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February 10, 2025

Novel Lives

Book Publicity, Book Reviews, And Author Interviews

Good Bad Girl By Alice Feeney Is The Best Thriller I’ve Read This Year

Good Bad Girl By Alice Feeney- Summary

Goodreads summary of Good Bad Girl By Alice Feeney (Review Below): Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things.

Twenty years after a baby is stolen from a stroller, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good, bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.

Edith may have been tricked into a nursing home, but at eighty years young, she’s planning her escape. Patience works there, cleaning messes and bonding with Edith, a kindred spirit. But Patience is lying to Edith about almost everything.

Edith’s own daughter, Clio, won’t speak to her. And someone new is about to knock on Clio’s door…and their intentions aren’t good.

With every reason to distrust each other, the women must solve a mystery with three suspects, two murders, and one victim. If they do, they might just find out what happened to the baby who disappeared, the mother who lost her, and the connections that bind them.

Good Bad Girl By Alice Feeney- Review

Just so you know (as my Grandmother used to say), this is one of those; the less you know going in, the better. So I can’t promise a lot of information on Alice Feeney’s latest Good Bad Girl. In fact, there won’t be a character section because this is a character-driven story. And to talk in anything but a broad swipe of generalities would do a disservice to Good Bad Girl. So, here’s what I can tell you.

Susi Holliday

Ok. I’m kidding. Well, I mean, READ THE BOOK, but that isn’t all I will say! Good Bad Girl is a riveting thriller with a heart of gold. It is a character-driven story that depicts the most incredibly executed characters I’ve read in a long time. None of them are perfect, with unique flaws. But they are all easy to root for. While morally gray, you’ll be shocked at how often you want more for them. And then, at times, you want to absolutely strangle them. It is all about the context of the moment.

Alice Feeney’s writing shines in writing witty, thrilling, and poignant scenes.

Grief is only ever yours. Just like guilt. It isn’t something you can share.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be loved. It is like hitting the lottery. If you get those lucky numbers in life, it doesn’t matter where you bought the ticket.

Review SummaryThank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney. It releases on August 29th.

I always knew that Alice Feeney could smash the creepy, suspenseful writing. But her ability to draw in life and the connections between people in Good Bad Girl is astounding.

Speaking of connections, they are the heart of the plot. Could I figure out a bit of what was going to happen about halfway through? YUP. Did I get absolutely smacked in the head by how my thoughts fell into a much bigger picture? I didn’t just get smacked in the head. Alice Feeney gave me a concussion. I needed an oxygen tank to keep up with the number of times I gasped, my hand flying over my mouth. I would say I let go of the breath I didn’t know I was holding, but I knew I often held my breath. I’m not sure I’ve let that breath out yet. I will review another book, I Know What You Did by Cayce Osborne, tomorrow. I mention it because I read both of these books in HOURS. Not a day but HOURS. I read them in one day. That is a record, even for me.

It has been a long time since I’ve read such brilliant thrillers back-to-back. Bless you both.

Good Bad Girl By Alice Feeney- Final Thoughts/Audiobook

The audiobook is well-produced and narrated. Each chapter is clearly marked by character. The two narrators, Katherine Press and Stephanie Racine, absolutely nail each character they narrate. I loved them both for this audiobook. Since I’ve read and not listened to most of Alice Feeney’s books, both Katherine Press and Stephanie Racine are new to me. I can’t wait to listen to them further. I did listen to His and Hers (review linked), which was fantastic as an audiobook.

Lastly, you should know that I have my favorite Alice Feeney books. Daisy Darker and His and Hers are two examples. I lurved them. However, I can honestly say that Good Bad Girl trounces them both. And that says a lot. God, I want to scream so much more from the rooftops, but I just can’t. It kills me but also thrills me for Good Bad Girl’s release and everyone’s discovery of it.

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