The Loyal Friend by A.A. Chaudhuri #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the gripping thriller by A.A. Chaudhuri, The Loyal Friend.

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She has your back.

And may stab you in it.

Wealthy, pampered Susan is living the perfect life in leafy Kingston. She’ll never let anyone see the darkness she’s concealing behind the diamonds and rosé.

Grace is new to the group, seemingly the perfect wife and mum. Yet no one knows the truth of what’s happening behind closed doors.

Loner Natalie hides the pain of her childhood behind a carefully ordered life. But how long can the past stay hidden?

Three unlikely friends, brought together for a weekly class run by beautiful, friendly, instructor, Jade.

But when Jade goes missing in mysterious circumstances, the group starts to unravel. And as their darkest secrets come to light, it seems that no one can be trusted. Even their closest friends…

MY THOUGHTS

The Loyal Friend is a tense, twisty thriller by A.A. Chaudhuri and I raced through it. A.A. Chaudhuri has created an intriguing opening with the disappearance of gym instructor, Jade, who fails to turn up for one of her classes. The only person, who seems to be concerned, is Natalie. Jade has been a lifeline for Natalie since she persuaded her to join her class, and they have become firm friends. But as we get to know the rest of the women in Jade’s class, it’s clear to see they all have very different opinions of Jade. Is it possible that one of them could be responsible for her disappearance?

The characters in this book were so compelling. I really warmed to Natalie. The loss of her friend, Jade, is devastating for her. You can see just how worried she is about Jade in the opening of this book, and it is shocking to see that not everyone shares the same feelings she does. I really felt as though there was something that the group were hiding from the police, and as A.A. Chaudhuri tells the story, from the point of view of each of the women, I had a couple of suspects in mind. A. A. Chaudhuri did a brilliant job here of keeping me guessing.

I loved how the different voices of each of the women, comes through on the page, and A.A. Chaudhuri does a great job of making them feel unique. You really get a sense of what is going on in their heads as they each come to terms with Jade’s disappearance. We see what troubles are going on in their lives at the moment and A.A. Chaudhuri delves into their thoughts and fears really well, bringing them to life on the page. A.A. Chaudhuri really made me think that either one of them could potentially, be responsible for Jade going missing, and I was desperate to know if any of them were connected.

The twists in this book blew me away. I was pretty sure I’d worked out what had happened and who was responsible, but the real truth, when it came really was hard hitting, but it made so much sense as well. It was such a satisfying and an exciting ending. 

The Loyal Friend is a brilliant psychological thriller that will take your breath away. I absolutely loved it and I can’t wait to catch up on A.A. Chaudhuri’s next book.

Publisher: Hera

Publication date: 23rd June 2022

Print length: 341 pages

The Loyal Friend is available to buy:

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Profile K by Helen Fields #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Helen Fields, Profile K.

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He’s going to kill you. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Midnight Jones is an analyst trained to understand the human mind. But everything changes when, in the course of her work, she discovers Profile K’s file – because K stands for killer, and she knows that someone more dangerous than she could have ever imagined walks among them.

Midnight knows what Profile K is capable of before he even commits his first crime. But as the news rolls with the brutal murder of a local woman, no one believes what she tells them: that he is capable of so much worse.

Profile K will kill again – and, terrifyingly, Midnight realises that the moment she found his file was the moment she became his next target. Because Profile K is coming for Midnight – and the only way to escape with her life is to find him before he finds her…

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a big fan of Helen Fields writing, so I was really excited when her new novel, Profile K arrived on my doorstep. We are thrown headfirst into a terrifying first chapter which really does set the tone for the rest of the novel. Told from the point of view of a woman facing her attacker, I could really sense her fear as she realised what was going to happen to her and it makes for such a gripping opening. Helen Fields certainly opens her story with a bang and this makes sure that we keep reading. I was desperate to see the person who committed this crime brought to justice, but it is soon clear to see that the killer isn’t finished with their plans just yet and this is what makes them so scary.

We then meet Midnight Jones who works as an analyst for Necto, where she analyses the human mind and Midnight is very good at her job. While at work Midnight comes across a profile labelled Profile K, the letter K, standing for killer and this shocks Midnight to the core, and especially what she sees when she examines the profile. She feels compelled to tell the people who she works for about this, and to report it to the police, as not too far away the body of a young woman was found, but she struggles to make her voice heard. I could really sense her frustration. But soon she finds herself more drawn into this than she ever thought would be possible.

Midnight Jones is a brilliant character. We get a real sense of what is driving her throughout this book and that is particularly her love for her sister, who she is a carer for. Her sister, Dawn, is disabled and Midnight is the only person there to help her. Midnight provides for both of them which makes Midnight even more determined to do well at her job. Helen Fields has done a brilliant job of bringing their relationship to life in this book. The warmth and love they have for each other, shines through in their dialogue. After Midnight Jones comes across Profile K, she soon becomes this killer’s next target. There was so much tension in the book as the race to find the killer gains momentum.

This is a very dark thriller and Helen Fields has excelled once again in writing an absolutely gripping, twisty tale that I did not want to put down. I loved Profile K and I highly, highly recommend it. 

Publisher: Avon

Publication date: 25th April 2024

Print length: 375 pages

Profile K is available to buy:

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The Other Tenant by Lesley Kara #bookreview #blogtour @LesleyKara @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on The Other Tenant by Lesley Kara. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Marlow has always lived in unusual places. But when she accepts a position as a live-in property guardian, she finds herself moving somewhere she swore she’d never return to.

Right from the start, she knows it’s a terrible mistake. The elegant Victorian school is due to be turned into luxury apartments, but its eerie, empty corridors are full of Marlow’s worst memories.

And now something sinister is happening on the site. One of the other tenants has disappeared without warning, and Marlow suspects that the nine other guardians know far more than they’re letting on. She’s determined to find out what happened to the missing woman – but which of these strangers can she trust?

And can she uncover the truth before her own past catches up with her?

MY THOUGHTS

The Other Tenant is a really chilling psychological thriller by Lesley Kara. The novel is set in a building that was once an old school and Marlow never thought she would step back in her old school building, when she accepts a vacancy as a property guardian. But there is an air of mystery about the place that is apparent right from the first few pages. There is a sense that people are creeping about the building, up to no good, and that there is something terrible going on here. What is even more concerning for Marlow is what happened to the person who previously stayed in her room? It appears as though the previous tenant has vanished off the face of the earth, and no one has a clue of what could’ve happened to her or where she went.

The building itself becomes a character in its own right and Lesley Kara has created an atmospheric and a haunting setting that really drew me in. Lesley Kara describes her setting so, so well and I really felt as though I was walking the corridors of the old school with the characters. I wanted to know what was going on here and it feels incredibly dangerous when Marlow starts trying to find the answers. The quest to get to the bottom of things really does become an obsession for Marlow, and there are people within the building, who have started to notice what she is up to. It feels as though that something dark and dangerous has been going on here for a long time. This is what really drives the tension throughout the story and it did feel as though Marlow was sailing closer and closer to danger.

There are some shocking twists as the real history of the building comes to light and it is clear to see the impact this has on Marlow, as events that took place in the past are revealed. Her emotions come through really well on the page. It wasn’t a revelation that I was expecting and it does make for a very dark ending.

Lesley Kara has crafted a really twisty and a chilling tale that I did not want to put down. The Other Tenant is a compelling psychological thriller that I definitely recommend.

Publisher: Bantam

Publication date: 25th April 2024

Print length: 352 pages

The Other Tenant is available to buy:

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The House of Mirrors by Erin Kelly #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new thriller by Erin Kelly, The House of Mirrors.

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One of them has killed before.
One of them will kill again.

In the sweltering summer of 1997, straight-laced, straight-A student Karen met Biba – a bohemian and impossibly glamorous aspiring actress. A few months later, two people were dead and another had been sent to prison.

Having stood by Rex as he served his sentence, Karen is now married to him with a daughter, Alice, who runs a vintage clothing company in London. They’re a normal family, as long as they don’t talk about the past, never mention the name Biba, and ignore Alice’s flashes of dark, dangerous fury.

Karen has kept what really happened that summer of ’97 hidden deep inside her. Alice is keeping secrets of her own. But when anonymous notes begin to arrive at Alice’s shop, it seems the past is about to catch up with them all …

MY THOUGHTS

Ever since I read Erin Kelly’s debut novel, The Poison Tree, I’ve wondered about what happened to the characters, so I was so excited to hear that she would be returning to them in her new novel, The House of Mirrors. It jumped straight to the top of my TBR pile. The story begins several years after the events that took place in The Poison Tree. Alice is now a grown-up and living with her boyfriend, Gabe. Her mother Karen and father Rex are still together. Karen is still living with what she did all those years ago, and her fear is that Alice and Rex will uncover the truth, which will destroy them.

I really was hungry to find out what Alice might find as she begins to look into her parent’s past and Biba’s. You can see why she wants to make contact with her aunt, Biba, and find out more about her. She believes that her father, Rex, was wrongly convicted for the crime he was sent to prison for. He received a ten year sentence for murder and this still continues to have an impact on their lives, even though he’s served his sentence. People know who Rex is, and there are times when he is recognised with Karen out in public, and he isn’t made to feel welcome. To Alice this isn’t fair. She begins to suspect that her dad may be innocent and that someone else might be to blame for the crimes he committed.

I loved that Erin Kelly alternated telling the story from Alice and Karen’s perspectives. This really adds to the tension, particularly as Karen worries about her daughter living away with her partner, who she thinks is too controlling and isn’t good enough for her daughter. The darkness gradually creeps back into Alice and Rex’s lives and this is what keeps the tension simmering away. I was desperate to find out if the truth about what happened to Biba was going to come to light, and what Alice would do if this happened. It is clear to see what sort of impact this would have on all them, so this made me also wonder what Karen would do to make sure her secret stays a secret.

The House of Mirrors is an utterly gripping psychological thriller by Erin Kelly. Erin Kelly has a real talent for drawing you into the story and keeping you invested in the lives of her characters. This book was so good. I did not want it to end. I highly, recommend it.

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication date: 4th April 2024

Print length: 396 pages

The House of Mirrors is available to buy:

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The Trade Off by Sandie Jones #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new thriller by Sandie Jones, The Trade Off.

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Would you print a lie across a front page?

For Stella, Deputy Editor of The Globe, the choice has always been clear. There is no stone she will leave unturned in her pursuit of the best story. It’s what she’s built her reputation on.

For Jess, The Globe’s rookie reporter, the story stops when the truth does. But she knows that the dirty tricks of the tabloids will be hard to overturn.

And when the subject of the story Jess is working on pays the ultimate price, she suspects that the paper may have had more to do with it than they’re letting on . . .

What price would you pay to uncover the truth if someone is prepared to kill to bury it?

MY THOUGHTS

The Trade Off is the first novel by Sandie Jones that I’ve read and it did not disappoint. Sandie Jones has crafted an utterly compelling storyline in her latest psychological thriller, with characters who you will root for, and detest. We meet Stella and Jess. They are two very different women, but they are both working for the same, highly successful media outlet called The Globe, and over the course of the novel we begin to see their personalities clash and this puts the future of The Globe at risk.

Sandie Jones has created two brilliant characters in Stella and Jess. Stella is the deputy editor at The Globe and we see just how ruthless she can be. I really did not like her. She is willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants, and that includes making up lies to get the perfect headline. Stella certainly knows what she’s doing and is more than comfortable with it. It’s clear that there aren’t many people in the media world, particularly celebrities, who are a fan of The Globe, and getting a celebrity to agree to an interview with the publication is difficult. We only have to look at recent news stories, particularly within the last decade, to see that what Sandie writes about in her thriller isn’t far from the truth at all. When Jess starts working there, she has no knowledge of what is really going on behind the scenes. As she settles into her new job, what she sees horrifies her and it makes her question if this is the career she wants.

It is clear to see how much Stella doesn’t like Jess. Stella can see that Jess doesn’t have what it takes to be the sort of reporter she is, but Jess soon has other ambitions which begins to make life hell for Stella. This is what makes this novel so entertaining. It was fascinating seeing both Stella and Jess try to work together, even though it is clear to see the tensions that are simmering between them and Sandie Jones explores this really well. I loved how Sandie Jones explored their personalities which come through so strongly on the page. I think I connected more to Jess. She wants to do what’s best for the paper, but she wants to go about her job in an honest way in the pursuit of the truth. 

The Trade Off is a fascinating, and a highly entertaining read. I will definitely be reading more of Sandie’s books.

Publisher: Pan

Publication date: 17th August 2023

Print length: 395 pages

The Trade Off is available to buy:

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The Dream Home by T.M. Logan #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new thriller by T.M. Logan, The Dream Home.

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Adam and Jess move into a new house with their three young children: a rambling Victorian villa in a nice neighbourhood right at the very top of their price range. Before long Adam discovers a door hidden behind a fitted wardrobe, concealing a secret room . . .

Inside Adam discovers a collection of forgotten items: a wallet, an expensive watch and an old mobile phone. Jess thinks they should simply throw them away. But Adam resists. He is fascinated by these items and how they came to be inside the hidden room.

But like the house, Adam has his secrets too. And soon he will find himself setting in motion a series of events that will place his family in terrible danger . . .

MY THOUGHTS

I’m always excited whenever T.M. Logan has a new thriller out, and his new novel The Dream Home went straight to the top of my TBR pile. This is a really creepy, tense thriller and as I have found with all of T.M. Logan’s books, it is so addictive.

We meet Adam and Jess who are moving into their new home with their three children. Not long after moving in; Adam makes a surprising discovery, when he finds a hidden room, which they didn’t know about. Even the estate agent appears to have no knowledge about it either. Inside the room Adam finds various different items, which may have belonged to the previous owner. But not long after the discovery, he soon finds his family is being targeted by vicious thugs, and what they thought was going to be an exciting new chapter in their lives, turns into a nightmare.

This was such a tense read and I loved how T.M. Logan kept upping the tension with every new surprising twist and turn in this story. I wanted to get to the bottom of who the people were, who were now targeting Adam and his family. I could really sense their fear and anger. The mystery in this book really deepens, particularly when Adam uncovers an unsolved disappearance of a man that occurred more than a decade ago, and it’s possible, that the disappearance could now, at last, be solved, if the police agree to pick up the investigation. I was really intrigued by the possible link here, and as Adam investigates further, I could see the pain and anguish on the relatives of the missing man. I couldn’t believe the attitude that the police took towards Adam, and I felt really frustrated for him as he tried to plead with them to take what he was saying seriously. This did make me wonder if there were people in the police who knew more about what was happening than they were letting on and this created a really sinister atmosphere.

I really did not want to put this book down as I was reading it. Adam’s journey to find answers kept me turning the pages. T.M. Logan always keeps building on the tension. The Dream Home really captivated me from start to finish.

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication date: 29th February 2024

Print length: 414 pages

The Dream Home is available to buy:

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Five Bad Deeds by Caz Frear #bookreview #blogtour @CazziF @RandomTTours @simonschusterUK

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Caz Frear, Five Bad Deeds. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Ellen Walsh has done something very, very bad. If only she knew what it was . . .

Teacher, mother, wife, and all-around good citizen Ellen is juggling non-stop commitments, from raising a teen and two toddlers to job-hunting, to finally renovating her dream home, the Meadowhouse. Amidst the chaos, an ominous note arrives in the mail declaring:

SOONER OR LATER EVERYONE SITS DOWN TO A BANQUET OF CONSEQUENCES.

Why would someone send her this note? Ellen has no clue. She’s no angel – a white lie here and there, an occasional sharp tongue – but nothing to incur the wrath of an anonymous enemy.
Everyone around Ellen – her husband, her teenage daughter, her sister, her best friend, her neighbours – can guess why, though.  They all know from bitter experience that while Ellen’s intentions are always good, this ultimately counts for very little when you’ve (unintentionally?) blown up someone’s life.  Could the five bad deeds that come to haunt Ellen explain why things have gone so horribly wrong?

As she races to discover who’s set on destroying her life, Ellen receives more anonymous messages, each one more threatening than the last . . . and each hitting closer and closer to home and everything she cherishes.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a big fan of Caz Frear’s writing and I’ve been desperate to read her new novel, Five Bad Deeds, which is Caz Frear’s first standalone psychological thriller. It begins with a really tense and intriguing opening where Caz Frear shows us a woman in prison. I immediately wanted to know what it was she had done to land herself in this position, especially as she has a family. Caz Frear gradually begins to reveal who this woman is, and what happened in the days, weeks, and months leading up to this moment, and it does make for a gripping read. Caz certainly takes her main character on an emotional and terrifying journey.

The characters in this book really do shine through on the page, and it’s the characters that really drive this story. I think Caz Frear did a brilliant job of bringing their voices through really strongly. It’s as we get to know the main character, Ellen, that the tension really begins to pick up, and very soon her life begins to spiral out of control, especially when Ellen realises she is being threatened. She has no idea who the person is who is trying to ruin her life, and this is what makes her position so terrifying. Her life, up until this point, has seemingly been perfect; she has everything she could wish for, so why would someone want to ruin it for her? And what secrets has Ellen been hiding that someone else is now threatening to expose?

I loved how Caz Frear gradually increased the tension in her writing and how she upped the stakes for Ellen as the plot develops, it seemed that wherever she turned to for help, she was constantly being met with more problems that made her situation even worse. I really did not know how Ellen was going to get out of the situation she was in and what action she would end up taking. That’s what makes this book so entertaining. She is someone who is pushed to breaking point and this is what makes her extremely unpredictable as she fights to gain control of her life. Like Ellen, I wanted to know the truth about what was going on and why she was being targeted this way.

Five Bad Deeds is another riveting read by Caz Frear. Once again Caz has created a brilliant cast of characters who will keep you utterly hooked. I really enjoyed this book; it really does keep you on the edge of your seat.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 11th April 2024

Print length: 416 pages

Five Bad Deeds is available to buy:

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A Sicilian Affair by Susan Lewis #bookreview #blogtour @susanlewisbooks @fictionpubteam @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new thriller by Susan Lewis, A Sicilian Affair as part of the blog tour. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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A fresh start where no-one knows her name is exactly what Catie is looking for from her Sicilian escape.

When Catie meets handsome Giancarlo, she has stumbled across a love that could last forever… If only she can admit the truth about her past.

But the scars of betrayal from her broken marriage and fragile family are only part of the story.

Some secrets are too devastating to share…

MY THOUGHTS

A Sicilian Affair is the gripping new novel by Susan Lewis. It is quite different to the novels I usually read, but I really enjoyed it. We follow Catie MacAllister when she appears to be escaping from her home in the UK to Taormina in Italy. But it appears that Catie might be running from something she is keen not to confront. I immediately connected to Catie as we follow her, on her journey from the airport, to the beautiful Italian setting, which Susan Lewis draws on really well. I wanted to know what was behind her decision to travel here on her own, and what it was she was hoping to leave behind.

Things soon take an unexpected turn for Catie when she meets Giancarlo, who agrees to be her guide and takes her around several famous local sites. It helps that it is his hometown and he knows all the best kept secrets and places to visit. But during Catie’s time in Taormina, their growing friendship soon begins to blossom into something more, and Catie begins to open up to this man who has charmed her.

As Catie begins to tell her life story to Giancarlo, I wanted to know all the details. I loved how rich her life was on the page, and I especially liked the talent she has for music and her passion for it really shines through. I was fascinated by this part of her life as she tells it to Giancarlo. As Susan Lewis begins to reveal what happened to Catie in the run up to her trip to Taormina, there are some heartbreaking revelations about her past, and the emotions really do pour out in Susan Lewis’s writing. I really did feel for Catie as I was reading the past scenes. I also wanted to know how things were going to develop between Catie and Giancarlo. The chemistry that there was between them felt so real as I was reading it. I was really rooting for the two of them to get together.

A Sicilian Affair is an addictive, and a completely captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 11th April 2024

Print length: 381 pages

A Sicilian Affair is available to purchase:

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Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan #bookreview #blogtour @JoCallaghanKat @simonschusterUK @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the brilliant new novel by Jo Callaghan, Leave No Trace as part of the blog tour. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic.
It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .
 
When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.
 
But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.
 
For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to.

MY THOUGHTS

Leave No Trace is the second book in Jo Callaghan’s original Kat and Lock series and Jo has written another belter of a crime novel. This book explores some really interesting topics, which I’m sure will provoke a lot of discussion among readers.

The book opens with a rather gruesome murder when the body of a man is discovered naked and attached to a cross in the middle of a field. It appears that he has been crucified. It is in the run up to Christmas, people want to be out having a good time and now the festivities are being spoilt with the threat of a serial killer on the loose. This is the second time Kat’s team are working with Lock, an AI Detective, who proved to be quite useful to the investigation in the previous book in this series. It is fascinating seeing Kat and Lock’s working relationship develop, and even though Lock is a robot, I still felt sorry for him, especially when Kat was quite harsh with him. Jo explores further here Lock’s attempts to explore human emotions and what drives us, and this comes through really well in Jo’s writing.

The story in this book is very intense and it kept me utterly gripped. I wanted to know who was behind the gruesome attacks. I loved the race against time element which upped the stakes for Kat and her team. They know they only have a limited time to catch the killer before they strike again, and they need to work out what the killer’s motive is and who, exactly, is at risk. They are also facing enormous pressure from their superiors.

I honestly could not believe it when the killer was unmasked. Jo Callaghan delivers an absolutely brilliant twist here which made a lot of sense, and it gave the book, I felt, a very satisfactory ending. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Leave No Trace and I flew through it. I can’t wait to see where Jo takes Lock and Kat next.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 28th March 2024

Print length: 384 pages

Leave No Trace is available to buy:

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The Teacher’s Secret by Lauren North #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new thriller by Lauren North, The Teacher’s Secret.

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On an ordinary Friday afternoon, popular teacher Mrs Walker and her eight-year-old son leave the school playground. But they never make it home…

Being called in as a substitute teacher to replace a missing teacher – and mother – is the hardest job I’ve ever done. Cate Walker should still be here, in the role she loves. Her son Archie should be sitting in class with his friends. But instead they’ve disappeared and nobody has heard from them since…

At drop-off and pick-up, the other parents are hunched together anxiously. I can see the confusion in their children’s faces. The whole village is full of whispered rumours: that Archie and Cate will never be found, that someone else will soon be next… and that Cate’s charismatic husband, Oliver – our headteacher – is involved.

After the chilling way Oliver looked at me on my first morning, the thought makes my blood turn to ice. I’m determined to uncover what’s really happened to Cate and Archie, especially after I find photos in Cate’s classroom cupboard that change everything…

Then an anonymous note turns up threatening me. My home is broken into while I sleep. I know the longer I stay at this school, the more danger I’m in.

But whoever’s trying to scare me doesn’t know who I am – or why I’m really here.

Or just how far I’ll go to expose the truth…

MY THOUGHTS

I love Lauren North’s writing and her latest novel; The Teacher’s Secret begins in a really intriguing way with the disappearance of a much loved teacher, Cate Walker and her son Archie. They went missing on their way home from school and there is no evidence at all of what happened to them. Lexie is brought in by the school to be Cate’s substitute teacher, and Lexie soon finds herself caught up in the police investigation.

Lauren North has created an intriguing set of circumstances surrounding Cate and Archie’s disappearance. Cate is painted as a pillar of the local community, loved by her students, parents and colleagues alike, it seems that no one has a bad thing to say about Cate, so who could want to hurt her? Her husband, Oliver is distraught, and it is clear to see the pain he is going through when he is appealing for information. But is there something more going on behind the scenes? As the plot of the novel develops, we begin to see Oliver’s true colours emerge and this absolutely kept me turning the pages. I wasn’t sure who I could trust. 

Lauren North expertly continues to inject mystery and intrigue into her plot with potential suspects who could be behind Cate and Archie’s disappearance, as well as the strange threatening notes that Lexie starts receiving. I loved how Lauren North managed to keep me guessing. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Lexie, especially as she makes it her mission to get to the bottom of what has happened, despite the police effectively telling her to back off. I couldn’t believe how she was being treated by the police. We get a sense that there is something else driving Lexie here, and I thought the twists that Lauren North came up with were excellent and everything came together well, creating some tense moments as the book raced towards its finale. There were times when I could really sense Lexie’s frustration, especially when it seemed that the police didn’t want to take any notice of her, and also, when a mum at the school kept asking for her references and insisted on being more involved in the class than most parents normally would be. I also did get a sense that Lexie wasn’t being entirely honest, and this was the reason why I wanted to find out more about her.

The Teacher’s Secret is a twisty psychological thriller that demands your attention. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 23rd February 2024

Print length: 342 pages

The Teacher’s Secret is available to buy:

Amazon UK