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Never Sleep with Strangers
"She almost looked as if she slept, except...The trident had pierced through her. And the snow-white gown was turning ever more crimson."
Four years ago, while vacationing at their country estate in Scotland, Jon Stuart watched his wife plummet from the balcony to a horrific death. Although cleared of any involvement, he's endured years of public suspicion -- losing friends and his good standing in the community. But this was no accident, and now he's determined to prove it was murder.
Orchestrating a dangerous plan, Jon has gathered the prime suspects at the scene of the crime. The stage is set as past and present collide, old lovers reunite... and a killer plots another perfect crime.
Four years ago, while vacationing at their country estate in Scotland, Jon Stuart watched his wife plummet from the balcony to a horrific death. Although cleared of any involvement, he's endured years of public suspicion -- losing friends and his good standing in the community. But this was no accident, and now he's determined to prove it was murder.
Orchestrating a dangerous plan, Jon has gathered the prime suspects at the scene of the crime. The stage is set as past and present collide, old lovers reunite... and a killer plots another perfect crime.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 25, 1998
126 people are currently reading
951 people want to read
About the author
Heather Graham Pozzessere
66 books250 followersHeather Graham Pozzessere
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
November 29, 2018
Three years ago while hosting a week long murder mystery party, Author Jon Stuart saw his wife fall off of a balcony to her death. Rumors circled that the Stuart's marriage was on the rocks and he killed her. Although Jon was cleared of any involvement and Cassandra's death was determined to be an accident, Jon believed that his wife was murdered. Now Jon has decided to throw another murder mystery party and invite all of the people who attended the last fatal party. Also invited is Sabrina Holloway, Jon's former lover. Jon wants to know if Sabrina believes the rumors about him and if they have a chance at happiness.
This story has everyone gathering at a remote castle for the party. Eventually they are snowed in with no way to get to civilization. The castle itself is old and scary. There is a collection of wax figures in the basement, all showing various killers throughout the years including Jack the Ripper. The cast is huge. Sabrina's ex-husband is among the writers in attendance. He annoyed me from the start. If I were her, I would have left this party long before getting stranded by the weather.
I started out listening to the audiobook version of this story. Although the narrator did a good job with the various voices of the characters, I was bored with parts of the story and my mind began to wander. Maybe there were too many people to keep track of. After a while I switched to reading the book and thought it was easier to follow. So, my rating may have been higher if I read the whole book instead of listening to the audiobook. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
This story has everyone gathering at a remote castle for the party. Eventually they are snowed in with no way to get to civilization. The castle itself is old and scary. There is a collection of wax figures in the basement, all showing various killers throughout the years including Jack the Ripper. The cast is huge. Sabrina's ex-husband is among the writers in attendance. He annoyed me from the start. If I were her, I would have left this party long before getting stranded by the weather.
I started out listening to the audiobook version of this story. Although the narrator did a good job with the various voices of the characters, I was bored with parts of the story and my mind began to wander. Maybe there were too many people to keep track of. After a while I switched to reading the book and thought it was easier to follow. So, my rating may have been higher if I read the whole book instead of listening to the audiobook. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
November 20, 2015
I look down at the page of review and see many with few stars. I don't what they wrote and don't care. I enjoy Heather Graham's writing. I believe I've read all of her books. The plots are light and fast-moving. The characters are interesting and relatable. The story keeps my attention and I'm happy.
This book I enjoyed more than the others because of the murder mystery party. My fantasy has always been to attend one of these. Instead, I had a Murder She Wrote party in my house. Not the same. This party was creepier with great effects in the basement. People skulking about the house in the middle of the night. Wax figures in the basement. And a pool in the basement. Who could ask for anything more?
Heather Graham has had a great influence on my writing. We have different styles but the same love for the strange and creepy.
This book I enjoyed more than the others because of the murder mystery party. My fantasy has always been to attend one of these. Instead, I had a Murder She Wrote party in my house. Not the same. This party was creepier with great effects in the basement. People skulking about the house in the middle of the night. Wax figures in the basement. And a pool in the basement. Who could ask for anything more?
Heather Graham has had a great influence on my writing. We have different styles but the same love for the strange and creepy.
August 26, 2014
Gosh, I'm wondering how this book got 4 stars. But then we are all different. This was my first (and last) Heather Graham.
This book had every device of a soap opera. Nothing happened for 50 pages at a time except one person having sex with another or the others trying to figure out who was shacking up together currently and/or 3 years previously. Or, I suppose, in the 3 year interim.
I remember watching soap operas with my grandmother as a teenager. On one drama the lead was taken to the hospital to have her baby. The baby was at term. The entire rest of the 30 minutes was taken up with one person telling another person that Susiebelle had been taken to the hospital in labor. My grandmother went home and returned 6 weeks later. Susiebelle had still not had that baby! She was still in the hospital and still in labor!
That's exactly the way this book was. I suffered through half of it. Definitely not my kind of book.
This book had every device of a soap opera. Nothing happened for 50 pages at a time except one person having sex with another or the others trying to figure out who was shacking up together currently and/or 3 years previously. Or, I suppose, in the 3 year interim.
I remember watching soap operas with my grandmother as a teenager. On one drama the lead was taken to the hospital to have her baby. The baby was at term. The entire rest of the 30 minutes was taken up with one person telling another person that Susiebelle had been taken to the hospital in labor. My grandmother went home and returned 6 weeks later. Susiebelle had still not had that baby! She was still in the hospital and still in labor!
That's exactly the way this book was. I suffered through half of it. Definitely not my kind of book.
Read
December 4, 2019DNF. I couldn't even.
November 21, 2018
Great book!
The story is about a mystery game, populated with mystery authors who were all in attendance at an old castle when the hostess was killed. Her husband, determined to find the killer, brings the group together again to see if they can determine the killer. While the premise seems old and used, this is a well-written and suspenseful book with complex characters and even a love story. I couldn't put it down. Heather Graham is a wonderful writer. This book is a great example of her work.
The story is about a mystery game, populated with mystery authors who were all in attendance at an old castle when the hostess was killed. Her husband, determined to find the killer, brings the group together again to see if they can determine the killer. While the premise seems old and used, this is a well-written and suspenseful book with complex characters and even a love story. I couldn't put it down. Heather Graham is a wonderful writer. This book is a great example of her work.
August 18, 2018
3,5 stars
September 2, 2021
J'ai haï ce livre dès les premières pages. Est-ce la traduction qui rend ce livre si détestable ? Peut-être, mais j'en doute.
La quatrième de couverture laissait entendre que nous allions suivre les personnages autour de deux énigmes, un jeu, et un assassin. Ce n'était finalement qu'un prétexte pour parler de riches écrivains, l'énigme est en arrière plan sans jamais être vraiment approfondie. Les personnages sont à mon goût insipide, sans personnalité réelle, et mis à part des coucheries à droite et à gauche, on apprend pas grand chose sur eux et ils ne se développent pas réellement. On ne nous donne rien d'attachant.
J'ai tout de même tenu jusqu'au bout par dépit et par envie de connaître l'assassin et, même sur ce point, l'autrice a réussi à me décevoir. Le seul personnage qui était impossible à soupçonner car aucun alibi imaginable, aucun acte étrange. En plus d'avoir grincé des dents devant le sexisme et le classisme de ce livre, je suis restée sur ma fin. Non vraiment, je n'ai pas aimé ce livre.
La quatrième de couverture laissait entendre que nous allions suivre les personnages autour de deux énigmes, un jeu, et un assassin. Ce n'était finalement qu'un prétexte pour parler de riches écrivains, l'énigme est en arrière plan sans jamais être vraiment approfondie. Les personnages sont à mon goût insipide, sans personnalité réelle, et mis à part des coucheries à droite et à gauche, on apprend pas grand chose sur eux et ils ne se développent pas réellement. On ne nous donne rien d'attachant.
J'ai tout de même tenu jusqu'au bout par dépit et par envie de connaître l'assassin et, même sur ce point, l'autrice a réussi à me décevoir. Le seul personnage qui était impossible à soupçonner car aucun alibi imaginable, aucun acte étrange. En plus d'avoir grincé des dents devant le sexisme et le classisme de ce livre, je suis restée sur ma fin. Non vraiment, je n'ai pas aimé ce livre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2023
Avevo questo libro da un sacco di tempo e dato che sono in una fase in cui non mi va di leggere cose troppo cervellotiche o truculente, mi sono detta che era il momento giusto.
L'inizio mi è piaciuto, forse troppi personaggi, ma andando avanti con la lettura questo diventerà il difetto più trascurabile.
Un libro pesante, una pesantezza dovuta al fatto che non succede assolutamente niente fino agli ultimi capitoli.
Non parliamo della protagonista, una Mary Sue fatta e finita, fastidiosissima.
Il finale poi è stata una cosa insulsa, degno del peggior film di serie B.
Non mi aspettavo di leggere un capolavoro, ma neanche una cosa del genere.
Bocciato assolutamente, peccato perché la trama era intrigante.
L'inizio mi è piaciuto, forse troppi personaggi, ma andando avanti con la lettura questo diventerà il difetto più trascurabile.
Un libro pesante, una pesantezza dovuta al fatto che non succede assolutamente niente fino agli ultimi capitoli.
Non parliamo della protagonista, una Mary Sue fatta e finita, fastidiosissima.
Il finale poi è stata una cosa insulsa, degno del peggior film di serie B.
Non mi aspettavo di leggere un capolavoro, ma neanche una cosa del genere.
Bocciato assolutamente, peccato perché la trama era intrigante.
September 29, 2019
Four years ago, Jon Stuart, a mystery writer, watched his wife fall to her death at their home in Scotland during a mystery writers week. Her death never resolved, he again stages a mystery week with all of the same guest, plus one. All of them had weird secrets - affairs with one another, etc. Someone is still trying to finish the crime as writers start dying in strange ways. All is eventually revealed and Jon and his ex-lover Sabrina get together.
Not her best book. Very different with everyone having a convoluted background. Too many twist and turns for my taste.
Not her best book. Very different with everyone having a convoluted background. Too many twist and turns for my taste.
December 13, 2022
This is differently a woman's read. Yes it is a mystery with a murder but more sexual
relationships through out the story.
a famous writer who lives in a castle in Scotland and likes to put on murder mystery weekend parties. During one of these mystery parties his wife is pushed out a upstairs window and is killed. did he do it or did someone attending the party do it. So he decides to do another mystery murder party to see if he can figure out who hated him so much that they murdered his wife. . It is a slow reading . the action isn't quick but the story drags slower
relationships through out the story.
a famous writer who lives in a castle in Scotland and likes to put on murder mystery weekend parties. During one of these mystery parties his wife is pushed out a upstairs window and is killed. did he do it or did someone attending the party do it. So he decides to do another mystery murder party to see if he can figure out who hated him so much that they murdered his wife. . It is a slow reading . the action isn't quick but the story drags slower
January 14, 2023
Jon Stuart watched his wife fall from the balcony to her death. It was declared an accident, but Jon just knew one of his guests from a week long "who done it" parties. 3 years later he decides it was time to throw another party. His planes are to find out who killed Cassandra and to convince Sabrina Campbell that the night years ago isn't over yet. But they have to fight for theirs and the rest of the guesses lives.
January 19, 2018
Sabrina is a guest at a Mystery Murder game.
Everyone is given an assigned role, and gatherings are planned as the week ensues. The host, Jon, lives in a centuries-old castle, complete with a dungeon and a crypt. Each of the guests, except Sabrina, was present four years earlier when Jon's late wife died in a suspicious fall during another Mystery Murder game...
Everyone is given an assigned role, and gatherings are planned as the week ensues. The host, Jon, lives in a centuries-old castle, complete with a dungeon and a crypt. Each of the guests, except Sabrina, was present four years earlier when Jon's late wife died in a suspicious fall during another Mystery Murder game...
October 4, 2020
I’ve no read two of Heather Graham’s books and that is more than enough to decide I won’t read more.
At least this one was more interesting than the last. I was more invested in the characters. Though, much like my first, Shadows in the Night, I found the “insta-love” premise very far fetched. Makes me wonder if Ms Graham knows the difference between love and lust.
At least this one was more interesting than the last. I was more invested in the characters. Though, much like my first, Shadows in the Night, I found the “insta-love” premise very far fetched. Makes me wonder if Ms Graham knows the difference between love and lust.
May 1, 2021
Honestly, it was pretty silly. Completely unrealistic relationships between characters and more melodrama than I like, but I still somehow enjoyed the book. Frequent brief sex scenes that are easy to skip and moderate swearing.
April 20, 2018
A bit complicated plot .
June 15, 2018
An interesting mystery with plenty of suspense.
February 21, 2019
This one certainly kept me guessing!!
May 11, 2020
Too similar to other stories I've read. Old house, lots of people, hidden passages, people dying.......you get the idea.
June 14, 2020
Scary porn.
October 19, 2021
I enjoyed this classic whodunnit. There is something so romantic about a castle until you add a murderer and bodies popping up everywhere.
Highly recommend this fast paced read.
Highly recommend this fast paced read.
April 14, 2022
I think some consideration has to be given to the age of this book, but even so, the characters and their relationships were unbelievably dysfunctional. They also weren't likeable.
April 23, 2022
Perso j’ai adoré le livre, le système de la semaine de l’énigme et les personnages. Je l’ai dévorée, j’ai aimé la façon d’écrire et de dépeindre les scènes je comprends pas les notes basses oups
June 13, 2023
Brilliant! Full of suspense, mystery and beautiful romance. Exceptionally brilliant.
July 7, 2023
Decent group of characters but way too drawn out with many repetitive occurrences!!
December 23, 2023
2,5 Sterne
Durch die zahlreichen Cliffhanger tatsächlich spannend, obwohl eigentlich das fast das ganze Buch über nichts passiert.
Durch die zahlreichen Cliffhanger tatsächlich spannend, obwohl eigentlich das fast das ganze Buch über nichts passiert.
April 27, 2025
Kept me guessing until the end. Lots of twists.
April 28, 2025
I made it to chapter 10 before I decided to quit the book. It was boring and didn't hold my attention at all. I don't think this author is for me.
May 21, 2025
I love Heather Graham books and this was no excepts. The mystery weekend story is a lot of fun and I enjoyed all the characters. This is a very good read.
February 27, 2020
A little convoluted but a good ride with some really interesting twists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2012
This is my first Heather Graham book and I found myself actually surprised by it. I knew when I picked it up that it was a mystery romance, I just wasn't prepaired for how much more it tended toward the mystery aspect. My romance book club selected it for our next read so I expected it to be more romance with a little mystery thrown in for spice.
The plot is very Agatha Cristy, taking place in a castle in Scotland. The guests are mostly all mystery/horror/suspense authors and a critic thrown in for spice. They have all arrived to take part in a charity Mystery Week where they are each characters in a murder mystery. These weeks were a yearly occurance but at the last one, three years ago, our host's wife, Cassie, mysteriously died by going over a second story balcony. Everyone was in attendance at that fateful party and have returned to either discover what actually happend three years ago or to cover up their part in the scandel surrounding Cassie's death. The exception is our heroine, Sabrina, who was not in attendence at the last Mystery Week.
The setting had wonderful elements to add the mystery with an old castle full of secret passageways, pituresque views and a chilling dungeon hosting a realistic wax museum where each of the guests have been recreated in tableaus featuring famed murders, villians, and their victims.
The weakness in Graham's story is the characters. For one, there are just too many of them that share similarities to keep track. They have also known each other for quite some time so they all have many shared past experiences that are breifly mentioned. It is so much for a reader to keep track of while trying to figure out who the killer is. The character development also fell short on this point. With the majority of the characters having shared many years as friends and collegues, they all start blurring together, not allowing for any real development to happen. For the most part the relationships between the characters remained rather stagnaunt. Even our leads, Jon and Sabrina fail to really grow that much. They have a past together and this seems to be the driving force between them now. This is where I feel the romance was missing in the book. It was definately a mystery, if a bit rushed, but the characters didn't ebb and flow as a romance should.
"Never Sleep With Strangers" was a passible mystery with an underdeveloped romance, but it was entertaining in a very "easy-to-read" sort of way. It wasn't a favorite but it wasn't a waste of time either.
The plot is very Agatha Cristy, taking place in a castle in Scotland. The guests are mostly all mystery/horror/suspense authors and a critic thrown in for spice. They have all arrived to take part in a charity Mystery Week where they are each characters in a murder mystery. These weeks were a yearly occurance but at the last one, three years ago, our host's wife, Cassie, mysteriously died by going over a second story balcony. Everyone was in attendance at that fateful party and have returned to either discover what actually happend three years ago or to cover up their part in the scandel surrounding Cassie's death. The exception is our heroine, Sabrina, who was not in attendence at the last Mystery Week.
The setting had wonderful elements to add the mystery with an old castle full of secret passageways, pituresque views and a chilling dungeon hosting a realistic wax museum where each of the guests have been recreated in tableaus featuring famed murders, villians, and their victims.
The weakness in Graham's story is the characters. For one, there are just too many of them that share similarities to keep track. They have also known each other for quite some time so they all have many shared past experiences that are breifly mentioned. It is so much for a reader to keep track of while trying to figure out who the killer is. The character development also fell short on this point. With the majority of the characters having shared many years as friends and collegues, they all start blurring together, not allowing for any real development to happen. For the most part the relationships between the characters remained rather stagnaunt. Even our leads, Jon and Sabrina fail to really grow that much. They have a past together and this seems to be the driving force between them now. This is where I feel the romance was missing in the book. It was definately a mystery, if a bit rushed, but the characters didn't ebb and flow as a romance should.
"Never Sleep With Strangers" was a passible mystery with an underdeveloped romance, but it was entertaining in a very "easy-to-read" sort of way. It wasn't a favorite but it wasn't a waste of time either.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews