REVIEW: The Lost Child by Emily Gunnis (ARC)

The Lost Child by Emily Gunnis

Genre: Suspense, Mystery, Historical fiction, Chick lit

Read: 5th March 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 9th January 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

Emily Gunnis is a new author for me so having come across THE LOST CHILD and after reading the premise, I had no idea what to expect. I needn't have worried because this superb novel had me hooked from the very first page. In fact, I would have finished it in under a day had it not been real life getting in the way and diverting my attention.

In 1945, Jacob Waterhouse returns from war having served in the D-Day landings at Normandy which has haunted him day and night ever since. He returns a shell of a man of who he was before the war, suffering constant nightmares and flashbacks and no clue how to deal with the horrors he saw there. His wife Harriet, looking forward to his return, doesn't recognise the man that is her husband and has no idea how to help him. They take up a position in service for the Bartons at their sprawling estate - he as a gardener and she as a lady's maid. Until fate intervenes and changes their lives forever.

In 1952, Harriet Waterhouse faces a dilemma when she receives word that her husband Jacob is to be released from the mental institution he has been in for the past five years. Having lived with his nightmares, anger and violence from the time he came back from the war till the day he was carted off to the institution, Harriet is unsure what to expect. But things are different now. Harriet has 5 year old Rebecca to think about and Jacob's violent outbursts have no place in their new found peace at Seaview Cottage.

In 1960, 13 year old Rebecca Waterhouse faces a tragedy and she witnesses the horrific murder of her mother at the hands of her father before shooting himself. She is taken into custody and questioned at length by police which bordered on badgering the young girl who had, in effect, now been left an orphan. Police are certain there is more to the incident than Rebecca is letting on and that she is hiding information paramount to the investigation. But Rebecca never wavers in her account. Police let her go and she returns to live at Seaview Farm with her neighbour Ted Roberts and his son Harvey.

In 2014, Jessie Roberts goes into labour and delivers a baby girl whom she names Elizabeth, after her deceased stepmother. But Jessie, who had been anxious prior to the birth, now becomes convinced that the doctors are trying to harm her newborn daughter and that the antibiotics given to her for a life-threatening infection are poison. She refuses to consent to the treatment and early the next morning she leaves the hospital, taking her sick newborn daughter with her. Her father Harvey is frantic with worry as he fears history repeating itself in the form of post natal psychosis which afflicted her mother Rebecca just after Jessie was born almost four decades ago. She displays all the same signs as Rebecca did and now that Jessie has fled with her sick daughter, if Elizabeth doesn't receive her antibiotics within 12 hours, her chances of survival are slim.

Iris Waterhouse is Jessie's half sister and a journalist. So when their mother Rebecca rings Iris pleading with her to help find her sister, Iris must use her contacts and her position as a journalist to delve into the past to discover why Jessie fled. Her mother never talks about her past, particularly the night of her parent's deaths, so Iris must use all her nous to uncover the truth.

Meanwhile, a mysterious patient arrives at the hospital to receive urgent care in the midst of Jessie's disappearance. We are privy to their confusing thoughts that border on the incoherent ramblings of a mental patient as we try to make sense of what their words mean and where their story fits into the one already unfolding.

Told in three main timelines - 1945 to 1952, 1960 and 2014 - everything comes back to Seaview Cottage. What role does Seaview play in a terrified mother's life? What links Seaview from the past to the present? And will the Cottage finally reveal the truth that has remained hidden for so long?  As the individual stories unravel, we discover the link that ties them all together whilst gaining an understanding of post natal psychosis, guilt, secrets and the unbreakable love of a mother for her child.

There is so much pain, hurt and misunderstanding embedded deep within the story of this family but it is also heartbreakingly real. The complex nature of families is outlined with sensitivity and understanding as shocking secrets are ultimately revealed, bringing the story full circle.

An intriguing mystery combined with historical fiction and a touch of chick lit, THE LOST CHILD is a compelling tale of mothers and daughters and of love and forgiveness. Heartwrenching and emotional, this story is utterly absorbing that you will not want to put down.

As the combined narratives unfold to weave the three storylines together, readers will gain an insight into mental health issues such as post natal psychosis and the effect war has on returning soldiers. THE LOST CHILD is, at times, heartbreaking but above all it is a beautiful and touching story that will have you reaching for the Kleenex by the story's end.

