Still reeling from her husband’s death, Courtney joins her three best friends on a secluded island in the Florida Keys. But the getaway meant to bring peace quickly spirals into chaos. First comes a rumor about a woman who was recently killed on the island. Then the property manager is nowhere to be found. When a stranger shows up at the vacation rental and one of the friends goes missing, Courtney starts to wonder if they’ll make it home at all. There’s no Wi-Fi. No cell service. No way off the island for five days. But five days is too long to wait for help. If Courtney wants to survive, she’ll have to fight for her life.
If you haven’t read Steph Nelson’s thrillers before, this book is the perfect place to start and shows off what she does best. It’s now my second favorite book of hers, only behind Last One Out—an absolute must-read! This book is a fast-paced, multi-POV psychological thriller that barely gives you a minute to breathe! The story has great tropes woven in—an isolated location, a group cut off from the outside world, a missing person mystery, and a race-against-time narrative. There’s also lots of emotional depth through its main themes of grief, fractured female friendships, and betrayal.
The book opens with a gripping prologue set a year earlier that creates unease before the main timeline starts. From there, the story follows a single present-day timeline via the POVs of Courtney, Paige, Reese, and Tori. The dynamic between Paige and Tori immediately has friction and makes you wonder what secrets both women are hiding. Courtney’s grief is the emotional core of the story—the details of the loss of her husband are slowly revealed, and her reflections on their final moments together are some of the most emotional scenes in the book.
As things start going wrong, all four women begin to look suspicious. Once one of them goes missing, you’ll be second-guessing everything as their group dynamic constantly shifts. The male characters—Rawson and Leslie—are both unlikable and questionable from the start, so predicting who the real villain is isn’t easy in this one!
The best elements of this book are the consistency in intensity and pacing. From beginning to end, the story is always moving forward with constant tension—either from uncomfortable dialogue or action scenes—and there aren’t really any repetitive inner monologues or unnecessary scenes, which is SO refreshing! The second half is very unpredictable, with twists that even experienced thriller readers will find hard to predict. At times, you‘ll feel like there are loopholes in the plot or details that aren’t fully explained, but Nelson does a great job of circling back and resolving all of them by the end, showing a very well-laid-out plot! The final chapters include a high-stakes climax followed by a satisfying resolution—and you’ll be wanting to pick up another Steph Nelson thriller very soon!
Narrator Performance
Don’t Ask Why is read by seasoned narrators Abigail Reno, Deva Marie Gregory, Jennifer McCool, and Rachael Franco.
Abigail Reno voices Courtney with a controlled, emotional voice that conveys someone who’s experiencing tremendous grief but also trying to hold it together. Her performance is very strong during Courtney’s internal dialogue, when Courtney’s sadness is palpable and when she gives insight into her friends. The scenes where Courtney recalls the last moments with her husband are delivered in such an emotional and compelling way—be sure to have tissues on hand! In higher-intensity scenes, when Courtney is in danger, Reno makes her desperation feel real using more expression and an urgent tone.
Rachael Franco narrates Paige using a voice that sounds guarded and somewhat confrontational, which fits Paige’s suspicious and defensive personality early on. She makes it feel like Paige may be hiding something or have her own agenda for them being there. As the story progresses, Franco softens her tone, especially when Paige is pressured or desperate to find her friend, helping to depict Paige as a complex character with redeeming qualities.
Deva Marie Gregory voices Tori with a faster, animated voice, matching her eccentric personality and strong belief in astrology. Her narration in key scenes, especially in volatile dialogue with Paige and her boyfriend Rawson, emphasizes Tori’s unpredictability and emotional reactivity. She also makes the character’s concern for her missing friend feel very authentic, which her more likable.
Jennifer McCool voices Reese with a voice that sounds the most grounded and trustworthy. She shifts her tone to sound more practical and resilient during stressful moments, really conveying Reese’s role as someone who takes control. When Reese is forced to reveal uncomfortable truths later on, McCool adds more emotion to her voice, making those scenes feel very impactful.
