On the surface, Cady has the perfect life. She has a thriving luxury event-planning business, the man she’s loved since she was seventeen, and a social calendar she can barely keep up with. She also has Dana, her identical twin, her most trusted confidante. But when Dana dies suddenly, before Cady can say goodbye, everything shatters.
Yet to her family’s alarm, it isn’t grief for Dana that consumes her. It’s Morgan, a stranger Cady meets in the hospital waiting room that same day—a grieving mother whose tragedy mirrors her own. Cady doesn’t believe in coincidences. She becomes convinced that helping Morgan is the key to facing her sister’s death.
But is that really what she wants? Or is Cady drawn to Morgan for reasons far more complicated—and dangerous—than she’s willing to admit?
Good Intentions is a character-driven psychological drama that focuses more on exploring grief and obsession than on being a traditional “edge-of-your-seat” thriller. This is Marissa Walz’s debut novel, and it’s been getting attention for its compelling themes, unreliable narration, and unexpected emotional turns. The story isn’t fast-paced, but the short, punchy chapters and the first-person POV—where the protagonist narrates to her dead sister—make it gripping and easy to keep turning the pages!
The story follows Cady, a successful event planner whose carefully ordered life is upended when her identical twin sister, Dana, dies suddenly. At the hospital, she meets Morgan, a grieving mother facing her own devastating loss. What starts as a brief encounter quickly draws Cady in, and she becomes determined to help Morgan, believing it’s the right thing to do. Over time, her good intentions slowly spiral out of control, affecting her marriage, her career, and her sense of self.
The characters in this book are complex, flawed, and deeply human. Cady is a compelling protagonist who’s both relatable and frustrating. Her inner monologues, where she expresses her grief for her late sister and speaks to her as though she were still alive, make it easy to empathize with her. But as her decisions become increasingly questionable, she grows less likable, especially with her all-in-or-nothing attitude that causes a lot of unnecessary drama. Her relationship with her husband becomes strained as her grief over Dana mixes with an obsessive focus on Morgan. Their conversations gradually shift from loving and supportive to tense, with Cady’s unpredictable behavior raising suspicions not only from her husband but also from readers, leaving you constantly wondering what she’s really hiding. Her fixation on Morgan also raises intriguing questions—is she trying to replace her sister, is there a romantic undertone, or is she addicted to the shared grief and constant emotional comfort?
The pacing is slow-burn yet steady, driven by Cady’s unreliable and unpredictable narration. The early chapters immerse readers in her mind and her grief, following the days and weeks after her sister’s death, as well as her growing fixation on Morgan and her attempts to get closer to her through a grief group. If you’re expecting thrills or major twists in the second half, you may be disappointed—instead, the drama builds as Cady’s choices start to ripple outward, affecting everyone around her. The ending delivers the book’s main twist (if it can even be called that), and it’s both emotionally tragic and thought-provoking. It also reinforces the story’s central theme: that even good intentions can have serious, unintended consequences!
Overall, Good Intentions is a gripping, emotional debut that stands out for its messy, realistic characters and its haunting portrayal of how grief and obsession can take over a life. It’s a great choice for anyone who loves psychological dramas, morally complex protagonists, and stories that stay with you long after the last page!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Good Intentions is read by award-winning Brittany Pressley, renowned for her emotionally nuanced performances, especially in psychological dramas and thrillers.
Pressley portrays protagonist Cady with a steady voice layered with underlying anxiety, perfectly capturing her outward composure and the obsession and guilt she feels beneath the surface. As Cady narrates the story, speaking to her dead sister, Pressley makes it equally easy for listeners to empathize with her at times and to think she’s unhinged at others—a very entertaining portrayal! For Morgan, Pressley uses a more grounded, logical-sounding voice that contrasts with Cady’s intensity, making their relationship dynamic compelling. Pressley gives Cady’s husband, Ben, a warm, down-to-earth-sounding, and affectionate voice that makes him immediately likable. The dialogue between Cady and Ben is a highlight, as Pressley emphasizes their close bond and shared history early on, while also conveying the palpable tension that arises when Ben becomes aware of Cady’s growing obsessions and unhealthy behavior. Secondary characters, including Cady’s work staff and members of the grief group, are all given distinct voices, making each character recognizable and real and giving the audiobook a more cinematic feel!
Pressley’s delivery of Cady’s inner monologues as she talks to her sister is exceptional—she emphasizes Cady’s intensity and unreliability, keeping listeners guessing what Cady is hiding and what her fixation on Morgan is really about. As the story unfolds, Pressley shifts her portrayal of Cady to add more tension in her tone, particularly as Morgan becomes suspicious of Cady’s intentions. By the end, Cady’s voice has a sense of acceptance yet remains unsettled, perfectly mirroring the startling final reveals!
Overall, Pressley’s narration elevates the story with her convincing and emotionally nuanced performance of the protagonist, expert pacing, and skillful building of tension, turning an already gripping slow-burn thriller into a fully immersive listening experience. Anyone who enjoys psychological dramas, unreliable narrators, flawed characters, and single-narrator performances that keep you hooked even through slow-burn suspense will find a lot to love in this audiobook!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Good Intentions is read by award-winning Brittany Pressley, renowned for her emotionally nuanced performances, especially in psychological dramas and thrillers.
Pressley portrays protagonist Cady with a steady voice layered with underlying anxiety, perfectly capturing her outward composure and the obsession and guilt she feels beneath the surface. As Cady narrates the story, speaking to her dead sister, Pressley makes it equally easy for listeners to empathize with her at times and to think she’s unhinged at others—a very entertaining portrayal! For Morgan, Pressley uses a more grounded, logical-sounding voice that contrasts with Cady’s intensity, making their relationship dynamic compelling. Pressley gives Cady’s husband, Ben, a warm, down-to-earth-sounding, and affectionate voice that makes him immediately likable. The dialogue between Cady and Ben is a highlight, as Pressley emphasizes their close bond and shared history early on, while also conveying the palpable tension that arises when Ben becomes aware of Cady’s growing obsessions and unhealthy behavior. Secondary characters, including Cady’s work staff and members of the grief group, are all given distinct voices, making each character recognizable and real and giving the audiobook a more cinematic feel!
Pressley’s delivery of Cady’s inner monologues as she talks to her sister is exceptional—she emphasizes Cady’s intensity and unreliability, keeping listeners guessing what Cady is hiding and what her fixation on Morgan is really about. As the story unfolds, Pressley shifts her portrayal of Cady to add more tension in her tone, particularly as Morgan becomes suspicious of Cady’s intentions. By the end, Cady’s voice has a sense of acceptance yet remains unsettled, perfectly mirroring the startling final reveals!
Overall, Pressley’s narration elevates the story with her convincing and emotionally nuanced performance of the protagonist, expert pacing, and skillful building of tension, turning an already gripping slow-burn thriller into a fully immersive listening experience. Anyone who enjoys psychological dramas, unreliable narrators, flawed characters, and single-narrator performances that keep you hooked even through slow-burn suspense will find a lot to love in this audiobook!
The audiobook of Good Intentions is read by award-winning Brittany Pressley, renowned for her emotionally nuanced performances, especially in psychological dramas and thrillers.
Pressley portrays protagonist Cady with a steady voice layered with underlying anxiety, perfectly capturing her outward composure and the obsession and guilt she feels beneath the surface. As Cady narrates the story, speaking to her dead sister, Pressley makes it equally easy for listeners to empathize with her at times and to think she’s unhinged at others—a very entertaining portrayal! For Morgan, Pressley uses a more grounded, logical-sounding voice that contrasts with Cady’s intensity, making their relationship dynamic compelling. Pressley gives Cady’s husband, Ben, a warm, down-to-earth-sounding, and affectionate voice that makes him immediately likable. The dialogue between Cady and Ben is a highlight, as Pressley emphasizes their close bond and shared history early on, while also conveying the palpable tension that arises when Ben becomes aware of Cady’s growing obsessions and unhealthy behavior. Secondary characters, including Cady’s work staff and members of the grief group, are all given distinct voices, making each character recognizable and real and giving the audiobook a more cinematic feel!
Pressley’s delivery of Cady’s inner monologues as she talks to her sister is exceptional—she emphasizes Cady’s intensity and unreliability, keeping listeners guessing what Cady is hiding and what her fixation on Morgan is really about. As the story unfolds, Pressley shifts her portrayal of Cady to add more tension in her tone, particularly as Morgan becomes suspicious of Cady’s intentions. By the end, Cady’s voice has a sense of acceptance yet remains unsettled, perfectly mirroring the startling final reveals!
Overall, Pressley’s narration elevates the story with her convincing and emotionally nuanced performance of the protagonist, expert pacing, and skillful building of tension, turning an already gripping slow-burn thriller into a fully immersive listening experience. Anyone who enjoys psychological dramas, unreliable narrators, flawed characters, and single-narrator performances that keep you hooked even through slow-burn suspense will find a lot to love in this audiobook!
