Your Child Next by M. J. Arlidge; Andy Maslen was a good story with strong characters, but its always difficult to review books like this without giving anything about the plot away, the storys pace is good and I was engaged throughout my only quibble would be that Annie did make some dubious decisions along the way which had me talking out loud to myself lol, and one thing I will definitely take away from the story is it makes you rethink about how much you share about your life to strangers.

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Your Child Next’ written by M J Arlidge and Andy Maslen in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Annie receives an email of condolence and a video of her daughter’s funeral. Annie is horrified and checks that her daughter Isla is safe in her room. A woman phones her demanding a payment of £1,000 each month to a Cayman’s bank account or Isla will die. Annie refuses until Isla is terrified when she sees a strange man following her. Michael is going through her dead wife’s bank statements when he notices she’s been paying £1,000 each month into a bank account in the Cayman’s and cancels it. Then a man in a white van attempts to run over his son Aaron.

I’m a huge fan of M J Arlidge’s Helen Grace series but this is the first time I’ve encountered Andy Maslen. If ‘Your Child Next’ is anything to go by I’ll be looking for more of his books in the future. The plot is twisty and fast-paced with plenty of action, and as the identity of the blackmailer is revealed early in the story it allows the reader to get more involved in this ‘cat and mouse’ thriller. The characters are brilliantly described with the parents scared for the safety of their children and the horror threatened by the blackmailer only too clear. I’ve been gripped from the first page to the last and with an exciting though uncertain conclusion I was disappointed when it came to an end.

Annie's life takes a shocking turn as she navigates the emotional fallout from her husband leaving and her daughter Isla's struggles. Just when she thinks things couldn't get worse, she receives a haunting video showing herself at Isla’s funeral. The twist? Isla is alive and well. This unsettling revelation catapults Annie into a dark world of blackmail, where she learns that she’s not alone; other parents have faced similar terrifying threats.

The story unfolds with a steady build-up of tension, as Annie grapples with the demands of an unknown blackmailer who threatens her daughter's safety. The emotional stakes are high, and Arlidge captures Annie’s frantic race against time beautifully, immersing readers in her desperation to protect Isla while trying to unearth the identity of the person behind the threats.

At its core, the narrative addresses themes of maternal love, betrayal, and the moral dilemmas that arise when a family is at risk. It poignantly illustrates how trauma can strain familial bonds and how a mother's fierce love can lead her to make questionable decisions. The atmosphere is thick with tension and dread, mirroring Annie's growing sense of entrapment, making it easy for readers to feel her fear and urgency.

The writing style is crisp and engaging, characterized by short, dynamic chapters that keep the pace brisk. This approach hooks readers from the start, making it hard to set the book down. The female characters are strong, complex, and relatable, steering clear of the usual tropes found in thrillers. Annie stands out as a compelling figure; her journey reflects both resilience and vulnerability, leaving a lasting impression.

The novel is a powerful exploration of fear, resilience, and the instinctual drive to protect loved ones. With its heart-pounding suspense and emotional depth, it's an engaging read for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers. A narrative resonates with both tension and heart,

This book had me googling if you really can send money to the Cayman Islands, which apparently you can do very easily. Suffice to say, I got really involved in the story. Partly because I found it interesting, partly because of how far-fetched the story is. But then again, aren't most thrillers far-fetched?

Michael is grieving his wife’s death when he notices a £1,000 monthly transfer from her bank account and cancels it, Aaron is nearly run over by a white van shortly after. Anna is rebuilding her life after a messy divorce. When Isla is followed by a strange man, Anna receives a terrifying message demanding £1,000 a month to keep Isla safe.

The story is more of a 'cat and mouse' chase rather than a mystery as we learn the identity of the blackmailers early on. Michael and Anna soon discover that they are connected by the same therapist. Maya, the receptionist, uses her access to target vulnerable families for blackmail. Her brother, Ollie, helps with the schemes. The gist of the question is why do they do it?

An absolute page turner.

It's every parent's worst nightmare - receiving an anonymous threat on your child's life. When Annie Barnes receives a video of her crying at a funeral - for her daughter Isla - she panics. To keep Isla safe, she must pay £1,000 to a bank account in the Cayman Islands each month, or she knows the consequences. One thing becomes clear - she's not the first parent to be threatened, and if they're not stopped, she won't be the last.

This is the third in MJ Arlidge's Collaborative Project and it's another great one! As a fan of both his and Andy Maslen's work, I was very excited to read it and it was another great one. 5*.

I love the Helen Grace books by M J Arlidge, so when I was kindly given a chance to read this one, I jumped at it with thanks.
It is the story of parents being blackmailed in order to keep their children safe. Two of the parents, Anna and Michael, team up in order to try and find the blackmailers, the people behind the threats and demands. It took me a little time to get into the story, and I thought the blackmailers were a bit over the top, but on the whole it was an enjoyable read.

3.5* Not as good as Andy Maslen writing solo. Sadly, the bad guys weren't believable.

I think that perhaps a career in banking made me pooh-pooh a vital part of this tale as unrealistic, which spoilt it for me. Getting a Cayman bank account isn't the easiest of things, so the fact that the persons being extorted were sending £1000 a month to the Cayman Islands, wasn't believable. Yes, Santander and KYC checks made an appearance, but there's a SWIFT cut-off point, and apparently that didn't apply 🤔

Parts were good, such as Ollie and who he was pretending to be. The cheating ex, Grant, was seriously in need of growing up and parenting up. Annie? I loved her balls of steel, and how Michael persisted with his very trying stepson. Isla? A bit of a stupid girl wanting to punish her mum, it seemed, because of the divorce, but lesson learned. I'm bummed that not everyone got what they deserved here, but that actually added a tad of believability tbh.

I love AM's Detective Kat Ballantyne series, but this one wasn't quite on a par, but was decent enough.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for my reading pleasure.

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and Orion publishers and the great authors.M.J Arlidge & Andy Maslen for an early copy of there book to read.

A Great thriller, Ive read a few of M.J Arlidge books which i really enjoyed reading. Annie husband isnt faithful and he leaves her with there daughter Isla.when Annie receives a video call threatening Isla life.she is being blackmailed..Michael son in danger is another family being blackmailed...a fantastic read.looking forward to reading more of his books.

This book is being reviewed on goodreads and Amazon.

Annie receives a fake video of her crying at her daughter’s Isla’s funeral, only Isla is upstairs alive and well. Soon she learns the truth that she is in a line of parent’s being blackmailed. The main rule is that she can not tell the police. Will Annie comply or will she unmask the perpetrator?

I have read books by M.J. Arlidge before and enjoyed them, however Andy Maslen is a new author for me so I wasn’t fully sure of what to expect. After finishing I can say this was a great collaboration, as it was exciting, fast paced and I was interested to see where the plot would go. Even though there were some unlikeable characters, I found myself rooting for the main ones in the story, wanting them to catch the tormentors. I especially enjoyed the characterisation of Ollie and Michael.

There is plenty of action and suspense, with some dark scenes. I have to admit I did find it fairly predictable, however this did not affect my enjoyment and I was still entertained throughout the story. I would certainly recommend this to those looking for a cat and mouse thriller and will be reading more by these authors. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Well what a story! I think this is quite possibly every parents worst nightmare and the plot is definitely sure to hit in a different way if you are a parent. Imagine being blackmailed into paying £1,000 a month to ensure the safety of your child? I found myself at multiple points throughout the story thinking about what I would have done if I were in the situation that Annie finds herself in as a parent.

This premise is quite interesting because you know who the blackmailers are quite early on and then it becomes more about the two main characters trying to work together to figure out who was behind the blackmailing and how they were going to reach a conclusion regarding the whole situation. At every turn it seems helpless and I couldn't quite figure out how they were going to solve this puzzle so from that perspective the story is a page-turner as I was fascinated to see how things were going to play out.

One thing is for sure, it will definitely make you think twice about how much and what you share of your private lives on social media and with the world!

This was a brilliantly put together story from two great authors. I had already read a previous book that M J Arlidge had collaborated on so I had a feeling that I would enjoy this one also and it did not disappoint. For anyone that likes a 'cat and mouse' type thriller then this book is for you.

I struggled a little bit with the pdf format so it took a while to get into the story. But once I did I enjoyed it. It was intense and it kept me up! The best part was the pov from the blackmailers!

Some parts were predictable but it was still an enjoyable read.

Thank you Netgalley!

I love M J Arlidge's Helen Grace series so was keen to give this book a try. It was a good thriller, a mum being blackmailed to pay £1,000 monthly to protect her daughter decides she's not just going to comply. Instead she sets about tracking down the blackmailers...

However, the thing that ruined it for me was her refusal to involve the police, I know it made for a better storyline but it was pretty unbelievable. So I've removed 1 star for that.

Your Child Next is a face paced thriller that doesn’t let up on the tension throughout.
Annie is being blackmailed, if she doesn’t send £1000 per month to an off shore bands account her daughter will be killed. Separated from her husband and having a difficult relationship with her daughter Annie has no trouble believing these blackmailers threats.
Discovering another parent is being blackmailed they work together to try find the identity of these criminals, a brother and sister team that have no trouble carrying out their threats.
A cat and mouse game ensues with some heart stopping moments and a few harrowing scenes of violence.
I enjoyed this book from two excellent authors but in my personal opinion the ending was not one that I wanted so felt slightly let down, that said a page turning book.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Your Child Next is the first of MJ Arlidge's collaborations that I have read, but I'm definitely keen to read the others in the collection. I love his solo work and I really enjoyed the opportunity to familiarise myself with the work of an author who is new to me in Andy Maslen. Their styles complement each other really well and the story runs together seamlessly.

The premise of Your Child Next is fascinating, and it's one that drew me into the story straight away. At the beginning of the novel, the characters are introduced separately, and it take me a while to get my head around that, but I was intrigued by how they were connected. I imagine for readers who are parents, the story is especially terrifying, and I think the authors managed to convey the emotions of the characters, particularly the parents, really strongly. I had a lot of sympathy for their plight and I was interested to see how things would work out for them.
In terms of Isla's character, I felt the authors conveyed her anxieties in a lot of detail that made it feel very realistic. They combined her mental health issues very cleverly with the concerns of a teenager in a way that made her journey feel very realistic.

The reader knows who the perpetrators of the crimes are fairly early on, which means Your Child Next is essentially a cat and mouse chase - and if you've read my reviews before, you'll know I love the tension in this type of story. The novel definitely picked up pace towards the end and I loved the fast paced writing style that had my heart beating faster as I was reading. There is a sense of danger in the final chapters prior to the epilogue and I was desperate to know how everything would end.

Your Child Next by M.J. Arlidge and Andy Maslen is a gripping thriller that keeps you on edge with its relentless pace and unsettling twists. A chilling exploration of parental fears and moral dilemmas, this book will leave you questioning the limits of trust and love. Perfect for fans of psychological suspense.

W.O.W, what a fantastic read. It had me on the edge of my seat and my heart racing as I wondered what was going to happen next. Every parents nightmare when their child is targeted buy why? Great explosive read. Highly recommend

4.5 stars

Your Child Next slowly but surely draws you in , ramps up the pace and the tension and doesnt let you put the book down.

The story is one of blackmail that will keep you on the edge of your seat .

Someone is successfully blackmailing parents who will do anything to keep their children safe.

Michael and Anna join forces to protect their children and fight back.

What a fight it turns out to be.

I was holding my breath, cheering them on and yelling at them to run all at the same time.

M.J. Arlidge and Andy Maslen are a brilliant team that give the reader non stop action and will have you turning the pages for just one more chapter which becomes three.

Highly recommend you treat yourself to Your Child Next and settle in for a roller coaster of a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group/Orion for the privilege of reading and reviewing Your Child Next.

3.5 stars
If your looking for an easy read full of drama and suspense this is a book for you.
Parents are being blackmailed for money for keeping their kids safe. When you question the blackmailer or even cut them off your world turns upside down. A quick story that is full of drama and suspense

I really loved this book! Full of tension and twists that I didn’t see coming. Definitely recommend!

I am already aquainted with M.J.Arlidge through his fantastic D.I. Helen Grace series of books so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book which he co-wrote with Andy Maslen.

In a race against time to save your child from blackmailers who have threatened to kill, Your Child Next is an intense, action packed, edge of the seat thriller which I read in one day and highly recommend.

5 stars *****