All in her Head by Nikki Smith is an intricately layered novel, and it is a masterclass in plotting and suspense. It is also so, so addictive. When I first started reading it, I had absolutely no idea that it would lead in the direction that it did. I was drawn right into the mind of her lead character, Allison. I wanted to know what was really going on in her world. What was it that was making her feel so afraid? From the opening pages, you know you are going to be in for a tense ride.

When we first meet Allison she is working in a library, but all the time she is feeling anxious and afraid. We know that something has happened in her past to make her like this. Allison, however, struggles to remember the details. And the book only gets tenser when letters start turning up from someone who Allison never hoped to hear from again, and it is someone who she is terrified of. What did happen in her past? I knew I had to find out.

Allison intrigued me right from the start, and this book was really chilling. I thought this particularly when Allison sensed that a ghost from her past was coming back to haunt her. I could see how stressed this was making her, and this comes through very strongly in Nikki’s writing. You get the sense that the walls are closing in on Allison, and that very soon a terrible truth is going to emerge. You can also sense that she is in a very vulnerable position. It seems that anything might bring her world crumbling down. And when the plot started to unravel, the truths came thick and fast, blowing away every perception that I first had when I first started reading. Once the reveals started coming, I did not want to put it down as I had to know how everything was going to pan out. I can remember how tense I felt as Nikki pulled everything together, and the scenes were so crisp and clear in my mind.

I’m certain that this book is going to be in my top ten reads at the end of the year, and I can’t wait to see what Nikki Smith brings us next. All in her Head is filled with suspense. I highly recommend it.

A psychological thriller from the start. Twists and turns and slowly reveals the answers. The characters are complex, believable and compelling. Do think it should state a warning for those who may have suffered similar trauma.

A pacy, emotive psychological thriller, this debut from Nikki Smith was not what I expected. Beautifully written and utterly heartbreaking at times, this is definitely one for fans of A Good Enough Mother and Little Darlings. I definitely look forward to more by this author.

This is a clever and addictive debut that turns itself on its head and keeps you guessing right up to the last line. I flew through it in a desperate bid to know how it would all turn out. I can see this working on screen too. Really gripping.

I finished this in a heartbreaking rush this morning. An incredibly moving story of new motherhood and mental illness, beautifully written. My heart was in my mouth. I can't say much more because of spoilers but it's a genuinely thought-provoking read and I recommend it to all who want something a bit 'deeper' than the standard psychological thriller.

Alison works in the relative peace and quiet of a library located in a very busy building. The canteen is always busy but she has found a regular isolated table and she enjoys the solitude of her small flat where she can relax each evening, but then things begin to change.

Her lunches are interrupted by a woman she's sure she knows but can't remember from where and things from her past appear in her flat which she knows weren't there before. Is her carefully constructed life crumbling away or even worse, is she in danger from someone? She's sure she's seen her husband Jack as well but he's violent, maybe that's what's scared her?

This is an amazingly powerful story for a first book and leaves the reader in no doubt about how troubled both Alison and Jack are in their own different ways. The publicity surrounding post-partum psychosis seems to have been swallowed up by other equally significant problems which are reported in our social media led lifestyles but it is front and centre in this frankly terrifying tale.

The way other family members are, at the same time, both drawn in and shut out by the illness is shown in stark detail and the helplessness felt by everyone shows there is no easy way to do what is right. Whilst I thankfully have no direct or indirect experience of this, it seemed to me that there was a realism which showed an understanding of what is obviously a dangerous condition which without treatment can lead to tragedies felt by generations through decades of hurt.

My heart was in my mouth a few times and I read this in two sittings, there was no way it was going to be three! I needed to know what happened and why. I hope the understanding of post-partum psychosis I feel I've gained by reading this is accurate, and that I never have to experience it in those I love, it definitely shook me to read Alison's story.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys family based psychological thrillers from a slightly different perspective, as this is definitely worth a read.

A very well written and frightening book. I felt I couldn’t breath the whole way through. Fantastic and creepy and a little bit of crazy x

This is a brilliant story, well written and captivating. It had me engaged all the time. Quite a dark story but a real page turner. Well deserves the 5 stars.

Highly recommended to all, you will not be disappointed!

Thank you Orion Publishing and NetGalley.

