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Social Media #2
The Perfect Stranger
In New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub's new thriller, one woman finds herself in the crosshairs of a twisted predator who might just be masked behind a familiar screen name . . .
During the darkest period of her life, Landry Wells found solace in a group of bloggers who had been in her shoes and lived to tell the tale. She's shared things with her online friends that even her husband and children didn't know. Things that now, looking back, make her uneasy.
One of the bloggers is dead, victim of a random crime—or was it? Did she trust too easily; reveal too much? At the funeral a thousand miles from home, Landry is about to come face to face at last with the others. These women are her closest confidantes in the world: they understand her; they know everything about her—and one of them might be a cold-blooded killer . . .
During the darkest period of her life, Landry Wells found solace in a group of bloggers who had been in her shoes and lived to tell the tale. She's shared things with her online friends that even her husband and children didn't know. Things that now, looking back, make her uneasy.
One of the bloggers is dead, victim of a random crime—or was it? Did she trust too easily; reveal too much? At the funeral a thousand miles from home, Landry is about to come face to face at last with the others. These women are her closest confidantes in the world: they understand her; they know everything about her—and one of them might be a cold-blooded killer . . .
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 29, 2014
85 people are currently reading
2071 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Corsi Staub
82 books1,901 followersNew York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. Those books and the women’s fiction written under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookscan bestseller lists.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
September 27, 2017
Would have been a 5 but I hated the ending and who the killer was. I couldn’t find it believable and it just didn’t fit. I kept hoping more would be written at the end about why but fell short of a spectacular story. Liked the beginning and middle... the end not so much.
August 11, 2014
I received an ARC through the Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest and fair review.
This is the second book that I've read by Wendy Corsi Staub and this one I did like. Corsi Staub again delves into the cyber world, and The Perfect Stranger left me wondering just how much personal information is out there that I've shared on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter like her character, Meredith Heywood. Meredith's cancer has come back, but she hasn't shared the bad news with her blogger friends yet, with the exception of Kay. When Landry, Elena, and Jaycee see the post on Pink Stinks written by Meredith's daughter, they are shocked. Landry gets hold of the bloggers and the women plan to go to Cincinnati to her funeral. Landry soon discovers that cancer didn't kill Meredith; she was murdered. Could one of the women she has come to love through their blogs and posts have killed Meredith? And which one of them is next?
Each chapter begins with an excerpt from one of the women's blog.
~ Meredith - Pink Stinks
~ Landry - The Breast Cancer Diaries
~ Kay - I'm A-Okay
~ Elena - The Boobless Wonder
~ Jaycee - PC BC
They also have screen names, but the reader can catch on quickly as who is whom. There is the obvious red herring, and I figured out the killer's identity fairly quickly. I kept reading on because I wanted to know the why. The writing kept me engaged and the novel was a quick read. I felt as if I had gotten to know the characters. All in all, a very satisfactory read.
This is the second book that I've read by Wendy Corsi Staub and this one I did like. Corsi Staub again delves into the cyber world, and The Perfect Stranger left me wondering just how much personal information is out there that I've shared on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter like her character, Meredith Heywood. Meredith's cancer has come back, but she hasn't shared the bad news with her blogger friends yet, with the exception of Kay. When Landry, Elena, and Jaycee see the post on Pink Stinks written by Meredith's daughter, they are shocked. Landry gets hold of the bloggers and the women plan to go to Cincinnati to her funeral. Landry soon discovers that cancer didn't kill Meredith; she was murdered. Could one of the women she has come to love through their blogs and posts have killed Meredith? And which one of them is next?
Each chapter begins with an excerpt from one of the women's blog.
~ Meredith - Pink Stinks
~ Landry - The Breast Cancer Diaries
~ Kay - I'm A-Okay
~ Elena - The Boobless Wonder
~ Jaycee - PC BC
They also have screen names, but the reader can catch on quickly as who is whom. There is the obvious red herring, and I figured out the killer's identity fairly quickly. I kept reading on because I wanted to know the why. The writing kept me engaged and the novel was a quick read. I felt as if I had gotten to know the characters. All in all, a very satisfactory read.
July 18, 2015
I got to about half way with this book and then stopped for a moment. There have been several times since that I had the opportunity to pick this book up again to read it. Yet, I could not bring myself to pick the book up again to read it. This is because I realized that even though I got about half way, I could barely remember what happened tin that first half. To say that this book was unmemorable would be correct. This is not the author's strong showing of her work.
April 10, 2015
I recently read a few books by Wendy Corsi Staub and have enjoyed her stories.
I read The Perfect Stranger over a few days last year and while I enjoyed it I didn't have that
"gotta keep reading" feeling.
I did find the storyline interesting and unique. 5 women who are all bloggers and have one thing in common. They all survived breast caner. They feel an instant connection although some seem nervous and wonder if everyone is who they say they are. Then tragedy strikes and they decide to meet in person.
As I said I found the storyline interesting but I also found that the book dragged on a bit.
It was still worth the read as I do like the author. I am looking forward to her next book
I read The Perfect Stranger over a few days last year and while I enjoyed it I didn't have that
"gotta keep reading" feeling.
I did find the storyline interesting and unique. 5 women who are all bloggers and have one thing in common. They all survived breast caner. They feel an instant connection although some seem nervous and wonder if everyone is who they say they are. Then tragedy strikes and they decide to meet in person.
As I said I found the storyline interesting but I also found that the book dragged on a bit.
It was still worth the read as I do like the author. I am looking forward to her next book
August 2, 2014
DNFing this one not even through the first chapter. It's in 3rd person present tense and that is just not working for me at all. It's so jarring and I can't stay in the story. And really not caring for what I've read--it's a woman finding out she has cancer and suffering through end stages years later. I'd been wanting to try Staub but if this is her typical writing style it's definitely not for me.
April 12, 2017
The Perfect Stranger by Wendy Corsi Staub
Social Media Series Book #2
3 stars
From The Book:
During the darkest period of her life, Landry Wells found solace in a group of bloggers who had been in her shoes and lived to tell the tale. She's shared things with her online friends that even her husband and children didn't know. Things that now, looking back, make her uneasy. One of the bloggers is dead, victim of a random crime—or was it? Did she trust too easily; reveal too much? At the funeral a thousand miles from home, Landry is about to come face to face at last with the others. These women are her closest confidantes in the world: they understand her; they know everything about her—and one of them might be a cold-blooded killer .
My Thoughts:
There was way too much detail about the characters. The book was mired down in character description from the very beginning. Eventually you just don't care about any of them any longer. The seemingly random killings were interesting as well as intriguing...thus resulting in the 3 star rating instead of 2. The reader will understand...if they don't already... the dangers of sharing too much information on social media sites and trusting total strangers.
Social Media Series Book #2
3 stars
From The Book:
During the darkest period of her life, Landry Wells found solace in a group of bloggers who had been in her shoes and lived to tell the tale. She's shared things with her online friends that even her husband and children didn't know. Things that now, looking back, make her uneasy. One of the bloggers is dead, victim of a random crime—or was it? Did she trust too easily; reveal too much? At the funeral a thousand miles from home, Landry is about to come face to face at last with the others. These women are her closest confidantes in the world: they understand her; they know everything about her—and one of them might be a cold-blooded killer .
My Thoughts:
There was way too much detail about the characters. The book was mired down in character description from the very beginning. Eventually you just don't care about any of them any longer. The seemingly random killings were interesting as well as intriguing...thus resulting in the 3 star rating instead of 2. The reader will understand...if they don't already... the dangers of sharing too much information on social media sites and trusting total strangers.
November 10, 2021
Although I did not abandon this book, it was not one of my favorite books. I was reading it through Audiobooks, and I often found myself losing focus. It makes you think about not saying too much online to strangers. Maybe I should have read the first book in the series.
August 2, 2021
Round up to 4.5 stars.
October 23, 2015
I gave this a C+ at AAR, so 3.5 stars here. I’ve been looking forward to this month’s TBR prompt for a while. Even though I read fairly widely across romance, historical romance and romantic suspense remain my first loves. And I’ve been dying to read some rom susp for a while now. With The Perfect Stranger, I at least got the suspense end of that equation. In this 2014 release, Wendy Corsi Staub explores the darker side of blogdom.
I’ve been online officially since 2003, and I’ve seen many a dustup come and go. I’ve also seen reports of folks being stalked and other creepy behaviors. Even so, the online blog world can often feel like a safe and cozy place. Staub’s book isn’t a perfect read in terms of feeling suspenseful and thrilling, but she does raise interesting questions for the reader. I found it impossible to leave this book without wondering how much of what bloggers put online is real or how well we can really know someone we’ve only met online or how much we really want to trust people. To her credit, the author doesn’t give easy answers to these questions. As readers will see in this book, some folks aren’t at all who they present themselves to be while others are at least somewhat more genuine and their friendships as a result seem to only deepen when they finally meet in person.
