallet (and that was another thing for someone who was as poor as Tamara claimed to be, she was spending an awful lot of money). To make matters worse, only days after coming into his life, Dom is now convinced that Stacey is having an affair even though she has never given him a reason to suspect she was unfaithful.
The book continued this same way throughout until Tamara deliberately puts not only Dom's wife, but their two children in danger, but of course, orchestrates it to look like it was all Stacey's doing. From there we are treated to her basically moving into Dom's home on the pretense of "helping out" and he still can't see what she's about. Not even that she holds nothing but contempt for his two children imagining hitting them frequently. Stacey eventually gets out of her forced hospitalization (which was also a bit farfetched as given what she was there for, she wouldn't have been allowed out of the sight of the two people sent down with her), and now its up to her to find a way to clear her name.
Which she eventually does, but not before we find out the absolutely ridiculous reason why Tamara is so hellbent on ruining her life (and not before Tamara has an opportunity to kidnap her two children). Honestly, this had all the makings of one of the ridiculous movies Lifetime is known for playing.
Most of this could probably have been forgiven had we been given an actual ending with closure, but nope. Of course, we are left to wonder did Tamara perish or is she out there somewhere, biding her time and waiting to try again later?
You definitely have to suspend disbelief with this one for a lot of reasons. One of my biggest issues with this story was Dom and how incredibly stupid he was. To begin with, Tamara applies for the job of a recently deceased employee, and on paper, she looks like the perfect candidate, and yet he doesn't check out ANY of her references or speak to any past employers? He just accepts her resume at face value and hires her? He also doesn't find it suspicious that she insists upon attending the funeral of said deceased employee even though they had never met?
His stupidity continues when he invites Tamara into his home, where she not only is given access to his wife's laptop that has confidential story-boards for her upcoming children's book on it, but she is also able to sneak around the upstairs of their house going as far as to steal Stacey's car keys, and put a 100-pound note in her wallet (and that was another thing for someone who was as poor as Tamara claimed to be, she was spending an awful lot of money). To make matters worse, only days after coming into his life, Dom is now convinced that Stacey is having an affair even though she has never given him a reason to suspect she was unfaithful.
The book continued this same way throughout until Tamara deliberately puts not only Dom's wife, but their two children in danger, but of course, orchestrates it to look like it was all Stacey's doing. From there we are treated to her basically moving into Dom's home on the pretense of "helping out" and he still can't see what she's about. Not even that she holds nothing but contempt for his two children imagining hitting them frequently. Stacey eventually gets out of her forced hospitalization (which was also a bit farfetched as given what she was there for, she wouldn't have been allowed out of the sight of the two people sent down with her), and now its up to her to find a way to clear her name.
Which she eventually does, but not before we find out the absolutely ridiculous reason why Tamara is so hellbent on ruining her life (and not before Tamara has an opportunity to kidnap her two children). Honestly, this had all the makings of one of the ridiculous movies Lifetime is known for playing.
Most of this could probably have been forgiven had we been given an actual ending with closure, but nope. Of course, we are left to wonder did Tamara perish or is she out there somewhere, biding her time and waiting to try again later?
October 15, 2019
*thank you to Netgalley, Miranda Rijks and Inkubator Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars (actually it's closer to 4.5 stars)
What an amazingly addictive read this turned out to be! I really enjoyed each page of this. The main characters were interesting and as the story unfolded, I was glued to it. The ending was slightly less dramatic than I was expecting but that hasn't changed or lowered my thoughts on this. There was no major twist but it was still an excellent, time worthy, read. I was captured at the beginning and not released until the very end.
The three main characters are Dom, Stacey and Tamara. God, Tamara is a piece of work. At the beginning we are made well aware of the type of person she is so there was no surprises that she stayed that same person throughout the story. The question was just simply, 'Why?' What happened that made her this way. Well time will tell and in the end it does. Right at the start, Tamara murders a man named Dylan but has set it up to look like a suicide. But she doesn't want to stop there.
Dom is the father in the story. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about him. There is something nothing me about him and it probably had to do with how easily he allowed Tamara into his life and the lives of his Children, Ivy and Arthur.
Stacey would do anything for her family whom she lives dearly, but does she? What Tamara manages to do to Stacey would be a nightmare for anybody, especially for any mother.
As the story unfolds, pieces fall into place. I hadn't expected the ending to turn out how it did, but it fitted well with the story. This was a fast read for me and I definitely recommend it.
4 stars (actually it's closer to 4.5 stars)
What an amazingly addictive read this turned out to be! I really enjoyed each page of this. The main characters were interesting and as the story unfolded, I was glued to it. The ending was slightly less dramatic than I was expecting but that hasn't changed or lowered my thoughts on this. There was no major twist but it was still an excellent, time worthy, read. I was captured at the beginning and not released until the very end.
The three main characters are Dom, Stacey and Tamara. God, Tamara is a piece of work. At the beginning we are made well aware of the type of person she is so there was no surprises that she stayed that same person throughout the story. The question was just simply, 'Why?' What happened that made her this way. Well time will tell and in the end it does. Right at the start, Tamara murders a man named Dylan but has set it up to look like a suicide. But she doesn't want to stop there.
Dom is the father in the story. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about him. There is something nothing me about him and it probably had to do with how easily he allowed Tamara into his life and the lives of his Children, Ivy and Arthur.
Stacey would do anything for her family whom she lives dearly, but does she? What Tamara manages to do to Stacey would be a nightmare for anybody, especially for any mother.
As the story unfolds, pieces fall into place. I hadn't expected the ending to turn out how it did, but it fitted well with the story. This was a fast read for me and I definitely recommend it.
August 19, 2019
Stacy and Dom have the perfect life until Tamara enters their lives. Tamara is exacting revenge- but why? Great read, twists and suspense.
August 1, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. Thanks to Emma@Damppebbles for my spot on the blog tour.
When Emma @ Damppebbles book tours sent out an email asking if there was interest in taking part in the blog tour for Deserve to Die I knew I just had to be involved. The cover and the blurb just had all my thriller Spidey senses tingling. The title spins a yarn of game playing, deceit, mental illness and past hurts. You can change everything about yourself but only one thing is certain – you can never outrun your past.
A beautiful woman and a career focussed man. Tamara and Dylan start dating, and she is round at his house. The first chapter introduces these two characters and the starting point of a plan finally being put into action. Tamara’s POV gives us significant insight into her state of mind and gives us small clues into what she is aiming to do. She seems hateful and really quite bitter. It’s obvious she has a deep story but it’s equally obvious she has something evil and deceitful planned. Who is her target and why is she doing this?
Stacey appears to have the perfect life. She has the perfect husband. Caring and attentive and the best father she could ever have dreamed of having. Two beautiful, healthy children who are lucky enough to attend private school. A beautiful home, stunning cars and she is an emerging author and illustrator with a lucrative publishing deal and the book being optioned for film. To everyone else she has the white picket fence and the 2.5 kids, but life has a funny way of shaking your idyllic life on its head.
Life for Stacey is perfect. That is until Tamara breezily walks into her family’s life. She has filled the grief-fuelled gap that Dylan’s death has created. He was a member of the team and now it appears he left a suicide note detailing how he was deeply unhappy and there was too much pressure at work. It affects them all. Tamara applies for the position of Accounts Director and low and behold gets the position. Tamara has a list of aims and she’s ticked off one already – what could possibly be her endgame? Even at this early juncture I had real issues connecting with Tamara – although quite clearly a beautiful character, she was deeply flawed, and nothing was going to stand in her way of her plan being executed.
I think we can all relate to a character like Stacey. Plagued by her past experiences and understandably affected by poor mental health due to trauma. She has proved herself to be resilient and has moved on from that difficult period in her life. She obviously loved her husband and children very much and it was just heart-breaking to watch the events unfold in front of our eyes. The systematic destruction of Stacey’s life was painful. The self-doubt of her own mental health was both dramatic and realistic. I wanted her to discover the root of her misery – she wasn’t mad, but she had to work that out for herself. Unfortunately, things got a whole lot crazier before she did.
There is no time for self-pity – Tamara has inserted herself so fully into Stacey’s life that it’s going to take a miracle to undo the damage that the scarlet woman has created. Stacey is in hospital after a series of events that lead to her massive fall from grace. How on earth do you search for the truth when your mental health has been deemed unstable. Something that should be simple to prove, just isn’t. How can she prove these things have happened to her ? How can she discredit someone that seems much more credible than her?
The plot in this book was exquisite. Fast paced and moved at the speed of a Lamborghini. I could feel my whiplash taking effect. Everything was just so well written – Stacey and Dom’s relationship, the effect of memories and the past literally only a grasp away. This is what I love about Psychological Thrillers. Heart wrenching. This is a Thriller done absolutely RIGHT. Unique plot with an even more unique ending that had me guessing right up to the very end.
Miranda’s writing is tack sharp. She has been able to successfully nurture a serious idea and weave it so amazingly that had me in awe of her skill for engaging the reader at all times. No page is wasted. She has the right formula of tension, romantic relationships and horrifically scary moments. When Stacey’s family is on the line, she delves deeper into herself than she ever has before, and she fights with the gusto of a mama bear. We could all decipher what Tamara’s end goal would be, but it was the manner in which she calculatingly destroyed Stacey that provided us with that edge of the seat moments.
