Brilliant !
Really kept me guessing right up until the last moment.
I really love this authors books, they’re always really good crime thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat.
5⭐️’s

In a rural Wilshire town lies The Devil's Corridor. A road which has witnessed eerie happenings from unexplained deaths to the sounds of a child crying at night. But nothing more puzzling than the Olivia Rutherford case. Four girls drove home but after their car crashed only Olivia was found.
Twenty years later, journalist Jenna Halliday is covering the case. But the locals aren't happy with this stranger's arrival. Least of all Olivia. Jenna soon starts receiving threatening notes and it is clear someone wants her out of this town before she suffers a dark fate . . .
This book had me gripped from the first chapter – straight into the mystery of what happened to the three friends after the car crash, set in a creepy and eerie wooded setting. There is a second story that runs throughout the book in parts – I was really confused to start with what the relevance was of the second story and it’s characters, and how it related to the main story. It felt like I was reading two separate books until it all slotted together with a bang! I thought that was actually really clever writing as it kept me wondering up until the moment it was revealed. The ending wasn’t what I expected, which is a pro and a con – I didn’t guess it, but it also felt like a bit of an anti-climax too. But overall this was a really good book that was easy and quick to read

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Thank you to @michaeljbooks and @netgalley for the #gifted digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty years ago three girls went missing after they had a car accident on the way home from a night out. Olivia, who remained trapped in the wreck was left mentally and physically scarred. The small town has become defined by the event, suspicions of foul and supernatural mysteries and has now captured the attention of journalist Jenna.

The setting of the book was fantastic. Dark and mysterious woods, chilling winding lanes, and a stone circle in a nearby field. It's easy to imagine the town and see why the residents believe something sinister had happened the night of girls accident and disappearance.

Throughout the book we also read snippets of a friends holiday in Thailand and whilst this seemed unconnected at first, it eventually added to the background of the characters and added an extra layer of intrigue.

An unputdownable read, it had me guessing through the entire book until the last moment. Fantastic pacing, perfect chapter lengths, mystery and suspense. What more could you ask for?

This is easily one of my favourite books I’ve read in the last year. I loved the storyline and trying to figure out how everything fit together. I enjoyed the two perspectives and found both main characters really likeable, I devoured this within only a day or two!

A great psychological thriller
She writes these so well
Plenty of twists you will not want to put it down
Thanks NetGalley

As a fan of the Couple at No.9, I was extremely excited to read this book! I was not disappointed. I really enjoy Claire Douglas' style of writing and the story was gripping. I cannot wait to see what Claire comes up with next!
Thank you to Claire Douglas and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved this book. It was creepy, jumpy, atmospheric and I devoured it within a couple of evenings. First thing I've read by Claire Douglas, and certainly won't be the last.

This was such a twisty tale that kept me hooked from page one. I didn’t know who to trust at all! There were so many threads to this story, it was very well executed!

Claire Douglas is fast becoming one of my favourite authors
I picked this up as part of a buddy read
I was instantly hooked
The novels oozed tension, with each chapter ending on a cliff hanger.
The book alternates from the viewpoint of Jenna and Olivia, over the course of five days. Every so often the reader is treated to an extract that takes place at a different time, in Thailand.
I loved the way the story unfolded and the reader was left wanting more and more
The book was a very intriguing read, but at the same time very easy to follow and captivating.
I really enjoyed the journey that the author took us on and thought that the ending came together very cleverly, with one shock reveal on an identity
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is highly recommended

This book was amazing, so many twists and turns as to what happened. I couldn't put it down. My daughter is now reading it and sheis also blown away by it. Such a great well written novel.

I love Claire Douglase’s books and this is one of her best. The split timeline kept me guessing as to
how they were linked, and I didn’t work it out. Brilliantly plotted, tense and suspenseful, this is a fantastic read.

Twenty years ago a tragic car accident took the lives of three girlfriends (Tamzin, Kate, and Sally), leaving one (Olivia) to survive and with a lot of questions. Jenna, a journalist, comes to town to interview and research for her podcast. This author is an auto read/buy for me! The pacing is good and there’s character development.

There is a lot going on in this book. Many characters interwoven, and pretty much out for themselves. The girls who disappeared is the thread through the book, but their story only unravels through other stories of lies and trickery. It’s a shame some of the characters were so gullible and the male characters so devious. It’s quite a busy read- you’ll have to stay focused.

This books brilliant. It has you hooked right from the beginning with two very compelling leading ladies. Both Jenna and Olivia are very well written, interesting characters and are relatable with their imperfections. This story alternates between Olivia, and Jenna’s with flashbacks to previous events that we don’t really understand the impact of until right at the very end, This is an incredibly addictive read that has you reading in the night. It is is my first by this author but not my last.

I found this book to be quite a good read, but in places I felt it was a bit formulaic and I had to check if it had not been written by a new author who had been on a creative writing course. It was a little bit cliched.
It was an interesting story, but I did feel it was not the best book I have read lately.

Twenty years ago, following a car accident, three girls disappeared – only Olivia was left. Now Jenna – a podcaster – visits the rural town to investigate what happened to the girls. The storyline switches between then and now, with each timeline adding to the suspicion surrounding the characters.

This was a story packed full of mystery, intrigue and secrets and had me gripped from start to finish. Another great read from Claire Douglas. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, Penguin for the review copy

Twenty years ago Olivia and her three friends were driving home after a night out when Olivia swerved and crashed the car. On regaining consciousness she realises that the three other girls are missing, they appear to have disappeared. Olivia herself suffered serious injury to her leg and is still wondering what happened to the girls. Jenna is a journalist who is struggling with the break up of her marriage, with her husband walking out and leaving her with their young son. She has been asked to make a podcast about the disappearance of the three girls as it is approaching the anniversary of their disappearance. The story is told by Jenna and Olivia with interspersing chapters, written in italics, narrated by a young girl called Stace who is on holiday in Thailand with her boyfriend and three other young couples. The connection between the two stories doesn’t become apparent until later in the book. The story was a little slow paced but there were plenty of secrets, lies and deceptions to keep me guessing until the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book,

This one started really well but lost my attention a bit along the way. I liked the multiple narrative approach and really liked Jenna and Olivia’s characters but the story wasn’t as gripping as it went on and the ending wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped.

That being said, it was an easy read thriller that you could pick up and read quickly!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

“Three missing girls. A twenty-year mystery. A woman who may be able to crack this cold case”

..


When I accepted a complimentary Kindle download of this book for review, I was totally convinced that I was already familiar with previous stories written by this author. However, much to my dismay and shame, my memories must have been those of reading the premises, as I found at least two downloads of earlier books still lined up waiting to get to the top of my list. I aim to fix that just as soon as I possibly can, but until then, this is by default my first journey with a new to me author – and let me tell you, it was one heck of a roller coaster ride, so make sure you buckle up and get prepared!

..

The story begins in rural Wiltshire in 1998, when newly qualified driver Olivia and her three friends are returning home in the early hours of the morning, after a girl’s night out. Sally, Tamzin and Hetty are all a little the worse for wear, but happy with it. However, nominated driver Olivia is stone cold sober and very wary of the treacherous driving conditions, as they are on a notorious stretch of forest road locally known as ‘The Devil’s Corridor’ and the rain is hammering down. Olivia has made the unforgiveable mistake of not demanding that her back seat passengers should use their seat belts, so when suddenly her headlights throw up a figure stood in the middle of the road, and as she brakes harshly to avoid hitting it, the car skids, turns over and leaves the road. Olivia blacks out momentarily, but on regaining consciousness realises that she is trapped in the vehicle with her legs pinned to the steering wheel, and all three of her companions are missing. They are never found, and Olivia is left permanently disabled, after weeks in hospital and having been very lucky not to lose her leg!

Fast forward twenty years to 2018 and freelance journalist Jenna has travelled to Wiltshire from her home in Manchester for a week, hoping to gather material from this now cold case, in order to reawaken public interest in the story by making a podcast about it. She has based herself in a rented cabin on a small six berth site within the forest, just off the stretch of road where the accident had happened. Myth, legend and folklore abound in this neck of the woods, which is located near the site of many ancient stone circles, burial mounds and long barrows, so it comes as no surprise that right from the start, Jenna is left feeling uneasy and certain she is being watched, although she has no idea just how much danger she is really in, despite the warnings she receives to leave, but chooses to ignore, until someone ups the ante to an almost fatal level and she is lucky to escape unscathed.

The police officer who worked on the original accident and disappearance back in 1998, is more than willing to be interviewed by Jenna and also gives her the details of a current serving member of the force, who may be able to assist with ‘cold case’ enquiries. Dale is only too happy to help Jenna gather information and interviews for the podcast and rather places himself in position as her protector and advisor during her stay, especially when it becomes clear that the threats against her are not idle and there are forces at work which relate to many more crimes than just that of the disappearance of three young women. However, in Jenna’s heightened state of fear no one is innocent and for a short time she even includes Dale on her suspect list, especially when she has proof that he lied about how well he knew one of the girls, although when challenged, he does have a good reason for having been economical with the truth.

Once a reticent Olivia breaks through the barrier of non-cooperation she has erected between herself and Jenna and begins to open up to her, unseen forces decree that both women are deemed to be a threat to certain freedoms and nefarious activities, and therefore need to be stopped at any price, even down to Olivia being drugged and left in a field of ancient standing stones, as a reminder to her not to befriend Jenna or participate in the podcast. As Jenna nears the end of her visit and is preparing to return home to prepare the material she has amassed into her finished broadcast, there are more people than she could ever have imagined, who cannot allow that to happen, and they are desperate enough to add murder to their growing list of offences, to ensure that the podcast is never aired.

Even when the dust has settled, the court cases are over, and there has been a laying to rest of some long-held grief and loss, someone still clings to that final secret which will probably never be uncovered, as the truth has been cleverly redirected away from its real perpetrator. If only Jenna and Dale knew the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

..

This wasn’t strictly speaking a dual timeline story, as there were only a couple of flashbacks to where it all began in 1998. Most of the narrative and dialogue was focussed on Jenna’s renewed interest in the case in 2018, although there were several inserts from 1980s Thailand, which at first seemed totally out of context and unconnected to the storyline, even though this subplot was interesting in its own right. I knew of course that this would be relevant to the eventual outcome of Jenna’s investigations, and I had my suspicions about how it might fit into the picture, but I was left to drive myself silly wondering what the common denominator was, right until the very end, when the final pieces of the jigsaw were slotted into place. With the exception of what seemed to be these randomly placed extracts, almost all of which are narrated by someone we come to know as Stace, most of the remaining narrative is written from Jenna and Olivia’s perspectives, in short, well signposted, digestible and easy to navigate chapters.

This was a well-constructed, multi-layered, and textured storyline, which made for compulsive reading. Intense and suspenseful from beginning to end. There were so many separate strands to a case which became ever more complicated with each new person Jenna interviewed, as their stories seemed to be intrinsically linked and tangled together, although she couldn’t quite work out how. Of course, she never had the advantage of being on the outside looking in, so once I had four mothers and their four daughters firmly in my sights, things became a little clearer. However, her journalists sixth sense did warn Jenna that no one was who they seemed to be, almost everyone had something to hide and there were important pieces of information being withheld from her, which meant that joining up all the dots to arrive at a satisfactory outcome was almost impossible. Even when it was all over, I don’t really think that either Jenna or the police realised just how devious and manipulative the many players in the case were, or how far ranging was and had been, the depravity of their multiple crimes.

Author Claire Douglas certainly crammed a whole raft of socially unacceptable behaviours and crimes into a single storyline, any one of which would have had the police running around in circles and would have made a complete story in themselves. She built an excellent subplot around coercive, controlling behaviour and gaslighting in a relationship. The devastating consequences of international drug smuggling, of county lines drug dealing, and the life-threatening consequences when ‘bad’ goods are released into the system. And ultimately, the lengths to which some people will go, to cover their tracks, no matter who gets hurt along the way, as if how unsuspecting and innocent they are, just doesn’t figure in their sick psyche.

I found that none of the cast of characters were particularly likeable individuals, although to a point they all had to rely on one another not to break their personal vows of silence, as it would have only taken one small chink in someone’s armour for the whole pack of cards to come tumbling down – which it did eventually, with quite spectacular results. Their strong and forceful presence manipulated my thoughts and drained my energy. There wasn’t one amongst them with whom I even began to empathise or connect with, let alone invest in, although I so wanted to believe in Jenna and Dale. Olivia’s long-term partner Wesley has to be the most sickening, cringeworthy character and really well defined for me to hate him so intensely. He has been there for her throughout, treating her like a fragile object who constantly needs him by her side, cossetting and supporting her, when in fact Olivia is made of much stronger stuff than that, but only when she finally wakes up to the true nature of his ‘help’ and the web he is building around her, hoping to keep her trapped and submissive. Even her mother, Olivia’s second rock, turns out to be far from innocent, truthful or reliable and to be honest, I don’t know if I could be as stoic and determined to carry on if I had been in Olivia’s shoes, when I discovered the true nature of my heritage.

Whilst Jenna is away, her husband chooses this time to decide that a mutually agreed short break in their marriage, should become more permanent, leaving her to sort out the remnants of her shattered life and explain things to their young son on her return. However, her short liaison with Dale, from the local Wiltshire police, charged with picking up the cold case from the authority’s perspective, has sown the seeds of a growing friendship. So, whilst right now Jenna needs some private time with her son to begin rebuilding their lives, she and Dale are leaving the door open for a more solid relationship to possibly develop in the future.

I like an author who can also take me on an armchair journey, with the attention to detail and descriptive qualities with which they paint the physical locations of their storylines. So, whilst perhaps the Thailand experience was very short and sweet, quite light on time and place, with its focus more on storyline and character development; the main body of the work was set in the southern English county of Wiltshire, which pleased me no end. I am a Wiltshire ” Moonraker ” (this nickname originated from a story of smugglers who managed to foil the local Excise men by hiding their alcohol, possibly French brandy in barrels or kegs, in a village pond) born and bred, so tracking the real places named in the book, together with the fictional name given to the central town, only added to the enjoyment of the reading experience for me. With Avebury, Stonehenge and so many other standing stone circles, archaic burial grounds and sites of religious gatherings, in relatively close proximity, it wasn’t difficult to build upon the naturally claustrophobic and otherworldly aura which surrounds them, especially during the cover of darkness.

Whilst the action wasn’t particularly fast paced, the many clever twists and turns, the web of deception, dark secrets and lies, all kept things moving along steadily and seamlessly. One or two of the coincidences did stretch credulity a little, however they definitely added more to the storyline than they detracted from it, so overall I was quite satisfied with the way the plot was built and structured and after my initial reaction of ‘how long is this book?’ the four hundred or so pages had sped by, leaving me satisfied but completely exhausted, and still interested to know how those couple of loose ends might eventually get tied up, if they ever did!

This is quite a gripping book. It is very hard to put down, lots of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages.