Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

We Could be Heroes

Unknown Caller

Rate this book
Charlie Kroft’s job at the crisis center means she’s often seen as a hero: she’s helped countless people climb out of the deepest pits of personal despair. But when one phone call thrusts Charlie into the spotlight, she must contend with the hidden pain that drives her…and with the mysterious stranger who knows the truth.

66 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2023

939 people are currently reading
2464 people want to read

About the author

Lisa Unger

51 books10.8k followers
Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty-three novels, including her upcoming release SERVED HIM RIGHT (March, 2026). With books published in thirty-three languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, she is regarded as a master of suspense.

Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only a few authors including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,405 (32%)
4 stars
1,693 (38%)
3 stars
1,046 (23%)
2 stars
189 (4%)
1 star
54 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews
Profile Image for Rosh.
2,392 reviews4,961 followers
March 5, 2024
In a Nutshell: An interesting short story about a suicide hotline employee battling past demons in myriad ways. Interesting, though somewhat predictable. The setting and the message are the highlight of this tale.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Plot Preview:
Charlie Kroft is one of the best call handlers at a suicide hotline, where callers hope to find a reason not to give up on life. One night though, just as her shift is about to end, there is a call from an ‘Unknown Caller.’ His words leave Charlie with a sinking feeling, as her mind recollects the painful memory from her past, gong to the events that motivated her towards this job.
The story comes to us in two timelines, both in first person, with the past timeline written entirely in italics.


This is the second standalone story in the 'We Could be Heroes’ series, described on Amazon as “a darkly inquisitive collection of short stories that examines heroic intentions versus their real-life consequences.”

Woohoos:
🤩 The setting of the crisis centre. Loved the look at how suicide helplines work.

🤩 The employees of the centre, especially Charlie’s boss Espo, whose “Esposisms” are simple and deep at the same time.

🤩 The themes of moving on from grief and how guilt, especially survivor guilt, can impede your present if you don’t actively do something about it. And the focus on the most important question: What makes a hero?

🤩 The powerful message about not being influenced by social media influencers as what is shown isn’t the truth. Every YA (and many adults) need to understand this!

🤩 The revelation about a part of the dark web that encourages people to kill themselves. I never knew this existed, and I still wish I didn’t. It’s upsetting to see people being people in all the bad ways, and the ostrich in me wants to bury its head in the sand once again.

Hmmms:
😕 The predictability is a bit of a downer. It's not difficult to guess the hidden link between the two timelines, but as this isn't a thriller or mystery, I would still have been okay with that. However, the story itself goes through a path taken many times before. I wish it had been braver in its plotline because it certainly had the potential to.

😕 The ending is too rushed.


Basically, I liked the plot and loved the message. It’s a nice story, and though you can guess the direction of the events, it still offers enough to ponder upon, which is good enough for a 66-page work.

Don’t pick it up if you want a happy story. Though it is about heroes, the plotline is quite dark and sad. The ending is positive though, if that helps.

This is my first Lisa Unger work, and I liked it enough, but not enough to motivate me to more of her books. At least, not yet.

3.75 stars.


This standalone story is a part of the “We Could Be Heroes” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
Profile Image for Kay.
2,212 reviews1,203 followers
February 27, 2023
Part 2 of 5 in "We Could be Heroes" collection. They can be read in any order.

I have yet to read Lisa Unger's full-length novel. As for this short story, I thought it was okay. My enjoyment comes down to the plot. This is crucial and I'm glad to see the author shines a light on this topic, which involves suicide. Charlie Kroft is on the other end of the crisis hotline center. You'll have to read or listen to find out why she does what she does...

🎧 read by Reba Buhr. 1hr 42m/66 pages
Profile Image for Nina (ninjasbooks).
1,597 reviews1,691 followers
June 10, 2023
A very short story. Maybe I should just skip them from now on, since I find it so hard to engage with the characters. But still, there was enough suspense to not make it bad and a satisfying ending as well.
Profile Image for Ceecee .
2,746 reviews2,311 followers
February 12, 2023
4+

Amazon Original Stories - We could be heroes series, available on Kindle Unlimited.

