This was a fairly fast paced psychological thriller. Bella is married to Jack and they have two teenage children. Bella is plagued by nightmares from a time when she was abducted and held hostage in her family home’s basement when she was at university. Bella now lives in that house with Jack and her children. Her real problems start when she hears that her abductor, Lawrence Knox, has been released. Bella’s life seems to spiral out of control and it appears that Lawrence is trying to frighten her and get back into her life.

I had actually guessed both twists to the story but it still didn’t detract from the story which kept with the pace until I turned the final page.

Oh My God!! An absolutely brilliant read, had me gripped instantly and I needed to carry on reading. As the tension was building it had me gasping out loud! Brilliantly written and really well thought out! A MUST read!

An enjoyable read with a great twist 3/4 of the way through which , for once, I didn’t see coming ! For me the ending was just a little too contrived - can’t say more without plot spoiling. Would definitely look for others by tho author.

I thought this quite a harrowing read as it captures the horror of being stalked and abducted against a backdrop of normal family life. Very well done and well worth a read.

Well this is a book with a real ‘sting in it’s tail’
I think it’s meant to take you a certain way and then Whooosh changes in one sentence and all cards are back on the table and all thoughts re evaluated ( for me ) as everything I had decided and worked out turned on its head 😊
Based on ‘lightning striking twice’ and the horrors that brings in this situation it is dramatic and tense and,not knowing tbh much else to say and without further waffle, a really good psychological thriller
Certainly fooled me!

10/10
5 Stars

I loved this story, it kept me guessing up to the very end. Grima sets her characters and settings very well. Bella's sense of fear and panic are very believable as well as her questioning her sanity when lead to believe that she is imagining everything. The plot doesn't drag and you are kept on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. I look forward to reading more of Grima's books in the future

Thank you to Netgalley/HQ/Jacqueline Grima for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bella and Jack, along with their children, Paige and Freddy, are a typical, loving family. Jack dotes on his family and is in every way the ideal husband. Bella is different all together. Whilst she loves all her family and only wants the very best for them and to keep them safe, this does turn into obsession due to an event that happened whilst she was at uni, with an over keen admirer becoming her stalker and then keeping her locked up for five days. Since her stalkers arrest and imprisonment, Bella has become slightly more relaxed, but now that Lawrence Knox has served his sentence and been released, her obsession goes into overdrive.

This was certainly a book of two halves. I struggled to engage with any of the characters for the first half of the book, and the continuous references to “remembering when…” and “the last time …” were very annoying. Far too much filler and repetition. When the story actually moved on, in probably the last third of the book, it really became a good read and the twists and turns came thick and fast, the suspense built up perfectly.

This was a drawn out book with a brilliant conclusion, a shorter, more succinct book would have been a 5* from me.

Thank you NetGalley.

An excellent read. Really built up tension. I hope this author writes more psychological thrillers. It was hard to put down.

Bella is married to Jack and has two children. They live in a house gifted to her by her parents. She was once held captive in the house's cellar by a former boyfriend for 5 days. He has been released from prison and slightly strange events have her convinced that he is coming after her. Is she just paranoid or is she being targeted? This was suspenseful and twisty and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Such a great story that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what is going to happen next....

Highly recommend!

Bella is struggling with the trauma of being stalked and kidnapped when at uni. She is now happily married with two children, when her stalker is released from prison.
Things start happening and Bella is convinced her stalker has come back again.
This book is written in such a way that I wasn't sure if Bella was being stalked, or whether she was having a serious breakdown.
Very gripping and cleverly writtten, with a couple of twists towards the end.
I enjoyed it and will definitely look out for more from this author.

This was a great thriller kept me on edge of my seat. Wasn’t sure how it was going to end will definitely read more from this author.

This was a fast paced and incredibly gripping read. I could not put it down. Thanks to netgalley and the publishers.

A tense, domestic noir that flips narrative between the present and the recent past. A marriage in difficulty. A stalker on the loose. A supporting cast of well meaning family. A surprise ending.

Tension Fuelled Drama…
When Bella’s former partner and stalker is released from prison so begins a downward spiral of paranoia. Is it paranoia though? Her life has been nigh on perfect until now and Bella is convinced that he is the cause of the change. When her family go away for the weekend Bella is determined to be strong and put the past behind her - but is there danger on her own doorstep? Packed with twists and turns and a credible cast this is an engaging and tension fuelled drama.

my first read buy this author and very much enjoyed. Bella is married to Jack they have two children Freddy and Paige. one morning she goes to make breakfast and the milk is not there but she only did an online shop the day before. Beth has now gone back to checking out people and looking behind her as her kidnapper Lawrence Knox is now out of prison let out early and the house she living in is the house with the actual basement that he kept her in. her parents moved out and gifted it to her Bella is very close to her sister Rosie who has two twins but then one day ther worst nightmare is about to begin again so good and very addictive twisty read so recommend

This was exactly the kind of book I just love! I've been having a bit of a reading block but this dragged my straight out of my slump and had me hooked, whilst about half a dozen before it couldn't even keep my interest past the 3rd chapter!

I loved the main character and found her so human and so easy to root for. I was completely invested in where it was all going and it just all so eerie and unsettling. The author does na amazing job if setting the scene and playing to really universal fears.

The writing keeps up a good pace and nothing drags out or feels like pointless filler chapters just to uo the word count. There are twists and turns and you really are left completely baffled. If recommend, it's perfect for these dark and dreary nights

A gripping read that had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. It is full of twists and unpredictability, I was hooked and couoldn't put it down.

What a wonderful twist filled thriller! I couldn’t believe how it started, I was gripped! And so many shocking twists throughout, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Anyone who loves a fast paced domestic thriller will devour this in one sitting, I promise you.

I found this a fast paced with the perfect amount of twists and turns throughout. i was drawn in from the first chapter and held hostage for the rest of the book i loved it. i found Bella a unique and diverse character one i can easily root for.
the story flows wonderfully between the timelines and i could easily follow, i was drawn in with the story and characters. this book will hooks its claws into you and wont let you go until the very end. this book drew my emotions into the fray and i found myself on the edge of my seat at times, breathless and begging for me.
Thank you to Netgalley/HQ/Jacqueline Grima for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.