Two Nights in Lisbon

by Chris Pavone

Tautly wound and expertly crafted, Two Nights in Lisbon is a riveting thriller about a woman under pressure, and how far she will go when everything is on the line.

You think you know a person . . .

Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon, alone. Her husband is gone―no warning, no note, not answering his phone. Something is wrong.

She starts with hotel security, then the police, then the American embassy, at each confronting questions she can’t fully answer: What exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Why would he drag her along on his business trip? Who would want to harm him? And why does Ariel know so little about her new―much younger―husband?

The clock is ticking. Ariel is increasingly frustrated and desperate, running out of time, and the one person in the world who can help is the one person she least wants to ask.

With sparkling prose and razor-sharp insights, bestselling author Chris Pavone delivers a stunning and sophisticated international thriller that will linger long after the surprising final page.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Book Club

436 pages, Hardcover

First published May 24, 2022

About the author

CHRIS PAVONE is the New York Times-bestselling author of international thrillers including THE EXPATS and, most recently, TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON; his sixth novel, THE DOORMAN, publishes May 20, 2025. Chris's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and IndieNext; have won both the Edgar and Anthony awards, and have been shortlisted for the Strand, Macavity, and Los Angeles Times Book Prize; are in development for film and television; and have been translated into more than two dozen languages.

He has written for outlets including the New York Times Book Review and Magazine, the Telegraph, and Salon; has appeared on Face the Nation, Good Day New York, All Things Considered, and the BBC; and has been profiled on the arts’ front page of the New York Times. He is a member of the Authors Guild Council, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America, for which he has served as an Edgars judge.

Chris grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Midwood High School and Cornell University, and worked in publishing for nearly two decades at Dell Magazines, Doubleday, the Lyons Press, Regan/HarperCollins, Clarkson Potter, and Artisan/Workman, in positions ranging from copy editor and managing editor to executive editor and deputy publisher; he also wrote a (mostly blank) book about wine, and ghost-wrote a couple of nonfiction books. Then his wife got a job in Luxembourg, and the family moved abroad, where Chris raised their twin boys and started writing THE EXPATS. They now live again in New York City and on the North Fork of Long Island with an Australian Labradoodle named Wally.

Reviews

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Ariel Pryce, a newly married woman in her mid-forties, wakes up in her hotel room in Lisbon only to find her husband, John Wright missing with no note or clue as to where he might have gone. John was on a work trip to Lisbon and Ariel had accompanied him with plans to spend some quality time together. They’ve known each other for barely a year and we assume that this is their first trip together. Ariel approaches the hotel staff who have no information on her husband’s whereabouts. When she contacts local law enforcement they are skeptical since her husband has been missing for a only a few hours, which isn't long enough to warrant police intervention. Frustrated by the lack of interest shown by the police, Ariel approaches the US Embassy who are not of much help either. As the story progresses, we see the police and the Embassy getting involved in the investigation with an ambitious reporter and the CIA also entering the mix. It appears to everyone that either Ariel truly does not know much about her husband’s work, background or the details of his trip to Lisbon or that she is hiding something and knows more than she is letting on. When Ariel receives a ransom demand for an exorbitant sum of money, she is compelled to turn to a person from her past - a person who is powerful and potentially dangerous.

Ariel, for her part, is not without secrets of her own. In flashbacks, we get to know Ariel’s backstory – the events leading to her divorcing her ex-husband and leaving behind a glamorous and affluent lifestyle in New York City only to move to a farm in a quiet part of the state with her son. Is John’s disappearance somehow linked to Ariel’s past? Is there more to John than meets the eye? Who can Ariel trust to help her in her efforts to bring her husband back safe and sound? Should Ariel fear for her life?

The story begins well and Ariel’s frustration and desperation to find her missing husband is well portrayed. As we get to know more about her, you cannot help sympathize with what she has gone through in the past. The increasing interest and involvement of the police, Consular Services and CIA is left mostly unexplained in the first half of the novel so much so that it seems unrealistic. The “political” element of the thriller is introduced in the latter half of the story and adds significantly to the suspense and overall atmosphere of the novel.

Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone is stretched over 400+ pages. While I enjoyed the plot and structure of the novel, the sheer length of the book tested my patience. The pace slows down considerably after an amazing start and I found myself losing interest long before the story finally picks up again. I struggled to push through. This is a well-written thriller that has enough twists and turns to keep you engaged and guessing till the end but only if you don’t give up before the first half. While I eventually did enjoy the story and was surprised by the ending, I feel it should have been more compact and less repetitive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

I have long been a Chris Pavone fan and don't think his books get enough attention. This was an exciting adventure story set in Lisbon when a woman named Ariel accompanies her new husband on a business trip and when she wakes up one morning he has disappeared. She frantically goes to the police and the embassy, but they don't think she should be worked up so soon. As events unfold, nothing is as it seems.

There were a couple of things that made this book not quite four stars. First, it's really long and I think it could have been cut down a bit and still been intriguing. Second, there were certain times where it seemed like a lecture rather than a story--there were many soapbox moments where the author would pontificate about the insidious nature of media/technology, rape culture, power, etc. It pulled me out of the story because even though the lectures were relevant to the plot, it didn't flow well.

Other than that, this is a story filled with surprises and twists, the types that I've definitely come to expect from a Pavone novel. The ending perfectly tied together the loose ends and left me feeling very satisfied. I liked and connected with the characters and was rooting for their success, even when they weren't altogether reliable narrators. That's not a spoiler--once you start going back and forth in time you know that there's obviously something going on below the surface.

