The Trap

by Evie Hunter

Callie Devereux has it all – a successful career, a beautiful home and an attentive, loving partner. Until one day, she wakes up to discover that the man she thought she loved has taken everything from her, leaving her penniless. Desperate to get answers, Callie goes after the man she once trusted and discovers a world built on secrets and lies...

Jack Carlisle has never heard of the man Callie Devereaux claims to have once loved, but he has a good idea who it is – his business partner and old friend, Logan Armitage. Jack can’t believe Logan would steal, but as he helps Callie to find his old friend, Jack discovers money missing too…

But with Logan missing without trace, there is only option left to catch this thief – to set a trap.

A gripping revenge thriller, perfect for fans of Gemma Rogers!

Genres: Thriller

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 22, 2022

About the author

Evie Hunter is actually two authors Caroline McCall and Eileen Gormley who met at a creative writing workshop in Dublin in 2010. On discovering that they shared a passion for erotic fiction, they became the best of friends. In early 2012 they got a chance to co-write a series of erotic novellas for an American publisher. When they completed the second one without killing each other, they decided to take on something bigger. Eventually, they emerged into daylight, clutching THE PLEASURES OF WINTER, saying 'Never again' ... until the next time.

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ A Pacy Crime Fiction with a Good Dash of Mystery!

What would you do if the Man you loved took everything, run up debts in your name then disappeared into thin air?
Well that's what happened to Callie.

She put all her trust in Logan only for him to break her heart and leave her in a mess.
So she decides to seek revenge and find him. A women scorned is a dangerous one...and Callie is a women on a mission!
But with the help from Logan's business partner can the pair work together to find him and get back what he stole!

The Trap is a pacy crime mystery, with a good few twists and turns to keep the reader intrigued till the very end!
This is my first book I have read By Evie Hunter and I am looking forward to reading more




Thank you to Rachel Random Resources & Boldwood Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.




You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2022/0...

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Callie Devereux has it all - a successful career, a beautiful home and an attentive loving partner. Until one day, she wakes up to discover that the man she thought she loved has taken everything from her, leaving her penniless. Desperate to get answers, Callie goes after the man she once trusted and discovers a world built on secrets and lies.

This is a fast paced read filled with twists, likeable and relatable characters and a gripping storyline. I don't want to say too much about the plotline as I would spoil it for potential readers. Callie enlists the help of one of her partners friends to help her to get some answers. My only complaint is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #EvieHunter for my ARC of #TheTrap in exchange for an honest review.

[Tessa Talks Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's it about (in a nutshell):
The Trap by Evie Hunter is a story about a plan to beat a con artist at his own game and get back what he stole.

What I Enjoyed:
I always enjoy a story about victims fighting back for what is theirs – not revenge but just taking back what belongs to you. One of the hardest things that can happen to anybody is victimization, so stories, where victims fight back, are easy to get behind.

I loved the pace of the story. It could be considered a slow burn, but there is just enough going on that I never felt bored or lost my focus. The pace stayed at a good clip from start to finish.

The narration is 3rd person and is usually focused on Callie's point of view though occasionally switching to Logan's and Jack's point of view as the story warranted it. Thanks to the third-person narration, these switches in focus flowed seamlessly and without any confusion. This way, having the narration helped get to know the characters from the standing back place, making it easy to get a complete picture of what is going on and why.

Characters:
Calli is a main character that I just loved. She's self-made, no-nonsense, and calls it as she sees it. I can quickly get behind her attributes and root for her. If a person like her can fall victim, how easy is it for a con artist to dupe anyone in the right situation?

I also liked Jack, who shares some of the same attributes as Calli. He is just an all-around good person who fights for what's right.

On the other hand, Logan is not a very likable character, but he is somewhat sympathetic as it is easy to see from early on that he is his own worst enemy.

Reminds Me Of:
The publisher compares it to one of their other authors- Gemma Rogers- which I haven't read, but this story did remind me of another of Boldwood Books authors – Nina Manning, whose book The Housemate I read in 2020.

What I Wish:
I loved how the pace picked up to whirlwind proportions by the end, but it was maybe too fast. A lot of information is thrown at the reader in a short amount of time, and I don't think I could adequately process it all. Though I am all for explosive endings, I think it was perhaps over the explosive line into frenetic.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you are looking for a well-paced domestic thriller where the victim fights back, then The Trap is just the story you are looking for.

[Chitra Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the narrative, simply loved it! The language used by the author is superb and engaging with a touch of humour. I loved how she came straight to the point both with her narrative and storyline. About the storyline – well-plotted and crisp. Honestly, it was a pleasure reading the book.

The characters were well defined, I thought. I loved the chemistry between Jack and Callie, very romantic. I also enjoyed the British English (have a soft spot for it anyways); the writing is what makes the book a hit. Have I mentioned how good the narrative was?

The climax did not have a major twist that would make you jump off your couch but I appreciate how neatly it tied everything up together. I could feel a sigh of relief escape as I turned to the last page of the book.

Thoroughly enjoyed the book. Unputdownable.

What I Did Not Like

I did give the book a 5 rating but there’s only one thing that I did not approve of. The book ended too soon!

Other Details

The author Evie Hunter is actually two people who have authored many books together.

Would I Recommend It?

Highly. It is one of the best written books I have come across in recent times. Grab this and I’m sure you’ll feel the same.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trap by Evie Hunter was another superb and gripping read. I was hooked from the beginning till the end.
This latest book by Evie was well written, and was full of twists and turns throughout. It had it all, romance, revenge great characters who I loved, love and of course friendship, and then the mystery of what will happen next.

What more could you ask for in a book? It was perfect!

I highly recommend this book! Excellent read!

Big Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review copy.

[ed moras · Rating 2 out of 5]

pretentious and predictable

If I never hear the word “scarper” again I’ll be just fine. I counted a dozen at least. This could have been a decent book had the author not pulled every big word he could find and put them in one book. Totally unnecessary and really annoying. Glad it was free on Prime.

[shirley mcfarlane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry this book didn't do anything for me at all. Found it a bit of a bind to read actually. very predictable and mundane.

[Eileen Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Trap by Evie Hunter

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Or more accurately a woman defrauded.

Callie Devereaux is a successful wedding planner, in demand for all of the poshest weddings. But her profession left her jaded about love, having had more than one repeat client. “Half my brides who spend so lavishly on their big day finish up divorced within five years,” she tells her best friend Maisie. When Callie meets Mike Logan at one of the weddings she organized, she is wary of his attention at first. He’s a business associate of the bride’s father. Handsome and confident, he draws the attention of all of the women in the room, but he makes a beeline for Callie.

Unfortunately for Callie, and despite all of her business acumen, she fails to hear the alarm bells of Mike’s limited availability and unwillingness to meet her friends or pose for pictures with her. When she realizes he has taken out a mortgage on her beloved cottage and run up other debts in her name, it is too late. He’s disappeared.

Intent on revenge, she seeks out his business partner, Jack Carlisle, to find out where Logan is. As it turns out, Jack, who ultimately learns he has also been defrauded, has no idea where Mike Logan is, although he does know that Mike is not his name. Mike Logan is really Logan Armitage, a married man with three children. The two set out to find Logan and get their money back. In Callie’s case, she’s hoping for revenge as well.

The book is classified as a revenge thriller. While revenge does propel the plot, many plot points feel more suited to a romance novel, which tends to bog down the thriller pacing. Callie, the main protagonist, is a successful business owner. And yet she lacks the confidence to notice that her new boyfriend, however attentive when he’s with her, has flimsy excuses for not seeing her most of the time. It isn’t until she realizes that she’s been defrauded that she becomes half the planner in her personal life that she is in her professional life. Her lack of confidence at the beginning makes her difficult to root for from the outset as the protagonist in a thriller.

The other characters lack depth. Jack is reduced to the good guy who worked his way up from a poor family by playing by the rules. It’s almost too convenient that he happens to be more muscular and better in bed than Logan. Callie’s friends Maisie and Jason are flat, if mildly amusing, characters as well. Logan, for all his secrets and conniving, has only slightly more depth as an antagonist, but his abrupt turn into a real physical threat for Callie at the end hardly seems plausible.

The book is well-written, although because of the flat characters, some of the dialogue falls flat as well. The pacing is good most of the time and keeps the reader turning pages, once Callie becomes bent on revenge. Unfortunately, the ending feels unsatisfying when it swerves suddenly back into another genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read The Trap in advance.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Evie’s work when I had the good fortune to pick up a copy of her previous book, ‘The Fall’ which was released in September 2021. Since then I have (im)patiently waited for her next book to be released. Well ladies and gents, the wait is over because her next book called ‘The Trap’ was released on 22nd February 2022. It’s another cracker of a read, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading but more about that in a bit.
I was drawn into ‘The Trap’ from the synopsis alone. As soon as I started reading, I knew that I would find it increasingly difficult to put this book to one side for any length of time. I must be psychic because that’s exactly what happened. I particularly enjoy a good story about the wronged party seeking revenge and this is one such story. I had my own suspicions as to how the story would turn out so I had to keep turning those pages to see whether or not I was anywhere near the truth or if I had the complete wrong end of the stick. I couldn’t turn the pages of the book quickly enough as I seemed to gallop through the story. This was one of those books that stayed with me, whether I had my Kindle in my hand or not. If I wasn’t reading the book, then I would be thinking about the book. If I had to put the book own for any reason, then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I soon got to the end of ‘The Trap’ and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I found ‘The Trap’ to be a gripping, tense and dramatic read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘The Trap’ is superbly written but then I found that to be the case with ‘The Fall’ too. The author has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. I love the very vivid way in which Evie describes her characters. She describes them so well that they seem just as real as you and I. In fact I found the characters so lifelike that I even began interacting with them as if they were in the same room as me. (Yes I know it’s fiction but if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed this one then I tend to ‘live’ the story as if it were real). Reading ‘The Trap’ felt like being on an at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I love the way that Evie makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Trap’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Evie’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evie Hunter’s The Trap is an absorbing revenge thriller that will leave readers on the edge of their seats.

Callie Deveraux’s life is as close to perfect as it is possible to get. She has got it all: a gorgeous home, a successful career and a partner who worships the ground she walks on. Callie thinks that she is living the dream – until she wakes up one morning and discovers that the man she trusted with her heart had not only walked out on their relationship, but taken everything she owed and left her penniless. Heartbroken, devastated and incandescent with rage, Callie vows revenge and vows to do whatever it takes to get back what is rightfully hers…

Jack Carlisle has got absolutely no idea of the man Callie Deveraux claims to have loved, but his instincts are telling him that the man she is describing is not a stranger, but somebody he once knew very well. Somebody Jack knew and trusted. Could Callie’s missing fiancé be Logan Armitage, his old friend and former business partner? Jack is intrigued and decides to help Callie find the answers she seeks, but as the two of them start digging, Jack makes a shocking discover that makes him wonder how well he knew Logan.

On the hunt of a mercenary thief, Callie and Jack vow to catch Logan, so they set a trap for him. Will they manage to find him? Are they prepared for what they are about to find? Or will there be further surprises in store for Callie and Jack?

Evie Hunter’s The Trap moves at a cracking pace and will have readers chewing their nails to the elbow as the twists and turns will barely give them time to catch their breaths.

Tense, gripping and shocking, Evie Hunter’s The Trap is a heart-pounding page-turner that is impossible to put down.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)

This is my first trip into an Evie Hunter read, and it won’t be my last! I really enjoy mysteries and thrillers, particularly the kind that can bring in a little romance into the mix, and Callie’s experience checked all of those boxes. There are a lot of little secret nuances to Mike, the man she’s recently fallen for, and even though her gut is telling her to be wary, it’s hard not to get sucked into his charm and personality. But as the synopsis indicates, she discovers that he’s completely scammed her, which leads her to Jack.

Jack and Logan have a long history together–his family used to work for Logan’s family, and he always assumed that they were tight, like brothers. It makes it hard at first to believe in what Callie is telling him, considering the amount of trust Jack has for his best friend. Only, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes, and the fact that Logan wasn’t completely honest with Callie about his own background–starting with an assumed identity–propels them both on a path to discovery. They get a lot more than they bargained for though, not only with Logan, but with the kind of relationship that forms between Jack and Callie.

Told from three different perspectives–Callie’s, Jack’s and Logan’s–The Trap was the classic thriller, and even though we already know whodunnit, it’s what comes after that is the most exciting. How will Callie and Jack combine forces to take Logan down? And how deep down the rabbit hole will Logan’s indiscretions go? All of it is telling, leading to a pretty crazy climax that I didn’t see coming. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is, and Callie gets that in abundance with her initial experiences with Logan. But how she handles it was the best revenge, a read worthy of five stars!

[Thomas Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate this book 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

Callie Devereaux is a wedding planner in England and for those with money she is "The" wedding planner her name is recognizable all over. She has worked hard to establish her business and keep things paid off it is just too bad that she has had a poor track record with choosing men. But that may be changing, while she is working a wedding for a prominent family, she notices Mike Logan as he enters the room. Mr. Logan is the type of man that when he enters the room all the woman swoon and even some of the men. Callie's luck maybe changing concerning her love life when Logan shows an interest in her. Mr. Logan was born with a silver spoon in his mouth but that all changed when the money evaporated from the family and now, he is on a mission to gain favor with his father and reestablish the family's status. Logan is very driven and will strive to do this at any cost regardless of who he takes advantage of whether it is Callie or his business partner who work together to lay a trap for Mr. Logan. This is a quick read with an ending that made me wonder if the author really needed to include but over all this is a decent read. Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC for a fair and honest review.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The trap by Evie Hunter.
Callie Devereux has it all – a successful career, a beautiful home and an attentive, loving partner. Until one day, she wakes up to discover that the man she thought she loved has taken everything from her, leaving her penniless. Desperate to get answers, Callie goes after the man she once trusted and discovers a world built on secrets and lies...
Jack Carlisle has never heard of the man Callie Devereaux claims to have once loved, but he has a good idea who it is – his business partner and old friend, Logan Armitage. Jack can’t believe Logan would steal, but as he helps Callie to find his old friend, Jack discovers money missing too…
But with Logan missing without trace, there is only option left to catch this thief – to set a trap.
A very very good read. Great story and characters. I loved the cover. 4*.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

To begin with I found The Trap a bit of a slow burner, mainly because I felt we weren't being given enough information to get to know the characters. As the book progressed however, I did find myself being sucked into the storyline and compelled to continue reading at every given moment!

I do wish the ending had been stretched out a little; It felt as though the missing pieces of the story were tied up in a matter of seconds and next thing I knew, the book was over! An enjoyable read nonetheless.

This was my first title by Evie Hunt and I look forward to future releases!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trap by Evie Hunter
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers,
Published: February 22, 2022

The Trap by Evie Hunter is one of those books that you just can't put down! I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it if you love a good mystery!

This book is a little bit dark, but that's part of what makes it so good! The story was fascinating and I found the characters to be so intriguing. This book was so good, that I never wanted it to end!

If you love mysteries, you should totally read this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Trap is not my first read from Evie Hunter. I’m a fan, so when I got the email for this tour, I jumped on. I’m excited to say, I really enjoyed this one.

The pacing in the beginning was a bit of a slow burn, but that was a good thing because it allows the reader to get accommodated with the characters and the plot.

As the story progressed, I found myself having trouble putting the book down. It does not move at a break neck speed, but instead, slowly draws you into the story and keeps you there.

The Trap was a great read. I look forward to more from Evie Hunter.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pace and flow of this book was great! It wasn't fast but it wasn't slow either. There's enough suspense and things going on that I didn't want to put it down. The characters are great. Being told from three different point of views you get the chance to know each of them well. The only thing I would have liked to be a little different was the ending. Everything else flowed and went so well and the ending was so abrupt that it didn't feel like I got everything from it. But by no means does that take away from this book. It is wonderfully written and a great read for any thriller fan!

Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Evie Hunter for sharing this book with me!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book thinking it was a crime book, but when I started reading it seemed like a frothy wedding planner book, then it too to its sinister side and pow it took off

It had some good humour and characters, it was nice to see revenge coming to the fore,
The romance blossoming between Jack and Callie was heartwarming and Logan being the suave con artist having comedy downfalls makes the reader smile.

Even though all the above sounds frothy it did have its share of crime with its hardened criminals and violence.

A great book that will have you gasping with revelation and chuckling with comedy moments.
A book to be enjoyed.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Callie Devereux falls for the wrong man and her world comes crumbling around her. Now she's on a mission to find him and recover all the money he swindled out from under her, and she's not the only one hunting for him.

The beginning of this book starts out with a lot of description and comments about Callie's weight. It was enough to trigger my own negative self-esteem about my appearance, but after a while it isn't mentioned again. (I think it's brought up to emphasize that the boyfriend is a jerk.) Anyway, after that, it's a cute little story. Not much suspense but a cozy story about getting justice.

[Samuel Mooney · Rating 2 out of 5]

First thought: kinda hard to get into at first. Not very addicting but has potential. A little disappointing the synopsis gave away so much of the beginning of the book but pretty straight to the point and seems like a short book so got the backstory quickly out of the way.
Final thought: bizarre at times, little detail about things that mattered and got kind of annoying. Not gripping, not really revengeful and not a thriller. It’s a little harsh to give it two stars but I can’t give it a three.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie wakes up one morning to find her partner has left and left her with nothing. She goes in search of him and finds out their relationship has all been a lie. As callie is digging she finds a business partner jack carlisle who is logans business partner. And this isnt the first time he has pulled this trick with a women. When jack looks further into their business dealings, he also finds money missing. I loved this revenge, fast paced and a right page turner. Highley recommend

[Sylv Kerslake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Evie Hunter and when I read the synopsis, it drew me in so agreed to join Rachel Random Resources on Evie's book tour.

Although it took time for me to get into the story as it was a slower start than I usually read, I am glad I continued with it as there were twists and turns to keep you reading and keep you wondering.

I would definitely recommend The Trap, and I will be keeping my eye out for further books by Evie.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow starter, that soon ramped up the pace, and held it to the end.

Well written, full of twists and turns. It has some fantastic characterisations, with a mix of both lovable, and loathsome.

Gripping, compelling, and overall a highly enjoyable read.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Selina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

I liked reading this book. It had me hooked pretty quickly. I wish it was proofread though, because the errors would throw me off as I read. I would be getting to a juicy bit and have to re-read the sentence and correct the wrong word in my head, so that I could move on.
A better story with twists that I didn't expect!

[Brid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks for allowing me to read this Arc.
The Trap is the first book I've read by Evie Hunter but it definitely won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn't stop turning the pages. It definitely deserves five stars.

[Lovetoread2023 · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second read by Evie Hunter and I enjoyed this one just as much as the first.
Plenty of twists and turns made it a gripping read.
My only complaint is the ending seemed a bit rushed.
I definitely look forward to reading more by this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

[Carl Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice story with a HEA

Enjoyed Evie’s story about a business woman who is bedazzled by a bad playboy who steals all her money. But a night in shining armor saves her life and money.

[Ramya Abhinand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked. However, the ending gets rushed. This made the book a bit of a letdown.

[Smithenglish2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good novel,

This book kept me reading. I did not notice flaws or unlettered plots. Way to go in writing an escape novel.

[W Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read!

Hard to put down..plot twists around every corner. Thought the ending was a little abrupt, but overall a great book.