The Suspect is a suspenseful domestic thriller. This is the story of Jess whose mother was murdered while walking her in the park when she was a toddler. The man accused was never arrested or convicted but carried the stigma all his life. Years later when Jess is an adult, he starts to follow her, finally faces his fear and tries to talk to her to tell her the truth.

Jess has trust issues and keeps people at a distance. She notices a man who seems familiar, but she is not sure why. He tries to explain that he is not the person who killed her mother. Afraid and reluctant to listen to him she wants to run from him, but something makes her listen. He claims he is innocent, and her family has been lying to her for years about what happened to her mother. Before he can disclose the truth, he ends up missing and then murdered.

The book is told from two points of view, Lori, Jess's mother in the past, and Jess in the present. There are many suspects who are keeping secrets from Jess in this story. It twists and turns with each chapter. I suspected who might have done the deed, but I was wrong. This was a roller coaster ride; I couldn't put down.

Jess has lived her life in fear every since her mom was murdered when she was a small child. Jess was always led to belive that it was a stranger in the park by the name of Nathaniel but when Nathaniel approaches Jess many years later with proof that he was more than a stranger to her mom and tells Jess that she's in danger and that he's innocent, Jess has to start questioning everything she knew about her mom and her family!

The Suspect is a slow burn abound with family secrets! It's told from the current point of view of Jess and of Jess's mom leading up to her murder! There are some anticlimactic moments but overall, the ending did come as a surprise! If you like a good psychological family drama, this is a good read for you!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Jessica Moore was just a little girl when her mum Lori was killed in the park right in front of her, but Jess remembers nothing about that fateful day, now twenty years later and she comes face to face with the man that killed her mum, he insists he had nothing to do with it and needs to speak to her about what happened back then, but before she has chance to listen to him, he is also found dead. Who wanted him out of the way, and why are the people she trusts the most, her family, lying to her?

The Suspect is a dual timeline story told from the perspectives of mum Lori back in the early nineties and Jess, her daughter in the present day. This is a fast paced domestic thriller which gripped me from the start, the author creates authentic characters, believable storylines and great twists. I was certain I'd worked out who the perpetrator was, but then something would happen that would change that perception, then that final twist left me shell-shocked. The author covers topics such as sibling rivalry, adultery and much more, delving into how far loved ones will go to keep a secret hidden. If you like a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and second guessing throughout, this is definitely one for you. It's the fourth book I've read by this author and I'm already looking forward to her next one!

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Domestic psychological thriller isnt my first choice, but this one grabbed my attention since the first sentences. The plot is slow burn deliciously when open all layers family secrets I devoured at one sitting.

The Suspect is following a young photographer name Jess who for decades trying to continue life normally after her mother being killed at park when she was a child. The suspect never brought to justice until he come to approached her on the street. This effort make her digging back the mysteries surround her mother death include open all family secrets.

Well.... This is my first read from the author and I absolute her storytelling style. It is give me hint melancholy at Lara POV and strong vibes at Jess part. It is rare skill from author to make distinction difference voice between characters. Some characters actions kinda odd and some filler found at plots part. But overall the story is solid, engaging and I enjoyed until last page.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for provided my copy. I enjoyed my reading time and my thoughts are my own.

I was just a little girl, fast asleep in my stroller, the day my mother was killed. I don't remember anything about the sunny day that turned so dark. But now, twenty years later, when the man walks towards me in the shadows of an empty street, his eyes on me for just a fraction too long, a shiver goes down my spine. I recognise his face form the pictures in the papers. He killed my mother. I try to run but he wants me to listen. He says that he is innocent, that the police got it wrong, and that my family have been lying to me for years.

Jess wants to find out the truth after the man who had killed her mother told her he was innocent. Her father and half-sister had been lying to her for twenty years. But before she can get any answers, the man has been found dead. Someone doesn't want Jess to get the answers she's looking for. could her own life be in danger?

I was pulled quickly into this story. It has a dual timeline - the past, twenty years ago and the present day. The pas is told from her mother's point of view and the present is told from Jess's point of view. This is a well written murder mystery with well-rounded characters. There are a lot of twists. Will Jess be able to find out the truth? And will she like what she finds out?

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bppokouture and the author #KathrynCroft for my ARC of #TheSuspect in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Suspect’ by Kathryn Croft in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
For as long as she can remember Jess has been brought up by her father Danny and step-mother Carolina. Danny has always told Jess that her mother Lori was killed by Nathaniel French although the police could never find enough evidence to prove it. Twenty-eight years later Nathaniel approaches Jess in a busy London street to say that he didn’t kill her mother, and Jess finds herself believing him.
‘The Suspect’ is in effect a family drama that moves in time between what happened to Lori in 1992 to the present time when Jess is confronted by Nathaniel French, with the story told between them in alternating chapters. The storyline is very good, the characters believable, but although it starts well and immediately grabs my attention it slows down mid-way until I’ve found it hard to keep interested. Throughout the story I’ve continually changed my mind as to who I believe caused Lori’s death until I reached the end and I’d been right all along but not quite as I’d expected. This has been an enjoyable novel and although I feel it could have been better I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to read it as I always enjoy this author’s books.

Jess is forced to revisit her mother ‘s murder over twenty years ago when confronted by the man who was accused of her murder. Trying to convince Jess he knew her mother and was not responsible for her death, Nathaniel turns up dead and Jess is forced to figure out the truth before it’s too late. Great read!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for my honest review

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED The Suspect! An absolutely addictive FIVE star psychological thriller. I started this and couldn't put it down until the final breath taking page!

I was not only on pins and needles every chapter but guessing every chapter who did I trust, who's telling the truth, who's lying. At one point almost every character in the book appeared to be guilty of murdering this little girls mother.

Synopsis: I was just a little girl, fast asleep in my stroller, the day my mother was killed. I don’t remember anything about the sunny day that turned so dark.

She’d be so happy for me now, twenty years later, with my dream job as a photographer. But all my happiness vanishes in a heartbeat when the man from our past walks towards me, his eyes on me for just a fraction too long.

I recognise his face from the picture in the papers. He killed my mother.

I try to run but he wants me to listen. He says that he is innocent, and that my family have been lying to me for years. My family said he killed my mother. They lied…

This is my first book by this very talented author, Kathryn Croft and I look forward to reading many more of her books. I want to thank the author, Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this E-ARC

The Suspect is told in two different timelines.
What dark secrets is her family hiding from her?
Can they all be hiding what really happened to her mother 30 years ago?
Main character, Jess, finds so many unanswered questions as she begins her search about what really happened to her mother. But, she is determined to find out the truth no matter what she has to do.
When the truth is revealed, I found I was totally wrong in who I thought the murderer was.
Definitely a suspenseful, intriguing and intense psychological thriller with lots of mystery.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was very slow. I didn't really care for this book. To me it wasn't a thriller.

Thank you net galley for let me read this book

I am so grateful to Kathryn Croft, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Suspect. Thank you!

*This review contains spoilers!!*

This was my first book by Kathryn Croft.

The plot of this book was interesting, and I didn't see the twist coming at the end, but it was a very slow burn. The story dragged and was a bit confusing at times.

Synopsis:
Jessica's mother, Lori, was killed in front of her when she was a toddler. Her killer was never caught. One day 28 years later she is approached by the man that was suspected of killing her mother. He swears he is innocent and begs her to listen. Jess is terrified. She tells her father who refuses to go to the police. This makes Jess nervous and confused. Her father may not want answers, or justice for her mother, but Jess needs answers. How far will she go to learn, and expose, the truth? Who can you trust when everyone you know has been lying to you your whole life?

The story alternates between Lori's point of view in the early 90s and Jess's point of view in the present.

As you followed Lori's story you learn that her fiancé, Danny, is actually married and has been cheating. Lori then decides to go on this personal vendetta to rid London of its cheating men. She picks up married men, sleeps with them, and then goes to their wives. It's a very outlandish concept.

Gabriel's character and motive seemed far-fetched and like a pointless distraction.

I didn't understand the final chapter from Belle's point of view. It was unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story.

I am especially confused because at the end of the book it says that Carolina was hit by a semi truck and her body was dragged underneath. Following that scene it says, "Jess hears her dad’s scream as he takes in what’s just happened. As he is forced to confront the devastating cost of all his lies." So you would assume she died. But then a couple of chapters later it references how Zara visits BOTH of her parents in prison. How did Carolina survive??

So ultimately if you're looking for a fast paced, action filled, edge of your seat thriller then this book isn't for you.

It was a decent read but a lot more could have been done with the storyline.

Also on a separate note the book description listed on NetGalley and GoodReads etc is not anywhere close to what happened in the book. There are a lot of inconsistencies.

(I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Kathryn Croft's latest, THE SUSPECT, is a chilling domestic suspense whodunit of a young woman who tries to make sense of her mom's murder when she was only a toddler and twenty years later uncovers a web of deceit, secrets, and lies.

Can you trust those closest to you?

The novel is told from two timelines and POVs: Lori, the mother (past) in the early nineties, and her daughter, Jess (present) day.

Lori was a great mom who loved to take her baby to the park. Jess was just a toddler in her stroller, around two years old when her mom was murdered at the park.

Present day, Jess thinks someone is watching her. She is a photographer and loves spending time in her studio. She makes it a point to notice things around her and what is right in front of her.

Being she was so young, she remembers nothing that happened that day.

Danny, her dad, is married to Caroline, and she also has a half-sister, Zara. Her family never talks about her mom, but now twenty years later, Jess is approached by Nathaniel, who says he has information regarding her mother, Lori.

Nathaniel was a suspect in her mom's murder but was never charged. They never found who murdered her mom, and Jess is haunted and wants to learn more. So many lies had been told in her family, masquerading as the truth, and it must stop. Jess is determined to get to the truth.

Nathaniel seems to have loved her mom, and they were dating. He has information, and Jess believes him. Her family warns her to stay away. However, before he can provide more details, he winds up dead. Who wants to quiet him?

From past to present, we hear from Lori and how she met Danny with his secret life and lies. He was controlling, and Lori had no idea of Danny's other life. He worked a lot, and they never married.

When Lori tries to escape with Jess, she is murdered. Now Jess is getting close to the truth and discovers more information which puts her in harm's way the closer she gets.

How far will the murderer go to keep their secrets? The people she has loved her entire life have been telling lies.

We also hear from Lori's friend, Belle, and two men in Jess's life Gabriel (reporter), and Harrison (ex-husband).

"Sometimes promises need to be broken for the greater good."

An intriguing, twisty domestic suspense thriller filled with long-buried family secrets, drama, and tension.

I enjoyed the timelines and POV. I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by Tamsin Kennard for a pleasant performance for all voices.

I experienced some technical issues with the audio version, which continued to stop, so it was nice to have the e-book to refer to.

Thanks to #Bookouture and #NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC.

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www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 8, 2023
Feb 2023 Must-Read Books

When Jess was a toddler, her mother, Lori was murdered while she was sleeping. She does not remember anything about the incident. The murder was never solved.
Years later, Jess is approached by a man that looks familiar, who urgently wants to speak to her. She recognizes him and realises that he is the man that was the main suspect in her mother's murder.
She meets with him a couple of times, against her father's wishes, and he tells her a bit about the relationship he had with her mother.
He arranges to meet her to tell her the whole story and to clear his name, but he never makes the meeting.
Jess finds out that her family have been lying to her all her life and she is determined to find out why.

Everyone is a suspect.

A very good psychological thriller, although it dragged on quite a bit. I was kept guessing as to who killed Lori.

Thanks to netgalley for this one. I felt bad for the main character, Jess, and wanted her to find all the answers she needed. I definitely did not guess who it was and was surprised. I felt that her dad had something to do with it but couldn't quit figure out exactly what it was.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Normally I'm a big fan of Kathryn Croft but this book just didnt do it for me. I found the characters very blah. Reading through the book was just too much effort. I'm over half way through and I honestly dont know if I'm going to finish it.

When I read the blurb and tag line for The Suspect, I was immediately intrigued. The premise for this novel is something quite different to the books I've read recently and my interest was piqued from the outset.

The Suspect is written with a dual timeline, with chapters both in the present day and the early 1990s. The chapters in the past helped me to build a picture of Jess' parents and her wider family and I quickly became involved in the story and I wanted to know more about the events that had led to Lori's death. In the present day, I was rooting for Jess to find the truth because I wanted to know too! At times, the reader is aware of what happened slightly ahead of Jess and this adds extra tension to the novel.

Kathryn Croft is a talented writer. Her writing is fast paced and I raced through the pages of this novel! I was suspicious of almost everyone the whole way through and I had no idea who I (and Jess) could trust! There were times when I was reading, I thought I had everything worked out, but I did not guess how it would all come together.

Hmm, I don't even know where to begin. I have quite mixed feelings about the book. I really, really had high hopes for the book as I've read other books by Croft. But this book was an avarage 3/5 slow-burner book - and emphasis on the slow-burn. Still looking forward to read Croft's other books that I still have on my to-read list!

This is such a layered story. It's part murder mystery, part dealing with a dysfunctional family, a relentless search for the truth and a love story. Its jam packed with lies and deception and lots of twists. Jess is the main character, and I could feel her pain as she searches for the truth about what happened to her mother 28 years ago when she was 2 1/2 years old. All the characters were well written, but many were not very likable. The suspense of what Danny did kept me reading long into the night. Whenever I thought I'd figured things out there was a twist, and I wasn't even close. The epilogue seemed like a final resolution, but no one tells the complete truth, and I was yet again sorry for the story to end. I highly recommend the book and thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.

Slow burner. Just an average read. I have read better from this author. Some twists were predictable. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I struggled through this one. I just couldn’t relate to the main character, which made the story difficult to get through. I did enjoy the switching of perspectives from Lori in the past to Jess in the present. The mystery was somewhat predictable with a few interesting reveals throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Kathryn Croft for the ARC.