What people are saying about I Want You Gone. Thank you to all the wonderful Book Bloggers and Reviewers!
“Wow. Just wow. I had been in a sort of a reading slump since the beginning of the year, but I went ahead and took a chance on this book yesterday afternoon and was not left disappointed. From beginning to the end this book was full of fast paced, suspenseful energy. It’s the type of psychological thriller that will leave you guessing “who done it?” all throughout the book. I had suspicions that the person out to get/harm Laura might have been two of the five characters that she had somewhat personal dealings with, but the more I dove into the book, my suspicions about one of the characters proved to be true. I couldn’t possibly imagine how daunting it had to be for Laura to discover that someone she was close to despised her so much that they would go through such lengths to hurt her. I wouldn’t know what to do if I found out that someone posted on Facebook that I was dead and then proceeded to place my obituary and death notice in the local newspaper. I praise the author for being able to write such a riveting story that was able to pull me out of my reading slump and engage me in such a way that I could barely put the book down. This book was read in under 24 hours which includes having to break to go to sleep last night. I would highly recommend this psychological thriller to anyone, but be aware, it does play games with your mind. Kudos to the author and thank you NetGalley for the amazing read.” – LeTresa Payne
“Some books take you by surprise. Some books exceed your expectations and turn a normal day into a fabulous exciting time. I Want You Gone is one of those books! Brutal. This is the first word that came to my mind as I said goodbye to I Want You Gone. Of course, with such a title, I was not expecting a romance novel with walks in the park and surprise trips to the Maldives. Some novels can stir a million emotions in you and make your blood run cold, not because they put you on the path of a serial killer with the look and the clichés, but because they open your door to scarier monsters. Monsters you pass on the street without realizing it. They look like everyone else, their life resembles that of so many people. They creep in in broad daylight. They smile at you and stay by your side… But not for the reasons you believe. Oh my God. I Want You Gone had me going crazy. Real fast. I mean reaaaaal fast. Laura is your regular divorced woman with a steady job and making the best of what she’s got. She’s only starting to live freely again when her death is announced… On Facebook. See, I knew there was a reason I disliked this website. But a post is a post. As appalled as I was about it, I thought the odds for something like this to happen were somehow quite high. Everyone posts everything on there. When an obituary gets printed in the local newspaper, I gasped. If the FB post could pass as a bad joke, this is another level of humour. A dark and tasteless kind of prank. I had a bad feeling about it, sensing that whoever had done this would go to great lengths to … to what?? What exactly is this anonymous threat trying to do? There is something so sick about obituaries. I can’t imagine reading mine in the morning!! I bit my nails, a nervous wreck as I helplessly watched Laura’s life unravel and each of her relationship get beaten by an invisible hand. Knowing someone is out to get you, you start retreating, and with it, you restrain your circle of trusted people. But is it enough to keep the wolf at bay? Oh, poor Laura. I was moved to tears, I was frustrated, and I would have stomped my foot on the floor had I not been too comfy on the couch!!! This novel had me getting furious at a faceless entity trying to dig up an early grave for a woman I cared about. I feel strongly when honest and innocent people get targeted. It isn’t fair. It could happen to anyone. The author made sure her main character sounded and felt like the reader’s friend, neighbor, or even sister, creating a bond that reinforced the impact of everything Laura goes through. I was stuck in a mad world with Laura while the universe kept turning as if nothing was happening. The feeling of not knowing, not being able to do anything to stop someone from destroying everything you’ve worked for had me running in circle like a hamster.That’s why I understood Laura’s doubts, her accusations, her need for comfort. Taken out of context, her decisions might not seem to be the wisest, and her actions may have felt rushed, but hey, with your life in danger, how would YOU react? I really liked her character and couldn’t help feeling so sorry for her. Yet, I wanted more. I wanted answers but, to get them, she had to go through hell. Sadistic much? Haha!I want you gone is the kind of ‘Wow’ read you devour in a few hours. Its claws hold you tight!I was suspicious from the beginning and knew my assumptions were right about one third into the novel, but for me, the aim of I Want You Gone was to give you a ride through a manipulation and trust rollercoaster, so it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the plot at all.” – www.chocolatenwaffles.com
“Excellent, fast paced thriller. I could not devour this book quick enough. Laura feels like her life is falling apart at the seams. Her husband recently left her for another woman, her beloved sister was hit by a car and killed, and now her daughter has called her in hysterics saying that she has been reported dead on Facebook. As the weird events start stacking up, Laura soon realizes that someone is out to get her in a very aggressive manor. Taut and twisted, this book is not to be missed. Thank you #NetGalley for this awesome book. #IWantYouGone” – Jalia Shelley
“One of the main things I loved about this book is that there are biscuit crumbs scattered throughout the book rather than just being thrown together at the end. This makes you want to play detective, trying to ‘solve the case’ before the culprit is revealed to us.” – Blair @ Feed The Crime
“This book kept me turning pages and entertained even though I figured out who was behind all the issues from the beginning.
Laura is a divorced single mother who is an estate agent and who gets a frantic call from her daughter Mel after seeing a post on facebook that her mom is dead. The terrible events keep getting worse as the days go on. She is unable to trust anyone. Is it the hot doctor Ben that she met through her friend Anna or her ex husband or his new love? Or could it be the boy from her High School who she was unkind to and who has suddenly shown up out of nowhere, wanting her to show him extravagant houses? Or possibly someone she hasn’t even thought of.
The book keeps your attention and keeps the pages turning. I couldn’t put it down!” – Melissa Bynum
“READERS’ FAVORITE REVIEW FOR THE OBITUARY – now titled I WANT YOU GONE
The Obituary by Miranda Rijks is a psychological thriller set in the Sussex countryside in England. Laura Swallow is a divorcee in her forties whose second date is interrupted by a phone call from her daughter Mel who has recently left home to attend university in Manchester. A Facebook post is telling the world that her mother had died. Laura tries to shrug it off, but there is worse to come. A copy of her death certificate, threatening notes, an obituary in the local newspaper. Laura does not know which way to turn as even her job is threatened, and she is loath to ask her ex-husband, about to become a proud father for financial help. It is only 4 years since the death of her sister Becky in a road accident and she has no idea who is threatening her with the same fate.
I sat down to read The Obituary by Miranda Rijks and found it almost impossible to put down. Her characters leapt off the page, I cared about Laura and as I furiously turned the pages, I was unsure who was behind the plot. I liked that Laura, her ex-husband and his new wife were so mature, I felt for Dr Ben when Laura suspected him, and Mel was a typical teenager. A fast-moving plot, it was easy to read as the sentences flowed effortlessly. For a day I shared their lives and I am going to check out any other books in this genre written by this order. A great read and well worth the 5 stars.” – Lucinda Clarke