Overall, the pacing and level of performance are well matched across all narrators. If you’re considering this book, this highly entertaining multi-cast production is a highly recommended way to experience it!
Narrator Performance
Don’t Ask Why is read by seasoned narrators Abigail Reno, Deva Marie Gregory, Jennifer McCool, and Rachael Franco.
Abigail Reno voices Courtney with a controlled, emotional voice that conveys someone who’s experiencing tremendous grief but also trying to hold it together. Her performance is very strong during Courtney’s internal dialogue, when Courtney’s sadness is palpable and when she gives insight into her friends. The scenes where Courtney recalls the last moments with her husband are delivered in such an emotional and compelling way—be sure to have tissues on hand! In higher-intensity scenes, when Courtney is in danger, Reno makes her desperation feel real using more expression and an urgent tone.
Rachael Franco narrates Paige using a voice that sounds guarded and somewhat confrontational, which fits Paige’s suspicious and defensive personality early on. She makes it feel like Paige may be hiding something or have her own agenda for them being there. As the story progresses, Franco softens her tone, especially when Paige is pressured or desperate to find her friend, helping to depict Paige as a complex character with redeeming qualities.
Deva Marie Gregory voices Tori with a faster, animated voice, matching her eccentric personality and strong belief in astrology. Her narration in key scenes, especially in volatile dialogue with Paige and her boyfriend Rawson, emphasizes Tori’s unpredictability and emotional reactivity. She also makes the character’s concern for her missing friend feel very authentic, which her more likable.
Jennifer McCool voices Reese with a voice that sounds the most grounded and trustworthy. She shifts her tone to sound more practical and resilient during stressful moments, really conveying Reese’s role as someone who takes control. When Reese is forced to reveal uncomfortable truths later on, McCool adds more emotion to her voice, making those scenes feel very impactful.
Overall, the pacing and level of performance are well matched across all narrators. If you’re considering this book, this highly entertaining multi-cast production is a highly recommended way to experience it!
Don’t Ask Why is read by seasoned narrators Abigail Reno, Deva Marie Gregory, Jennifer McCool, and Rachael Franco.
Abigail Reno voices Courtney with a controlled, emotional voice that conveys someone who’s experiencing tremendous grief but also trying to hold it together. Her performance is very strong during Courtney’s internal dialogue, when Courtney’s sadness is palpable and when she gives insight into her friends. The scenes where Courtney recalls the last moments with her husband are delivered in such an emotional and compelling way—be sure to have tissues on hand! In higher-intensity scenes, when Courtney is in danger, Reno makes her desperation feel real using more expression and an urgent tone.
Rachael Franco narrates Paige using a voice that sounds guarded and somewhat confrontational, which fits Paige’s suspicious and defensive personality early on. She makes it feel like Paige may be hiding something or have her own agenda for them being there. As the story progresses, Franco softens her tone, especially when Paige is pressured or desperate to find her friend, helping to depict Paige as a complex character with redeeming qualities.
Deva Marie Gregory voices Tori with a faster, animated voice, matching her eccentric personality and strong belief in astrology. Her narration in key scenes, especially in volatile dialogue with Paige and her boyfriend Rawson, emphasizes Tori’s unpredictability and emotional reactivity. She also makes the character’s concern for her missing friend feel very authentic, which her more likable.
Jennifer McCool voices Reese with a voice that sounds the most grounded and trustworthy. She shifts her tone to sound more practical and resilient during stressful moments, really conveying Reese’s role as someone who takes control. When Reese is forced to reveal uncomfortable truths later on, McCool adds more emotion to her voice, making those scenes feel very impactful.
Overall, the pacing and level of performance are well matched across all narrators. If you’re considering this book, this highly entertaining multi-cast production is a highly recommended way to experience it!