All in her Head by Nikki Smith is a cleverly written and thought-provoking debut novel by the author. It’s one of the books that you think you know what’s going to happen and then BAM it’s completely changes direction and it ends with a different conclusion. This book had an intriguing and original storyline and great characters and the author, and I thought that she highlighted the subject of Post-Partum Psychosis very well.
Thank you NetGalley and Orion Books for copy of this book

Good story on post partum psychosis
Very difficult to guess the ending unless u seen or read a certain novel which has a similar concept which I had but didn’t ruin the enjoyment and spoil the intrigue as can get a lot from it even if u know the situation
Heart breaking condition affecting everyone around them and my heart when out to our female lead
Ty netgalley and publishers for this advanced copy
I would read another of this authors as this is clever

#AllInHerHead #NetGalley
I would definitely highly recommend this psychological thriller to every lover of the genre. Alison is confident that her ex-husband is following her. There were some problems and their marriage didn't work. A stranger woman started seeing her at canteen. Alison doesn't know the woman. It is first novel by Nikki Smith and it was truly engrossing. Both sides of the same coin are showed in the story. When i started reading it, it seems so simple one like every other psychological thriller available in the market but then i read those twists which i didn't see coming. This is not a simple psychological thriller. It will keep you seated on your seat until you finish it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy.

Alison is convinced that her ex husband is following. her. She knows she has a good reason to be scared, but she does not know why! Alison feels like she is losing her mind.

At first when I picked this book up, I wasn't expecting just exactly what I was going to read. It sounded familiar to books that I had read before.

However, I was wrong!

This novel was fantastic.

It was such a captivating read and I literally was holding my breaths in some part of the novel.

It has every element of a successful psychological thriller and does not follow the usual pattern of books in this genre. This book is so original and it comes highly recommended!

It took me a while to get into this book but it was definitely worth it! Definitely an author to look out for in 2020.
Recommended.

I really enjoyed this book so much. It has a really great plot, superb main characters and I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book.

Nikki Smith's 'All in Her Head' is a captivating, compelling read. I found it very hard to put down and it will stay with me long after I've read it. A brilliant exploration of the power of the mind, the author has delivered not only an on-the-edge-of-the-seat thriller, but also a thought-provoking, heart-wrenching journey for Allison and Jack. Complex, clever and wonderfully written, Nikki Smith is a master at her craft, and I very much look forward to reading more of her work. Thank you to NetGalley and Orion for the advance copy.

It was a very insightful novel, with a strong cast of characters. I enjoyed the storyline very much and would definitely reccomend this book.

I started reading #AllInHerHead without knowing anything much about it beforehand. I am glad I didn’t as I found it absolutely intriguing. (Books that are marketed as having twists and turns are usually a let down.) I thought All In Her Head was one type of book, then it became another entirely, which I really didn’t see coming. The reveals were excellent and well executed.
This is Nikki Smith’s first book and she shows a lot of promise. I really liked the novel, will recommend it and will certainly look out for her future books.
Thank you the the publishers, author and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was a treat.

This is a slow moving story told from Alison and Jack's perspectives. The red herrings were totally convincing and had me fooled. Well worth a read

The tale of a married couple and the consequences of decisions made whilst suffering from mental illness. This was a fairly interesting read but I didn't like all the flitting from one of the many timelines to another. I did fall for the red herrings but i am not sure they added a lot to the story. I think the characters were fairly believable though I found it difficult to bond with them ( if that makes sense). They just had no charisma or charm.

I think others will love it but it just wasn't for me. I also don't feel it was a psychological suspense as described.

Thank you so much to Netgalley. Orion and the author, Nikki Smith, for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book.

Found this one to be of the slow burner variant of psychological fiction (if such a genre exists!) With rich lyrical literacy - ‘All in her head’ is most definitely well- written. The narrative is split between Alison, estranged wife of Jack and Jack himself who also steps up to take his share of the narrative. Alison’s narrative is necessarily vague in the first half of the story. Many questions are thrown up - why does she seem so scared of Jack? What is his guilty secret? Just who is the mysterious ‘Sarah’ Alison keeps bumping into at work?! Just enough intrigue to keep me reading! In a nut shell there is a lot hiding behind smoke and mirrors in this one!

My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for an advance copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.