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The Pact
I'll kill yours if you kill mine.
Maddie's life has come crashing down around her. Her husband has left her and moved on with a new woman and baby. No longer can she run from the past that's been haunting her. The past has destroyed her future.
In a new flat, trying to start a new life, Maddie meets Jade and her young son, Ben. All too swiftly Maddie finds the dark thoughts whirring through her brain. But Jade's different, she loves Ben, doesn't she?
As the two women begin to open up about their exes over a few glasses of wine, Jade conjures a plan, a pact. She'll kill Maddie's if Maddie kills hers. Laughing it off, Maddie returns to her normal life. But what if it wasn't a joke at all...
Maddie's life has come crashing down around her. Her husband has left her and moved on with a new woman and baby. No longer can she run from the past that's been haunting her. The past has destroyed her future.
In a new flat, trying to start a new life, Maddie meets Jade and her young son, Ben. All too swiftly Maddie finds the dark thoughts whirring through her brain. But Jade's different, she loves Ben, doesn't she?
As the two women begin to open up about their exes over a few glasses of wine, Jade conjures a plan, a pact. She'll kill Maddie's if Maddie kills hers. Laughing it off, Maddie returns to her normal life. But what if it wasn't a joke at all...
310 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2020
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596 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
August 30, 2020
Maddie finds an unlikely friend in her new neighbor Jade, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Maddie is lonely after moving into her new apartment. It doesn’t help that her (still) husband is living in their large, beautiful house with his girlfriend and their newborn daughter. Jade has a young son, Ben, and is worried that the baby’s father is going to try and get custody of him. Over a night of too much wine, they jokingly agree that Jade will kill Maddie’s husband if Maddie kills Jade’s ex. It WAS just a joke...wasn’t it?
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a quick, suspenseful, and smoothly written read. Maddie may be one of the most naive characters I’ve read in quite awhile, but I still liked her and was rooting for her in the final chapters. There was quite a bit going on in the last few pages, and I’m not sure how realistic I found it. Still, I found it to be pretty fun.
While not particularly groundbreaking, this is the perfect type of entertaining read for when you just want to lay around and do nothing else for a few hours. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Aria, Dawn Goodwin, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a quick, suspenseful, and smoothly written read. Maddie may be one of the most naive characters I’ve read in quite awhile, but I still liked her and was rooting for her in the final chapters. There was quite a bit going on in the last few pages, and I’m not sure how realistic I found it. Still, I found it to be pretty fun.
While not particularly groundbreaking, this is the perfect type of entertaining read for when you just want to lay around and do nothing else for a few hours. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Aria, Dawn Goodwin, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2020
The Pact by Dawn Goodwin is a twisted thriller. Two women make a pact to kill each other exes. One of the woman was joking and the other is threatening her. Was the pact a joke or will they go through with it? Maddie’s husband left her for a younger woman and Jade wants to avoid losing custody of her son. Can you actually forgive a cheater? How far will someone go to protect their child?
I really enjoyed The Pact. There was a lot of suspense and character development. I wouldn’t consider any of the characters good people, at least the main characters. However, I really liked Maddie. I cringed at so many decisions the characters made but loved reading about those decisions so much.
The Pact contains unusual family relationships, complicated female relationships, blackmail, infertility, cheating, and neighbor interactions.I recommend The Pact to domestic thriller fans.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria for The Pact.
Full Review: Https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
I really enjoyed The Pact. There was a lot of suspense and character development. I wouldn’t consider any of the characters good people, at least the main characters. However, I really liked Maddie. I cringed at so many decisions the characters made but loved reading about those decisions so much.
The Pact contains unusual family relationships, complicated female relationships, blackmail, infertility, cheating, and neighbor interactions.I recommend The Pact to domestic thriller fans.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria for The Pact.
Full Review: Https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
October 4, 2020
This was a quick, fun read. It offered nothing new to the thriller/suspense genre, but it flowed nicely.
Although the ending was satisfying, it was also pretty implausible...and I could see every twist coming a hundred miles away. I did think the main characters were well fleshed out, but I didn't have much sympathy for Maddie. It's one thing to be kind and forgiving...it's another to be a doormat. Maddie was, unfortunately, portrayed as the latter.
Bottom line: I'd recommend this novel if you're looking for a quick, easy domestic drama, which is enjoyable, but not particularly twisty.
Available October 8, 2020.
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for my review copy.
Although the ending was satisfying, it was also pretty implausible...and I could see every twist coming a hundred miles away. I did think the main characters were well fleshed out, but I didn't have much sympathy for Maddie. It's one thing to be kind and forgiving...it's another to be a doormat. Maddie was, unfortunately, portrayed as the latter.
Bottom line: I'd recommend this novel if you're looking for a quick, easy domestic drama, which is enjoyable, but not particularly twisty.
Available October 8, 2020.
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for my review copy.
September 27, 2020
What a fun read! No matter how many times this same trope can be rewritten and remixed, it will always be a fun read. Because it always provides some especially devilish characters and an ending that doesn't disappoint.
