Follow Her Down – 2024
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Decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion won’t let a woman overcome her trauma in a riveting novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe and The Hook.
The murder of Elise Rockwood’s sister shattered her family. Their mother’s anxiety kept her housebound. Elise’s paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She’s bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won’t let it go. He still believes there’s more to their sister’s murder—and the confession—than meets the eye. When Elise’s ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise’s greatest fear now is who will survive it.
“A simply riveting novel of suspense… A complex and deftly crafted story built upon decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion that will not allow a woman to overcome her trauma at the unexplained loss of her sister and the mysterious and possibly linked death of her ex. Original and fascinating from start to finish.”
— Midwest Book Review
“Follow Her Down is compulsively readable and surprisingly moving—with a twist that knocked me off my seat. This one will burrow deep into your muscle.”
— Jess Lourey, Edgar Award–nominated author of The Taken Ones
“A must read for romantic suspense fans, Follow Her Down delivers nonstop tension and a mind-bending twist. You’ll root for Elise to overcome the traumatic past she’s desperate to escape.”
— #1 WSJ bestselling author Melinda Leigh
“Victoria Helen Stone delivers an emotional gut punch of secrets, betrayal, and unresolved trauma in this gritty revenge thriller. You’ll cheer for Elise as her life unravels when she’s forced to confront the one thing she wants to forget—the murder of her sister. The tension in Follow Her Down builds until you’re desperate to see how the pieces fit together—and secretly hoping this won’t be the only book in this world.”
— Darby Kane, internationally bestselling author of Pretty Little Wife and The Engagement Party
“Follow Her Down pulled me into a tangled web I didn’t want to get out of! Like any good true crime devotee, I couldn’t help but binge this story and heed Stone’s bidding to ‘follow her down’ a path of distrust, denial, and intrigue all stemming from a decades-old mystery that’s suddenly found new life. Fellow fans of true crime will be spellbound by Stone’s tense, empathetic writing and fascinated by the window she provides into the long-lasting effects on a family that’s found themselves at the center of one of these tragic but enthralling stories.”
— Emily Bleeker, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of When I’m Gone
The Hook – 2023
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Three betrayed women with revenge in common channel their fury in a twisting novel of psychological suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe and False Step.
A women’s boxing class is the perfect place for betrayed wife Katherine to work out her aggressions. Ideal, too, for Geneva, a teacher disgraced and ruined by a vengeful ex, and Luz, a software engineer battling an unjust system. Maggie, their instructor and mentor, guarantees she can right the wrongs they’ve endured. And if Katherine, Geneva, and Luz really want to unleash their rage, they must do what Maggie says.
Each woman’s secret task has its risks. Call it justice. Call it revenge. It’s bound to be worth it—if no missteps are made. As they take the leap to reclaim what they’re owed, their lives are turned upside down. Because no one could have guessed that it would all end in murder.
Now, coming together to harness their power, Katherine, Geneva, and Luz fear that the game they’ve been playing is playing them.
“This book is fast-paced and wonderfully written! I was surprised by each twist, and there are a lot!”
— @ThrillersChillersandKillers on Instagram
“The Hook is such a delightfully vengeful rollercoaster of karma, and I absolutely loved it. A must-have summer pick for readers who like well crafted psychology suspense and just enough character drama to make you want to root for women doing very bad things.”
— @Candice_Reads on Instagram
“Oh believe me when I say you are going to go gaga for this enthralling, captivating and twisted fun of revengeful thrills. Stone knows how to take revenge and make it absolutely delectable and satisfying with her twisted plot.”
— @CaffeineReadRepeat on Instagram
At the Quiet Edge – 2022
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A young mother has done everything possible to put the past behind her, but it might not be enough…
Abandoned by her fugitive ex-husband, Lily Brown is rebuilding her life on the edge of a Kansas town that still feels the sting of his crimes. Lily lies low, managing the isolated storage facility where she lives with her twelve-year-old son, Everett, and planning a better future for them both. That requires keeping secrets. Everett has them too.
After breaking into a storage unit, Everett finds photographs and news clippings of five girls missing for decades. For Everett, it’s an adventure and a tempting mystery to solve. But digging further into a stranger’s obsession is putting Everett and his mother in the crosshairs of a killer.
Then Lily’s ex resurfaces from the shadows. Just as suddenly, an attentive new man enters Lily’s life. And a suspicious detective, responding to reports of a prowler, watches every move Lily makes. It’s getting harder for Lily to know who to trust—or whose secrets pose the most frightening threat of all.
“Hair-raising psychological thriller. The plot’s many twists and turns will stun and surprise readers. Suspense fans will get their money’s worth.”
—Publishers Weekly
“I raced through the pages of At the Quiet Edge. This propulsive story places you inside a world of secrets, and locks you inside. And like our heroine Lily and her son Everett, it’s hard to know who to trust. This is taut, heart-pounding suspense.”
—Kaira Rouda, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Next Wife and Somebody’s Home
“Sharp and sophisticated, At the Quiet Edge commanded my attention from the captivating first chapter to the electrifying ending.”
—Minka Kent, Washington Post bestselling author
“As a single mom, I couldn’t help but identify with the complex dynamics between mother and son as each protected the other in this gripping thriller. It is a thrilling game of cat and mouse that kept me guessing all the way up to the jaw-dropping conclusion.”
—Lucinda Berry, bestselling author of The Best of Friends and The Perfect Child
“An utterly compelling blend of family drama and suspense, At the Quiet Edge pulled me in and didn’t let go. I read this riveting, twisty book in one sitting. Not to be missed.”
—A. J. Banner, #1 Amazon, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author
The Last One Home – 2021
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A razor-sharp novel of suspense about the lies families tell—and those we choose to believe.
Lauren Abrams wants nothing to do with her damaged mother, whose spurious testimony sent Lauren’s father to prison for murder years ago. After a serial killer’s confession to the crime restored justice, Lauren chose to live with her father and grandmother. Now an adult, Lauren has come home to the Sacramento family estate for good, her mother’s lies be damned…
It’s been decades since Donna made her cheating boyfriend pay, but she hasn’t forgotten the past. She knows her estranged daughter has made a terrible mistake by returning to the estate. There’s more to the story of the welcoming old homestead—and her childhood—than Lauren knows.
As Lauren settles in, she is haunted by the questions of what really happened with her father, what her mother might be hiding, and what secrets the family ranch holds. It’s getting so dark, Lauren may not be able to see the truth to save her life.
“Stone gradually reveals her multifaceted characters’ secrets as the intricate, fast-paced plot builds to a surprising conclusion. Fans of dark, twisted tales of dysfunctional families will be satisfied.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The Last One Home is elegant and chilling, an indelible novel of family secrets. I couldn’t put it down until I learned the truth about these finely-drawn characters—the ending left me absolutely shocked and amazed, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
—Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Box
“Gripping and relentless, The Last One Home stalks you like the serial killer within its pages: you know danger is right around the corner, but you don’t know when it’ll strike. And just when you think you have the story figured out, Victoria Helen Stone rips the rug right out from under your feet. Highly recommend!”
—Avery Bishop, author of Girl Gone Mad
“In The Last One Home, Victoria Helen Stone weaves another sure-handed story, this one about mothers, the fierce love they have for their children, and just how far they will go to protect their progeny. This is a suspense novel that’s in part a love story, as well as a chilling mystery. But it’s the kind of tale that sneaks up on you, revealing discoveries in the last scorching chapters that flip the whole narrative on its head. Full of shifting family loyalties and recollections of the past, and creepy, alone-in-the-countryside vibes, this book held me, start to finish, in its mesmerizing thrall.”
—Emily Carpenter, author of Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters
Problem Child – 2020
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A Jane Doe Thriller!
She’s cold, calculating, and can deceive with a smile. Jane Doe is back in the Amazon Charts bestselling series—and this time she’s met her match.
After a brutal childhood, Jane Doe has been permanently wired to look after herself and only herself. Now, looking next to normal, Jane has a lover and a job. But she hasn’t lost her edge. It sharpens when she hears from her estranged family.
Jane’s deeply troubled sixteen-year-old niece, Kayla, has vanished, and no one seems to care. Neither does Jane. Until she sees a picture of Kayla and recognizes herself in the young girl’s eyes. It’s the empty stare of a sociopath.
Jane knows what vengeful and desperate things Kayla is capable of. Only Jane can help her—by being drawn into Kayla’s dark world. And no one’s more aware than Jane just how dangerous that can be.
“Outstanding… Readers will find vicarious joy in Jane’s petty vengeances and unabashed meanness to anyone who tries to take advantage of her. Stone turns some very dark material into an upbeat tale.”
—Publishers Weekly STARRED Review
False Step – 2019
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Stay calm, keep smiling, and watch your step. In this marriage of secrets and lies, nothing is what it seems.
For days, all of Denver, Colorado, has worried over the fate of a missing child, little Tanner Holcomb. Then, a miracle: handsome, athletic Johnny Bradley finds him, frightened but unharmed, on a hiking trail miles from his wealthy family’s mountain home.
In a heartbeat, his rescuer goes from financially strapped fitness trainer to celebrated hero. The heat of the spotlight may prove too much for Johnny’s picture-perfect family, however. His wife, Veronica, despises the pressure of the sudden fame, afraid that secrets and bitter resentments of her marriage may come to light. And she’s willing to do anything to keep them hidden.
But when a shocking revelation exposes an even darker side to Tanner’s disappearance, Veronica realizes that nothing in her life can be trusted. And everything should be feared.
“[A] cleverly plotted thriller…Danger and savage emotions surface as [Veronica] discovers that she’s not the only one whose life is built on secrets and lies. Stone keeps the reader guessing to the end.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Filled with heart-pounding suspense.”
—Woman’s World
“False Step aptly demonstrates author Victoria Helen Stone as a gifted novelist with a genuine flair for originality and a distinctive, reader engaging, narrative storytelling style.”
—Midwest Book Review
Jane Doe – 2018
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A double life with a single purpose: revenge.
Jane’s days at a Midwest insurance company are perfectly ordinary. She blends in well, unremarkably pretty in her floral-print dresses and extra efficient at her low-level job. She’s just the kind of woman middle manager Steven Hepsworth likes—meek, insecure, and willing to defer to a man. No one has any idea who Jane really is. Least of all Steven. But plain Jane is hiding something. And Steven’s bringing out the worst in her.
Nothing can distract Jane from going straight for his heart: allowing herself to be seduced into Steven’s bed, to insinuate herself into his career and his family, and to expose all his dirty secrets. It’s time for Jane to dig out everything that matters to Steven. So she can take it all away. Just as he did to her.
“This beautifully balanced thriller will keep readers tense, surprised, pleased, and surprised again as a master manipulator unfolds her plan of revenge.” -Kirkus Reviews STARRED review for Jane Doe
“Stone skillfully, deviously, and gleefully leads the reader down a garden path to a knockout WHAM-O of an ending. Jane Doe will not disappoint.” —New York Journal of Books
“Ladies, we finally have the revenge story we’ve always deserved.” —Criminal Element
Half Past – 2017
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Hannah has always felt like a stranger in her own home. She’s about to find out why.
At forty-five, Hannah Smith is at a crossroads. That’s her spin on it. The reality is she’s divorced, jobless, and moving back to her family home in Iowa to keep an eye on her mother, who’s slipping into dementia.
Her return stirs up the same unnerving sense of disconnect Hannah has felt since childhood—always the odd girl out, the loner outshone by her two older sisters. Hannah knew the feelings of hurt would come back. But she never expected fear. Because when her mother looks into her eyes and whispers, “You’re not my daughter,” Hannah is beginning to believe it’s not just the rambling of a confused woman.
It’s the truth.
Now Hannah’s following the trail of a family mystery to the dark coast of Big Sur, where years ago a lie was born—and buried. As frightened as she is to unearth it, Hannah knows this is the last chance she has before her past—and all its terrible secrets—are lost forever.
“A captivating, suspenseful tale of love and lies, mystery and self-discovery, Half Past kept me flipping the pages through the final, startling twist.” —A. J. Banner, #1 Amazon and USA Today bestselling author of The Good Neighbor and The Twilight Wife
Evelyn, After – 2016
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An eye for an eye — and a husband for a husband?
Evelyn Tester is sleepwalking through her suburban life—until a late-night phone call startles her awake. Her husband, a prestigious psychiatrist, has been in an accident. And he isn’t alone.
Suddenly Evelyn’s world isn’t as tidy as she thought. And in the midst of it all is Juliette, not only her husband’s secret lover but also his patient. If news of the affair were to get out, it would ruin more than just Evelyn’s marriage. Although it’s a bitter pill for Evelyn to swallow, protecting her family means staying silent—even if, as she begins to discover, the night of the accident has consequences far more dangerous than the unmasking of an affair.
But the more Evelyn learns about Juliette’s picture-perfect life—complete with a handsome, unsuspecting husband—the more she yearns for revenge…and satisfaction. Her growing obsession fuels her rage, burning away her complacency. What will be left of her after it flames out?
“Hands down, the best book I’ve read this year. Brilliant, compelling, and haunting.” —Suzanne Brockmann, New York Times bestselling author
“Stone (a nom de plume of romance writer Victoria Dahl)… ably switches to darker suspense in a compelling story exploring what lurks behind a seemingly perfect life.” —Booklist
“Stone pens a great story that will have readers wondering what will happen next…” 4 Stars from RT Book Reviews