So, what’s the general plot? The book centers on a group of female bloggers who have all bonded over their experiences dealing with breast cancer. They cover a range of ages and backgrounds from Landry, a SAHM and wife of a successful Alabama attorney to Elena, a young and single teacher from New England to Kay, a prison guard from the Midwest who left her job due to illness and who struggles with loneliness as she truly has no one left in the world. These ladies, along with a few others, all befriended one another online and the book opens as they learn of the sudden death of Meredith, a blogger to whom they all felt close.
This is a partial review. The complete text of my TBR Challenge column can be found here: http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=17790
I’ve been online officially since 2003, and I’ve seen many a dustup come and go. I’ve also seen reports of folks being stalked and other creepy behaviors. Even so, the online blog world can often feel like a safe and cozy place. Staub’s book isn’t a perfect read in terms of feeling suspenseful and thrilling, but she does raise interesting questions for the reader. I found it impossible to leave this book without wondering how much of what bloggers put online is real or how well we can really know someone we’ve only met online or how much we really want to trust people. To her credit, the author doesn’t give easy answers to these questions. As readers will see in this book, some folks aren’t at all who they present themselves to be while others are at least somewhat more genuine and their friendships as a result seem to only deepen when they finally meet in person.
So, what’s the general plot? The book centers on a group of female bloggers who have all bonded over their experiences dealing with breast cancer. They cover a range of ages and backgrounds from Landry, a SAHM and wife of a successful Alabama attorney to Elena, a young and single teacher from New England to Kay, a prison guard from the Midwest who left her job due to illness and who struggles with loneliness as she truly has no one left in the world. These ladies, along with a few others, all befriended one another online and the book opens as they learn of the sudden death of Meredith, a blogger to whom they all felt close.
This is a partial review. The complete text of my TBR Challenge column can be found here: http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=17790
October 30, 2014
The Perfect Stranger
By
Wendi Corsi Staub
What it's all about...
There is a group of cancer survivors who blog about their illnesses, their struggles, their remissions and their survivals. They give each other support and understanding...and a place to share as well as vent. And then one of them is brutally murdered in her home. So...who is the murderer? A family member...a fellow blogger, or an intruder? There are lots of insinuations and lots of people to suspect...sigh!
Why I wanted to read it...
I normally love this author's books so I thought that I would love this one...but much of it involves dealing with cancer...breast cancer...and it's kind of overwhelming for me. Cancer is so scary...really truly scary and I really don't like thinking about it but in this book I had to think about it all of the time and that's ok but it was mildly depressing for me and took my focus off of the murder mystery part of the book plus it made me not want to connect with these characters but rather made me want to disconnect. Whew! These women all have had or now have cancer and a ton of implications were presented to make the reader believe any one of them could be the killer. But...I really had no clue...even at 72% into the book...who the murderer might be. And I stayed clueless until close to the end of the book
What made me mildly enjoy this book...
Wendi Corsi Staub has mad writing skills. She knows her stuff and writes effortlessly as well as seamlessly. But I just was not into this book.
Why you might want to read this book...
I am not sure about this book's appeal for everyone. It's good but not my favorite. It's tense but not intense and perhaps not exciting enough for me.
By
Wendi Corsi Staub
What it's all about...
There is a group of cancer survivors who blog about their illnesses, their struggles, their remissions and their survivals. They give each other support and understanding...and a place to share as well as vent. And then one of them is brutally murdered in her home. So...who is the murderer? A family member...a fellow blogger, or an intruder? There are lots of insinuations and lots of people to suspect...sigh!
Why I wanted to read it...
I normally love this author's books so I thought that I would love this one...but much of it involves dealing with cancer...breast cancer...and it's kind of overwhelming for me. Cancer is so scary...really truly scary and I really don't like thinking about it but in this book I had to think about it all of the time and that's ok but it was mildly depressing for me and took my focus off of the murder mystery part of the book plus it made me not want to connect with these characters but rather made me want to disconnect. Whew! These women all have had or now have cancer and a ton of implications were presented to make the reader believe any one of them could be the killer. But...I really had no clue...even at 72% into the book...who the murderer might be. And I stayed clueless until close to the end of the book
What made me mildly enjoy this book...
Wendi Corsi Staub has mad writing skills. She knows her stuff and writes effortlessly as well as seamlessly. But I just was not into this book.
Why you might want to read this book...
I am not sure about this book's appeal for everyone. It's good but not my favorite. It's tense but not intense and perhaps not exciting enough for me.
October 30, 2015
The women connected on their blogs, recounting their battles with cancer, and finding support in the community.
But when one of them, Meredith Heywood, one of the few who used her real name on her blog, was murdered, fear cuts through the online community and turns them into frightened people, not sure who they can trust. Or even if they can trust each other.
Could someone evil be hiding behind an innocent screen name? Like Jaycee, the only one who doesn’t even post a profile photo? How do they even know who each person is, when their identity can be so anonymous?
When a small group of the women go to Meredith’s funeral and meet each other for the first time in person, they will feel a connection and start to trust. But then more things happen that make them doubt everyone again. Even each other.
Landry, Kay, and Elena all meet again in Alabama, at Landry’s home, but none of them feel safe, and the suspense ratchets up until, in the final pages, we discover the truth. The Perfect Stranger reminds us that just when we believe we are safe, we can be very wrong.
Alternating narrators drive the story and keep the reader hooked. We know all of the narrators…except the anonymous murderer. And in the end, could that anonymous person be someone we know, someone unexpected?
I loved turning the pages and trying to guess who was killing the seemingly random victims. 4.5 stars.
But when one of them, Meredith Heywood, one of the few who used her real name on her blog, was murdered, fear cuts through the online community and turns them into frightened people, not sure who they can trust. Or even if they can trust each other.
Could someone evil be hiding behind an innocent screen name? Like Jaycee, the only one who doesn’t even post a profile photo? How do they even know who each person is, when their identity can be so anonymous?
When a small group of the women go to Meredith’s funeral and meet each other for the first time in person, they will feel a connection and start to trust. But then more things happen that make them doubt everyone again. Even each other.
Landry, Kay, and Elena all meet again in Alabama, at Landry’s home, but none of them feel safe, and the suspense ratchets up until, in the final pages, we discover the truth. The Perfect Stranger reminds us that just when we believe we are safe, we can be very wrong.
Alternating narrators drive the story and keep the reader hooked. We know all of the narrators…except the anonymous murderer. And in the end, could that anonymous person be someone we know, someone unexpected?
I loved turning the pages and trying to guess who was killing the seemingly random victims. 4.5 stars.
March 21, 2015
I enjoyed the first book in Staub's "Social Media" series in spite of some clumsiness in the writing because the story was interesting and had the kind of great pay-off that really makes for a great suspense novel. This one is not nearly as successful. For a book written in 2014 and about relationships formed on the internet, it sounds awfully awkward about the way people use the internet. The characters were mostly older adults, so their communicating via comments on each other's blogs and through email could ring true - I wouldn't expect these characters to be Snapchatting or Instagramming away, but no one talks about "social networking" - you get on Facebook. So that was distracting.
Aside from that, the story moves far too slowly (at least a third of the book details a couple of the characters' airline travel from their home states to a funeral in Ohio), follows at least one character (Meredith's daughter Beck) who is likable but completely irrelevant to the story, and seems deliberately confusing at times. I guessed who the killer was a lot earlier in the story that I should have, and the motive was just not very interesting. I probably won't read another of the authors books.
Aside from that, the story moves far too slowly (at least a third of the book details a couple of the characters' airline travel from their home states to a funeral in Ohio), follows at least one character (Meredith's daughter Beck) who is likable but completely irrelevant to the story, and seems deliberately confusing at times. I guessed who the killer was a lot earlier in the story that I should have, and the motive was just not very interesting. I probably won't read another of the authors books.
June 15, 2014
Was so excited to receive an arc of "The Perfect Stranger" by one of my all-time favorite authors, Wendy Corsi Staub. She has never disappointed me and didn't in this good read, either. Maybe the thing I liked the best is the unique plot (although, I, also, loved the unexpected ending). Several women who are cancer patients blog with each other and have become online friends, never having met. After one of the popular bloggers is murdered in her home, other developments transpire, leaving the group to wonder if one of them will be next.
Fortunately, I've never experienced the heartbreak of cancer, but Mrs. Staub's excellent writing enabled me to feel the emotions and fear and hopelessness that they incur during the long treatment process.
