Content warnings: Murder of young child was a major focus of this book. Also date rape , stalking and pornography

This was a wonderful follow up to Local Gone Missing. I am glad I read that one before I started this one as it definitely made me feel more invested with the characters.

The different POV kept my interest and made for a quick read. One of the “twists” I did see coming but the final one shocked me. I will definitely recommend this book to others. Another great one from this author.

DI Elise King has recently returned to work following treatment for cancer when the call comes in that a body has been found in the woods. Karen Simmons, a local hairdresser in her 40s, had been meeting men through dating apps and was recently interviewed by a local journalist, Kiki Nunn, about the scams and pitfalls.

Kiki thinks that this could be her big break back into proper journalism so she starts investigating the murder herself. Kiki and Elise then unofficially join forces to find the killer. A child was found murdered some years ago in the same place, and they wonder if there’s a connection.

A brilliant story, very well-written and with plenty of gripping twists and turns.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, and Bantam Press for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Transworld Digital for my copy of Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton
A woman’s body is found in the woods at Ebbing. Journalist Kiki Nunn is determined this story will put her name out there and bring her back in to the big time.
DI Elise King is fighting her way back to health after cancer and is determined not to drop the ball on this one.
The story is written in the first person switching between these two characters.
There is so much more to it than just a murder.
The story stretches wider and wider with multiple suspects.
The ending? You’ll have to read it and see.
Well worth the read!

This novel features DI Elise King from Local Gone Missing; she is in recovery from cancer treatment.

When hairdresser Karen Simmons is murdered on Valentines Day, DI Elise King wonders if there’s a connection to the online dating community as Karen uses several sites. Does she meet her murderer that way? DI King’s difficult investigation is repeatedly hampered by reporter Kiki Nunn who has met Karen as part of one of her journalistic reports and the single mum is determined to get ahead of fellow journalists to get her scoop. Is she putting herself in danger?

I thoroughly enjoy this latest novel from Fiona Barton because it’s a ‘meaty’ police procedural which includes several topical issues dealt with via three points of view. It’s especially good, challenging and thought provoking on the victim blaming culture and the online dating scene. The latter element highlights its potential dangers and it becomes quite raw in places. The author does a very good job of demonstrating the impact of serious crimes on families with one perspective really standing out. It’s therefore a multi layered story which is well paced, with short sharp chapters and changing points of view, keeping me invested and also deepening the mystery. There’s some dark humour and wit which is greatly appreciated.

The characters are good, I like Elise as she’s a fighter in more ways than one and I like how DS Caro Brennan has her back now she’s returned to work. Kiki can be admired in many ways, she’s brave and gutsy but equally she can be annoying especially for Elise!

There are some good twists, there’s tension and suspenseful moments. However, it isn’t too hard to figure out the end big reveal but it’s still an addictive read. Fiona Barton will always have a reader in this reviewer!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Transworld for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

wonderful as usual from Fiona ,an old murder case rears its head when a body is found in the woods .I simply couldnt put it down !!

Kiki, a journalist is writing about online dating for the over-40s, and Karen, one of her interviewees, is murdered after a night out. Kiki sees this as the story to further her journalism career. Elise is the police officer investigating the case after returning to work from treatment for breast cancer. The story is written from the perspective of Kiki and Elise, they help each other with information and research, particularly into a chat group of misogynistic local men using aliases. I really enjoyed this, it's well written, fast paced, with lots of twists and an unexpected ending. Recommended.

Deftly written, engrossing and perfectly plotted.

I really love the premise and I really felt like Kiki was very relatable and I also wanted her to have her break in the industry.
Carefully interwoven lives really make this the book that I think will be a blockbuster.

I absolutely loved Fiona Barton’s first three novels but was a little disappointed with Local Gone Missing, her last novel which introduced readers to DI Elise King. In Talking to Strangers DI King is back and this is a much more satisfying read that I loved and could not put down.
DI King is investigating the murder of Karen Simmons whose body is found in the woods in Ebbing and who she believes was killed by someone she met on a dating app. The novel is also told from the point of view of journalist Kiki Nunn who had interviewed Karen regarding online dating and Annie, whose son Archie’s body was discovered in the same woods many years ago.
As with all of the author’s novels I loved the short chapters, the different viewpoints and the fast pace of the novel. Fiona Barton writes effortlessly and really took me inside the lives of the main characters. I enjoyed the small town setting of Ebbing in Sussex and getting to know more about the secondary characters. The storyline is powerful and very current and explores violence against women and the dangers of online dating. The different strands of the novel come together satisfyingly and I can’t wait to be back in Ebbing again.
Overall this is an excellent, well written and well characterised police procedural exploring an important topic. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC. 4.5 stars.

Kiki Nunn is a journalist looking to score her big break, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. However, she may have underestimated the danger involved in that dogged approach.

When the body of a 44 year old woman is discovered, Kiki realises that she is in a privileged position because she interviewed Karen, the dead woman, very recently to get the scoop on mid life romances, and was told all about the highs, lows, and lowlifes Karen had encountered in her search for love.

Could a crucial clue to her murder lie somewhere in those shared stories?

And will the search for answers put Kiki herself in danger?

Barton has delivered a gripping read for her fans. Topical and highly relevant to today's world, Karen's fate and Kiki's pursuit of success are emblematic of life in the 21st century, when romantic mishaps can be deadly...

