Do Not Open

By: Kiersten Modglin

Narrated by: Mara Wilson

Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

On the day author Mari Morgan receives the email, she has little left to live for.

The message—simple yet utterly life-changing—offers a glimmer of hope to her dismal existence. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and if she takes it, it could change everything.

Mari’s immediate sense of unease is eclipsed only by her curiosity—elicited from the supposed fan on the other end of the email. Unsatisfied despite doing her due diligence, and with no way to discern the legitimacy of the sender, Mari takes a leap of faith and replies.

What harm could come from one innocent message?

Soon, as she comes face to face with her ‘number one fan,’ it’s all too clear things are not what they first appeared. Now trapped by a villain far more sinister than she could’ve crafted herself, the fate awaiting her is inspired by the darkest depths of the monsters in her own novels.

In order to escape and survive, Mari must use the strength of the heroines she’s spent years writing about. But this villain has spent years inside her worlds, too.

How will she defeat an evil who has learned from the best?

For fans of Misery, YOU, and Behind Closed Doors, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings us a haunting tale of obsession and survival in the form of a writer’s worst nightmare come to life.

©2023 Kiersten Modglin (P)2023 Dreamscape Media

When it sounds too good to be true... it usually is!

Oh, wow! That reveal at the end was quite the shocker! I had to read it again to make sure I read it right the first time. Mari made some decisions throughout the book that had me stressed, but that twist at the end took the cake. Overall, the book was good!

Not up to her usual

This felt like a different author’s work. I 4 or 5 star all of Modglin’s books - not this one!

Yikes!!! Did not see that twist!

*****Potential Spoilers*****

I liked the premise of the story. As always KM spins her magic with plot and characters, but there was quite a bit of repetition and the spotlight on her alcohol dependence did not feel flushed out, it just came across as a character flaw. Even though the story reads like Misery on steroids I was ok with fighting back but seriously disturbed by the predatory assaults. The ending was such a shock, clearly never entered my mind. I’m going to hope for eventually the ending I want for them both to have. Yay for besties!

Narration was great even with the few times there was difficult content.

Slow...until the end.

It started off good but seemed to drag on and then got better at the end again.

Really good

I needed a break from politics and this did not disappoint. I’ve listened to quite a few of her books and this one is the best.

You got me!

Definitely thought I had the plot figured, nope you got me. I audibly gasped! Well done.

If you like torture books

The narrator was great. The story was meh. The twist was fantastic- didn’t expect it at all. I love thriller books but this reminded me a lot of “Misery” and I don’t enjoy torture themed storylines.

Kiersten Modglin twists just do not work

I did not see the twist coming because it's absolutely ridiculous. I like a few of her books but some of them are just so outlandish and ridiculous. I'm out good twists but when they are so unbelievable it's not worth the twist to me.

Tacked on resolution

The resolution was tacked on and was never even hinted at during the events of the story.

Narrator was whiny and unbearable.