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Make It Up To Me
Lisa Granger did the unthinkable. She committed a shocking act of betrayal that no one would dare believe.
One year later, there’s a price to pay. And the cost is everything.
Disaster strikes one morning when a speeding car plunges into the River Clyde. There are two people trapped inside the car and they’re drowning. As the only eyewitness to the crash, Lisa doesn’t hesitate to dive in.
What she finds below the surface will change her life forever.
One year later, a mysterious letter turns up on Lisa’s doorstep. A letter written by a dead man. The dead man knows what she did that day under the water.
And he’s got a score to settle.
Make It Up To Me is a chilling psychological suspense thriller about loss, regret and redemption. Guaranteed to keep you guessing and turning the pages. If you love fast-paced thrillers packed full of mystery and suspense, you’ll love Make It Up To Me.
One year later, there’s a price to pay. And the cost is everything.
Disaster strikes one morning when a speeding car plunges into the River Clyde. There are two people trapped inside the car and they’re drowning. As the only eyewitness to the crash, Lisa doesn’t hesitate to dive in.
What she finds below the surface will change her life forever.
One year later, a mysterious letter turns up on Lisa’s doorstep. A letter written by a dead man. The dead man knows what she did that day under the water.
And he’s got a score to settle.
Make It Up To Me is a chilling psychological suspense thriller about loss, regret and redemption. Guaranteed to keep you guessing and turning the pages. If you love fast-paced thrillers packed full of mystery and suspense, you’ll love Make It Up To Me.
258 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2022
453 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
Mark Gillespie
51 books143 followersThese days, Mark Gillespie writes psychological thrillers, suspense and horror. Previously, between the years 2016-2020, he wrote a lot of apocalyptic/dystopian fiction.
Mark is a former professional musician from Glasgow, Scotland, who nowadays lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife Íde and a small menagerie of four-legged rescue creatures.
Favourite books: I am Legend, The Razor's Edge, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Body (Stephen King), I'll Be Gone in the Dark, Trainspotting...
Favourite films: Jaws, Ikiru, The Invitation, Vertigo, The Thing, Eyes Without a Face, Seven Samurai, The Wicker Man...
You can find him on Facebook as Mark Gillespie's Writing Stuff. He's also on Twitter as MarkG_Author.
Website: www.markgillespieauthor.com
Mark is a former professional musician from Glasgow, Scotland, who nowadays lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife Íde and a small menagerie of four-legged rescue creatures.
Favourite books: I am Legend, The Razor's Edge, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Body (Stephen King), I'll Be Gone in the Dark, Trainspotting...
Favourite films: Jaws, Ikiru, The Invitation, Vertigo, The Thing, Eyes Without a Face, Seven Samurai, The Wicker Man...
You can find him on Facebook as Mark Gillespie's Writing Stuff. He's also on Twitter as MarkG_Author.
Website: www.markgillespieauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 22, 2022
This book seemed to be almost two different stories . The first part told the story of Lisa and what happened after her husband drowned with his supposed lover. The second part was mainly about Quinn, a woman who was helping Lisa with a problem. I really enjoyed the first part, but the second part kind of lost me. I ended up enjoying the story though.
April 13, 2022
HOLY MOLY THAT ENDING!!!
Another excellent thriller by Mark Gillespie. It started out a tad slower than I would have liked, but it certainly picked up the pace as the book progressed. I could read a whole series focused on Quinn, and I sincerely hope that the author will indulge us (especially after that ending).
I did not expect the whodunnit to be who it was, and that was a beautiful twist. There were enough suspicious characters and motivations to string me along, always essential in a book like this.
Loved the atmospheric settings, and the nod to charity and the unfairness of how Travellers are treated. Well played.
Loved it. But that ending!!! Give me more.
Another excellent thriller by Mark Gillespie. It started out a tad slower than I would have liked, but it certainly picked up the pace as the book progressed. I could read a whole series focused on Quinn, and I sincerely hope that the author will indulge us (especially after that ending).
I did not expect the whodunnit to be who it was, and that was a beautiful twist. There were enough suspicious characters and motivations to string me along, always essential in a book like this.
Loved the atmospheric settings, and the nod to charity and the unfairness of how Travellers are treated. Well played.
Loved it. But that ending!!! Give me more.
May 17, 2022
A very promising start and premise but the characters fell flat and a couple of gaps in the final wind up that dropped this by a star.
Make It Up to Me opens with Lisa suspicious that her husband is cheating on her goes on a bender with her best friend. Later as she’s stumbling back home, a car races past her and falls into the lake. When Lisa jumps in to try and save the passengers she realizes it’s her husband and a young woman, most likely the one he’s cheating on her with. In a fit of rage she decides against saving him and leaves him to die. Now a year later she’s starting to get threatening notes from someone who claims to know what she did and she turns to a psychic/musician Quinn for help.
Both Lisa and Quinn aren’t very well developed as characters. This book feels like it’s possibly the first in a series so maybe they’ll grow into themselves with each new story. I guessed who was behind it pretty early on but I didn’t have a clue why until it was revealed. However the final wrap up really bothered me because so much of the logic doesn’t make sense - why target Lisa? Why wouldn’t Tommy have told her the truth? And more questions but I don’t want to have too many spoilers here.
All in all it was a decent read but nothing spectacular
Make It Up to Me opens with Lisa suspicious that her husband is cheating on her goes on a bender with her best friend. Later as she’s stumbling back home, a car races past her and falls into the lake. When Lisa jumps in to try and save the passengers she realizes it’s her husband and a young woman, most likely the one he’s cheating on her with. In a fit of rage she decides against saving him and leaves him to die. Now a year later she’s starting to get threatening notes from someone who claims to know what she did and she turns to a psychic/musician Quinn for help.
Both Lisa and Quinn aren’t very well developed as characters. This book feels like it’s possibly the first in a series so maybe they’ll grow into themselves with each new story. I guessed who was behind it pretty early on but I didn’t have a clue why until it was revealed. However the final wrap up really bothered me because so much of the logic doesn’t make sense - why target Lisa? Why wouldn’t Tommy have told her the truth? And more questions but I don’t want to have too many spoilers here.
All in all it was a decent read but nothing spectacular
March 27, 2022
*** NO SPOILERS ***
I've been a big fan of Mark Gillespie's work for several years. He did great dystopian/post apoc tales but has shifted into psychological thrillers. I think this work tops anything he's done. Maybe he'll make psychological thrillers his major niche for a while. I think he should.
Interesting characters abound as we see the protagonist, a woman veterinarian venting to her friend about her previously unfaithful husband doing it again. It's tearing her up torn between the hurt for the reoccurrence he promised would never happen again, a feeling of betrayal, heated anger, and moments of uncertainty because she really wanted him to stay true. Add in a volcano sized headache from all the drinking.
And her life goes rapidly downhill from there, Not the steady decline into oblivion when everything falls apart that often occurs. We're talking the sudden drop from the first and highest roller coaster with no brakes kind of drop. And to continue the metaphor, it doesn't end there, and you can't get off.
There is a ceremony about a year later that she's expected to attend. She DOES NOT want to go, really doesn't connect with the people who will be there and the event triggers a host of memories and feelings that have followed her since that first drop. Her mental state isn't good, she's a bit unstable, a bit paranoid, and can't seem to get her life back on track. And then, her world falls out from underneath her.
You aren't sure what to believe, as she isn't sure she believes it either. Yet there's no explanation that she (or likely you) can come up with. Remember that rollercoaster? Back at the top of that first hill...
For anyone who is familiar with the movie JAWS (almost everyone) this story has a similar structure. JAWS was really two stories that were connected. The story that put things in motion until the three men set to sea on the ORCA and the other story about them vs the shark afterwards. Gillespie's story has a similar structure. Whether by design or happenstance, I think it worked exceptionally well here.
This was an "I can't put it down" and in some sections, "I can't read fast enough to see what is next" kind of book for me. I sometimes get that can't put it down feeling. I almost never have that second one. This story is that good.
So, I'm only giving it five stars because they don't allow any more than that. If you like this kind of story, I can't recommend it highly enough.
*** NO SPOILERS ***
I've been a big fan of Mark Gillespie's work for several years. He did great dystopian/post apoc tales but has shifted into psychological thrillers. I think this work tops anything he's done. Maybe he'll make psychological thrillers his major niche for a while. I think he should.
Interesting characters abound as we see the protagonist, a woman veterinarian venting to her friend about her previously unfaithful husband doing it again. It's tearing her up torn between the hurt for the reoccurrence he promised would never happen again, a feeling of betrayal, heated anger, and moments of uncertainty because she really wanted him to stay true. Add in a volcano sized headache from all the drinking.
And her life goes rapidly downhill from there, Not the steady decline into oblivion when everything falls apart that often occurs. We're talking the sudden drop from the first and highest roller coaster with no brakes kind of drop. And to continue the metaphor, it doesn't end there, and you can't get off.
There is a ceremony about a year later that she's expected to attend. She DOES NOT want to go, really doesn't connect with the people who will be there and the event triggers a host of memories and feelings that have followed her since that first drop. Her mental state isn't good, she's a bit unstable, a bit paranoid, and can't seem to get her life back on track. And then, her world falls out from underneath her.
You aren't sure what to believe, as she isn't sure she believes it either. Yet there's no explanation that she (or likely you) can come up with. Remember that rollercoaster? Back at the top of that first hill...
For anyone who is familiar with the movie JAWS (almost everyone) this story has a similar structure. JAWS was really two stories that were connected. The story that put things in motion until the three men set to sea on the ORCA and the other story about them vs the shark afterwards. Gillespie's story has a similar structure. Whether by design or happenstance, I think it worked exceptionally well here.
This was an "I can't put it down" and in some sections, "I can't read fast enough to see what is next" kind of book for me. I sometimes get that can't put it down feeling. I almost never have that second one. This story is that good.
So, I'm only giving it five stars because they don't allow any more than that. If you like this kind of story, I can't recommend it highly enough.
*** NO SPOILERS ***
April 9, 2022
I’ve read and reviewed more than 15 of Mr. Gillespie’s books, and enjoyed them all. His strong characters, vivid descriptions and easy to read story lines pull me into the plot at once and keep me engrossed. This psychological thriller kept me guessing as to who was haunting the protagonist after she observed, but did not try to save, her previously unfaithful husband as he drowned in a car crash. Did the husband actually survive the crash and decide to make her miserable? Did another witness try to inflict quilt on her to make her follow his wishes? Or was she just imagining the calls and hallucinating the sightings of her ‘husband’? I had to keep turning the pages, trying to guess who was doing what, and was taken by surprise at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller and am eager to read more of Mark’s books. I received and ARC – this review is my honest opinion. I purchased a copy to support this great author.
July 2, 2022
I’m OFFICIALLY a fan of Mark Gillespie!
I literally could not put this book down! I read at least two books a week and I’m a pretty good judge of books. However, this book was phenomenal! I read it in less than a day and a half! I cannot wait for the next one.
Mark Gillespie, you now have a true fan behind you!
I literally could not put this book down! I read at least two books a week and I’m a pretty good judge of books. However, this book was phenomenal! I read it in less than a day and a half! I cannot wait for the next one.
Mark Gillespie, you now have a true fan behind you!
March 27, 2022
♥️♥️💙🚙🌊 A crush on this excellent thriller !
Lisa Granger, cigarette in mouth and still a little drunk, watches the car sink into the waters of the river.
She was deep in her dark thoughts about herself about her marriage and her stupid husband, while watching the car sink...
It was finally over, she thought...
-----------
A crush on this excellent psychological thriller which is now MY favorite book by this talented author.
What suspense !
The plot of the novel is incredible, the two main characters of Lisa and Quinn are believable and endearing, without forgetting the surprising end of the novel...
What an intense and unforgettable moment of reading !
I love it and I recommend.
Thanks to the author !
♥️♥️💙🚙🌊
Lisa Granger, cigarette in mouth and still a little drunk, watches the car sink into the waters of the river.
She was deep in her dark thoughts about herself about her marriage and her stupid husband, while watching the car sink...
It was finally over, she thought...
-----------
A crush on this excellent psychological thriller which is now MY favorite book by this talented author.
What suspense !
The plot of the novel is incredible, the two main characters of Lisa and Quinn are believable and endearing, without forgetting the surprising end of the novel...
What an intense and unforgettable moment of reading !
I love it and I recommend.
Thanks to the author !
♥️♥️💙🚙🌊
March 28, 2022
Wow what a great book! I throughly enjoyed this story and read it in two sittings. Just couldn't wait to find out how it ended.
A sequel to follow maybe featuring Quinn's next investigation??
Cannot recommend this book enough it's a must read.
A sequel to follow maybe featuring Quinn's next investigation??
Cannot recommend this book enough it's a must read.
March 21, 2022
I have come to rely on Mark Gillespie to not only provide me with hours of entertainment with each of his books, but when to comes to his psychological thrillers I can be assured of not having a clue who the “bad guy” is until they reveal themselves. Well once again he didn’t disappoint, Make It Up To Me kept me up past my bedtime trying to figure out the author of the letters and the voice on the other end of the phone. If you enjoy books that keep you guessing and in a full state of entertainment, grab a copy of this book, it is filled with some very memorable characters who are very well developed and multi-dimensional. I don’t want to say much about the story for fear of giving anything away, but let’s just say I was surprised in many ways and I’m hoping at least one of the characters shows up in some of his future stories.
March 27, 2022
A truly excellent read! Gripped me from the first page & I finished it in a day! Really well written, great ideas & characters lead to an exciting & twisted psychological thriller! Brilliant! I do recommend!
May 14, 2022
This story was.... interesting.
It started off strong, but then as it progressed, I found myself losing interest, and frankly becoming bored in parts.
This could be in part due to the fact that there were a lot of unnecessary details about things that didn't add to the overall plot, such as the interior of a house, or a certain area. There was also a secondary plotline involving Quinn that unless the author plans to make this into a series, took away from the main plot while not adding anything to the overall story.
I felt that the characters could have been better fleshed out as well. At times they seemed like cardboard cut-outs, fading into the background. Lisa is described as "skeletal" throughout the entire book, and for the portion that is told from her POV, all we really see her do is drink copious amounts of wine, feel guilty over what she had done, and then succumb to the (somewhat understandable) bouts of paranoia. Quinn at first comes across as feisty and resourceful, but then seems to lose that as the story progresses and the POV switches to her.
Still, I was prepared to give this one a three-star rating. And then I got to the ending. The WHO did it and WHY they did it was very well done. I admit that I hadn't expected the twists that came at that point. But the fact that no one had to answer for what they did? That just left things feeling very unfinished for me, especially when you consider the fact that there are now three people who know the truth and could decide to reveal it at any time consequences notwithstanding. We also don't get to see how Lisa is doing at the end, we are just told by way of Quinn what she has done since the final showdown.
Of course, the things that didn't work for me, will likely be easily overlooked by others, so if this sounds like your cup of tea, please give it a chance!
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
It started off strong, but then as it progressed, I found myself losing interest, and frankly becoming bored in parts.
This could be in part due to the fact that there were a lot of unnecessary details about things that didn't add to the overall plot, such as the interior of a house, or a certain area. There was also a secondary plotline involving Quinn that unless the author plans to make this into a series, took away from the main plot while not adding anything to the overall story.
I felt that the characters could have been better fleshed out as well. At times they seemed like cardboard cut-outs, fading into the background. Lisa is described as "skeletal" throughout the entire book, and for the portion that is told from her POV, all we really see her do is drink copious amounts of wine, feel guilty over what she had done, and then succumb to the (somewhat understandable) bouts of paranoia. Quinn at first comes across as feisty and resourceful, but then seems to lose that as the story progresses and the POV switches to her.
Still, I was prepared to give this one a three-star rating. And then I got to the ending. The WHO did it and WHY they did it was very well done. I admit that I hadn't expected the twists that came at that point. But the fact that no one had to answer for what they did? That just left things feeling very unfinished for me, especially when you consider the fact that there are now three people who know the truth and could decide to reveal it at any time consequences notwithstanding. We also don't get to see how Lisa is doing at the end, we are just told by way of Quinn what she has done since the final showdown.
Of course, the things that didn't work for me, will likely be easily overlooked by others, so if this sounds like your cup of tea, please give it a chance!
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
May 15, 2022
I enjoyed the story and loved the Glasgow setting, the different dialects, and learning about the travelers and their situation. But I got bogged down in the repetition (alcohol, cigarettes, guilt) and could not get over the fact that I could not resolve the fact that Lisa did a horrendous thing but was still made out to be a sympathetic character. Paranoia? Guilt? Well, after what she did, I certainly hope so.
I liked the character of Quinn, the reluctant "psychic", but again, I had trouble with her character. She switched from a tough chick, don't mess with me, to her being totally onside with Lisa, and putting herself in danger.
Overall, the story was different and an interesting read.
Thanks to Hidden Gems Books for a reader's review copy.
I liked the character of Quinn, the reluctant "psychic", but again, I had trouble with her character. She switched from a tough chick, don't mess with me, to her being totally onside with Lisa, and putting herself in danger.
Overall, the story was different and an interesting read.
Thanks to Hidden Gems Books for a reader's review copy.
May 13, 2022
From the opening word to the final word, you will be hooked on this book. The main characters, Lisa and Quinn, were well written and easy to picture in your mind. Lisa as a grieving, losing her mind woman, and Quinn as a feisty musician turned detective. The plot was intriguing, and the ending was explosive. The author knows how to write and keep the reader hooked. The author left a hint that there is a possibility of a series with Quinn. I hope so. She’s a great character. There are lots of layers to peel there. I highly recommended this thriller to anyone. You won’t regret reading it.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.
May 15, 2022
I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is my first book by this author which I look forward to reading more in the future. I enjoyed being pulled into the story by the characters. They are connectable and kept the story engaging. I enjoyed how the author used details to make the story realistic. This is a fast paced story that was hard to put down. It had me coming back for more and kept me guessing on who did it. There is great growth with the characters and the plot throughout. It made the story easy and entertaining to read. I really enjoyed this story and how the author brought it to life with their writing style. You dont want to miss this book. I highly recommend it.
July 17, 2022
Almost a ***** 5 star
Actually, I should just give it a 5 because there is no reason not to. This was a one day read. I could not put it down. Story was really well done and the characters were fully fleshed out. Great story, well written and lots of excitement from beginnings to end. This is the first book I have read by this author so I will have to check out more. Hopefully they will all be as good as this one. I definitely recommend this book. Enjoy! Why are you still reading this? Go download this book. Lol
Actually, I should just give it a 5 because there is no reason not to. This was a one day read. I could not put it down. Story was really well done and the characters were fully fleshed out. Great story, well written and lots of excitement from beginnings to end. This is the first book I have read by this author so I will have to check out more. Hopefully they will all be as good as this one. I definitely recommend this book. Enjoy! Why are you still reading this? Go download this book. Lol
April 21, 2022
what a read!!
This book had me from the beginning! I love everything about Scotland and reading a good mystery from there was a great. Intense and surprising! At times I thought it was going to be a bit paranormal and I was glad when it did not turn out that way. Just a story of psychopaths! One of my favorite subjects!
This book had me from the beginning! I love everything about Scotland and reading a good mystery from there was a great. Intense and surprising! At times I thought it was going to be a bit paranormal and I was glad when it did not turn out that way. Just a story of psychopaths! One of my favorite subjects!
