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Hush
The New York Times best-selling author - and Cosmopolitan's editor-in-chief - returns with a sizzling thriller in which an ordinary woman flees the scene of a murder and realizes it's not just the law that's hunting her.
When Lake Warren learns that her husband, Jack, is suing for full custody of their two kids four months after their separation, she's pretty certain that things can't get any worse. The upside is that she's working with the Advanced Fertility Center as a marketing consultant, alongside the attractive, flirtatious Dr. Keaton. But the morning after their one-night stand, Lake finds Keaton with his throat slashed and discovers that things can indeed become worse-they can become deadly. So as not to jeopardize her case for custody, Lake is forced to lie to the police.
Having just been intimate with a man who has been murdered, and wanting to protect herself from being charged with the crime, she begins her own search for the truth. Meanwhile, the police start looking at her closely, people at the clinic start treating her with hostility, and strange clues begin dropping-quite literally-on her doorstep, and Lake realizes that she is dangerously close to dark secrets, both about Keaton and the clinic. But can Lake stop what she's started before it's too late?
When Lake Warren learns that her husband, Jack, is suing for full custody of their two kids four months after their separation, she's pretty certain that things can't get any worse. The upside is that she's working with the Advanced Fertility Center as a marketing consultant, alongside the attractive, flirtatious Dr. Keaton. But the morning after their one-night stand, Lake finds Keaton with his throat slashed and discovers that things can indeed become worse-they can become deadly. So as not to jeopardize her case for custody, Lake is forced to lie to the police.
Having just been intimate with a man who has been murdered, and wanting to protect herself from being charged with the crime, she begins her own search for the truth. Meanwhile, the police start looking at her closely, people at the clinic start treating her with hostility, and strange clues begin dropping-quite literally-on her doorstep, and Lake realizes that she is dangerously close to dark secrets, both about Keaton and the clinic. But can Lake stop what she's started before it's too late?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Kate White
43 books2,649 followersKate White is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels of suspense: ten standalone psychological thrillers, including the upcoming The Last Time She Saw Him (May 14), and also eight Bailey Weggins mysteries.
For fourteen years Kate served as the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave ten years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense fiction.
Kate’s first mystery, If Looks Could Kill, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller. She has been nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries worldwide.
Like many female mystery authors, Kate fell in love with the genre after reading her first Nancy Drew book, in her case The Secret of Redgate Farm.
Kate is a frequent speaker at libraries, book conferences, and organizations, and has appeared on many television shows, including The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Morning Joe, and Good Morning America.
She is also the editor of the Mystery Writers of America Cookbook, as well as the author of several bestselling career books, including I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This and the ground-breaking Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do.
Kate is an avid traveler and enjoys spending each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement speech.
For fourteen years Kate served as the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave ten years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense fiction.
Kate’s first mystery, If Looks Could Kill, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller. She has been nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award in the fiction category, and her books have been published in over 30 countries worldwide.
Like many female mystery authors, Kate fell in love with the genre after reading her first Nancy Drew book, in her case The Secret of Redgate Farm.
Kate is a frequent speaker at libraries, book conferences, and organizations, and has appeared on many television shows, including The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Morning Joe, and Good Morning America.
She is also the editor of the Mystery Writers of America Cookbook, as well as the author of several bestselling career books, including I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This and the ground-breaking Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do.
Kate is an avid traveler and enjoys spending each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement speech.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 496 reviews
July 12, 2016
I’m going to get straight to the point. I didn’t like this. Not only is Lake’s name ridiculous, most of her actions are ridiculous. She seems to be allergic to the police, no matter what sort of danger or harassment has befallen her, all with the weak excuse of "if anything bad is connected with me, my ex-husband will steal my kids!". It just didn’t hold together for me. I thought she was infuriatingly stupid. With infertility treatment being a burgeoning issue, this could have been an interesting mystery, but instead we’re burdened with an awful protagonist and giant red herring. I won’t be in a rush to pick up another book by this author.
February 17, 2019
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In the middle of a custody battle with her ex-husband, Lake finds herself in a tricky situation. After a one-night stand with a work colleague, she awakens to find that he was murdered in their sleep.
I found the writing in this one to be clunky, it did not flow well and I found it hard to keep my attention. The main character constantly got on my nerves and her decisions infuriated me for most of the book. I couldn't connect with her or any of the other characters in this book. I honestly didn't care about what happened to any of them. The twist was interesting enough and I didn't see it coming, which is why I ended up giving it 3 stars instead of the 2 I originally thought I was going to. I was bored for most of the book, the last bit of it, where the action FINALLY picks up was the only part that held my attention.
Overall, just not for me.
In the middle of a custody battle with her ex-husband, Lake finds herself in a tricky situation. After a one-night stand with a work colleague, she awakens to find that he was murdered in their sleep.
I found the writing in this one to be clunky, it did not flow well and I found it hard to keep my attention. The main character constantly got on my nerves and her decisions infuriated me for most of the book. I couldn't connect with her or any of the other characters in this book. I honestly didn't care about what happened to any of them. The twist was interesting enough and I didn't see it coming, which is why I ended up giving it 3 stars instead of the 2 I originally thought I was going to. I was bored for most of the book, the last bit of it, where the action FINALLY picks up was the only part that held my attention.
Overall, just not for me.
June 24, 2021
3.5 stars. Book published in 2011.
Lake Warren is a consultant who develops marketing strategies for clients in the health and beauty industry and she's working with a private fertility clinic. She's also getting a divorce and her husband has filed for custody of the kids. Lake goes home with one of the doctors and she falls asleep on the terrace. While she's there, someone slashes the doctors throat. The killer was apparently unaware Lake was outside. She flees and tells no one because publicity might get her children taken from her. Sound like drama yet? Oh, no, keep reading the book because someone is after Lake.
Lake wondered who to trust and so did I. I was curious about who her stalker was. Lake didn't make the smartest decisions but always had her children at heart. I sympathized with her custody battle. Lake was a little too nervous to do detecting work. The end of the book is pretty thrilling.
Note: a cat is drugged and shaved down to upset Lake but the cat is ok.
Lake Warren is a consultant who develops marketing strategies for clients in the health and beauty industry and she's working with a private fertility clinic. She's also getting a divorce and her husband has filed for custody of the kids. Lake goes home with one of the doctors and she falls asleep on the terrace. While she's there, someone slashes the doctors throat. The killer was apparently unaware Lake was outside. She flees and tells no one because publicity might get her children taken from her. Sound like drama yet? Oh, no, keep reading the book because someone is after Lake.
Lake wondered who to trust and so did I. I was curious about who her stalker was. Lake didn't make the smartest decisions but always had her children at heart. I sympathized with her custody battle. Lake was a little too nervous to do detecting work. The end of the book is pretty thrilling.
Note: a cat is drugged and shaved down to upset Lake but the cat is ok.
May 8, 2011
This book certainly has an interesting premise: woman sleeps with a colleague and wakes up to find him murdered. She can’t go to the police, not even when she feels someone is after her, because she’s in a bitter custody battle. What a way to raise the stakes right off the bat. Any parent would totally get that. There were times later in the book where I thought, “okay she really needs to go to the police now” but still I understood Lake’s reasons for keeping quiet.
That said, this book was hard to get through. The writing was clunky. It was told the way someone might relay a story after the fact. There were many instances of “then I met with so-and-so and filled her in on what happened.” Also, the author overuses adverbs and the main character “almost winces” a whole lot but never actually does it. (Why not just have her wince?)
I did like the twist at the end, not the reveal of the killer because I found I actually didn’t care. Plus there were way too many side characters to be particularly surprised that any one of them did it. I didn’t know any of them so it was like, eh, could be any one of those people. But, there is a clever thing the main character does which surprised me (and was a nice touch). Other than that, not a particularly compelling (or thrilling) book.
That said, this book was hard to get through. The writing was clunky. It was told the way someone might relay a story after the fact. There were many instances of “then I met with so-and-so and filled her in on what happened.” Also, the author overuses adverbs and the main character “almost winces” a whole lot but never actually does it. (Why not just have her wince?)
I did like the twist at the end, not the reveal of the killer because I found I actually didn’t care. Plus there were way too many side characters to be particularly surprised that any one of them did it. I didn’t know any of them so it was like, eh, could be any one of those people. But, there is a clever thing the main character does which surprised me (and was a nice touch). Other than that, not a particularly compelling (or thrilling) book.
July 25, 2012
OK. Let me start by telling you that I absolutely COULD NOT put this book down. If you are a fan of the Law & Order shows.. this one is for you. This could easily have been an episode and it was a great thriller. Throughout the book I'm trying to read for clues and was trying to piece it together. Every time I thought that I had it figured out, something else got thrown in and it blew my theory on the crime.
I felt like the characters were easy to relate to- like if this were a real life thing, this was how each character would react. You know how some characters you think, "Oh- you would never say/do that in real life!"? Well I didn't feel that way at all with this book. The stress and the fear that Lake experiences comes through and you feel it with her. And then when everything comes to a head at the end.... it all makes sense. I really thought the author did a fabulous job with not only carrying a thriller but wrapping it up perfectly at the end.
This book is so fantastic and I really think you should read it. In fact, a few of my friends got their own copies as of late because I knew it was something they would love. It's definitely worth the purchase or even a trip to the library!
I felt like the characters were easy to relate to- like if this were a real life thing, this was how each character would react. You know how some characters you think, "Oh- you would never say/do that in real life!"? Well I didn't feel that way at all with this book. The stress and the fear that Lake experiences comes through and you feel it with her. And then when everything comes to a head at the end.... it all makes sense. I really thought the author did a fabulous job with not only carrying a thriller but wrapping it up perfectly at the end.