I listened to this as an audiobook and January LaVoy is an incredible narrator. She captured Ariel's voice and made the book more captivating and believable.

I look forward to Pavone's next international thriller, if you enjoy this genre I urge you to pick up his books!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Whitney Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Nights in Lisbon is an intriguing read!! This book starts with Ariel waking up to find her newlywed husband missing. The storyline is interesting and keeps you guessing and curious about what’s going to unravel next in her quest to find her husband. The downside of this book for me is it was longer coming in at 400+ pages. I feel like it could have been trimmed down some as it dragged on a bit at some points. The ending was satisfying and overall, I think this book was good and I would recommend it.

Thank you Net Galley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux MCD for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

THEY SAY THAT REVENGE IS SWEET!! BUT IS IT ALWAYS??

I really enjoyed this book, such a great combination of domestic thriller, international espionage, strong female protagonist, monsters finally getting their due and red herrings galore – WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE!!

Ariel Pryce wakes up in her room in Lisbon and her husband is missing. It is early hours but when John doesn’t answer any of her texts or calls, she is sure something terrible has happened to him.

This is Portugal and I found more than a little sexism within the police force. They are quick to point out that men may “step out” on their own but surely John will be back within the next 24 hours. Could there be another woman?? Did they have a fight? Ariel is immediately put on the defensive – typical treatment for a woman in this country apparently.

No matter who she talks to; the local police, the embassy, finally the CIA – no one is willing to acknowledge that something nefarious is going on.

The only one who is interested in her story is a reporter and Ariel doesn’t want anything to do with him at this point.

There are so many things that we do not know about Ariel and John.

John seems to have a stellar record when investigated – but there are some parts of the story that just don’t add up.

Ariel and John both have secrets, they both have had their names changed in the past and there are some inconsistencies in their history. Findings point in many directions –WHICH TO FOLLOW???

Well everyone, this one had me fooled – I thought that I had it figured out, but nope!!! The ending was quite a twist and I felt it was a very satisfying one.

The writing was excellent. My only qualm with this one was that it was a bit longer than I thought necessary. At 448 pages it’s an investment in time. Full disclosure – I started with the audio of this one but switched to the Kindle arc which allowed me to read and move the story along much faster.

This is my first novel by this author but I will certainly be checking this author’s other titles.

I can highly recommend this mystery/thriller to everyone who loves character-driven mysteries with perhaps a bit of a slow burn.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is rather funny to think of the word 'cynical'. When applied to a person, one sees a worldly but weather beaten man (often a man) who is never hoodwinked and who knows his way around society. When applied to a work of art, or in this case, to Two Nights in Lisbon, one sees a book that is iniquitous, dishonest, shallow, and ultimately of little worth. My reasons for giving this book one star, in a nutshell.

This book has elicited a few common complaints from disgruntled readers. There have been people who call it repetitive. I think it is right to do so. The book is indeed repetitive, but it has other more rugged flaws. It is a poorly narrated book. The author is not as prolific as the masters of the thriller genre, and one wonders if his inexperience made the book have a merely average score.

Two Nights in Lisbon's main character, Ariel Pryce, is a cynically designed character. To make it do the ungrateful task of ingratiating to the audience it targets, though, the character must be slightly dense. With this chink in the armour, the author then can throw in lots of poorly thought ideas, half baked ones, and they will stick. Genius marketing, not genius writing.

Ariel is a successful woman. Tres jolie, and frankly stunning to look at. The women who read this book will either identify with this book or fantasize themselves in it. So far, so good. Ariel has a murky, hidden past. She has a husband. Ah, say the housewives, a woman after our own heart. She has a wonderful husband. After all, he drives well, and does not kick the pets. Surely a fine catch. Ariel's husband disappears and the book takes place during the 2 days and 2 nights where Ariel is doing her level best to find her significant other.

My major problem with this book is that it reveals its hand to me as written by an author who think himself too smart, who has been caught with one sticky hand in the cookie jar. He inserts street smarts in the book in pretty much manipulative ways, making us believe that he is on our side and is in fact not working for the Man.

Pavone's shenanigans makes him be the very type of writer that he probably fears of being. He wants to be seen as cosmopolitan, sophisticated, with a heart of gold, and a first class brain. Pavone, and there are not many different ways of saying this, is a hack. There, I've said it. Pavone is a columnist who thought he was a thriller writer.

There is no wrong in being a journo. Charles Dickens wrote for Morning Chronicle. Doyle wrote for The Strand. Pavone however, does not have the talent to back up his writing. His pandering lets him down badly. The spell is broken. I only hope that there are as few Pavones as possible, because this type of book (that he has authored) takes in the gullible too often.

The thriller is quite simply, boring. The stakes are not high. The pacing is inexistent. The characters are not appealing. There is not one intelligent or even strong character in the book. I think that with so far only 4000 ratings drummed up on Goodreads, people have not bought or borrowed the book in droves. There is hope yet for the reading public. There are better mystery books out there. I only think this book to be a necessary evil when cultivating a decadently big appetite in search for the next 5 star book.

[Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was this book really about only two nights in Lisbon?

The book dragged so much that it felt more like two years in Lisbon.

I selected this audiobook because I am almost always a fan of "spouse goes missing" books.

In addition, the audiobook was read by January Lavoy, one of my favorite female narrators. Usually, I could listen to January Lavoy read the phonebook but not so with this book.

The book's premise was ultra-compelling: Newlyweds Ariel and John are honeymooning in Lisbon and John suddenly disappears. Ariel and John both have backstories and secrets.

Unfortunately, even with a super-talented narrator and an intriguing premise, this book fell flat.

First and foremost, the author's text was tedious, repetitious, and all over the place.

