I do love a good psychological thriller and Keri Beevis always writes great ones! I think this is the fourth or fifth book of hers I’ve read.
This one is set in Norfolk and our main character is Harper Reed, who is 37, a widow, and an author of romantic novels. She lives alone in a big house with her cocker spaniel Bailey. After a traumatic two years trying to deal with her husband’s death, she is learning to leave the house again, now she has a dog. Persuaded by her best friend Megan, who lives in London, she joins an online dating site.
As she begins dating, strange things start happening, as if there has been someone in her garden. She has a couple of bad experiences dating, but eventually finds someone who seems lovely.
Her husband Charlie died in a car crash with her best friend Alicia and as she finally sorts out his rooms, she realises he has been keeping secrets from her.
Well, I can’t really tell you much else, you just have to read it yourself! So much happens, you are constantly trying to work out who in Harper’s life is actually genuine and trustworthy. It’s such an intriguing story and very easy to get into, as straight away, you want to find out more.
I tried online dating myself a few years back and I thought I’d had some bad experiences, but this book just reminded me that things could have been a lot worse!
The Cottage by the Sea – despite its idyllic sounding title – is very unnerving and a real twisty-turny thriller which will have you guessing and second guessing all the time. It’s exciting, fast-paced, and a wonderful page turner. Highly recommended.

I haven’t read a psychological thriller that literally made my toes curl for a long time; this one had me do it more than once. You have been warned. That being said, it is a belter of a book & went in some directions that I really wasn’t expecting. Yet another stonking standalone from this author.

Harper’s husband died two years ago, as a result of a car crash, her friend was a passenger & died instantly. She has never been certain why they were together & suspected an affair but her best friend, Megan, has convinced her that it is time to move on & persuades her to try online dating. Some comedic moments due to this decision but also some shocking ones, suffice it to say not all the dates were successful.

A gripping read with some fairly graphic, but necessary, descriptions as Harper discovers who her husband really was. The story could have gone so differently but I’m glad it didn’t. I do think I need to read something light & fluffy now. Read it & find out why.

Beevis is to books what Mr Kipling is to cakes and she certainly does know how to write exceedingly good books!

The Cottage by the Sea is an edge of your seat thriller that slowly builds in pace with each turn of the page, building to a crescendo with each revelation. It's narrated from multiple POV, has some fantastic characterisations and suspense in spades.

It's dark, disturbing and decidedly delicious, making it my favourite of the Beev's books to date!

Harper's hidden herself away since the sudden death of her husband and friend in a car accident, and why were they in the same car anyway when he was supposed to be working? Now though, she needs to get herself sorted out, royalties from her previous books aren't going to keep paying the bills, she needs to get back to writing, start going out again and start dating. So she starts to work on her next book, adopts Bailey (an adorable spaniel who if Keri kills off I will find her) and joins the dating site IntoYou - where her friend Megan met her husband. As she starts to get the hang of swiping and hearting profiles, she starts to realise that people can be whoever they want to be online, that maybe she didn't know her husband as well as she thought she did, and maybe there's danger closer to home than she ever thought....

It's creepy. Creepy, sinister, heart-racing, scary, unputdownable and creepy. Did I say creepy? EVERYONE was suspected as being the creepy creep, I'm never doing online dating or just being in my house alone in the dark ever again, and now I trust no one. Especially the genius (creepy) mind that came up with this - still keeping an eye on you Keri. In all seriousness, Harper is a great character, the whole stalkery/paranoia vibes was well written and unsettling, and the absolute unrelentingly thrill-ride of part 3 kept me from my bed longer than it should have. Just buy it. Quick. Go.

Review also posted to Goodreads but unable to link account

Keri Beevis is one of those authors I can depend on to deliver an engaging thriller and The Cottage by the Sea is no exception. I was immediately immersed in the plot of Harper, a widow who found out her husband was cheating on her after a fatal car crash two years ago, has been coerced by her friend into an online dating service. Harper seems very naive and in my mind the stage was set for Keri to take the reins, which she certainly did. Harper made some poor choices early on, again being very naive.
The sinister POV chapters from the stalker definitely had the ultimate sick serial killer vibe. The coming events were very predictable but the identity of the stalker kept me reading just one more chapter until the conclusion. So sad that there truly are sick sadistic predators like this in our world but books like this always serve to open eyes to the dangers inherent in online dating.
Many many thanks to Keri Beevis, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for providing me with the pleasurable opportunity to read an arc of this engaging psychological thriller…four heart stopping stars for this read.

This was a great book with plenty of ups and downs and creepy moments which I enjoyed. A very twisty story and at times I didn't know which way it was going. The ending surprised me and I loved it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I went into this book expecting a cozy mystery, but around 60% in, it took a chilling turn with the introduction of a creepy serial killer. The shift wasn’t just surprising—it was brilliantly executed, with the author delving into the unsettling and twisted psyche of the killer in a way that really heightened the tension. While I loved the intensity once the story got there, I do wish the pacing had picked up a bit earlier on. Overall, the buildup was worth it, and I ended up really enjoying the darker twists!

