Leonie is living her best life. Still in her twenties, she’s beautiful and successful and has just met Markus, the man of her dreams. But Leonie has a secret.
Ten years ago, she was involved in an accident in which another driver died. Leonie shouldn’t have been behind the wheel that night—no license, no insurance—so she fled the scene. And ever since, she’s been struggling to deal with the terrible guilt.
Now, as her wedding to Markus draws near, it seems someone is out to get her. It’s little things at first—botched work appointments, a canceled bridal dress—but it soon escalates into a terrifying campaign that threatens her business, her family, and even her life.
Caught up in a relentless nightmare, Leonie has no idea why anyone would set out to destroy her—until she realizes there’s a link to the accident that happened all those years ago.
Someone knows what she did. Someone is determined to make her pay.
This was my first book by Miranda Rijks, and while I was expecting a straightforward, binge-worthy domestic thriller similar to Freida McFadden or Jack Dane, I was surprised by how layered this story was and by the complexity of not one, but two female protagonists. This is a fast-paced thriller that revolves around revenge and long-buried secrets while exploring themes of guilt, control, and how bad choices can follow you. There’s a good amount of suspense and several twists throughout, but it’s also a character-driven story that will appeal to a wide range of suspense fans.
The story is told in the dual first-person POVs of Leonie and Carrie, and both POVs are equally engaging despite how different the characters are. Like many thrillers, the novel opens with a short, dramatic prologue from Carrie’s POV that immediately pulled me in before jumping back ten years to the accident that sets the entire story in motion. From there, the narrative unfolds in the present day, alternating between both women.
Carrie has been working dead-end jobs just to pay the bills and struggles with panic attacks because of a life-altering event, and there’s a slow reveal about how her life ended up this way that made me empathize with her very early on. Soon, though, she makes some questionable decisions in an attempt to improve her life—and while I admired her tenacity and found her inner dialogue entertaining, I found it increasingly difficult to justify her actions. No matter what you think of her, you’ll agree that she’s a very complex character who helps make the book addictive!
Meanwhile, Leonie is running a successful property search business but feels under the control of her father and carries enormous guilt over what happened years earlier. She’s shut herself off from any intimate relationships for fear that she might accidentally reveal her dark secret, and I immediately had the feeling that it was only a matter of time before karma caught up with her. She also frustrated me at times. As soon as she meets Markus, the wealthy, handsome older man, she’s hesitant but goes against her own rule of avoiding relationships and is swept off her feet despite several obvious red flags. And if that wasn’t surprising enough, their whirlwind romance fast-tracks just weeks later—and the scenes here definitely required me to suspend my disbelief.
Some of Leonie’s reactions whenever things begin going suspiciously wrong—immediately pointing the finger at certain people without thinking things through—made her even more infuriating. At the same time, those over-the-top reactions added popcorn-worthy drama that kept me engaged. I was also really compelled by the ongoing tension between Leonie and her mother. Neither woman is particularly lovable, and Leonie often acts unfairly and ungratefully, mostly because of her resentment towards her controlling father, yet she takes her frustrations out on her mother instead. So as much as I was rooting for her to wake up and smell the coffee—and ultimately survive what eventually came her way—it also had a partial “she had it coming” vibe, and I was invested in all of the drama!
The fast-paced, short chapters, many ending on cliffhangers, and the immersive (and sometimes over-the-top), dialogue-heavy scenes make this a perfect binge read. There are twists that you’ll probably be able to predict, especially in Carrie’s POV, but a few of the major reveals completely pulled the rug out from under me. If you pay close attention to the smaller details surrounding the secondary characters, you’ll have a better chance of predicting the big twists.
The high-stakes climax is deliciously entertaining and nerve-wracking, and I literally couldn’t put the book down. The aftermath delivers satisfying karmic justice along with a couple of surprises I didn’t see coming. By the end, I realized this is just as much a story about accepting responsibility for your past and breaking free from controlling relationships—whether they’re parents, friends, or partners—and these themes are especially evident in the final chapters. Because those messages were so clearly conveyed and Leonie’s character arc was so pronounced, I upgraded my rating from 4 to 4.5 stars!
I’ll definitely be reading more from Miranda Rijks, and I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for your next binge-worthy summer thriller. Audiobook listeners are also in for a treat, as both narrators—who perform Leonie and Carrie’s POVs—do an incredible job bringing their characters to life and keeping you immersed from start to finish!
Narrator Performance
Make Her Pay is narrated by seasoned narrators Charlie Albers and Ella Lynch, who each narrate one of the novel’s two main POVs.
Ella Lynch narrates Carrie’s chapters, beginning with the dramatic prologue that finds her in the aftermath of a devastating crash. Right away, Lynch uses a voice tinged with pain, anxiety, and heartbreaking reflection that made me immediately invested in Carrie’s story and needing to know what events led her there. The narration then shifts to the present day, where Carrie is working a job she hates while struggling financially and coping with panic attacks. Lynch does a great job capturing her unhappiness, and you can hear the exhaustion, frustration, and resentment in her voice—so much so that I really empathized with her early on. During Carrie’s conversations with her coworkers, Lynch gives her a detached, dismissive attitude that makes it obvious she wants more from life.
A highlight of the performance is when Carrie sneaks into a lavish party and meets an older wealthy man. Lynch gives Carrie a deceptive, charming voice layered with desperation underneath, and I began to question the character’s true nature. As more of Carrie’s past and her new plans are revealed, Lynch gradually shifts her performance to make Carrie sound increasingly volatile and consumed by revenge—and if you love an unhinged FMC like I do, you’ll be hooked to your headset. The climactic scenes between Carrie and Leonie are the most gripping, and Lynch’s acting skills are on full display, keeping the tension very high—and no matter who you’re rooting for, you’ll be thoroughly entertained!
Charlie Albers narrates Leonie’s chapters, and I loved her contrasting portrayals of the younger and older versions of the character. During the opening chapters set ten years earlier, Albers gives Leonie a youthful, self-absorbed, and impulsive voice that not only makes the character unlikable but also immediately made me feel something awful was about to happen. Once the story jumps to the present day, her portrayal noticeably changes. Leonie sounds more mature but also guarded and haunted by guilt over what happened years earlier. You can hear the emotional toll it’s taken in her inner dialogue and in her conversations with her coworkers and her father, where she’s always careful with her words.
A major highlight of the narration is Leonie’s relationship with Markus. From their very first meeting, Albers captures how attracted Leonie is to him while desperately trying to keep those feelings at bay because she’s sworn off relationships. She gives Markus a confident, slightly sly voice that immediately raised red flags for me. I had to suspend my disbelief at how quickly their relationship evolved and progressed to planning a wedding, but Albers convincingly portrays how Leonie is swept head over heels. Her growing emotional dependence and willingness to ignore obvious red flags are well conveyed and made the character more layered for me. In the final chapters, as Leonie finally sees the truth and realizes how much danger she’s in, Albers raises her performance with more emotion and even subtle cracks in her voice that kept me on edge and unable to stop listening. In the closing chapters, when Leonie receives a final surprise and makes some life-altering decisions, Albers does a great job emphasizing the character’s growth—and I found myself once again rooting for Leonie! This dynamic, roller-coaster-of-emotions performance is one I won’t forget anytime soon!
If you enjoy twisty, intricate domestic thrillers, I highly recommend experiencing this one on audio. Both narrators bring their characters vividly to life and keep the tension high throughout. It’s also a great addition to your summer thriller listening list!
Narrator Performance
Make Her Pay is narrated by seasoned narrators Charlie Albers and Ella Lynch, who each narrate one of the novel’s two main POVs.
Ella Lynch narrates Carrie’s chapters, beginning with the dramatic prologue that finds her in the aftermath of a devastating crash. Right away, Lynch uses a voice tinged with pain, anxiety, and heartbreaking reflection that made me immediately invested in Carrie’s story and needing to know what events led her there. The narration then shifts to the present day, where Carrie is working a job she hates while struggling financially and coping with panic attacks. Lynch does a great job capturing her unhappiness, and you can hear the exhaustion, frustration, and resentment in her voice—so much so that I really empathized with her early on. During Carrie’s conversations with her coworkers, Lynch gives her a detached, dismissive attitude that makes it obvious she wants more from life.
A highlight of the performance is when Carrie sneaks into a lavish party and meets an older wealthy man. Lynch gives Carrie a deceptive, charming voice layered with desperation underneath, and I began to question the character’s true nature. As more of Carrie’s past and her new plans are revealed, Lynch gradually shifts her performance to make Carrie sound increasingly volatile and consumed by revenge—and if you love an unhinged FMC like I do, you’ll be hooked to your headset. The climactic scenes between Carrie and Leonie are the most gripping, and Lynch’s acting skills are on full display, keeping the tension very high—and no matter who you’re rooting for, you’ll be thoroughly entertained!
Charlie Albers narrates Leonie’s chapters, and I loved her contrasting portrayals of the younger and older versions of the character. During the opening chapters set ten years earlier, Albers gives Leonie a youthful, self-absorbed, and impulsive voice that not only makes the character unlikable but also immediately made me feel something awful was about to happen. Once the story jumps to the present day, her portrayal noticeably changes. Leonie sounds more mature but also guarded and haunted by guilt over what happened years earlier. You can hear the emotional toll it’s taken in her inner dialogue and in her conversations with her coworkers and her father, where she’s always careful with her words.
A major highlight of the narration is Leonie’s relationship with Markus. From their very first meeting, Albers captures how attracted Leonie is to him while desperately trying to keep those feelings at bay because she’s sworn off relationships. She gives Markus a confident, slightly sly voice that immediately raised red flags for me. I had to suspend my disbelief at how quickly their relationship evolved and progressed to planning a wedding, but Albers convincingly portrays how Leonie is swept head over heels. Her growing emotional dependence and willingness to ignore obvious red flags are well conveyed and made the character more layered for me. In the final chapters, as Leonie finally sees the truth and realizes how much danger she’s in, Albers raises her performance with more emotion and even subtle cracks in her voice that kept me on edge and unable to stop listening. In the closing chapters, when Leonie receives a final surprise and makes some life-altering decisions, Albers does a great job emphasizing the character’s growth—and I found myself once again rooting for Leonie! This dynamic, roller-coaster-of-emotions performance is one I won’t forget anytime soon!
If you enjoy twisty, intricate domestic thrillers, I highly recommend experiencing this one on audio. Both narrators bring their characters vividly to life and keep the tension high throughout. It’s also a great addition to your summer thriller listening list!
Make Her Pay is narrated by seasoned narrators Charlie Albers and Ella Lynch, who each narrate one of the novel’s two main POVs.
Ella Lynch narrates Carrie’s chapters, beginning with the dramatic prologue that finds her in the aftermath of a devastating crash. Right away, Lynch uses a voice tinged with pain, anxiety, and heartbreaking reflection that made me immediately invested in Carrie’s story and needing to know what events led her there. The narration then shifts to the present day, where Carrie is working a job she hates while struggling financially and coping with panic attacks. Lynch does a great job capturing her unhappiness, and you can hear the exhaustion, frustration, and resentment in her voice—so much so that I really empathized with her early on. During Carrie’s conversations with her coworkers, Lynch gives her a detached, dismissive attitude that makes it obvious she wants more from life.
A highlight of the performance is when Carrie sneaks into a lavish party and meets an older wealthy man. Lynch gives Carrie a deceptive, charming voice layered with desperation underneath, and I began to question the character’s true nature. As more of Carrie’s past and her new plans are revealed, Lynch gradually shifts her performance to make Carrie sound increasingly volatile and consumed by revenge—and if you love an unhinged FMC like I do, you’ll be hooked to your headset. The climactic scenes between Carrie and Leonie are the most gripping, and Lynch’s acting skills are on full display, keeping the tension very high—and no matter who you’re rooting for, you’ll be thoroughly entertained!
Charlie Albers narrates Leonie’s chapters, and I loved her contrasting portrayals of the younger and older versions of the character. During the opening chapters set ten years earlier, Albers gives Leonie a youthful, self-absorbed, and impulsive voice that not only makes the character unlikable but also immediately made me feel something awful was about to happen. Once the story jumps to the present day, her portrayal noticeably changes. Leonie sounds more mature but also guarded and haunted by guilt over what happened years earlier. You can hear the emotional toll it’s taken in her inner dialogue and in her conversations with her coworkers and her father, where she’s always careful with her words.
A major highlight of the narration is Leonie’s relationship with Markus. From their very first meeting, Albers captures how attracted Leonie is to him while desperately trying to keep those feelings at bay because she’s sworn off relationships. She gives Markus a confident, slightly sly voice that immediately raised red flags for me. I had to suspend my disbelief at how quickly their relationship evolved and progressed to planning a wedding, but Albers convincingly portrays how Leonie is swept head over heels. Her growing emotional dependence and willingness to ignore obvious red flags are well conveyed and made the character more layered for me. In the final chapters, as Leonie finally sees the truth and realizes how much danger she’s in, Albers raises her performance with more emotion and even subtle cracks in her voice that kept me on edge and unable to stop listening. In the closing chapters, when Leonie receives a final surprise and makes some life-altering decisions, Albers does a great job emphasizing the character’s growth—and I found myself once again rooting for Leonie! This dynamic, roller-coaster-of-emotions performance is one I won’t forget anytime soon!
If you enjoy twisty, intricate domestic thrillers, I highly recommend experiencing this one on audio. Both narrators bring their characters vividly to life and keep the tension high throughout. It’s also a great addition to your summer thriller listening list!