A story of teens. Charlie works on a crisis line helping those who feel as if they have nothing left in life. Charlie is lauded a hero for helping a girl but a mysterious caller taunts her. This is a powerful look at what makes a hero, it’s thought provoking and moving.
Profile Image for Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo).
1,554 reviews4,546 followers
July 24, 2024
A quick listen 🎧 or read (66 pages) and part of Amazon’s “We could be Heros” collection.

Charlie answers calls at a crisis center-and when she saves the life of one grateful caller-the spotlight falls on her.

But, another caller doesn’t think she’s a hero-and he has another reason for calling.

The ending was a bit anti-climatic, but overall, it was a quick, suspenseful and entertaining listen!
March 28, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up.

This was another terrific novella in the We Could Be Heroes series (thanks @Karly!).

This is a short story about how a woman uses her job to try to help her with the guilt of her past. It's mysterious and thrilling.

It has a seriously important message in it about how fake people can be on social media (instagram in particular), how they paint their lives to be a certain way, and how dangerous it can be. It also has an important message about forgiveness. And that's all just in a novella!

I really enjoyed the story, but also got a bit confused by timeline jumps only identified by italicised chapters (I am so not a fan of italics for entire chapters! Headings pls). Some of it was a bit predictable but didn't ruin it. All in all, this was an intriguing and fast paced novella and I'd recommend it.

Check TWs online - of note is stalking.
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,419 reviews496 followers
September 30, 2023
Unknown Caller by Lisa Unger
We Could Be Heroes series. Mystery suspense novella. Dual time lines via memories.
Charlie Kraft works late evenings at a crisis call center. She knows when to listen, when to ask questions and when to call emergency services.
Charlie is getting calls from a person that won’t identify himself and seems to know her own dark history. How does he know so much and why is he calling?

A short suspense novel with Charlie remembering her own youthful past and the dark turns it took. But more than anything, she wants to help the caller.

Engrossing. Sad past. Hopeful future. Important topic to talk about.
Profile Image for Matt.
4,838 reviews13.1k followers
May 22, 2023
Always one to enjoy a short story while outside for a while, I turned to Lisa Unger’s contribution to the We Could Be Heroes collection. It looks at a woman whose job puts her in the hero category, though she hides a dark secret that has been eating at her for years. Quick and punchy, Unger pulls the reader into the mix and then tells all in a multi-chapter saga.

Charlie Croft has enjoyed her work at a crisis centre, always one eager to help those who call in the middle of the night. She has many positive experiences, listening to stories and trying to make the caller feel important. She’s done so well that she receives a commendation by the town for some of her work, thrusting her into the hero spotlight, even when she did not expect it.

When she receives a call one night, Charlie’s forced to look closer at herself and the secret she has been holding onto. A time back in high school when one of her friends needed her most and Charlie turned her back. The thoughts haunt her and the repeated calls from this unknown caller have Charlie on edge. When she takes the drastic move to confront the caller in person, new wounds and insecurities open up, forcing Charlie to wonder if she’s a hero at all. Unger does well with this piece, showing readers that a hero can sometimes be a lot more under their proverbial cape.

While short and to the point, Lisa Unger’s writing is effective and gets the reader thinking. A strong foundation helps propel the story forward, with great direction. A few characters keep things on track, though it is Charlie Croft who remains central to the entire piece. A few key plot points help push things along, using two timelines to offer the reader the full story that emerges, leaving them to judge if Charlie Croft deserves the hero worship she has been receiving. Impactful and entertaining, Lisa Unger has a lot to offer readers who might be interested in more of her work. I am keen to see if I could enjoy a full-length piece and will have to scout her out soon.

Kudos, Madam Unger, for your contribution and keeping things moving in this short piece.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for Chrissie.
1,058 reviews95 followers
July 27, 2024
A solid, if rather sad, story, in the "We Could Be Heroes" collection, by the brilliant Lisa Unger.

