I was drawn to this book by its intriguing synopsis, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The narrative alternates between 2016 and 2026, and I found it challenging to keep track of the timeline and the characters' connections and activities.

Despite this, the mystery element, filled with twists and turns, kept me engaged and eager to uncover what really happened. The book tackles several difficult issues, including racism, immigration, suicide, drugs, and mental health problems, and it delves into family relationships and friendships. The author’s thorough research is evident, and the recommended reading list at the end is a helpful touch.

The setting in Dover is vividly described, sparking my interest in the Western Heights fortifications, the Grand Shaft with its triple staircase, and the Shakespeare Cliff. Ultimately, the book provided plenty of food for thought, which I appreciated.

This is a multi layered mystery thriller
I did find it hard to connect with the story and characters
It is told in a dual timeline. A lot of the book is in interview format.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I was really expecting to like this book, attracted by the synopsis, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it. It’s one of the books that has been on my NetGalley shelf for too long because I made several attempts to start it. I found it difficult to follow at the beginning and didn’t like the format with extracts from a TV/film Tarek is making. This made the beginning disjointed, switching between different characters. So I was in two minds about reading the book, and put it aside whilst I read other books. But there was enough mystery about what was going on to make me want to keep reading and I started it again recently, this time finishing it.

The narrative moves between 2016 and 2026, which usually doesn’t bother me but in this case I did have difficulty for a while sorting out the time line and what all the characters were doing – and when and how they were connected. This Nowhere Place covers a number of difficult issues – racism, immigrants, suicide, drugs and mental health problems. It also explores family relationships, and friendships. After a slow start the pace didn’t pick up for most of the book. The mystery element wasn’t too puzzling to work out despite all the twists and turns and the fact that most of the characters are lying or withholding information. I was relieved when I reached the ending.

On the plus side I think it’s well researched and the author recommends a list of books for further reading. The Dover setting is also well described, which has made me interested to find out more about the locations of the Western Heights fortifications, the Grand Shaft with its triple staircase, and the White Cliffs, in particular, the Shakespeare Cliff.

My thanks to Penguin, the publishers for a review copy via NetGalley.

Although I read this there was just something missing for me. The characters weren't quite right and the writing style just didn't gel - sorry!

I really enjoyed this twisty, mysterious thriller. It was really well written and held my attention. Set in Dover, it weaves together stories about asylum seekers and Brexit. A book very much giving us a snapshot in time of recent history and conflict.

I liked this book, different to the norm of the books I read lately. Set in Dover and has 2 different time lines. I'd highly recommend reading it.

An excellent psychological thriller, complex and gripping.
Great storytelling, atmosphere and character development.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Enjoyed this book so much. I loved the dodging backwards and forwards to ‘then’ and ‘now’. The plot painted a picture of what life must be like for refugees living rough but also how disjointed family and friendships can be. There were ‘what if’ and ‘if only’ moments for all the characters.
I did feel for Tarek. He must have been an unhappy man but don’t want to give any spoilers. Maybe one day we’ll have another book about him and his life?
A great read and so engrossing it was hard to put it down.

I was really excited to read this book. The premise intrigued me even though the cover didn't stand out to me at all but unfortunately I just didn't feel it was executed as well as I was hoping it would be.

A lot of subjects were touched on within the story including asylum, racism, sexuality and mental health but they were literally touched on with no depth to these subjects at all. They were pretty much mentioned and dismissed which was quite sad to be honest. I think because if this lack of real depth I found my mind wandering (with boredom) quite alot.

The characters felt a bit flat and I just didn't connect with them at all.

On a positive note the element of mystery was always there which is what kept me reading but it just felt sooooooo drawn out and long winded that I'm ashamed to admit I ended up skimming through paragraphs.

I really wanted to like this book but sadly just not for me.

Thanks to netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the ARC.

This is one of those books which really grew on me as I read it.
It is set in Dover and charts the stories of the lives of three central characters: Jude, Cali and Mo. They are from very different backgrounds and it is the way they are brought together which underpins the novel.

Natasha Bell has made use of the popular dual timeframe but has on this occasion added an intriguing twist. Part of the story is set in 2016 but the other part is set in 2026. At first I wasn't sure how this would work.

However because much of the novel involves the extremely relevant attitudes of people towards the immigrant community, the use of the 'what might happen next' timescale works very well.

I won't go into detail about the storyline because I don't want to spoil the story. However suffice to say that it builds to several interesting conclusions.

I like the way that the characters are crafted and I found the often disturbing plots were handled with sensitivity. I found that characters who I liked at first became less likeable as the narrative unfolded.

I haven't read any books by this author before but on the strength of this book I will certainly look out for future Natasha Bell titles. I give my thanks to Netgalley and Penguin (Michael Joseph) for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

The premise of this book intrigued me but sadly the execution wasn’t as exciting. The storyline switches between 2026 and 2016 when a terrible accident and two deaths occurred. The refugee/asylum seeker POV was not really explored and for that matter many other subjects in the book such as mental health, sexuality, Brexit, racism were touched on but with no depth. I found I was bored a lot of the time but also felt that I wanted to know exactly what had happened ten years previous. The ending was not unexpected and was somewhat weak.

