The Wilderness Retreat Review | Jennifer Moore

Plot: As Bella drops her son off at university, she’s devastated. It’s been the two of them ever since Asher was born. The only thing helping her through is the upcoming week-long wilderness retreat in Sweden. It’ll be her chance to reconnect and recharge.

At the retreat, Bella basks in the beauty of the modern lodge, with its luxury rooms and picture-perfect views, the glistening lake and lush forest. For the full detox effect, everyone must surrender their phones.

The holiday seems idyllic until the person who ruined Bella’s life years ago arrives, threatening everything she’s worked hard for and will do anything to protect. Suddenly, a terrified Bella is trapped in the wild, knowing someone wants her dead…

Publisher: HQ Digital | Date: 2023 | Genre: Thriller

The Happy Family Review | Jackie Kabler

The synopsis felt this could be a cliché read, following the pattern of a lot of psychological thrillers. Although in places it was predictable, I enjoyed this: it kept me gripped and threw enough curveballs that it didn’t fall into the typical patterns. Here’s my review on The Happy Family.

Publisher: HarperCollins UK / One More Chapter | Date: 2021 | Genre: Thriller

Plot: A mother who disappeared…
When Beth was 10 years old, her beautiful, wild mother Alice walked out and never came back. Beth’s life since hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but now she is happy and settled, with a successful career, a loving family and a beautiful home.

An unexpected visitor…
Then one day there’s a knock at the door. Alice has returned. Overjoyed to have the chance to rebuild their relationship, Beth invites her mother to move in.

A life that comes crashing down…
At first, everything seems wonderful. But then Beth’s friends begin to drift away, strange things start to happen at home, and rumours begin to circle about her past. As the mysterious events around Beth become darker and more dangerous, she is forced to question everything. Is somebody in her life trying to destroy her happiness? And how far will they go?

Watch Her Fall Review | Erin Kelly

I remember thoroughly enjoying He Said/She Said but haven’t read anything by Erin Kelly since. When I saw this one, I was eager to give it a go. Full of twists and turns across a split narration, it certainly didn’t disappoint. Keep reading for my review on Watch Her Fall.

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Publisher: Hodden and Stoughton | Date: 2021 | Genre: Thriller | Buy it here*

Plot: Swan Lake is divided into the black acts and the white acts. The Prince is on stage for most of the ballet, but it’s the swans audiences flock to see. In early productions, Odette and Odile were performed by two different dancers. These days, it is usual for the same dancer to play both roles. Because of the faultless ballet technique required to master the steps, and the emotional range needed to perform both the virginal Odette and the dark, seductive Odile, this challenging dual role is one of the most coveted in all ballet. Dancers would kill for the part.

Ava Kirilova has reached the very top of her profession. After years and years of hard graft, pain and sacrifice as part of the London Russian Ballet Company, allowing nothing else to distract her, she is finally the poster girl for Swan Lake. Even Mr K – her father, and the intense, terrifying director of the company – can find no fault. Ava has pushed herself ahead of countless other talented, hardworking girls, and they are all watching her now.

But there is someone who really wants to see Ava fall…

The Girl You Gave Away Review | Jess Ryder

New week; new book. Jess Ryder is a new author to me but the synopsis of this one really caught my attention. While at times I felt it was predictable, this book kept me engaged, gripped and – turns around – wasn’t nearly as predictable as I thought. Keep reading for my review on The Girl You Gave Away.

Publisher: Bookoutre | Date: 2020 | Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Plot:  All she wanted was the life they had…

It is the day of Erin’s fortieth birthday party. Pink and silver balloons drift through her garden, the platters of food are empty and the recycling is overflowing with empty wine bottles.

As Erin mingles with groups of family and friends, surrounded by love and laughter, she feels like the luckiest woman alive. She has no idea what fate has in store …

Then a little red envelope lands on the doormat and everything changes.

Inside is a birthday card from somebody she never dreamed would get in touch. Its message is a chilling reminder of the dark past that Erin has worked so hard to bury, a past that could put her precious family in terrible danger…

Strangers Review | C.L Taylor

Despite seeing C.L Taylor come up a lot, I’ve never actually read one of their books before. I was looking forward to this one and seeing whether the author is worth the hype. I think it’s fair to say that the answer is yes from me – here’s my review on Strangers.

Publisher: Avon Books UK | Date: 2020 | Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Plot: Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life. Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards. And Alice is being stalked.

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die.

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

The million-copy bestseller returns with a gripping new novel that will keep you guessing until the end.

The Never Game Review | Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver is a name I’ve come across a few times, but haven’t ever read any of his work before. I’ve been looking forward to a good thriller, and this one did not disappoint. A gripping plot, interesting characters and it left me wanting to read more from this author. Here’s my review on The Never Game.

Publisher: HarperCollins | Date: 2019 | Genre: Thriller

Plot: “You have been abandoned.”

A young woman has gone missing in Silicon Valley and her father has hired Colter Shaw to find her. The son of a survivalist family, Shaw is an expert tracker. Now he makes a living as a “reward seeker,” traveling the country to help police solve crimes and private citizens locate missing persons. But what seems a simple investigation quickly thrusts him into the dark heart of America’s tech hub and the cutthroat billion-dollar video-gaming industry.

“Escape if you can.”

When another victim is kidnapped, the clues point to one video game with a troubled past–The Whispering Man. In that game, the player has to survive after being abandoned in an inhospitable setting with five random objects. Is a madman bringing the game to life?

“Or die with dignity.”

Shaw finds himself caught in a cat-and-mouse game, risking his own life to save the victims even as he pursues the kidnapper across both Silicon Valley and the dark ‘net. Encountering eccentric game designers, trigger-happy gamers and ruthless tech titans, he soon learns that he isn’t the only one on the hunt: someone is on his trail and closing fast.

Endgame Review | Daniel Cole

The Ragdoll series by Daniel Cole has been a chilling yet gripping read. The crimes have made you flinch while you root for the heroes, hoping for a happy ending – if such things exist in books like this. Today’s review is on Endgame, the final in the trilogy!

Publisher: Trapeeze | Date: 2019 | Genre: Thriller

Plot: A locked room. A dead body. A secret that went to the grave.

When retired police officer Finlay Shaw is found dead in a locked room, everyone thinks it’s suicide. But disgraced detective William ‘Wolf’ Fawkes isn’t so sure.

Together with his former partner Detective Emily Baxter and private detective Edmunds, Wolf’s team begin to dig into Shaw’s early days on the beat. Was Shaw as innocent as he seemed? Or is there more to his past than he’d ever let on?

But not everyone wants Wolf back – and as his investigation draws him ever deeper into police corruption, it will not only be his career on the line – but the lives of those he holds closest as well… 

The Girl in the Moon Review | Terry Goodkind

Having been a huge Terry Goodkind fan due to his ‘Sword of Truth’ series, I was intrigued by what else he had written. This was not what I was expecting – it was far darker and more graphic than anticipated, to the point of making me feel uncomfortable. Here’s my full review on The Girl in the Moon.

Publisher: Head of Zeus | Date: 2018 | Genre: Thriller

Plot: Angela Constantine is a girl born broken.

When Angela was young, before she came to realize she had a rare ability, she was a rather ordinary girl. At least, that was what everyone said. But Angela is anything but ordinary. The daughter of a meth addict, she is convinced she was born a freak. Haunted by an abusive childhood, she was forced to become a woman far too soon. And in the process, she became more.

Angela Constantine has a secret life.

Angela juggles multiple jobs to live a secluded life in a cabin in the mountains. But she also lives a secret life, right under everyone’s noses. Because her family’s bloodline carries the ability to recognize killers, she adopts a solitary, violent existence in service of her own, personal mission in life. When Angela unexpectedly finds herself the prey of a group of international terrorists, she is the only one who knows the truth of what they are about to do. She might look like an unlikely hero. She might also be our only hope.

Angela Constantine is . . . The Girl in the Moon

Three Little Lies Review | Laura Marshall

After thoroughly enjoying Friend Request, I was eager to read another Laura Marshall book and see if it lived up to the same standards. I have a very strange relationship with these kinds of thrillers as I’ve read too many and found they’re predictable, but this one held my interest. Read on for my review on Three Little Lies.

Publisher: Sphere | Date: 2018 | Genre: Thriller

Plot: Someone told a lie. Someone knows the truth. Someone is watching you.

When Sasha North comes into Ellen’s life, Ellen falls under her spell. As Ellen is welcomed into Sasha’s family, she doesn’t see the darkness that lies beneath their bohemian lifestyle. Not until a brutal attack changes all their lives forever.

Ten years later, Ellen and Sasha share a flat in London, still bound together by that night. When Sasha disappears, Ellen fears the worst. The police won’t take her seriously, but the events of the past give Ellen good reason to be frightened.

What really happened that night? Who is telling the whole truth? These are the questions Ellen must confront when searching for her friend. But someone knows Ellen is looking. And they don’t want the answers coming out . . .

Friend Request Review | Laura Marshall

I’ve got a new thriller for you today! Laura Marshall was a new author for me with this book and I was intrigued by the timely nature of the premise. It takes a lot for a thriller to keep me guessing these days and I have to admit that Marshall caught my attention throughout the entire book.

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group | Date: 2017 | Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Plot: When Louise Williams receives a message from someone left long in the past she feels sick.

Maria Weston wants to be friends on Facebook.

Because Maria Weston has been missing for over twenty years. She was last seen the night of a school leavers’ party, and the world believes her to be dead. Particularly Louise, who has lived her adult life knowing herself responsible for Maria’s disappearance. But now Maria is back. Or is she?