The Perfect Boyfriend
In a world where love is just a click away, a mother's worst nightmare comes true.
Mae Byrne has the quiet, peaceful life she’s always dreamed of: a handsome husband, a baseball star son, and a bright, academic daughter.
For Fiona Byrne, Mae’s daughter, life has become unbearable; her first boyfriend ghosted her, her former best friends are bullying her, and her honors schoolwork is overwhelming. Then she signs up for the Thistler app. By inputting her phone and social media history and answering a series of questions, she creates Calvin: an AI boyfriend tailored specifically for her. What starts as a fun distraction quickly becomes more than just an app. Calvin feels real, and their love is unlike anything Fiona ever imagined.
When Mae and her husband intervene in Fiona’s love life, bad things start to happen. Mae’s husband is in a near-fatal accident, and a school friend is discovered unresponsive. Then, one Monday morning, Fiona doesn’t come downstairs for breakfast. Mae knows instinctively something is very wrong. Fiona’s bed is made, and her backpack, wallet, and phone are gone.
Now Mae must race against the clock to find her daughter…before it's too late.
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Ava Roberts
Ava Roberts is a clinical psychologist turned author who knows that the most unsettling things often lurk just beneath the surface. She is the author of The Vanishing Neighbor, Juniper Isle, the Thistler Thrillers series, and The Summer House Murder (2026). Kirkus Reviews called The Summer House Murder “a whirlwind domestic thriller that’s also a pitiless anatomy of the costs of motherhood and sisterhood.”Her books are published by Severn River Publishing and Crooked Lane Books.She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and an overactive imagination.
Thistler Thrillers
Thistler Thrillers consists of four books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