The author's attempt to reveal Ariel's backstory slowed down the pace of a plotline that was already very, very, very slow burn.

This 15-hour audiobook easily could have been a 9-hour audiobook, and I am being kind.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

2 stars rounded up.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ariel is an acceptable narrator. This novel is chock-full of action with thrills and suspense sprinkled in throughout. It’s engaging.

I could sense where many of Ariel’s secrets were going after a while. The author, and the narrator herself, aren’t as clever as they think. Or maybe we’re not as simple as they take us to be? Either way…

There are points where this feels super-preachy/dogmatic. I’m a living, breathing, sentient being. I do not need the author to repeatedly tell me through his heroine that straight white men can be cringe and rapey. These stops in the prose serve more to disrupt the flow than to drive the ideas home.

Despite the aforementioned concerns, the writing is solid and intriguing. But...that ending. No spoilers, but I can’t abide ambiguity—especially when there’s no sequel. Some loose ends? Ok, no prob. But…not this.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Chris Pavone has written another high-octane thriller! “Two Nights in Lisbon” is an international thriller that makes sleeping difficult…you won’t want to put down your book!

Pavone’s protagonist, Ariel Pryce accompanies her husband to Lisbon for a quick business trip. On the first morning she awakes to find her husband missing. She contacts hotel security, the local police, and then the American Embassy, each dismissing her fears. And then she receives a ransom note, and everyone takes her a bit more seriously. The amount requested is substantial, far more than Ariel or her husband has. There is only one person with vast resources she knows.

Immediately the reader learns that Ariel has undergone a name change. Also, she hasn’t been married long to her husband, and she ruminates how much she knows him. Although Ariel is only in Lisbon two nights, there is a backstory that slowly unfurls adding the complexity that all Pavone’s novels are known for. Ariel becomes as mysterious to the reader as her husband John, especially regarding her unnamed wealthy man from whom she’s attempting to squeeze an obscene amount of money.

Pavone also is known for his subplots and intricate detail. He provides fun facts about Lisbon regarding cork, espionage, and nightlife. One major subplot is feminism in nature. Ariel has endured more than her fair share of sexism, even from her parents. Her backstory would make any feminist cringe.

As with all or most thrillers, one must accept too slick plot twists. In Pavone’s hands, the reader won’t care. Short scenes and chapters make this a fast-paced thriller!

I listened to the audio narrated by January LaVoy, one of my favorite narrators.

[Britt | Britt Reads A Little · Rating 1 out of 5]

Things I’m done with: political thrillers and books written by men with a female MC.

This book was insufferable and the only reason I toughed it out to the end was because I received it as an ARC from NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux in exchange for an honest review.

Ariel is the dumbest, most annoying character in a book I’ve ever read. She was flat, lifeless, boring, and simple. There were also way too many characters in this book: Ariel, the husband, the consulate, the local police agents, CIA agents, the reporter, people from the past. Just, too much. And yet not enough.

If I had known this was going to be a political thriller I wouldn’t have read it. The number of times the 4th of July was mentioned was laughable and weird. There were no real twists, no thrills, and the plot was incredibly predictable.

This book was not for me in any way, shape, or form.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chris Pavone has written five books, but this is the first I’ve read.
Ariel Pryce is recently married, traveling to Lisbon with her husband on his business trip. She awakes on the third morning to find him gone, no note, not answering texts or calls, his passport and wallet left behind. She panics immediately, involving first the Lisbon police and the US embassy. They both are initially not interested in helping, but after research on their parts, get more and more involved.
I didn’t know what to make of Ariel. To say she’s had an unfortunate life is an understatement. The reader is slowly given drips of what has led her to be so distrustful of people, especially men. Pavone uses the research done by the police and embassy and eventually a reporter to let us in on her past life. The book goes back and forth in time. It also alternates between different characters’ perspectives. This might have been smoother in print, but there were no pauses in the audio which sometimes led me to be befuddled for a few seconds.
There was one bit that felt it was too obvious about what was coming. The book could have also been tightened up, especially in the middle. I often felt it was heavy handed. That said, it engaged me enough that I wanted to see how it would all play out in the end. But I won’t be rushing to check out more of Pavone’s works based on this.
January LaVoy was the narrator and did a passable job.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Unreliable narrator tells unbelievable story with murky stakes attached to its outcome. And here I am giving it four stars.

Doesn't make sense, does it. Or does it....

What Author Pavone does is set the reader up for something from the get-go. Unlike many thriller writers, that "something" isn't glaringly obvious. What sets this thriller in motion is an older woman married to a handsome younger man. Who ups and disappears from their hotel room on an international trip.

Prepare the violins, right? Welllll...yes but not for her, as you'll see. Her fear at this catastrophe seems...performative...to the authorities who look at her late-middle-aged self, see the muffin she's so recently married, and all but say out loud, "well, little lady, what exactly can you expect? Men do stray...and he's been gone less than a day. Give him time to sober up and pay the, um, lady. He'll be back." But she's not having it.

Why is she not having it? It does, after all, make a grim kind of sense. Before their short marriage, she didn't know her husband well...he's a relative stranger, so why is it she's carrying on so?

Wheels within wheels, and here we are rollin' along beside Ariel...has that name, one the lady chose for herself, made its real force felt in you yet?...as the story's necessary force carries us along, stopping for some info-dumpy conversations/monologues/set pieces. It's not like there's any point where Author Pavone sticks it to us, the sad little readers wondering what the living hell possessed this hard-edged survivor to do something so stupid as this mishegas results from. And both parties are hard-edged survivors. So what's the situation underlying the story? It's a thriller! You *know* there is one.

The phrase "ripped-from-the-headlines" is a cliche to my generation of Movie of the Week veterans. It got a bad name for shoddy, indifferent storytelling. But it never needed to be that way, did it. What happens that makes the newspapers is a joyous rioting street party of story plots. Read this one and find out what the right dance partner can give.

I can't give the book all five stars because, despite the clarity of storytelling purpose that snaps into focus as the ending twists us up, there is a prolixity of speechifyin' that really grated on me. (I'm lookin' at you, Griffiths.) And the Epilogue is just a shade over the top I most wanted not to go over. But the story is a deeply, involvingly, satisfyingly real one, and I encourage y'all to read it.

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Lisbon stars - now available!

This book was mostly a thrilling roller coaster ride. My only complaint is that it was on the long side at 448 pages. I loved the European settings, it makes me want to travel to Portugal, although I don’t want to get tangled up with the police there.

Ariel has only been married to John for a year, so when he invites her along on a business trip to Portugal, she takes him up on the offer. She’s reluctant to leave her teenage son with her mom, but the time with John will be good.

Cue the dramatic music, she wakes up the next morning at the hotel and no John! She thinks maybe he’s just gone out for breakfast or a walk, but he never comes back. His phone and passport are still in the room. Where is he?

She starts working her way through proper channels – hotel staff, local police, American embassy – no entity is that much help, and they doubt her at every step. She can’t really help with why exactly her husband is here in Portugal or who his client is here. Then the ransom request arrives.

There’s only one person Ariel can turn to for the 3-million-euro demand and she vowed never to ask him for anything. There are some tense scenes ahead as she races to get the money and rescue John.

I developed such sympathy for Ariel and really just wanted her to be reunited with her new husband and son. I enjoyed this one and a few twists at the end.

This made for a great buddy read with Pat as we tried to figure everything out.

Thank you to MCD for the early copy to read and honestly review.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one was not for me. Ariel/Laurel was absolutely annoying to no end. Every time anyone looked at her she was convinced it was because she was so pretty. We just can’t help ourselves from looking at her! All hail Ariel/Laurel.

The whole plot was contrived and Ariel was completely dimwitted. Relying on her kid to keep secrets, problem #1. Yeah for sure her son isn’t telling everyone on the internet her secrets.

Then she ok’s her nosy employee to look at sensitive info and just chalks it up to leaving a sausage on a table for a dog. Ok but Ember/Persephone is not a dog. And since you are selling the bookstore why be concerned with her feelings? Christ it makes no sense.

Honestly I’m still scratching my head over most of this book. The way so may characters speak like “I’m-a gonna tell ya what to do” what’s with the -a and grown people? Who speaks like that?

Ariel recounts her own assaults over and over and over and over and…well…over. This goes beyond a statement, it’s just repetitive and annoying. Oh and did you know she got the “Commando” haircut to be unattractive? Because otherwise of course she’s so attractive that every human just has to comment on it. Every. Single. One. Yes even you.

The plot was hokey, holey, and just plain bad. “I’m-a gunna giv it a hells naw”

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Nights in Lisbon is Pavone's fifth thriller. He debuted to much buzz in 2012 with The Expats, winning an Edgar Award and selling > 200,000 copies. In Lisbon, all of his life experience, including writing his 4 prior best-sellers, the decades spent prior to The Expats as an editor of nonfiction titles and then, subsequently, as a ghost writer, and, as well, the decades married to a partner with a highly successful career Madeline McIntosh has been CEO of Penguin Random House (US) since 2018 in the publishing industry, comes together to produce a highly satisfying thriller. Bonus: Lisbon relies on a twist that makes so much sense the reader doesn't need to suppress their intelligence to accept it. Hallelujah.

Two facts differentiate Lisbon from most of the novels around it in the thriller category. It is written by a master of the genre in terms of carefully-layered plotting, structure, pacing, sharing of narrowly-scoped clues. And while many authors penning suspense novels offer strong women protagonists, no one writes smart, authentic, perhaps difficult, women under pressure better than Pavone. His main characters never walk into the dark house on page 350 without a solid plan for ensuring an outcome they control.

On page 1, Ariel Pryce wakes up in a hotel in Lisbon to find her husband, John, isn't in the room and isn't responding to texts. Early on, we learn both Pryces have changed their names at least once, Ariel rarely accompanies her spouse on business trips, they've been married for less than a year, and during that year, they've not actually spent much time in the same residence, and Ariel has a 14-year old son who doesn't seem to have any relationship with John. And off we are, in Pavone's hands, paying attention to the beginning of each chapter with the requisite time-stamp of the two days referenced in the title, attending to every sentence hunting clues to anticipate the twist, and developing a point of view on Ariel Pryce -- in her late 40s/early 50s raising a 14-yr old largely on her own, living in a farmhouse in upstate NY, with a history of her people not believing or sticking up for her when the chips are down, so to speak. By 10:00 am local time on Day 1, she has contacted hotel security, Lisbon police and the US embassy, and is walking around outside of the hotel finding relevant cameras and seeking out potential witnesses and clues to feed to the authorities. Then the ransom demand is delivered.

