This is a twisty, cat and mouse thriller from J M Dalgliesh, expertly narrated by the talented (and beautifully accented), Eilidh Beaton.

I loved the setting of this novel - on a rural Scottish Hebridean Island. We soon learn that Dr Kelly has moved there with her 19 year old daughter, Lauren, sometime in the past 2 years. The story starts with Lauren leaving the island for an open day at a mainland university. All is well until Dr Kelly receives a phone call advising that if she wants to see her daughter alive again she must kill one of her patients!! The turmoil Kelly experiences is portrayed so well - I really did feel that I was living this!!

As the novel progresses we are introduced to all the main players in Kelly's life including estranged husband, Niall, and a number of her most prominent patients as Kelly ponders big questions such as who deserves to die. As the book reaches its climax the 'cat and mouse' element is played out quite spectacularly. My absolutely favourite element of the book however, was, without a doubt, the final deliciously dark plot twist executed to perfection through Eilidh Beaton's narration!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

I was not a fan of this audiobook. I found the pacing very slow and repetitive. I did like the premise of the book--a doctor on a remote island has three days to kill one of her patients to save her daughter--but the main character was unlikable to me. I enjoyed the past/present style of the book. I will absolutely give this author another listen as I think his style is excellent.

This book took a little to get into initially as at times it seemed a little farfetched but then I was hooked and eager to hear the end. It kept me guessing right until the last twist and turn.

The plot delves into the intricacies of the medical profession, examining how Dr. Kelly's decisions, both professional and personal, blur the lines between right and wrong. The story is propelled by a sense of mounting dread as Kelly is forced to confront the darkness within her own life and that of her patients. The tension escalates as she uncovers secrets that make her question not only her role as a doctor but also her own identity and relationships.

Firstly I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to listen to this book. I was completely hooked from the start!

Really really enjoyed the characters and storyline and how everything all comes together. The narrator for this book is one of my favourites and really made the book come alive. Do have to say I loved the ending and how everything tied nicely together.

I'm sorry to say that The Family Doctor was not a good fit for me. I listened to the audio version and it took a very long time to take off. The narrator added no drama, no tension, no fear to her reading and the author spent so long getting to the nub of the matter I sometimes almost forgot that Dr Kelly had been charged with killing one of her patients in order to secure the life of her own daughter, in fact I'd go as far as to suggest that the doctor also seemed to have forgotten!
The dual timeline worked well but I didn't understand why there was an enquiry into the doctor's handling of the situation two years previously, given that both girls were dying, she saved one but time ran out for the second. Why didn't her husband or one of the other guests perform cpr?
Once it got going my interest was piqued and the language and imagery painted a realistic picture in the finale where a final twist caught me completely unaware.

Family Doctor by J M Dalgliesh and narrated by Eilidh Beaton is the first book I have read by this author and Wow this book was Excellent fast paced psychological thriller that will have you gripped from the beginning till the very end and I loved it, especially as it was dark and had lots of twists and turns throughout with a few dubious characters which worked will in the story. The setting of this book was excellent on a remote island off the coast of Scotland,

J.M. Dalgliesh had me on the edge of my seat and I did not want to turn my audiobook off. I am looking forward reading more book by this author.

The Narrator Eilidh Beaton was superb.

I highly recommend this audiobook/book. I loved it.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and especially Bookouture and Bookouture audiobook for my ARC.

Working as the only doctor on a remote Scottish isle brings an unexpected sense of peace to a woman with a troubled past, who has fled her previous life in the metropolis.

Dealing with a cast of quirky characters, she feels well settled in the practice, coddled by the support staff at the clinic. Until suddenly, terrifyingly, her only daughter goes missing - and she is forced to face the possibility that the actions of her past have come back to haunt her...

This thriller may appeal to most readers but I found the ending in particular, fairly predictable. The plot was clever enough, the writing not particularly memorable. This one was perhaps not for me.

