Book Synopsis

When Dara Banks, Rock Canyon's leading Realtor, searches for an assistant, finding someone as resourceful as Meryl "Merry" Rafter seems too good to be true. So good, in fact, she neglects to run a reference check. Bad move.

Before she knows it, Merry, a former "actress" trying to be "helpful," has insinuated herself into Dara's business, family, and charity and may be the only person saving her from prison. Dara becomes suspicious and begins snooping into Merry's past. Feeling cornered, Merry reciprocates by launching an investigation of her own and realizes-too late-that she may have picked the wrong mark to con. These women's unsettling discoveries, and their desperate efforts to safeguard their skeleton-filled closets and fragile self-images, lead to an explosive confrontation certain to destroy the lives of everyone in their midst.

Review Quotes

"Two women. Friends? Hardly. They're both after the same thing. And as the stakes get higher, the mind games get uglier, until-well, I'm not going to give away the killer ending. D. M. Barr's latest domestic thriller is a total rush. It's like being back with Betty and Veronica all over again-only this ain't high school, and these women (like the title says) are Deadly When Disturbed."-Marshall Karp, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author - the NYPD RED series

"Who's the hunter and who's the hunted in this taut domestic thriller? Don't even try to guess. Just relax, enjoy, and hang on as Deadly When Disturbed takes you on a wild ride."-Brad Parks, international bestselling author of The Boundaries We Cross

"Tense, well-written, and surprising-Liane Moriarty meets Gillian Flynn by way of John Lutz in D.M. Barr's latest domestic thriller, Deadly When Disturbed. Gaslighting and suburban intrigue abound in this carefully crafted tale, guaranteed to keep you in suspense all the way to the final chapter. Put this one at the top of your to-be-read pile!"-Richard Helms, Thriller, Macavity, and Shamus Awards winning author of 22 Rue Montparnasse.

"Deadly When Disturbed is a superb dark thriller that offers a brilliantly written bizarro take on the classic All About Eve. Shifts in reality and twists of the plot keep the reader on edge until the stunning and unexpected climax. Fasten your seatbelt and hang on. It's a great ride."-S. Lee Manning, award-winning author of Trojan Horse, Nerve Attack, Bloody Soil, and Deadly Choice.

"In this electrifying psychological thriller, D.M. Barr masterfully weaves a tale of deception and deadly ambition. When successful realtor Dara Banks meets the seemingly perfect Merry Rafter, their carefully constructed facades begin to crack, revealing the darkness beneath polished veneers of suburban success. This sophisticated reimagining of the Single White Female scenario creates an atmosphere of mounting tension where every gesture of friendship masks a threat. With razor-sharp prose and devastating twists, Deadly When Disturbed builds to a shocking conclusion that will leave readers questioning everything they thought they knew."-Emilya Naymark, Sue Grafton Memorial Award nominee, author of Behind The Lie and Hide In Place.

"Deadly When Disturbed by D.M. Barr is a clever psychological thriller reminiscent of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, updated for today's culture and with a superior narrative.... With a steady and increasingly intense pace, [it] is a hypnotic read of insanity and wretchedness that will stay with you long after the last page."-Gaius Konstantine for Readers' Favorite