If you’re on the hunt for a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I would definitely recommend picking up The Photo! This book had me hooked from the first page!

When Lara sees a familiar figure in the background of one of her photos she knows she’s looking at her missing brother-in-law! After her sister and nephews were violently murdered everything pointed to the missing husband as the prime suspect, but evidence led everyone to presume he was dead! Now Lara knows he’s not only still alive, but back! With its gripping story line, and all the twists and turns, this book will keep you guessing right up until the jaw-dropping finale.

This is an addictive read that fans of psychological thrillers will absolutely love. I couldn’t put it down, and neither will you!

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for the advanced audiobook copy!

The Photo is a fast-paced thriller that gives you a drip feed of new information as it goes to its ending which took a few twists along the way. This was a fun thriller and I was happy with the final twist this book took.

For most of the book, each chapter gave you just enough to keep you engaged. Ten years ago Lara took custody of her niece Lily. This happened after Lara’s sister and her twin sons were brutally murdered. Lily was the only survivor since her father Jason was missing and presumed to have killed himself since the scene was set as a murder-suicide.

In the present day, Lara takes a landscape picture and sees Jason in the background. Upon seeing Jason alive she is determined to find out what he’s doing back and if he was the murderer.

Most of this book was very predictable that’s why I mentioned I was happy with the final twist. Before that twist came I was a little disappointed with how everything wrapped up. Then I was hit with that final twist and it made the entire book better.

If you like thrillers The Photo is one to check out.

I was SURE I knew where this was going. And as the story progressed it just solidified my thoughts. And then PLOT TWIST. It was an exhilarating read and kept me on the edge of my seat.

This is the second audiobook I've listened to from this author and I really enjoyed it.
I think they write really well, building up the story enough to keep you gripped and ready for the twists and turns.
I liked this one as it was interesting to see the developing relationships and also the problems between families.
I didn't see the ending coming, good twist and quite freaky!!
Will definitely read / listen to another
Narrator was good - good pace, right tone and kept me interested.

Photographer Lara is at home editing the pictures shes taken, when she comes across something that makes her stop. It can't be?
Her brother in law Jason, the one who brutally murdered her sister and nephews, and left her neice in a coma in hospital?
Approaching 10 years since their deaths, and assumed Jason dead after murder/suicide, why is she staring at him in her photo?

Little did Lara know, her neice Lily, has decided to get on Tik Tok and tell her side of the story, and what she remembers of the night the murders took place.
Lily goes viral, and before they know it, the past is coming back whether they like it or not.

Told in multiple POVs, I really enjoyed this audiobook. It had me hooked very quickly and kept my attention throughout. Narrator Tamsin Kennard does a brilliant job.
The final twist was not expected!!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced, thrilling, the ending had my jaw dropped. The narration was really good. I don’t mind the open endedness of the ending but I do prefer when the person who done it gets what they deserve.

Love this. The narrator is quickly becoming my favorite. I listened to this all the way through. There is a lot going on but it is all interesting things. That ending! This isn't a happy story by any means but I love the characters. As an aunt I was terrified for Lilly. Love the ending.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and yet again it was a thrilling and unputdownable read. I loved the pace of the story and found the characters to be excellent . As often with a book I’m reading I am certain I know how things are going to finish but I was most certainly way off the mark with this book . That ending was one which actually had me lost for words and it really had the wow factor for me . The audio version of this book was superb and I found the narrator

"The Photo" by A J McDine is a gripping psychological thriller that grabs you from the very beginning. Nearly Ten years after her sister's murder, wedding photographer Lara’s world is upended when she sees her sister's killer in a recent photo. Believed dead, his reappearance threatens to tear her and her niece Lily's life to shreds.

McDine weaves a tale of suspense, emotion and family values, delivering multiple twists and turns culminating in a jaw dropping finale chapter!

“The Photo” is a great new read for thriller fans, blending intense psychological drama with shocking twists to keep you guessing until the very end.

Lovely and twisty with an unexpected final chapter. I'm definitely adding this author to my auto read list. Great narrators too, loved it.

Thanks to Bookouture Audio via Netgalley for gifting me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

10 years after her sister and twin nephews are brutally murdered at the hands of her sister’s husband he pops up in a photo she took. But how can that be, he’s supposed to be dead. Is it actually her brother-in-law in the photo? Is he the one to commit the awful crime? You gotta read to find out.

I could not stop listening to this. The narrator, Tamsin Kennard, was fantastic. Her British accent made the characters and the story come to life.

So many good twists and turns. Had no idea who the real killer was until the very end. Totally shook by it. I’ve already recommended this to a friend.

This was my first time listening to a book by A. J. McDine but will definitely be listening to/reading more of hers in the future.

The Photo by A.J. McDine and read by Tamsin Kinnard is an excellent audiobook. The characters are fully-developed and sympathetic; the plot advances at a steady and satisfying pace; and the book has been cleanly edited for clarity and conciseness. I enjoyed these characters and their somewhat unique story, which kept the reader wondering what the next twist was going to be. Through excellent plotting, the reader was kept wondering if the characters were who they were supposed to be throughout. There were no dull spots tempting me to fast forward! Thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook, which I received from them in return for this honest review.

