Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone, and NetGalley for my advance copy of this book, publishing on 25th May.

The cover drew my eye to the book and it’s a good fit for the story.

Tom and Nicole are childhood sweethearts, who have had their modest lives transformed after winning £10 million on the lottery. They have recently moved in to their architect designed home overlooking a nature reserve. When Nicole returns home one afternoon, she’s horrified to find Tom dead in the swimming pool. Was it suicide or was he murdered?
The police investigate and it quickly turns into a very complex case.

I found this book easy to read and it’s definitely a page turner! Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character. There are also some chapters by Anna from five years earlier. What’s happened to her?
I didn’t find this chapter format confusing to follow as I felt the characters were well developed and I could easily picture them. I really rooted for ‘Kitty’ and wanted her to get her life back again.

There are so many twists in this book which keeps you guessing! I was slightly disappointed with whodunnit as that was predictable, but there’s a lot more going on which I didn’t expect. There’s more to Nicole’s character than meets the eye and she’s not as sweet as she seems.

For me, the story was well described and I could picture the modern, glass house in the beautiful rural setting. I could picture all the characters and I think this made me more invested in the story.

Of course, it made me wonder what I would do if I won £10 million on the lottery. 😂 The book shows how this could affect mental health, relationships, and how you’re perceived and treated by others.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot, I got hooked by the story straight away. It’s the sort of book you would read in one or two sittings, which I would have done if I could have. A great, twisty, story which I highly recommend.

My first ARC! I got accepted to read The Fall by @gillymacmillan on @netgalley (I say I got accepted, I'm pretty sure I was just one of the first 100 to click the request button hehe99). Now I love a good thriller! With most thrilers, however, I tend to predict what happens and it ruins the book for me when I find out I'm right. The Fall? DID NOT SEE IT COMING.
As this hasn't come out yet, I will be doing a spoiler free review so I guess...no spoilers incoming?
The Fall starts with Nicole Booth walking into her home and finding her husband dead. As the mystery unravels, it slowly becomes clear that everyone has something to hide. Can Nicole survive unscathed?
Guys, I LOVED THIS. THE TWISTS. I genuinely, hand on heart, did not see them coming. And there were a few, without it seeming like they came out of nowhere. The writing was so good, and the characters were all so shady! It reminded me a little of Death in Paradise, because no one was as innocent as they seemed. I loved the multi POV chapters and the mystery was so alluring. I had so many theories and I was wrong with all of them y This book surpassed my expectations and I 100% recommend this to anyone who wants to read a murder mystery that is super unpredictable!
@gillymacmillan I am now a fan &
5/5*
#arc #thefall #gillymacmillan #thriller #books #bookstagram #booktook #bookish #mystery #arcreview #review

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Tom and Nicole are lottery winners who have built a new home. Their neighbours, Sasha and Olly, live in a Manor House, with their live in housekeeper, Kitty. Everything seems well, until Tom ends up dead. And the suspect list is short. But, all is not what it seems in the Manor House.

This author always delivers a great crime, mystery thriller, and this book is not different. The plot was cleverly written, with a big twist in the middle that I didn’t see coming. The characters were so well written and were perfect for this story. An excellent read I’d highly recommend.

The Fall is a gripping psychological thriller with a large cast of characters. It took a while to get into the book but once you are familiar with all the different points of views the book really takes off.
It is a fast paced compelling read with well drawn characters and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
It will appeal to readers who enjoy domestic psychological thrillers.

Tom and Nicole have won the lottery and had their dream glass barn built to,a very high specification.
Nicole returns home from a day out to find Tom dead in their pool.
Absolutely devoured this.
The setting is so beautiful, but at the same time, a little eerie bordering woods.
Sasha and Olly seem like perfect neighbours in the Manor house, but Olly has a nasty temperament. Kitty is their housekeeper who is very meek.
I loved how all was not as it seemed. Each chapter gave an insight into each character as the story unfolded.
Hal and Jen, the police detectives are great at reading each suspect, and there are a few.
A very enjoyable thriller that had a satisfying ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House uk for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I have read previous books by this author but unsure how I feel about this one. It started off a slow burner and was readable with some twists along the way but I struggled to connect with any of the characters and as the story progressed, it became increasingly far fetched to the point that the ending just felt ridiculous to me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Really enjoyed this story and all the twists and turns it threw in, right up the very end....

Some predictable bits, but also some great curve balls!

I loved this book. A real page turner in the quest to find Tom's killer. Cleverly done and a good cast of characters that keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Absolutely fantastic! Wowed me from start to finish. By three quarters of the way through, I wasn't sure how it could continue but the twists and turns just kept on coming! Excellently executed. I will definitely be looking for more titles by Gilly!

I do love a good mystery/ thriller and this ticked all my boxes. Set only 18 miles away too! When Nicole and Tom win the lottery their lives seem picture perfect. Childhood sweethearts with a perfect marriage. They’ve recently moved in to an architect designed perfect house just down the road from the Manor House inhabited by the charismatic Olly and Sasha. When Tom is found face down in the swimming pool a murder investigation is triggered. With lots of twists and turns and some jaw dropping moments I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in just over one sitting. Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the arc

Surprising twists and turns really make this book. The writer also ensures the reader maintains interest across the characters as you start to like some and while others become unlikeable quite quickly. Who did what to who is gradually played back in mixed up time lines, some on the days in live time, some before and some after. You’ll need to piece together the information you’re given to solve this murder mystery – and I really enjoyed gathering the clues.

One couple won the lottery and their lives change overnight, but not forever. One of them is found, probably, drowned in a swimming pool, but as this is a novel it is almost certainly murder. The list of potential suspects is not huge, with only one or two potential additions added during the novel, so you know that at least one of them is guilty, but who?

The two police detectives add good characterization to this story and while you know they are going to get their man or woman; this is a very good read and I will be pleased to find more by this author. I did think that one character may have got away, but alas, one couple may not be as close as first suspected.

This novel makes you think and it's difficult to decide who might be the guilty party as the writing makes you switch your mind and decision making process as more information is revealed.

From just reading the synopsis of the book I didn't know exactly what to expect from it but the book is definitely worth reading if you love thrillers, mystery books. Loved the story and the characters were really well written.

The Fall is full of suspense and intrigue, told from multiple points of view and across different timelines.
I really enjoyed it, although it did get a little confusing at times.
Recommended.

Free arc from netgalley
5 stars

I loved absolutely everything about this book and could find only two minor criticisms to share in this review. One is that there were some formatting errors in my (arc) kindle edition which made things a little confusing occasionally, and the second is the final little wrap up at the end was a bit too neat for my liking. However, it is fully understandable why such an ending choice was made. So much happens during the course of this story, and there are so many twists and turns, that if there wasn’t a neat little wrap up it could’ve easily gone on forever - in a really good way.

I guess even a fictional crime spree is hard to stop when one thing keeps leading to another!

The story pulled me along without effort and there was absolutely no guessing in which direction we were going. It’s nothing like a simple murder for money mystery. There are bad guys out there, they are watching, and waiting, and nothing is as it seems to be.

Definitely worth checking out.

I really enjoyed this twisty thriller about an unexplained death in the beautiful Welsh borders. The setting of a grand manor house and its neighbouring swanky glass barn add to the spooky atmosphere and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Though the many characters are quite well-drawn, some of their behaviours are unrealistic or frustrating but, nonetheless, I found this page-turner compelling and very entertaining.

I was instantly drawn to The Fall. I live on the very same stretch of the River Wye as Nicole and Tom’s Glass Barn has been built, very close to Lancaut. I enjoy reading books set in an area I know so well. It interests me to see how much artistic license has been used in the writing process.

I found a very obvious discrepancy in the opening chapters. Although Chepstow has alternated between being part of England and Wales over the centuries. It has been part of Wales since 1974, since the decision was made in 1972. It does not stand on the opposite bank to Wales. Chepstow is on the Welsh bank, on the opposite bank to Gloucestershire and Lancaut.

The book starts with Nicole arriving back to her and Tom’s beautiful home, designed and built with their £10m lottery winnings. She finds Tom dead, floating in their outdoor swimming pool.
Desperately upset, she flees to her closest neighbours, Sasha and Olly for help and comfort.

I was drawn to the book, intrigued by it’s premise. Sadly the reality fell short for me. I found the characters to be unlikeable, with little redeeming warmth.
For me personally, I need to warm to characters, or at least one of them, to care about what happens to them in the book. Nobody is as they seem. For me, this didn’t increase the tension, it heightened my dislike and disinterest.
I found my mind wandering frequently, my attention wasn’t gripped and held by the story.

I also struggled to settle into the story after such a huge glaring error in the basic research of the geography. I understand artistic license can be used in writing. The changing of these details didn’t appear to be used to bring anything to the book, it simply looked like an error to me.
I’m sure there are many others will enjoy this book, but it wasn’t for me I’m afraid. Just 3⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the story of Tom and Nicoles lottery win and move to a big house in a woodland. It is also the story of past friendships, childhood sweethearts and Jealousy. Throw into the mix a back story of coercive control and manipulation then you have the perfect ingredients for an intriguing and addictive read. Although there were parts of this story I found a bit unbelievable overall it was a fun and exhilarating read.

This book took me a while to get into the storyline and the characters, it was well written but I found in parts things got a bit mixed up and I found it hard to get interested again.

It did seem to pick up for me and I did start to enjoy it, not to the extent to keep me on the edge of my seat but a good book on the whole.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for this ARC.

#TheFall #NetGalley
Best of 2023.
Childhood sweethearts Nicole and Tom are a normal, loving couple—until a massive lottery win changes their lives overnight.
Soon they’ve moved into a custom-built state-of-the-art Glass Barn on the stunning grounds of Lancaut Manor in Gloucestershire. They have fancy cars, expensive hobbies, and an exclusive lifestyle they never could have imagined. But this dream world quickly turns into a nightmare when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool.  Nicole is devastated. Tom is her rock. And their beautiful barn —with all its smart features that never seem to work for her—is beginning to feel very lonely. But she’s not entirely by herself out there in the country. There’s a nice young couple who live in the Manor itself along with their middle-aged housekeeper who has the Coach House. And an old friend of Tom’s from school has turned up to help her get through her grief.  But big money can bring big problems and big threats. Was Tom’s death a tragic accident or was it something worse? And is her life in danger as well? Nicole’s beginning to feel like a little fish in a big glass fishbowl. Surrounded by piranhas.
Gilly Macmillan is an awesome author and she's done it again. She knows what readers want from her. She's delivered a twisty tale with a killer twist. Go and read it yourself.

Loved, loved, LOVED this book! Had everything that I enjoy in a book - full of twists and turns and the sort of book that you can’t put down because you’re so desperate to find out what the heck happened and you just want to know how it all gets resolved! Superb book! Highly recommend!