REVIEW: Sophie Was Here by Kathryn Croft

Sophie Was Here by Kathryn Croft

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller

Read: 16th August 2025

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Amazon

Published: 3rd July 2025

★★★★ 4.5 stars 

DESCRIPTION:

The perfect family. The perfect new home. Until I found out about the missing girl…

When I make my way down to the cellar of my boyfriend Charlie’s family home, a chill slides down my spine. I didn’t expect to see the message, scratched into the walls:

Sophie Was Here

Sophie was Charlie’s ex-girlfriend. She went missing ten years ago when she was only seventeen. Charlie and his family were on holiday when she vanished, and this tragedy has scarred them all in different ways.

But I can’t stop digging. I no longer feel safe in the place I live. And then I discover another hidden message:

Please help me

I know that something terrible happened to Sophie. I must find out what it was. But in an isolated house, with a family I can’t trust, will I be the next victim?

A gripping and totally addictive read from Amazon number 1 bestselling author Kathryn Croft. Fans of Lisa Jewell and The Housemaid will be completely hooked on Sophie Was Here.

MY THOUGHTS:

The perfect family...the perfect new home...until I found out about the missing girl...

I have to say the cover was slightly misleading in that it insinuated a little girl had gone missing, and before reading the synopsis for the book that is just what I assumed. But this tale was a mystery of a whole other ball game. I've read similar tropes, all with similar outcomes, but all just as thrilling all the same.

Emmie and her partner Charlie have ditched the London life for one of an easier pace in the Surrey countryside. His parents have just gifted them the house that Charlie and his siblings grew up in - a sprawling farmhouse in the sleepy village of Peaslake. Emmie has recently lost her mum and been made redundant in a job she loved. There was no better time than now for a fresh start together.

But no sooner had they walked into the damp-filled musty house that has been locked up for over a decade than Charlie's parents and siblings have thrust themselves upon the couple, a chance to welcome Emmie into their family. But not before Emmie found herself in the basement and saw the words etched there...

Please help me. 

But when she went back to look at them, they were gone. But how? Only she and Charlie have been in the house. But then Charlie said she had only imagined them and soon she began to wonder had she just conjured them up after all? Until the day she finds herself locked in the basement when the door slams shut and she can't get out. With all her knocking and calling for help, she sees there at the very bottom of the door carved into the wood...

Sophie was here.

So who was Sophie? And what exactly happened to her?

Emmie starts off by asking questions in the village about Sophie - who was she, what she was like, who her friends her - until it becomes clear someone doesn't want her asking questions. And she has to wonder, why not? What do they have to hide? All evidence points her in a direction she doesn't want to go in but what choice does she have? Sophie was here sixteen years ago and then she wasn't. So what happened to her? And why does nobody want to talk about her?

This was a fast paced thrilling read that had me hooked from the very first page. There are so many clues peppered throughout that lead us down paths that may or may not lead us anywhere, but the ride getting there is half the fun! I thoroughly enjoyed this wholly tension-filled read that was there throughout. The story unfolds mostly through Emmie's narrative but peppered throughout we also have Sophie's third person narrative from sixteen years before. And little by little, the pieces slowly fall into place.

I guess in parts it was a bit of a slow burn mystery but the pace was steady throughout that I didn't notice I was enjoying it so much. An addictive read that had both tension and atmosphere. Well worth the read.

I would like to thank #KathrynCroft, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #SophieWasHere in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn is the bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers and to date she has sold over one million copies of her books. Her third book, The Girl With No Past spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart, and she has also appeared on the Wall Street Journal's bestsellers list.

Kathryn writes full time and is now hard at work on her next book.

After twelve years living in London, she now lives in Guildford, Surrey, the place she grew up, with her husband, two children and two crazy cats.

Social media links:

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SPOTLIGHT: Two Mothers by Kathryn Croft

Two Mothers by Kathryn Croft

Genre: Psychological thriller

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Published: 5th July 2024

** Due to a change in circumstances I have had to drop out and relinquish my tour/review obligations until further notice. I will publish my review and thoughts after reading **

DESCRIPTION:

Her daughter died. Did she take mine?

A year ago, my best friend Rachel’s daughter died. Ever since then I have held my own beautiful little girl tighter. I watch Luna shriek with laughter as she tips her toys all over the floor and I look anxiously at Rachel, sipping her tea. But Rachel reassures me that being near Luna helps fill the gaping hole of her grief, just a little.

And when I face my own worst nightmare when Luna is snatched from her bed in the middle of the night, it is Rachel who holds me tightly as I wail. She looks at the blue and white police tape crisscrossing my little girl’s bedroom and promises me they will find Luna. What happened to her daughter was different.