This book is so fantastic and I really think you should read it. In fact, a few of my friends got their own copies as of late because I knew it was something they would love. It's definitely worth the purchase or even a trip to the library!
April 6, 2023
I thought that this book was good
September 23, 2016
Great story, but the main character's poor judgment was annoying.
May 19, 2010
Typical thriller. Lots of twists and I didn't guess the killer, but I think that was only because there were too many characters. Would of liked to see more points of view and I got tired of all the speculating questions made by the main character. "Was the killer watching her? Did the killer work at the clinic? Was the killer a hitman? Was the killer involved in the victim's gambling debt? Does the killer like taking long walks along the beach at sunset?" Yea, those went overboard and some should have been left for the reader to speculate. That aside, the last hundred pages kept me up past my bedtime and I thought the use of the fertility clinic was an interesting aspect of the novel. Bring it to the beach.
December 20, 2015
Total Doritos book, not a lot of substance, like the plot of a Law and Order episode. Also the main character has a really stupid name.
November 30, 2018
I found this novel at a flea market. Happily, it turned out to be an enjoyable read. I'd read another Kate White book ... if I found it at a flea market.
Read
June 5, 2023Another one bites the dust. Didn't care for this one at all. Couldn't connect to any of the characters and thought the heroine, Lake, was weak and lacked common sense.
March 29, 2023
For me to review two books by the same author within the same week should be an indicator that I am enjoying the author’s work. I only recently discovered Kate White after seeing a Twitter post where another author raved about her writing. I have hunted for her books ever since unfortunately I am yet to find any of her books in a local bookstore – I am not sure why.
I have found her books online – unfortunately at a premium rate. The good news, I have purchased an Audible membership which gives access to her audiobooks at least.
Kate White writes thrillers with a feminine touch. Her characters are successful women who live in New York and who end up in horrible situations. In this book, the character not only finds herself in a difficult situation, but she also hides the truth to protect herself. I love the way the author places you inside her character's mind, allowing the reader to share her thoughts and emotions. I love the way this author’s writing draws me into the story, leaving me eager to reach the end.
Lake Warren was surprised when her husband decided to leave, but when she finds out he wants full custody of her children she cannot believe it. Her lawyer advised that until the custody matter is resolved, it would be best for Lake to keep a very low profile. The flirty Dr Keaton who is about to join the Fertility clinic where Lake is currently working makes that very difficult. After a one-night stand with Dr Keaton, Lake finds him murdered and she flees the scene, thinking the killer is still in the flat. If the police discover her involvement with Dr Keaton and his death, she is sure she will lose her children. Determined to find out what happened to Keaton, Lake starts digging around at the clinic. Unfortunately, her digging leads her to find some secrets that put her life in danger and leave her unsure of who she can trust. Lake turns to a local reporter for help and finds herself in danger at every turn. Can Lake get to the truth before her children return home from summer camp, or will they end up in danger too?
I enjoy the suspense in Kate White’s books and the narrator did a brilliant job with this story. My only complaint is that the women in White’s books always end up turning to a man to save them – that is just a little old school.
Lake Warren is a successful woman who loves her children. She comes across as strong and independent – determined to solve her own problems. If only she told the truth, her situation would have been a lot less complicated. Despite that, I understood the fear of losing her children motivating her choices.
If you enjoy an old-school damsel in distress thriller – then you will love this book.
https://featzreviews.com/hush-book-re...
I have found her books online – unfortunately at a premium rate. The good news, I have purchased an Audible membership which gives access to her audiobooks at least.
Kate White writes thrillers with a feminine touch. Her characters are successful women who live in New York and who end up in horrible situations. In this book, the character not only finds herself in a difficult situation, but she also hides the truth to protect herself. I love the way the author places you inside her character's mind, allowing the reader to share her thoughts and emotions. I love the way this author’s writing draws me into the story, leaving me eager to reach the end.
Lake Warren was surprised when her husband decided to leave, but when she finds out he wants full custody of her children she cannot believe it. Her lawyer advised that until the custody matter is resolved, it would be best for Lake to keep a very low profile. The flirty Dr Keaton who is about to join the Fertility clinic where Lake is currently working makes that very difficult. After a one-night stand with Dr Keaton, Lake finds him murdered and she flees the scene, thinking the killer is still in the flat. If the police discover her involvement with Dr Keaton and his death, she is sure she will lose her children. Determined to find out what happened to Keaton, Lake starts digging around at the clinic. Unfortunately, her digging leads her to find some secrets that put her life in danger and leave her unsure of who she can trust. Lake turns to a local reporter for help and finds herself in danger at every turn. Can Lake get to the truth before her children return home from summer camp, or will they end up in danger too?
I enjoy the suspense in Kate White’s books and the narrator did a brilliant job with this story. My only complaint is that the women in White’s books always end up turning to a man to save them – that is just a little old school.