Pavone gives each of the police and embassy team members personalities, perspectives and motives that are authentic and not the usual forgettable caricatures, and his effort at drawing them realistically is one key to the impeccable pacing and mystery. But it's his ability to craft Ariel as a fully-formed contemporary character who hasn't quite fit in her entire life, has a fairly hefty chip of anger on her shoulder, owns and runs an independent bookstore, is highly observant, acts intelligently but has an element of duplicity in her back pocket, whom the police and CIA suspect of selective information sharing but don't deem flaky or hysterical, whose relationships with various men haven't always gone swimmingly, who doesn't whine, collapse in exhaustion, drown in self-pity, that makes this novel so satisfying. In his previous novels, Pavone has given readers marital duplicity and institutional duplicity in equal measure. Here, he challenges the reader to assess whether and to what extent Ariel is merely sharing and withholding irrelevant details as any sensible person would when dealing with (at least, foreign) police and the CIA when a spouse's life is at stake. Or does she know more about John's disappearance than she's disclosing?

The big reveal makes sense and satisfies, and it's consistent with everything that precedes it - a gift which I no longer take for granted given some of the best-selling thrillers released during the last couple of years. How Pavone gets to that reveal, though, is the magic, and the reason to read Two Nights in Lisbon. The great promise of his earlier novels that always had some glaring flaw of varying magnitude? This one sticks the landing.

I read an ARC from NetGalley (thanks!), but I had already preordered the novel at the time I was approved for the ARC. So the caveat to this review is not that my viewpoint might be influenced by the grant of a free e-copy; it's that I'm a Pavone stan.

Content warning: two scenes of sexual assault are described. In both instances, it's clear what's coming, giving you time to skip a few pages, at your option.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a slow burn thriller! Normally I don’t enjoy those too much but this one I listened to on audiobook had me hooked. It had lengthy chapters but the narrator did a great job!

Ariel Price begins freaking out when she wakes up in her hotel room in Lisbon to find her husband gone. She frantically goes to report him missing. First to the hotel security, then the police who don’t seem to believe a word out of her mouth, and finally the American embassy.

They all ask her questions that she can’t answer. She has no clue what her husband is doing on a business trip in Lisbon. Why did she have to go too?

Time is running out as Ariel really starts to panic. The only person she can turn to for help is someone she hoped she’d never have to ask.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

One of the key components for me when it comes to a great thriller is to have that urge to keep flipping the pages because I'm so thoroughly engrossed in the story. Surprisingly even though the book clocks in at 400+ pages the pacing was good. The author was supplying these tidbits of backstory along the way and that helped sustain my interest. Even though I correctly predicted a few of the 'shocking twists' it truly was an enjoyable read.

The premise is pretty simple. Ariel Price is tagging along on her husband's business trip in Lisbon. She wakes up one morning in their hotel room and he's gone. She goes around to the local police station and the American embassy begging for help in finding her husband, John. Buckle up kids, it's going to be a crazy ride!

The backstory was just as fascinating as the present day situation with John being missing. The groundwork is laid to the point in which I didn't find it difficult to piece things together. Despite the fact I had a sense of the direction there were some questions I wanted answers to in order to fill in the blanks. Credit goes to the author because with other thrillers that can lead to me feeling bored but that certainly wasn't the case here as my interest level didn't wane.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus & Giroux and MCD for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

[ScrappyMags · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Nights? Gimme MORE!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: Ariel Pryce’s husband John has been kidnapped in Lisbon. Poof. Gone. To get him back, Ariel has to delve into her past to cover the ransom. But it’s a past fraught with trauma and mystery and Ariel is flung back into the spotlight.

💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: Ooooh Lisbon! Sign me up for this trip (minus the kidnapping!), but what a backdrop for this well-fashioned, tautly-told tale that reads like an action movie with a twist of mystery. Ariel is a likeable protagonist - sharp, smart, and smooth despite being a “country girl.” But oooh there are secrets there…

This is a perfectly done plot - in unfolds one piece at a time, layers upon layers of “what?”, “OMG!”, and “No!” Revealing a little at a time makes the reader wonder (and KEEP wondering) while bringing to light what I call a “travel mystery” - a foreign location, bad dudes around, sketchy happenings, all with a setting to die for. Love it.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery/Thriller

😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: Oh this is a great one for all. Not too gritty or gruesome but not cutesy or cloying.

🙅‍♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: There is mention of assault so if anything in that realm disturbs you, avoid.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Farrar , Straus, & Giroux Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for new passion for “travel mysteries.”

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ariel accompanies her new husband John on a brief business trip to Lisbon. When he goes missing she frantically tries to enlist the help of the local police and the American embassy. Initially, they don’t take her concerns too seriously, but they keep an eye her - just in case - and find out more about Ariel and John than they bargained for.

I would have liked this book more if it had been 100 pages shorter and less repetitive. You don’t have to tell me over and over again that Ariel used to be an actress. And the backstory was parceled out in too many chapters. I skimmed a lot.

There were several sexual assaults described in detail in this book. Ariel appears to be a particular magnet for such assaults. At one point, the author does mention that rapes happen regardless of the appearance, age or mode of dress of the victims, but that felt like a public service message, especially when compared to the dozens of times the author told us how beautiful and alluring Ariel is and how she had to tone down her appearance. Her appearance was irrelevant and the author should not have emphasized it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ariel wakes up in Lisbon after a wonderful night with her new husband to find him missing. What could it possibly have to do with the confirmation hearings for the current Department of Treasury Chair who is seeking the nomination for Vice President of the United States?

Welcome to the roller coaster ride that is typical Chris Pavone.

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

He “was impossible to not remember,”

… “a platinum-level jackass who sprayed venom like a lawn sprinkler, drenching everything in his toxic masculinity.”

