Published: November 12, 2021

Bookouture

I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave this review voluntarily.

K.L. Slater is the number one bestselling author of sixteen psychological crime thrillers. She has sold over two million copies of her books worldwide. She has also written four Carnegie-nominated Young Adult novels as Kim Slater for Macmillan Children’s Books. Kim has an MA in Creative Writing and lives with her husband in a small Nottinghamshire village in England.

“We looked so happy, a perfectly contented family.”

Kate thought she had quite the charmed life; a loving and devoted husband and a beautiful little girl. But when a striking stranger suddenly shows up in the village, the security Kate once felt starts to recede. And then the rumors start. And then her husband suddenly dies. And then secrets are unburied. Now, Kate doesn’t know what to think or feel or how to protect her child from the wrath brewing in the village.

This was such a delicious and modern version of “Clue”! The way things unfolded and the way things appeared to line up, simply brilliant.

Kate was such a beautiful character. Her past trauma has helped shape her into the woman and mother she is today, and her loyalty, despite current circumstances, runs deep. Kate is such a complicated character who embodies strength, intelligence, determination, and unconditional love. She is a fiercely protective wife and mother, a fantastic friend, and a genuinely kind human. She has a heart of gold and a will of stone.

Michael was such a great character. I loved that he was written to be the loving and devoted family, absolutely in love with his wife and child. But also extremely hard working and slightly mysterious. Michael almost seems too good to be true because no one is perfect, right?

Donna was a very authentic character. A woman who has suffered more tragedy than anyone should ever have to process. She is both a boldly strong and broken woman. I found her very raw and emotionally vulnerable. Her personality was authentic, and her situation was presented very delicately. She was a strong character, who turned her pain into her power, and I love that so much.

The strong women in this novel! I loved that each female character was so different, and each represented something entirely individual for that character. And I found the way each woman processed things so eloquently delivered.

This was such a twisted game of cat and mouse. The levels of secrecy and willingness to ignore the truth were glaring. The dominos appear to be set and ready to fall in a predictable pattern until we get knocked through a loop.

The truth will be revealed, and no one will believe it.