Sorry this one wasn’t for me. I’ve really enjoyed previous Stacy Willingham’s books but this wasn’t anything like them. I really wanted to give up but persevered hoping it would get better. The storyline dragged on and on and the characters were all fairly boring. I didn’t warm to any of them. I didn’t even find one I could hate.
The book is about secrets, lies and deception but it really only came alive in the last few chapters. I rarely take over two weeks to read a book unless I just don’t want to pick it up . I will continue to look for a better book from this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. This book started off great then it dwindled a bit. I thought it went on a bit and was boring, but I continued reading and it turned out better. I wasn’t expecting the twist. It was well written and a good storyline. The characters were good but I didn’t like Lucy. Just thought she was hiding something from the start. Very good book I will recommend to friends.

Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment. It is incredible slow and boring. It feels like a huge build-up for the last chapters were several twists are revealed. But the way towards the end is long.

Margot’s best friend died recently. So she has to go alone to university. At first she holes up in her room but then she gets fascinated by Lucy, a fellow student. She reminds her of Eliza, her dead childhood friend. Surprisingly, Lucy invites her one day to become her roommate together with two other girls in a house off-campus. Margot got entangled with the girls and soon she is partying with them in their strange house. But Margot gets also more and more obsessed with Lucy as she was before with Eliza.

Three quarters of the book nothing much is happening except drinking and playing the game of “truth or dare”. Margot observes Lucy, who is enigmatic and weird. I never understood why Margot was so obsessed with her. I think she just needs someone to be obsessed with. Then at about 80% there are some twists coming up. The first one you could see coming, it was not really a surprise. The next ones are very unrealistic. Suddenly everybody seems to be capable of murder without pangs of remorse.

I enjoyed the authors other books so I was very eager to read her new one. But it could not fulfill my expectations. Her books are all slow-burner but this one tops it. I would read her next book because I liked her first ones so much. But this one was not for me.

"Only If You're Lucky" by Stacy Willingham immerses readers in a Southern Gothic mystery set on a college campus, introducing Margot seeking solace from a troubled past. Initially hesitant about revisiting campus life themes, I found Willingham's narrative deftly navigating the complexities of female friendships and the enigmatic Lucy. The novel's structure, alternating between "Before" and "After" Lucy's disappearance, contributes to its tightly plotted and unpredictable nature. Willingham's skillful misdirection and character development shine, with Margot's introspective assessment adding depth. While the story lacks the visual appeal of some previous works, the author's adept handling of intricate plots compensates, creating a suspenseful atmosphere.
“Only If You're Lucky" keeps readers guessing until the end, proving Willingham's prowess in crafting compelling narratives that transcend typical campus thriller tropes. The novel's strength lies in its intricate plotting and well-executed twists, making it a satisfying addition to the genre.

Only If You're Lucky is a dark thriller by Stacey Willingham. After enjoying the author's previous work, I was very excited to read this new offering. Following a group of students at a liberal arts college this story focuses on Margot who is coming out of her shell after suffering a previous tragedy. When death and disappearance touches the lives of the friends, secrets and motives are revealed. With themes of friendship, Identity, envy and betrayal, This is a dark and moody thriller which will captivate and chill.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is becoming an annual tradition, January, the month of abandoned New Year’s Resolutions, crash diets to lose the weight gained at Christmas, high credit card and heating bills, has, for the last three years become noted for the much more palatable prospect of reading a new Stacy Willingham.
This American author has impressed me with her previous two novels, “A Flicker In The Dark "(2022) and “All The Dangerous Things” (2023) with her sweltery Southern settings, Gothic touches and twisty plots. In some ways this latest feels a departure but also allows her to do what she does best.
I’ve already spent time on an American campus this month with Kiley Reid’s “Come And Get It” and I must admit I started off with the feeling that it was a little too soon to be back amongst dorm rooms, female students friendship dynamics and getting by without seeming to do any studying! Also, I find the whole sororirty/fraternity set-up with pledges and hazing all very distancing (and disturbing) so when elements of these began to creep in Stacy Willingham was really going to have to work hard to win me over.
Margot has turned up at the college that she and her best friend had chosen to attend alone as Eliza had died in suspicious circumstances in the summer before they were due to start. Margot’s response is to shut herself away until she meets Lucy who opens a whole new side to Margot and together they plan to spend the summer with two more friends in a house next door to and owned by a boy’s fraternity. We’re aware from the start that something has gone wrong and that Lucy is missing.
Following a prologue of a significant moment which means little out of context we have a first-person narrative from Margot in “Before” and “After” Lucy’s disappearance sections which alternate through the text.
It takes a little while to build and I was missing the author’s more intense approach in the previous novels but just after mid-way through the reader begins to realise how tightly plotted this is. I never saw any of the twists coming and that is due to the author’s skill in handling these aspects of her plot development. The ability to shift perceptions of events throughout the novel was evident in the last two and it’s present here also.
I think where there’s a difference is that especially “Flicker” but also “Dangerous Things” felt very visual and could make strong TV/film adaptations. I think here more is contained with the words spoken rather than events (Margot spends a lot of time assessing what was said) which would be more difficult to get across in a visual medium and without this things might fall apart and seem too implausible. It’s the author’s skills in plotting, character and misdirection rather than the turn of events that impress more.
I personally didn’t enjoy the setting as much as her other novels and it feels more like a gear change towards a younger female fiction market but all the skills mentioned above and that Willingham trade-mark drip-feeding of information means this is her third four star work in a row, making her a consistently strong writer of American contemporary crime.

Margot went to college in South Carolina for a new start. It’s a chance to get away – from her small town, her family and the memories of her dead best friend. She gets her wish when the enigmatic Lucy invites her to join two other girls in a shared house for their second year. But as Margot gets to know the girls, she begins to realise that something’s off about Lucy, she’s not quite what she seems. Six months later, Lucy is missing and a boy from the frat house next door is dead, leaving Margot in the wake of the investigation.
A well written engrossing psychological thriller, the characters were well portrayed, the pace was good although not fast more of a stroll than a run but it kept me on the edge of my seat. There were twists I didn’t see coming. A thoroughly enjoyable thriller
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I've read the two previous books this author has written and, loving them both, knew I had to get my hands on her latest psychological thriller, without even reading the synopsis, which I rarely do anyway.

The book starts off fairly slowly but it is never boring. The pace is good, because it allows the reader to learn a bit about the main protagonist's background as the author alternates between 'before' and 'after'. About two thirds in it really ramps up and I tried my hardest to finish it last night but passed out just after midnight, with just over 15 minutes worths of reading to go!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an eARC of this book. Publication day is today!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Flicker in the Dark is one of my favorite books, so I was so excited when I got approved to read Only If You’re Lucky on Netgalley. I will say this one isn’t your fast paced page turner. This is a slow burn that’s definitely worth it in the end with unpredictable twists. I really enjoyed the easy read, learning about the characters and getting wrapped up in Margot’s college friendships. It’s a College setting which will appeal to some, made even better considering the house was based on Stacy’s college experience. I loved the dual timelines. As always Stacy Willingham can tell a story. There are some really good unpredictable twists in this one so definitely add it to your TBR.

I have mixed feelings about this book. While I enjoyed in and needed to know what happened, it was just a bit too slow for me. The last 50 pages were great and the characters were so flawed I had to find out more about them.

So Margot lost her best friend Eliza, and has to go to college on her own where she meets Lucy and her 2 friends Nicole and Sloane, who they share a house together for their 2nd year..

I found this an addictive read as in once I started i didn't want to put it down, I know you've heard that before so I shall feel you why. The story line was simple and easy to follow but hard to predict. There is a murder there is a best friend who died before the story begins, as in the back story which Margot is recovering from. And a new friend who dissapears. That's the plot it's told in the before and after all from Margot view point. The characters are great to meet and they unfold as the story progresses like all good Thrillers should.

There's the parents you want to avoid but are ok just not as good as your friends parents grass is always greener. Things are not always what they seem but that's Thrillers for you and it makes the twist and turns such fun. The more you get into the tale the more it you or the more of me I find invested into the story and Margot life, that how it should be when a great writer writes.

So for me this is definitely a 5 star read I loved it and will be reading more from Stacy (1st name terms even through we don't know each other I took the liberty) Highly recommend

I enjoyed this story which keeps you guessing all the way through it, it’s twisty and dark at times but I did find it quite repetitive. Especially going back and forth talking about Eliza all the time which I know is a huge part of the story, maybe I just couldnt take to young characters, I did enjoy the ending thought and I’d like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for this advance copy.

When Margot's oldest and best friend Eliza dies just weeks before they were due to leave for college Margot's world turns upside down but she is still determined to go to college as planned.
The freshman year goes by in a blur with Margot only interacting with her roommate but as the year comes to an end the college's most popular girl Lucy asks Margot to move in with her and her two best friends.
From that very first day of moving in Margot's life changes forever, it's all about having fun drinking and the occasional splif but when a game of truth or dare goes astray and secrets are revealed what has Lucy been hiding and why has she suddenly disappeared?

"Friends for life is a myth, a fable. A feel-good fairy tale we tell ourselves to avoid having to think too hard about facing the world alone."

Margot is still reeling from the loss of her best friend, when she meets Lucy Sharpe, gorgeous, outgoing, shiny Lucy Sharpe at the end of her first year in college. Margot has always been the shy sidekick, so when Lucy 'chooses' Margot to join her and her two friends, Nicole and Sloane, to rent an off-campus house, Margot jumps at the chance.

The four become a formidable quartet at the centre of which is a strong desire to live life to the fullest, to be daring and adventurous. But not everyone in the house is what they seem.

The book begins with the murder of a member of the frat house next to where the girls live, with Lucy having disappeared without a trace. The police are sniffing around, but the friendship is a tight-knit one, and there is no way one of the girls will throw the others under the bus.

I wouldn't call this book Dark Academia despite its college setting, though I still enjoy the university background. An intimate exploration of friendship, this book looks at how close relationships can heal but also harm. This is a tantalising thriller about dark secrets and loyalty to the sisterhood. The jump between past and present served to intrigue me, and I constantly wanted to know more about the characters' motives. I read this in one sitting on a long plane journey. This is my first book by this author and I'll definitely seek out her others.

A convoluted and twisty page turner, testing the reader's beliefs in female friendships and societal expectations. Not a new theme for a book but well told.
Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book.

This book had me hooked from the start! I loved the time jumps from the past and present. A lot of twists along the way that got you guessing throughout!

Descriptive writing of the highest order. Slowly I was dragged into college life in South Carolina, getting to know the main characters (female) and their wonderful, accommodation - a house again -I felt I knew every room well!

As for the story I remained interested but not excited, but who cares Ms Willingham is a top writer.?

I will try another of her works soon.

Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins UK for the chance to read and review.

The book is filled with unexpected twists and turns and sinister secrets. This is a very twisty and gripping thriller. The characters are mysterious. The writing is poetic and enticing. The revelations at the end are certain to shook the readers. The pace was medium. I loved every detail in book. The book has been narrated in past and present perspectives. This is a multilayered story with multifaceted characters. This is a brilliant whodunnit and it will keep you guessing till the end.

Lucy goes missing and Levi is found dead. Detective is trying to gather information about her disappearance to get to the bottom of the mystery. Somehow the disappearance of Lucy and death of Levi seems to be connected. But the truth is different from everyone’s perspectives and it is twisted. It is buried beneath the layers of secrets and mystery. Detective ask questions to Margot, Nicole and Sloane but they reveal so little about Lucy. Yet each chapter reveals something. Lucy was herself so mysterious. And then reading about Eliza from past perspective made it impossible to distinguish between the two of them.

The author has added so many layers to the story that to solve the mystery, one has to take off one layer at a time. Such a brilliant and mind blowing book.

Many Thanks to the Publisher, Author and Netgalley.

A brilliant story that is messed up in so many different ways!

Thoroughly enjoyed it and all the twists and turns that were thrown into the mix

This took me a long time to get to know the characters and for the storyline to develop. With each chapter something is revealed that kept me wanting to read on, to find out more about the characters and what was going to happen in the storyline. There were some twists along the way, they didn’t surprise me, although they weren’t expected they fitted into the story nicely. I enjoyed the way it all came together at the end.

I found this to be an intriguing and enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.