And Rachel is right. Two days later I’m holding my precious girl in my arms after she is found in a nearby park. But my joy is short-lived. Rachel’s husband reports her missing. And when the police find Luna’s cuddly lamb in Rachel’s house, I am forced to face the shocking truth. Did my best friend take my daughter?

Or did someone want Rachel out of the way, to frame a vulnerable, grieving woman? When I receive an anonymous note telling me to stop asking questions, I am certain I don’t know everything.

Who is in the most danger – my best friend, my child, or me? And if I make one wrong move, what will I lose?

A gripping and jaw-dropping page-turner with twists to die for. If you love Lisa Jewell, K.L. Slater and Claire Douglas you’ll love Two Mothers.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn is the bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers and to date she has sold over one million copies of her books. Her third book, The Girl With No Past spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart, and she has also appeared on the Wall Street Journal's bestsellers list.

Kathryn writes full time and is now hard at work on her next book.

After twelve years living in London, she now lives in Guildford, Surrey, the place she grew up, with her husband, two children and two crazy cats.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Email Sign-Up | Goodreads

  

REVIEW: The Wedding Guest by Kathryn Croft

The Wedding Guest by Kathryn Croft

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 10th September 2023

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Amazon

Published: 14th September 2023

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I’m lying to the man I’m about to marry. I’m not the woman he thinks I am. But my secret’s safe. Isn’t it?

I feel like the perfect bride as I drift across the beach towards my handsome new husband, the sand warm between my toes, my ivory slip wedding dress showing off my suntan. Today is the beginning of my new life. My dark past can no longer touch me.

When I reach my husband, we kiss against the perfect backdrop of the shimmering turquoise sea. The congregation clap and I turn to smile at them.

Then my smile freezes. I see him. Sitting there amongst my loved ones. An uninvited guest who knows the truth about me and the terrible thing that happened ten years ago. The man who won’t ever let me be happy.

And as he steps forward, asking for everyone’s attention, my legs buckle. I know he wants to destroy my perfect new life.

But how can I stop someone who will never let me go? And how far will I go to keep my secrets?

If you love Lisa Jewell, K.L. Slater and Daniel Hurst, you’ll love The Wedding Guest.

MY THOUGHTS:

My perfect day...his chance for revenge...

An ivory dress. A bouquet of pink peonies. A handful of guests. A wedding on the beach to the perfect man. Emily can finally close the chapter on her past and welcome the new life that's ahead of her by Jeremy's side and his ten year old daughter Lexi. Their wedding in Kefalonia is like a dream come true. it is perfect. Until Emily sees a face from her past amongst the guests.

Christian Holmes knew Emily back in their university days when they dated for two years. And he knows things about Emily that she won't want anyone from her new life to know about. Ever. So why is he back after fifteen years of silence? And why now? It seems the secrets of her past are about to come back to haunt her unless she does his bidding. But what exactly does he want from her? And how far is he willing to go to get it?

As the uninvited wedding guest, Christian's role is central to the entire plot. But boy what an irritant he was! This is one book where I couldn't wait to finish just to wash myself of him whilst at the same time being unable to put it down. And the whole way through, you don't know who is gaslighting who...or if the author is even gaslighting YOU! A bit of clever plotting there by Ms Croft.

The entire drama was played out over the course of dual timelines of BEFORE and NOW and you just want to scream at Emily for some of the stupid and naive decisions she made. I mean, you want to escape, take your keys with you. Not put them in your bag and then leave it hanging for all and sundry to rummage through it. And then you're surprised when the keys have somehow disappeared? That's only one of her stupid decisions. She makes worse, believe me. The culmination of events plays out in the Lake District where they are seemingly trapped and what? Suddenly two other people just turn up out of nowhere. I didn't understand how that happened. I also didn't understand what really went on with Emily roommates from uni.

The ending was a little confusing where everything was turned A-about, leaving me a little puzzled. How did that happen? I mean I could see it but it didn't seem to make a lot of sense. What it did appear to be was a tangled mess. And I couldn't quite unpick it. 

A promising start, an intriguing plot but the ending I felt let it down. That aside, this one is filled with plenty of secrets and lies and deception throughout, tinged with gaslighting and coercive control. Cleverly done, though, even if the ending left me feeling adrift.

I would like to thank #KathrynCroft, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWeddingGuest in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn is the bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers and to date she has sold over one million copies of her books. Her third book, The Girl With No Past spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart, and she has also appeared on the Wall Street Journal's bestsellers list.

Kathryn writes full time and is now hard at work on her next book.

