Payback by Elizabeth Rose Quinn

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Payback

by Elizabeth Rose Quinn

Published by Thomas & Mercer on May 5, 2026
Setting: Los Angeles, California
Genres: Psychological Thrillers
Pages: 287
Format: Audible Audiobook, Audiobook, Kindle, Paperback
Source: the Publisher
Goodreads
Get Your Copy at: Amazon

For seven inmates, their luxury weekend prison sentence comes with concierge service—and complimentary homicide.
Welcome to Pay to Stay, Los Angeles’s premier minimum-security facility where the privileged serve time Friday to Monday only.
But this New Year’s weekend, seven inmates—including a driven campaign manager, a disgraced nurse, a party girl, and one mysterious male transfer—discover their abusive guard dead, wrapped in an ironic “Community Payback” vest. Now they must solve his murder before their cushy arrangement becomes a permanent stay in maximum security.
As a storm rages outside and the power fails, alliances shift within. With police knocking at their door and an emotional support iguana named Nacho as their witness, these inmates hustle to collect evidence and plan a killer party—all while dodging suspicion. Because someone in this concrete block is a murderer. And everyone is a suspect. But as New Year’s Eve approaches and bodies pile up, these unlikely allies discover that in Pay to Stay, some debts can only be paid in blood.

Payback by Elizabeth Rose Quinn is full of thrilling craziness.

Will the prisoners find a way out before more of them are killed?

Payback takes place in a women’s correctional prison, where the prisoners not only pay for their crimes but also for the privilege of staying at this weekend facility. However, that goes sideways over the Christmas holiday when one guard decides to take things beyond his normal responsibilities.

The lady prisoners are joined by an actual federal male prisoner at the request of their guard. He has decided that it will show the ladies what they have to look forward to. In the process, things go terribly wrong for all of them. And not all of them will make it out alive.

I had a really hard time getting into this story because the author starts from the guard’s point of view, and we learn about him growing up and becoming who he is. However, I couldn’t stand him, which I know is the point. But honestly, he deserved what he got and more so. Although the other prisoners didn’t necessarily deserve what happened to them. Some needed some therapy, and one needed a twelve-step program, not that any of them actually were ready to face their demons, do the work, and turn their lives around.

However, by the end, we did have a few characters with some serious growth and the possibility of some sunny days in their future.

Four Stars

My rating for Payback by Elizabeth Rose Quinn is four stars. Ms. Quinn is a wonderful storyteller. I was in that prison in Los Angeles with those ladies, hating that guard and judging the other prisoners right along with them. The plot was well laid out, and even though I was paying attention, I still missed a critical piece of the puzzle until all was revealed at the end. Very well played, Ms. Quinn.

If you get the chance to check this one out, I recommend it. Just keep your eyes open, not everything is as it seems.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Payback by Elizabeth Rose Quinn.

Until the next time,

 

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2026 Cloak and Dagger JEN
• 2026 Goodreads RC JEN
• 2026 Medical Examiner Mystery RC JEN
• 2026 Thriller RC

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