Charlie answers calls to an organisation set up to support those in crisis. She answers a strange call from someone that takes her back to a terrible incident in her past. The caller continues to contact the helpline, specifically wanting to speak to her, but will not stay in the line for any length of time. Who is this mystery caller, and what can they want from Charlie?

I hope the rest of the collection is as good!

Profile Image for Julie (JuJu).
1,172 reviews221 followers
July 15, 2023
Intense and Emotional

Amazon Original Stories - The Hero Series
Available on Kindle Unlimited.

Lisa Unger is one of my favorite authors and this was a great short story that didn’t disappoint! It’s emotional, suspenseful, and wraps up nicely! Worth the read.

#UnknownCaller #LisaUnger #AmazonOriganalStory #HeroSeries #shortstory #kindleunlimited #honestreview #thrillerfriendsunite #mysteryandthrills #womenwriters #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #suspense #mystery #lovetoread #bookworms #lovebooks #lovetoreadbooks #fortheloveofbooks #booknerd #bookreviewer #booksbooksandmorebooks #instabook #readaholic
Profile Image for Melany.
1,290 reviews153 followers
June 23, 2023
This was only 66 pages, but man were they AMAZING! I didn't want it to end. It was suspenseful, deep life meanings and touching. Such a powerful short story about people living with depression and suicidal thoughts, plus the effects of it for those around them. Wow, this really moved me to tears.
Profile Image for Karla.
1,455 reviews367 followers
July 3, 2025
Story 3.5 stars**
Audio 4 stars
Narrator Reba Buhr
Profile Image for SVETLANA.
363 reviews63 followers
May 13, 2023
It is our choice in the life what to do: guilt, despair, suicide or forgiveness, belief and courage to stay and live.

"It is what you do with your life that matters".

The story is about a Crisis Center worker who is in front of a phone always ready to help in dark moments of life and to keep people from taking that last step. She has her own story in her past, but is using this knowledge to help others. She is called a hero, but she doesn't feel as one.

"One of the weird things about insisting that you're not a hero: no one ever believes you."

In life you must forgive yourself sometimes and continue to live. and try to help others if you can.

This story if worth to read, even if you can cry while reading it.

Profile Image for Kira FlowerChild.
737 reviews18 followers
July 28, 2024
But to cling to rage, hatred, or grief, to rail against what is or has been, is to kill yourself again and again, rob yourself of what life you have left...

I really needed to hear that tonight. Not because I'm suicidal, but for other, personal reasons. There may be others who need to hear this message for their own reasons. The story is worth reading on its own merits, but if you need to hear some hopeful words, or just some blunt, honest truths, I urge you to give this story a try.

Profile Image for Daniel.
805 reviews154 followers
December 16, 2024
4.5 stars ...

My fourth in this series ...
this one had chops. 👍👍
Profile Image for SJARR ✨.
318 reviews45 followers
January 2, 2026
Calling this a thriller is a bit of a long shot I think, and Lisa Unger has definitely written better.

But, the story is decent!
It was just lacking some intense energy.
Profile Image for Dun's.
477 reviews35 followers
June 20, 2023
An engaging short story with some suspense and interesting characters. It's intriguing to think about the unknown person who answers a call to a crisis center hotline, and vice versa. I listened to the whole book and enjoyed the narration very much. The setting and plot remind me of John Marrs's The Good Samaritan.
Profile Image for Beth Roger aka Katiebella_Reads.
712 reviews43 followers
August 31, 2024
Charlie works for the Crisis Hotline. Every day, she talks to people who are ready to end their live. People who believe they have no reason to go on. She is good at giving them reasons to stay. She has talked to all kinds of people from all walks of life. So many times, it's a teen, too many times.

My Thoughts

I loved Charlie. I loved her realness. Her self-doubt. Her strengths and her weaknesses. I loved how she didn't see herself as a hero but as just another human trying to help. She is amazingly well written, fleshed out, and brought to life.