So if you enjoy books in dual timeline format with a touch of mystery and a touch of history, I highly recommend this beautiful story that is heartbreaking, emotional, intriguing, compelling and suspenseful right up to the very last page with one final twist that is so shockingly good I wasn't expecting it.

I have not yet read "The Girl in the Letter" but after reading this gem I am looking forward to losing myself to it!

I would like to thank #EmilyGunnis, #NetGalley and #Headline for an ARC of #TheLostChild in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Who Did You Tell? by Lesley Kara (ARC)

Who Did You Tell? by Lesley Kara

Genre: Psychological thriller, suspense

Read: 5th March 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 9th January 2020)

★★★★ 3.5 stars rounded up

As one of the minority who has not yet read Lesley Kara's debut thriller "The Rumour", I didn't know what to expect going into WHO DID YOU TELL? Upon re-reading the premise before I started, I had to wonder what lead me to request this book as it really didn't sound all that intriguing. But I was wrong.

Astrid's mother named her "Hillary" when she was born because she had such a sunny disposition. But she hated the name. So Hillary then became Astrid which alluded to something far more exciting, setting the scene for the rebellious and disastrous life she'd lead since.

A recovering alcoholic, Astrid has moved in with her mother in the small seaside town of Flinstead, where everybody knows everybody as well as each other's business. She hasn't had a drink for 192 days, regularly attends AA meetings at the behest of her mother and is making friends. Several months ago, her life fell apart with the suicide of the love of her life for which she blames herself and is trying to move past the guilt. Despite everything, she really is trying to put her life back together.

She meets Helen and Rosie at the AA meetings and feels an instant kinship with Helen, who is struggling with her own sobriety. Together they find strength in each other. But with Rosie, Astrid feels uneasy. It's like the woman wants to make Astrid her new "pet project" and to be honest she could do without the constant references to God, about whom Astrid feels indifferent. However, where ever she turns in town Rosie seems to continually pop up and Astrid cannot escape her quick enough. Thank goodness for Helen as the two women forge a friendship and work through their steps together.

When Astrid meets Josh on the beach one morning, their conversations soon lead to coffee then romantic walks which then becomes a relationship she hadn't exactly planned for. He soon takes her home to meet his father in the beautiful house they are renovating.

In her former life (before alcohol) Astrid was a set designer, painting enormous works of art on a massive scale. It was something she loved. So when Josh mentions that his father needs some kind of painting done, she is excited (and a little surprised) when he commissions her with the job of creating something magical in one of the rooms of the house they are renovating.

At last, Astrid feels as if life is returning to normal and her past is finally behind her. With Josh, Astrid feels a sense of normality and happiness returning to her life. With Josh she feels safe. After all, everyone deserves a second chance, don't they?

But what will happen when Astrid finally gets the courage to tell Josh the truth?

But...someone knows the secret from which she is running and they have tracked her down to sleepy Flinstead. The hairs on the back of her neck tell her someone is watching her. The scent of Simon's aftershave tells her he is back. But he can't be...he's dead! But she can smell it everywhere she goes. And then one day she receives a photo with a message on the back...followed by a death notice bearing her name. Someone knows her secret and they are hell bent on making her pay. But only one other person knows her secret...and he is dead. Which begs the question - who did Simon tell?

Shrouded in the depths of alcoholism and its temptations, WHO DID YOU TELL? is a raw account of one woman's path to recovery complete with her vulnerabilities, her depression and her guilt...along with her strength to overcome it. It highlights the pain of the loved ones trying to help her and their almost suffocating need to protect her, as her mother learns to trust her again. I may not have been with her for the entire journey but I was proud of Astrid's strength and courage to resist those temptations as they came her way. Added to this battle was the knowledge that someone was stalking her and persecuting her. And still she resisted.

Secrets, suspicion and suspense from the very first page draw you in to Astrid's story in WHO DID YOU TELL? that you will be turning pages at the speed of light in a rush to get to the truth. Filled with so many twists that just when you think you have it worked out, along comes another to throw you off.

A great mix of thriller, suspense and drama, WHO DID YOU TELL? is a compelling story of one woman's fight with addiction and the secrets of her past. The short snappy chapters make it a fast, gripping read.

WHO DID YOU TELL? will appeal to a wide range of readers.

