PSA: I'm calling all the readers who thought Verity by CoHo could have been a great book, yet somehow it wasn’t, and you ended up disappointed and didn't understand what all the hype was about.

This book is everything that Verity wasn’t. It’s well-told, it’s well-written, the plot is great, the characters are great, all the loose ends were tied up nicely, and – the plot twists were REAL twists. Despite the main storyline going in the exact direction those types of stories go, there still were so, so many unexpected twists, and then the ending was so, so satisfying!

I know it’s not exactly fair to begin a book review by comparing it to another book. I know. I know it’s a meh thing to do. Yet somehow that was exactly what I kept thinking as I was reading it. Almost all 400 pages of it.

I spoke to a friend about the book, and we jokingly labeled it “Fake Verity”, but now I think this label wasn’t really the most suitable. It’s not fake. The storyline isn’t exactly that unique and it’s been used before (and after) Verity, just that one book somehow made it. It can retire now. A way better version of the same storyline is here now. This one is the best take on the age-old storyline I have read.
It made me look into what other books this unknown to me author had written before she wrote this one.

My personal favorite here? The characters. The flawed ones, the seemingly dumb ones. Their development, and their morphing into likable/unlikable, into smart/dumb. And then, the depiction of friendships. The depth it goes, even after one of the friends is long gone. The human connections that are formed within the book.

Did I say I’m super glad I got to read this one and found a new to me author who has written this? Yeah, seriously. Go check this one out. And tell all the others, mkay?

Thank you NetGalley and Relay Publishing for this eCopy to review

The Companion is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The blend of psychological tension and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, making it hard to put the book down.

Landing the job as a companion for Colin Harrington’s unresponsive wife, Kara, felt like a lifeline. Megan was desperate to revive her faltering career and this opportunity seemed perfect. The Harrington mansion, with its high-tech features and eerie atmosphere, was both a sanctuary and a prison. Shadows seemed to move on their own, and Megan couldn’t shake the feeling of being constantly watched.

Colin, a celebrity podcaster, was a man haunted by his past. His wife’s accident had left him in a state of perpetual mourning, but Megan couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. Maybe she could be the one to help him move on. However, as Megan settled into her role, she discovered a cassette tape that revealed a shocking truth. Someone in the house had a dark secret, and they were willing to do anything to protect it. But Megan wasn’t entirely innocent either; she had her own secrets to keep.

The plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, and the characters were well-developed and intriguing. The eerie setting added to the overall sense of dread and anticipation

Complex psychological mystery, accidents that aren't accidents, secrets at every turn, and not everything is as is appears. Closed cast give it a rather claustrophobic feel and increases the tension as the story develops. Not everyone is guilty, and not everyone is innocent ...

I really enjoyed this as a psychological thriller novel, it had characters that I cared about and enjoyed the way they were written. The plot worked and had that suspenseful atmosphere that I was looking for. Jo Crow has a strong writing style and was glad I got to read this.

"Truthfully, I didn’t care about what I might find. There was nothing I could discover that would scare me away from this job."

"Kara continued to ignore me, focusing instead on a potted plant in the corner of the room. That plant would most likely have been a better conversationalist. But there was also an underlying tension. Like a coiled toy ready to bounce. Kara’s sudden, jerky movements always had me on edge, certain she would knock something over. Kara was a jump scare waiting to happen."


Fast-paced domestic psychological thriller.
Anna - a young and ambitious woman with a sordid past employed to be a companion for a rich podcaster's sick wife.
Colin -the husband, thinking his wife is getting so bored pent up in her room, decided to hire someone young and lively to keep her wife, Karra, company. 'To share infectious Joie de Vivre and inspire rapid recovery.'
Mary- first wife who died from suicide
Well thought-out plot and character development..The characters are mysterious and well-written. Kept me second guessing all throughout. Included POVs from Mary and Karra through recorded cassette tapes to help piece it all together.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.🖤

3.75✨

Published on Goodreads 11/16/2024
Rating: 😐/2
Review: This book had a great start and sucked me in for the first 15% but then it just dragged. Anna’s character went from mysterious to annoying and made dumb decisions. Story didn’t flow and a lot of detail threads didn’t get pulled on enough and others dragged. Very much Verity vibes.
Format: 👩🏻‍💻
Source: #netgalley

WANTED: Companion for sick wife.’ Wow! What a wild ride! This book had some really crazy twists that I did not see coming!! The story was very interesting! It had great suspense, intriguing, murder, mystery, great characters and some chilling moments! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!