The Vacation: An utterly gripping thriller packed with suspense

This one was just heartbreaking. M.M. Chouinard's latest novel has plenty of intrigue and plot twists that keeps you riveted. Three couples - Brandon and Rose, Mateo and Annabelle, and Leo and Brianna - go on a vacation to Jamaica where Leo and Brianna work for AmericAid. While on the outset, the three families seem close, it becomes evident to the reader that secrets abound among them. Rose is a young mother of three-year old Lily and one year old Jackson. She is haunted by her traumatic past, making her terrified to bring her kids to Jamaica, but does so anyway on the insistence of her husband. She hovers and fusses over them, antagonising the childless Bree. Rose's deep-seated fears do come true when her daughter Lily goes missing. At first, the Jamaican police seem unhelpful. But soon it becomes clear that all the evidence that the police have compiled points to the kidnapper being one among them. The book opens to the scene of the crime immediately reeling in the reader. The alternating POVs of the three ladies - Rose, Bree and Annabelle - carry the story forward, thereby showing what each couple feels regarding the other two. The tight suspense woven throughout the narrative leaves you on edge. The author has done such a fine job with the character development of the three couples, especially the female characters - Rose, struggling to relax while on vacation with kids, Bree, with her constant yearning for kids and her jealousy at seeing her sister-in-law, Rose, whom she feels doesn't deserve to have children and Annabelle who functions as the bridge between the two, but has her own share of troubles herself. Overall, an unputdownable suspense thriller.

I have enjoyed reading quite a few of the books from this author...and this one didn't disappoint! I like how she writes from 2 or 3 of the characters' points of view, but includes other possible 'suspects' in the storyline too. I often think I know for sure who is the guilty one, but nearer the end of the book, I start to question my choice. By the final page, the author has 'caught' me - or I have figured it out for sure beforehand. Always a good read...suspenseful and fun!

I loved the way the story unfolded and all the suspence it kept you in. Twist and turns and everyone was a suspect for sure. It was well written and I throughly enjoyed it chapter after chapter. It was a little slow in the beginnig , but keep reading and you won't be able to put the book down. The very ending was a shocker.

I liked the way she bought out the story a bit at a time, back and forth trough different timelines. She had me until the end!

The book held my interest enough that I finished it. I found the characters to be unbelievable. That being said, it's an easy read .

I bought it Just to read it. Great read. Held my interest from the beginning to end. Had to keep going back thru the pages to keep up with who was who in the book thpugh. Four young families on vacation so had to pay attention to it and who was with who …