I would like to thank #LesleyKara, #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK #TansworldPublishers for an ARC of #WhoDidYouTell in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Her Last Goodnight by Michael Scanlon (ARC)

Her Last Goodnight (Detective Finnegan Beck #3) by Michael Scanlon

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 7th March 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 14th January 2020)

★★ 2 stars

The third installment of the Detective Finnegan Beck series, HER LAST GOODNIGHT is a little different from the first two in that Beck is forced to confront his past with various flashbacks reminding him of what he would rather forget. All while investigating the murder of a well-liked man in a small Irish community. What also makes it different is that can also be read as a standalone...with the ending hopefully bringing an end to one part of Beck's destructive behaviour.

When Beck is called to the scene of a brutal murder, the obvious question is what motive did anyone have to kill kindly old Eddie Kavanagh? The answer is, no one. Eddie was well-liked, kind-hearted and not a bad word could be said about him. So why would someone bash his head in so brutally and leave him to die?

Eddie Kavanagh lived a solitary existence on his farm in rather non-descript Irish town. He had lost the love of his life - Emily Tuffy - 50 years before as he had been too slow in proposing...and Emily got tired of waiting so she upped and left for America. But now, Eddie has a second chance at love...complete with engagement ring and the promise of a better life. But then Eddie is found dead the following day...the ring still in his pocket. What happened to Eddie and who was his mysterious new woman?

Beck and his partner Claire Somers investigate this brutal murder and are soon put on the trail of some rather questionable goings-on which indicate sex trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution and a travelling brothel! However, it takes several more murders before the pieces finally come together as Beck almost loses his life in the process. If not for one rather timely companion.

Which brings me to the show stealer of the story for me. He doesn't feature a whole lot but his presence is always there and very often felt. Max, a sheepdog, who has become Beck's constant companion. Before finding love with Beck, Max belonged to Eddie Kavanagh...and the scene where Max is found beside Eddie's body, pining for his dead master, is heartwrenching for me. Animal Services had no room in the shelter for Max, so Beck offered him a home in the interim. That is, until Max saves his life as well as from himself. So Beck decides to keep him. A far better match than a bottle of Jameson, in my opinion.

As we've seen over the course of the series, Beck has had his demons...one of them is alcohol. And his friend and colleague, Dr Gumbell, doesn't help by perpetuating the problem and shoving yet another pint or a whiskey chaser in front of him. Thankfully, he didn't feature as he was away at a conference but I think Beck would be better off without Gumbell's influence. I was quite proud of Beck for turning away the invitation for a drink only to have that shattered when he bought a bottle and downed it before attending a post mortem. I felt like screaming at him!

Sadly Beck has not had the best of upbringings, with estranged parents and the death of his father, now battling alcoholism and constant nightmares rooted deep within his past. He is a complex character and utterly infuriating at times, but also somewhat likable.

While Beck is a flawed character with too many demons to mention, I am a little tired of the stereotypical police detective battling the demon drink. And as likable as I found Beck in the first book, by this one he irritated me. He did show some promise at the end when instead of turning to the bottle, he cuddled up with Max.

With a promising premise, I felt HER LAST GOODNIGHT was lacking in excitement and intrigue. Although it was complex, dark and disturbing, Beck's constant to-ing and fro-ing with the bottle just gave me the s***!

HER LAST GOODNIGHT is atmospheric and can be read as a standalone as Beck tries to deal with the memories of his past.

Fairly enjoyable, but I don't think I will continue with the series myself. However, good luck to Beck and I hope Max continues as his constant companion. Whatever you do, Mr Scanlon, please don't kill Max off!!

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

REVIEW: The Man She Married by Alison James

The Man She Married by Alison James

Genre: Domestic Thriller

Read: 28th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 13th January 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

WOW! This intriguing thriller is not only based on but also has us pondering the question "Just how well do you know your husband?" It also takes identity theft to such a frightening level that combined with everything else, makes THE MAN SHE MARRIED incredibly hard to put down.

Alice Palmer meets Dominic Gill in a lift. She's at Ellwood Archer to make arrangements for her catering company. He is there for a job interview. The first thing she notices are his eyes - warm topaz and mesmerising. But Alice is hesitant. After being jilted a week before her wedding once before, Alice never thought she would ever meet "the one". But Dominic is attractive, charismatic, kind and charming and despite all misgivings, she accepts his offer for coffee...which then turns into dinner...then dating...until he surprisingly proposes to her three months later.

