Review of Twisted Threads

[Cara Wilding]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Twisted Threads" by Kaylin McFarren.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Akira is a trained geisha forced into servitude as an assassin for a notorious Japanese crime family, the Zakura-kai. Mitsui, the crime family boss, sends Akira on one last assignment that will finally release her from his control. She must avenge the murder of Matsui’s sister, Keiko. The only problem is - that there is more than one potential suspect. Akira must figure out whether Paul or Sara Lyons, a severely dysfunctional married couple, murdered Keiko…or she must kill them both.


The assignment requires Akira to board a luxury cruise ship and blend in with thousands of other tourists on vacation. Takashi, a cleaner for the Zakura-kai, assumes the role of Akira’s father and joins her on this mission. To get close to the couple, Akira uses her skills as a geisha to seduce Devon Lyons, the nephew. A steamy and complicated romance ensues, but not before people start to disappear and die under questionable circumstances. Bodies are piling up…but they are not Akira’s doing. Will Akira be able to figure out who killed Keiko in time? Is the mysterious presence onboard the ship a threat to Akira? Can she complete her assignment and still expect to win Devon’s love?


Announced as an adult erotic, psychological thriller, Twisted Threads is the fourth novel in the Threads series by Kaylin McFarren. I thought the plot of this book was unique because the assassin had to figure out who to kill, while in most cases, an assassin has a particular target. This added a nice touch of mystery to the story, giving it further excitement and suspense. While there were a lot of characters to keep up with, each addition kept me questioning and guessing who they might be! The ending is about as unpredictable as they come. Here, the reader understands how twisted the threads within this novel are! The author cleverly leaves subtle breadcrumbs throughout the book, best appreciated at the conclusion.


While the prologue set the tone for a psychological thriller, I was disappointed that there was very little in the book to support this genre. At best, I would say this is an adult erotic romance; however, it’s difficult to place because it’s a genre cocktail with elements of erotica, romance, action-adventure, thriller, mystery, and suspense. The main plot supports the mystery, crime, action-adventure, thriller, and suspense genres, yet feels unsatisfying because the pace and action fall off after the first few chapters. There are also too many unanswered questions at the end. It is plausible that many of these unanswered questions are part of the backstory reading within the author’s earlier works.


The entire middle of the novel is an erotic romance that feels segmented from the rest of the book. It was also unsatisfying because the character development came at the expense of a highly complicated plot and multiple sub-plots. I found myself liking Akira, but I didn’t believe in her. Her driving motivation made the assignment high stakes; however, her behavior and actions focused very little on her task and made me question her commitment. Akira is a trained assassin, but her many problematic choices and mistakes would lead me to believe otherwise. I was rooting for the romance between Akira and Devon, but I did not believe in their stated connection. I felt the author was telling me about their connection without showing it. The interaction between Akira and Devon seemed purely physical. Akira continued to leave Devon’s questions about her unanswered, and I find it difficult to believe he could ever feel like he knew who she was enough to have a deep connection with her. Perhaps there was more character development in the earlier books, making it questionable if this book is truly stand-alone.


The end of the book turns back into an action-adventure, mystery, and thriller with an unnecessary male sexual assault scene that doesn’t add anything meaningful or substantive to the plot. The final chapters feel rushed to close out the narrative. Yet, they do leave the reader with an unpredictable ending. For these reasons, I give this book a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. Overall, it was easy to read, with only a few errors.


Adult readers of the erotic romance genre would enjoy this book, and anyone looking for a distraction in the form of a slow burn. For those readers who lean more towards action-adventure, mystery, or thriller, this will not likely satisfy the expectations for those genres. Due to the explicit sexual depictions, graphic violence, and the portrayal of non-consensual sexual assault, I do not think it is suitable for young readers or those who might be sensitive to such content.

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Twisted Threads
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[Anon_Reviewer]

I definitely prefer heart-racing thrillers with loads of action, so I probably won't enjoy this book. I'm also not a fan of erotica, and the unnecessary erotic romance in the middle would likely turn me off - ironically. Thanks for the detailed review with a justified rating!

[Cara Wilding]

I definitely prefer heart-racing thrillers with loads of action, so I probably won't enjoy this book. I'm also not a fan of erotica, and the unnecessary erotic romance in the middle would likely turn me off - ironically. Thanks for the detailed review with a justified rating!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! Haha, that is "ironic"...I still have to give the author credit for spinning a wild web on this one. This is definitely for those who like their minds to be wrapped up while reading AND who don't mind a little romance or erotica!

[Jennifer Coxon]

This is a great detailed review. It feels like the author got confused about the plot. I've had this before with another book where the author appeared determined to add an erotic scene and it felt out of place and not organic (at least not at that point in time) for the characters to have had that interaction. Similarly, the female lead was a strong independent character, until she was with a male love interest and then her actions and decisions just didn't compute with what the reader knew of the character. It is very disappointing when reading. I think I would give this Twisted Threads a miss.

[Cara Wilding]

This is a great detailed review. It feels like the author got confused about the plot. I've had this before with another book where the author appeared determined to add an erotic scene and it felt out of place and not organic (at least not at that point in time) for the characters to have had that interaction. Similarly, the female lead was a strong independent character, until she was with a male love interest and then her actions and decisions just didn't compute with what the reader knew of the character. It is very disappointing when reading. I think I would give this Twisted Threads a miss.

Jennifer, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment! Every so often, I will run across a book that just leaves me bewildered with regards to the plot. This one had potential, but ended up being a miss for me too.

[Seetha E]

Your analysis of the book is remarkable, as always. I completely agree with your assessment—when the plot seems to lose its way, and the inclusion of unnecessary erotic elements detracts from the overall story. It becomes quite frustrating, leaving me wanting to simply rush to the end or, worse yet, abandon the book altogether midway through. Appreciate your honest and in-depth analysis.