The Pact sounds like something you've read before but is something that you should also consider to hear a new version of. It's like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None; there's the outline that you love (two strangers meet somewhere and agree to kill each other's target) and also adding new aspects to never make it boring.
As I said, I had a lot of fun with this one. Even though the summer is coming to a close, it's one of the books I would probably call a poolside read. What is it now? By the fireplace read? I'm not sure. It's easy to read, intriguing, and pretty light.
More reviews on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/literary_cr...
The Pact sounds like something you've read before but is something that you should also consider to hear a new version of. It's like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None; there's the outline that you love (two strangers meet somewhere and agree to kill each other's target) and also adding new aspects to never make it boring.
As I said, I had a lot of fun with this one. Even though the summer is coming to a close, it's one of the books I would probably call a poolside read. What is it now? By the fireplace read? I'm not sure. It's easy to read, intriguing, and pretty light.
More reviews on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/literary_cr...
September 2, 2020
The cover of this caught my eye on Netgalley and after reading the blurb, I had to request it. It definitely sounds like Strangers On a Train (without the train). Two women with man troubles and one muses after too many glasses of wine that killing hers would improve her life. Unfortunately, the other is a lunatic and takes this as a "Game on!" moment and that can't end well.
But the way this played out wasn't exactly what I was expecting. There is indeed a murder but it doesn't take place until around the 75% mark. As a rule, I'm not a fan of that and like most stories where this happens, there's no good reason for it. Honestly, there was too much time spent on laying out the marriage of Maddie and Greg (from their meeting to the present). Maddie suffers through infertility and the breakdown of her marriage and when we enter the story, she is being moved into a nearby flat by her husband. Greg's now living in the home he and Maddie shared, with his formerly-his-really-bad-at-her-job-PA-girlfriend and their baby. Maddie, is really fine with all this and so accommodating to Greg to the point that upon accepting a lunch invitation to what used to be her home, she goes to the trouble of making him his favourite dessert (sticky toffee pudding) because he asked and gosh darn it all, he's just such a great guy (I never liked or felt for that guy but I think readers are supposed to). And that's not the most banana-pants thing this story has to roll out on the reader.
This was like a Lifetime movie and I had many moments of "What did I just read?!" That's not a bad thing because I just went with it and had fun but that's not the serious toned, Strangers On a Train vibe I'd been seeking when I requested this. The back 25% of this was full of twists and I was surprised at some of the revelations. The very end is too cute and wrapped in a bow for me but it was completely in line with that Lifetime movie feel, so not unexpected. There were a couple things that felt like continuity issues: Maddie is 38 but refers to herself as a Boomer (so... definitely not). She talks abt her fave shows with Greg & having watched them as newlyweds in the 90s. So perhaps she's supposed to be a Gen Xer & 38 was a typo, idk). May be worked out in the final edition for release.
I'd recommend this as a weekend or beach read. If you're the sort to talk to the characters as you read, you should settle in with a beverage. Wine, perhaps.
Many thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the Advance Reader's Copy.
But the way this played out wasn't exactly what I was expecting. There is indeed a murder but it doesn't take place until around the 75% mark. As a rule, I'm not a fan of that and like most stories where this happens, there's no good reason for it. Honestly, there was too much time spent on laying out the marriage of Maddie and Greg (from their meeting to the present). Maddie suffers through infertility and the breakdown of her marriage and when we enter the story, she is being moved into a nearby flat by her husband. Greg's now living in the home he and Maddie shared, with his formerly-his-really-bad-at-her-job-PA-girlfriend and their baby. Maddie, is really fine with all this and so accommodating to Greg to the point that upon accepting a lunch invitation to what used to be her home, she goes to the trouble of making him his favourite dessert (sticky toffee pudding) because he asked and gosh darn it all, he's just such a great guy (I never liked or felt for that guy but I think readers are supposed to). And that's not the most banana-pants thing this story has to roll out on the reader.
This was like a Lifetime movie and I had many moments of "What did I just read?!" That's not a bad thing because I just went with it and had fun but that's not the serious toned, Strangers On a Train vibe I'd been seeking when I requested this. The back 25% of this was full of twists and I was surprised at some of the revelations. The very end is too cute and wrapped in a bow for me but it was completely in line with that Lifetime movie feel, so not unexpected. There were a couple things that felt like continuity issues: Maddie is 38 but refers to herself as a Boomer (so... definitely not). She talks abt her fave shows with Greg & having watched them as newlyweds in the 90s. So perhaps she's supposed to be a Gen Xer & 38 was a typo, idk). May be worked out in the final edition for release.
I'd recommend this as a weekend or beach read. If you're the sort to talk to the characters as you read, you should settle in with a beverage. Wine, perhaps.
Many thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the Advance Reader's Copy.