Ariel Pryce and John Wright, only recently married and still in the discovery phase of their relationship, have combined business with pleasure on a trip to Lisbon. But when Ariel wakes up alone with no note or message from her husband and her calls to his phone go straight to voice mail, it doesn’t take her long to come to the decision that something is very wrong. Leaping to the conclusion of a worst case scenario of kidnapping, she checks with hotel security, the local police, and ultimately the American embassy, who seem skeptical of her husband’s motives and the reasons for his absence. In desperation, Ariel is forced to reach deep into her past for help from the last person in the world she would ever choose to associate with in any way.

TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON is a brilliant, solidly gripping, literary thriller that touches on a myriad of themes beyond simple kidnapping and ransom – ugly misogyny and masculine self-entitlement; sexual assault, rape and their treatment in the world’s legal systems; the political considerations inherent in police investigations; the techniques of investigative journalism; the intricacies of non-disclosure agreements; European perception of American culture; capitalism and power politics (particularly timely at this moment in American history); and revenge as a dish best served unexpectedly and stone cold.

And Chris Pavone has definitely got some writing chops that will dig into your mind creating the most marvelous mental images. Consider, for example, this brief diatribe on Ariel’s entry into middle age:

“For a while Ariel kidded herself that someday she’d be rid of all these nuisances: the tendon will heal, the new orthotics will work, regular yoga will mitigate the back pain, this or that will get better, then all will be fine. But it has now been years of uninterrupted overlapping complaints, and Ariel is coming around to accepting that she’ll never again be completely pain-free. It’ll be one minor injury after another, augmented by occasional major ones, plus increasingly severe illnesses, an unrelenting deterioration leading to an ultimate demise. Like climate change, a trend that goes in only one direction and culminates in inevitable catastrophe, with no alternative endings.”

Well, as an unwilling but committed senior, I can certainly identify with that! How about Pavone’s beautiful descriptions of Lisbon’s challenging topography:

“Lisbon’s steep hills offer vistas everywhere – the medieval castle over there, the warren of the old town beneath, the big bend in the wide river, the Golden Gate-esque bridge spanning the narrows. From up her Lisbon looks massive, so many neighborhoods, spread so far.”

On capitalism:

“The typical American approach to any problem: buy something. This was one of the things she hated the most about the people she hated the most: the reflex to throw money at everything, as a matter of routine.”

Or this simple but colorful description of Ariel’s decision to reject and walk away from a part of her life she wanted to discard:

“When Ariel left the city, she didn’t secede quietly, she rejected all of it loudly, and she burned the bridge – she blew it the fuck up – on her way out of town. For a while she kept in touch with a tiny handful of people; within months that dwindled to no one.”

Be warned! TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON is not a cozy mystery and it is not a straightforward plot to follow. Stay alert and your patience and attention will be rewarded with a satisfying ending and a story reminiscent of current American culture. I would be shocked indeed if you weren’t put into mind of an individual that is regularly in today’s headlines. Definitely recommended!

Paul Weiss

[Lee-Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Two Nights in Lisbon and for allowing me to read and review this novel.

I’m a huge fan of face paced thrillers and page turners that keep you up way past your bedtime. Sadly, this was not one of those. Ariel is an annoying, un-relatable character. Every man on earth either wants to rape her or is a misogynistic asshole, or both. She is so beautiful that the common man just cannot control themselves because they are all untrustworthy animals. Nobody takes her seriously because she is a woman and she believes women are seen as hysterical, nonsensical, unintelligent idiots. That is not an exaggeration. This narrative truly exhausted me and resulted in so much eye rolling on my part, because it’s embedded into every aspect of this book.

The story line is convoluted. I got lost keeping track of who worked for the Portuguese police, the CIA and the US Embassy. The flash backs between the two timelines lost the tension build up in the present day, and I honestly found myself not even caring what happened to John. Not once was I invested in the characters. Additionally, the plot was way too drawn out. I was excited by the description of this novel, and it had potential, but it fizzled out for me.

[Alafair Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pulled me in immediately. An irresistible premise paired with the right protagonist for a twisty, addictive thriller. Loved it.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ariel Pryce accompanies her husband of three months, John Wright (ten years her junior) on a business trip to Lisbon. After a couple of days when Ariel wakes up John is not in bed with her, nor is he having breakfast in the hotel dining room. He is also not answering his phone. She talks to hotel security without any success and after a couple of hours goes to the police. Of course they are not interested - he is an adult and has only been ‘missing’, if indeed he is missing, for a few hours. But Ariel is concerned.

That afternoon she goes to the US Embassy. They are equally disinterested. But then Ariel gets the ransom demand - 3 million euros! She doesn’t have that kind of money. CIA Chief of Station Nicole Griffiths gets a little more interested in the couple now, especially when she learns that both Ariel and Nicole have had name changes in their pasts. The police are also questioning Ariel in more detail.

There is only one person she can turn to to get that amount of money and he can provide only 2 million euros. It will have to do. He balks at the request but Ariel reminds him she has a secret recording of their last conversation, years ago, the details of which would certainly damage his burgeoning political career.

This was a really good story. You empathise with Ariel being stuck, alone, in a foreign country where she doesn’t speak the language and doesn’t know if she will ever see her husband again. But - things are not as they seem or not as simple as they should be. A reporter has been sniffing around and he is very close to unearthing Ariel’s secret - a secret she simply cannot divulge. The CIA is also sniffing around and seeing the potential national security implications of this debacle. They definitely want to get to the bottom of things.

