Lisa Unger is the real deal. Although she now has 17 novels under her belt, it still feels like she's just getting started ... This book will push readers to question what the true definition of justice is and the fine line that it finds itself teetering on with other terms like revenge and retribution ... Unger delves deeper into the human psyche than she possibly ever has gone before --- and that is saying something as she already is one of the best out there at depicting psychological terror and moral ambiguity in her characters ... I guarantee readers will revel in this very same brand of justice and recognize that Lisa Unger has been their personal tour guide into the dark side of the human condition.

There’s something reassuring about sliding into the hands of a seasoned professional like Unger. You know what you’re getting: in this case another well-crafted psychological thriller in which the torments of the past return to wreak havoc in the present. You know you’re going to get a solid plot, and characters with enough feints and flourishes to keep the pages turning themselves ... Fans of Unger’s books won’t mind that this one sometimes stretches credulity as it races toward a juicy climax. But new readers will certainly appreciate what she does outside the whodunit plotline. There is something unexpectedly brilliant in The Stranger Inside, and it’s not Rain’s struggles with her past; it’s her struggle with her present as a new mother ... Unger’s weaving of Rain’s maternal, professional and even marital conflicts into the fabric of her thriller feels so natural and effortless that it’s easy to imagine mothers cheering upon reading their experiences so perfectly depicted ... Unger avoids the cliché of portraying Rain’s husband as unfeeling, unhelpful or uncaring ... This duality is the genius of solid crime fiction, and when your work is as assured as Unger’s, it’s O.K. for the secondary plot to threaten to upstage the crime.

... will prove to be a surefire hit for crime fiction readers looking for a page-turning, richly developed thriller with serious entertainment value ... Unger expertly draws the reader into the rich psychological terrain of her characters, unspooling layers of intrigue and suspense in this stellar character study ... Unger has crafted here truly superb suspense protagonists ... Lisa Unger’s characters are vivid, raw, and crafted with serious intention and depth; her plotting is precise and surprising, sustaining white-knuckle tension long after the killer’s early reveal; her story is fresh, inventive, and hugely entertaining. Readers looking for a psychological thriller-meets-character study that takes them inside the mind and motivations of a serial killer will love .

This book was enjoyable, and the plot was lightning fast. However, the story was riddled with random complaints that threw me off completely. Though relatively young, the characters constantly griped about things you’d expect to hear from a grandparent at a holiday dinner. Within the first paragraph there was one that caused me to roll my eyes and brace myself ... However, the book also offered many reflections on life, growth and strength. Almost every character presented had something traumatic happen to them at one point or another, so these comments are welcome and, more importantly, they meshed well with the plot and narrative ... despite both of the characters being so caught up with the concept of growing and shedding old skin, you don’t see real change within them until the very end of the book ... Overall, I recommend this book for a fast, thrilling read!

What could be a predictable story ends up being completely unexpected and riveting in Unger’s hands. The victims are often left behind in the crime story, and the capture of the villain is usually the end of the tale. Unger makes that story the beginning since this is more of a character study in the midst of tragedy and horror.

A complex game of cat and mouse, this latest from Unger is incisive but descriptive. The alternating chapters, told from Rain’s perspective and that of the unknown killer’s, work well to and build tangible tension and discomfort ... Readers captivated by the works of B.A. Paris and Gillian Flynn will relish this psychological thriller.

Unger’s latest thriller relentlessly uncovers a multitude of secrets, leading readers down a delicious path of fear, lies, and long-awaited justice, with an ending that will leave jaws dropping.

Unger skillfully peels back the layers of Rain’s emotional scar tissue to expose the truth of what happened in her childhood and the fear, rage, and guilt it left behind, with a series of shocking consequences ... Surviving a crime is the beginning of the story, not the end, in this astute, engrossing thriller

... cleverly plotted if credulity-challenging ... Unger’s well-honed craft shows in her unmasking the avenger early on and using the reveal to ratchet up suspense. She also squirrels away several startling trump cards for later. Fans of serial killer novels won’t be disappointed.