This was a roller coaster ride with a fantastic premise and a stomach sinking secret that took me over and beyond my imagination.

A couple, Rachel and Tom, who had come to repair their family to a secluded lodge, along with their daughter Holly, after the death of their son, soon found themselves under attack in the middle of the night. There were intruders at home... And they had to escape.

My first book by author Chris Ewan, I was blown away by the whole concept. My mind started twisting and turning trying to get to the reason of the attack. The mid section was pure adrenaline infused action where the family tried to escape the masked men with guns. The story was told from Tom's POV who was a family man with fears and insecurities but with an intense need to protect his daughter.

The cat and mouse run around the lodge was a bit long and kind of repetitive, but the story soon turned to the secrets hidden and the reveal, the center of which was the wife Rachel. The intrigue behind the son's death soon had me gripping my kindle hard.

A lump made its way in my throat when I read the son's love for his dad. The author's writing kept my emotions knotted with each scene of the story. The chapters flew swiftly, and I felt I hardly took a breath between the vivid imagery that this book left me with.

A ride it was from beginning to end. Half the book was heard as audio and the rest, I had to read as I was too impatient.

I really enjoyed this book, I found it slow going at first, but it really picked up pace and I found myself reading at any given opportunity. The storyline was interesting and the characters were well written. Highly recommended.

In parts this was similar to a book I read a couple of weeks ago but that didn’t put me off it 😁

Tom and his family are staying at his boss’ remote Loch hideaway after his wife and daughter were involved in an assault by unknown attackers a week before, this coming only months after their son drove his car into a tree, killing himself and his girlfriend

They arrive at the hideaway and it is perfect, a dream and start to relax....until they hear a ‘a window break’ at 2am

The window breaking is just the start of a manically claustrophobic read, addictive and scary as two men try and kill them all in a real fight for survival

Hints are given that the wife knows more than she is letting on but not until the end of the book do you find out what she knows and just what is happening and why this seemingly normal family have been targeted

It’s an exciting read where the adrenaline fuelled writing kept you wanting more, I am not sure if the ending was altogether believable but none the less a book that grabs and keeps grabbing!

A good 8/10
4 Stars

The premise of the book was interesting but the execution and descriptions were way, way too long-winded and repetitive. After a while I ended up skipping all paragraphs, if not pages.
The central 'chase' was never-ending.
I ended up wishing them all dead so that something could put a stop to the constant repetitions and overly described tiny, inconsequential events.
I did read till the end, out of curiosity more than enjoyment, but I would not recommend it to anyone - it was a boring book alas.

How far would you go to protect your family? Hopefully, this is something you will never have to worry about.
Our main characters are a family who have suffered more than anyone should have to. Their eldest child, a sixteen year old boy, was killed recently when he took the car without permission, crashing and killing both himself and his girlfriend. Only a week before the start of the book, the surviving family members are attacked as they leave a work event. Daughter, Holly, is attacked and the family are struggling to pick up the pieces. When boss, Lionel, offers them the use of his Highland Lodge to get away for a while it sounds like a perfect opportunity.
The first night they are there, the adults are woken by the sound of breaking glass. Unsettling, and at first we put their reactions down to nerves following recent experiences. But then they hear more noises and see men downstairs. They’ve come prepared. But, for what?
Tom and Rachel then begin a tense cat-and-mouse hunt. They take their child and try to escape-but every attempt is thwarted.
While the initial set-up was great, from this point on it became exaggerated to the point of losing my interest. We wanted to know who these people were, and find out what secrets Rachel and Tom were keeping. We got no answers...just a repetitive cycle of hide, almost found, escape...
As we start to creep closer to answers things take a more gruesome turn. In light of the actual details, this seemed too much to believe. The snippets of son Michael’s last moments did make more sense. Certain characters seemed to grow into quite unbelievable caricatures...but perhaps this is a natural result of circumstance and having the opportunity to do something about it.
By the end I was relieved with certain events, but can’t help but feel this was all rather over-the-top.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this prior to publication.

This is a very fast paced thriller once you get past the opening chapters.
I did wonder where it was leading as we find out that Tom and Rachel’s sixteen year old son was killed and their thirteen year old daughter was the victim of an unprovoked attack after a night out with her parents.
Their friend offers them his lodge to stay in to recover as a family, and it’s in a very remote location.
On the first night Tom and Rachel hear a window smash and so it begins....
The story really goes at break neck speed from this point and doesn’t let up until the end.
I liked the action in the book but it did seem a bit too intense at times and I was waiting for a break to come, but things just seem to get worse and worse for the family.
This is a gripping thriller which will have you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Family is trying to mend their relationships while staying at a lodge in the middle of nowhere. Tom, Rachael and their daughter, Holly are still grieving for the loss of their son, Michael and a mugging that's left Holly mentally scarred. Ut one night, Rachel heard a window break....

There seems to be a lot of slow burners around just now and this is another one. Theres a lot of time spent building up the suspense. Once the storyline starts properly, thenoace picks up. I didn't like any of the characters. Tomm was weak, Rachel had secrets and Holly was a little minx. I also thought the ending wasnt believable and it was a bit drawn out.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and the author C.M. Ewan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tom and Rachel are recovering from the death of there son. Along with their daughter Holly they are heading to a Scottish lodge to spend time together and start the healing process.
However, one night someone gets in but is a simple break in or something more sinister.
The book has good characters however you do get frustrated with Tom at times. The book starts slowly but improves as it goes with lots of twists.

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review

*3.5 stars*
I didn’t realise until I started reading the forward that the author has previously published books under the name Chris Ewan, a few of which I have read and enjoyed.
This is a fast paced book that doesn’t really let up. Tom, his wife Rachel and daughter Holly are struggling to overcome the death of loved son/brother Michael. Their marriage is fractured and the family is given a chance to heal at the remote Scottish Lodge that Tom’s boss owns. But I’m sure the way they have to come together and fight for their life after intruders enter the Lodge at night is not what they envisioned.
This is taut with action all the way through and I must admit maybe a little bit too long for me. This is overlayed with snippets of Michael before his accident and often this just ran on from the previous paragraph, so I really had to think about what was happening.
All in all a satisfying read, although I did skim at times and didn’t feel I missed out on much but I really enjoyed how it tied up in the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. I wanted to enjoy this. The initial concept was genuinely really interesting and could have been a fantastic read, but the vast majority of the book was filled with a chase, which, despite starting off very tense, just became very tedious. I found the reveals at the end nonsensical and hard to follow, although the parts cutting to Michael and Fiona were interesting. I liked Tom, Rachel and Holly as characters.

This was a great concept and well-executed. I really enjoyed the writing. It was a little slow to start with, but it got faster with twists and turns, and I couldn't stop reading. Characters were well developed and I couldn't help feeling for them, totally immersed in it.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Things had never ever been this bad, they had been a family of four not long ago but 16-year-old Michael had taken his dad's car and crashed it with his girlfriend along with him. Now they were both dead. Then four days ago 13-year-old Holly had been brutally attacked while she was with her parents. Now they were on their way to Scotland and a remote house set in its own grounds in the middle of nowhere to try and pull their broken family back together somehow. The house belonged to Tom's boss Lionell.
There was definitely a lot of strain between the couple but that wasn't surprising, soon they were all in bed until Rachel heard a window break and woke Tom. Then they heard someone walking on broken glass. Someone had broken in and they weren't on their own. I was ridged, I had to take a few seconds as if listening for any more sounds myself, I couldn't help it, I was just so locked into this story.
Now, this really raised the tiny hairs on my arms, reading in the early hours my house was so quiet with only the dialogue creating every step in my mind, every crunch and creak. When Tom took a look, what he knew that they weren't there to rob the place, it was far more deadly than that. I am sure my heart flipped. This was going to be a long night. No way was I going to sleep!!!!!!!!!!
The story is told through Tom and all his insecurities that he experienced. He knows what a hero would do but being realistic is just something else. He isn't particularly big or fit but he knows he can't bear to lose any more of his family. His feeling is that something is really off with the whole thing. Wow, was he right!
I loved every page it would make a fabulous movie. Superbly written this story just had me on every page.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

A Window Breaks is a psychological thriller of the cat and mouse variety, I rated this 3.5 ⭐️ Rounded up to 4 ⭐️
Tom and Rachel and their daughter have been offered by their friend a retreat holiday to get over the death of their son. This family is falling apart and need something drastic to keep them together and round the corner is something very drastic to keep them together. This initially was a slow burner, in fact I think too slow as I very nearly gave up on this but kept on going and the pace then goes so fast it’s like a different book. The storyline is good when it gets going but none of the characters are likeable, I don’t know if this was intentional or not but didn’t quite work for me. In the worst night of their lives Tom is a complete wimp I wanted him to actually do something, Holly, the daughter was what I can only describe a brat for the majority of the book and Rachel was a woman with secrets, but what are those secrets and how do they affect that night?
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

A slow burner to start with then the action, pace, tension and suspense ramps up to full throttle. This book had me glued to my seat and tapping my kindle faster and faster. Is it paranoia, the mind playing tricks or is there really someone out there????? A broken family are offered a retreat. Idyllic setting, a chance to rekindle their floundering marriage but someone else has other ideas. I thought that this was going to be a 5 star read, but in my opinion I have rated it 4 stars as the ending was a bit over the top and rather unbelievable.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Initially, a little slow but when Window Breaks gets going it’s a full roller coaster of thrills and spills. I guess it’s everyone’s worst nightmare waking up to intruders especially when you are away from a familiar environment. However, Tom does his best to be something more than a wet lettuce but he doesn’t get better than being an Iceberg in that he freezes all the time. Almost every opportunity missed to make a difference, I had to stay my hand for want of throwing my Kindle across the room in frustration. Is it just me or don’t parents tell their children anymore that knotted bed sheets make great ropes? A quick and painless escape wouldn’t have made us suffer Tom’s later ineptitudes. Should I mention the dog? No, the whole thing was too painful. I shall give it three stars for pace and leave it there.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping novel

have to admit to sitting on the edge of my seat whilst reading this one...so much action from the very first page and it was none stop throughout...

it has to be everyones nightmare that nighttime scenario...you think you hear something...breaking glass..and for a moment you think its a dream...then you hear another sound...walking on that broken glass and you know then something is very wrong...

this is a story about a family, a broken family who are still trying to piece their lives back together since the death of their son michael...

so they are away for the weekend in a friends cottage loaned to them so they can regroup and try to come to terms with everything...and now this....

and now they are in for a tough night...

like i said before i was on the edge of my seat reading this one...so much tension and action and i could not believe my eyes reading this one..no spoilers but this one is well worth a read...the stuff of legends that will keep you awake at night...

will be adding this author my ever growing list of authors to keep an eye out for

This was a very verbose novel. Great concept and characters but the continual long descriptions took away the tensions in the story. Shame as it was a good idea.

Tom and Rachel along with their daughter are given the chance to have a break to get over the death of their son who died in a car crash but is everything that it seems?

A Window Breaks by C M Ewan is a book that starts slowly but builds up the pace and the tension until the final dramatic ending.

The characters are clearly defined and this adds to the enjoyment of the book which is definitely recommended

This is quite a slow paced book of a family trying to repair their relationship whilst staying in a lodge, in the middle of nowhere. I didn't like any of the characters and found myself getting frustrated with Tom. It is told from his point of view in a slow mind numbing way, he came across as a wet blanket and I was urging him to be more daring. It was hard to differ from the here and now and what was Michael's car accident, maybe a different font would have been better for a more fluid understanding.
Not the best thriller I've read and yet not the worst hence 3 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley, C.M. Ewan and Pan Macmillan for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tom and Rachel’s lives have been torn apart by the death of their son in a car accident. If that was not bad enough they and their 13 year old daughter Holly were victims of a mugging after a charity function hosted by Tom’s boss Lionel. Lionel offers to let the family use his remote Scottish lodge to give them a break and let them get back to being a family unit again. In the middle of their first night’s stay Rachel hears somebody breaking a glass window and their nightmare begins.

This is a fast paced thriller and a bit different to the thrillers that I normally read. I really thought that this was going to be a five star read for me. I honestly couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The main reason that I didn’t give this five stars is because I felt it got a bit much towards the end of the story. It just got to the stage were it wasn’t very believable anymore. I will say though that I have this problem with lots of thrillers that I read. I also thought that the ending was drawn out a lot more than it needed to be. That being said I really did enjoy this a lot and I am excited to look at other books by this author.