The Victim by Ruth Harrow
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 24th May 2023
Published: 16th May 2023
★★★★ 4.5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
He’s watching you … but should he be afraid?
Leah should have been enjoying a night in with her best friend and housemate Claire, binging on chocolate and her favourite Netflix show.
But instead, she is suddenly forced to fight for her life when strong hands grab her. A knife is pressed to Leah’s throat and as tears run down her cheeks, she knows she will have to do as she is told if she wants to survive the night.
2 years on …
The community has forgotten about the woman so violently snatched from their midst. Leah’s best friend, however, can’t forget the person who was closer to her than a sister. Nor does she want to believe the shocking secrets she has unearthed about her friend in her absence.
Claire refuses to let go. She won’t forget the only person she ever really cared about. And she will never go about her life as if Leah never existed. She also knows that the danger that took her best friend still lurks unpunished in their hometown. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise when Claire is snatched too.
But the last thing she intends is to become one more victim. She feels her abductor should be the one who should be afraid.
Can Claire survive longer than one night?
Will she ever discover what really happened to Leah?
The Victim is a gripping psychological thriller that will leave page-turning readers unable to put it down until the final breathtaking twist. Fans of K.L Slater, Shalini Boland and Daniel Hurst will love the addictive twists and turns that will have them racing through the pages long into the night.
MY THOUGHTS:
He’s watching you...but should he be afraid...?
Oh yes...be afraid. Be very afraid. That's what I would be telling Leah and Claire if I had a heads up. But would she listen? Probably not. One usually finds that people very rarely listen to such sound advice until it's too late...or they have genuine cause to. But then, this is the world of fiction isn't it? Where anything goes.
THE VICTIM is the third thriller I have read by Ruth Harrow and something of a unique concept that was original and very different. It is a fast paced and addictive read that kept me entertained (for want of a better word) from start to finish. The alternating between the past and the present simply added to the level of suspense and tension that was palpable throughout.
Leah and Claire met when they were 12 year olds and have grown together as best friends. They are more like sisters, particularly since Leah's mum Helen adopted Claire after several years or care homes and the two women barely remember a world without the other in it. Even after leaving home they moved into a two bedroom flat Leah's uncle Tony lets them rent at below cost.
And then one evening Leah fails to return home from work.
At first Claire isn't worried. She may have been held up with a customer or got waylaid helping someone. That's just who Leah is. But as the minutes tick into hours, Claire begins to panic. Something has happened. It is unlike her friend not to let her know if she was waylaid. Besides, Leah is so structured in her routine and punctuality. Something is wrong.
And then the police find Leah's phone and bag on the path alongside the nature reserve she loves so much and Claire's fears are confirmed.
Over the ensuing months which then turns into a year and then eighteen months, Claire refuses to give up on her friend. She continues to search for answers as to what happened to Leah on that fateful evening...and where she may be now.
Then in the midst of all that is going on around her, Claire's birth mother makes contact making her wary. What is she after? Or is it even genuine? The message came via social media from a private account with only a name and no profile photo...it could be anyone. Is someone toying with Claire?
And then just when she thinks she may be closing in, Claire herself is taken. And it is then that her fight for survival really begins...
There isn't much more I can add to this without giving the good bits away...lol There are plenty of twists to be had in this book though, to be honest, I did figure them all out. But that didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book because it was one hell of a thrill ride! It reminded me of a "Criminal Minds" episode (yes, another one). Those who have seen it will recall it also when reading this.
THE VICTIM definitely has a sinister vibe about it. It is creepy and chilling in parts that the fear felt by the characters is so palpable it had my heart racing. The setting in this particular instance was perfect. It simply added to that feeling of helplessness and ultimate fear. And the short snappy chapters really ramped up that tension and added to the suspense. I couldn't swipe my kindle fast enough.
I didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as I did but...well, I did! The format in which the author delivered the story to us is executed with perfection. The Then and Now chapters that alternate throughout keeps the pace moving at the speed of light without bogging us down with boring detail. We are given enough information with each chapter to keep us turning the pages until the very end. Simply put, I couldn't put it down.
Overall, THE VICTIM is an intense thriller with a tension that is palpable throughout keeping readers entertained and engaged from beginning to end.
I would like to thank #RuthHarrow, #Netgalley and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheVictim in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Ruth lives in the UK with her husband, two children and chocolate Labrador, Rolo.
Her seventh psychological thriller is coming soon.
Social Media links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
Thank you so much for taking part in the tour and for sharing this awesome review x
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