Thank you Net Galley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this fast-paced book. It's a quick read and tells the story of one woman's search for the truth of what happened 10 years ago. An incident occurred at university and has caused Ava to maintain a low profile. She's paranoid much of the time and leads a quiet life as a librarian. Then several unexplainable incidents occur, and she tries to figure out if there is a connection to her past. She appears weak but, when necessary, finds her strength and solves the mystery of her past. She's loyal and the kind of friend everyone deserves putting others' needs before her own. I recommend the book though it's predictable and the end is a bit too unrealistic.

The Librarian by Valerie Keogh follows Ava, a young woman working as a librarian for the Tate Modern, as she deals with the ten year anniversary of an incident in her past and new strange occurrences that start happening after she has a distressing encounter with a man at her local Bistro. It seems like someone is out to get her and she can’t help but think it’s all connected to her past.

This book was a quick, fun read and the short chapters made it easy to fly through. I thought Ava was a likable character as well as her friend, Poppy, and sister, Judy, who both provided a nice contrast to Ava’s overcautious personality. I thought the plot was a little weak and the end reveals didn’t make much sense to me so you probably have to suspend your disbelief with this one. And the writing felt a little repetitive at times, especially with all the paranoia Ava was feeling and I could have done without it being mentioned in almost every chapter. But overall this was a fun popcorn thriller and I recommend it for readers new to the thriller genre and also for those who enjoy British thrillers!

**Thank you to the publisher Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eARC!**

Truly an enjoyable read. This book kept me enthralled till I finished it. It builds up the suspense beautifully as we try to understand what is really happening to Ava. Highly recommend this book and look forward to more by this author. Thanks to Negalley, the author and publisher for this ARC.

Such a great book and well written. I enjoyed the many twists and turns of the plot and so much mystery involved.

Ava Warrington works at Tate Modern as their head librarian, which is her dream job. Something happened during her university days that makes her cautious and more reserved than she would’ve been. She arranges to meet her friend, Poppy, at a bistro and Poppy hooks up with a handsome stranger, leaving Ava to fend for herself. A man tries to persuade Ava to have a drink with him but when she turns him down, he starts to get nasty. As she walks away, he tells her that she’ll be sorry.

A really great read that had me hooked. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

On the edge of your seat read. Twisty and full of crazyness that only you will understand if you read it. Great book!!

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Ava Warrington has a dream job as a Head Librarian at the Tate modern. But life wasn’t always like that. Ten years previously whilst at Uni an incident happened involving Simon Loder will play on her mind for the rest of her life as she is convinced it was her own fault.
Present day, Now quite and reserved Ava is persuaded by her friend Poppy to go out for the night. They head for the local Bistro. Where a guy chats her up and but she has now learned to say no and walks away from him. Only for him to shout, ‘You will be sorry’. Is history repeating itself?
After that night, weird things start to happen including something at the gallery. Ava is convinced that it has something to do with the guy at the Bistro. Is he getting his revenge?
Thank you Boldwood books for Valerie Keogh’s latest offering. What can I say about this. For me personally I found the first half of this, with it twists and turns quite a crazy plot, but I continued nevertheless and I am so glad I did, because the style of the writing changed and it became a intriguing story with I ended up enjoying. Not her best work but well worth the read for entertainment value. 3.5 stars from me.

A Terrifying Turn..
Ava, head librarian at the Tate Modern, finds her life taking an unexpected and ultimately wholly terrifying turn. Tension mounting, well crafted suspense. Deftly drawn characters populate the tightly plotted narrative where the drama and the threat of the situation in which Ava finds herself is horrifyingly credible.

What a cracker of a book! Sat up into the early hours reading The Librarian. I applaud the author for the research required into the workings of The Tate Gallery. The setting and plot had me hooked from the word go. I also loved the main character who although quiet and reserved, had a tenacity about her that I really admired. Lots of devices peppered throughout to keep the reader entertained and gripped. Well done, Ms Keogh. A well deserved 5 stars from me.

I really enjoyed this twisty thriller. The writing style was fast paced, the characters intriguing and there were enough turns to keep me guessing right until the end.
This is a really good book and one that I’d recommend.

3.5 stars rounded up. Twisty thriller about a librarian who meets a man at a bistro, she declines his invitation, he mutters you’ll be sorry. What unfolds next kept me to the edge of my seat. Loved the sisters, that last chapter, what kick ass women! Love thrillers and love books about librarians, so this hit both perfectly.
Thanks to BoldwoodBooks books and NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Will be reading more from this author for sure!

A compelling read from the first page and so tense, I had my suspicions about one character when Ava’s life started to go on a downward spiral but I got that completely wrong. My only disappointment was finishing the book and while I have read others by this author, this is definitely her best one.

3.5 rounded down

Ava Warrington is a quiet, reserved young woman who loves her dream job as head librarian at the Tate Modern. She has something hanging over her from university’s that always makes her super cautious. She goes to meet her outgoing friend Poppy at a bistro - Poppy is scouting for her next conquest and later she messages Ava to say she thinks she’s found him! Is it’s time for Ava to take a chance and live a little? However, it won’t be with the handsome stranger who oversteps the mark as she leaves the bistro, a guy who won’t take a polite no as the first and final answer. His parting words resonate around Ava’s head for the next few days ....

The start of this psychological thriller is good and the initial encounter and the predatory intimidation will resonate with many women. You catch a definite air of unease and it’s clear that something is looming. As the drama intensifies you ask questions of Ava is she being a ‘drama queen’ or is she right to be concerned? Is she reading the warning signs correctly or exaggerating? She’s certainly a freaked out, cat on hot bricks and she makes you feel jumpy! There is a good contrast between the characters of Ava and Poppy and Ava and her sister Judy which works well.

However, it’s a suspend disbelief read and so you just have to go with the flow. Things worsen and get more sinister though it’s all a bit thin plot wise and as it builds it slots neatly into place although I really like the final reveal. You grow to understand Ava better and the reasons for her caution but it does get repetitive on several notes. There are instances too where the author includes inconsequential and unnecessary details which just gets in the way of the drama.

Overall though, it’s an entertaining popcorn read, one to curl up with on a chilly evening with a glass of your preferred or it’s one to take to the beach on a sunny day for a glide through easy read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

The Librarian was the first book I have read by this author, it was a very quick read and grabbed you right from the start. I did think it was a little predictable at times, and went on a little too long. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I do love a psychological thriller hence the request for this book. I did finish the book in 24 hours which speaks volumes. I have never met anyone like Ava before and especially being a Librarian!! Wow, what a intriguing life she had/has. And there was me thinking her days would be calm, quiet and very low key. I love stories where the characters have an interesting past too. This was a great page turner, full of excitement, pulled a few punches and kept my attention the entire way through. Well done Valerie Keogh, another great book.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

I have now read all of this authors books and they continue to get better and better. This was a fantastic thriller which you will be unable to put down once you start.

Ava leads a quiet life, enjoying her job as a librarian and spending time with her sister and her best friend. Then one day when out at a bistro, she meets a man who makes advances on her and turns nasty when she rejects him.Then everything starts to go wrong. Is Ava going to lose everything she loves.

This book was full of twists and turns, I gasped at the ending which was fantastic. the ending was shocking. I loved this and will definitely be recommending this thriller to everyone.

Ava leads a quiet life, enjoying her job as a librarian and spending time with her sister and her best friend. Then one day when out with Poppy at a bistro, she meets a man who makes advances on her and turns nasty when she rejects him. "You'll be sorry", he says. Then everything starts to go wrong. Could Ava lose everything she holds dear? Is the man from the bistro responsible?

A brilliant thriller that keeps you turning the pages and guessing until the end. Full of twists and turns, the ending was shocking. Fantastic, loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

A twisty tale and who to trust?
Took me a while to get into it but once i did a very decent read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Ava Warrington is the Head Librarian at the Tate Modern. She leads a quiet life, with a few select friends, and her family.
She has lunch with Poppy and is asked by a handsome man to have a drink, but she is feeling unwell, and says no. As she walks away, he tells her she will be sorry.

Things start happening soon afterwards, dead birds on her porch, a very serious incident at work that ends up with her being suspended, and the murder of a colleague who had just been at her house.
She is convinced that someone from her past is responsible, taking revenge on her for a dreadful mistake.

Oh, I really was hooked from the beginning of this book! It was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering how Ava was going to find out who was behind the occurrences.
The twist at the end really was stunning.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.