This one gets 3.5 stars!

Excellent! Thoroughly enjoyed this, loved all the different characters stories. It was compelling throughout and I did not want this to end. It was nice to see Karen's story from different points of view rather than just a murder victim. Lots of twists and turns, absolutely fabulous!!

Lots of characters , most of which could be behind the murder of Karen. I liked that the story was told through three people and each brought a different slant to what was going on in the background. It got a bit muddled towards the end but that didn’t distract from the story or the ending.

Talking to Strangers is a great thriller from Fiona Barton, who I think consistently writes the best books in this genre. This one is another twist-filled pageturner that I couldn’t put down, thanks to its fast pace and addictive writing that I’ve come to expect from this author. I read it in two sittings, and highly recommend all of Fiona’s books to anyone who likes thrillers!

Talking to Strangers is a small town murder mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. Obviously I don’t want to give anything away, but it has links to murders past and present, and sub-plots that are very relevant to modern society. How it all links and comes together is very clever, as always, and I only suspected one or two of the twists just before they revealed themselves.

I love how Fiona Barton writes short, fast chapters from multiple points of view, making the reader suspect everyone and everything. Talking to Strangers is no exception, featuring a cast of characters that immediately pulled me in and made me sympathise with them, and question them too. It’s a really good book to get lost in, and one with a very satisfying, surprising conclusion. I already can’t wait for Fiona’s next book!

I know when I see a Fiona Baton book that it’s hard to put the book down and this book did not disappoint. The characters are brilliant and windows not live a police procedural book.

The way the book weaves its story through the pages is incredible and the amount of detail and stories within stories

Loved it from the opening page to the ending line. Always a shame to finish a Fiona baton book because now I have to wait for another

Detectives in procedurals usually have problems. Reporters in mysteries are usually mavericks. Here we have both, but neither are clichés. DI Elise King is not long back from medical leave for breast cancer and is still suffering from brain-fog due to the residual effects of chemotherapy. Kikki (Erica) Nunn used to be a top broadsheet reporter, but is now ‘reduced’ to working for a tabloidish online news service. Karen Simmons owns a hairdressing salon in the small Sussex town of Ebbing, near Brighton. All are mid-forties and single, but only Karen is active on dating sites. After a drunken Valentine’s Day, Karen has gone off with person unknown. Next morning her body is found, posed, in Knapton Wood, a few miles away. Elise is in charge of the investigation, although she is not really well enough, which means that things might not run as smoothly as might be wished. Kikki, on the other hand, sees the situation as a possible escape route back to the top, because she had recently interviewed Karen about her online dating habit for a piece she is writing. Parallel investigations, therefore, with each side keeping the other in the dark, but Kikki racing ahead because she doesn’t have Elise’s problems. There is a sinister link to Knapton Wood because sixteen years earlier a young boy was murdered there. Annie Curtis, the boy’s mother, has never recovered from that event and has always thought that there was more to it, even though a local paedophile had apparently confessed and then committed suicide. Her obsession, now triggered again, starts her off on an investigation to find the truth, and Kikki and Elise get dragged in. Three women, similar ages, different motives, trying to solve two murders.
This is the second book featuring Elise, but there are no links between them. The story is told from the different, but overlapping, points of view of the three women; all of whom are solidly drawn. It is very well written, dashing back and forth between them, revealing their backstories as well as those of Karen and other characters. A central feature is the world of online dating, not just the well-known apps but the more clandestine sites, where people hide behind aliases and practices are riskier. The plot follows the two investigations as tenuous links slowly appear, and what looks like the solutions become easy to spot. However, although you might think you’ve spotted the ending, there is a double twist that you almost certainly won’t. I could get picky about a couple of minor holes, but actually the story is too enjoyable for that.
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.

This is one hot read exploring the horrors of online dating. It makes for a gripping and captivating read and is mostly a murder investigation. I liked how it's told from the viewpoints of Kiki [a reporter] and Elise [a detective] and how they personally become involved which makes it so real. I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the explosive ending, which is full of surprises, twists and turns. Highly recommended.

Oh I was hooked in straight away when I started this.
Fiona really made Karen real and engaging- reading different points of view and perspectives was really well executed.
I loved this book from the start. I also appreciate that it was pre pandemic. And pre pandemic are always more enjoyable and the ones after are less so. It feels like they show horn it in - in post pandemic books.
But this, this is phenomenal., I loved Elise, I loved Kiki, I loved Caro. Each with their unique personality and quirks. I read this book in this space of 24 hours. Was sad when it ended. Thank you for the opportunity to read this. If I could give you the whole galaxy if I could. 🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟🌟🌟💫💫💫💫💫💫
.I just reviewed Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton. #TalkingtoStrangers #NetGalley

Love anything by Fiona Barton and this didn't disappoint.
Two deaths in the same area over a period of years and plenty of suspects.
I was sucked in straight away. A detective with enough of her own worries', a reporter who turns into a detective as well and a grieving mother.
I tried to make this last as long as i could as i totally loved it!!
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

Hairdresser Karen's body is found in remote woodland.

Journalist Kiki had interviewed her a week before, about the trials and tribulations of getting back into the dating game in your '40s - the scammers, the creeps, the wine, the roses.

Police inspector Elise has to solve the case while battling her own problems.

And Annie has problems from the past, which just won't go away.

Compelling