I Will Make You Pay

Another Solid Thriller from Teresa Driscoll

I have read all four books that have come up on my Amazon feed by this author and this by far is my favorite because lots of what happen was unexpected. Teresa Driscoll's “I Will Make You Pay” is a fast-paced, heart-thumping thriller. My initial reaction to the early parts of the book was that, although it was heavy on plot, it was too thin on developing the characters, but there was method to Ms. Driscoll's madness, because exploring some of the characters in more detail would have ruined the surprises that await the sure-to-be-enthralled reader. Herself a journalist, Driscoll imbues protagonist news writer Alice with those “got to get to the bottom of this” instincts. From the beginning of the book, someone is tormenting Alice on Wednesdays. Who is the stalker? Why her? Why Wednesdays? Eventually, readers will know the answers to all three questions, but Alice will only know the answers to two of them. Alice supported in her quest by intriguing characters, including a private detective named Matthew who I loved, a very pregnant police detective named Mel Matthew's friend from his days on the force, and her family, coworkers, and boyfriend. How many people will go down before the truth comes to light? Every chapter is beautifully done and adds to the tension of the story. I have to say that there are many things that you will not expect with this book and I suggest not picking it up unless you have the time to read the entire book in one sitting.

The mark of a good psychological thriller in my book is whether it keeps me up at night, listening for sounds in the backyard. This one did in spades. There were some detours that didn't add a lot to the story but fleshed out the characters but for the most part, Driscoll stuck to the central story of Alice, a talented reporter, who is being stalked by someone who attacks her every Wednesday. At first the threats are small (a phone call with a garbled voice) but when events escalate, Alice's boyfriend Tom enlists the service of a PI Walter. Before long, we learn Alice is hiding a secret that may point to the person behind the threats. There's a rich mix of characters surrounding Alice (her mother, sister, co-worker, activists she encounters on an expose she's doing) so you're kept guessing until the very end. Definitely worth a read for those who like good puzzles and suspense reads.