Wow! A tense, atmospheric thriller of a book which stayed with me long after the final page. The multi layered story of the town, families and relationships between the characters was so well crafted the book kept me up late into the night. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Natasha Bell.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book so many thanks to Michael Joseph for sending it to me.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going into this one and I was pleasantly surprised at the story. The first thing that made the book stand out were the documentary/screen play excerpts at the start of the chapters. I thought they set the scene for the story and gave a light break between the chapters.

The story jumps between 2016 (the year of the Brexit referendum) and 2026, alternating between different characters stories. What was clear from the start was that everyone was lying!

I loved Tarek’s tale and his quest to discover the truth. He had an interesting background, his journey to Dover and what he witnessed was harrowing. His story tugged at my heartstrings and I felt the author did a fantastic job of portraying so many unheard voices. Rose was an interesting character. She desperately wanted to be there for Cali but felt like a failure. She was very weak willed and became very reliant on Kassia, who I didn’t like very much. Whilst Kassia was great in how she helped Rose recover I still felt they weren’t an ideal match. I felt Rose was with her because it was the easier option and she was scared of being alone. Finally Jude was the most shocking character of all, her behaviour and rationing was very disturbing!

Natasha Bell deals with issues of racism, suicide and immigrants, all of which proved to be thought provoking topics. Lies were intricately woven and I desperately wanted to know what happened to Mo and Cali. A million different theories ran through my head but the final revelations left an eerie silence. This wasn’t an all guns blazing, action packed story but I appreciated the quieter and more disturbing moments on the cliff edge of Dover.

Atmospheric, gripping, spectacular and timely. Refugees, friendships, depressing seaside towns- this book has it all. Loved it!

This Nowhere Place keeps you guessing. Twist and turns that you don't see coming. Characters with so many layers that are peeled back as the story unfolds and you find out just what happened that summer. It's a tense and riveting read.

Ten years after two young girls were found dead and a third unconscious with life-changing injuries, former Syrian refugee turned film producer Tarek decides to make a documentary about The Dover Girls. Interviewing survivor Jude and Cali’s sister Rose about the events leading up to the tragedy, he finds that Jude actually knows more than she’s letting on. But Tarek is also hiding a secret - was the third, still unidentified, victim actually his sister?

I wanted to enjoy This Nowhere Place, as I felt it was a good plot and had interesting possibilities. Sadly, for me, I found it very disjointed and tedious at times. The ‘screenplay’ sections’, for me, didn’t add anything of substance, rather making it more awkward and less enjoyable.

Sorry, just not a book I could get into.

This is an astonishing story which is difficult to describe; the unassuming cover hides a tale which takes the reader on an incredible journey. It’s a mystery thriller involving the deaths of two girls. An investigative reporter looks more closely at the circumstances and layer by layer, darker secrets are exposed. On the face of it, that may not sound very exciting, but the pace, as the story takes shape, almost has a life if it’s own. The setting is Dover and the cliffs and environs provide a stark and tiring backdrop to some of the events,

Natasha Bell is skilled at exploring sensitive themes with compassion and honesty. There’s racism and right wing groups, refugee camps and exclusion, LGBT, friendships and the main characters all have their own story. It’s an exciting read and I’ll be looking for more from this author.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

The premise of this book is brilliant, hence why I chose it, but I am afraid to say that it took me until 60% through for me to actually start really getting into it and enjoying the storyline. It took me a long time to get to this point as I just wasn't connecting with the characters or the story, despite it having all the promise of a book I would love..

The story is set in two timelines, then and now, and much of it in a documentary style. This was fine and it was easy to follow. The documentary maker is Tarek, a former Syrian refugee, who is trying to uncovering the truth about "The Dover Girls", in which two teenagers died, and one, Jude, who was left crippled for life. The story is told through the eyes of Jude, The sister of one of the dead girls, Rose, and Tarek. Bit by bit we find out what happened, and different people's interest in the story remaining untold so far.

I was really interested in the refugee sections and the trauma they go through in trying to flee their war torn country, but it was only a small section of the story. There were many other issues touched on in the book, such as racism, Brexit, mental health, child neglect, so quite heavy topics, which I am also interested in, it's just a shame that none of the characters were likeable enough for me to keep me invested.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for a copy of this ebook in return for an honest review.

Definitely something different.
Set in Dover in 2016 and 2026 it follows the lives of two local girls Jude and Cali who have been friends since school.
Following a demonstration against immigration in 2016 they meet a Syrian refugee Mo. Several months later Cali and Mo are dead and Jude is left disabled and in a wheelchair.
Ten years later a documentary maker Tarek investigates what happened at the time and interviews people involved at the time, including Jude.
Told in normal prose and screenplay format I found this book hard work.
It covers important topics and is well researched but was slow at times.
The writer has obviously put a lot of work into the topic I just wish it had a punchier style and speed.
3 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.