A fast easy read. I wonder if it’s too many years since I was at the school gates waiting for my children so now can’t be that convinced by the tales of nasty mums. I was Hong for a Moriarty type read but not enough substance to compare it to any.

I really enjoyed this book & I didn’t even gues where it was going. Nina, Bel and Rachel are best friends as are their daughters who are all at school together. When one of the girls starts receiving notes in her lunch box about her parents and secrets they want to keep hidden. Nina starts questioning what each of them would do to keep their secrets hidden. All of the women’s relationships have secrets and it kept you engaged to try and figure out each of the secrets.
I liked all the women who were great characters with honest flaws. I would read this author again.
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#WhipersofaScandal #NetGalley

I am absolutely thrilled to be sharing my review of Whispers of a Scandal today as it’s also PUBLICATION DAY! Now if you’ve never read any books by this author before then this would be the perfect place to start-and I guarantee you will then want to buy the 7 books that she wrote before this one! Julie Corbin is one of my all time favourite authors and I’ve been a huge fan ever since her debut novel so I was really looking forward to Whispers of a Scandal and I’m delighted to report that it didn’t disappoint.

One thing I don’t miss now that my children are grown up is the “playground mafia”-those mums who seem to revel in the drama of being a parent, gossiping in little cliques and never happier than if there is some scandal to slowly savour between them whilst standing in the school playground. Having had my fair share of being on the receiving end of sly looks and fallouts about children (you know, the ones where parents fall out because their kids have had an upset and then 24 hours later the children are besties again but the adults can hardly bare to be in the same space as each other…) I knew that the storyline here would be an intriguing one. And I became addicted very quickly to the horrific plot and all the very different characters within it. When Ninas daughter Lily starts to receive poison pen letters in her school bag, Nina is horrified-especially as they appear to have been written by a child in Lily’s class! And what do these notes mean? “This class has secrets and all the parents tell lies”? Who is hiding things and why? Nina, her friends Bel and Rachel or is it the other parents who gather daily in the school playground? The notes don’t stop after that first one either sonNina, Bel and Rachel need to work fast to protect their families from the vicious, vile accusations against them.

This is my kind of psychological thriller! Families who hide their secrets behind closed doors, their perfect lives falling apart, are the most fascinating of characters to explore and Julie Corbin does a brilliant job of keeping everything close to her chest then slowly revealing the shocking truths. There are plenty of twists and turns as the storyline speeds towards its scandalous denouement but be warned there are a few distressing scenes along the way that some people may find a little disturbing. There is also one character that I hated with a passion but I’ll let you read the book yourself to work out which one!

I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s an unsettling book with some harrowing moments but it’s utterly addictive!

This was a super quick and easy to read thriller.

The plot of this book was really intriguing. I've read similar books before yet this book was still entertaining and enjoyable to read.

The writing was really good. I was hooked from beginning to end.

Even though the characters were not the most likeable group of people, I still felt myself rooting for them.

I did manage to guess the big twist but only towards the end did it click. I certainly did not see the ending coming. The very ending was a big shock!

If you love domestic thrillers, I definitely recommend this book. It's one of the best domestic thrillers I've read in a while. When I started reading, I didn't want to stop. Highly recommend!

TW: murder, violence, gaslightling and abortion

Bel, Rachel and Nina are best friends. When Nina’s nine year old daughter Lily finds threatening notes in her school bag, Bel and Rachel rally around her, involve the classroom teacher and other parents to discover who has targeted Lily.

iNothing is ever that simple.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Julie Corbin for this ARC.

This is a great book, it has everything you could want in a psychological thriller, secrets, lies, but beyond that friendship, with a twist in the tale.
Nina's daughter Lily is getting malicious notes in her school bag revealing secrets that Nina and her friends Bel and Rachel would rather stay hidden. Who could know things that they've only told each other. Suspicion soon falls on each of them.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Nina,Bel and Rachel are good friends,their children young are also good friends.
But what happens when malicious notes are left in one of their children's school bags saying this class has secrets and all parents tell lies.
Can friendships survive when their own secrets are exposed.
I loved the characters and fast paced storyline very much plenty of surprises that kept me gripped throughout.
Another hit from Julie Corbin.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC.

i so loved this storyline very addictive and keeps you wanting to read more so twisty i so love a book buy this author, Nina is married to Robin .Bel is married to Miro . Rachel is married to Bryn the three women are the best of friend s and they all have daughters who have become best of friends to in school and out . but Nina s daughter is very upset as someone has targeted her and started putting hate notes in her back , the mum s secrets how do they know all this poor Nina to her husband not the nicest a few shocks and more friendships made i so so enjoyed this story i so so recommend this book a very gripping read from beginning to end

I thought I had read some good thrillers this year but this one bles the socks off of them, without a question one of the best books that I have read this year. It was gripping, dark, intense and chilling. So unpredictable and twisty, I couldnt predict what the outcome would be, it was so enjoyable.

Bel, Rachel and Nina are best friends. When Nina’s nine year old daughter Lily finds threatening notes in her school bag, Bel and Rachel rally around her, involve the classroom teacher and other parents to discover who has targeted Lily.

It isn’t that simple. These anonymous notes threaten the friends themselves and seem to be written by someone who has personal knowledge of their deepest secrets, secrets they have shared with each other but not with their husbands, family or other friends. Secrets that will be devastating if revealed. Why would one of them want to hurt her best friends? And why would she use an innocent child to do so?

Before these questions are answered, friendships and marriages will be tested. Psychological suspense builds to a shocking ending. Whispers of a Scandal is a quick, satisfying 5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Julie Corbin for this ARC.

Nina, Bel and Rachel share everything with one another. After every parents' evening they look forward to a catch-up at the local pub, swapping friendly gossip. But they'll be no drinking Prosecco tonight. A malicious note has been left in a child's schoolbag: This class has secrets. All parents tell lies. Nina, Bel and Rachel wouldn't dare suspect each other of the scandalous accusations that emerge. But when their own secrets are at risk, something has to be done....

Nina, Bel and Rachel all have secrets, life-changing secrets. Threatening notes are dropped into a child's schoolbag for the parents to read. Nina's daughter is getting threatening notes at school and each one is more evil. Nina only knows Bel and Rachel and they've been friends since she moved here. Their daughters are beat friends.

This is a fast paced read that in parts is a bit predictable. They all have secrets they want to keep hidden. I liked the authors style in writing this book. Filled with twists, this is a really good psychological thriller.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HodderStoughton and the author #JulieCorbin for my ARC of #WhispersOfAScandal in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was an absolute treat! Three parents whose kids go to the same school are forced to face the unpleasant truth about their little community as an anonymous note breaks up the sense of unity between the seemingly good friends.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THIS REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

Nina's daughter is getting threatening notes at school and the content of each is getting more and more wicked. It doesn't look like that they are written by some kid. Nina doesn't know other parents except for Rachel and Bel who are her best friends since she moved to this part of town. Their daughters are best friends; even their husbands get along. Everyone is worried about these notes except Nina's husband-Robin; who is always busy showing off his MDE. Mom trio trusts each other and doesn't keep any secrets until they kept a major one. What if notes are not some elaborate lies?

Overall it was a good thriller with enough twists and turns. The pace was really good. The character development and dynamics were so good. It was easy to get into their minds. The story also focused on the toxic wedding; a topic that is so close to my heart and was portrayed so well. A narcissist husband who doesn't do anything other than gaslight and blame his wife. The ending was unexpected but satisfactory.

Nina’s nine year old daughter Lily has been targeted with some malicious notes which are found in her school bag. Someone has it in for the family but also for her friends Bel and Rachel. Who is trying to create scandals that will lead to playground parental whispering and speculation?

This is a good portrait of friendship and marriage, it’s a domestic noir for sure with plenty of noir from Nina’s vile husband Robin. The notes and ensuing drama causes rifts and real tests in the friendship of the adult females but also for their children. The notes are designed to bring out secrets into the open and are deeply personal attacks. Are their relationships strong enough to withstand the betrayals and isolation in their Kent village? The characterisation is excellent overall but especially so for Nina, Robin, Bel, Rachel and their girls. There are some particularly tense scenes when Robin appears in the narrative and they are especially strong and very well done. It’s a well written, easy read, it hooks you in from the start and keeps your attention with plenty of surprises along the way. There’s tension, malevolence and at times a sense of paranoia. I like the ending which is not one you foresee but by the same token it’s not left field as it does add up!

Overall, another good psychological thriller from Julie Corbin who seems to be able to create an atmosphere of intense watchful suspicion in her books which is very evident in her latest novel.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A well written read around three women's lives which had me engrossed in the storyline that I found hard to put down and the characters were interesting.

I can recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Lots of lies, secrets and accusations make this a very interesting story. Well worth a read and five stars from me. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC

My thanks to Julie and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in advance of the publication date.
I will review on Amazon on 7th October.
This is the first of Julie’s books which I have read and it will not be the last. It deserves a 5* rating.

Nina, Rachel and Bel are close friends whose daughters, Lily, Carys and Vera attend the same school.
When Nina is told that Lily is being bullied in school by someone who is leaving notes in her schoolbag, she is concerned.
The first note reads “This class has secrets. All the parents tell lies.“
The second note is personal - “Your mum is a hore”.
Rumours start to circulate amongst the other parents who quickly become evasive with Nina.

The teacher is told about the notes and calls a parent’s meeting to update them and make them aware that this will be discussed at the next class assembly. This has the effect of further isolating Nina.

The content of each note becomes more personal.

The friends have shared secrets with each other, trusting that it would not be repeated.
But the notes suggest that the confidences have not been kept and now they are concerned about the damage which would result if the truth were to be revealed.

The tension rises as the 3 women try to work out who could have exposed their secrets.
This is a tense, psychological thriller which will keep you engaged until the very end.

Entertaining page turner,that had me guessing at the who and why quite a lot. A school playground can be a viscous place. Children can be awful.
Equally so can parents...
Whilst some bits were a bit predictable,there were a few surprises along the way that made the book.
Finished in one sitting,which to me is a decent recommendation.

Whispers of a scandal by Julie Corban.
Three friends Nina, Bel and Rachel shared everything. But do they? A malicious note has been left in a child's schoolbag: This class has secrets. All the parents tell lies.
I really really enjoyed this book. Read In one sitting. I loved the story and characters. This was a psychological suspense thriller full of twists and turns. 5*.

#WhispersOfAScandal #NetGalley
Something different.
Nina, Bel and Rachel look forward to their regular debrief at the pub. But there will be no clinking Prosecco tonight. They are discussing an anonymous note that has been left in a child’s schoolbag: This class has secrets. All the parents tell lies. As more notes are discovered, scandalous accusations are made and the school playground becomes rife with rumours. Who could be revealing the three friends’ secrets?
I loved this book. I loved her first book too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Straughten for giving me an advance copy of this book.