I found the twist too obvious and it took the thrill and mystery out of the book. None of the characters were sympathetic and the villain, so to speak, felt one dimensional.

K.L. Slater’s Message Deleted is a fast-paced psychological thriller packed with twists and turns.

The characters are engaging and well-written, making it easy to get pulled into the story. The story was very well put together and I enjoyed each twist and turn, as well as the short chapters.

I found it a quick, easy read that kept me engaged from start to finish. The surprises were well-executed, and the plot kept me guessing until the very end. A gripping and enjoyable read—perfect for fans of thrillers!

Will definitely look at something else from this author.

This brilliant psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat from the first page until the last. Dealing with long held secrets and revenge it had me guessing almost to the end. Makes you question who you can actually trust and your relationships. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

"Message Deleted" had all the ingredients for a compelling thriller, but it ultimately left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. The premise was intriguing—a mystery that unravels secrets and lies—but the execution felt somewhat lacking.

One of the standout aspects of the book was K.L. Slater's writing style, which is engaging and fast-paced. I found myself hooked initially, eager to discover the twists and turns that awaited me. However, as the story progressed, I found certain characters, particularly Saffy, to be infuriating. Her decisions often felt frustratingly naive, leading to situations that seemed unnecessary and drawn out. While I understand that flawed characters can add depth to a narrative, Saffy pushed my patience to its limits at times.

The plot itself had some clever moments and kept me guessing, but some resolutions felt a bit predictable. I appreciated the themes of trust and betrayal woven throughout, but I couldn't shake the feeling that the potential for a truly gripping story was slightly missed, primarily due to my exasperation with Saffy's antics.

Overall, "Message Deleted" is worth a read if you're looking for a light thriller, but be prepared for a character that might drive you a bit crazy. While it may not have fully met my expectations, it certainly kept me entertained for a few hours.

Interesting book, well written, when saffy receives messages asking to come to leona but then they're deleted. She still goes to check on her friend never dreaming what would happen next. I found the police officers a bit unbelievable i don't think they would have treated saffy the way they did. Poppy's character was great, really believable, such a troubled character but so much love for her sister
Definitely will look out for more by this author

Told from the point of view of 3 different characters this book is a great read. Twists and turns along the way, some which I didn’t see coming which is unusual and for me makes it a really great read. Highly recommended and I’d look out for other books from this author.

When Saffy receives a text from her best friend, Leona saying "Can't speak . .don't text or call, please just come" the fact that Saffy is literally about to be interviewed for a new job doesn't stop her from rushing to Leona's house. When she arrives at her friends house, the message has been deleted and Leona says that she didn't send it.
Later that evening, the police are at Saffy's home. Leona and her daughter, Rosie are missing, there was bloody found at the house and a neighbour has told the police that she saw Saffy leaving the house. This makes the police want to speak to Saffy as a matter of urgency.

I was dragged in to this book from the off and it kept me hooked almost until the end. I couldn't decide what was going on , who was guilty and who was telling the truth. The sign of a really good book for me. I can't stand it when I know "whodunit" from the start.

However, the end of the book wasn't quite as good. It felt really rushed to me and although everything was wrapped up neatly, I just expected ....,better.

Took me a few times to get into it but once I did I flew through it. Twists and turns at every single point with a final chapter that gave complete closure and made sense of everything.

Absolutely loved will recommend

4/5 Stars: Suspenseful and Twisty Thriller

K.L. Slater’s Message Deleted is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers guessing until the very end. With its premise rooted in the danger of secrets and the ripple effects of a single message gone wrong, the story is both timely and engaging. Slater’s writing is taut and immersive, building tension with every chapter and drawing the reader deeper into the web of lies and deception.

The protagonist is compelling and well-developed, navigating a series of moral dilemmas that feel both relatable and unnervingly suspenseful. Slater excels at creating flawed but realistic characters, and the supporting cast adds depth to the story. Each character’s motivations and backstories are carefully layered, making it difficult to discern who can truly be trusted.

The pacing is brisk, with short chapters and plenty of twists that keep the narrative moving. While the final reveal is satisfying, some aspects of the resolution feel slightly rushed, leaving a few minor questions unanswered. However, the tension and emotional stakes more than compensate for these small shortcomings.

For fans of psychological thrillers, Message Deleted delivers a chilling and thought-provoking read. It may not reinvent the genre, but its well-crafted suspense and engaging characters make it a standout page-turner.

This is the first book of K.L Slater and it certainly will not be the last. I enjoyed this book and found it very easy reading. A good quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers, Penguin Books, for this ARC.

Truly excellent. Loved the concept, the characters & the narrative. Gripped throughout and went back to read it again. Superbly thought out & very well written. Kept me guessing throughout.

Whilst Saffy is waiting to be seen for her job interview she receives a series of text messages from her childhood best friend, Leona.

"Can't speak"
"Don't text or call"
"Pls just come"

As quickly as she reads the messages, they are deleted.

She must see her, make sure she's safe but when she arrives at Leona's house, she asserts that everything and everyone is fine. However, Saffy can tell that something is not quite right and this feeling is reinforced when the police knock on her door to let her know Leona, her daughter and husband are all missing. A police investigation ensues with Saffy being their prime suspect. Saffy insists that she was not involved in their disappearance.

Are the police right in their suspicions or do they have it all wrong?

I was intrigued by the description of this book, I love a mystery thriller which was what initially piqued my interest. The mystery and tension in the buildup of this book made me not want to put it down however, I felt less compelled to read the further along I got in the book. The pace was slow in some places and it was difficult reading through the police investigation as it felt unrealistic. The ending was somewhat predictable and not as gripping or tense as the first few 100 pages of the book.

Overall, I do not regret reading this book and I think it was well written. However, the plot had amazing potential to be an interesting and gripping thriller but the execution of it and its ending affected the quality of this book.

Well paced psychological thriller with clever twists I didn't expect. I really enjoyed this book. Characters were diverse and thought provoking.

Message deleted is a really tense psychological thriller. I was hooked from the outset and increasingly frustrated as Saffy acted on impulse making decisions, I found hard to understand. This book is full of twists and turns, some I saw coming but only made it more edge of your seat tense and others that completely blind sighted me. The characters are really well written, I liked Poppy and Saffy's relationship and thought they had been through so much tragedy in their lives. This is the first novel I have read by K.L Slater but I’ll be seeking out more as I really enjoyed her writing style and fast paced action.

A gripping page turner from start to finish, I really enjoyed reading this book! All loose ends tied up satisfactorily.

I couldn't get enough of this edge of your seat thriller.
Kept me guessing right until the end.
I loved the multiple POVs and was routing for the main character throughout!

Superbly designed plot, told from the point of view of the main characters in lovely bite size chapters which constantly tempted me into ‘just one more’. Lots of intriguing twists building tension as the story unfolded.

Message Deleted is a mystery thriller, sure to keep you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.
I absolutely loved this book. At no point did I know what was going to happen next, and I loved the unpredictability of the plot. I found all the characters to be relatively likeable, and was able to connect with the feelings of the characters.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Saffy's waiting to go into a job interview when she receives unsettling text messages from her best friend Leona - can't speak, don't text or call please come
Unsettling enough but then all the messages are deleted - what is going on?

Saffy goes to Leona's house but everything seems fine - Leona says she knows nothing about any messages. Something isn't quite right but Saffy can't put her finger on what.

Next thing she knows Leona's disappeared along with her husband and daughter, there's a lot of blood in their house and Saffy is prime suspect in the eyes of the police. But she knows nothing - or does she?

This is a really interesting premise and the use of time-hops helps to fill in the background and history for the characters as the story unravels. I didnt find any of the characters particularly likeable but this was perhaps the point - everyone is flawed in their own way and everyone keeps secrets or omits details at times.

I found the twist and final portion of the story a bit too far-fetched, but overall I think it is an interesting idea and decent story.

Amazing! I have somehow never read anything by KL Slater before but will now be adding more of their work to my TBR shelves.

A great , twisty story with a relatable protagonist. Saffy notices an odd text message from her friend Leona… and suddenly Saffy is prime suspect in the disappearance of not only her friend but also her friend’s entire family. A totally gripping psychological thriller and 100% worth a read.

I loved this. Read in one sitting!