Good Intentions

A Novel

By: Marisa Walz

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

"A stunning debut with razor sharp tension and surprising twists." —Jeneva Rose

Even the best intentions can grow into obsession . . .

On the surface, Cady has the perfect life. She has a thriving luxury event-planning business, the man she’s loved since she was seventeen, and a social calendar she can barely keep up with. She also has Dana, her identical twin, her most trusted confidante. But when Dana dies suddenly, before Cady can say goodbye, everything shatters.

Yet to her family’s alarm, it isn’t grief for Dana that consumes her. It’s Morgan, a stranger Cady meets in the hospital waiting room that same day—a grieving mother whose tragedy mirrors her own. Cady doesn’t believe in coincidences. She becomes convinced that helping Morgan is the key to facing her sister’s death.

But is that really what she wants? Or is Cady drawn to Morgan for reasons far more complicated—and dangerous—than she’s willing to admit?

Sly, twisted, and irresistibly provocative, Good Intentions explores the moral gray zones we enter when the unthinkable happens—and the dark places obsession can take us.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press

Critic reviews

"Compelling. [For] readers who enjoy psychological suspense about grief, obsession, and unraveling relationships." —Library Journal

"Good Intentions is an absolute feat of a debut. Both an honest and unflinching exploration of grief and an extremely unsettling peek into one woman's snowballing obsession, Walz has managed to create one of the most complex and morally grey characters that I have encountered in a very long time." —Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of Forget Me Not

"A stunning debut with razor sharp tension and surprising twists. Good Intentions is a compulsive and chilling exploration of grief, obsession, and voyeurism. Walz is an author to watch!" —Jeneva Rose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Divorce

"Walz’s delicious debut offers a gasp-inducing wild ride that will have you racing through the pages. When Cady's sister dies in a haunting accident that flips her world upside down, it becomes clear that she has her own dark, twisted past that she can no longer ignore. With an intense pace, captivating characters, and breathtaking prose, this is a must-read for anyone who loves a heart-pounding thriller." —Jessica Payne, author of Never Trust the Husband

"With a fast pace and a constant sense of foreboding and unease, fans of psychological suspense will be obsessed with Marisa Walz's debut. Good Intentions is a shocking, gritty exploration of grief and guilt with an ending that will leave readers stunned." —Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing and She's Not Sorry

"I can't remember the last time I inhaled a novel as quickly and eagerly as I did Good Intentions—I simply couldn't stop flipping the pages until I reached its mind-blowing end. This is a masterfully twisty debut; psychological thriller lovers are in for a delicious treat. I can't wait to see what Walz does next." —Carola Lovering, bestselling author of Tell Me Lies

"Eerie and provocative, Good Intentions kept me turning the pages until the last shocking twist. Marisa Walz’s debut is a captivating study of grief, obsession, and guilt for fans of domestic thrillers and Caroline Kepnes’ You. This story is a unique take on the stalker narrative and the perfect one-sitting read." —Lauren Ling Brown, USA Today bestselling author of Society of Lies

Fantastic read

This book got me out of my funky book slump. I couldn’t put it down, I was hooked

Twisted Thriller

​If you’re looking for a standard "keep you up at night" thriller, keep moving. Good Intentions is so much more than that; it’s a clinical, intimate, and devastating excavation of the human soul. Marisa Waltz didn’t just write a book; she performed surgery on the concept of mourning.
​The Premise
​Our protagonist, Cady, is drowning in the wake of her identical twin’s death. While navigating that hollowed-out existence, she meets a mother in a hospital waiting room who is grappling with her own fresh tragedy. What follows is a descent into a feedback loop of "what ifs," manufactured realities, and a haunting obsession.
​Why It Hits Different
​The Prose of Pain: Waltz’s writing style is incredible. She captures the visceral, messy nature of grief with such precision that it’s almost invasive.
​The "Trigger" Factor: I’ll be honest—this book triggered me in the best possible way. It took the shapeless, chaotic emotions I carried during my own tragedy and finally put them into words.
​The Psychological Deep Dive: This is top-tier writing regarding the human psyche. It highlights the irrational, "crazy" places our minds go just to survive the day. You don't just read Cady’s sadness; you feel it in your literal bones.
​The Moral Dilemma
​The core of this book asks the ultimate uncomfortable question: Does a "good intention" sanitize a sin? Does the fact that you were acting out of broken-hearted love matter when your actions start leaving a trail of collateral damage? Waltz forces you to live in that grey area, and it is uncomfortable as hell.
​Final Verdict: I laughed, I cried, and I felt thoroughly seen. It’s a masterful look at how grief makes us act in ways we never thought possible. A must-read for anyone who likes their thrillers with a side of existential crisis and a lot of heart.

Wow!

This book is heartbreaking but you won’t want to put it down. I got confused a little with the story but googled it and it is intentional because the story is being told from the main characters point of view. I looked this author up because I wanted to see what else she has written. This is her debut novel. I’ll be looking for more from this author. Well done Marisa Walz!

Disturbing and hectic, mentally

While this was a slow burn psychological thriller, it was heavy on the psychological.

Spoiler (?) The main character learns nothing. She has the classic moment of narcissism denial midway through, but because she is cunning and charismatic, she faces little pushback. And the pushback may have served her well earlier in life, while the reader arrives by the time it's too late.

She's a flawed character, but somehow no one really holds her accountable except the antagonist, and for reasons you sense but only find out at the end. She weaponizes her victim status against everyone in the story instead of being honest. I don't think she is a good person, but she wastes a lot of effort trying to convince everyone her occasional bad deeds don't make her a bad person.

It's a common scenario among the protected social group she belongs to, as if she coasts a little above the fray--this makes her unable to be self-critical, but also makes for a harrowing story as she runs herself ragged trying to protect her self-concept.

I agree with others who say the dog could have been spared, but it drives home the ultimate example of how this main character should not be in charge of raising even a houseplant.

Oh my god!

I’ve seen people do crazy things because of grief and unchecked mental health so I’m not surprised how everything turned out but also, I am. So good. I usually listened while I was walking my dog and had to apologize to my neighbors for gasping as I was listening.