"The Passenger" by Lisa Lutz

I think the best way to start this review is with the description I read on Netgalley. 

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Spellman Files series, Lisa Lutz’s latest blistering thriller is about a woman who creates and sheds new identities as she crisscrosses the country to escape her past: you’ll want to buckle up for the ride!

In case you were wondering, I didn’t do it. I didn’t have anything to do with Frank’s death. I don’t have an alibi, so you’ll have to take my word for it...

Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.

She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.

It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret…can she outrun her past?

With heart-stopping escapes and devious deceptions, The Passenger is an amazing psychological thriller about defining yourself while you pursue your path to survival. One thing is certain: the ride will leave you breathless.

After reading that I had to read this book. Luckily, Netgalley and publishers Simon & Schuster allowed me an ebook of Lisa Lutz's "The Passenger" to read and give my honest review. After adding it to my Goodreads shelves, I skimmed down and saw that the first 3-5 reviews were all 3 stars. I didn't read the reviews, just glanced at the ratings. It had me worried. I have to say, I think they were wrong!

I LOVED this book! It was everything I look for in a thriller. There was instant conflict and mystery which sucked me in immediately. Lutz's writing is impeccable and she crafted this story beautifully. 

Before starting this book I knew the main character had a past she was running from and although it starts out with the missing detail of "why" she was on the run to begin with I didn't feel the overwhelming need to know that part of the story to enjoy the entire read.

 There is so much happening along the way- each new identity Tanya takes over brings up a whole new set of challenges. Each new "person" she becomes presents a way of life that was so different than the last. The way she has to learn to adapt was so interesting to read and try to figure out what her next move would be.

The ending was unexpected. A true suprise, yet perfectly fitting. I truly had no idea where Lutz was going to take this story. There were so many elements along the journey and they all came together in a perfect way. I think I experienced every emotion during this read. Fear, sadness, sympathy, anger, happiness, and loneliness are all elements that Lutz writes into this whirlwind journey.

I don't want to give away too much of this book. You should plan on reading it when it is released on March 1, 2016. You will not be disappointed. If you love thrillers with a strong, quick-thinking, razor-sharp female main character, then you will gobble this book up.

This is one of my favorite books I have read this year! 5 stars all the way! 

Happy Reading!