Lake Warren is a successful woman who loves her children. She comes across as strong and independent – determined to solve her own problems. If only she told the truth, her situation would have been a lot less complicated. Despite that, I understood the fear of losing her children motivating her choices.
If you enjoy an old-school damsel in distress thriller – then you will love this book.
https://featzreviews.com/hush-book-re...
February 25, 2017
I wanted a fast-read thriller that wouldn't bother my brain too much, and that's exactly what I got.
Lake Warren has taken a consultancy post at an NYC fertility clinic; she's also in the midst of a tooth-and-nail custody fight with her bastard ex-husband. When she gives in to temptation for the first time in living memory and has a one-night-stand with a hunky fertility doctor, she wakes up in the middle of said night to discover him 'orribly murdered. Of course, she can't do anything obvious like bring in the cops because, if she did, she might lose her custody battle.
That's kind of the way the plotting goes in this book: given the option between doing something sensible and doing something obtuse, Lake infallibly selects . . . you guessed it.
The book's written in a very careless, slapdash fashion, right down to the level of a bunch of spelling errors. Among the latter, my favorite -- which I mentally categorized as "The Knell of Doom" -- was:
Despite all this, Hush did what I wanted it to do, which was to keep me turning the pages.
Lake Warren has taken a consultancy post at an NYC fertility clinic; she's also in the midst of a tooth-and-nail custody fight with her bastard ex-husband. When she gives in to temptation for the first time in living memory and has a one-night-stand with a hunky fertility doctor, she wakes up in the middle of said night to discover him 'orribly murdered. Of course, she can't do anything obvious like bring in the cops because, if she did, she might lose her custody battle.
That's kind of the way the plotting goes in this book: given the option between doing something sensible and doing something obtuse, Lake infallibly selects . . . you guessed it.
The book's written in a very careless, slapdash fashion, right down to the level of a bunch of spelling errors. Among the latter, my favorite -- which I mentally categorized as "The Knell of Doom" -- was:
Let them know that their asses will be in the ringer if they do. [page 63]
Despite all this, Hush did what I wanted it to do, which was to keep me turning the pages.
March 2, 2011
"Lake opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. her breath seemed dead-bolted in her chest. She knew she needed to get closer, to check if Keaton was alive. But she couldn't move." [p.37]
....With that kind of writing this book had me turning the pages and not wanting to stop reading until I had finished the story. I really needed to know who killed Keaton and why. At the beginning I liked Lake and could totally commiserate with her in regards to having a vindictive ex-spouse. But as the book progressed I wondered if her actions were really what any of us would have done had we been in her shoes. The further into the story I read, the more improbable the plot became. About 3/4 of the way into the story, my desire to know the outcome sort of petered out and I was getting a bit weary of all the running, strange phone calls, and Lake's ability not to fall apart. Come on....she woke up to a man who had his throat slashed. I'd be calling someone!!! After all of the time I invested in reading this story I was the most disappointed in the way the author conveniently wrapped everything up within the last 18 pages. It almost felt like the author realized that she didn't want to go past 341 pages so she better tie up all the loose ends, make Lake into a hero, and call it good.
Recommend? I'm on the fence... it didn't knock my socks off, but it wasn't terrible either. So what to say? If you enjoy thrillers and have liked Kate White's work in the past then I believe you will enjoy this one. I would certainly read another book by White because I never judge an author by one body of work.
Rating: 6.5/10
July 24, 2011
Lake Warren is going thru a very difficult divorce as her soon-to-be ex wants full custody of the children. Not only that, it seems that she's come across a perplexing mystery at the fertility clinic, where she's working, a mystery that could get her killed. However, she's determined to figure out what's going on.
Granted the two events going on her life would make any book interesting to read, this one leaves you feeling gypped. It does grab your attention at the start making you want to read on, however, once you get to the end it falls flat in a very big way. After everything she goes through to solve the mystery, the end result is totally ridiculous. Even the story of her ex falls flat. The author throws that in throughout the story making it look like it's part of something big when in the end it is a big fat nothing. It's as though the author just needed something to fill in the pages to make a big fat book. Not only that, she has the main character, Lake, lying through her teeth to everyone just to save her own hide and still get away with it. Yet Lake tries to have the cops believe her story even though she has lied from the get-go. Whatever. I say skip this book altogether. Much better ones out there to read.
Granted the two events going on her life would make any book interesting to read, this one leaves you feeling gypped. It does grab your attention at the start making you want to read on, however, once you get to the end it falls flat in a very big way. After everything she goes through to solve the mystery, the end result is totally ridiculous. Even the story of her ex falls flat. The author throws that in throughout the story making it look like it's part of something big when in the end it is a big fat nothing. It's as though the author just needed something to fill in the pages to make a big fat book. Not only that, she has the main character, Lake, lying through her teeth to everyone just to save her own hide and still get away with it. Yet Lake tries to have the cops believe her story even though she has lied from the get-go. Whatever. I say skip this book altogether. Much better ones out there to read.
January 15, 2022
I was really into this book and then it got stupid (take off stars). I was expecting some nefarious plot or vicious serial killer. Nope, just a disjointed conclusion to all the mysterious events that happened to the main character. Oh, and what summer camp keeps kids with strep throat symptoms to infect the rest of the campers? What mom is cool about just coming by to pat her kid's head while she is suffering only to go back and solve a mystery. The ending was cheap as all things can be explained 6 days after the climax in a conversation between Lake and Archer. Ta daaa!! All wrapped up nice and neat. What a complete disappointment.
June 24, 2010
I gave this one 2.5 stars.
I read this for a book club, the description sounded really intriguing. But I don't know what happened. Everything just felt flat. The mystery aspect was really not that interesting, and I found myself caring more about the mystery of Jack and his strange behavior. I was sort of apathetic towards the main character Lake, I didn't really have any positive or negatives thoughts about her. She was just there.
I'm really disappointed.
I read this for a book club, the description sounded really intriguing. But I don't know what happened. Everything just felt flat. The mystery aspect was really not that interesting, and I found myself caring more about the mystery of Jack and his strange behavior. I was sort of apathetic towards the main character Lake, I didn't really have any positive or negatives thoughts about her. She was just there.
I'm really disappointed.
April 10, 2010
Can't remember who recommended this book to me, but when I do, I'm going to beat the crap out of them. I read this in ONE day and did not guess the killer before the revelation. My favorite part of the whole thing (don't go further here if you plan to read it) is that the lie worked and what really happened never came out and I was GLAD!!
April 28, 2010
Just so you don't think I only post 4 and 5 star reviews. This one barely ekes out 2 stars! A ridiculous plot, too many characters to keep track of, and a protagonist who is unethical and unlikeable make this a poor choice. It calls itself suspense...the only suspenseful part to me is: Who's reading this?
August 26, 2020
This was so good! The ending was totally unexpected and blew me away!
June 13, 2021
Good, tense pacing.
July 2, 2010
I caught up with the multi-talented Kate White, editor-in-chief of Cosmo and author of the enormously popular Bailey Weggins mystery series. She stopped by to talk about HUSH and how she juggles her complicated life, why she’s writing a book on time management, and where she finds her inspiration.
Q: HUSH is your first stand-alone thriller. I wondered, why a stand-alone thriller, and why now?
A: Well, as we know at Cosmo, sometimes even the best relationships need a break. I love writing the Bailey books, but I felt it would be nice to take a little break from them and re-energize, plus I wanted to try something new—something darker, scarier, with a different kind of protagonist.
Q: Did your work as editor of COSMO help you create the fabulous Bailey Weggins?
A: Thanks so much for the compliment. Cosmo has helped me tremendously with the Bailey Weggins books. I pick up all sorts of crazy dialogue here and witness great situations that I can incorporate in my books. I originally wanted to write about a private eye but I knew with my day job I’d never be able to take the time to do the research. So I decided to place my character at a magazine. It has made it so much easier.
Q: I understand that there are two more Bailey Weggins books in the pipeline? I'm eagerly awaiting book six in the series.
A: The sixth Bailey Weggins book is with my publisher but will probably not come out until after my next thriller, which is almost done. I am just mulling over ideas for another Bailey now.
Q: Lake Warren, the heroine of HUSH, is 11 years older than Bailey Weggins. Are they similar?
A: They are pretty different in most respects. Bailey is irreverent, flip, spunky. Lake is cerebral, somewhat introverted. But in the end she’s pretty spunky in her own way because she must figure out who the killer is and confront that person—to save her own life.
Q:Your books have wonderful, intricate plots. I assume you're a "plotter" and not a "pantser."
A: You made me laugh out loud with that question. Yes, I plot. I keep a notebook for each book and I always know who will die and why. I just find that helps me lay down both clues and red herrings throughout the book, which readers seem to like. That said, things often occur to me as I’m writing, which I know is true for most writers. It’s such a fun, magical experience. I was writing a chapter of my new thriller lately and realized, “Oh no, he’s gonna die!”
Q: As a psychologist, I've often recommended your non-fiction titles to my clients. Why Good Girls Don't Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do, Nine Secrets of Women Who Get Everything and more recently, You on Top. Any more non-fiction titles in the works?
A: I feel I’ve learned a lot in my jobs, often the hard way, and I love giving career guidance to younger women. I am working on another career book now; it focuses on getting control of your time.
Q: I read somewhere that "Go big, or go home" is your mantra. Care to comment?
A: I heard someone young on my staff say that a few years ago and I loved it and made it my new mantra. It means that as long as you’re going to invest the time, invest as much energy and excitement as possible.
Q: HUSH is your first stand-alone thriller. I wondered, why a stand-alone thriller, and why now?
A: Well, as we know at Cosmo, sometimes even the best relationships need a break. I love writing the Bailey books, but I felt it would be nice to take a little break from them and re-energize, plus I wanted to try something new—something darker, scarier, with a different kind of protagonist.
Q: Did your work as editor of COSMO help you create the fabulous Bailey Weggins?
A: Thanks so much for the compliment. Cosmo has helped me tremendously with the Bailey Weggins books. I pick up all sorts of crazy dialogue here and witness great situations that I can incorporate in my books. I originally wanted to write about a private eye but I knew with my day job I’d never be able to take the time to do the research. So I decided to place my character at a magazine. It has made it so much easier.
Q: I understand that there are two more Bailey Weggins books in the pipeline? I'm eagerly awaiting book six in the series.
A: The sixth Bailey Weggins book is with my publisher but will probably not come out until after my next thriller, which is almost done. I am just mulling over ideas for another Bailey now.
Q: Lake Warren, the heroine of HUSH, is 11 years older than Bailey Weggins. Are they similar?
A: They are pretty different in most respects. Bailey is irreverent, flip, spunky. Lake is cerebral, somewhat introverted. But in the end she’s pretty spunky in her own way because she must figure out who the killer is and confront that person—to save her own life.
Q:Your books have wonderful, intricate plots. I assume you're a "plotter" and not a "pantser."
A: You made me laugh out loud with that question. Yes, I plot. I keep a notebook for each book and I always know who will die and why. I just find that helps me lay down both clues and red herrings throughout the book, which readers seem to like. That said, things often occur to me as I’m writing, which I know is true for most writers. It’s such a fun, magical experience. I was writing a chapter of my new thriller lately and realized, “Oh no, he’s gonna die!”
Q: As a psychologist, I've often recommended your non-fiction titles to my clients. Why Good Girls Don't Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do, Nine Secrets of Women Who Get Everything and more recently, You on Top. Any more non-fiction titles in the works?
A: I feel I’ve learned a lot in my jobs, often the hard way, and I love giving career guidance to younger women. I am working on another career book now; it focuses on getting control of your time.
Q: I read somewhere that "Go big, or go home" is your mantra. Care to comment?
A: I heard someone young on my staff say that a few years ago and I loved it and made it my new mantra. It means that as long as you’re going to invest the time, invest as much energy and excitement as possible.
April 21, 2010
Talk about a roller coaster - that is what I would sum this book up as. It's a thrill ride from beginning to end. Hush is the first book I have read from author Kate White, though I have been wanting to read her Bailey Weggins series. I was intrigued on how the Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan magazine would pull off a thriller and I have to say she does a great job with it.
I liked Lake from the beginning (though I kept wanting to read her name as Luke - Lake is just different). She is a woman who is going through a divorce and has just learned her husband will be suing for joint custody. She finds this out just when she feels like she is starting to get her life back on track. She's enjoying her new consulting job, she's been flirting with a handsome man and things seem to be going well. Then she finds out about the custody and her lawyer tells her to lay low especially with men for awhile. Then the flirting escalates with Dr. Keaton at work and culminates in a one-night-stand that ends with Dr. Keaton's murder.
Lake doesn't know what to do, so she does not confess to the police that she was in Dr. Keaton's apartment. Then funny things start to happen and it appears the clinic is not operating on the complete up-and-up. But Lake can't quite figure out what is going on. What happens after that begins the thrill ride and you will find yourself looking over your shoulder while reading it. Kate's paranoia comes through so well and you find yourself guessing at who might be behind it all right along with her. Just when you think you get it figured out, Ms. White throws in a new curveball and the anxiety starts all over again. Kate is the main character in this but I enjoyed the secondary characters, no one was gone into as deeply as Kate, but I felt I got to know a variety of people. I only had problems in a few spots trying to figure out which doctor was which, otherwise I felt each character stood out on it's own. There were also a few plot points that ended up glossed over - I kind of felt like they were put in as filler, but they still wound there way into the story enough that it didn't take away from the story.
This was hard to put down and it took my mind completely away from t-ball practice yesterday (so I missed the fact my son had to go to the bathroom, thankfully my older son noticed). I started this on Monday and finished it Tuesday which is record reading for me at the moment.
If you are looking for a great thriller and a quick read this is the book for you.
My Rating: 4.25/5.0
I liked Lake from the beginning (though I kept wanting to read her name as Luke - Lake is just different). She is a woman who is going through a divorce and has just learned her husband will be suing for joint custody. She finds this out just when she feels like she is starting to get her life back on track. She's enjoying her new consulting job, she's been flirting with a handsome man and things seem to be going well. Then she finds out about the custody and her lawyer tells her to lay low especially with men for awhile. Then the flirting escalates with Dr. Keaton at work and culminates in a one-night-stand that ends with Dr. Keaton's murder.