AJ McDine's books never disappoint me! I listened to this audiobook so quickly as I had to know what happened! I loved the twists and the fast pace. Lara is a photographer and when editing her photos sees someone from her past who disappeared after 3 members of her family were brutally murdered. Ten years after their deaths, strange things begin to happen and it's clear that there is more to the case than anyone expected.

10 years ago Lily was the soul survivor of a family slaughter. In true Gen Z style, she’s announces on TikTok her memories are returning - shockingly this begins a series of dangerous events

Coincidentally, her aunt Lara inadvertently snaps a photo of the number one suspect Jason and proceeds to investigate

What starts out as a fast paced story, quickly becomes a super slow, not-a-lot happens domestic thriller

I found the characters two-dimensional and struggled to connect with anyone. Events seemed to occur, but I found the investigation wanting and uneventful

When the reveal came, I was disappointed as it was recalled rather than discovered. However, the final twist was kinda twisty which I appreciated

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

I am always so relieved when an ARC exceeds my expectations, and I can honestly give it a huge 5 stars. A.J. McDine is a new, to me, author and even as I was listening to The Photo, I was searching her catalogue and have another of her books queued up.

The Photo is fast paced, chilling, full of fleshed out characters, and kept me listening through a night and a day. And, as a plus, I LOVE when I cannot guess the ending. McDine pulled me in from the first chilling chapter - and, I won't go into detail on the plot but it's a good one.

On audio, narrator Tamsin Kennard is always fabulous. She manages both sexes, ages, accents all with ease and never gets in the way of the story.

Just loved this one and cannot recommend it enough.

The Photo, by A.J. MC Dine is a gripping thriller, with some crazy twists and turns. I found myself up until five in the morning because I listened to the entire audio book in one sitting, because it is that good. The narrator did a fabulous job bringing all of the characters to life.

What a corker!
i have recently discovered this author and so glad i have! total superstar.

This book had me hooked right from the first word, it was fast paced and the narrator (one of my favourites may i add), kept the book flowing great.
i finished this book in 1 sitting!
Twisty and turny all the way through with an absolutely brilliant twist at the end!

Things aren't what they seem!

highly recommend
5 stars

The Photo by A J McDine
Narrated by Tamsin Kennard

4.5 stars ⭐️

Lara, is a former photo journalist who gave up her career to become a wedding photographer, after she suffered a personal tragedy which made her realize that stories like those she featured, added to the pain that the families of Victims were already suffering.

Ten years ago, her sister Isabelle, and her two twin nephews were killed, in what could only be assumed as a Murder-Suicide by Isabelle’s husband, Jason.

His body was never recovered.

His five year old daughter, Lily was left for dead by the murderer, but when the ambulance arrived, she was found to have a weak pulse. She is being raised by her grandmother and her Aunt Lara.

Lara would love to add “landscape photography” to her portfolio, and one day while going through photos she took on the beach, she spots a man in the background of one picture, which could only be her “brother in law”.

Lily, now fifteen, aspires to be an “influencer” so, without discussing it with her family, she posts a TIC TOC video, talking about the crime she lived through as a child and the new memories that have started to surface.

The timing could NOT be worse.

As disturbing things begin to happen, Lara begins to worry if Jason has returned to finish the job.

She teams up with both the DC from the case, Curtis Frampton and a former rival journalist, Johnny Nelson, in an attempt protect Lily, and locate her missing father.

This was a FAST PACED story which hooks you from the OPENING SCENE, told primarily from the first person POV of Lara, who is a smart, sympathetic protagonist.

AJ McDine’s prose is DELICIOUSLY descriptive, and it brings to life the characters, and their conversations as they go about their lives. I could easily envision what was happening as I listened to this story!

I enjoyed the narrator’s voice for the women, but all of the men sounded alike, so I really had to concentrate on who was with Lara when one of them was speaking with her.

ENTERTAINED from start to finish, and completely SURPRISED by the final twist- this is the kind of book which reminds me of why I love Goodreads so much.

This is the author’s seventh novel but US audiences were not familiar with this UK author until Bookouture brought her work to the US in April with her sixths novel, “The Baby”. It reached Amazon’s top 20 in the UK and the top 100 in the US.

Three positive reviews on the same day from GR friends, put THIS book and author on MY radar, and I decided that I just HAD TO READ IT NEXT!

Since this was an AUDIOBOOK listen, please excuse any Misspelling of character names as I wasn’t able to see the names in print.

McDine was a journalist and police press officer until she started writing Fiction. She lives in Kent in the UK with her husband, fellow thriller writer A J Wills, their two sons and three rescue cats.

Expected publication date: July 11, 2024.
Highly recommended!

Thank You to Bookouture for the gifted Audiobook provided through the NetGalley Shelf. These are my candid opinions.

A brilliant fast paced book with a chilling twist at the end

Can't recommend this book enough. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to this audio book but for also introducing me to an amazingly talented author!

I enjoyed the story and was invested to see how it all planned out! I didn’t guess the twist at the end and it took me by surprise. The main character was abit annoying and I wanted to shake her a lot of the time but nether the less was a well paced story with great narration.