I’ve enjoyed a few of this authors books but this one just didn’t do it for me. I found the main character to be annoying and the way she acted quite unbelievable. To continue using the dating app after so many disastrous dates just didn’t make sense. Also would have liked more of the backstory from before her husband died as the blurb made it sound this was a key part of the storyline which it wasn’t.

The Cottage by the Sea by Keri Beevis was another excellent book but with this book it was very dark psychological thriller and I was gripped from the beginning till the end. This was a book I did not want to end, I feel this way with all Keri's books, as they have been excellent with lots of twists and turns and The Cottage by the Sea did not disappoint! I am looking forward reading more books by Keri in the future xx

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This gripping psychological thriller follows Harper, who, at the start, decides to try a dating app recommended to her by friends. Harper’s husband Charlie passed away in a car accident two years ago, and so the idea of a new relationship is very daunting for her.

As well as following Harper and her experiences, there's another character, providing their own account of events, and I was compelled to keep reading, to understand who this was. The book's title was also something that I didn't fully understand until later on.

Harper was a character that I felt an immediate connection with; I felt as though she could easily have been a friend of mine, or someone I knew. I felt there was plenty of suspense early on in the book, but the latter part was more sinister and complex, as Harper confronted some demons from her past.

This was an intense read, nail-biting and unsettling. It played with my mind and kept me guessing. If you're a fan of thrillers, give this a try.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

The Cottage by the Sea
by Keri Beevis
Pub Date: Oct 14 2024

The Cottage by the Sea is a fantastic read! My first book by author Keri Beevis and I'm anxious to read all of her other books if they are as good as this one!

It starts out with the main character, Harper losing her husband and best friend in a car accident. Not knowing why they were in the car together she's assuming they were having an affair. This puts Harper in severe depression and she stays in her house with her rescue dog Bailey for two years. Her best friend talks her into joining an online dating site to meet potential partners. From there Harper meets many losers as well as dangerous men. All at once someone is stalking Harper and even worse in one case it goes beyond stalking!

This is a chilling mystery, suspenseful and psychological drama that I highly recommend! A real page turner with a twisty ending you won't see coming.

Many thanks to #TheCottagebytheSea #NetGalley and #Boldwoodbooks for providing me with an E-ARC of this fantastic book!

Keri Beevis, how do you do it? Every book you write, without exception, is outstanding.

Harper lost her husband a few years ago, now she has decided, with some aiding and abetting by her close friend, that she needs to dip her toe into the world of online dating. Is she about to find love again, or is something much darker at play out there?

At times, I was really freaked out by what Harper had to face. Someone was stalking her, but who and why. What secrets were waiting to be uncovered in the cottage by the sea?

Ms Beevis certainly knows how to create a scene. The touch of comedy she brings to the dating game lulled me into a false sense of security But, make no mistake, this author’s greatest gift is that she can pen really dark and creepy scenarios that sent tingles down my spine and threatened my heartbeat. I also had scarily jump out of my skin moments! My imagination ran wild, but never as wild as Keri’s, the atmosphere she creates followed me around long after I had put her book down!

This book is the ultimate Halloween story, do not read after lights out, or when you are on your own!! BUT, do read it!!



Harper lost her husband a few years ago, now she has decided, with some aiding and abetting by her close friend, that she needs to dip her toe into the world of online dating. Is she about to find love again, or is something much darker at play out there?

At times, I was really freaked out by what Harper had to face. Someone was stalking her, but who and why. What secrets were waiting to be uncovered in the cottage by the sea?

Ms Beevis certainly knows how to create a scene. The touch of comedy she brings to the dating game lulled me into a false sense of security But, make no mistake, this author’s greatest gift is that she can pen really dark and creepy scenarios that sent tingles down my spine and threatened my heartbeat. I also had scarily jump out of my skin moments! My imagination ran wild, but never as wild as Keri’s, the atmosphere she creates followed me around long after I had put her book down!

This book is the ultimate Halloween story, do not read after lights out, or when you are on your own!! BUT, do read it!!

Keri Beevis does it again! Way to have me feeling glad I am not dating. Or being stalked.
Protip though. If your in real life best friend is sad about being widowed, instead of talking her into dating, talk her into volunteering or meeting other women to be friends with, so she is out of the house but not dealing with men.
As it is, the first half of this tory is way too real and way too relatable.
Of course, we wouldn't have a story otherwise.
How about that ending though?

4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ England
Publication date ~ October 14, 2024
Publisher ~ Boldwood
Est Page Count ~ 354 (43 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 46 minutes
Narrator ~ Shakira Shute
POV ~ multiple 3rd and single 1st
Featuring ~ dark secrets, torture

Harper is kinda sorta ready to get back in the dating game since it’s been 2 years since her husband, Charlie, was killed in a car accident. She meets a few men giving us some likely suspects when someone starts harassing her.

This was really slow moving for quite a while. It was date after date after date at the same place over and over and over again. Then she starts finding out secrets about her husband and the harassment went into full force and that’s when the pace really picked up. I couldn’t figure out who the culprit was, so woo hoo for that.

Overall, I love when secrets are revealed after a spouse dies, and this secret is a dark doozie. I can see this one being a big hit.

Side note ~ her dog Bailey plays a big role in the story, so I just wanted to let you know that no harm ever comes to him.

Norfolk England

Harper Reed, 37, is creating an online dating profile for herself for the app IntoYou. It’s a difficult endeavor for her even though she is an author who writes two books a year. Her husband, Charlie, was killed in an auto accident two years ago and her friend, Megan, has been pushing her to get out and date again. She has recently adopted a dog named Bailey and it has helped her to get out more.

A man named Adrian, 38, who works in IT responded and after chatting for a few times, they decide to meet for a drink at a pub. They enjoy the evening chatting and agree to meet another time.

When taking Bailey to the beach to play, she runs into Adrian with obviously his wife and two children. Shocked, she asks what he’s doing there. He tries to tell his wife that Harper is some woman from work who has been trying to get with him. Furious, Harper tells the woman the truth and he is angry with her. He texts her later to watch her back. On the way to the car, a bicyclist knocks her down leaving her leg injured. A man calling himself Luke and saying he’s a doctor, helps her to her car and dresses her injury.

Leary of online dating, Harper decides to try one more time which turns out to be another disaster. Now, she is ready to quit the app, but someone is watching her and waiting.

Oh my goodness! This was an incredibly scary book that had me cringing as I read it. Makes me thankful that I’m too old to try a dating app. However, I have my wonderful husband to make me happy. Yikes…but enjoy!I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Cottage by the Sea by Keri Beevis was so good!! It reminded me a little of Pretty Girls. If you like psychological thrillers, suspense, multiple POV’s, dark/twisted and mystery then you will love this book.

It has been two years since Harper lost her husband Charlie and best friend in the same day. So she is not just dealing with the loss of the two people closest to her she is also dealing with their betrayal. She at the urging of her friend decides to join a dating app, which turns into a nightmare for her. After deciding it’s time to let Charlie go and clean out his stuff, she uncovers secrets and darker side of him she never knew.

This is my first Beevis book and it will definitely not be my last. She wrote a great storyline and plot that kept me hooked trying to figure out who Harper could trust and who she couldn’t. She did a great job with the characters, even her cute rescue dog Bailey. Reading her stalkers chapters were so creepy, he was so creepy. I love that Harper didn’t just take whatever was thrown at her and fought every step of the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and could not put it down. I thought I had it figured out but I was way off. Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for letting me read the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Harper’s husband was killed two years ago and she has struggled to come to terms with this since. Knowing she needs to move on she signs up to a dating site, Into You. Soon strange things begin to happen. Has she exposed herself too much online and attracted the wrong kind of attention?

I can’t believe this is my first Keri Beevis book! I have really been missing out. This was a fantastic thriller with an interesting storyline and very dark, scary undertones. I enjoyed the online dating part and discovering who she would meet. With quite a few characters I never knew who to trust. The main character was written well and I could really feel her emotions coming across.

There is plenty of mystery and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Although it took a while for me to get fully into the story, by about the half way mark I was gripped and could not put this down. I could really feel the terrifying atmosphere and suspense. Even though I sort of guessed the main twist, this did not impact my enjoyment of the overall story. A great thriller and an author I will definitely be adding to my must read list. 4.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Harper has had a string of bad luck in her love life. After becoming a widow two years ago, she decides to put herself back out there and meet new people.

However, along the way, she encounters some interesting characters who ultimately betray her, catfish her, and lie to her. And as if that wasn't enough, it seems like Harper also has a stalker.

The beginning may have been slow, but the build-up of suspense kept me hooked until the end. I thought I knew how it would end, but boy was I mistaken. This was an enjoyable and suspenseful read, and I'm glad I didn't let the slow start discourage me from finishing the book.

The unexpected twists were shocking and made for an exciting ending that I loved.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free copy of the book.

The story is initially one that many people have experienced - that of dating websites and how many folk are not how they portray themselves. Add to this Harper has been widowed and suspects that her husband had been having an affair with her friend who also died, she is highly vulnerable to begin with. Then we are given "the baddie" and the story is written in such a way that you are not too sure if the person is male or female, in my opinion! Plenty of twists and turns with some gruesome scenes too, this is another winner from Keri and a great page turner.

Thanks to Netgalley/Boldwood books for the ARC to review.

WOW! First of all, I'd like to say that I'm a Keri Beevis fan. All of her novels are amazing. BUT this one is the icing on the cake! Have you ever driven on a mountain road? It has tons of huge curves and switchbacks, and if you are going fast, it can be pretty scary! This is what The Cottage By the Sea is like! You could never ever guess the end. Not in a million years! This book kept me up many nights, as I turned the pages faster and faster. Thank you so much, Ms. Beevis! This one is your best, for sure!