3⭐
Genre ~ psychological drama
Setting ~ England
Publication date ~ September 16, 2023
Publisher ~ Boldwood Books
Est Page Count ~ 262 (47 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 8 minutes
Narrator ~ Guy Mott
POV ~ dual 1st, present & past tense
Featuring ~ small town feel, murder, childhood flashbacks of abuse, references to killing a cat

Previously titled The Cleansing, so not sure if any content has changed.

Alternating chapters between Ray, the newcomer to town, and a mysterious 'Me' character built up the suspense in a slow moving way. I liked how the tight knit villagers are wary of strangers.

Overall, I liked it, but can't say I was overly surprised with the main twist. There was one at the very end I hadn't seen coming, though. I wouldn't necessarily put this one in the thriller category, more just psychological drama.

I was able to listen to a copy as well.
Narration notes:
I thought he did a nice job varying his voice between the two characters.

Wanna hear something creepy?
I was listening while out for my early morning walk and just as I walk past one of my neighbors house the book says the same last name as my neighbor! It’s not a really common name either. And then I find out that Ray is on an early morning walk too! On Halloween no less🎃 👻

I really enjoyed this story as I do most of this author's books! This story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
As always, another great book by JA Baker. I really enjoy this author and all of their books.
This was another amazing thriller that I just could not put down.
Well done again!

A rollercoaster of emotions and suspense, this domestic thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. Absolutely riveting

Even though this book was well written, I found it to be repetitive . I enjoyed it. I couldnt really say I loved it though. What I enjoyed the most was the twist.

The Stranger unfolds as the story of Ray, a newcomer seeking a fresh start in a small village. However, upon his arrival, he becomes entangled in a web of suspicious activities that have plagued the village, including a missing person and a poisoned animal. As Ray settles into his new home, the mysterious incidents persist, and he finds himself drawn into the unfolding drama.

The narrative turns tense as threatening notes, vandalism, and overall sketchy behaviour permeate the atmosphere, casting doubt on trust and blurring the lines between reality and deception. In this environment of uncertainty, Ray grapples with questions about whom to trust and what to believe, as he becomes increasingly embroiled in the village's ominous secrets.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I found this so interesting. I love the way the timelines interlinked. And I definitely didn't guess some of those big twists

Complex small town mystery with a shady cast of characters, one dubious lead, and of course the unnamed psychopath that tells their story all along. You know they tie, in, but who is it? Might be obvious, might not. Overall an engrossing mystery with an interesting ending, or two.

The Stranger by J A Baker was an other excellent book that will have you gripped from the beginning till the end. It had lots of twists and turns throughout that will will make it hard to put your kindle down with a superb ending.

Another excellent book especially for a relaxing holiday.

I highly recommend this book.

well that was a good read! shock and horror throughout and an ending i did not expect. it kept me gripped throughout and wondering who the perpetrator was, and amazed when it was revealed!

This is the first book I’ve read by J A Baker and I was really looking forward to reading it.

It took me a while to get into it, maybe 25% when I realised that nothing significant had happened to that point.

I continued with it because I wanted to see who the murderer was. But as far as the book is concerned, I found it repetitive and overly-descriptive without saying anything. Sometimes it just felt like words on a page for the sake of it.

Regrettably, I really struggled with the book, it just wasn’t for me, despite many more positive reviews.

This isn't my favorite J.A Baker book. I struggled to get into it. Our guy is kind of whiny "my ex is mean to me!"
Anyway, he moves to a small town and a bunch of terrible things are happening. Is he responsible? Is his ex?
I don't blame the neighbors for not loving the guy. He sucks.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for the ARC #TheStranger by #JABaker. This book was different, in a good way. I liked the evil, the deceit and the revenge it put out.

Thanks to J.A. Baker, NetGalley, and Boldwood books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own!

The Stranger is a story about Ray, who moves to a small village for a fresh start. Before his arrival, the village had seen some suspicious activity, including a missing persons and a poisoned animal. The suspicious activity continues as Ray settles into his new home and he's drug right in. Threatening notes, vandalism, sketchy behavior - who can you trust, and what can you believe?

Overall, The Stranger was a good book, but not my favorite. I struggled with the perspectives and it took a few chapters to latch onto who was who as one perspective wasn't labelled and one was labelled "me". Some things seemed drug out and some seemed rather abrupt which was also hard to connect with at times. While I enjoyed the premise and the storyline, and didn't want to stop reading, I also didn't really ever find myself HOOKED.

That being said, the twist was good and was definitely not one I entirely had figured out. The writing was well done and the author did a fantastic job of giving you a look inside the character's heads. I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks to the perpetrator's childhood which is what helped the story to make sense. Overall, if you're looking for an easy read with memorable characters, this book fits the bill!

JA Baker threw alot of Mystery....with a capital M.....into this mystery/thriller. With alternating chapters by "me", readers are left trying to figure out who the elusive POV could be. As the MC, Ray, works to feel at home in his new community, this reader kept turning pages back and forth trying to guess identities, but of course, it all became clear in the end. I've now read a few of Baker's books, all stand alones, and have come to appreciate her ability to keep me guessing with some very original plot lines and the communities that support them.

This was a good, character-driven novel with no surprises or twists. I enjoyed reading from the POV of the perpetrator and learning about their childhood. The author does a great job of getting inside the character's head.
The scenes at Whitchurch were somewhat tiresome and at times I found it hard to keep track of all the characters.
Also, towards the end I was somewhat puzzled by the motivation of the MC. The scene with Steve seemed abrupt and not well thought out. Also, the ultimate fate of the MC didn't quite make sense. The question in my mind was: why?
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced review copy.

I found this one not as good as the others I've read, a little predictable and slow. But, a quick read and the ending was a surprise. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood books for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

For the most part of the book, before the BIG reveal, I didn't understand where it was going. It was interesting to read through Ray's mind and all he went through as a child. But once the BIG reveal came, it was a shock to me. I really didn't see that coming. I even felt sad for him. I really like the writing style of this author and will continue reading more of hers.

3.5 stars - Quick read, mostly predictable but still intriguing! I enjoyed reading from the POV of the MC while he relived his childhood and how it pieced together with his current life. The storyline was good, but at times slow. I wished I heard more about the other characters that affected him. It seemed Ray and Lily really had a connection (which all made sense in the end), so I was hoping Ray “took care of” her dad for treating her horribly. I also was hoping he didn’t take the easy way out to avoid a run in with the cops but the ending still flowed well. Overall, it was a good book!

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

Thanks to boldwood books for this arc. When ray removes himself from a toxic relationship, he starts again in whitchurch, as he becomes known around town, incidents start to occur????. An elderley man is violently beaten and a lady has her house destroyed by fire.. who is doing this and why ?
The villagers have their own ideas on who is the culprit
Ray is also hiding a secret, who will work out what is happening in this seemingly quiet town of whitchurch what is rays secret???????. This is a great read, i like the way the author goes from past to present, and i found it hard to work out who the killer is . Highly reco.mend