"Don't Tell a Soul" by Jessica Huntley is a riveting psychological thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This masterfully crafted tale of suspense and hidden dangers is a must-read for fans of the genre.

The small-town setting is beautifully rendered, creating an atmosphere that is both charming and subtly ominous. Huntley expertly builds tension, using the contrast between the town's quaint exterior and its dark undercurrents to keep readers guessing at every turn.

Vera, the seemingly benevolent landlady, is a complex and intriguing character. The evolving relationship between Elle and Vera is beautifully portrayed, adding layers of emotional depth to the story while simultaneously ratcheting up the suspense.

The pacing is impeccable, with Huntley doling out clues and red herrings in perfect measure. The forbidden basement serves as a brilliant plot device, its mystery tantalizing readers until the shocking reveal.

What sets "Don't Tell a Soul" apart is its exploration of themes like trust, healing, and the sometimes deceptive nature of safety. Huntley delves into these issues with sensitivity and insight, elevating the novel beyond a mere thriller to a thoughtful examination of human nature.

The climax is heart-pounding and satisfying, bringing together all the carefully laid threads of the plot in a way that will leave readers breathless. Huntley's prose is crisp and evocative, painting vivid pictures of both the external setting and the internal struggles of her characters.

"Don't Tell a Soul" is a gripping, intelligently written thriller that will appeal to both genre enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Great story! I've read a book by this author previously and really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed this one a lot as well! It had some great twists and turns, and I was always wanting to find out what happened next. The ending was really good! I would recommend this book and author to other thriller readers.

This is the real definition of a page turner! What a great story. I was so absorbed in the characters minds I read it in just a few days. I love reading from a teenager's POV trying to make her escape by adjusting to a new life in a small town. An interesting and unusual plot. Speaking of, this is a very intriguing plot. I've read some stories with similar suspenseful plots, but the authors tend to overcomplicate by incorporating too many twists and turns. This story fascinated me because it has just the right amount of twists to keep you guessing without being too much.
I loved every character and each character had a purpose to the story. Jessica Huntley is a magician when to it comes to balance. Everything is balanced: the number of characters, the plot twists, the description of the atmosphere in the village. The writing flows wonderfully.
Ok, I've praised this enough. You get the point. I really recommend it!

I read this in less than a day! I needed to know what was happening and what would go down next. Though I guessed one of the twists, I still enjoyed the story, and did not guess the twist in the epilogue. I liked the way the story went back and forth in POV and different timelines. The pace of the book was perfect, not too slow or rushed up, and I always enjoy the samll village vibes. Grear read!

Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for the ARC!

Elle runs away from home, because of her abusive father. And she runs away to a small town. Where she thought her old friend had moved. Money is tight, so she has to get a job. And later the cleaner from her motel offers Elle to live with her? Both of them have similar pasts when it comes to their fathers. But they don’t know that. The thing is, Elle hears a lot of things in town. That nobody’s been in Vera’s house for twenty years for example… odd. But she doesn’t really think of it. So she moves in, and Vera is almost like a mother to her now. But she’s keeping secrets. Why can’t she go down to the basement??


SPOILERS:
It was so easy to get attached/hooked into this book. I have been in some sort of a reading slump… and on the second page I just knew I would eat this up. And it was also really short. Which I love when getting out of a slump. Anyway, I also really liked her writing. Wow. I have never heard of this author before but if she writes another thriller like this I will be first in line to read it. And also even though Vera was a bit odd I still found her super interesting.

There were many many great things about this book but of course there is always something bad… for a thriller this was too predictable. But the book was good so I didn’t really care that much. And the plot was kinda bad.. I’m sorry. Just my opinion. I do think Vera’s backstory is very interesting and I would read a full three hundred page novel about her life, and more about her past. But Elle’s background just wasn’t it. And what are the odds that Elle meets someone with the same past either the same day or second day she arrives in that town?? And let’s not forget Kevin… Vera’s brother. It was easy to figure out what he was gonna do…

Other than all that. I really enjoy it. And if the plot wasn’t so predictable I would probably have given it four stars instead of three.