Lake doesn't know what to do, so she does not confess to the police that she was in Dr. Keaton's apartment. Then funny things start to happen and it appears the clinic is not operating on the complete up-and-up. But Lake can't quite figure out what is going on. What happens after that begins the thrill ride and you will find yourself looking over your shoulder while reading it. Kate's paranoia comes through so well and you find yourself guessing at who might be behind it all right along with her. Just when you think you get it figured out, Ms. White throws in a new curveball and the anxiety starts all over again. Kate is the main character in this but I enjoyed the secondary characters, no one was gone into as deeply as Kate, but I felt I got to know a variety of people. I only had problems in a few spots trying to figure out which doctor was which, otherwise I felt each character stood out on it's own. There were also a few plot points that ended up glossed over - I kind of felt like they were put in as filler, but they still wound there way into the story enough that it didn't take away from the story.
This was hard to put down and it took my mind completely away from t-ball practice yesterday (so I missed the fact my son had to go to the bathroom, thankfully my older son noticed). I started this on Monday and finished it Tuesday which is record reading for me at the moment.
If you are looking for a great thriller and a quick read this is the book for you.
My Rating: 4.25/5.0
January 27, 2011
I don't read many mystery/thriller books, (mostly because I don't like the whole women-in-jeopardy-thing) but once I picked up Kate White's Hush, I found I couldn't put it down.
Lake Warren (why do they always have names like that?) is going through a bitter divorce, and now her soon-to-be ex is suing for full custody of their two children. She runs her own small marketing firm, and she is in the middle of working on a big presentation for a hot-shot fertility clinic.
She makes the mistake of sleeping with one of the playboy doctors at the clinic who ends up murdered after their tryst. If she tells the police she was there, she could lose custody of her children. Instead, she decides to find out who the murderer is. Oh yeah, and someone is calling her and leaving frightening messages on her phone. Is it her ex-husband or the real murderer?
There is also something odd going on at the clinic. Was the doctor killed by a jealous husband, because of gambling debts, or did he find out something illegal was being done at the clinic?
The author does a good job creating characters with believable motivations. Any mom can relate to panicking at the thought of losing her children, and making bad decisions because of that fear.
White also paces the action in the novel so well, it's a real page turner. Lake gets herself into more than a few jams, and your pulse will race as she extricates herself. I will say that one of those jams involving water was a little over the top for me, but it was scary.
The mystery of who killed the doctor keeps you guessing right up until the end, and I have to confess I was surprised. The setting of Manhattan is used to good effect, you really get a good sense of the city.
If you're looking for something to take you out of your day and you have a few hours on your hands, pick up Hush. Just remind yourself to breathe while you're reading it.
Lake Warren (why do they always have names like that?) is going through a bitter divorce, and now her soon-to-be ex is suing for full custody of their two children. She runs her own small marketing firm, and she is in the middle of working on a big presentation for a hot-shot fertility clinic.
She makes the mistake of sleeping with one of the playboy doctors at the clinic who ends up murdered after their tryst. If she tells the police she was there, she could lose custody of her children. Instead, she decides to find out who the murderer is. Oh yeah, and someone is calling her and leaving frightening messages on her phone. Is it her ex-husband or the real murderer?
There is also something odd going on at the clinic. Was the doctor killed by a jealous husband, because of gambling debts, or did he find out something illegal was being done at the clinic?
The author does a good job creating characters with believable motivations. Any mom can relate to panicking at the thought of losing her children, and making bad decisions because of that fear.
White also paces the action in the novel so well, it's a real page turner. Lake gets herself into more than a few jams, and your pulse will race as she extricates herself. I will say that one of those jams involving water was a little over the top for me, but it was scary.
The mystery of who killed the doctor keeps you guessing right up until the end, and I have to confess I was surprised. The setting of Manhattan is used to good effect, you really get a good sense of the city.
If you're looking for something to take you out of your day and you have a few hours on your hands, pick up Hush. Just remind yourself to breathe while you're reading it.
February 11, 2010
Lake Warren is a marketing consultant. Her current client is an infertility clinic. Lake is currently going through a nasty divorce. Her ex-husband wants full custody of the children in order to try and get Lake to claim less in the settlement.
Lake goes home with one of the doctors at the infertility clinic and wakes to find him murdered in bed. Instead of calling the police, Lake leaves the house and pretends she was never there. This was Lake’s biggest mistake. The killer has targeted Lake. If Lake goes to the authorities now, they will know she was in the house that night. Can Lake stop a killer before she ends up at the bottom of the lake?
This is the first book I have read by Kate white which is amazing to me as I really enjoy this genre of books. I really liked this book but there was one fault I had with it. The main character, Lake Warren kind of got on my nerves with her less than fighting attitude. Yes, towards the end, Lake became more assertive but by than it was a little too late for me. While there weren’t many twists, they were appropriately placed in the plot. This book moved at a fast pace, which I really enjoyed. The identity of the killer was a bit of a surprise. This is because of the things that happened to Kate, which I couldn’t imaging that type of person could do those things. I do have to say that I won’t stay “Hush” about this book.