The writing was stellar, really crisp and compelling. The characterisations were excellent and the story was very tautly plotted and moved along at a good clip. My only niggle is that the book was a little long. I didn’t mind as I was enjoying it so much but I had to keep reading late into the night. I simply had to finish the book. I will certainly be interested in checking out other books by this author. Many thanks to Netgalley and Farrah, Straus and Giroux for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone is an exciting international thriller. Ariel Pryce has accompanied her husband John on a business trip to Lisbon. The next morning, John has disappeared without a message or a trace. Ariel begins by questioning the hotel staff but no one has seen John. Then comes the local police station where the detectives tell her that her husband has not been missing long enough to look for him. Out of desperation, she goes to the American embassy where she is not taken seriously. She will have no option but to seek help from someone in her past, someone who is the last person she wants to talk to. There she is, alone in Lisbon, not knowing where her husband has disappeared. Sounds simple enough. But Two Nights in Lisbon is not simple. This is only the beginning. The story alternates between the present and Ariel’s past. And nothing is as it seems. Just when I thought I had figured what was going on, the storyline would swerve and veer off on another tangent. Chris Pavone has written an original thriller with a difference. The novel keeps up the tension and suspense until the very last paragraph. If you enjoy international thrillers, this is an excellent choice. You will find you want to reread it, now that you know what really happened. Highly recommended. Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NetGalley and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone is a slow burn. At 448 pages, some parts seem repetitive and dragged out. The first 25% in, Ariel Price is still trying to convince authorities her husband is missing, even though this happens nearly at the very beginning of the book. (While in Lisbon with her husband on a business trip, he comes up missing after the first night with no warning.)

Even worse, she knows very little about her new husband and has a hard time answering the authorities questions.

Enough suspense and twists to keep the reader engaged, and that question keeps nagging... what happened to her husband? Is he dead or alive? Will she ever know? Will she ever see him again?

January LaVoy is the narrator of the audio book, and I can not sing her praises enough! Truly gifted as a narrator with the command of so many character voices (male and female), she manages to separate them from the general narration that is not character. The voices come to life and are truly as actors with emotion in the narration. Ms LaVoy is absolutely brilliant in her abilities for narration. The audio book is highly recommended!

4.5 Stars
My thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Chris Pavone for an AAC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jordan (Jordy’s Book Club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

QUICK TAKE: I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller about an American woman who must do whatever it takes to rescue her husband when he is kidnapped while they are away on a trip in Lisbon. I thought Pavone did a nice job with alternating points of view and timeline jumps, though I struggled with the big twist and thought it was ultimately a bit convoluted (and you know it is when the character actually points it out!). Overall I think this is a perfect slump-buster of a book or great for anyone looking for a international thriller.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC on audio for an honest review.
I wasn't sure for the first hour or so of the listen (so many people for me to keep straight on audio) but then it took off and never let me go. What a ride. 5 star thriller/mystery/what is going on here type story.
Untrustworthy narrators, familiar story in beginning that takes off in a whole new way.
Husband and wife. Both with changed names. Married a short time. Wife used to be an actress. Husband disappears in Lisbon. The puzzle pieces to this incident are revealed slowly and the reader is never sure who is getting/telling the real story. Toward the end I had some inkling but still no complete picture. Loved, loved this audio and already looking for backlist for this author. Due out in May. Don't miss it

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb sounds like the plot of an old Audrey Hepburn movie I loved. It's not that, at all. I have been on a mission to try new authors and books that have something different to offer. I am a Romance, Romantic-Suspense fan, but occasionally I want a real mystery to solve, and this is my first Chris Pavone book. The left of center author has crafted a pretty good mystery tale. Too bad there is about an extra 100 pages on his personal prejudices and biases woven into it. He has a rather sartorial view of life. If you can get past all that, I suggest skim reading, this is a great mystery. A lot of people will love this book. Me, not so much.

Our heroine, Ariel Pryce, is a woman who has been underestimated, dismissed and victimized due to her beauty and just being a woman, all her life. She has taken steps to empower herself and is nobody's victim. When she wakes up alone in a hotel room in Lisbon, her husband of 6 months, John, missing, Ariel begins a journey to take back the power stolen from her long ago. No one takes her seriously at first, but her husband is missing. Then the ramson of 3 million euros is demanded, now she has everyone's attention, the Lisbon police, the US Embassy and the CIA.

Where is she going to get 3 million euros? She owns a small bookstore in a small unfashionable seaside town and a farm that barely covers expenses. She and her husband, a business consultant, don't have that kind of money. But Ariel knows who does and they will pay.

My thanks to MCD, Publisher, and Chris Pavone, author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

[LibraryLaur · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot was intriguing but there was so much extraneous philosophical pontificating and #metoo-ing; I could tell that our heroine was written by a man. I kept reading because I wanted to find out what happened but I was happy to finish.

*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittany Shields · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t think you want to read this.

This one was marketed as a “sophisticated international thriller” about an American woman, Ariel, whose husband is kidnapped in Lisbon while on a business trip. Ariel realizes she knows so little about her husband’s life and past and now has to seek help from the person she hates the most.

It sounded interesting.

But wow. Ariel is the worst.

“Ariel has a hard time overlooking the dislikable parts of people…”

This is the understatement of the year.

She is cynical about everyone and everything.

It was hard to tell what was inserted as an aspect of Ariel’s character or the author’s own beliefs on the state and functioning of the world, but either way, it was over-the-top.


Just Wow.

I know this section is long but I have included this large body of evidence in this review to prove to you how vast and deep these themes go in this book.

But first, keep it all in light of this ironic and comical statement as you go:

“One of the ways that Ariel has been extra-cautious in her life has been talking to her son about men. She never wanted to sound too negative, too hostile. She doesn’t want George to grow up thinking that his mother hates all men…”

Here we go, everyone. Buckle up.

Here you will find the “sparkling prose and razor-sharp insights” that Goodreads proclaims:


“Chivalry can be just another form of hostility. Chivalry can be the weapon itself.”

“As if the mere fact that something is traditional makes it admirable, or defensible. The same exact justification has been used for pretty much all the injustice in the history of the world.”

“She has plenty of firsthand experience with the insidious, corrosive effects of fetishizing tradition.”

“She returns her gaze to Moniz, who’s also what she’d expect to find in a police station, the standard off-the-rack model of cop— mid-forties, thinning hair compensated for with bushy mustache, a bulky frame with twenty extra pounds that sit in the front of his belly, distended in a bulge at the beltline, the way some men carry their middle age and their beer, as if six months pregnant.”

“Ariel doesn’t like this, appealing to the woman, it feels so feeble, so reductionist.”

“American culture, American commerce, American lies, everywhere.”

“Persephone was behind the register, engrossed in a postapocalyptic fantasy novel, a genre that was somehow related to her oft-mentioned studies in grad school, that golden moment when everything was still possible, when her future looked so bright. But Persephone was beginning to suspect that it had been a false glow on the horizon, not the rising sun of a bright new day, just the remnants of a dying bonfire of oversold, overpriced, undervalued educational achievements that turn out to be almost meaningless on the job market, after twenty straight years of full-time schooling interspersed with hourly jobs in retail, folding shirts, punching buttons on cash registers.”

“…a square-jawed man wearing a golf shirt under a fleece vest breast-emblazoned with Excalibur Capital, a crimson HBS baseball cap, and a big gleaming wristwatch, making sure everyone could see in one glance who he was— mega-successful finance bro.”

“drenching everything in his toxic masculinity.”

“In the past few years, this steroidal type of truck had become the most popular vehicle in town. It seems like every aggressive tailgater, every obnoxious cut-offer, every impatient red-light jumper is now behind the wheel of one of these monsters, looming up behind her, headlights in her eyes, menacing everyone on the road with their suspension lifts and oversize wheels and aftermarket mufflers, their Power Stroke stenciling on the side.”

“Everything about this vehicle looked like a schoolyard bully, even the bumper stickers— the glowering visage of the New England Patriots, the implicit challenge of BLUE LIVES MATTER, the bizarre armed eagle of the NRA.”

“He was a so-called patriot, you knew it because he said so, it was even his favorite football team.”

“Ariel has been surprised by the broad prevalence of Brazilian people, and the influence of Brazilian culture, here in Lisbon, exhibiting a sort of reverse colonialism that she found heartwarming, and hopeful.”

“Men often try to reframe temper as hysteria, to recast righteousness as overreaction, as hypersensitivity, as irrationality.”

“It’s the tone that a man uses when he thinks he’s being the reasonable one. A tone that transcends generations, cultures, languages. The universal tone of condescension.”

“At least one in ten married women have been raped by their husbands.”

“Of everything that Ariel resented about her mom— there was plenty— this was perhaps the ultimate: that Ariel might have internalized something malignant from her mother’s spinelessness, her unwillingness to tell men anything that they did not want to hear.”

“Jerry embraced all the clichés of the struggling small-town single-shingle barrister, complete with failed marriage, irresponsible nutrition, and functional alcoholism.”

“One of the many manipulations available to men like him, created by men like him for the benefit of men like him, the tax structure and capital gains and mortgage-interest deductions, marriage and religion and capitalism and so-called representative democracy, all constructed so men like him could be not only the players but the house as well, everything about the game fixed in their favor, with not only backup schemes but also backups to the backups, and no way for them to lose, not at this game they invented called America.”

“Detective Carolina Santos looks around the wood-paneled walls hung with gilt-framed oil paintings: a hunting scene, a whaling boat in action, farmers tending an orchard. All pictures of men in the process of exploiting the earth. She sighs at the obviousness of it.”

“Shawn Jefferson put no trust whatsoever in any organization that gave white men guns and permission to use them.”

“… there’s a large segment of the male population whose first instinct, always, is to assign blame to someone else— whoever happens to be nearest, or femalest.”

“Ariel had assumed that Santos would be a natural ally, despite plenty of evidence that not all women believed in female solidarity, or agreed on what it might mean. Ariel was reminded of this every Election Day.”


Are you tired of it yet?

Exactly.

So why would you read this book?


Other Comments/Questions

- Trigger warning: This book is significantly based around sexual assault that Ariel experienced, including rape.

- I couldn’t decide if the Lisbon police were good at their jobs or if they were the police version of the bandits on Home Alone.

- I learned that a ‘kleptocrat’ is a ruler who uses political power to steal his or her country's resources and I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I’m pretty sure Ariel views every single political leader this way.

- After 40% of the book I still had no concept of what her husband was like so at that point I wasn’t really sure if I cared that he was kidnapped.

- She calls her employee, who is named Persephone, by the nickname ‘P.’ Seems less than ideal.

- Ariel says that ‘a large part of being an actor was being hyperobservant.’ Is this true? It doesn’t seem true.

- They have no qualms with throwing their phones in the trash. It gives me anxiety just thinking about that.

- The author has them text in this format- “WHERE R U?’- which is a pet peeve of mine. It’s harder to type in all caps and use one letter abbreviations than just typing out the word.

- I had most of the things figured out early on.

- There was a lot of swearing. (66 f-words, 27 s-words)


Conclusion

If you could stomach the laundry list of eye-rolling quotes above, then sure, maybe you should try this one.

But if you find the constant negativity and cynicism annoying like I did, pass on this one. The plot was interesting but had terrible execution.

I’ve never read this author before so I have no idea if this type of commentary within his books is common or not, but I probably won’t be reading any more of his books.

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

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