photographer and has been raising her niece Lily, who tragically lost her mother and twin brothers at the hands of her own father. Lily barely remembers the brutal attack, as she also was attacked and was in a coma for a time. Lara’s photography career has started not doing so well. Not only is Lara struggling of late, she sees someone in the background of one of her photos - her former brother-in-law, Jason. He disappeared after the attacks and it is now over a decade later and he was presumed dead.

To say that Lara is shocked would be an understatement. This sets the groundwork for A. J. McDine’s next thrilling story. The tension is palpable, especially as disturbing events begin to take place. Meanwhile, Lily, now a teenager, is determined to not only become a social media influencer, but is determined to publicly discuss the case that nearly took her life when she lost the other members of her family. Although only five at the time, as well as being severely injured, Lily is now beginning to experiencing some memories.

I think when readers dive into this story, they just might want to be team Lara, who is determined to protect Lily. However, with Jason back in the picture, more than a bit of drama comes into play, especially with the twists and turns in this novel. Not surprisingly, Lara has a lot of questions, and, as a reader, these questions were more than intriguing. With a shocking ending that left me breathless, I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

🎧Audiobook review 🎧

The stunning cover of "The Photo" by AJ McDine immediately drew me in, promising “A totally addictive and heart-pounding psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist.”

Having said that, I was very excited to dive into this book. From the outset, it delivered a great hook that had me thinking it might be a 5-star read. The beginning sets a strong tone, immersing the reader in an intriguing narrative.

As the story developed, I became aware that the middle section was dragging somewhat for me. The photography content was intriguing, but it sometimes didn't have the thrilling atmosphere I was expecting. And although I did guess at one of the twists the other didn’t even occur to me so, I found the conclusion quite satisfying, wrapping up the story nicely and leaving me with a positive overall impression.

While the book's plot and premise are sound, I struggled to form an emotional connection with any of the characters. I'm an emotional reader, and this story didn't stir much in the way of feelings about the characters or their fates. It's also possible that this part of the reason why the story seemed to be dragging towards the middle and why I decided not to round up to 4 stars.

The English narrator performed well in bringing the story to life, which added to the overall experience. Staying immersed in the story was easy thanks to the clear and engaging narration.

Overall, 'The Photo' is a quick easy read that kept me interested enough to see how it would end. Even though it didn't hit all the emotional buttons I had hoped for, I still found it worth reading because of its intriguing plot and satisfying conclusion.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture Audio and A J McDine for the advanced listen copy in exchange for this honest review. It was my pleasure.

It’s a yes for me.🖤

@deannsdailydrop

Thank you to @BookoutureAudio and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy of the audiobook of A J McDine's new book The Photo. The book tells the story of a woman whose sister and 2 children were murdered ten years ago, and the sole suspect was the husband, who disappeared. Lara is a wedding photographer and in one of her photos, she notices someone in the background -- her presumed dead brother-in-law. Lara's one remaining niece, Lilly, who was gravely injured ten years earlier, is a 15 year old girl who has decided to use social media to tell her story. Between Lara's photo and Lily's remembering bits and pieces of that night, the case is reopened. Where it will go, I will leave to you to determine on your own, as this is one heck of a roller coaster of a thriller.

I was taken in by the narration from the beginning and the story never felt like it was moving too slowly - or too quickly. The author used rotating chapters to tell the story from the perspective of each character, and that worked well. The book came to satisfying end, without being rushed, like some books are. McDine seems to have the thriler/suspense novel down just perfectly. Highly recommend. As I neared the end, I realized the book was out in print and grabbed a Kindle Unlimited version and read some of it in print. Both audio and e-book are great. Highly recommend.

Amazon review submitted.

Loved It! Lily was just 5 years old when her mother and twin brothers were murdered, presumably by her father Jason who disappeared that night. Ten years later, Lily has started a podcast about the murders, stating that some of her memories of that time are returning. Coincidentally, Lara, who is Lily’s Aunt and a wedding photographer who also likes to photograph landscapes, finds Jason in the background of one of her photos. Has Jason come back to silence the only witness of that awful night?
I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator, Tamsin Kennard. The story is fast paced and suspenseful with an ending I didn’t see coming! I thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook.