Lake goes home with one of the doctors at the infertility clinic and wakes to find him murdered in bed. Instead of calling the police, Lake leaves the house and pretends she was never there. This was Lake’s biggest mistake. The killer has targeted Lake. If Lake goes to the authorities now, they will know she was in the house that night. Can Lake stop a killer before she ends up at the bottom of the lake?
This is the first book I have read by Kate white which is amazing to me as I really enjoy this genre of books. I really liked this book but there was one fault I had with it. The main character, Lake Warren kind of got on my nerves with her less than fighting attitude. Yes, towards the end, Lake became more assertive but by than it was a little too late for me. While there weren’t many twists, they were appropriately placed in the plot. This book moved at a fast pace, which I really enjoyed. The identity of the killer was a bit of a surprise. This is because of the things that happened to Kate, which I couldn’t imaging that type of person could do those things. I do have to say that I won’t stay “Hush” about this book.
January 27, 2015
Oh no! I gave my favorite mystery writer, Kate White, only 4/5 stars! Well, the reasons are minor, but I'll explain. I have read every mystery Kate White has written and loved them all. I recently finished the last book in Ms. White's Bailey Weggins murder series, so it was a bit disappointing to read this novel, which is not part of that series, and find that the main character has the same "voice" as Bailey. I would really have liked something to set her apart from Bailey, other than the fact that she has kids. Second, the clinic cared about matching hair and eye color (not a spoiler!) but blood types would have been the more intelligent medical choice, and it was overlooked, making the physicians (IMHO) appear stupid. BUT...again, these are MINOR flaws within the story/plot and I anxiously await the next novel by the talented Kate White.
May 4, 2014
This book had an interesting plot - single, newly divorced mom (Lake) sleeps with a sexy colleague only to find him murdered. At first, I really liked Lake, however, as the book went on everything she did got on my nerves. Apparently everyone except a select few are not to be trusted, including the police since she couldn't go to them with anything. She used her custody case with her ex as an excuse and was constantly making up lies to cover her actions and other lies she told. The writing style and dialogue was annoying to read as well.
I might have rated this book lower, but I thought the story was good and the twist at the end. I will have a difficult time picking up another book by this author.
I might have rated this book lower, but I thought the story was good and the twist at the end. I will have a difficult time picking up another book by this author.
May 22, 2023
Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no.
THE PLOT: a thoroughly unlikable woman with astonishingly poor judgment makes a series of inadvisable choices and ends up in a real pickle. A man is murdered. She has to solve the murder before her evil ex-husband takes custody of their children because reasons. A bunch of other things happen. She’s in a real jam, which couldn’t possibly be due to her proclivity for making atrocious decisions and a general lack of situational awareness. …or could it?
THE GOOD: Nearly all the words were spelled right. Well over 90%.
THE BAD: I only had a problem with the pages between the front and back covers. The covers themselves were fine.
WOULD I REREAD: Not willingly.
THE PLOT: a thoroughly unlikable woman with astonishingly poor judgment makes a series of inadvisable choices and ends up in a real pickle. A man is murdered. She has to solve the murder before her evil ex-husband takes custody of their children because reasons. A bunch of other things happen. She’s in a real jam, which couldn’t possibly be due to her proclivity for making atrocious decisions and a general lack of situational awareness. …or could it?
THE GOOD: Nearly all the words were spelled right. Well over 90%.
THE BAD: I only had a problem with the pages between the front and back covers. The covers themselves were fine.
WOULD I REREAD: Not willingly.
January 3, 2012
I enjoyed this story. The characters were interesting, the plot moved along well with many interesting twists. It would be hard to categorize. I suppose I'd call it mystery/suspense with a healthy dash of romance.
My only real criticism lies in the poor judgement of Lake Warren, the protagonist, who refuses to contact the police with what she knows about a murder for fear of jeopardizing custody of her two children in a divorce action with her husband. While if find that understandable to a degree, when it gets to the point of possibly putting them in danger, I found it to be a little much.
But overall, a fun read.
My only real criticism lies in the poor judgement of Lake Warren, the protagonist, who refuses to contact the police with what she knows about a murder for fear of jeopardizing custody of her two children in a divorce action with her husband. While if find that understandable to a degree, when it gets to the point of possibly putting them in danger, I found it to be a little much.
But overall, a fun read.
March 19, 2010
Lake Warren is a public relations specialist hired by a fertility clinic. Over time she discovers some shady stuff going on at the clinic. But the question is "is it related to the murder of Dr. Keaton?" This is a fast paced thriller that is hard to put down. It is cohesive and tight with lots of twists and turns. And just when you think you know who did it --- something new happens and maybe it could be...... A well written, enjoyable book.
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