Review: A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell

A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell

Published: July 23, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: via NetGalley

Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis

There is a stranger outside Caroline's house.

Her spectacular new beach house, built for hosting expensive parties and vacationing with the family she thought she'd have. But her husband is lying to her and everything in her life is upside down, so when the stranger, Aiden, shows up as a bartender at the same party where Caroline and her husband have a very public fight, it doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary.

As her marriage collapses around her and the lavish lifestyle she's built for herself starts to crumble, Caroline turns to Aiden for comfort...and revenge. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aiden's obsession with Caroline, her family, and her house grows more and more disturbing. And when Caroline's husband goes missing, her life descends into a nightmare that leaves her accused of her own husband's murder.

My Thoughts

Caroline has the perfect life, husband, child or at least she thought she did. It was all perfect until her husband shows up to her party with other women. She thinks her marriage is over and one night she goes out and drinks too much and ends up sleeping with a stranger. However, when she thinks back she realizes she has seen this guy before, in fact, he is the guy who has been standing outside on the beach in front of her house for a couple of days.

Aiden has been working at the local bar and when he sees Caroline he is smitten, to say the least. They end up sleeping together one night and ever since he has become obsessed with her. He becomes controlling and will do anything to protect and have Caroline in the end. Caroline wants to try and save her marriage but when she tries to break things off with Aiden things don't go so smoothly. Aiden doesn't take no for an answer and begins to stalk her, her ex and even her daughter because he thinks something isn't right. But when his past comes to light things don't look good for Aiden and he starts to look like he is the one causing trouble.

Is Aiden the bad guy or is a victim in all this? Who’s the real mastermind behind all the crazy things going on? Does Caroline have a real reason to fear Aiden or is there something more? There are so many questions to ask and each one gives us clues to what is really going on.

This is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time. This story has mystery, some sexual tension and best of all you don't know where it’s going. In addition to the twist and turns, there is the game of who’s playing who. Just when you think you have things figured out you are thrown for a loop. This is one read that will have you by the seat of your pants until the last page is turned. A Stranger on the Beach is one read that is well worth the read.