An ending with a twist I didn’t see coming is one of the qualifications for a good psychological thriller-and this one delivered. Lara, a photographer, thinks she sees the man who murdered her sister and nephews a decade ago and was presumed also dead, in one of her recent photos. Secrets and truths begin to reveal about that night and protecting the sole survivor of the crime, her niece, becomes more difficult. The narrator, Tamsin Kennard, was great to listen to but I was thankful for the chapter headings with the character name (as the story was written mainly from the Lara’s first-person POV, but there are occasional chapters told in third person from supporting characters. This threw me off a bit…). I learned after listening that the author has a background in crime press reporting, I felt that those details were really well done within the story. The beginning was gripping, the middle lagged a bit but the ending packed a punch. I agree with the publisher that fans of Freida McFadden and Lisa Jewell will be enjoy this book.

This fast-paced thriller will draw you in from the start. A menacing face from the past captured in a wedding photographer's collection starts a series of events that kept me guessing until the end. The plot and cast of characters were well thought out with just the right amount of twists and turns.
The audio version featured Tamsin Kennard...one of my favorites. She captures different types of characters and accents with ease, while not under or over-dramatizing the flow of the story.
This is my second McDine book and won't be my last!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

Lara a former photo journalist and now a wedding photographer is surprised to see a face she recognizes in one of her test pictures - she thought her brother in-law was dead - he committed suicide after killing her sister and nephews!
Her blood runs cold when she realizes that he staged his death, but for what? Without wasting a lot of time she rushes to the authorities - she wants to protect her sole surviving niece and her mom from this murderer!
When strange things start to happen, her car having 4 flat tires and someone trying to sabotage her career she will go to any length to make this person stop, why is her brother in-law acting so strange?
Her niece Lily opens the pandora's box by going on social media and publishing shocking details - now they are all being stalked by someone and leads to more harm!

Lara has no choice but to team up with her former rival colleague and work to bring some sense to all that has been happening!
This was a super fast paced thriller, and I had to finish it in one sitting!

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and A K McDine for the audio ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Looking through photos Lara took earlier she see her brother in law who disappeared 10 years earlier suspected of murdering his wife and son, only Lilli survived. Lots of twists in this thriller, will the truth come out. An enjoyable listen especially Tamsin Kennards narration. Thanks to Bookoutre audio and Netgalley for this audiobook copy

Made For You by Jenna Satterthwaite is so good!! If you like books about sci-if, thriller, murder mystery, romance, and reality TV then you will love this book!! This is the first book I’ve read about a “synth” main character.

Josh LaSala is on a reality tv show similar to the Bachelor called “The Proposal.” Julia Walden a “synth” or synthetic was made by Andy specifically for Josh. She was created to be chosen as his wife. Nothing and no one is what it seems. This murder mystery was full of twists and turns. Julia was written so well and for most of the book I forgot she wasn’t a real woman. Everyone single character has something they are trying to hide. The book goes back and forth from what happened on the TV show to present day. This book deals with some real life issues I.e., trust issues, discrimination especially bc she is a synth, and domestic violence. Even though Julia is a synth she starts to feel real human feelings that she doesn’t know how to deal with because she wasn’t programmed to. She was constantly reminded that she’s not a real human even by someone who has promised to love and protect. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. A great read for sure!!

Smile for the camera!📸

Lara is a wedding photographer. A much less stressful career than her previous as a photojournalist.

But she may need to draw from her past experiences after discovering the image of a man in one of her photos. Not just any man, mind you. It’s her brother-in-law who’s been on the run from the law, wanted for murder!

Ten years ago Lara’s sister Isabelle and two of her children were brutally murdered in their home. The daughter Lily was left for dead. Isabelle’s husband Jason suddenly vanishes. Well, I’d feel safe in assuming (along with Lara) that all signs point to Jason as our killer. 💁🏻‍♀️

So why did Jason resurface now? Did he come back to finish the job?

This was an entertaining thriller that kept me captivated throughout. It’s my first read/audio from this author but I’ve already researched some of her older works and will be adding them to my shelf!

🎧 The narrator Tamsin Kennard did an excellent job with all the characters, but I do feel an additional narrator would have elevated the performance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio 🎧

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC! A J McDine is a new author for me and one I plan to read again! This is a great thriller with lots of twist and turns. I did suspect the ending but not until later on in the book. The (British) narration was good too. I would recommend this audio book to anyone who likes to listen to thrillers!

The story line was engaging with great details, characters and dialogue. The audiobook was extremely enjoyable to listen to. I appreciated that the audiobook has someone read it with British accent which enhanced me feeling like I was right there watching it all happen more so than reading it in my mind with my terrible British accent. AJ McDine is a new author for me and one that I will know continue to read and recommend.

A.J. McDine's seventh psychological thriller, THE PHOTO, is a twisty, sensational, mind-blowing page-turning whodunit—a mesmerizing tale of marriage, secrets, obsession, and murder.

A wedding photographer shockingly sees in the background of a photo her missing (presumed dead) brother-in-law, who was the prime suspect in her sister's and nephew's murder ten years earlier— in this twisty suspense domestic thriller, which will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned with a jaw-dropping twist you do not see coming!

She thought he was dead.
Until she saw him staring back at her…
Photos do not lie.

About...

Ten years have passed since Jason Carello fled. Ten years since the bloodied bodies of Lara Beckett's sister, Isabelle, and her twin nephews, Jack and Milo, were discovered murdered in their beachside home near seaside Tidehaven.

Within hours of their murders, police named Jason (Carello Killer) as their prime suspect, but despite one of the largest manhunts in the force's history, he was never caught. He simply disappeared after stabbing her sister and two little boys to death.

Ten years ago, Lara was a press press photographer at the time of the crime. She was with the police at her sister's million-dollar home house, and a terrible scene waited inside. Nothing could prepare her for the three bodies removed from the house. She knew she could never cover brutal stories like this again after this tragedy.

Jason, the husband, father, and classic car dealer, was presumed dead after a widespread manhunt. The case has puzzled both police and amateur detectives for years.

Lara never wanted to be a wedding photographer as a vocation, but at the time, it paid the bills. While photographing a wedding, she initially thinks it is a random man on a balcony who's slipped into her photo uninvited, but she realizes there is something familiar about this man—the man she thought was dead.

A man everyone thought was a loving husband and father who butchered his own family. The news stories all say he killed himself after slaughtering his family after a framed photo of the family was found near the cliffs. Despite a search of the shoreline, his remains were never found.

No one could make sense of this brutal crime. Lily gave them a reason to live.

Lara's niece, Lily (15), was the only one who survived. She was five and was in critical condition at the time. She was the only witness to the murders and has no memory of the night.

The police were wrong. Lara has proof. Jason is alive, and he is in Tidehaven, and she has the evidence to prove it. Why is he showing up now on the 10th anniversary of their deaths?

Lily has also been recording videos of herself and posting them on TikTok. Does she remember things she had suppressed? Is she drawing out the killer, her dad? The sole survivor of the Carello Killings talks for the first time. To all the crime victims out there, she says she is a victim searching for the truth.

Lara worries that she unwittingly led Jason to her mum and Lily's front door. She contacts DCI Frampton, which took over after Phil Glover retired. But did Jason see her? Is he coming for them next?

Is she in danger? As well as Lily and Lara's mum? And then the message, "Quit while you still have a choice."

My thoughts...

Twisty, addictive, and bingeable!

WOW, that ending!?! THE PHOTO had me on the edge the entire book! The author cleverly keeps you in suspense and you will not see the gasp-worthy jaw-dropping twist coming! This suspense-thriller will fully engage readers and leave them guessing until the end.

Often, happy couples in tightly knit neighborhoods can sometimes turn unexpectedly terrifyingly deadly! The twists, turns, and unpredictable ending make THE PHOTO irresistible!

A plot-driven, dark, suspenseful thriller with delicious twists and compelling characters. It's smart and chilling, and nothing is as it seems. I liked Lily's POV and her true crime videos/podcast, which added to the intrigue. Just when you think it is over, the secret last POV blindsides you. Spine-chilling!

This was my first book by the author, and I was highly impressed. I love her writing style, and I cannot wait to read her backlist. I look forward to her next book! I also enjoyed her author's note and the inspiration behind the book.

Audiobook...

I devoured the audiobook narrated by the talented Tamsin Kennard, and her performance was outstanding! I loved her British accent and was fully engaged, hanging on her every word. It was totally spellbinding. After listening, I purchased The Baby audiobook (I missed it when it came out) and cannot wait to listen— again, by the same talented narrator.

Recs...

I highly recommend THE PHOTO to thriller fans and those who enjoy authors: Miranda Rijks, Emily Shiner, K.L. Slater, Wendy Walker, Michele Campbell, and Freida McFadden.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy and advanced listening copy for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 11, 2024
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Round of applause............for The Photo by A J McDine and narrated by Tamsin Kennard this was a excellent and totally addictive psychological thriller with a jaw dropping twist that will just have you shocked!!!

I thought he was dead. Until I saw him staring back at me in a photo I took!!…..........
I know it was him. Jason, my Brother in law!

It may be ten years that have passed, He has aged and put on weight But I know it's him!

He is the main suspect and only suspect for the murder of my beloved sister and her two year old twin boys. and leaving behind her sweet five-year-old daughter, Lily.

WoW..........this book/audiobook is so good. I was gripped from the beginning will the very end and WoW what brilliant ending this was! Jaw dropping!!!

