You got me, A.J. McDine. I thought I had this mystery all wrapped up. Was I ever wrong! Lara Beckett's job as a wedding photographer is just the ticket for taking us all on a trip to find a killer. Can that man on the balcony in the background really be her missing brother-in-law Jason? Why is he back in the Tidehaven area? Is he back to finish what he started? For a family traumatized by a mass murder in their past, this new development threatens to undo any healing that might have taken place in the past ten years, especially for 15-year-old Lily Crello who struggles with survivor's guilt.

Our story comes from Lara, Lily, and a surprise end chapters narrator. I thought the pacing was just perfect and found it to be a riveting read. For readers who have enjoyed Daniel Hurst books on audio, you will recognize an old friend, Tamsin Kennard, when listening to this one.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for both an audio and digital copy in return for an honest review.

"The Photo" by A.J. McDine is a riveting psychological thriller that hooks you from the very first page. The plot unfolds with a chilling premise: the protagonist believes she has seen her sister's murderer, a man presumed dead for a decade, in a recent photograph. The tension is palpable as she navigates the fear and uncertainty of protecting her niece, Lily, while confronting this haunting specter from the past.
McDine masterfully weaves suspense and emotion, creating a story that is both heart-wrenching and exhilarating. The characters are well-developed, and the protagonist’s determination to keep her family safe relatable. The twists are genuinely jaw-dropping, keeping you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good thriller with emotional depth and unexpected turns.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This whodunit thriller had me guessing all the way through! I flew through the audiobook. A definite recommended read for someone looking for a fast-paced thriller with a twist ending!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advanced audiobook version of this book!

For years, Laura, former journalist and now professional wedding photographer, has lived with an aching heart. Ten years ago, Laura’s sister. Isabel and her two little boys were murdered in their beautiful seaside home. There was only one soul survivor, Lily, Isabel’s daughter and Laura’s niece. Lily was only five years old at the time of the murders and has had no memory of the horrific events of that night. Laura and her mother have racked their brains trying to piece together the events of that fateful night. In the early years, the police worked tirelessly to track down a possible suspect and all roads appeared to lead back to Jason, Isabel’s husband and Laura’s brother in law. The problem? Jason has never been seen since the night of the murders, leaving many people to believe him to be dead. In editing the photos from the wedding of her most recent “Bridezilla” Laura makes an alarming discovery. In the background of one particular photo, she notices a random man along the seawall. Upon further inspection, she sickeningly discovers that it is her missing brother in law, Jason. How could this be? Is it really him? Her brain races as she struggles to put the pieces together, eventually deciding upon going to the police.

The plot thickens as Laura discovers that her niece, Lily, has started a podcast and has even been sharing her story on TikTok. She also reveals that she has been remembering bits and pieces of that night. As the story unfolds and there is a renewed interest in this cold case, Laura and her family are thrust into the spotlight, bringing lots of new information to light. Life as she knew it changes drastically as she enters a world of confusion, causing her suspicions to grow. Slashed tires, a hit and run accident, strange letters, and missing teddy bears resurfacing are just the tip of the iceberg. This fast-paced thriller hooked me right from the beginning, and the plot twists and turns made this story even more enjoyable.

The narrator, Tamsin Kennard, did a really nice job giving voice to each of the characters, and the story was well-paced. This was evidenced by the little tidbits of information the author seemed to dangle in front of the listener at all the right times, keeping the listener wanting more and avoiding a lag in the storyline. The main character, Laura, was absolutely believable and real. Psychological thrillers are my favorite genre and this book did not disappoint. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I realized that was definitely not the case!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, AJ McDine, and Bookouture Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lara was a journalism photographer, until she found herself at the worst possible place - chasing down photos for what turned out to be the scene of her sister and twin nephews' murder. Everyone was convinced it was her brother in law, and that he'd then killed himself.
Lara moved on and became a wedding photographer until one day, she spotter him in the back of one of her photos...ten years later.
The turn of events sees Lara drawn back into what happened all those years ago.

I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fast-paced, with enough action to keep me hooked throughout.

I loved the premise of the story and thought the characters were well written.

The twist at the end wasn't completely unexpected, but I still enjoyed it and finding out why everything unfolded the way that it did.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

I devoured this book! A thriller that gets good from the begining, is a short fast read and makes me relisten to some parts because I'm shookkkk??! 5 Stars! 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


The narrators did awesome! I was invested. The plot is creative and I thought I had it all figured out just to be surprised at the end! I loved it and recommend it if you're interested in a good thriller! 


Aj Mcdine is also the writer of The Baby which is another 5 star book that I loved so much I had to buy the physical copy. I can't wait to get the physical copy of this one too! You know the ARC is extra good when you need to have the trophy copy on your shelf!

Perfect audio, fast paced and Definately 5 star

I could not stop listening to it as it was so gripping, compelling, paced and had unpredictable twists.

10yrs ago, a woman and her twin 2yr old sons were brutally murdered in their own home. The woman’s daughter was only 5yrs old was injured but survived.

The woman’s sister took a recent photo which changed everything and case reopens as to who murdered the 3 people. Highly recommended

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre Audio

This is an edge of your seat quick read! The author keeps you guessing and scrambling as answers unfold. Still your wrong. You can never guess the end. Even when you know, you don't know! This is very well written to keep all those twists in check. Great thriller

Thank you Bookouture Audio and A.J. McDine for an advanced listening copy of The Photo (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Lara, a former news photographer now wedding photographer, makes a shocking discovery whilst editing one of her photos. Her brother-in-law, Jason, was presumed dead after he committed a horrendous murder suicide claiming the lives of Lara's sister and nephews 10 years ago. But now here he is, standing in the background of her photo, looking straight at her. So begins a series of events that leads Lara into a race to protect her remaining family members, her mother, and her niece Lily (Jason's surviving daughter).

This was a fast-paced story that moved quickly into the guts of the drama. It did have a couple of twists and turns that led me to suspect many of the characters at various points in the book. I particularly enjoyed the dive into social influencers and Tik Tok, which gave the sense of a cautionary tale about safety and privacy. I also liked the inclusion of other modern-day apps such as social phone tracking, which assisted the story progression in several ways.

This audiobook was a compelling listen, and I finished it within 24 hours of starting it. It is narrated by Tamsin Kennard, who was excellent. I have not listened to other books narrated by Tamsin Kennard, but I will seek these out in the future. Similarly, this is the first book I have consumed by Author A.J. McDine and I would be interested to read more of her titles.

4 compelling stars

This one kept me on the edge of my seat! I loved listening to this spell-binding story. I’m always partial to British stories, and I loved the accent of the narrator, Tamsin Kennard.

Lara is a photographer focused on weddings these days. Ten years ago, she was a photojournalist and turned up at a house with police activity. It was her sister’s house, and a terrible scene waited inside. As three bodies were removed from the house, Lara knew she could never cover stories like this anymore and turned to the much more benign wedding scene. Her brother-in-law is the prime suspect, but he’s disappeared and presumed dead.

Lara’s niece, Lily, somehow survived the attack at the house, and now Lara helps look after her. As the 10th anniversary approaches, their peace is shattered when Lara spots her brother-in-law in a casual photo she took by the seaside. How can he be alive when her sister and two children are dead? As Lara and the police look to track down Jason, strange things start to happen. Lara’s photography business is being attacked, and Lara can’t help but think that Jason is behind it all.

Lara’s niece, Lily, says that she is having memories of that awful night return and has set up a podcast to share more. As the tension builds in this one, I worried for Lily, Lara, and Lara’s mother. Was Jason back to take care of unfinished business?

The twists kept coming in this one and I was way off base. I truly enjoyed going along for the ride. I’m eager to read/listen to more from A.J. Dine.

THE PHOTO by AJ MCDINE✨
arc review • pub date 07.11.24

This was a solid rollercoaster of suspense and mystery! I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story and kept picking it up every chance I got because i wanted to continue the story. My first book from this author, and I will definitely be seeking out more from her!

quick synop: lara is a photographer, and one day after going through photos to edit, she notices her brother in law in the background of a photo. The problem: he has been missing for 10 years after the brutal murder of his wife and two of his children.

swipe for full #goodreads synop!

4⭐️

Thanks so much to @netgalley, @bookouture & Bookouture Audio for my ARC!

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and A J McDine for the audio Arc of The Photo.
Narrated by Tamsin Kennard

I loved the premise of this book and it didn't disappoint me at all. We start off with Lara, a ex photo journalist who has taken up Wedding Photography as a stop gap. She's brilliant at her job and would love to start exhibiting and selling landscape photos. One morning, she goes down to the Harbour front in a lovely little village and takes a few snaps before doing a wedding. It isn't until that night, when she is going through her photos she realises with horror and anger that she recognises someone. That someone that she's spotted on a balcony on the harbour is looking straight at her. Her missing Brother in law, who killed his wife and sons.

A J McDine has a distinct way of reeling you in from the first few pages and it doesn't let up until the end! The POV of Lara ( First person ) takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions as she tries with the help of the Inspector that handled the case 10 yrs before. Try to get to the bottom of things. The twists, the red herrings and the foreshadowing within this narrative was clever, I enjoyed the pacing of the book which was medium and kept me engaged. I really bonded with Lara, her Mum and also the only survivor of this hideous act, Lilly. I loved the dynamics between them all because they were relatable and well fleshed out.

Ive listend to a few books narrated by Yasmin Kennard and I feel she has a great voice for this psychological thrillers. Her voice is easy to listen to and follow, with the emphasis in the right places.

4.25 stars for Story graph
4 stars on Netgalley, Goodreads and other sites

The Photo by AJ McDine in narrated by Tamsen Kennard is it thriller about Laura a photographic journalist who at the time was working for a local paper and following a lead she found herself in front of her sister Isabell‘s home only to learn her sister and three children were stabbed the only survivor was five year old Lily who was hanging on for dear life and her brother-in-law Jason was the main suspect. It’s 10 years later and now Laura is the wedding photographer who takes pictures of local landscapes just for fun and it’s in one of these photos that she sees a man on a balcony who she knows is definitely her brother-in-law Jason. Laura’s tentative look at the case only brings threats to her door but when her niece Lily who is now living with her mom tries to become an influencer it also brings journalists and one of them is Johnny the guy who broke the story and initially someone Laura wants to stay far from. Before it’s over someone will go missing in the learns her brother-in-law may not be as guilty as she wants thought. Things get much crazier before they go back to normal. I do want to say a lot of people I saw in their reviews said they figured it out before the end of the book and I just want to say… Really? Oh I DK how they did that they must be psychic because I was totally shocked by who did it and if I explained why it was so shocking it would give keep plot points away just know when you think you know you really know nothing. This was such a great book I really liked it I found Laura to be very likable I like that she was Open to hearing other peoples dew points but the one thing I didn’t like was how she was so perplexed over her niece doing what she did and her crying about what it would do to their family when it was mainly Lily story to tell but I digress that’s one small part and it doesn’t take away from the great guessing game this book was a really great thriller. I have read other books by this author and really like her writing style I listen to the audiobook and love Miss canards narration so much she really is a performer at the top of her game who if I see she has narrated the book that makes me more prone to request it or buy it. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review. #BookoucherAudio, #NetGalley,#AJMcdDine, #ThePhoto, #TamraKennard,

Great story that quickly pulls you in and keeps you guessing till the end. Would recommend to those interested in mystery/thriller books. There are various characters that have unique characters, however they mesh well together. It was nice how modern the story was, including TikTok in the book in a way that is realistic and relatable for younger adults. I found the setting was lacking detail, it was hard at times to imagine where the characters were.

This was a solid thriller! Definitely had an ending I never could have predicted, I thought I had it figured out--could not have been more wrong! Read this one pretty quickly!

The Photo was a super faced pace and easy read. Twists and turns throughout the entire book, leaving you guessing until the very end. The characters are defined really well, finding them easy to relate to and even feel sorry for. The story continues to develop leaving you wondering why this poor family has gone through so much trauma and turmoil. The ending was an excellent surprise, making you question what forshadowing signs were given early in the story. I absolutely loved this book, finding it hard to put down. Huge thank you to AJ McDine, NetGalley, and Bookouture Audio for allowing me to jump in to Lily's world for a few days.

That Twist! OMG! Well played, A. J. McDine, an absolute stroke of genius!

Lara is a photographer and when she is editing photos she took earlier that day, she notices a man in the background of one of them. Her brother in law. The man who is suspected of killing her sister and nephews ten years before and was assumed dead. But her niece survived and is now 15 years old; has her father returned to finish the job?

Lara is warned to stay away via sabotage of her business, and threats to Lily and her mother, but she is determined to get justice and keep her family safe.

The characters of Lara, her mother and Lily were totally relatable and A. J. McDine's writing is fabulously descriptive and utterly gripping. I was completely hooked and devoured this brilliant book.

Tamsin Kennard's narration was as spot on as always, and brought the characters to life wonderfully.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, A. J. McDine and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions! I loved the characters, and that ending twist had me clutching my pearls. The suspense kept building with each turn of the page, and the surprises were never-ending.

10 years ago, Lara's life was shattered when her sister and nephews were killed. Everyone knew it was her brother-in-law who did it, but he disappeared right after. But now he's back, and Lara will stop at nothing to protect her surviving niece, Lilly.

Full review coming soon - this book is a must-read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC of this book.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and A J McDine for the audio Arc of The Photo.
Narrated by Tamsin Kennard

I loved the premise of this book and it didn't disappoint me at all. We start off with Lara, a ex photo journalist who has taken up Wedding Photography as a stop gap. She's brilliant at her job and would love to start exhibiting and selling landscape photos. One morning, she goes down to the Harbour front in a lovely little village and takes a few snaps before doing a wedding. It isn't until that night, when she is going through her photos she realises with horror and anger that she recognises someone. That someone that she's spotted on a balcony on the harbour is looking straight at her. Her missing Brother in law, who killed his wife and sons.

A J McDine has a distinct way of reeling you in from the first few pages and it doesn't let up until the end! The POV of Lara ( First person ) takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions as she tries with the help of the Inspector that handled the case 10 yrs before. Try to get to the bottom of things. The twists, the red herrings and the foreshadowing within this narrative was clever, I enjoyed the pacing of the book which was medium and kept me engaged. I really bonded with Lara, her Mum and also the only survivor of this hideous act, Lilly. I loved the dynamics between them all because they were relatable and well fleshed out.

Ive listend to a few books narrated by Tamsin Kennard and I feel she has a great voice for this psychological thrillers. Her voice is easy to listen to and follow, with the emphasis in the right places.

4.25 stars for Story graph
4 stars on Netgalley, Goodreads and other sites

Oh my goodness .... this was so good!! I could not stop listening!!

I have read a handful of mystery/thriller novels and honestly thought I knew the twist about halfway through but I was so wrong. This is a delightfully twisty story of a woman trying to keep her family safe when her sister & nephew's killer (who is also her brother-in-law) comes back into town. Who from the past can she trust to finally put the killer away?

I would recommend this to anyone who loves a thriller or is looking to get out of a reader slump.

Thanks to AJ McDine, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.