Fortunately, I've never experienced the heartbreak of cancer, but Mrs. Staub's excellent writing enabled me to feel the emotions and fear and hopelessness that they incur during the long treatment process.
July 30, 2016
This plot contains about as many twists, convolutions, and labyrinthine maneuvers as a hungry python tightening around its prey. I never saw any of it ahead of revelation, I was riveted, and I totally enjoyed it. This is a taut, well-tuned, story--a tapestry without a missed stitch.
Additionally, this mystery contains much good advice on privacy, personal life vs. Online exposure, and the growing tendency to shift our time, interests, friendships and other relationships to the online sphere rather than "face to face."
Additionally, this mystery contains much good advice on privacy, personal life vs. Online exposure, and the growing tendency to shift our time, interests, friendships and other relationships to the online sphere rather than "face to face."
July 26, 2014
The Perfect Stranger by Staub, Wendy Corsi (Harper)
Cancer survivors share a blog and have a strong bond. When the original blogger dies, the remaining members decide to hold a memorial for her in Florida. Is it possible that one of these members is a killer? Eerie, spooky, and second guessing the characters makes THE PERFECT STRANGER a perfect read for the discriminate read that enjoys twists and turns. Wendy Corsi Staub is a totally awesome teller of tales...
Betty Cox, Reviewer
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July 15, 2014
Description: The Perfect Stranger by Wendy Staub (Harper), a novel that stands alone but addresses the same theme of the dangers of social media and online networking as in The Good Sister.
October 16, 2015
2.75
Personally, this book was simply meh for me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't extraordinary either. I had to force myself to finish it and the ending didn't make sense to me. I'll be discussing this book in more detail on my blog soon. http://millionpages28.wordpress.com
Personally, this book was simply meh for me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't extraordinary either. I had to force myself to finish it and the ending didn't make sense to me. I'll be discussing this book in more detail on my blog soon. http://millionpages28.wordpress.com
August 23, 2014
Kept me on my toes but darn it I figured out the killer! Made me question my decision but in the end I was right! Top notch suspense!!
May 13, 2018
It isn’t believable that Landry would figure it out. Also, Crystal should have solved it, but Staub cuts of her momentum by suddenly ending the book. The build up was good, the ending disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2018
Do you really know the people you call friends online? The Perfect Stranger puts this question front and center.
There are five main characters in this story - Meredith. married, with children and struggling financially, Kay, a single former prison guard, Elena, the single school teacher, Landry, married with children, and Jaycee, the sophisticated New Yorker. Women from all walks of life brought together by a common thread...breast cancer. Behind the keyboard, with such screen names as "The Boobless Wonder" and "Pink Stinks" they bare their souls ....sharing personal information and feelings they wouldn't share RW (real world). But when Meredith is murdered, in what appears to be a botched home invasion, the remaining members decide to meet in Cincinnati at the funeral. However, one member, Jaycee, is suspiciously absent...or maybe she still preferred anonymity. Is it possible Meredith shared too much information online? Was the killer stalking the blog? And if so, could the killer be stalking the remaining members? An even more frightening thought - what if the killer was one of the bloggers?
Staub reveals information, only after giving the reader a chance to ponder the question. There was a lot of "filler," adding pages, but not depth. This was frustrating, as it slowed the pace to a crawl. The characters, while not complex, were well developed and easy to like. The plot and subplot give the reader much food for thought. We've been told and tell our kids not to share personal information online, that people are not always what they appear to be. Yet despite the warnings, social media sites are an integral part of most of our lives. After reading The Perfect Stranger, I couldn't help be re-access my own interactions. With eighty titles to her credit, Staub has perfected the fine art of getting readers emotionally invested then rewarding you with a satisfying ending, The Perfect Stranger is no exception.
Happy Reading,
RJ
There are five main characters in this story - Meredith. married, with children and struggling financially, Kay, a single former prison guard, Elena, the single school teacher, Landry, married with children, and Jaycee, the sophisticated New Yorker. Women from all walks of life brought together by a common thread...breast cancer. Behind the keyboard, with such screen names as "The Boobless Wonder" and "Pink Stinks" they bare their souls ....sharing personal information and feelings they wouldn't share RW (real world). But when Meredith is murdered, in what appears to be a botched home invasion, the remaining members decide to meet in Cincinnati at the funeral. However, one member, Jaycee, is suspiciously absent...or maybe she still preferred anonymity. Is it possible Meredith shared too much information online? Was the killer stalking the blog? And if so, could the killer be stalking the remaining members? An even more frightening thought - what if the killer was one of the bloggers?