September 27, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. Wow! What a page turner! This was a fast paced thriller that never slowed down. Maddie is a woman with a heartbreaking past. Her life has not ended up the way she had hoped. Her desire for a child overshadows any chance of happiness. When Maddie meets Jade, her upstairs neighbor, things look as if they might take a turn for the better. Jade isn’t much, but her son Ben brightens Maddie’s otherwise bleak world. As the women get to know each other, questions begin to accumulate about the truth both women are hiding. A blossoming friendship, or a nightmare where you can’t wake up. Warning.....”Be careful what you wish for.”
5 edge of your seat stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 edge of your seat stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 14, 2022
I think this book would have got a much higher rating from me if I hadn’t read a book with a very similar storyline and enjoyed that one a lot more
October 19, 2020
The Pact follows recently separated Maddie as she navigates life in a new flat, and is befriended by a young women on a disturbing path for revenge. The slighted Jade targets Maddie in her plan to plan to off her ex, and suggest the same payback for Maddie's philandering husband, Gregory. But, much to Maddie's detriment, she writes off Jade's suggestion as a joke and the consequences are grave.
This is another cleverly plotted story by Dawn Goodwin, with characters that have complex psyches. Through much of the story it's clear Maddie is heartbroken by loss. She's a little too okay with her soon to be ex's actions and it's not entirely clear why. At least not until well into the story. She carries guilt that drives her acceptance of his new life, and feels ingratiated to him, but the why's are for the reader to discover and access.
At times she felt a little manic to me and there's a sense that she's not entirely present. She's clearly obsessed with children, with being a mom, and it's this that drives her connection to Jade. I can only describe Jade as a very manipulative and clearly psychotic young woman. Throughout the entire story I questioned her motivation, anticipating a twist. But the reveal exposes her crazy, and it's one I never saw coming. She's very hot and cold with Maddie, and Maddie takes it. Well, until she doesn't.
While I empathized with Maddie's situation, it's not always easy to root for her. She's a bit of a doormat and is pretty single minded, as motherhood is the only thing that will do. But in the end, she shows that she's more astute and clever then she let on. This is a well paced domestic psychological read with plenty of conflict and lots of tension. 4 Stars and recommendation.
This is another cleverly plotted story by Dawn Goodwin, with characters that have complex psyches. Through much of the story it's clear Maddie is heartbroken by loss. She's a little too okay with her soon to be ex's actions and it's not entirely clear why. At least not until well into the story. She carries guilt that drives her acceptance of his new life, and feels ingratiated to him, but the why's are for the reader to discover and access.
At times she felt a little manic to me and there's a sense that she's not entirely present. She's clearly obsessed with children, with being a mom, and it's this that drives her connection to Jade. I can only describe Jade as a very manipulative and clearly psychotic young woman. Throughout the entire story I questioned her motivation, anticipating a twist. But the reveal exposes her crazy, and it's one I never saw coming. She's very hot and cold with Maddie, and Maddie takes it. Well, until she doesn't.
While I empathized with Maddie's situation, it's not always easy to root for her. She's a bit of a doormat and is pretty single minded, as motherhood is the only thing that will do. But in the end, she shows that she's more astute and clever then she let on. This is a well paced domestic psychological read with plenty of conflict and lots of tension. 4 Stars and recommendation.
November 14, 2020
Welcome to loony tunes characters, and you are all invited to peruse them. Probably whack them too.
Maddie moved into a new neighborhood post separation from her infidel husband who now had a baby with his secretary and was living in Maddie’s old home with his new family. The upstairs neighbor, Jade, was a new mother to baby Ben, and over time, a drunken pact was made to kill each other’s husbands. Were they serious?
Oh my! The book sure had weird characters, each trying to outdo the other. Author Dawn Goodwin hammered out distinctive nature to them. Jade had temperamental moods, Maddie was too subservient. The louse of a husband was happy that he had a cake and ate it too. The secretary felt victorious at having bagged a jerk. Each of them pulled at my emotional strings, but they had one thing in common. I wanted to bop them one, and some deserved two.
The twists the story took were best felt at the end where unexpected things happened. Naivete was at its best in Maddie. The others revolved around her. There was a lot happening down its pages, and some scenes made me cringe. This was a different domestic thriller where I was sure they should just kill each other and be done with it.
A fun entertainer.
Maddie moved into a new neighborhood post separation from her infidel husband who now had a baby with his secretary and was living in Maddie’s old home with his new family. The upstairs neighbor, Jade, was a new mother to baby Ben, and over time, a drunken pact was made to kill each other’s husbands. Were they serious?
Oh my! The book sure had weird characters, each trying to outdo the other. Author Dawn Goodwin hammered out distinctive nature to them. Jade had temperamental moods, Maddie was too subservient. The louse of a husband was happy that he had a cake and ate it too. The secretary felt victorious at having bagged a jerk. Each of them pulled at my emotional strings, but they had one thing in common. I wanted to bop them one, and some deserved two.
The twists the story took were best felt at the end where unexpected things happened. Naivete was at its best in Maddie. The others revolved around her. There was a lot happening down its pages, and some scenes made me cringe. This was a different domestic thriller where I was sure they should just kill each other and be done with it.
A fun entertainer.
October 2, 2024
What I enjoyed the most about this book was the short chapters, and the character of Maddie.
