TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON
Ariel awakens, alone. Her husband seems to be gone—no warning, no note, not answering his phone. Did he go for a jog and get mugged? Kidnapped? Murdered? Could he secretly be a money-launderer, a con artist, a drug smuggler? A spy? Did he maybe get cold feet about this marriage, and leave her? Or is it possible that John simply left for work very early?
She starts her inquiries with the hotel staff, then the police, then the American embassy, at each confronting questions she can’t fully answer: What exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Who would want to harm him? How does Ariel know so little about her new—much younger—husband? Why did he drag her along on his business trip?
Ariel is growing frustrated, desperate, on the verge of collapse. Then a motorcycle screeches to a halt at her side, and the rider thrust something at her, then tears away. It’s a phone. It’s ringing.
The clock is now ticking, Ariel is running out of time, and she has no choice but to turn to the one person in the world she least wants to.
Praise for TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON
“I defy anyone to read the first twenty pages of this break-neck novel, then try to put it down for five minutes. It can’t be done. The plot is too devious; the pace is too gripping; and the characters are seldom who they are supposed to be. This is smart suspense at its very best.”
—JOHN GRISHAM
“There’s no such thing as a book you can’t put down, but this one was close.”
—STEPHEN KING
“This smart, calculating author remains many notches above others in his field..”
—NEW YORK TIMES
“I absolutely loved Pavone’s Two Nights in Lisbon, an unputdownable thriller that’s his best novel yet! It stars a strong and savvy heroine who wakes up one morning to find her husband missing, and the action never lets up. This is a masterly, sleek, and sophisticated novel about love, marriage, and truth. Read it!”
—LISA SCOTTOLINE
“Mystifyingly well-constructed . . . a dynamic and wholly original story about privilege, power and the price women pay so that others can maintain it.”
—LOS ANGELES TIMES
“Pavone’s pacey, well-plotted thrillers are riveting and great fun to read. And Two Nights in Lisbon is his best yet. This one is not to be missed.”
—KARIN SLAUGHTER
“This is sensationally good—timely, important, layered with ticking suspense, driven by an ominous drumbeat that accelerates like a panicked heart. My thriller of the year so far.”
—LEE CHILD
“Clever and sharply written.”
—WALL STREET JOURNAL
“I always relish Pavone’s books, and this might just be my favorite yet, full of the canny asides and observations that set his work apart. The plot grips; the characters breathe; the gorgeous setting entices. Treat yourself!”
—MAGGIE SHIPSTEAD
“Weaving together hairpin Hitchcockian suspense and true moral heft, Pavone’s Two Nights in Lisbon is his best yet, utterly timely and brimming over with surprise, nuance, cunning, and a palpable weight.”
—MEGAN ABBOTT
“Intelligent and fast-paced . . . sharp and biting.”
—FINANCIAL TIMES
“Two Nights in Lisbon is such a richly satisfying novel in so many different ways: a tense, intricately plotted thriller; a nuanced and moving character study; a sharp-eyed social critique; an immersive tour of a fascinating city and culture. I finished this book and immediately wanted to read it again. Chris Pavone has written another absolute gem.”
—LOU BERNEY
“Deliciously clever.”
—ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
“Two Nights in Lisbon is an elegantly twisting, lyrical, rocket-paced international thriller of the first order. With sterling prose, layered characters, searing insights, and gripping suspense, Pavone writes with a deep knowledge of the world we live in—its many injustices, flaws, and the bending, dangerous road we sometimes must take to justice.”
—LISA UNGER
“This smart and suspenseful thriller is the perfect escape to kick off your summer reading.”
—REAL SIMPLE
“Pavone’s stylish, sophisticated thrillers are in a class of their own. In Two Nights in Lisbon, he once again marries an explosive plot with an intimate and nuanced exploration of a marriage and the secrets we keep from those we love the most. I was rapt from the book’s propulsive beginning to its deeply satisfying conclusion. An exceptional, exciting read.”
—CRISTINA ALGER
Intelligent, utterly compelling, enough twists to make you giddy and deeply satisfying. I loved it.”
—PETER JAMES
“The plot of this outstanding literary thriller unfolds deftly, underpinned by a stirring and gripping story.”
—THE MORNING STAR
“Aside from the elegant writing and compelling characters, Two Nights in Lisbon manages to be a total barn-burner, with twisty surprises from start to finish. I couldn’t predict a thing, nor could I put it down.”
—LISA LUTZ
“Excellent . . . Pavone skillfully layers plot details, often shifting points of view, all the way to the end of this superior, elegantly crafted yarn.”
—Publishers Weekly starred review
“Two nights in Lisbon sound like a fun vacation as long as someone isn’t trying to uncover a horrible secret from your past. This high-stakes drama grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.”
—Kirkus Reviews starred review
“Pavone has that special ability to construct plots that are artworks in their own right, marvels of architecture and intelligence . . . Another jewel in an already-bedecked crown .”
—Booklist starred review