Don't Answer The Phone
- Judith D Collins
- May 22
- 4 min read
By: Miranda Rijks
ISBN: 9781837567157
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Publication Date: 03/08/2026
Format: e-book
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
She’s the woman of his dreams. He’s the monster from her nightmares.
When Daniella rescues elderly Peggy from a mugger on a Boston street, she expects nothing in return. But then she meets Peggy's son, Lucas—devastatingly handsome and utterly captivating. Unlike her distant husband Grant, Lucas sees her. Wants her.
Daniella can’t resist and they spend one reckless night together which she immediately regrets.
Too late, because Lucas doesn't just want Daniella. He needs her. And he's willing to destroy everything—and everyone—standing in his way.
Lucas plays the long game, worming his way into Daniella's life—befriending Grant, charming her twin daughters, inveigling his way into her family. Every time she turns around, he seems to be there.
As the depths of his obsession become clear, Daniella realizes she’s in a fight for her life. Because the family she tried to help is hiding something dark. Something deadly.
And she's already in too deep to escape.
Don’t Answer The Phone - the chilling psychological thriller from the best-selling author of One Little Mistake and The Visitors.
My Review
In Miranda Rijks, DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE, a seemingly simple act of kindness unravels into a chilling spiral of obsession, peril, and cunning manipulation.
This riveting psychological thriller weaves a tale that will ensnare your senses and keep you riveted to the pages, as the characters navigate a dark labyrinth of intentions and consequences that blur the lines between trust and betrayal.
☎️ One reckless mistake. A monster on the line.
When a random act of kindness turns into an obsessive nightmare, would you know when to hang up? Don't Answer the Phone by Miranda Rijks is a fast, frantic thriller that will make you rethink greeting strangers.
The Hook
A lonely woman rescues an elderly mugging victim on a Boston street, only to be seduced by the victim's terrifyingly obsessive son.
Elevator Pitch
After a single, instantly regretted night of passion with the charming Lucas, Daniella finds her entire world systematically infiltrated. Lucas plays the ultimate long game—befriending her distant husband and charming her twin daughters—forcing Daniella into a frantic fight for her family's survival as a deadly family secret unravels.
Setting
Boston, Massachusetts—navigating from bustling metropolitan streets into the claustrophobic confines of Daniella’s cozy family home.
Vibe
Tense, bingeable, frantic, and highly dramatic. It heavily channels a modern, popcorn-thriller adaptation of Fatal Attraction.
Genre
Psychological Thriller / Domestic Suspense.
Themes
~The Danger of Obsession:
The terrifying reality of a master manipulator invading your safe spaces.
~The Weight of a Mistake:
Dealing with the cascading fallout of an impulsive, regretful decision.
~Hidden Family Dynamics: Unearthing pitch-black malice masked beneath mid-life loneliness and respectability.
Standout Characters
~Daniella: A business owner, mother of twin daughters, and a lonely wife whose life shatters after one reckless error.
~Lucas: A devastatingly handsome, utterly deranged master manipulator who plays a chilling long game.
Author Writing Standout
Miranda Rijks excels at relentless escalation. The plot moves at an incredibly brisk pace, using multiple points of view to keep the reader constantly on edge as Lucas’s erratic behavior worsens. A single lapse in judgment can open the door to a predator who is willing to burn down your entire life to possess you.
Title Significance
Don't Answer the Phone acts as a literal and psychological warning against letting a dangerous stalker retain a direct line of communication into your private life.
Metaphor
The story progresses like a tightening noose—starting with an innocent, good deed that gradually pulls tighter until breathing room completely disappears.
Why You Should Read
Pick this up if you want a fast, plot-driven "popcorn thriller" that values high suspense, wicked pacing, and massive entertainment over heavy character studies.
My Thoughts
This book keeps you glued to your headphones. Lucas is a brilliantly written monster whose calculating charm makes him deeply unsettling as he worms his way into Daniella's inner circle. While Daniella's early decisions might frustrate you, the desperate survival mode she is forced into makes her entirely sympathetic by the climax.
Audio 🎧 Standout
Hannah Curtis and Luke Persiani deliver an exceptional dual-narration performance. Curtis captures Daniella's escalating panic with a convincing, smooth delivery, while Persiani handles the male chapters beautifully, perfectly calculating the underlying menace in Lucas's charming facade. Together, their performances supercharge the audiobook's rapid pacing.
Verdict
A Highly Entertaining Binge (4.5/5 Stars). Don't Answer the Phone is a sleek, plot-driven domestic thriller that masterfully builds a claustrophobic sense of dread. While the narrative arc hits predictable notes for seasoned thriller fans, Rijks keeps the stakes incredibly high and drops in a late-game twist you won't see coming. It is a satisfying, fast-paced ride perfect for an intense afternoon listen.
Recs...
If you enjoy the author's specific "fast-paced and twisty" style, readers of Don't Answer the Phone will enjoy these Miranda Rijks titles:
~The New Neighbour
~The Homemaker
~Forget Me Not
~Make Her Pay
In addition, fans of:
~The Teacher by Freida McFadden — Perfect for readers who want that fast, addictive, twisty popcorn-thriller energy filled with jaw-dropping secrets.
~The Housemaid by Freida McFadden — Shares the same gripping, claustrophobic domestic tension where someone dangerous worms their way into a household.
~Our Little Secret by Roz Nay — Captures the same theme of an obsessive, relentless individual systematically dismantling a woman's life from the inside out.
Many thanks to Inkubator Books, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading and listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: March 8, 2026
Audio Pub Date: June 16, 2026
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About the Author
Miranda Rijks is the bestselling author of 27 fast-paced psychological thrillers. You can download her FREE novella The Cheat, on her website mirandarijks . com. She also offers readers the chance to name characters in her books.
Miranda lives in Sussex, England, and when she’s not writing, she’s planning her next trip to The Alps, knitting obsessively, or getting distracted by her black Labrador.
Before turning to fiction, Miranda helped newbie entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful businesses. In 2015, she was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. This completely changed her life and when she recovered, she started writing full-time. WEBSITE
