REVIEW: Daniel Hurst Psychological Thriller Box Set

Daniel Hurst Psychological Thriller Box Set

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 17th November 2024

Amazon

Published: 8th December 2024

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Featuring FOUR adrenaline-charged thrillers by Daniel Hurst.

THE PASSENGER

She takes the same train every day. But this is a journey she’ll never forget.

Amanda is a hardworking single mum, completely focused on her job and her daughter, Louise. She’s been saving for years and now, finally, she can afford to give up work and chase her dream.

But then, on her commute home from London to Brighton, she meets a charming stranger – who seems to know everything about her.

He delivers an ultimatum . She needs to give him the code for the safe where she keeps her savings before the train reaches Brighton – or she’ll never see Louise again

.

Convinced that the threat is real, Amanda is stunned, horrified. She knows she should give him the code, but she can’t. Because she also knows there is a terrible secret in that safe which will destroy her life and Louise’s too…

THE BOYFRIEND

What if your exes were being killed off one by one?

Adele has had a colourful romantic past but has finally found her soulmate, Tom. They are engaged and she is looking forward to a future of blissful happiness.

Until she realises her ex-boyfriends are turning up dead.

At first the deaths seem accidental, but soon a sinister pattern emerges. All of Adele’s former partners are being killed off – in the order she dated them. As the body count grows, Adele has to figure out who is doing this and why.

Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time until the killer gets to Tom…

THE BREAK

It seems like a lovely little house. But it has dark secrets…

Karen is a busy wife and mother. Between work, her husband Peter, and their two children, Oscar and Noah, she doesn’t have a minute to herself.

So when it all begins to feel too much, Karen knows just what she needs – to get away for a little while. Nothing big. Just a short break.

Her friend, Eve, tells her about a quaint little holiday home, and Karen books herself a short stay. She’ll have time to read, take bubble baths, unwind. Perfect.

But this is no ordinary holiday home – it contains a dark and disturbing secret. Because Karen isn’t alone here – someone is watching her. Waiting for the right moment to spring the trap and plunge her into a nightmare she’ll never forget.

THE NEW FRIENDS

They are fun, wealthy, fabulous. Pray you never meet them.

Becky and Jamie are an ordinary hard-working couple trapped in the daily grind, dreaming of an easier life. On one of their rare vacations, they meet a wealthy couple, Phil and Mel, who seem to have it all – they are fun, well travelled, and very generous with their money.

But they are also very, very dangerous.

Because Phil and Mel are not who they say they are. And this is no random vacation friendship, they have chosen Jamie and Becky carefully, seducing them with the promise of a lifestyle just like theirs.

By the time Jamie and Becky realise what their new friends really want, it’s too late, they’ve lost everything, their hopes and dreams lie shattered.

The only question now is how far will they go to get even?

DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS 4-BOOK BOX SET OF BESTSELLING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS THAT WILL HAVE YOU TURNING THE PAGES LONG INTO THE NIGHT!

MY THOUGHTS:

A massive Daniel Hurst fan I will thrilled with this box set of some of his best psychological thrillers. "The Passenger" is up there as one of my favourites with "The New Friends" and "The Break" following close behind. Only "The Boyfriend" let this set down with it's somewhat flat ending. However, it was still an entertaining fast paced adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride from start to finish. I just expected that trademark Daniel Hurst twist at the very end, leaving fans speechless.

"The New Friends" was the first book of Hurst's I ever read closely followed by "The Break". I read "The Passenger" last year and "The Boyfriend" last night, rounding off this spectacular box set. 

A must for psychological thriller fans!

You can read my individual reviews for each book below:

https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/search/label/Daniel%20Hurst%20Box%20Set

I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley and #InkubatorBooks for an ARC of #DanielHurstPsychologicalThrillerBoxSet in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The Boyfriend by Daniel Hurst

The Boyfriend by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 17th November 2024

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 20th June 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

What if your exes were being killed off one by one?