What does it take to destroy a life? Well, little subtle things it would seem. A doubt here, a doubt there. Life is a fragile thing and the past is never truly escapable. We are all products of our experiences and Miranda shows us this in horrifying high definition.
Deserve to Die, is a fierce, all-consuming read with fast paced action with beautifully broken characters that has your stomach churning and your heart breaking. If you only read one book this summer, make it Deserve to Die.
When Emma @ Damppebbles book tours sent out an email asking if there was interest in taking part in the blog tour for Deserve to Die I knew I just had to be involved. The cover and the blurb just had all my thriller Spidey senses tingling. The title spins a yarn of game playing, deceit, mental illness and past hurts. You can change everything about yourself but only one thing is certain – you can never outrun your past.
A beautiful woman and a career focussed man. Tamara and Dylan start dating, and she is round at his house. The first chapter introduces these two characters and the starting point of a plan finally being put into action. Tamara’s POV gives us significant insight into her state of mind and gives us small clues into what she is aiming to do. She seems hateful and really quite bitter. It’s obvious she has a deep story but it’s equally obvious she has something evil and deceitful planned. Who is her target and why is she doing this?
Stacey appears to have the perfect life. She has the perfect husband. Caring and attentive and the best father she could ever have dreamed of having. Two beautiful, healthy children who are lucky enough to attend private school. A beautiful home, stunning cars and she is an emerging author and illustrator with a lucrative publishing deal and the book being optioned for film. To everyone else she has the white picket fence and the 2.5 kids, but life has a funny way of shaking your idyllic life on its head.
Life for Stacey is perfect. That is until Tamara breezily walks into her family’s life. She has filled the grief-fuelled gap that Dylan’s death has created. He was a member of the team and now it appears he left a suicide note detailing how he was deeply unhappy and there was too much pressure at work. It affects them all. Tamara applies for the position of Accounts Director and low and behold gets the position. Tamara has a list of aims and she’s ticked off one already – what could possibly be her endgame? Even at this early juncture I had real issues connecting with Tamara – although quite clearly a beautiful character, she was deeply flawed, and nothing was going to stand in her way of her plan being executed.
I think we can all relate to a character like Stacey. Plagued by her past experiences and understandably affected by poor mental health due to trauma. She has proved herself to be resilient and has moved on from that difficult period in her life. She obviously loved her husband and children very much and it was just heart-breaking to watch the events unfold in front of our eyes. The systematic destruction of Stacey’s life was painful. The self-doubt of her own mental health was both dramatic and realistic. I wanted her to discover the root of her misery – she wasn’t mad, but she had to work that out for herself. Unfortunately, things got a whole lot crazier before she did.
There is no time for self-pity – Tamara has inserted herself so fully into Stacey’s life that it’s going to take a miracle to undo the damage that the scarlet woman has created. Stacey is in hospital after a series of events that lead to her massive fall from grace. How on earth do you search for the truth when your mental health has been deemed unstable. Something that should be simple to prove, just isn’t. How can she prove these things have happened to her ? How can she discredit someone that seems much more credible than her?
The plot in this book was exquisite. Fast paced and moved at the speed of a Lamborghini. I could feel my whiplash taking effect. Everything was just so well written – Stacey and Dom’s relationship, the effect of memories and the past literally only a grasp away. This is what I love about Psychological Thrillers. Heart wrenching. This is a Thriller done absolutely RIGHT. Unique plot with an even more unique ending that had me guessing right up to the very end.
Miranda’s writing is tack sharp. She has been able to successfully nurture a serious idea and weave it so amazingly that had me in awe of her skill for engaging the reader at all times. No page is wasted. She has the right formula of tension, romantic relationships and horrifically scary moments. When Stacey’s family is on the line, she delves deeper into herself than she ever has before, and she fights with the gusto of a mama bear. We could all decipher what Tamara’s end goal would be, but it was the manner in which she calculatingly destroyed Stacey that provided us with that edge of the seat moments.
What does it take to destroy a life? Well, little subtle things it would seem. A doubt here, a doubt there. Life is a fragile thing and the past is never truly escapable. We are all products of our experiences and Miranda shows us this in horrifying high definition.
Deserve to Die, is a fierce, all-consuming read with fast paced action with beautifully broken characters that has your stomach churning and your heart breaking. If you only read one book this summer, make it Deserve to Die.
December 14, 2025
Thrillers rarely get better than this.
May 25, 2024
Tamara did the same thing for 9 hours. Please
July 29, 2019
Holy mother of books! Deserve to Die is a pretty dangerous read for your heart.
The first chapter had me holding my breath, and I am not sure I got a lot of oxygen during the time I read the entire book! There was always something preventing me from releasing the tension in my body! From a cold and calculated opening to a spine-chilling ending, this is ride-or-die reading!
Stacey happily lives with her handsome and successful husband Dom and their two lovely kids. She has a great friend, her career is about to take massive proportions. Heavenly picture, isn’t it? But Stacey has a past that may come back to haunt her.
Tamara loves lists. She is a planner, whether for work or… any other mission of hers. She is the second voice in this book, and one I particularly liked to hate.
Now you might think ‘hey, I see where this is going! Good cop VS bad cop, or in this case, good woman VS bad woman. Deserve to Die is more complex than this! Yes, we do get two complete opposite facing each other, but neither is white or black, although Stacey definitely felt more multi-layered than Tamara. I put it on multiple factors that are explored in the book, creating a background for each protagonist, and letting the reader decide how grey those people are. This is something I really like in Miranda Rijks’ novels.
Authors like to add an edge with a mental illness clinging to their characters, and Miranda Rijks remarkably succeeds in injecting the perfect dose of doubt so the reader can only watch in horror as a trap closes in on two women. Yes, two women. Both personalities see the world through distorted glasses. Their issues might be different, and one might be less … lethal than the other, but this novel is inhabited by minds which need to put some things to rest. I particularly appreciated the author’s take on how someone’s word becomes less reliable because of a mental health record. It sticks with you forever, casting you as the unreliable one, the ‘most-likely-to-break-down’ one, turning you into an easy target. Raising it to a deadly level, Miranda builds a strong case around how much the human mind can take.
Watching Stacey’s life suddenly slip out of control was painful. What could she have done to deserve this? They do say ‘do not open your door to strangers…’
Jumping from one point of view to the other, trepidation ran through my veins as I couldn’t help my good side from internally screaming ‘Nooooo!’ It was almost unbearable to watch events unravel, gain speed, and drive straight to a giant wall. I kept wondering how far the plot would lead us and just how many pieces would be left to glue back together.
Destruction is the key in Deserve to Die. Self-destruction or the explosion of someone else’s life, how different is it? What motives hide behind? Can you feel the chills? What would you do if someone was out to get you?
This novel by Miranda Rijks is a fantastic pick for all fans of an evil ride!
The first chapter had me holding my breath, and I am not sure I got a lot of oxygen during the time I read the entire book! There was always something preventing me from releasing the tension in my body! From a cold and calculated opening to a spine-chilling ending, this is ride-or-die reading!
Stacey happily lives with her handsome and successful husband Dom and their two lovely kids. She has a great friend, her career is about to take massive proportions. Heavenly picture, isn’t it? But Stacey has a past that may come back to haunt her.
Tamara loves lists. She is a planner, whether for work or… any other mission of hers. She is the second voice in this book, and one I particularly liked to hate.
Now you might think ‘hey, I see where this is going! Good cop VS bad cop, or in this case, good woman VS bad woman. Deserve to Die is more complex than this! Yes, we do get two complete opposite facing each other, but neither is white or black, although Stacey definitely felt more multi-layered than Tamara. I put it on multiple factors that are explored in the book, creating a background for each protagonist, and letting the reader decide how grey those people are. This is something I really like in Miranda Rijks’ novels.
Authors like to add an edge with a mental illness clinging to their characters, and Miranda Rijks remarkably succeeds in injecting the perfect dose of doubt so the reader can only watch in horror as a trap closes in on two women. Yes, two women. Both personalities see the world through distorted glasses. Their issues might be different, and one might be less … lethal than the other, but this novel is inhabited by minds which need to put some things to rest. I particularly appreciated the author’s take on how someone’s word becomes less reliable because of a mental health record. It sticks with you forever, casting you as the unreliable one, the ‘most-likely-to-break-down’ one, turning you into an easy target. Raising it to a deadly level, Miranda builds a strong case around how much the human mind can take.
Watching Stacey’s life suddenly slip out of control was painful. What could she have done to deserve this? They do say ‘do not open your door to strangers…’
Jumping from one point of view to the other, trepidation ran through my veins as I couldn’t help my good side from internally screaming ‘Nooooo!’ It was almost unbearable to watch events unravel, gain speed, and drive straight to a giant wall. I kept wondering how far the plot would lead us and just how many pieces would be left to glue back together.
Destruction is the key in Deserve to Die. Self-destruction or the explosion of someone else’s life, how different is it? What motives hide behind? Can you feel the chills? What would you do if someone was out to get you?
This novel by Miranda Rijks is a fantastic pick for all fans of an evil ride!
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