The narrator Tamsin Kennard was excellent and one of the best narrator's out there. She bought this book alive from start to finish.

I highly recommend this book.

Big Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and A J McDine for the audio Arc of The Photo.

Photographing weddings isn’t the first choice for Lara. But she can’t bring herself to photograph what could possibly the worst day in someone else’s life. Anymore. Not since the tragedy that took her sister and nephews from her.

She does still find some joy in photographing landscapes. Upon reviewing and culling her images from an early morning shoot, she sees the face of her brother in law in a balcony. The one who had supposedly died after killing his family. All but Lily, his 5 year old daughter.

Lily is now ready to give her own account of what happened. Live. On tik tok. Putting herself out there may have just made her a target. Can they protect Lily? Has her father returned to finish the job? Is there more at play?

So good.

As a photographer, I was impressed with the authors knowledge of the field. I have to wonder if she photographs or just is a really good researcher.

Thank you to AJ McDine, NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

I liked this book! I thought it was quick, interesting, and kept me invested in the story. I will be reading more of from this author

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Tamsin Kennard does a great job narrating this story! I recommend the audio version!

Laura's sister and twin boys were murdered by her sister's husband almost 10 years ago. The sole survivor is her niece, Lilly, and of course Jason, the brother-in-law on the run. Laura, a wedding photographer, sees Jason in one of her wedding photos and reconnects with the detective on the case. Lilly is starting to have more flashbacks and remember that night it all happened. As lily posts videos and livestreams on social media about that night, Laura's business and car are being tampered with.
Is Jason back and why? Is Jason the killer or who did the horrible crime?

This is a well written story with likeable characters and good development. There are a couple of twists and the tension build up to the ending was strong. Fast paced, murder mystery with a big twist that changed everything! Highly recommend!!!

Wow! I did not see that coming!

The story revolves around Lara. She WAS a photojournalist. Always out trying to get the story, via pictures, to find her place to the top of the list, and make a name for herself.
When tragedy struck, and her sister and her family were murdered in their beds, Lara’s mindset changed…as she realized how much it hurt her to see and hear about it all …over and over again.
The worst part though, her beloved brother in law, Jason, was the prime suspect… and she never saw it coming.

Since the murders, no one has seen or heard from him…and it is suspected that he killed himself after killing his family…

So, after all the dust settled, she left the photojournalism realm, and she began her career as a wedding photographer. Much less intense. Usually, much happier circumstances too!
One day, while out shooting pictures, she takes some random shots. When she scrolls through to edit the pictures she makes a startling discovery. Jason is in the pictures! How can that be? He’s dead!

And so the story begins…

As Lara tries to navigate what is actually going on, all the old memories rise up to the surface…and she’s reliving those awful times. She reaches out to the head detective to let him know about the picture … and the investigation ramps up once again…

In the interim, things start happening to Lara. Strange notes. Threats. Flat tires.

And did I mention that one of her sister’s kids actually DID live through that horrific night? Lily is a teenager now. She’s glued to her phone and has an attitude. (For any of you who have teenagers, you understand…)
It’s been almost ten years, but Lily still has no memory of that night…which is probably a good thing. Until she decides she wants to explore what happened to her…via a true crime podcast!

This one will keep you turning pages, and holding your breath! And just when you think you are done! Well, you are wrong! So. Very. Wrong…

Many times throughout this one I thought I had it all figured out. I DID NOT. Not by a long shot!

#ThePhoto by #AJMcDine and narrated beautifully by #TamsinKennard.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

**** The book releases tomorrow, 7/11/24. ****

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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends!! 📚⭐️

This is my second book by author AJ McDine, and I am becoming a big fan. Her characters are intriguing, her story lines are twisty, and her writing style is easy to follow. This was a quick read.
I suspected just about every character in the book at least once, even Lara. I guessed the culprit near the end before the big reveal, but the way it was written was very satisfying.
I could have done without some of Lara's repetitiveness regarding her sister's murder. We didn't need to be reminded of the specifics every chapter. And some of the wedding photography speak lost me, but I've never been big into taking pictures (unless they're of my daughter or cats!).
Also, I wish Lily had been more fleshed out. We get several chapters in her POV, but I don't feel like we know her.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Tamsin Kennard did a fantastic job narrating this book and bringing the characters to life.

3 Stars
This was a very entertaining and fast paced mystery thriller (I thought I knew what was happening but I was shocked at every twist lol). The audiobook narrator did an amazing job with telling this story in a captivating way and drew me in from the start. I do wish we got a bit more after that shock of an ending but overall a great twisty thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC!