Joseph Souza’s *Cruel & Bitter Things* had the potential to be a captivating psychological thriller, but it missed the mark. The plot features Gwynn Denning, who decides to kill Sam Townsend, the man who date-raped her friend. Unfortunately, the characters are underdeveloped and passive. Joseph Souza's *Cruel & Bitter Things* had the potential to be a gripping psychological thriller, but it ultimately misses the mark. The story revolves around Gwynn Denning, who resolves to kill Sam Townsend, the man who date-raped her friend. However, the characters are poorly developed and largely passive.

I was left waiting for a twist to inject some excitement into the narrative, but it never materialized. While some may appreciate its slow pace, I found it to be a letdown. If you enjoy thrillers about an underdog fighting back, this book may resonate with you. However, those seeking sharp twists and engaging plot dynamics will likely be disappointed.

Great book full of surprises! Encouraged my friends to add it to their TBR list. I cannot wait to hear what they think!

Cruel & Bitter Things by Joseph Souza is a psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of guilt, vengeance, and self-deception. The story follows Gwynn Denning, a woman haunted by her past and driven to kill after discovering the man who harmed her friend, Sam Townsend, is still around. As she tries to maintain a facade of normalcy—balancing motherhood, her career, and therapy—her violent impulses and the consequences of her actions spiral out of control. The tension builds as Gwynn’s world unravels, forcing her to confront her own dark secrets and the painful truths about her family. Souza expertly weaves suspense with emotional depth, creating a gripping narrative about the blurred lines between justice and revenge. The novel explores not just crime, but the psychological toll of living a double life, making it a compelling read for fans of morally complex characters.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and it was fantastic!! I did not want this story to end!! I was addicted from the very first page! If you’re wanting a thriller with an interesting & twisted FMC who offs bad people then this is the story for you. Gwynn gets invited to an event, where a man from her college days, will be in attendance. This man assaulted her best friend and she told her friend if she had the chance she would kill him. Except that’s where the story takes an interesting twist and she starts to realize her perfect plan, wasn’t so perfect after all!

This was a super addicting story and I will recommend this to everyone now!! This is my first book I’ve ever read by this author, but it will not be the last!! I wish I could give this more stars because that’s how much I loved this story! Was it perfectly written or the best thing I’ve ever read? No…but that doesn’t even matter because I was so entertained, on the edge of my seat needing to know what was going to happen next and honestly felt like I was in a trance because I was just so focused on the story! I will say the ending did feel a tad bit rushed. I would have liked it to be a little bit longer and to answer some of my questions and also wish what was going on at the end would have been wrapped up with a bit of a better resolution. But other than the rushed ending this was a fantastic thriller & an addicting story!

**A Dark and Mesmerizing Thriller That Will Leave You Breathless**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Joseph Souza’s *Cruel & Bitter Things* is an enthralling and gritty novel that delves into the darkest corners of human nature while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. This story is a masterful blend of psychological suspense, raw emotion, and shocking twists that make it impossible to put down.

From the very start, Souza pulls you into a world rife with tension and secrets. The protagonist’s journey is as gripping as it is harrowing, filled with moral dilemmas and personal struggles that add depth and complexity to the narrative. Souza’s ability to create such vivid, flawed, and relatable characters is truly remarkable.

The pacing is perfectly calibrated, with moments of quiet unease erupting into heart-pounding action. Just when you think you’ve uncovered the truth, Souza delivers a twist that upends everything, leaving you desperate to know what happens next.

The novel’s dark themes and richly atmospheric setting create an immersive experience that lingers long after the final page. Souza doesn’t shy away from exploring the complexities of guilt, redemption, and the lengths people will go to protect what they love.

*Cruel & Bitter Things* is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and dark suspense. Joseph Souza has crafted a story that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a novel that challenges the mind while quickening the pulse!

I was hooked with simply the need to see if my own questions were answered from blurb. So ma y moral dilemmas here.

I.cant imagine the anger and want for revenge when someone you love is attacked. Especially in current world where justice and repercussions are few and far between in both law and society.
The story follow different character point of view. I thought it was a really great way to show from all points. From the perpetrator right down to the detective trying to solve the case.
But Gwynn has problems in the present and past and there is so much going on for her to battle.
And is she guilty? But what of?
Add in a romance with the detective and you've got an emotional.and angst filled read.
complexity. The story follows Gwynn Denning, a group home director and mother, who leads a double life as a vigilante serial killer. While she sees herself as delivering justice, her actions, relationships and past create a protagonist both horrifying and fascinating.

I really loved the style of writing in this book. The story was intriguing and didn't spell out everything so left you wondering at parts which I really enjoyed. I am not sure what I was looking for in the ending but I was left a bit disappointed. I am not usually surprised but this one had exceptionally twists I did not see coming.

ARC review - thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

All I wanted for this book was to finally end. The plot was random and the characters literally unlikeable. The dialogue was robotic and felt artificial, I hated all of this. I feel terrible for rating an ARC so low but this needs much more editing in my opinion.
The plot in itself has a lot of potential but the execution is awful.
And especially the ending was a dumpster fire.

There are many things that mark out good thrillers, those special ingredients that have you sitting on the edge of your seat hanging on every word as you try to figure out what is happening and how the protagonists will worm their way out of their situations. When done well they’re exactly what they are called: thrilling. I would love to be able to tell you exactly what it takes to write a good thriller, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. What I know, is that some hit and some don’t. Unfortunately for Joseph Souza, his Cruel & Bitter Things does not hit. It is an interesting premise and a well designed story but somehow it just didn’t leave me desperate to keep reading. That’s not to say that it was not a good book! It was well written and Souza clearly knew the theory, it just wasn’t the best thing I’ve read so far this year.

Written from three perspectives, Cruel & Bitter Things is the story of Gwynn Denning who seeks vengeance on a successful business man for date raping her friend when they were at university. And by vengeance yes I do mean that she killed him. But murder tends to get messy and things spiral out of control as she seeks to control all of the variables in order to maintain custody of her son. Our other perspectives are Denning’s therapist and the detective solving the case, providing readers with a well rounded view of the situation. This does not mean to say that you are encouraged to draw your own opinions as to whether what Denning has done is right or wrong, we are merely lead to accept that she does what she does in the name of God and so as to protect her son. Righteousness is a central tenet to the character, who is quite successfully well drawn. All of the characters are three dimensional, even those who appear fleetingly.

Within the storytelling itself a few things stood out. Working from a proof copy, you are always bound to find the occasional typo; however, some of the phrasing gave me pause and left me to question whether the everyday idioms being used were actually misphrased. But this is a quibble and I won’t dwell on it. There were an array of instances in which unnecessary exposition was inserted, much of which was repeating information that the reader was aware of. It felt as though the author was concerned that his readers would not be able to follow the unfolding narrative, so to Souza I say have a little more faith! Otherwise, the language on the whole was a little jolting, fluctuating between formality, slang and old fashioned in an unexplained manner. Confusing but not entirely off-putting.

On the whole, this novel was a solid three star. It had the bones of a good story, well developed characters and an interesting premise. It just didn’t stand out. But that’s ok, not every novel has to be earth shatteringly tense and life altering, some can just be quiet explorations of a concept.

great book and I loved the action and the romance . I loved seeing the friends and family. I loved that they were able to figure things out. Overall a great book .

Absolutely amazing! I was somehow backing Gwynn even though she was absolutely psycho. Peters was also a suprise to me as I liked him too despite his mental issues as well. I felt like Tom was a bit hard done by at the beginning, but by the end I was thinking of how much of an awful person he was. It is rare that a book can make characters like these stand out so much as being relatable and likebale while doing the unthinkable.