Staub reveals information, only after giving the reader a chance to ponder the question. There was a lot of "filler," adding pages, but not depth. This was frustrating, as it slowed the pace to a crawl. The characters, while not complex, were well developed and easy to like. The plot and subplot give the reader much food for thought. We've been told and tell our kids not to share personal information online, that people are not always what they appear to be. Yet despite the warnings, social media sites are an integral part of most of our lives. After reading The Perfect Stranger, I couldn't help be re-access my own interactions. With eighty titles to her credit, Staub has perfected the fine art of getting readers emotionally invested then rewarding you with a satisfying ending, The Perfect Stranger is no exception.
Happy Reading,
RJ
May 31, 2021
I'm pretty careful with not sharing information about myself on Facebook. if I'm going away I write something after I get back so none will break in while I'm gone. I don't share information with people I don't personally know. After reading this book, I will be even more careful! This is not a true story but it could have happened. Too many people share too much about them selves and don't think about what can happen.
This book was a bit slow in the beginning with all the talk about cancer. I listened to the book and that made it difficult. The story kept jumping from person to person with no brakes in between. Sometimes I had to go back to find out who was talking. I would recommend reading the book.
The killer was a surprise for me apart from it being someone who has been able to find out a lot about these women.
This book was a bit slow in the beginning with all the talk about cancer. I listened to the book and that made it difficult. The story kept jumping from person to person with no brakes in between. Sometimes I had to go back to find out who was talking. I would recommend reading the book.
The killer was a surprise for me apart from it being someone who has been able to find out a lot about these women.
February 8, 2020
Wow what an interesting and thought provoking read. “The Perfect Stranger” centers itself on what defines family, trust, love and support as it follows a blogging group of cancer patients. The hope and support they feel for each other is dramatically tested as one of their members is shockingly murdered. The characters are well developed and the plot winds through each of their perspectives as trust turns to suspicion and they question both themselves, family and each other. Wendy Corsi Staub keeps you guessing till the end!
August 22, 2022
Very suspenseful - though there were sections that (in my opinion) could've been edited out as not needed and too wordy. A surprise ending. Interesting characters. I like that in the process of following the stories of the potential killers and victims, I learned more about breast cancer. I also liked that the bloggers formed a sort of family, and friendship - despite not knowing each other in real life and despite being from different regions of the country and different socio-economic backgrounds.
September 30, 2018
Well written
Aside from the "murder mystery" plot, the secondary story about these women with breast cancer who find cancer patients like them in the computer world of blogging was of major interest to me. So many thoughts and feelings I had during my bout with breast cancer were put into words I couldn't or didn't express 20+ years ago--- especially the constant fear of the Big C returning. I honestly felt I myself made new friends reading this book.
Aside from the "murder mystery" plot, the secondary story about these women with breast cancer who find cancer patients like them in the computer world of blogging was of major interest to me. So many thoughts and feelings I had during my bout with breast cancer were put into words I couldn't or didn't express 20+ years ago--- especially the constant fear of the Big C returning. I honestly felt I myself made new friends reading this book.
October 4, 2023
I love a good slow burn. I enjoyed how this centered around friendships gained through blogging and illness, forcing the never before seen friends out of their comfort zone. Different personalities are at bay and the inevitable happens, leaving just three friends along to attend a funeral. In the demise, the hunt is on to find the murderer (lurking too closely). While the storyline is devastating, it really does show the power of friendship and I can appreciate that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2017
I was given this book and was happy it kept me interested. She went into great detail about the characters and their lives, but the ending was a bit short. I will read more of her books she did a great job.
August 22, 2018
First time reader of Ms. Staub. This was a well crafted story with a touch of suspense. The story is about internet bloggers and the amount of personal information they so willingly post for all to see.
December 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was really interesting and very sad. As you read it gets better and better. Just when you think it can’t. Going to look for more of this authors work. Really good read.
April 14, 2025
This is the 2bd book I read by this author. I liked the first one better. As an aside, the narrator perspective changes often and there's no break in the audiobook version so sometimes it was a little confusing or hard to follow along.
October 25, 2025
this one took me sometime to read. it started out good it got my attention pretty quickly but then lagged. i was getting confused on who each character was. i really thought her daughter was the murderer fir awhile. it was an okay read. nice twist at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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