Their wedding quickly follows on 1st April (I couldn't help but note the irony of the date) and, despite the absence of his family which is easily explained with his mother being ill with a heart condition while his estranged brother remains behind to care for her, Alice couldn't be happier. So what if she sees - and ignores - some serious red flags? They are happy, in love and life couldn't be better.

Even when Alice inadvertently discovers a bank statement with a mysterious reference to "Galea", even when he continues to make excuses as to why they can't meet his family, even when she catches him in a lie and he easily sways her with his charm, even when she follows him to a flat in North Acton, even when she finds a speeding ticket for somewhere he wasn't meant to be, even when their anniversary weekend turned into anything but romantic, even when he turned into someone she didn't recognise, even when she was approached by a mysterious woman with an accent who claimed to have information on who her husband really was...Dominic explained it all away and Alice dismissed any misgivings she may have momentarily had.

But now, it is Valentine's Day and Alice is preparing for a romantic evening for them both. With the fish prepared, the wine uncorked and a text from Dom to say he would be leaving the office in 30 minutes, Alice enjoyed a bath and prepared herself for her husband...and the amazing news she had for him. She was pregnant! Unable to contain her excitement, she snapped a photo of the positive test result and WhatsApp'ed it to Dom, eager for his response. But it never comes. So she calls her friend JoJo to tell her the news. Then an hour passes, two hours, three...something is wrong. She calls Dominic but there is no answer.

Furious with him for spoiling such a momentous occasion, she changes into sweat pants and is dozing when the doorbell rings. She opens the door to police and some devastating news. There's been an accident...and Dominic is dead.

Alice accompanies police to the hospital mortuary with JoJo by her side to see the man she married dead on a slab. There is no doubt it's him. With a small nod, she confirms that yes, it is her husband Dominic. Yet when his estranged brother Simon walks in, he insists "That isn't Dominic Gill. That isn't my brother."

So who was the man Alice married??

The journey then takes us to Australia where we meet a different set of characters in a different set of circumstances that become all too familiar as the deception and lies begin to unearth just what and who Dominic is, or isn't. The consequences are devastating as the truth is slowly revealed.

The man she married was not the person Alice thought he was. And if he lied about that, what else did he hide from her? And how can she find out the truth if all she has to go on is lie after lie?

I have to say, I could have shaken Alice at how completely oblivious she was to the red flags she saw - and ignored - to the many holes in Dominic's story. I could see them as plain as day and just felt like yelling at her "Open your eyes, woman!" But she accepted his plausible explanations and often excused his behaviour. But whatever his reasons, nothing prepared me for what lay beneath his lies and layers of deception.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Alice and Dominic in THEN and NOW chapters that give us, the reader, a clearer picture of things, THE MAN SHE MARRIED is a complete and complex tale filled with twist after twist along the way. Reading from Dominic's perspective gives us greater insight into his past and just who he really is. But who is he, really? Is he a conman? Is he a psychopath? But one thing is certain...despite his charm and his good looks, he is dangerous...very dangerous. And Alice is his perfect cover. This clever tale weaves together his story into Alice's and leaving behind nothing but questions.

Fast paced and gripping from the very first page, THE MAN SHE MARRIED is shockingly dark in parts with twists and the evil that one man does. I must add, that sexual assault features in a couple of small parts of the story for those that may be triggered. It is not a huge feature, but it is there.

After the author's previous thriller "The School Friend" (formerly "The Friendship Pact"), of which I was half-hearted about, I wasn't sure what to expect from THE MAN SHE MARRIED. But this...this is a thriller on a whole other level! It is original, it is twisted but it is brilliant! Just when you think you know what's going on, something else happens to turn it all around again!

A definite recommendation for thriller fans!

REVIEW: Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton (ARC)

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton

Genre: Thriller

Read: 29th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 9th January 2020)

★ 1 star

I must be in the minority here because I simply could not get into this book. What is essentially THREE HOURS felt like three years to me...and I didn't even finish it! It was slow, uneventful and boring. I tried to connect to the characters but everything just felt distant...like I was viewing it through a fish bowl.

It is, from what I can gather, a hate crime. But then aren't most school shootings? I can't tell you much more as I never completed the book. I didn't even get to hear from the shooter's perspectives (if there ever was on).

The premise sounded interesting...but that was where it ended. My second book in a row that has been somewhat disappointing, although at least I finished the last one...this one I was just bored to tears.

20% is my cut-off point if a book fails to grab me. I couldn't even make it that far. Maybe I gave up too early...who knows...but for me, if a book does not grab your attention from the beginning and pulls you in, then I move on to something that does. I felt none of the thrills promised - just...*yawn*...boredom.

Billed as "One of the most exhilarating reading experiences I've ever had" - I feel as though I was reading a different book. But I guess THREE HOURS would be fine if you're into this type of story of this kind of crime, but it just wasn't for me, sadly.

I would like to thank #RosamundLupton, #NetGalley and #PenguinBooksUK for an ARC of #ThreeHours in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: I Choose You by Gayle Curtis (ARC)

I Choose You by Gayle Curtis

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 29th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 1st January 2020)

★ 1.5 stars

Firstly, I think it is important to note before starting this book that suicide features heavily in this story. It is talked about, it is acted out and it is a game purported by an unknown subject manipulating their victims - or participants, as they are referred to - into playing. As a difficult issue for some I felt it important to make it known that it is a common thread throughout the entire story.

So, ready?

Thirty years ago, Elise and Nathaniel shared a horrific trauma in which their mothers both committed suicide...the possible victims of the Suicide Watcher. This united them in grief when they meet up again in a support group run by Magda King, whose brother succumbed to suicide. A recipe for disaster, right? Well, these two were obviously blind to that fact and ended up married with three children of their own - Ida, Miles and Buddy. (honestly where does the author come up with these names? Ida for a 15 year old girl??) Elise has recently had baby Buddy (whose name sounds more like a dog than a child), and had some kind of post natal psychosis going on where she didn't feel that Buddy was hers. Aside from that, they finally believe that their nightmares are over...until Ida is murdered. (don't believe the premise in the abduction theory...never happened)

Fast forward a couple of years later...and baby Buddy is now 20 months old. But Elise is a raving lunatic. She is now in full-on psycho mode accusing a doctor she worked with and his wife of swapping their babies when they were both born at the same time in the same hospital. She has gone so far that they have taken out a restraining order against her and threatening legal action. But Elise is adamant. Their baby - Louis - is really her child, and Buddy is their's. What makes her think that? Her baby had an unusual birth mark on his right leg which she saw immediately after he was born...but later when they brought him to her in the hospital it was gone. The doctor's wife's face said it all...Louis has that very birthmark.

So amidst accusations, threats, police involvement and whatnot, Nathaniel assures Elise that Buddy IS their's as the DNA results proved it. But Elise would not be swayed.

And that seems a plausible enough storyline, right? Wrong!

Then there are the intermittent philosophical ramblings of a headcase peppered throughout the entire story, picking off their victims like going through a shopping list. Only with a far more metaphysical take in the theoretical sense of the entire nonsensical waffle! Did that make any sense? No? Well, neither do these chapters.

The story goes back and forth between the past and the present - titled THEN and NOW. That should be easy enough to follow in theory...I repeat IN THEORY. But the problem was there was one story in the THEN, another in the NOW and then the philosophical theoretical nonsense thrown in between! I have to admit I found it terribly difficult to remember in which timeline which story went where and what related to who when. It didn't make it any easier that Elise and Nathaniel featured in both, which simply added to the confusion.

Then we get confession after confession regarding Ida's death...which incidentally took place in the THEN chapters. And after all that, it was then theorised that Ida took her own life as the latest victim (participant) of the Suicide Watcher...or maybe it was the mother's brother's uncle twice removed? Then when the identity of Ida's killer is revealed it would have been a clever touch, if not for the whole convoluted mess in between, but it really just fell as flat as the rest of the story.

And by the end, I'm thinking...WTF? This person kills that person after they had killed another person and then kills themselves?

Honestly...I CHOOSE YOU could be broken down into three categories:
The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY.

The only good thing this book had going for it was the whole Suicide Watcher theme. It was original and intriguing. "You have sixty seconds to choose - to shoot yourself or to be shot?"

Then we have the characters, none of which were likable in any way, shape or form. I wanted to shoot all of them, they irritated me that much. And there was so much happening in this book I simply could not keep up. Nor could I distinguish between the past and present as it all just jumbled together with a load of random people that had no development or substance.

Which then brings us to the worst part of this book - the UGLY. O.M.G!! The horribly choppy writing that was just such a convoluted mess. That by the end I was just so confused by all the unanswered questions and plot holes that were left unresolved. I just didn't get the whole point of whose baby was really Elise's and the random nutter that was a friend but also a patient but also a client...where did that one come from and what the hell did it mean? It was never followed up and just left blowing in the breeze like most of the storyline.

When I started this book, I went in with my eyes open to enjoy it...and I tried. I really did. And when it started it did show promise. I thought for sure I would give it at least 3 stars. But what the hell happened after that? In all honesty, I kept reading hoping all loose ends would be tied up by the end and I'd find out who the Suicide Watcher was and who killed Ida. I guessed who the Watcher was but not Ida's killer...but then I think they were running out of suspects after all the confessions.

There was way too much happening in this book and way too many random people that just didn't need to be there. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't like this book...and despite the almost clever way it ended, I just didn't much care anymore by then.

I would give it 2 stars just because I finished it, but even then 2 stars is leaning towards the notion that I thought it was "OK". Which I didn't. So it's a sorry 1 from me.

I have her next book already. I just hope it is vast improvement on this one.

I would like to thank #GayleCurtis, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for an ARC of #IChooseYou in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Sleepover by Samantha King (ARC)

The Sleepover by Samantha King

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 27th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 7th November 2019)

★★★ 3.5 stars

My first book by Samantha King, THE SLEEPOVER is every parent's worst nightmare. Your child goes to a sleepover and you return to collect him the next morning only to find he isn't there! His friends aren't saying anything, the mother is oblivious and you're pulling your hair out racking your brains thinking where your child could possibly be!

This is what happens to Izzy Brooke and her 12 year old son Nick.

Izzy has always been protective of her son ever since he was born, particularly after returning home one afternoon when, nearing the end of her pregnancy, she found the love of her life and father of her unborn child had hanged himself. Despite her grief she vowed to be the best mother she could be to her son and protect him at all costs. But Nick needed a father and so with the help of her best friend Katie, Izzy joined a dating site and met Craig who she later married. Craig was a good step-father to Nick. He loved him like he was his own flesh and blood, and he adored Izzy.

Then a year ago, Nick was brutally attacked by bullies when he decided to walk to school by himself. It was this incident that divided the once happy family with accusations flying, resulting in Craig leaving the family home. And it was Izzy and Nick once more.

Now a year later to the day, it is Friday the 13th and Nick is pleading with his mum to allow him to go to his best friend Adrian's house for a sleepover. Still reeling from Craig's accusations last year and her guilt at not protecting her son enough, Izzy is reluctant to let him go. But this is a new school and these are new friends. What could go wrong?

Finally relenting, she drops him off and arranges to collect him the following morning. But the next day when she arrives, all her nightmares have become reality when it is discovered that Nick isn't there. Overcome with guilt once again and telling herself she knew this was a bad idea, Izzy is frantic with worry. She questions each of the boys there but they claim to know nothing. Nick was there when they went to sleep...and when they woke he was gone.

The police are called and Izzy's ex, Craig, arrives with everyone turning over thoughts and possibilities while the three boys sat there white with shock. Where could Nick have gone in the middle of the night? And why would he leave the sleepover he was so desperate to attend, leaving all his belongings behind? It didn't make sense.

And then a body is found in the Thames...

Questions arise and fingers are pointed as we are thrown different scenarios and red herrings to throw us off the scent as Izzy searches for the truth about what happened to her son. As the reader, we suspect just about everyone along the way as the story threw us twist after twist!

The story is gripping from the beginning though it slows down in pace for most of the way until the penultimate finale delivering a few shocks, whilst remaining compelling throughout.

A cautionary tale, THE SLEEPOVER covers a variety of topics every parent should be aware of - bullying, peer pressure, the social media influence, secrets and duplicitous behaviour.

The final twist, when it came, was shocking but I had admittedly anticipated it just prior to its reveal. A twisted psychopathic tale, THE SLEEPOVER is a tense and taut thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat as you try to pick your way through the ever growing list of suspects. Even at the end, you are still questioning just who is really behind it!

THE SLEEPOVER is an engaging read I recommend to fans of psychological thrillers

I would like to thank #SamanthaKing, #NetGalley and #LittleBrownBookGroupUK for an ARC of #TheSleepover in exchange for an honest review.