Thank you for letting me read this ARC copy. It was an intriguing book. And an interesting plot. I do think some things were repeated to much. And I hated their was no ending.

If you like twisty turny stories, Cruel & Bitter Things by Joseph Souza needs to be on your tbr list. You won’t regret it.

Thank you for the advance copy ! I'm very much looking forward to reading Cruel & Bitter Things by by Joseph Souza.

Joseph Souza’s Cruel & Bitter Things is a dark and gripping tale that masterfully blends psychological suspense with an exploration of moral complexity. The story follows Gwynn Denning, a group home director and mother, who leads a double life as a vigilante serial killer. While she sees herself as delivering justice, her actions, relationships and past create a protagonist both horrifying and fascinating.

The plot thickens as Gwynn becomes entangled with the detective investigating her murders, adding a layer of forbidden romance that ratchets up the tension. Souza’s ability to weave Gwynn’s dark deeds with her tender moments as a mother showcases the duality of human nature. Is her adopted father more connected to her past than she realizes? Why would her therapist lie to the detective about Gwynn leaving with Sam? These questions keep readers guessing, especially as Gwynn’s sessions with her therapist cast doubt on her reliability.

Though certain moments stretched plausibility, the steady pacing and complex characters made the story thoroughly enjoyable. The suspense is razor-sharp, the ending was satisfying without feeling rushed, though some loose ends left me hoping for a sequel to explore unanswered questions.

Overall, Cruel & Bitter Things is an addictive read that masterfully blurs the line between justice and madness.

Rating: 4.25/5 stars.

Thanks Netgalley for the free ARC! Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. The cover and title were enticing, although the description seemed hit or miss,. I gave it a shot and was unimpressed. The first few chapters were bland, unengaging, and a bit tacky. I could not continue reading.

4 stars

Cruel and Bitter Things by Joseph Souza is an atmospheric and eerie read that delves into dark family secrets and the haunting weight of the past. The story has a gripping premise, blending elements of psychological suspense with supernatural undertones, which creates an unsettling and intriguing tone throughout.

While the premise is strong, the execution felt uneven at times. The pacing was inconsistent, with parts of the story dragging while others felt rushed. Some of the twists were predictable, which took away a bit of the tension. However, Souza’s ability to create a creepy, immersive atmosphere kept me turning the pages.

The characters are flawed and complicated, which added depth to the story, though I struggled to connect with a few of them on a personal level. The ending was satisfying in some ways but left a few threads hanging, which may be intentional but felt unresolved.

Overall, this is a solid read for fans of dark, atmospheric suspense, even if it didn’t quite hit all the marks for me. It’s worth a read if you enjoy stories about buried secrets and the lengths people will go to protect them.

When Gwynn Denning sees Sam Townsend at an event in town, she knows she will kill him. Townsend date-raped her friend, Tift Ainsley, back in college. Or at least that’s what Tift told her after she came back to her dorm that night!! Great book! This book had great suspense, murder, mystery, intriguing, action, great characters, and some wild twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Joseph Souza's "Cruel and Bitter Things" offers a unique and chilling dive into the mind of a serial killer. The story really draws you in with its killer's perspective, making you feel a mix of wanting her to stop while also understanding where she's coming from—which is a pretty wild emotional mix.

Each impending kill kept me hoping she'd change her mind, I can't find myself to neither condamn or absolve her completely. Souza nails the pacing and the style, often jumping between the present and her internal thoughts with back and forth sentences.

That said, while I found it intriguing, I'd give it 3 stars because this genre isn't really my vibe. It wasn't a page-turner for me, even though I was curious to see what she'd do next and whether she'd get away with it, I often had to force myself to pick up the book. If you're into psychological thrillers and you often ask yourself "what brings a killer to kill, and how they manage the day-to-day life and guilt while doing so?", it's worth a read.

Cruel and Bitter Things is an unputdownable read, I did not expect to be suck in from the start.

Totally recommend to put on your TBR for 2025.