Adele has had a colourful romantic past but has finally found her soulmate, Tom. They are engaged and she is looking forward to a future of blissful happiness.

Until she realises her ex-boyfriends are turning up dead.

At first the deaths seem accidental, but soon a sinister pattern emerges. All of Adele’s former partners are being killed off - in the order she dated them. As the body count grows, Adele has to figure out who is doing this and why.

Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time until the killer gets to Tom…

The Boyfriend – the stunning psychological thriller from the author of The Passenger and The Broken Vows.

MY THOUGHTS:

"Three down...three to go..."

What if someone is killing your exes off one by one?

Another entertaining tale penned by Daniel Hurst, even if a little OTT - but who cares? It had thrills, twists and adrenaline pumping entertainment and that's all I'm here for. Another quick read to devour in 4 hours before bed. This is my thirtieth read by the prolific author.

This time we meet Adele. At thirty six, she has finally met her soulmate in Tom. They are engaged and planning to marry next summer. Life couldn't be better. Until one evening out with BFF Nicola, a perusal of her phone alerts her to the suicide of her first boyfriend Shaun. Adele is shocked and the women then drown their sorrows until well after midnight with Adele stumbling into the house she shares with Tom, giggling and somewhat drunk. Tom is not amused.

The following morning, she wakes with a pounding headache only to be replaced by a different kind of headache that she has suffered ever since her mysterious accident when she was sixteen. She and Nicola attend Shaun's funeral at which many old school friends she hasn't seen for twenty years also attend.

And then she discovers her second boyfriend was killed in a car crash. That's two in as many days. When a third dies in a housefire, Adele becomes frightened. Especially when she receives a text message soon after saying:

"Three down, three to go..."

Someone is killing off her boyfriends one by one and with three left that number also includes Tom. Frightened and needing to warn the others, Adele confides in Tom who doesn't believe her and neither do the police. It's obvious to her (and to the reader) that her two other exes are in danger but police don't see any threat citing the message could mean anything. Why won't they listen to her? Why won't Tom? Only Nicola seems to believe her. Together they realise that it has to be someone close to Adele, someone who knows her past, her boyfriends and in the order in which she dated them. Suddenly Adele starts to wonder who she can trust? Could someone from her circle of friends be behind all this?

With only boyfriends four and five left before the killer hones in on Tom, Adele tries to convince the police of the danger before deciding to try and find the killer herself.

Well...what an entertaining thrill ride this was! I opened it just to peruse it before maybe watching some TV before bed. Instead I was pulled into the story and began swiftly swiping the pages until the very end...some four hours later.

I really love Daniel Hurst and know I will be entertained by whatever he delivers. This one is no different. The plot is unique, the pace fast, the story entertaining. It's a race against time as Adele (and the reader) try to uncover the killer before any ore lives are lost. But will they be too late?

None of the characters are stand out. Adele is something of a lush, behaving like a sixteen year old rather than a thirty six year old, stumbling in drunk several times a week. And she thinks that's OK? No wonder Tom is losing patience with her. I think he is very patient with her under the circumstances. Her need to drown her sorrows at every turn drove me mad and is another reason I rated down. Must every thriller include senseless drinking?

As with all Daniel Hurst thrillers, there are only a handful of characters so working out which one could be behind it all could be tough to figure out. Some have cited it being VERY hard to figure out. I didn't think so. But then I try to think like Hurst and ponder who will have wearing the killer "hat". I did work it so was expecting another (bigger) twist at the end which is what Hurst is renowned for...leaving fans with a killer twist that leaves them speechless. Not so with this one. In fact, after the race against time fast paced adrenaline-fuelled plot, I was left feeling a little flat. Hence the rating drop.

But having said that, it is still a entertaining fast paced thrill ride in Hurst's unique signature style.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Passenger by Daniel Hurst

The Passenger by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 19th September 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 28th March 2021

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She takes the same train every day. But this is a journey she’ll never forget.

Amanda is a hardworking single mum, completely focused on her job and her daughter, Louise. She’s been saving for years and now, finally, she can afford to give up work and chase her dream.

But then, on her commute home from London to Brighton, she meets a charming stranger - who seems to know everything about her.

He delivers an ultimatum . She needs to give him the code for the safe where she keeps her savings before the train reaches Brighton - or she’ll never see Louise again.

Convinced that the threat is real, Amanda is stunned, horrified. She knows she should give him the code, but she can’t. Because she also knows there is a terrible secret in that safe which will destroy her life and Louise’s too…

The Passenger – the stunning psychological thriller with a nerve-shredding climax. Perfect for fans of Mark Edwards, K.L. Slater, Miranda Rijks.

MY THOUGHTS:

All aboard for THE PASSENGER!!!

Wowsers! Now THIS is Daniel Hurst at his best. Of course I enjoy all his books, as entertaining and quick reads as they are, but this one is just pure genius. Everything about it is sheer brilliance. I have read plenty of commuter-type tales, the last being by his own dad Mark with his short story "The Last Woman". I did wonder if it was going to be something "The Girl on the Train" which many tried to replicate in their own unique ways and failed. But neither of those even come close to THE PASSENGER.

I really should have been focusing on getting my Netgalley shelf down but I decided one Daniel Hurst book wasn't enough so after finishing my previous read by him, his more recent "The Perfect Escape", I decided to rewind the clock a bit and go back to an earlier book by him knowing those were some of his best...and I was not wrong. I only came across him later the same year that this one was released with "The New Friends" then "The Break" and I was impressed. Anyway, I digress.

The story begins on the evening commute from London to Brighton. It's a journey that Amanda knows well having done it for years, all the while saving every spare penny she could so she could follow her dream of becoming a published author. And that dream is about to be realised because in two days' time Amanda will finish her boring office job and the dull commute to and from the capital each day. And then she can focus on being a full time author hopefully with publishers knocking at her door. It's been a hard slog to save the money that will make it possible for her to give up the steady income that has given her the financial security she needed to bring up her daughter as a single mum. Not that she has gotten any thanks on that score.

Louise is seventeen going on twenty five. She thinks she has her life all mapped out but she doesn't have the means to accomplish that. But her mum does. But her mum won't give her any of what she has stashed away so she can go travelling and enjoy herself. No, her mum told her that if she wants to go travelling then she needs a job to earn the money to pay for it. But why should she when her mum already has that money sitting in her safe in her bedroom? Louise clearly doesn't see anything wrong with this picture. She thinks the money that her mother has taken pains to earn and put aside by scrimping and saving is there for the taking for her to have a share in. Which is why she chucked in college and now stays at home all day, waiting for her mother to relent and give her the money to go see the world on her penny.

Little do either woman know is that their world is about to thrown into utter chaos before the evening commute is over. Because on Amanda's journey home she is going to meet "The Stranger" who will disarm her with his charm, a few winks and share in a few chuckles...before he reveals the true nature of the task at hand. For the Stranger knows all about Amanda, her daughter, her job, her commute and her aspirations of becoming a published author. He has been keeping a close eye on her for the past few weeks and has discovered that she is a creature of habit. So today on this evening's commute home, he is going to give Amanda an ultimatum that she cannot refuse...not if she wants to see her daughter alive again. 

But the Stranger has has made a grave mistake. He has underestimated his opponent. She is not the predictable creature of habit he has assumed her to be. When he chose Amanda to swindle out of her life savings, he picked the wrong woman. She is nothing if not formidable...and resourceful. Because inside that safe is a secret that she will stop at nothing to protect.

Tagged as "a quick-paced psychological thriller with an ending you won't see coming", I wholly agree. For once I didn't see what was coming. I swiped those pages faster than the speed of light to see what was coming next, holding my breath in parts and cheering the women on in others. As the story unfolded I could see no way out without Amanda giving him what he wanted...but this is Daniel Hurst! There has to be something jaw-dropping coming our way. And boy, was there ever! I could not predict how it would turn out and as I swiped the final page, I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.

Intricately plotted, THE PASSENGER unfolds through the eyes of four narratives in which we are drip-fed information throughout as the twists are relentlessly delivered. No stone is left unturned in this one and you will be in no doubt as to who is who or who does what and why. It all becomes profoundly clear and it is sheer and utter genius. It's a quick read, as most of his books are, but it is still entertaining and engaging while still being able to shock and surprise. I read this in just about one sitting it is that easily devoured.

I would love to tell you what happens and how on edge I was all the way through...but of course I won't. I'll just tell you that this book needs to go on your TBR list of "must reads". It's so good it's that good it's brilliant! It's Daniel Hurst at his best...and I absolutely loved every thrilling minute of it!

Now I really need to get back on course with my tour books...but I want so much to devour another Hurst thriller after that one!! An easy five star read!

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

   

REVIEW: The Break by Daniel Hurst

The Break by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller

Read: 14th March 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 13th March 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

All she wanted was some peace and quiet. But someone was watching.

Karen is a busy wife and mother. Between work, her husband Peter, and their two children, Oscar and Noah, she doesn’t have a minute to herself.

So when it all begins to feel too much, Karen knows just what she needs - to get away for a little while. Nothing big. Just a short break.

Her friend, Eve, tells her about a quaint little holiday home, and Karen books herself a short stay. She’ll have time to read, take bubble baths, unwind. Perfect.

But this is no ordinary holiday home – it contains a dark and disturbing secret. Because Karen isn’t alone here – someone is watching her. Waiting for the right moment to spring the trap and plunge her into a nightmare she’ll never forget.

The Break – the stunning psychological thriller from the author of The Passenger and The New Friends

MY REVIEW:

After thoroughly enjoying "The New Friends" just a couple of months ago and devouring THE BREAK in just four hours today, I have to say that Daniel Hurst has earnt the honour of being my new go-to author as well as a new favourite. I just love his easy style written in such a way the reader is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, lies and deception and watching it all unravel with glee. His chapters are also short and snappy, which are my favourite kind, keeping the story moving along at a fast moving pace. And despite knowing exactly what is going on, the ending is an explosive one that brings everything together and making it by far a thoroughly enjoyable and addictive read.

Is it not normal NOT to want to go on holiday with your family?

Sometimes we all just need a break from our lives to rest, reset and come back refreshed. But for Karen it could well be her last! It was supposed to be a relaxing time away...and it was...but what then ensues is her worst nightmare!

Karen is a busy wife and mum, physically and mentally drained with never having a moment to herself. All day she is pushed and pulled in every direction giving everything she has to everyone that needs her, relies on her...and for once, she just wants a little "me time" for herself. That's not too much to ask, is it? So it's when she is monologuing to her friend Eve during her lunch break about everything, she is shocked to find her friend suggesting she do just that. Get away. Take some time out for herself. She deserves it. She's earned it.

For the past decade she has given her life to her husband Peter and for the past eight, her children Noah and Oscar, and put them all first. So who looks after her needs then? When Eve tells her about this delightful holiday home not too far away on the other side of town, Karen dares to hope that she could just throw caution to the wind for a night or two and just spend some time for herself. It's really not too much to ask, is it?

Karen and Peter have struggled in their marriage since his infidelity a year ago and, while he is suitably remorseful and apologetic, Karen knows she needs time to get over the betrayal. After all, he broke her heart as well as her trust. But getting back to where they were before the affair has been a slog, especially since their two boys are incredibly energetic and keep them busy throughout the day and into the evening that by the time they've put them to bed, Karen and Peter are too exhausted to do anything on rekindling the romance that was once between them. Maybe a break is exactly what she needs...what they both need.

And then the nightmare begins...but will anyone make it out alive?

With three narrators - primarily Karen and Eve with a handful of chapters from Peter - THE BREAK unfolds at a break-neck speed delivering a no holds barred psychological thriller that is addictive, pageturning and absorbing from start to finish. I did not want to put it down...not even for dinner! How dare real life get in the way of such a thrilling tale? The easy-to-read style makes it a quick read, devouring it in just over four hours (reading time with dinner in between) while the short snappy chapters keep it moving at a fast pace. 

I love how Hurst doesn't feel the need to fill the pages with too much detail and description, but give just enough to keep me entertained throughout. And dialogue. I love plenty of dialogue. People tend to dig their own graves with the things they say and Hurst makes good use of this with his very flawed characters' dialogue.

Oh, how wonderfully flawed these characters are. How terribly stupid they are and in some ways, naive. They each make their mistakes and how the story snowballs as a result by not one action, but each of their actions. It's like you are yelling at them "Don't do it!" knowing they will anyway because how can there be a story if they didn't? Not an interesting or as thrilling one at least.

This is only the second Daniel Hurst book I have read and devoured, "The New Friends" being the first and oh how I loved that deliciously deceptive thriller. Hurst is unique in his style as with the two I have read, the reader knows who the villains are from the beginning and the story unfolds through each of their eyes as we get to see the drama play out from both sides. Knowing who is responsible doesn't detract from the thrill of the chase at all. You still want to know how it ends...what the outcome will be. And that is his adept skill - his ability to keep us entertained and turning the pages even as we watch the entire scene unfold from both sides through his easy style. We know who's responsible and yet we stay for the show anyway.

A gripping read, THE BREAK certainly did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride Hurst took me on and I was immediately hooked from the moment I opened my Kindle. Well plotted and well written, I have to say Hurst is an expert at what he does and I cannot wait to devour more of his thrillers if they are anything like the two I have read.

Suspenseful, twisted and thoroughly entertaining, THE BREAK is a fast paced quick read where the pages literally just turn themselves. Highly recommended for fans of the psychological or domestic thriller genre or the likes of Shalini Boland and K.L. Slater.

I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheBreak in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers. The New Friends will be his fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The New Friends by Daniel Hurst

The New Friends by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 18th December 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

UK

US

Published: 12th December 2021

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

They are fun, wealthy, fabulous. Pray you never meet them.

 

Becky and Jamie are an ordinary hard-working couple trapped in the daily grind, dreaming of an easier life. On one of their rare vacations, they meet a wealthy couple, Phil and Mel, who seem to have it all – they are fun, well travelled, and very generous with their money.

 

But they are also very, very dangerous.

 

Because Phil and Mel are not who they say they are. And this is no random vacation friendship, they have chosen Jamie and Becky carefully, seducing them with the promise of a lifestyle just like theirs.

 

By the time Jamie and Becky realise what their new friends really want, it’s too late, they’ve lost everything, their hopes and dreams lie shattered.

 

The only question now is how far will they go to get even?

 

The New Friends – the stunning psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Passenger, The Boyfriend and The Promotion.

MY REVIEW:

This is the first book by Daniel Hurst I have read and I was not disappointed. Whilst I had read the premise to begin with and it sounded intriguing, sometimes it doesn't always live up to the hype. But in this case, I'm glad to say that it most certainly did. Oh my goodness, it was a fast paced thriller of a different kind that held my attention throughout.

It's been said that if it's too good to be true then it usually is. Such is the case in this gripping thriller THE NEW FRIENDS.

Thirtysomething couple Becky and Jamie have been married for ten years and after the daily grind of everyday life, they decided they deserved a short holiday abroad in Spain for five days, post-peak season for a cheaper rate. Becky is a teaching assistant and Jamie is a warehouse worker and while they are not flush with money, the both earn a modest income. This holiday comes as a well-earned and well-deserved break for the couple as they lap up the sunshine before heading back to the bleak and miserable British weather of northern England. Five days of pretending they can afford holidays like these more often than not before returning to the daily grind.

On their last night in Spain, Jamie begs Becky for a night out in town before flying out in the morning and while she was reluctant to spend their last one hundred euros on extravagances they could barely afford, Becky agreed that it would be nice to treat themselves. How they would live to regret that last night out to come...

They instantly attract the attention of another couple, Phil and Mel, seemingly on holiday and the foursome soon strike up a conversation together sharing in the champagne that Phil has flowing on tap. The couples click immediately and before the night is over, they exchange phone numbers and plans to keep in touch upon returning to England.

Before they have even touched down in Britain, Jamie is languishing over the stories Phil regaled them with of their lavish lifestyle all over the world. Somehow his modest warehousing job seems to pale in significance and despite his stash of secret savings he's set aside for when they start a family, Jamie cannot help but be a little envious that he has to return to a mundane job to earn a modest living while their new friends have all but retired and live a life of luxury...all because of some wise investments Phil had made when working in the finance world. 

It isn't long before a message from Phil stirs that longing in Jamie once again and soon they organise a weekend get together at their modest home where they will play host to their new friends. As soon as Phil and Mel arrive, Jamie and Becky cannot help but notice the stylish sports car they have arrived in...and compare it to their outdated barely roadworthy car. But Phil is quick to reassure Jamie that he has a good life with a beautiful wife in a lovely house.

Over dinner as Phil regales them with stories of his time in the finance world, Jamie and Becky cannot help but be seduced by the lavish lifestyle their new friends appear to enjoy in their early retirement. And while he was always happy with what they had before, now that they have seen how the other half live, that is Phil and Mel, Jamie wants a taste of that too. I mean, who wants to work hard for such little reward? That opportunity comes when Phil invites Jamie out for a sneaky cigar.

Excited by the ideas flowing through his mind, Jamie cannot wait to share them with Becky but is deflated when she doesn't seem to share his excitement. In fact, Becky is reluctant to take the step that could lead them down the same path as Phil and Mel. It's risky, but the higher the risk the higher the return, right? Becky's not so sure. Especially as Mel didn't appear to be very happy and she isn't sure that all is as rosy as Phil claims.

If only they knew...

The new friends the young couple made on their modest holiday aren't who they thought they were.

Phil and Mel are accomplished at what they do so when they spot Jamie and Becky, a couple of modest means with ambitious dreams, the deceptive couple soon insinuate themselves into Becky and Jamie's lives just long enough to relinquish them of their hard earned savings...every last penny. Mission accomplished.

THE NEW FRIENDS is a dark and suspenseful read with a disturbing truth woven into its plot. Just how easily it is to fall under the spell of seemingly genuine "friends" and while Becky and Jamie may seem a little naive, I think its safe to say that the onus is on those pulling the con and how incredibly clever they are. Otherwise they wouldn't get away with what they do, would they? 

What I especially love about this book, besides its steady pace throughout and its engaging style, is the fact that we get the story from the perspectives of all four players - Becky, Jamie, Phil and Mel. And although we are privy to the con from the onset it doesn't detract the level of heartpounding tension that fills us as we devour every last scrap of the story. The way it is written we are meant to sympathise not only with Becky and Jamie but also Mel...and it is cleverly done.

THE NEW FRIENDS moves along at such a steady pace that it is indeed a quick read that I could have easily devoured in one sitting...had it not been for the need to sleep in between. I was so absorbed in the story I just couldn't wait to see how it all panned out.

THE NEW FRIENDS is such a unique thriller I cannot compare it to any other, but if you like your thrillers different, pacy and engaging then give this one a go!

I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheNewFriends in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers. The New Friends will be his fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads