Published June 25th, 2024 by Bookouture
Thriller, Psychological Thriller
Today is my stop on the blog tour for this dark, twisty and unpredictable thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
As I race towards the lake, Toby’s life unfolds before me, from the day he entered this world to his first day at school. Please let me find him. I’ll do anything. But my sweet little boy is nowhere to be seen.
It kills me that the only way I can spend proper time with my son Toby is by helping out at his school camp. I sit under the emerald green pine trees and Toby’s little face lights up as he runs past me, joining the other chattering, happy children around us. Then I see my ex, David, glaring at me and my heart sinks. He may have full custody, but he’d love nothing more than for me to disappear. Forever.
As the excitement of the first day at this isolated camp dies down, I cherish the long goodnight hug I get to give to my beautiful little boy. I’d do anything to get Toby back.
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MY REVIEW:
A school residential turns into a nightmare in this suspenseful, gripping and forbidding thriller. It jumps straight into the action with a chilling prologue that hints at what’s to come: someone is dead and one of the children, Toby, is missing. But how did a school trip go so wrong? Moving between narrators and timelines, Maria Frankland skillfully tells the story. And it’s one hell of a bumpy ride filled with secrets, lies, jealousy, animosity and suspicion. She also knows how to keep her readers guessing, giving little away and keeping her cards close to the vest as we try to guess who is the murderer in their midst and who is their victim? And what about Toby? Will he be found safe? Pacy, unpredictable and filled with red herrings, she keeps us guessing; pulling the rug from under me with another twist every time I thought I had things figured out. It was addictive and I was so desperate for answers that I devoured the book in two sittings. But one of the most intriguing aspects of the book were the sentences in bold italics at the end of every chapter. The author of these dark, menacing, and moving sentences is a mystery, adding to the tension as I tried to guess not only who wrote them, but also who they were written to.
Frankland has filled the pages with a varied and compelling cast of characters. Their histories are complicated, intricate and hostile, leading to an atmosphere ripe with bitterness and tension. Each of the women who narrate the story were flawed and complex characters that might not always be likeable, but nevertheless had some quality that made me root for them at times. David was another story. He gave me the ick from the start and seemed to always be at the centre of conflicts. They were all potential suspects and victims and I could imagine any one of them killing for one reason or another. I loved this uncertainty as it added to the tension and kept me on the edge of my seat until the last pages.
Riveting, twisty and unpredictable, this is a must-read for any thriller lover.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Maria Frankland has a dubious internet search history and a very worried mother-in-law. However, neither of these things can stop her writing gripping psychological thrillers in which you’ll never find a happy-ever-after.
Her novels are mostly set in Yorkshire where you’ll hear the accent through all her characters. These are people you could live next door to, or closer still… don’t say you haven’t been warned.
Maria’s novels are fast-paced, down to earth and realistic. You never know what’s around the corner…
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BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon*
*This is an affiliate link
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.
Emma's Biblio Treasures 