Gaslighting the Reader

The Shaking...A Thriller That Gaslights the Reader on Purpose

What happens when the hero of the story can't quite trust her mind, and neither can you?

Kerry Peresta’s The Shaking isn’t your typical entry in the suspense genre. It doesn’t hand you clues on a silver platter. It doesn’t follow a neat formula where good and bad are easily defined. Instead, it invites you into the fractured, high-stakes life of Olivia Callahan. She is a private investigator, trauma survivor, and woman on the edge, who dares you to keep up.

From the very first chapter, where Olivia is found unconscious in her garage, you’re thrown into a world that tilts just slightly off center. As she recovers, both physically and emotionally, Olivia finds herself pulled in different directions. By a mounting caseload, an increasingly problematic fraud case including high-end exotic automobiles and the crumbling trust of her closest relationships.

But the real tension? It’s in the quiet moments. The ones where Olivia’s mind starts to waver. Where her past blurs into her present. Where you're not sure if her instincts are sharp… or dangerously off.

When Your Instincts Lie to You

Unlike most suspense novels, The Shaking doesn't rely on external tricks. It turns the lens inward. Olivia is sharp and skilled, but also human. She is fiercely independent, emotionally guarded, and reeling from the aftershocks of a traumatic brain injury. That combination makes her riveting to follow… and nearly impossible to fully trust.

And that’s the genius of the novel: you’re not just watching her investigate. You’re constantly questioning what you’re seeing through her eyes. Is that friend avoiding her because of a case? Is Olivia’s personal growth coloring her opinions? Is that purported suspect truly guilty? Or is Olivia projecting her own past onto them?

Just when you think you've got the plot figured out, something shifts. Subtly at first, then in the blink of an eye, you’re not just watching everything fall apart. You’re part of it.

A Showdown, A Bullet, and a Boundary

If you’re waiting for a traditional twist ending, think again. The Shaking delivers its most powerful moment not in a courtroom or interrogation room, but in the backyard of Olivia’s home. 

It’s supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter, but chaos erupts. A stalker delivers a chilling ultimatum. Bullets fly. Guests scream and fall to the ground. In disbelief, she watches her carefully reconstructed life reduced to ashes. And in the aftermath, Olivia, pale and shaking, stands alone in the wreckage.

She doesn’t cry. She doesn’t retreat.

She makes a choice.

To stop absorbing everyone else’s damage.

To stop pretending she’s fine.

To stop running.

A Woman Who Refuses to Break

The Shaking by Kerry Peresta isn’t just another suspense novel. It’s an emotionally charged story of strength, survival, and the cost of truth. If you’re drawn to bold characters and messy realities that won’t let you look away, this book will stay with you long after the final chapter. Plan to purchase your copy as soon as it's available and meet Olivia Callahan. A private investigator, trauma survivor, and the woman who finally decides to take a stand.

Why This Thriller Hits Differently

What makes The Shaking rise above traditional suspense mysteries is the story's emotional honesty. Olivia doesn’t just solve mysteries. She survives them. She questions herself. She breaks down. She puts herself back together. And in doing so, she forces the reader to do the same.

This isn’t a story that ends with clean justice. It ends with a woman who’s been pushed to her limit and finally decides she won’t bend anymore. If you're searching for a fresh voice in the suspense genre, or you're craving mystery stories that explore trauma with grace, The Shaking belongs on your shelf. Because some thrillers make you question the villain.

But this one makes you question everything.

Available August 31 everywhere books are sold.