June 30, 2022
A very crafty domestic thriller that had me from the very beginning. The more I read, the more twists came about. Set in Scotland it also touched on the " Traveler" community which was very interesting. Buckle down for a really good thriller that will have you hoping there is indeed another book with these characters.
July 13, 2025
Definitely my cup of tea!
The drama, the detective work by one of the main characters, the action, the TWISTS…
Everything was perfection…
5/5, maybe even 6/5!
Am going to jump into another book by Mr. Mark Gillespie right away, this was my first book of his that I’ve read, but definitely not my last!
The drama, the detective work by one of the main characters, the action, the TWISTS…
Everything was perfection…
5/5, maybe even 6/5!
Am going to jump into another book by Mr. Mark Gillespie right away, this was my first book of his that I’ve read, but definitely not my last!
April 25, 2022
Loved it!
I love psychological thrillers, and this book fit the bill. The premise in the beginning was a bit out there, but the author did a good job of making it seem believable. I enjoyed it.
I love psychological thrillers, and this book fit the bill. The premise in the beginning was a bit out there, but the author did a good job of making it seem believable. I enjoyed it.
May 16, 2022
If thrillers could be described as beach reads, that is exactly this book. Lisa's husband dies and someone is impersonating him...or are they? Easy reading, unpredictable, with a few chills to add to the fun.
June 16, 2022
Not bad. Started out strong and kept my attention. Then, it started to fall flat and by the end, I was a little underwhelmed. Meh, it was ok. I’m not sure why some people raves about the ending, because I found it rather dumb.
July 1, 2022
I liked it
The characters felt real. I felt like I went to Glasgow. I read a lot, and I’m not afraid to abandon a book if it sucks- but this book held me to the final satisfying end.
The characters felt real. I felt like I went to Glasgow. I read a lot, and I’m not afraid to abandon a book if it sucks- but this book held me to the final satisfying end.
January 30, 2023
Many twists and turns
I enjoyed this one very much. A lot of unique characters in this story. A lot of surprises that you will not see coming. I didn't and I can usually tell the ending but not this one. I recommend Make It Up To Me.
I enjoyed this one very much. A lot of unique characters in this story. A lot of surprises that you will not see coming. I didn't and I can usually tell the ending but not this one. I recommend Make It Up To Me.
May 8, 2023
Great psychological thriller
I did not see that coming, at all. This is a unique story setting that had me locked in from page 1.
I hope the cliffhanger at the end means we'll see Quinn again sometime.
I did not see that coming, at all. This is a unique story setting that had me locked in from page 1.
I hope the cliffhanger at the end means we'll see Quinn again sometime.
March 30, 2022
Terrible.
Characters were so uninteresting I kept skipping ahead. Nothing happened. Solomon slow. Don't waste time or money on bbc.co this one.
Characters were so uninteresting I kept skipping ahead. Nothing happened. Solomon slow. Don't waste time or money on bbc.co this one.
May 16, 2022
Absolutely wonderful book! Definitely a page turner that had me guessing almost until the last moment which never happens! Great characters, very well written. I highly recommend this book!
June 8, 2022
Loved it
!over the book. Loved the story. Loves the characters. I suppose it is the start of a series. I will definitely follow Quin.
!over the book. Loved the story. Loves the characters. I suppose it is the start of a series. I will definitely follow Quin.
June 11, 2022
Great Read
Goes fast and is intense! Enjoyed a day of it. Great for a lazy day with the joy of reading at your fingertips!
Goes fast and is intense! Enjoyed a day of it. Great for a lazy day with the joy of reading at your fingertips!
July 22, 2022
Frankly it took me a while to get into this book, putting it down several times. However, stick-to-itness has its rewards. A twisty psychological thriller.
July 26, 2022
Great story
Brilliant read could not put this book down worthy of four stars didn't give it five as I guessed the end of the story but well worth the read
Brilliant read could not put this book down worthy of four stars didn't give it five as I guessed the end of the story but well worth the read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews