Publication Date: February 25, 2025
An extreme game of hide-and-seek turns deadly in this riveting new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger
When the real game begins, who will make it to the count of 10?
Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.
Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.
On the surface, it may seem like a simple game of hide and seek. However, this is an extreme version hosted on an island.
Author Lisa Unger delivers a spine-tingling adventure in Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. Contestants are vying to see who can find the best hiding spot, but they don’t realize they will be battling a fierce storm and a mysterious stalker.
From the first pages, the setting grabs readers. An abandoned hotel, crumbling where it stands, adds a layer of spookiness. Unbeknownst to the competitors, though, is a motive to turn the social media stunt into a lasting lesson that some places should remain undisturbed.
As with other books by this author, a significant amount of drama is brewing under the surface. As pieces are revealed, connections form to provide readers with a better understanding of what is happening.
The characters are diverse, with interesting backstories significant to the storyline. While Adele may seem like the natural contestant to root for, the author has plenty of twists and turns.
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 offers a fast-paced psychological thriller that is much more advanced than a simple game of hide-and-seek.
Lisa Unger is a NYT and internationally bestselling author. Her books are published in 32 languages, with millions of copies sold worldwide. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few writers including Agatha Christie. Her work has been named on “Best Book” lists from Today, People, GMA, EW, Amazon, IndieBound and many others. She has written for the NYT, WSJ, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. She lives in Florida with her family.
