"The Photo" was a "picture perfect", fast-paced 5-star read.

Ten years ago, in Tidehaven, England, a woman and her twin 2-year-old sons were brutally massacred in their home.

The woman's 5-year-old daughter was severely injured but survived.

The key suspect in this horrific crime was the woman's husband, who disappeared.

A recent photo taken by the woman's sister changes everything and reopens the case.

The gripping, compelling, and pacey book was replete with red herrings and unpredictable twists.

I listened to the audiobook read by Tamsin Kennard, who did an outstanding job with the narration.

AJ Devine is one of my new favorite "go-to" authors and special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

AJ McDine is a top-notch thriller writer and I did enjoy this. Her character development was good and I was invested in the story. There were some surprise twists I thought I had predicted, but I was wrong. The photo is a small part of the story, so I really think there could be a more fitting title. I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a fantastic job. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 rounded up. When I saw AJ McDine had a new book out I had to have it - and it’s every bit as fun as I’d hoped!

Premise: 10 years ago a British family is found slain in their own beds, with only Lily, the daughter, surviving. Jason, the father/husband, is missing and everyone assumes he’s the killer, gone on the run and never to be seen again.

Lara, the murdered wife’s sister, left her photojournalism career behind after the tragedy, choosing the less high stakes world of wedding photography as she cares for her now-15yo niece, Lily.

After taking a photo on a beach, Lara later realizes Jason is in the background! She fears Lily, now an amateur true crime podcaster, is in danger. And she has good reason to be afraid…

AJ McDine has a perfect writing style for a thriller - the prose never calls undue attention to itself and the reading experience is seamless, smooth… and then you find yourself at the epilogue already, because there’s no good point before then to pause the story.😅 The characters are well developed and interesting to learn about. I loved getting the backstory bit by bit!

I thought I’d called the twist, but I did NOT see the final twist coming at all!

The audiobook narrator, Tamsin Kennard, has a lovely voice that’s a real pleasure to listen to. She does a great job of giving truly distinct voices and tones to the different characters, as well as infusing the narrative with all the energy and tension the story deserves. The climax pushed me to an accidental running PR - thrillers make for excellent workout company!

Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first by this author, and I look forward to more of her novels.

Imagine seeing your brother-in-law in a photograph that you took and thinking he was dead?

He killed your sister and two of her kids. You are keeping their other child safe.

The hunt begins as you try to find this man! Did he really kill her sister and their kids? Does he know one child survived?

So many crazy scenarios that my head was spinning throughout this fast-paced novel.

Thank you Bookouture for this gifted eARC.

🎧4⭐️

I had the audiobook read by Tamsin Kennard who does a good job instilling tension and emotion.

I really enjoyed The Baby, so was keen to try this book.

Lara’s sister and two of her children were ki11ed and the remaining child Lily was bad injured ten years ago. The main suspect (the husband) disappeared presumed dead. Lara a news photographer and wedding photographer is sure she sees her brother in law alive and well.

There are twists, red herrings, and definitely the trope of poor communication especially between Lara and Lily is used leaving the reader able to pull things together ahead of the characters as we get to see everything, Or at least we think that we do!


It’s an easy enjoyable listen.

I had this book for free

A wedding photographer realises she has met up with the man who killed her sister in this thriller. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC/audiobook with a class narrator!

I loved this thriller! 10 years ago, a wife and 2 sons were murdered, leaving 5 year old Lily by herself. Her dad had fled. But now, 10 years later he has returned.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Bookuture Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was fantastic!!

I’ve read a few A.J McDine novels and they each bring a little bit of extra quality that seems to be missing in a lot of the psychological thrillers I’ve read, this used to be by far my favourite genre, but there’s just too much of the same when you read so many. Not from McDine though. You’re practically guaranteed to enjoy it.

Ten years ago, while Lara was working as a photographic journalist and ambulance chaser, she followed a call that would change her life forever, as she arrived on scene to find her sister, and twin nephews murdered in their beds, her 5 year old nieces life hanging by a thread, and Jason her beloved brother in law missing and immediately named the only person of interest.

Since then, Lara has helped her mum raise her niece Lily, and has taken a switch in career to wedding photography, but with a passion for scenic photography in her spare time, while going through her proofs, she sees his face in the background, Jason is back, in time for the tenth anniversary which also coincides with Lily creating a tik tok account where she starts dropping fragments of her memories of the night.

The story that follows is tense, jam packed with intrigue and leaves you wondering who to believe, all wrapped up with a showstopper of a twist!

Tamsin Kennard’s narration is spot on for the story, a great performance.

All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends

With thanks to Bookouture Audio via NetGalley for this audio arc.

4.25⭐️

This was a really good book in the end!

The opinions expressed are honest and my own but I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC of this title.

I’ll be honest, it was a slow start for me but I can’t put my finger on why. I started and stopped a few times in favor of consuming other books first but I’m glad I finally kept my finger off the pause button.

The narration was great. I love reading books from other counties that haven’t been reformated for a US audience as I prefer to listen to their accents and learn new things. The narrator read the book with just the right amount of passion but didn’t go overboard with a “performance”.

The book itself I imagine is fairly fast paced if reading the physical book. Once I got over the initial hump I didn’t want to turn it off.

The characters are well developed and the story is engaging and keeps you guessing. I love the twists, especially at the end.

I also was taken a back of how the book ended in a very abrupt manner but as I sat with it, I enjoyed it and it makes me want to pick up the next book that was teased after it ended.

I highly recommend putting this on your TBR for the summer. It comes out July 2024.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

If you are looking for a fast paced, binge worthy mystery, look no further than The Photo by AJ McDine. I could not stop listening to this and I read it in a day. Full of heart and wild twists, it will keep you guessing until that very last chapter. That ending was just so 😱😱😱

Imagine seeing something or someone in the background of a photo you have taken. And that person is your brother in law, a man you though was dead, a man who murdered his wife and 2 year old twin boys 10 years ago, Lara is a photographer, and this leads her on a dangerous path to find him and bring her sisters killer to justice.

I was so shocked and entertained by this wonderful story. I just had to finish it. The narrator did a wonderful job giving a unique voice to all the characters.

Thanks so much to the author and Bookouture for my advanced kindle and audio copy of this book. Just fantastic. Publishes in July 11th.

I read this in a day! It was fast-paced and the perfect length to keep you entertained. It's a bit predictable, but it's still a really good ride! There are a lot of characters, but it's an easy plot to follow. I'm a sucker for short thrillers, so this was perfect!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for the book #ThePhoto by #AJMcDine. I love this book about a mother and twin sons that were killed years ago. It is presumed that the father did it and he is nowhere to be found. The daughter is the only one to survive. Now, it seems the father has come back, and it has stirred up a lot of drama. Did he kill them? This book is a must read!