This book was my first by this author and I am already itching to pick up "One White Lie".
The thriller reader in me thought I had this all figured out in the first 100 pages. I could not have been more wrong!
In this book, we meet Sam, Margaret and Diane, three friends brought together sharing the experiences of the breakdowns that they are currently going through.
As a way to reconnect themselves, the trio set off for a road trip full of alcohol, good times and hot tubs! However, when one of them goes missing, the perfect escape no longer exists!
The book is told from three viewpoints of the main character, with each chapter revealing more and more about the women. Did they even know each other at all?
This book is so atmospheric and fast paced. Just when you think you know what is happening, the author throws another twist in to make you guess yourself.
The novel is very suspenseful and a perfect thriller.
Thank you for my proof copy from the publishers.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

A twisty read where you’re never quite sure who should be trusted

A mystery, thriller read which twists and turns throughout as lies and secrets thread the narrative together. Three friends find out they are not so close as they thought and an intended relaxing break becomes far from that, Definitely not the relaxing girls weekend you'd want!

I have a bit mixed feelings about this one. It' a fairly well written book, the ending is ok, but something about it made me feel a bit meh.
Maybe it was the abundance of coincidences, maybe overly-eager police, maybe not particularly bright protagonist (one of three, although they're all a bit dim).

I really enjoyed this book, the first one I've ready by this author.

I was gripped from beginning to end and enjoyed every twist and turn. I struggled to put it down. It was well written and easy to follow.

I enjoyed how it switched from the magician in past and present tense, Kit and Natalie and the other characters involved. I would love to see a sequel from this book to see what happens next.

Would 100% recommend.

A complex Murder Mystery , some good characters in it , I have only given it 4 Stars though because some sections were so long winded before they picked up pace & added new twists into what at times was quite an intense Plot.#NetGalley, #Goodreads, #FB, #Instagram, #Amazon.co.uk, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/358a5cecda71b11036ec19d9f7bf5c96d13e2c55" width="80" height="80" alt="100 Book Reviews" title="100 Book Reviews"/>,#<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>

I wouldn't say I was on the edge of my seat through this but I also didn't really know what to expect for the reveal. This went in directions I didn't expect. How certain characters were connected I didn't expect.
By the end it took me a second to figure out what really happened. At one point I felt it was heading in a way that was doing too much for a simple story. But it pulled its way back while explaining things.
I will say despite understanding the "reason" I still have questions. Things I felt should have been explained better.

This was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed it very much. It seems to be a genre I keep coming across lately, girly weekend road trips that seem to go horribly wrong.

The characters were interesting. However I did find that the end of the story lost a bit of credibility as the characters morphed into something else, I got a bit confused to be honest. Probably due to reading it late into the night!

All in all though it was a good book.
The review will be posted on Waterstones site.

Sam's marriage has ended after just a few months when he walked out on her, Diane is escaping an abusive and controlling partner, and Margaret's partner is drinking more and more every day to bury some tragic news, The three newly single friends set off on a girls' weekend to cheer themselves up and bond together. They may not have been friends for that long but they clicked from the start, and agreed that time together is just what is needed.
The journey is broken up with a stop at a gas station but noone can find the car keys again when they try to leave, so the women find themselves unexpectedly holed up in a small town for the night. They manage to find accommodation and head out to the local bar, which is where things start to get more interesting!

i enjoyed the book for the most part though some of the twists were maybe too convenient - there was a lot that I didnt see coming and it kept me changing my mind about what had really happened until the very end.

Sorry, but when you start to read a book and the formatting is poor and there are hyphens in multiple words from the first to the third page, it makes the book unreadable. Or if not unreadable for many, not a pleasurable experience. I do not want to spend time on this!

trad- ing
whiz- zing

Multiple hyphens and either too much spacing between words, or many, many hyphens and no spaces….

I realise we are reading proofs here, not the definitive finished article, but we still need books that you can read with ease and scan the text comfortably, without irritation or annoyance. This is not one.

Three friends, all newly separated, decide on a break away. But how well do Margaret, Sam and Diana really know each other? The trip gets off to a bad start when the key to their rental car goes missing and they are forced to spend a night in Catskills - coincidentally where Sam’s ex just happens to live. All three are incredibly adept at lying and the plot has more twists and turns than I have ever encountered. The Perfect Escape is told from the POVs of the three friends, not all of whom are reliable narrators. For reasons I can’t quite pinpoint the storyline didn’t absorb me as much as I initially expected it to. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for the ARC.

The Perfect Escape is a gripping psychological thriller that might not be anything hugely different, but makes for very entertaining reading – the kind of novel you don’t want to put down. I finished this in a day because it’s just so readable!

In The Perfect Escape, we are following three women, all of who have recently broken up with their partners, on a weekend away together. There’s Sam, Margaret and Diana. One night, Diana goes missing, and it soon becomes apparent that she has some secrets – are they who they say they are?

I really liked the element of mystery throughout this novel which keeps the reader guessing, not just at what has happened to Diana, but also at who we can trust. Because we move between Sam and Margaret’s perspectives, we’re trusting what they say is the truth – but is it? We soon realise that both have their own secrets, as do some of the other characters introduced.

As the book goes on, some of the plot is a little hard to believe, but I kind of expect that from this genre. I certainly didn’t guess the ending. This is a fun read and there’s lots of suspense so, for me, this is well worth reading.

Yayy…delighted to be part of the BLOG TOUR for The Perfect Escape by Leah Konen.

The Perfect Escape offers just that, a perfect escape into a world of thrills and chills.

Are you looking for that one thriller that would hold you in thrall from start to finish, then LOOK NO FURTHER, Leah Konen’s The Perfect Escape is gripping, gripping, gripping….

An escape from all the turmoils of divorce, separation, and pain is what the three friends are looking for when they pack their bags and decide on a relaxing weekend at Saratoga Springs...One of them insists on a break at Catskill and the lego blocks come tumbling down. A trip that was the Perfect Escape becomes one horror show after another with one friend missing and murder being discovered.

The fiasco that begins with the missing keys turns into a disaster of insurmountable proportions as two of them discover the extent of the nightmare that they are in. The 'ex-es' are plentiful, all 3 friends have truths hidden but underneath it all, the story focuses on the emotional baggage following a separation or divorce and that moment of learning to accept and let go.

Leah Konen creates a galloping ride till the end as each chapter beings forth twisty surprises that keeps the reader on their toes…and if you think you have guessed one secret from this story then guess again, the author springs a shocking reveal at the end that was simply a ‘jaw dropping moment for me'. The story that has its share of secrets tumbling out of the closet also provides an in-depth look into the trauma that affects a terminated pregnancy. Margaret’s pain in being forced into a tough decision and the aftereffects of the grief that cripples her life is raw and agonizing. Each character has been fleshed out wonderfully by the author with all of them flawed and human.

Riveting and absorbing, The Perfect Escape is a cleverly plotted getaway thriller that will have you turning pages at an alarming pace desperately seeking the end.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Penguin Michael Joseph, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

When Sam, Margaret and Diana plan a getaway to escape their failing relationships, they believe it is just what they need to recharge and reset their lives. When they take a break on their way to their final destination, they lose the keys to their hire care and find themselves temporarily stranded in Catskill, which just happens to be where Sam’s soon to be ex-husband now lives and you just know that this relaxing break is going to be anything but relaxing. When Diana goes missing and Sam’s ex Harry is found dead close to the bar they had all visited it soon becomes evident that the three women didn’t know each other as well as they thought they did and each one of them is hiding a pretty big secret.
I am not going to lie there was something about these three women that I just couldn’t take to, and I wouldn’t be rushing to become friends with any of them. They were three people drawn together more by their shared failed relationships than actually having anything in common. This becomes more and more evident the further into the book you get as they still can’t confide in each other when things go from bad to worse. That being said I really enjoyed this book. It was predominantly told through the eyes of Sam and Margaret in alternating chapters that gives the reader differing views of events.
As the lives of Sam and Margaret are revealed, I did feel a little bit sorry for Margaret and the reasons why her life had spiraled out of control but with Sam there was a bit of me that felt she had brought her predicament on herself. Not that I am saying that I would want her to be in any danger or a suspect for murder. There are plenty of twists and turns and you are quite often left wondering what really did happen. The pacing of the book never lets up and adds to the tension that is mounting throughout. The one thing you are sure of is that the mysteriously missing Diana has something to do with it all. You just don’t know what or why right up until the end and when you do find out it will certainly be a bit of a surprise. All I know is that I only ever going away with people I know 100%

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
The 3 female characters in this book are supposed to be friends in their thirties but they are not completely honest with each other. They seem to get completely drunk in each other's company and relationships with the various exes are far from straightforward throwing lots of complications into the story. However, I didn't find this added to the interest and I disliked the frequent use of strong language. I read 20% before giving up as I thought the narrative didn't match up to the promised description.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

An enjoyable read - it had many twists and red herrings and I thought it was a well crafted novel- if maybe slightly overlong. I would recommend it.

I didn’t take to this book initially as I didn’t really relate to the characters and thought them quite self obsessed. I was going to give up but then thought I’d give it another chance and read a bit more. I am so glad I did as the story picked up and began to engage me far more.
There were plenty of twists and misdirection which made it difficult to predict the final outcome and made the book a worthy read.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy.

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read in advance. Lots of twists and turns. All round good thriller. Definitely recommended

Three friends bonded over their failing marriages head off for a weekend escape. From the beginning something seems off, the carefully engineered rest stop, the lost car keys. Why does Diana (one assumes) want them stranded for the weekend in Catskills? Conveniently she finds a rental property and a night out begins that will leave all of them changed forever. I felt compelled to keep on reading and see where i ended up. Lots of red herrings, my mind would go down one path and then be proven wrong. Until it was right. Or maybe not! Is anything ever as it seems? #netgalley #theperfectescape