After twelve years living in London, she now lives in Guildford, Surrey, the place she grew up, with her husband, two children and two crazy cats.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Email Sign-Up | Goodreads

  

REVIEW: The Lie by Kathryn Croft

The Lie by Kathryn Croft

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 20th April 2023

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Amazon

Published: 20th April 2023

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

My son said he walked his girlfriend home. But now she is missing…

Our new home was meant to be a chance for us to start again, to make new friends and forget the past. And as I look around the barbeque we’ve thrown for our neighbours, I dare to dream that things will be all right. I watch my husband joking as he flips burgers and my daughter turning cartwheels on our sun-bleached lawn. And then my gaze falls on my son Jacob, and his new girlfriend Rose, in her light blue jeans and her green crop top. There is a worried expression clouding her beautiful eyes…

The next day I get a call from Rose’s mother that chills me to the bone. Rose never returned after our party.

I wake my still-sleeping son, who walked Rose home the night before, and beg him for answers. Jacob promises he saw Rose to her front door, and I know he would never lie.

But when the police find Rose’s house keys hidden in our garden and a witness claims to have seen them arguing in the street, everyone insists I can’t believe what Jacob is telling me.

I will do anything to protect my boy. But I need to find a way to make the questions stop. Because there’s something about our family that nobody can ever know. And as the search for Rose closes in, how can I keep him safe and keep our secrets hidden?

A gripping and jaw-dropping page-turner with twists to die for. If you love Lisa Jewell, K.L. Slater and Jackie Kabler, you’ll love The Lie.

MY THOUGHTS:

My son said he walked his girlfriend home. But now she is missing...

Lucy and Tom have moved from London to sleepy Surrey with their children Jacob (16) and Ava (12) for a fresh start. Several months after their arrival, they decide to host a barbeque in their backyard for the neighbours and friends. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves...but beneath the surface secrets threatened to bubble to the surface.

Jacob had been seeing girlfriend Rose for six months but today she seems to be spending most of her time with Ava. Lucy is too busy hosting to see that Rose's mum is flirting with her husband Tom and he appears to be enjoying the attention. Jacob spends most of the afternoon trying to get Rose's attention while she seems to be spending most of it trying to escape his. Heated words are exchanged and she decides to head home. Jacob offers to see her to her door.

The following morning, Lucy's phone rings. It's Carrie, Rose's mum. Rose didn't come home from the barbeque. Is she there? Jacob was the last one to see her and he insists he walked her home the night before. But now she is missing. And all signs are pointing to Jacob despite there is no evidence against him...yet. So where is Rose?

Over the ensuing days the police search Rose's house and then Lucy and Tom's, having been the last place Rose was seen alive. And her keys are found hidden in the bushes not far from their house. Did she drop them in her rush to escape? Or were they put there by whoever is responsible for her disappearance?

Carrie is certain Rose wouldn't just disappear. Lucy is certain that Jacob had nothing to do with her disappearance. Ava knows Rose was angry with her brother and she is angry with him on her behalf. Tom doesn't know what to believe. But which one of them is lying? Where is Rose? And what happened to her?

The story unfold through the alternating perspectives of the two mothers - Lucy and Carrie - with Rose's narrative told from the beginning right up to the night of the barbeque in progressive form. Nothing is as it seems and there are layers of secrets and lies as each of them holds something back. I didn't warm to Carrie much, though I felt sorry for her in part, but then I found her behaviour somewhat ridiculous and confusing. None of the characters were particularly endearing. I figured out the truth way before there was even an inkling so I wasn't at all shocked...but that could be I'm used to expecting the unexpected from this genre.

Overall, THE LIE is a good solid thriller that does get a little drawn out and I felt it could have been shortened a little. But apart from that, it is a compelling read that will keep you guessing as each layer is peeled back to reveal another more complex secret.

I would like to thank #KathrynCroft, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLie in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn is the bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers and to date she has sold over one million copies of her books. Her third book, The Girl With No Past spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart, and she has also appeared on the Wall Street Journal's bestsellers list.

Kathryn writes full time and is now hard at work on her next book.

After twelve years living in London, she now lives in Guildford, Surrey, the place she grew up, with her husband, two children and two crazy cats.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Email Sign-Up | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The Suspect by Kathryn Croft

The Suspect by Kathryn Croft

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 10th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 8th February 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

My family said he killed my mother. They lied…

I was just a little girl, fast asleep in my stroller, the day my mother was killed. I don’t remember anything about the sunny day that turned so dark.

She’d be so happy for me now, twenty years later, with my dream job as a photographer, and I’m sure she’d love my new boyfriend, Gabriel. But all my happiness vanishes in a heartbeat when the man from our past walks towards me, his eyes on me for just a fraction too long.

I recognise his face from the picture in the papers. He killed my mother.

I try to run but he wants me to listen. He says that he is innocent, and that my family have been lying to me for years.

My father and sister tell me to stay away. They remind me that because of him my mother never got to tuck me in at night or ease me through my first heartbreak. Gabriel says he could be dangerous. But when he is found dead, I am shaken to my core. Who needed to keep him quiet?

I won’t feel safe until I find out what he wanted to tell me. But when I find that my father has lied about the past and Gabriel has hidden photos of my mother under his bed, I realise I can’t trust anyone. I want the truth. But if I find it, will my life be in danger?

An absolutely addictive read that will have you racing through the pages and questioning everything you thought you knew about your family. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena

MY THOUGHTS:

My family said he killed my mother...they lied...

Jess was just two years old when her mother was killed on Clapham Common as she sat in her stroller, screaming with tears streaming down her face. She didn't know the person who struck her mother but her mother did as she begged for her daughter's safety. 

Now twenty eight years later, Jess lives a secluded life, works from her home studio as a photographer and is afraid of parks. After what happened to her mother, Jess can never set foot in them without thinking of what she lost that day. And the man who took it away from her...and got away with it. Then one day, she sees his face in a crowd watching her...recognises his face from the papers. He killed her mother but the police couldn't gather enough evidence to charge him...and so he walks free. But is he really?

Nathaniel French approaches Jess one day with the sole intent on telling her what he knows; what he has discovered. But understandably she doesn't believe him. Why should she? All her life she has been told that he is the man who killed her mother. It's what everyone thinks, despite no charges ever being laid.

Jess has always wanted to know the truth about what happened to her mother but thought that would never happen. When Nathaniel approached her in the street she was quick to dismiss him but reluctantly hears him out. Before they part he presses a business card into her hand with his phone number on. At first she doesn't entertain anything he has to say but the more she thinks about it, the more it starts to make sense. Maybe he is innocent after all. He drip-feeds her bits of information but is reluctant to discuss it over the phone and they arrange to meet. But he never arrives. A few days later, he is found dead. And everything he had to tell her died with him.

Now Jess is suspicious. If Nathaniel really was innocent then someone had a very good reason to silence him before he revealed the truth to Jess. But the question was, who? Jess decides to do a little digging and in doing so makes some startling discoveries along the way. Someone had been following Nathaniel and he expressed fear for his safety. Now Jess fears that someone is following her too. But why? What do they think she knows?

In her quest to delve into her mother's murder, Jess finds herself up against a lot of resistance from her family. Her mother's family, her father - they all claim they are a private family and have no wish for everything to be dragged back up all over again. But doesn't Jess deserve to know the truth? Doesn't her mother deserve justice?

Meanwhile, her sister Zara is intent on hooking her up with a friend of her boyfriend's, Gabriel, insisting that he is just an all round nice guy. And he is, when they inadvertently meet. Jess is reluctant to admit that she likes him but she is still nursing her wounds over the end of her previous relationship with longtime boyfriend Harrison, with whom she has remained friends. In fact, it is Harrison who proves to be the most trustworthy and the one Jess can count on throughout all that's to come.

This is my first foray into Kathryn Croft (from memory) and I enjoyed the journey very much. Throughout the story I had so many questions about things that didn't add up, didn't make sense which had me investigating the mystery alongside Jess. But unlike Jess, as the reader I was privy to her mother's narrative in the past timeline which gave me the building blocks to begin theorising what I think happened. I was scratching my head for much of the book until a "big secret" (that I didn't think was so huge) was revealed and slowly the pieces began to fall into place. I had longed pieced it all together before the final reveal but it didn't ruin the mystery for me. In fact I love it when I am able to work it out before the book's conclusion.

In story unfolds through Jess in the present day and Lori, her mother, in the past in 1992 and 1993. I have to say some of what Lori did was questionable to say the least. None of her behaviour made a whole lot of sense, even when she confessed to it, except when it came to Jess. I loathed her mother and sister and didn't see why Lori couldn't be honest with them about her situation. Maybe then she wouldn't have died needlessly...who knows? But then if she didn't die, there wouldn't be a story, would there? And everyone's behaviour was suspect to say the least. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. I really felt for Lori. All she wanted was the best life for Jess...and she so nearly had it.

Overall, THE SUSPECT is a compelling mystery filled with secrets, lies and deceptions spanning three decades. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My one complaint would be with the epilogue. I felt it only needed Jess' narrative; the second narrative following hers spoilt it.

I would like to thank #KathrynCroft, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheSuspect in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn is the bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers and to date she has sold over one million copies of her books. Her third book, The Girl With No Past spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart, and she has also appeared on the Wall Street Journal's bestsellers list.

Kathryn writes full time and is now hard at work on her next book.

After twelve years living in London, she now lives in Guildford, Surrey, the place she grew up, with her husband, two children and two crazy cats.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Email Sign-Up | Goodreads