During the Halloween season I was browsing Libby/Overdrive searching for the perfect spooky book. Earlier that day a patron had asked me for help finding The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon. I admit at the time I did not know The Winter People was a scary book! It looked from the outside like your typical winter time read. I should know never to judge a book by it’s cover! Just a few hours later my Libby/Overdrive suggested that I would like The Winter People if I was looking for something scary. It could not be a coincidence that the same book would cross my path in one day! I decided I MUST read that book! Well ever since I have gobbled up everything by Jennifer McMahon I can get my hands on. She doesn’t just do horror, she is also a terrific thriller writer! Each book that she writes is a stand alone thrill filled with unpredictable twists and turns that leave you wanting more, more, and more! I may have a slight Jennifer McMahon addiction right now.

(As I covered The Winter People in my October Favored Frights post I will be only covering the other books I have read from her to date. I have loved each and every one!)

Promise Not To Tell by Jennifer McMahon

Promise Not To Tell is the first novel written by Jennifer McMahon. One thing I LOVE about Jennifer’s books is that they often take place between the past and the present. Flashbacks to the past often help to fill in clues as to what is happening in the main storyline.

When Kate Cypher was a teenager she made a promise to her friend. She promised not to tell a big secret. Kate was loyal and never told a soul. Now Kate is all grown up and has to return to that same small town to care for her aging mother who has Alzheimer’s. While staying with her mother a teenage girl is murdered in the woods close to their home. The girl is murdered in the same way that Kate’s friend was all those years ago. The single witness claims that it was The Potato Girl that killed her friend. “The Potato Girl” is what the town bullies called Kate’s friend. Could The Potato Girl’s ghost be seeking revenge? Could Kate hold the clues that will solve both murders? Find out in Promise Not To Tell.

Click the title to request Promise Not To Tell

Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon

When I was a child I was TERRIFIED of the Easter Bunny. (Okay, maybe I still find people in bunny costumes scary.) This one had me hooked and invested the minute the little girl was kidnapped out of a parked car by a person wearing a bunny suit. (I knew the Easter Bunny was shifty!) This whole abduction happened in front of our main character, Rhonda, who sat frozen in disbelief and terror as the Bunny tore off in his own vehicle with the little girl. Feeling incredibly guilty that she had frozen and let the villain escape, Rhonda is determined to help find the little girl and bring the kidnapper to justice. Little does Rhonda know that the case has very close ties to her own childhood as well.

In typical Jennifer McMahon fashion, the story swaps back and forth between the past and the present. The reader is transported back through Rhonda’s memories to what seems to be an idyllic summer before “growing up”. As adult Rhonda questions other residents of her small town she starts to realize that there was more going on that summer than she remembered from being a child. Rhonda must untangle her memories and misconceptions of the past in order to uncover the true villain in the present. The story kept me hooked, on edge, and unsettled all the way through. A perfectly satisfying thriller.

Click the title to place a request! Island of Lost Girls

The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon

With The Night Sister Jennifer McMahon steps back into the horror genre. I especially liked this one as it draws from elements of Germanic and Slavic folklore to weave a modern tale of horror that keeps you guessing with each turn of the page. The story centers on The Tower Motel during three different time periods. The earliest follows the family who established The Tower Motel and explores the relationship between the sisters Silvie and Rose. Rose and Silvie couldn’t be more opposite of each other and each sister hides their own secrets.

The middle time period follows the teenage girls Amy, Piper, and Margot. Amy is the daughter of Rose. By this time The Tower Motel has long since closed its doors as the new highway bypassed the town completely. The girls amuse themselves by exploring the run down tower and empty motel rooms. While exploring they stumble upon belongings of Silvie including a suitcase. If Silvie was said to have run away to Hollywood why would she leave all of her belongings?

The “present” timeline follows the girls as grown adults. The book starts with a bang as Amy is accused of murdering her entire family. Piper and Margot know that Amy would never do that. Could the tragic crime be related to the secrets of the past? Check out The Night Sister and find out!

Click the title to place a request! The Night Sister

Burntown by Jennifer McMahon

If you are in the mood for a very different thriller this one is for you. I absolutely adored this one. I really enjoyed the strong quirky female characters. Unlike most of Mcmahon’s books that are centered in an either rural or small town setting, the setting for Burntown is urban. This book has a bit of everything and the author ties it all together to create an inspiring story about believing in yourself and following your dreams. The main plot follows Necco as she is stalked by a killer who has not only killed her own family, but her father’s family as well. The killer is only known by names such as The Chicken Man or Snake Eyes.

Necco’s mother has always told her that a dangerous man was after them. That was why they had to always be very cautious. Necco never really believed her mother on this point. Why would anyone want two homeless women dead? When people close to her start being gruesomely killed, Necco realizes that the stories of this dangerous man were true. While on the run from The Chicken Man, Necco teams up with two very unlikely ladies: Theo and Pru. Theo is a teenager messed up in a drug deal gone wrong and on the run. Pru is the pleasantly plump school lunch lady who dreams of joining the circus. Can this unlikely trio figure out The Chicken Man’s identity and discover why he is after Necco and her family?

The premise does sound out there, but it was a completely fun thrill ride. Pru was a completely memorable character. I would highly recommend this book for fans of thrillers, murder, Thomas Edison, the circus, and mysteries.

Click the title to request this book! Burntown

Important note! Almost all of Jennifer McMahon’s books are also available in Large Print!

I hope you all enjoy these books as much as I have been! As always, thanks for reading!