This story really portrays how some of the people that shine the brightess on the outside hold the most despair inside. Never judge a person by their smile.

It's the danger of believing what you see on social media. Comparing your life with the filtered glimpse of another's.

This is heartfelt and raw, but it's still a thriller. Be prepared for a twist nding.

Touched my soul

“In my darkest moment of despair,” Zoey says after her mother introduces her, “I reached out and found a hand waiting for me.”

My husband is an EMT. He often sees the pain in other people but doesn't talk about it. This was an eye opener to some of the calls he might have taken or have to take from people in the future. The pain of life and the want to end it, mixed with the hope that it only takes that one person to reach out and pull you back.
Profile Image for ᒪᗴᗩᕼ .
2,087 reviews191 followers
April 5, 2023
My second book from the We Could Be Heroes Collection. I liked this one much more than the first one (Pigeon Tony’s Last Stand). This was way more my style. I was drawn in right from the beginning. It had everything you could want in a short story…a good, actual plot; characters with at least some depth (although this had a little more than some), a really satisfying end, and last but not least, fantastic narration.
Profile Image for Keith Book Korner.
192 reviews32 followers
March 15, 2025
Fabulous story story. The writing was superb very well laid out. Kept me really intrigued. I will definitely read another book from the author..
Profile Image for Becky.
748 reviews152 followers
July 10, 2023
2nd of 5 stories in a series called We Could Be Heros.

This story takes place in a suicide crisis center & highlights why the crisis center worker is there at this job & the connection to a person calling for help.
Profile Image for Sarah.
445 reviews11 followers
February 11, 2023
The message of hope that’s portrayed in this short story about a crisis call center phone operator is an important one ❤️
Profile Image for Christine.
1,959 reviews62 followers
February 13, 2023
Some of the things that happen in this short story are hard to read, but I like the overall message of hope and forgiving yourself for things you've done in the past.
Profile Image for Karly.
475 reviews166 followers
February 23, 2023
My Rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ impressive, short and fun LOVED IT!!

I am not going to do a synopsis overview because this is a short story and the one on GoodReads covers it. It is a part of the Amazon Originals We Could be Heroes collection. 5 short stories by different authors on about stories that are a bit spooky, thrilling or scary that have an uplifting message.

I really enjoyed this one the characters were likeable and I really thought this was going in a totally different direction and that was the great misdirection from the author. I have never read anything by Lisa Unger before but after reading this I will definitely be checking out her full length books BUT WHERE DO I START!!!! Please GRs pals tell me if you love this author.

I loved how the story flowed, it was easy to read and it really did have a great message. It was a bit scary and a bit sad but overall I think it really hit the ‘We could be heroes’ theme on the head. I have read one other in this series by Victor Methos and while it was good… this was so much better. They are in no way related to each other so it isn’t fair to compare them as such… but this one captured my attention far more than the other one.

If you are after something with some feels, grab this one. If you are after a short sharp palette cleanser after a really shitty book (thats what I did) grab this one or if you have Kindle Unlimited and want something included that is short and fun again… try this one. Really at approx 70 pages you don’t have too much to lose.
Profile Image for Marlene.
207 reviews8 followers
April 18, 2023
This is the second short story in the series "We Could Be Heros".
Charlie Kroft volunteers at a crisis line when she is caught up in an emotional exchange with a person who is on the brink of suicide. The plot along with the story line and narration were powerful.
It raises the question, can the efforts of one person, who reaches out successfully bring a person back with hope?
Profile Image for Mariam  Salahudeen.
304 reviews14 followers
May 9, 2023
It is an absolutely heart-wrenching and impactful story. There is so much packed in this. I am always amazed how an author can manage to create a beautiful story in a few pages.
Profile Image for Tammy.
820 reviews3 followers
February 18, 2023
Wow. For a short story, this one packed a powerful punch. I absolutely loved the discussions about friendship, social media, and depression.

Content warning advisory.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.