Also thank you to net galley and inkubator books for a chance to read this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Don’t Tell a Soul included topics of child abuse, domestic violence, alcoholism, and death.
This book begins with a glimpse into the past of Vera’s life and quickly draws you into the mystery. Then we meet Elle, a teen who was living in an abusive home and decides to run away. There she meets Vera, who offers to rent out the attic room for Elle and form a big sister/mother type relationship. The chapters vary in their perspectives and get a glimpse into the mystery, tragedy and possibly mental illnesses between them both. This is a quick read, and a fast-paced story with some good twists here and there. Although one thing that put me off was how Vera and Elle are quiet and maybe shy people, if not socially awkward, so it took a lot to not skip some of the dialogue/inner dialogue parts. However, I was able to get over that and enjoy this psychological suspense book! Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This is a wild ride of a thriller. A teenager flees her abusive father. Her escape plan doesn't work out as expected, but she finds herself in a small town renting an attic room from an older woman who was in a similar situation as a girl. The arrangement is going well until she breaks her landlady's rules and goes down to the basement. If you don't insist on realistic situations and want a fast paced read with unexpected twists, this is a fun one.

This book was so good! I didn’t see any of the twists coming. I liked how the story started out a little slower and then seemed to almost explode into action with one thing happening after another. The characters were all well developed and the plot didn’t seem rushed at all, so I didn’t feel like there were any major questions I was left asking at the end. One of my favorite things about this book is that initially, Vera and Elle seem so completely different, but as the story goes on, there are so many similarities between the two. This story was a great example of how people can live the same experiences, but travel down completely different paths with how they deal with it. I had a hard time putting this book down. I feel like this is a great example of the psychological thriller genre and I cannot wait to read more from Jessica Huntley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator books for providing me with the ARC of this book. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

Ooof. I'm sorry to say this book was as implausible and convoluted as it could possibly get. The inner monologues of the entire 'cast' was cringe-worthy. And that whole thing about Kevin plucking away at the concrete of his basement room with a plastic spoon and then eating it... I mean, I just could not take any of it seriously.

Nonetheless, I do appreciate the opportunity to read the arc.

A REAL thriller at last!
Great characters and a terrific storyline.
Some real moments when i wanted to shout ''don't go in there.''
This left me thinking about the book long after i had finished it.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my early copy.

Elle, a teen living in an abusive home, runs away to a small town a friend of hers moved to. She soon meets Vera, a quirky type of lady who offers her a room to rent in her large home where she lives alone.

Their relationship quickly turns into a mother/big sister type of relationship. Elle starts to make friends in the new community she found and enjoys her sense of independence. Until she stumbles upon Vera’s dark secret.

This is the first book I have read of Jessica Huntley, I would look at other works she has written. The story was fast-paced, and although I had thought I knew where it was going, it quickly changed direction. .

I loved Elle and was hoping she would finally find a life free from abuse, I even felt a bit for Vera, whose life took a very different turn when she was Elle’s age. , Not only was the theme of child abuse, and domestic violence weaved throughout this story, also showed the affects of what that childhood abuse could do to one's mental health.

I would definitely recommend this read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Elle escapes her abusive father and runs away to stay with a friend. The friend has moved, and Elle is on the streets. She meets Vera, who was also from an abusive home. Vera offers Elle a place to stay, but gives strict instructions that Elle is never to go to the basement.
Of course Elle disobeys, and is shocked at what she finds.

Well written, well plotted, shocking and absorbing. I couldn't put this book down and read it in one sitting.
Twisty, but I did figure out a couple of the twists - but the amazing twist at the end was fantastic.

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read this book.

This was my first Jessica Huntley read and I was very impressed! I was hooked right from the start and I loved the storyline. I found it very easy to read and loved the twists and turns! I’ll definitely be checking out more of Jessica’s work.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a great length, it felt sinister and dark from start to finish. I liked the characters, their actions and reactions felt real. Both Vera & Elle were both excellent protagonists - I was rooting for them both in different ways!

I've got a few of Jessica Huntley's books on my TBR list but this is the first one I've read so far. I really enjoyed this one, which is a stand alone thriller. I found it different to a lot of thrillers I've read, in a good way. I liked how some things were revealed bit by bit throughout the book instead of leaving everything until the end, it added to the suspense because the more I found out the more I wanted to know. It was hard to know who was telling the truth or not and it still packed a punch at the end with more revelations. I will definitely be reading more Jessica Huntley books in the future, especially thrillers. Thank you netgalley for the chance to get an early copy.

Here is your perfect summer thriller binge read that will keep hold of you for the entire duration of the book!
Absolutely grab a copy of this well written psychological thriller that will throw dark twists and surprises at you until the end.
An easy read but one that you'll struggle to put down as the author moves in multi-character points of view alongside timeline shifts with ease.
If I could give this book a 4.5 I would, as I couldn't put it down and was excited to find a few twists I didn't quite see coming. The author does a great job of keeping you guessing what's next and who did it.
I loved the many points of view surrounding so much mystery as we unlock more and more secrets behind Vera, the town eccentric, who seemed so kind hearted despite her tragic past.
You'll be surprised and on your toes throughout this story!

Definitely pick this one up this summer for a dark, twisty story that just keeps building as you go.

I look forward to reading more from this author 👍👌

Jessica Huntley has done it again. WOW! Twist after twist. I didn’t see some of them coming. This book was hard to stop reading after I started. I loved every bit of it. I will own this one when it comes out and I will suggest it always. I am so thankful I got this ARC from NetGalley. I saw Jessica Huntley post it on her instagram and downloaded it immediately. You should do the same! Job well done.

This psychological thriller, “Don’t Tell a Soul”, written by Jessica Huntley (my favorite author), is rather an interesting and suspenseful story. It is based on Elle, a lady who chooses to transform and stop being violent and seeks help from the people of the town and her close friend Vera. As the movie progresses, Elle starts to build a friendship with Vera and tries to start a new life, but the reality hits her from the life in their house. She makes a friend in Vera and starts planning to start a new life for herself, but she does not expect to discover the dark secret of the house she is living in.

The pacing is superb; Jessica’s complicated storytelling slowly leads the audience from comfort to unease as Elle. The bond that is shown between Elle and Vera is very real and natural, thus enhancing the plot and the narrative. This rather ominous statement helps the reader feel the tension of the basement and the anticipation of the malevolent force hidden in the house.

The action in the story can also be described as intense, with many twists and turns leading readers to the final and important twist that turns the story into a nightmare. The traditional storytelling features and the manner of depicting the anticipation of each tragedy also add tension and anxiety.

In conclusion, ‘Don’t Tell a Soul’ is a drama that is told in a very effective manner, and any fan of psychological thrillers will most definitely enjoy it. This book is really interesting and thrilling for the following reasons: the author can maintain some psychological suspense in the atmosphere of the book and create an evil twist in the story to make it very interesting in the genre of thrillers. Prepare to meet the ultimate in suspense and get ready to be taken into a world where the difference between safety and danger is a fine line, and trust means life or death. I HIGHLY recommend this book. You'll love it!

Thank you to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

If life didn’t get in the way I would have read this in one sitting! It’s the very definition of a page turner! A true Psychological Thriller with a great story and some very interesting characters. I got some parts of the twist correct but there was many more layers to the final conclusion that was chefs kiss. 🤌🤌🤌 highly recommend picking this one up!!

Don’t Tell a Soul is a masterfully written psychological thriller with a captivating storyline and unpredictable twists. Just when you think you know what’s going on, the author sends another shocking blow, keeping you hooked and begging for answers.

This book has excellent character development, and it’s easy to become engaged in their stories. The vivid descriptions of both the people and scenery really sets the stage for an immersive read. The alternating POV’s and timelines are paced perfectly for gripping slow burn suspense and feed you just enough info to stay engaged throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.