Short chapters make a book fly through quickly and I am a big fan of them. I felt sorry for Maddie. She was very easily manipulated. Most of the other characters were unlikeable and I did not warm to them at all. This is a book about revenge and manipulation.
Short chapters make a book fly through quickly and I am a big fan of them. I felt sorry for Maddie. She was very easily manipulated. Most of the other characters were unlikeable and I did not warm to them at all. This is a book about revenge and manipulation.
October 10, 2020
"I'll kill yours, if you kill mine"
Oh Yes! This was definitely my kind of book. A great story, written in a no nonsense way, yet at the same time full of surprises and a few red herrings, with twists and turns right until the very end!
This disturbing storyline was ideally constructed and developed, from my preferred reading point of view. The opening chapter more or less set the scene and the backstory for lead protagonist, Maddie. The storyline was slow burning, full of detail yet giving nothing away, descriptive and well narrated in the moment by Maddie predominantly, together with some small interruptions from Jade and a few short paragraphs of introspection and retrospection by Maddie, when missing pieces of the backstory jigsaw are fitted into place. The ending was quite satisfying and what I might have hoped for, although the means by which it happened was totally unexpected.
'Revenge is a dish best served cold' - just ask Maddie!
On its own, this wasn't a particularly complex story, however the many added layers, which were peeled back intermittently, really ramped up the suspense level giving it great depth and staying power. The intense and unrelenting psychological twists really played with my mind, let alone with those of the characters, to the stage where I didn't know what was going to happen next.
The two main protagonists were both female and whilst neither they, nor any of the supporting cast, were particularly likeable characters, or easy to become invested in or connect with, it was great fun trying to unravel the complex, multi-layered personalities, in which the author had wrapped them up so neatly.
The atmosphere was constantly crackling with tension and no matter where Maddie went, she always seemed to be stressed beyond belief about one thing or another, as her thinking and emotions were being pulled this way and that, by other people's unrelenting pressure. Through the well written, gripping and descriptive narrative and dialogue, I could almost feel how highly strung Maddie was and that she was constantly on edge. Even when on a couple of occasions she had a bit too much to drink, her actions seemed way over the top and a bit too exuberant to be spontaneous! The incessant intensity with which Maddie filled her life, along with her slightly annoying naivety, was managed with total authority and confidence by an author who knew just which buttons to push to get the reaction she needed, without having to labour a point.
The notion of extended and unconventional family units was explored in a realistic and authentic way, although not one which made me feel overly comfortable, as Maddie's obsession with children whilst disturbing and troubling, was also profoundly touching and emotionally draining, as it was the only thing she thought about, day in, day out. For any one person to have endured both the physical and mental anguish which Maddie had, would surely have wrecked even the strongest and most stable of relationships, but her estranged husband Greg, wet blanket that he was, really did 'want his cake and eat it'. Three people and a baby in one marriage was never going to work, surely!
Jade just had a scheming disturbing and very distorted mind and view on life. Always out to use someone until they had served their useful purpose and then on to the next unsuspecting victim, even if murder and blackmail was the only route to her achieving her goal. Having said all that, it did take me quite a while to cotton on to her selfish motives and I actually became quite invested in her sob story, until the penny dropped. The only consolation was that Maddie took even longer than I did to work it out, but boy! how the tide turned once she realised she had been used, and as a consequence, her entire future might have been changed, as she might have been complicit in ruining so many other precious lives.
The relatively small cast of supporting characters really were an eclectic, multi-faceted bunch, although when I stopped to unpick the story before writing this review, I realised that they all had their own roles to play in Maddie discovering her true worth, the values that really mattered to her, and the knowledge that she was more than able to stand on her own two feet and make her own decisions as an independent individual. The characters all seemed to operate in their own little bubbles, with little interaction and dialogue between them, leaving Maddie and Jade to take centre stage, yet they were all pivotal to the storyline in various stages, as it developed and unfolded.
Conventional as I probably am, this disconnected and slightly quirky set-up, was one giant time bomb just waiting to go off and when it did explode, as for my thinking it was always doomed to, the fallout was far-reaching and for some, permanent! Murder, accidental death, suicide - The bodies were piling up, but who would the winners and losers be?
Oh Yes! This was definitely my kind of book. A great story, written in a no nonsense way, yet at the same time full of surprises and a few red herrings, with twists and turns right until the very end!
This disturbing storyline was ideally constructed and developed, from my preferred reading point of view. The opening chapter more or less set the scene and the backstory for lead protagonist, Maddie. The storyline was slow burning, full of detail yet giving nothing away, descriptive and well narrated in the moment by Maddie predominantly, together with some small interruptions from Jade and a few short paragraphs of introspection and retrospection by Maddie, when missing pieces of the backstory jigsaw are fitted into place. The ending was quite satisfying and what I might have hoped for, although the means by which it happened was totally unexpected.
'Revenge is a dish best served cold' - just ask Maddie!
