I've read some brilliant psychological thrillers and this one is no exception.

I was immediately drawn into the story. It begins on Valentine's Day when Erin's husband, Will, surprises her with a necklace. As he tries to put it on Erin shrinks away in fear. Why is she afraid of her husband? When the family dog vanishes Erin blames Will. Mistrust grows and their marriage starts to break down Erin and Will seek counselling but what is the link between them and therapist Maggie? Can Erin trust Will or is she delusional? Why is Maggie so interested in Erin's life and how is this linked to the murder of her sister years ago?

I loved the slow reveal as this story progressed and we are drawn deeper into these characters lives. I loved reading from the perspectives of Erin and Maggie and found this an unpredictable, twisty read. I really didn't know who to believe!! This was a brilliantly plotted thriller which I couldn't put down. I'm excited to read more books by this author!

A slow burner with lots of twists and turns and untrustworthy characters. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Erin and will have the perfect marriage, until suddenly out of the blue everything starts to go pear shaped, Erin cannot bare for her husband to touch her, she no longer trusts him and begins to accuse him of things he hasn’t done.

Erin and will decide to see a marriage counsellor Maggie to help them them with their problems. Maggie does her best to try and help Erin and will but little progress is being made, will starts to believe this is a waste of his time and together him and Erin decide to knock the counselling on the head.

However Maggie doesn’t want to give up on Erin just yet, in one of their sessions Erin mentions something related to Maggies past, something about her sister that she cannot let go of. Maggie will break all the rules for her sister and starts to meet with Erin on a one to one basis to get all the information out of Erin regarding her sister.

This book is told over a period of a few months and Lugers between a then and now. In the now chapters we see Erin has been involved in a hit and run. The police are trying to determine whether it is an accident or an attempted murder.

With so many secrets, twists and lies going on in this book anyone could be responsible for hitting Erin. And will Maggie be able to get the answers she so desperately needs out of Erin.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review. For anyone looking for a good thriller with lots of twists, turns, secrets and lies then this is the book for you.

Its always a guilty pleasure to eavesdrop on what's going on in other people's marriages, so the set up of therapy sessions for Erin and Will to try and fix a sudden glitch in their previously happy relationship was a perfect opportunity to find out more.

On an otherwise normal Valentines Day morning, Erin suddenly can't stand Will being near her or touching her. When he manages to lose her beloved dog later on the same day, suddenly all of the trust that she had in him previously is under question. Their marriage becomes more strained each day, as she constantly questions him. Will says that he doesn't know anything about it, and that's it was a terrible accident, but where have Erin's fears come from?

The story is told in multiple voices and across different time lines, so it both builds up the picture and muddies the waters perfectly. There are families and friendships on both sides of the marriage who all have their opinions.
And then of course there's therapist Maggie, who is there to listen to everyone without judgement or intervention.

I had no idea where the story was going to take me, and thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn in the tale.

The Last Resort 🖊️

By Heidi Perks

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I got this book as an ARC through @netgalley so thanks to them! - it’s out in December if you want to grab a copy!

Erin can’t seem to trust her husband Will, she has no idea why, so they decide to start therapy to get to the bottom of things as they turn decidedly strange.

Their therapist Maggie is trying to work them out, while dealing with her own issues.. her sister who was murdered years ago.

Then Erin is victim of a hit and run.. so many coincidences, what’s going on? How are Will, Erin and Maggie connected?

Honestly I flew through this, nice little drama/thriller, the writing is so smooth, it just flows and kept me hooked. Ending was a mystery so that’s awesome.

A solid 3/5 for me!

A very enjoyable read which I looked forward to getting back to each evening! Lots of suspense that left me guessing all the way through. Would recommend this to all thriller lovers! The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the ending felt a bit rushed but all in all a great read - thanks for the opportunity.

This is my 2nd book I have had the pleasure to review of Heidi's. You are guaranteed a good plot, twists, turns and an unpredictable ending. Fabulous! If you love psychological thrillers, this author is the one for you.
The plot begins with a hit and run involving Erin. Why was Erin there at that time, in that place, on her own?
On the outside, Will and Erin were a 'perfect couple' although things were not that perfect, she had confided in her best freind. Her best freind had taken Will's side which had upset Erin.
Erin had been left mortified after Will had taken her beloved dog a walk and lost her, who loses a dog? She treated the dog like a child, this exacerbated the problems within their marriage.
They agreed to try couples therapy to help rescue their relationship. The therapist, Maggie also had issues herself and the plot thickens.....she gets kidnapped!
So there is kidnapping, Erin is seriously ill in hospital and lots of twists and turns. This book had me gripped from the start! If you want a good read, grab a copy.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Uk, Cornerstone for a copy in return for an Honest review.

Erin and Will have the perfect, happy marriage - until suddenly they don't. Erin suddenly doesn't trust Will and everything falls apart. They agree to see a therapist and things start to fall apart even more. With an interfering mother-in-law, a best friend who can't support her, life spirals for Erin. The atmosphere is tense and the story spirals. A real page turner.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Heidi Perks/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a dark and compelling psychological thriller which centres around a married couple, Erin and Will, who start couples therapy when Erin suddenly develops a paranoid distrust of her husband, triggered by him placing a necklace around her neck. This is followed by the mysterious disappearance of the family dog and a hit and run, which leaves Erin in a critical condition. Their therapist, Maggie, appears to have her own agenda and is seemingly abandoning her own code of ethics in trying to get to the root of what is going on. Memories of past traumas and clues relating to a historical unsolved murder emerge as the layers are revealed. This is a clever and well-plotted story which leaves the reader both in the dark and not knowing who to trust.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.

Erin and husband Will start couples therapy after their marriage starts to break down. Erin believes Will is essentially gas lighting her but Will denies this. They start seeing therapist Maggie, who isn’t sure who to believe. Following this, Erin is rushed to hospital following a hit and run accident.

2023 seems to be the year of therapy thrillers for me! I love Heidi Perks and this was another great book from her!

I binged it really quickly. Despite the multiple time lines and POVs, it was really easy to follow too! I did guess the ending and I did find it was a little rushed though!

Erin and Will Harding seem to be the perfect couple. Happily married, living in a beautiful house with their daughter Sadie and their dog Coco.

On Valentines Day, Will gifts Erin a necklace, but Erin flinched when Will touched her neck. She suddenly feels incredible uncomfortable in the presence of her husband. Things go from bad to worse when Erin's beloved dog Coco goes missing, and Erin blames her husband. Her mistrust leads to the decision to start couple counselling.

They reach out to Maggie Day, but she can't work out whose version of truth she can trust.

Then Erin is brought into the hospital in a critical condition following a hit-and-run accident. Now, everyone is desperate to unravel the truth.

I was very excited to be able to read Heidi's six novel, and the Last Resort didn't disappoint.

I flew through the book. I wanted to find out why the therapist Maggie Day was so invested in Erin's life. She definitely had her own reasons to unravel the story.

The Last Resort is told in several POV and two different timelines. Cleverly done to reach the conclusion of what really happened.

This is a gripping, fast-paced story filled with suspense. A real page turner.

Many thanks to @Netgalleyuk, @penguinukbooks, and @heidiperks_author for the chance to read the ARC.

I absolutely love when I start a new book and after only a couple of pages in , I’m completely hooked . Well this was certainly the case for my with The Last Resort. It’s a gripping and page turning psychological thriller with plenty of great twists and turns. The main question is as you’re reading this book, who can you really trust ? I certainly asked myself that exact question several times as I was reading it. This book had everything I love in a thriller , superb storyline and well produced characters, each of them playing a major part in the story. I’m not going not any details about the actual story as it’s too easy to give away spoilers but all I will say is if you’re a fan of psychological / domestic thrillers you will love this one.

This is another excellent thriller from Heidi Perks. It had me guessing all the way through as I was thoroughly confused as to who was lying, telling the truth or covering up years of secrets surrounding the murder of a teenage girl. Erin and Will's marriage is falling apart as Erin developes an irrational fear of her husband. Is he hiding a terrible secret and why Is Maggie, the physiotherapist/marriage counsellor showing an unprofessional interest in Erin's family history and how might this link in with the death of her teenage sister decades ago? There are so many twists, turns and suspicions in this book that I had no idea how it was going to turn out but the conclusion was both satisfying and surprising. The story was a terrific roller coaster ride of emotions that had me hooked throughout. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC which I gladly, and voluntarily, review here.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Random House UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. This is my 6th book by Heidi Perks and this is another winner.
A fast paced read, told in different points of view, full of intrigue, drama, lies, secrets and suspense, with lots of twists. Erin and Will seem to be the perfect couple, until things start to go wrong. Erin suggests they try therapy, which after a number of sessions seems to be making things worse. Erin feels she is going mad, and her best friend seems to be siding with Will, leaving her with no one to talk to.
Erin is then hit in a hit and run accident, she is critical, was it an accident, or did someone want to hurt Erin? The police are keen to speak to the therapist that Erin and Will were seeing, she though, Maggie Day, has disappeared !
A clever plot, where the story is woven together and the characters come to life.
All psychological thriller fans should add this one to their to read list.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced psychological thriller. All through the book there were surprises and leads to follow in many different directions.
The book caused me to consider the role of a therapist and if a personal need was so strong to take over rational thinking.
All through I was engrossed in the story and even at the end there was an unexpected surprise.

In this intricately woven tale, the author skillfully navigates the delicate balance between past and present, leaving readers captivated and constantly questioning. The characters, shrouded in mystery, evoke both love and disdain, making it impossible to reveal personal alliances.

The clever narrative structure seamlessly interlaces timelines, providing a unique perspective that adds depth to the storytelling. While some may find the conclusion lacking in explanations, the journey itself is a testament to the author's ability to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Being pleasantly deceived becomes a gratifying experience, as the unexpected unfolds, challenging preconceptions and inviting a range of emotions. The intricate web of relationships portrayed prompts profound contemplation, leaving readers with much to ponder long after the final page.

The Last Resort Heidi Perks

5 stars
How the past can influence the present

Will and Erin are a happily married couple with a 3 year old daughter, Sadie. Everything seems fine in their lives until Erin’s beloved dog, Coco, goes missing whilst in her husband’s care. Blaming Will for the loss of her dog, when he buys her a necklace for Valentine’s Day and tries to put it around her neck she has to push him away frightened that he might hurt her.

Things go from bad to worse for Erin and in an effort to save their marriage Will and Erin go to couples therapy with a lady called Maggie Day. However Erin just cannot get out of her head that her husband is wanting to harm her and finally he moves out. However Maggie still wants to see Erin alone which is totally against her principles but it is revealed that over 20 years before Maggie’s little sister, Lily had been murdered at the age of 14. The bracelet that she was wearing has never been found but Erin has described seeing the identical bracelet in her husband’s car!

The story jumps around detailing the breakdown of will and Erin’s marriage for the last six months up until she is knocked down in a hit and run accident. We also hear the tragic details about the murder that has haunted Maggie all her life since it happened.

Slowly all the threads are drawn together and we discover the truth but even then I was shocked at the ending.

I really enjoyed this book, it is written in a very readable way and keeps you turning the pages. Heidi Perks is one of my favourite authors and long may she continue writing.



Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

Erin and Will go to see a counsellor after their marriage hit a rocky patch - Erin suddenly didn't trust him. Surprising consequences and the solving of a murder from over 20 years ago. Brilliant book, I couldn't put it down. Deliberately brief on my summary as I didn't want to give anything away.

I loved that this book got straight into the action with a hit and run - that was me hooked!

The story is told across multiple timelines; the present day and from six months ago, working up to the present day.

Erin and Will, as a last resort to save their marriage, started couples therapy and I was intrigued by Erin’s behaviour and fears. A gift from Will on Valentine's day triggered something - but what?

Maggie, their therapist, has very strict rules on client boundaries, but she seems to want - or need - to cast them all aside for Erin and as the story switches between past and present, Erin's and Maggie's stories start to connect together.

The suspense was building from page one and there was just no way of guessing the baddie in this book, so it was super tense throughout and even when the layers started to unravel to reveal the truth, there was that last, huge twist that just came and smacked me in the face when I wasn't expecting it - brilliant!

With all of Heidi's books, I love how the writing flows so beautifully, but I think The Last Resort is possibly my favourite of hers so far.

As a side note, Heidi’s portrayal of Pauline, Leila's bossy mother in law, had me giggling - please don’t let me be that person when I’m older!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Heidi Perks and Random House, Cornerstone for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Erin was afraid her husband was dangerous, having ‘killed’ their dog and then Gaslighting her. Now she is in a coma in ITU the victim of a hit-and-run. Up until Valentine’s Day, six months ago, her life had been idyllic, married to the love of her life, Will, with a three-year-old daughter, Sadie, and a dog called Coco. But that morning, when Will leans over to put a necklace round her neck, she suddenly panics, for no reason. By Easter she has become increasingly worried. Then the dog, which she loves but Will wasn’t that keen on, disappears on his watch. Will assures her that things that she’s seen aren’t real, didn’t happen. The tension in the family spirals, not helped by her BFF apparently siding with Will, and her mother-in-law constantly interfering “ for Sadie’s good”. In desperation they decide to try Family Therapy, but the counsellor Maggie has issues of her own, linked to her sister’s murder twenty-three years ago. Is the counselling improving their relationship or making things worse? When Will decides to move in with his mother for a short period, things come to a head. Is Erin mentally ill, or is Will cynically plotting to get rid of her while getting custody of Sadie?
This psychological thriller is a fine example of the genre and the writing is very good. It is told from the alternating viewpoints of Erin and Maggie, and time travels between the present, Erin in the ITU, and the events of the last six months which count down from St Valentine’s Day to the present. Once the latter has caught up with the former we enter the police investigation into the hit-and-run. There are a few twists, as the various threads are pulled together. It is not too difficult to work out the ending, but it is neat and believable in the context of the slightly unbelievable plot. It’s a bit over a 4 but not enough to make it a 5.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.