On its own, this wasn't a particularly complex story, however the many added layers, which were peeled back intermittently, really ramped up the suspense level giving it great depth and staying power. The intense and unrelenting psychological twists really played with my mind, let alone with those of the characters, to the stage where I didn't know what was going to happen next.
The two main protagonists were both female and whilst neither they, nor any of the supporting cast, were particularly likeable characters, or easy to become invested in or connect with, it was great fun trying to unravel the complex, multi-layered personalities, in which the author had wrapped them up so neatly.
The atmosphere was constantly crackling with tension and no matter where Maddie went, she always seemed to be stressed beyond belief about one thing or another, as her thinking and emotions were being pulled this way and that, by other people's unrelenting pressure. Through the well written, gripping and descriptive narrative and dialogue, I could almost feel how highly strung Maddie was and that she was constantly on edge. Even when on a couple of occasions she had a bit too much to drink, her actions seemed way over the top and a bit too exuberant to be spontaneous! The incessant intensity with which Maddie filled her life, along with her slightly annoying naivety, was managed with total authority and confidence by an author who knew just which buttons to push to get the reaction she needed, without having to labour a point.
The notion of extended and unconventional family units was explored in a realistic and authentic way, although not one which made me feel overly comfortable, as Maddie's obsession with children whilst disturbing and troubling, was also profoundly touching and emotionally draining, as it was the only thing she thought about, day in, day out. For any one person to have endured both the physical and mental anguish which Maddie had, would surely have wrecked even the strongest and most stable of relationships, but her estranged husband Greg, wet blanket that he was, really did 'want his cake and eat it'. Three people and a baby in one marriage was never going to work, surely!
Jade just had a scheming disturbing and very distorted mind and view on life. Always out to use someone until they had served their useful purpose and then on to the next unsuspecting victim, even if murder and blackmail was the only route to her achieving her goal. Having said all that, it did take me quite a while to cotton on to her selfish motives and I actually became quite invested in her sob story, until the penny dropped. The only consolation was that Maddie took even longer than I did to work it out, but boy! how the tide turned once she realised she had been used, and as a consequence, her entire future might have been changed, as she might have been complicit in ruining so many other precious lives.
The relatively small cast of supporting characters really were an eclectic, multi-faceted bunch, although when I stopped to unpick the story before writing this review, I realised that they all had their own roles to play in Maddie discovering her true worth, the values that really mattered to her, and the knowledge that she was more than able to stand on her own two feet and make her own decisions as an independent individual. The characters all seemed to operate in their own little bubbles, with little interaction and dialogue between them, leaving Maddie and Jade to take centre stage, yet they were all pivotal to the storyline in various stages, as it developed and unfolded.
Conventional as I probably am, this disconnected and slightly quirky set-up, was one giant time bomb just waiting to go off and when it did explode, as for my thinking it was always doomed to, the fallout was far-reaching and for some, permanent! Murder, accidental death, suicide - The bodies were piling up, but who would the winners and losers be?
August 30, 2020
This was a decent read that had slow-burn thriller quality, though some of the things that happened seemed a little far-fetched at times. It centers on Maddie, who is in her late 30s and living on her own for the first time in 20 years after her husband leaves her for his PA. Maddie has what seems like a very unhealthy obsession with being around children (that is never addressed as such), and befriends her neighbor, Jade, who has a 3 year old son. Jade and Maddie are very different types of people but Maddie forces the friendship so she can be around Ben, and it turns out that Jade has her own plans too. During an evening with too many drinks, Jade comes up with the plan that they each kill each other's exes, which Maddie thinks is a joke initially, but realizes how deep she is as Jade continues to push her.
While not a super unique concept, there were definitely parts of the book that were unique to this particular story, and the book itself moved at a pretty fast clip. I don't agree that it felt like a rip-off of Strangers on a Train, as other reviewers had mentioned, though obviously a similar story line. I found myself frustrated with Maddie, who seemed naive and immature and really should have talked to a therapist about her obsession with children. I didn't fully believe the Greg/Gemma story; though I understood Greg's frustration with Maddie's single-mindedness around having kids, I couldn't figure out what redeeming qualities Gemma brought to the table (other than her looks) which would cause him to throw away his whole marriage.
The end of the book felt a little rushed to me, and was tied up in a way that felt very unrealistic, though tied up all the loose ends neatly.
Overall, a decent read that held my interest throughout. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While not a super unique concept, there were definitely parts of the book that were unique to this particular story, and the book itself moved at a pretty fast clip. I don't agree that it felt like a rip-off of Strangers on a Train, as other reviewers had mentioned, though obviously a similar story line. I found myself frustrated with Maddie, who seemed naive and immature and really should have talked to a therapist about her obsession with children. I didn't fully believe the Greg/Gemma story; though I understood Greg's frustration with Maddie's single-mindedness around having kids, I couldn't figure out what redeeming qualities Gemma brought to the table (other than her looks) which would cause him to throw away his whole marriage.
The end of the book felt a little rushed to me, and was tied up in a way that felt very unrealistic, though tied up all the loose ends neatly.
Overall, a decent read that held my interest throughout. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2020
Maddie and Greg had been together since the start of uni - 20 years. But now, Maddie is moving into a flat, alone. Yet, the flat is not too far away from their marital home. Greg now lives in the home with Gemma (his former PA) and Gemma & Greg's baby - Jemima.
In her apartment building, Maddie meets Jade. Maddie is primarily interested in Jade because Jade has a 3 year old son - Ben. Maddie craved to become pregnant until she and Greg separated. Not yet divorced...
Maddie is very lonely so she goes to Jade's flat, when invited, and has a good time. Maddie gets SO drunk there that she cannot remember what occurred the previous night. Recalling very little - (even The Pact she made with Jade) - and this could become a serious mistake.
Greg still cares for Maddie and helps her out & visits her with Jemima. Maddie, thinks Greg, was so emotionally draining that he would rather put up with Gemma's materialistic ways. Also, Gemma is the mother of Jemima.
Then, the reader gets a look into Greg and Maddie's past and present...
Many Thanks to Aria/ Head of Zeus Ltd. and NetGalley for a twisty, exciting read!
In her apartment building, Maddie meets Jade. Maddie is primarily interested in Jade because Jade has a 3 year old son - Ben. Maddie craved to become pregnant until she and Greg separated. Not yet divorced...
Maddie is very lonely so she goes to Jade's flat, when invited, and has a good time. Maddie gets SO drunk there that she cannot remember what occurred the previous night. Recalling very little - (even The Pact she made with Jade) - and this could become a serious mistake.
Greg still cares for Maddie and helps her out & visits her with Jemima. Maddie, thinks Greg, was so emotionally draining that he would rather put up with Gemma's materialistic ways. Also, Gemma is the mother of Jemima.
Then, the reader gets a look into Greg and Maddie's past and present...
Many Thanks to Aria/ Head of Zeus Ltd. and NetGalley for a twisty, exciting read!
March 27, 2021
This is another copycat of Strangers on a Train, only not executed nearly as well. The book could easily have been cut by one-fourth to one-third and it would have actually been better. How many times does Jade have to repeat her plan and how many times does she have to flip from nice to nasty for Maddie to get the idea that maybe Jade isn't such a nice person? Apparently Maddie is a little - no, a lot - slow, because she doesn't catch on until the end.
I would give this book 2.5 stars if I could. It's an easy read, it just drags in spots. And by the way, authors, please remember that when you are describing a bloody, gory mess, it is "grisly," not "grizzly." Remember: A grizzly is a bear and if it gets hold of you, it will leave you a grisly mess.
I would give this book 2.5 stars if I could. It's an easy read, it just drags in spots. And by the way, authors, please remember that when you are describing a bloody, gory mess, it is "grisly," not "grizzly." Remember: A grizzly is a bear and if it gets hold of you, it will leave you a grisly mess.
June 14, 2021
4.0 ⭐. Verhaal las erg vlot en het bleef ook boeien.
December 23, 2022
This was my first book by this author, which was a pretty good read. The trope of killing each other’s partners is always a good one for me, you just never know how the plan is going to work and if they will be able to pull it off.
January 2, 2021
Before I write anything else, I need to address the elephant in the novel…
Maybe you read the blurb and thought: ‘Strangers on a Train’. I did.
This book is not inspired by Strangers on a Train; this book IS Strangers on a Train with Snapchat. So much so that I honestly think the cover should read by Dawn Goodwin and Patricia Highsmith. The plot moves more slowly than Highsmith’s but there is no real deviation until past the 90% mark.
Maddie’s husband, Greg, has left her for his PA, Gemma, who is now the mother of his child, Jemima. However, Maddie is happy to move around the corner into a flat Greg has bought for her so she can be near her unconventional family (Maddie’s words). They now live in what was once her beautiful home and invite her to Sunday lunch. This extremely strange situation is sort of explained away by the fact that Maddie could never have children, which led to her marriage breaking down, and she longs to be part of little Jemima’s life. Honestly, I hate to say it, but I found myself feeling sorry for Gemma in this situation.
Given Maddie’s almost obsessive need to be near children, she sees her new neighbour, Jade, with three-year-old Ben and immediately wants to befriend her. They get drunk together, Jade suggests they kill each other’s exes, ha ha ha, that’s such a good idea but you must be joking… And so, it continues.
Can you still enjoy this book if you haven’t read Strangers or seen the film? Yes... maybe. However, the pace slows significantly around the middle and you are left wondering if there are in fact going to be any attempts at murder. I was lucky enough to have a free day to dedicate to reading this book, otherwise I might have felt the middle section dragging a lot more if I had spaced out my reading over a few days.
As for the ending, after a long stretch of not much happening it felt a bit rushed and the ‘surprises’ didn’t really come as a surprise at all. Also, I know it’s fiction but I’m sure there would have been some legal issues in real life with the ending.
I know I received an unedited ARC but… A couple of doubts: When did Greg and Gemma have time to redecorate if Maddie literally just moved out and had never lived anywhere else by herself? And: Maddie’s 38 and I assume this is 2020 but she watched Friends in the 1990s as a newlywed, yet they married after uni. No… It’s not working out for me.
I’m afraid I can’t rate this book any higher because there are so many thrillers out there today and not all of them are very original, but this one has literally been done before.
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #ThePact
Maybe you read the blurb and thought: ‘Strangers on a Train’. I did.
This book is not inspired by Strangers on a Train; this book IS Strangers on a Train with Snapchat. So much so that I honestly think the cover should read by Dawn Goodwin and Patricia Highsmith. The plot moves more slowly than Highsmith’s but there is no real deviation until past the 90% mark.
Maddie’s husband, Greg, has left her for his PA, Gemma, who is now the mother of his child, Jemima. However, Maddie is happy to move around the corner into a flat Greg has bought for her so she can be near her unconventional family (Maddie’s words). They now live in what was once her beautiful home and invite her to Sunday lunch. This extremely strange situation is sort of explained away by the fact that Maddie could never have children, which led to her marriage breaking down, and she longs to be part of little Jemima’s life. Honestly, I hate to say it, but I found myself feeling sorry for Gemma in this situation.
Given Maddie’s almost obsessive need to be near children, she sees her new neighbour, Jade, with three-year-old Ben and immediately wants to befriend her. They get drunk together, Jade suggests they kill each other’s exes, ha ha ha, that’s such a good idea but you must be joking… And so, it continues.
Can you still enjoy this book if you haven’t read Strangers or seen the film? Yes... maybe. However, the pace slows significantly around the middle and you are left wondering if there are in fact going to be any attempts at murder. I was lucky enough to have a free day to dedicate to reading this book, otherwise I might have felt the middle section dragging a lot more if I had spaced out my reading over a few days.
As for the ending, after a long stretch of not much happening it felt a bit rushed and the ‘surprises’ didn’t really come as a surprise at all. Also, I know it’s fiction but I’m sure there would have been some legal issues in real life with the ending.
I know I received an unedited ARC but… A couple of doubts: When did Greg and Gemma have time to redecorate if Maddie literally just moved out and had never lived anywhere else by herself? And: Maddie’s 38 and I assume this is 2020 but she watched Friends in the 1990s as a newlywed, yet they married after uni. No… It’s not working out for me.
I’m afraid I can’t rate this book any higher because there are so many thrillers out there today and not all of them are very original, but this one has literally been done before.
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #ThePact
August 28, 2020
I truly struggled to get through this book. It was such an interesting concept but poorly executed. I think I would be willing to give it another try later one but I felt like it just went too slow.
August 31, 2020
THE PACT
BY DAWN GOODWIN
This was a very well written psychological thriller written by the talented Dawn Goodwin. I really enjoyed it and although if you read the Good Read's and the Net Galley synopsis I still didn't guess how the book would turn out in the end. That is always something that I appreciate not guessing the ending and having the novel surprise me. The characterization and plot were executed well. I really loved the main protagonist Maddie and how nice to see her husband continue to treat her like she was part of his new life. His girlfriend Gemma was not happy about all of the help Greg gave Maddie and the way he witnessed Maddie's love for his daughter.
The novel begins with Greg helping Maddie move in to her new downsized living quarters. Greg and Maddie aren't quite divorced but he has had a baby with his personal assistant Gemma. It is just heartbreaking how some couples marriages fail because there are too many miscarriages and IVF seems to put a strain on many marriages when even that fails. I see this more often than not. So this may be a trigger warning to women who have not been able to have children but badly wants them.
Maddie meets sly, cunning Jade who lives upstairs and whose little boy named Ben that draws Maddie to enter a friendship with Jade because Jade doesn't make a very good impression. The two women bond slowly and Jade suggests to Maddie that she will kill Maddie's ex Greg if Maddie will kill Jade's ex named Mark who Jade says is Ben's father. Maddie doesn't take Jade seriously with some dire circumstances.
This was a thriller that drew me in and I was so invested I read it within a few hours. It has plenty of tension that slowly builds. This was really fantastic and one I highly recommend. I would rate this 4.5 stars rounding up. I would be interested in looking into this author's other books.
Publication Date: October 8, 2020
Thank you to Net Galley, Dawn Goodwin and Aria & Aries Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#ThePact #DawnGoodwin #Aria&AriesPublishing #NetGalley
BY DAWN GOODWIN
This was a very well written psychological thriller written by the talented Dawn Goodwin. I really enjoyed it and although if you read the Good Read's and the Net Galley synopsis I still didn't guess how the book would turn out in the end. That is always something that I appreciate not guessing the ending and having the novel surprise me. The characterization and plot were executed well. I really loved the main protagonist Maddie and how nice to see her husband continue to treat her like she was part of his new life. His girlfriend Gemma was not happy about all of the help Greg gave Maddie and the way he witnessed Maddie's love for his daughter.
The novel begins with Greg helping Maddie move in to her new downsized living quarters. Greg and Maddie aren't quite divorced but he has had a baby with his personal assistant Gemma. It is just heartbreaking how some couples marriages fail because there are too many miscarriages and IVF seems to put a strain on many marriages when even that fails. I see this more often than not. So this may be a trigger warning to women who have not been able to have children but badly wants them.
Maddie meets sly, cunning Jade who lives upstairs and whose little boy named Ben that draws Maddie to enter a friendship with Jade because Jade doesn't make a very good impression. The two women bond slowly and Jade suggests to Maddie that she will kill Maddie's ex Greg if Maddie will kill Jade's ex named Mark who Jade says is Ben's father. Maddie doesn't take Jade seriously with some dire circumstances.
This was a thriller that drew me in and I was so invested I read it within a few hours. It has plenty of tension that slowly builds. This was really fantastic and one I highly recommend. I would rate this 4.5 stars rounding up. I would be interested in looking into this author's other books.
Publication Date: October 8, 2020
Thank you to Net Galley, Dawn Goodwin and Aria & Aries Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#ThePact #DawnGoodwin #Aria&AriesPublishing #NetGalley
September 19, 2021
I have read so many psychological thrillers at this point, that many of them are predictable and a little tedious. it takes a really good author to provide a plot twist that really shocks, and unfortunately Goodwin didn't manage it here. The writing style was good (aside from some formatting issues on this advanced reader copy on Kindle), and the character build-up was good. None of the characters were very likeable, and the villain was clear from the get-go. It's a quick and easy read, but the need to suspend disbelief, and the predictability really lets it down. I would however seek out more books by Goodwin, as I did really enjoy her writing style.
December 23, 2022
“I’ll kill yours if you kill mine…”
The tagline was enough to draw me to this book and boy, am I glad it did. A fast paced, twisty and suspenseful thriller that kept me guessing right to the end.
A naive female lead surrounded by an array of other characters - all who bring their own charm and glamour to the story.
This book is well written and keeps you guessing to the last. A twist or two I never would have guessed!
Removal of a star for the spelling and grammar errors that are littered throughout - a no no for a published book!
The tagline was enough to draw me to this book and boy, am I glad it did. A fast paced, twisty and suspenseful thriller that kept me guessing right to the end.
A naive female lead surrounded by an array of other characters - all who bring their own charm and glamour to the story.
This book is well written and keeps you guessing to the last. A twist or two I never would have guessed!
Removal of a star for the spelling and grammar errors that are littered throughout - a no no for a published book!
June 26, 2023
2.5 stars rounded down
This felt unrealistic in many ways.
Maddie's character makes almost no logical sense.
She's smart enough to completely handle the financial aspect of her and her husband's business but not smart enough to know she's entitled to half the business?
This is just weird.
The story doesn't work because Maddie is too naive to be believed.
This felt unrealistic in many ways.
Maddie's character makes almost no logical sense.
She's smart enough to completely handle the financial aspect of her and her husband's business but not smart enough to know she's entitled to half the business?
This is just weird.
The story doesn't work because Maddie is too naive to be believed.
November 30, 2020
After failing to carry a child to full term, Maddie's marriage has fallen apart and her husband Greg now is besotted with a daughter he's had with his former employee Gemma. Now living alone Maddie meets her single mum neighbour, Jade, whose son Ben is somewhat neglected and this tugs at Maddie's heartstrings. Over a few too many drinks Jade and Maddie jokingly make a pact to kill each other's former partners - but is it a joke? Not according to Jade!
What follows are some complex events building up to murder, but with some unlikely twists and surprising lapses of judgment especially on the part of Maddie and her soon to be ex Greg. There was some intrigue and unexpected situations but it was largely predictable and none of the adult main characters had many redeeming qualities. Overall an easy read but lacking in depth and plausibility.
What follows are some complex events building up to murder, but with some unlikely twists and surprising lapses of judgment especially on the part of Maddie and her soon to be ex Greg. There was some intrigue and unexpected situations but it was largely predictable and none of the adult main characters had many redeeming qualities. Overall an easy read but lacking in depth and plausibility.
December 28, 2020
Great read. Fast paced thriller based on Strangers on a train.
I enjoy Dawn Goodwin's books. Will read more by this author.
Highly recommended.
I enjoy Dawn Goodwin's books. Will read more by this author.
Highly recommended.
January 22, 2024
had some good twists in
December 10, 2024
dnf’ed at page 108
August 22, 2020
This was a slow burn thriller drama with an interesting premise. It was well written, and was the perfect length for me to read in one sitting.
Some of it seemed a bit far fetched but I still found it to be an enjoyable read.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.
Some of it seemed a bit far fetched but I still found it to be an enjoyable read.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.
September 2, 2020
This story line could have been magnificent, instead it just seemed to drag on to me. I was not enmeshed in the characters problems. I am sorry I did not enjoy it-others who like a slow build up may like it better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.
August 27, 2020
An excellent thriller that I was hooked on from the beginning, I have read books by this author before and this one was as good as the others.
January 12, 2022
Great read,never saw that ending coming. Thanks to Laura for book swapping with me.
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