📚 Review: The Family Doctor 👩🏻‍⚕️
This book was another hit by J.M. Dalgliesh. This is the second book I’ve read by him (the first being Home Wrecker) and this is the second book that I’ve loved.
Meet Doctor Kelly, her daughter Lauren has just been kidnapped. Doctor Kelly has three days to follow three rules or her daughter dies.
Rule 1: She must kill one of her patients.
Rule 2: She must not tell a soul.
Rule 3: She must not get caught.
If she fails at any of these things, Lauren dies.
This book was so good. With time being of the essence, it made for such a tense read. Kelly must choose which of her patients she’s going to kill. The kidnapper is in contact with her, taunting her the entire time. It’s a fast paced, crazy ride with twist upon twists, even down to the last sentence. 😱 I recommend this to any thriller lover. This was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 stars for me!

I’d like to thank @bookouture for the gift copy in exchange for an honest review. And @netgalley for also approving me for this as well.
Have a you read anything by this author? I just recently was introduced to his books and so far, he’s great.
This book is out NOW. So it’s available for purchase. Grab your copy today!

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, it’s a fast paced thriller that I couldn’t stop listening to!
With a surprising ending I personally didn’t guess!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for letting me review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley, bookouture audio and J M Dalgleish for the eArc of Family Doctor.
Narrated by Eilidh Beaton

This is a medium paced domestic thriller and I couldn't put it down. We follow our Mc, who is a doctor on a remote Island in Scotland. Doctor Howletts daughter goes missing and she has to kill one of her patients or her daughter dies.

This got straight into the plot and quickly unfolded with a good balance of character building and plot direction. Even though it all happens within a small village on a remote island, you get how remote this place is. There are some good reveals and some twists before the finale so this was a great page turner for me.

Eilidh Beaton narrated this book and suited this book well.

4 stars

I had high hopes for this story, described as a fast-paced thriller. It started strong, drawing me in as I analyzed each character, trying to determine who might have kidnapped the daughter. However, the momentum faltered midway, as the story slowed down, dragged, and struggled to hold my attention. I found it hard to connect with Kelly or Niall, as both characters had significant flaws. That said, the ending delivered some thrilling twists. While I wasn’t surprised by who was behind it all, the motive did catch me off guard.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this ARC.

I listened to this on audiobook and I enjoyed it.
It was a different type of story, but I guessed quite early on who would be responsible - it didn't ruin it.
Quite a lot of death, with affairs, Lies and drugs!
I liked the narrator and thought she was right for the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Update: TikTok review posted 1-7
A doctor who moved to a remote island with her soon-to-attend-college daughter lives under a cloud from her former life. At the brink of her divorce being finalized, she's blindsided by her daughter's abduction.

The audiobook production values and pacing are top-notch. The narrator has talent, and her accent made the Scottish setting more immersive. It was easy to distinguish between the various characters.

For me, the main character didn't ring true as a doctor. I didn't like her or the daughter much and didn't become very engaged in their various problems. There are numerous things that strain credibility, a common flaw in thrillers. Many readers won't mind them. The use of high-caliber tiles as lures increased my disappointment: I found Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train compelling and memorable; Family Doctor never came near their level. 

The setup was intriguing. The moral test of being ordered to trade a life for a life appealed to me, and I enjoyed being transported to Scotland. The prose flows well, and there are relationship complexities. The dual timeline approach worked, revealing the past and raising the stakes in the present. I appreciated the inner tensions the main character faced. 

The ending became suspenseful and had a dark edge. The novel was entertaining. It simply wasn’t a fit for me. J.M. Dalgliesh has appreciative fans. No doubt this forthcoming release will be a hit for his audience.

I recommend this audiobook for readers who enjoy women-in-peril books, domestic drama, and crime fiction. My thanks to Bookouture Audio for the ALC via NetGalley for consideration. These opinions are solely my own.

3.5/5
I enjoyed this book but found the ending a bit predictable. I guessed who the bad guy was 30% into this book. It still had a plot that made me want to know what was going to happen ASAP though!

Wow! This was certainly a thriller! I didn't want to put it down. It's about a doctor who does something she shouldn't and chooses to move away because of her reputation. She moves to a remote area with her daughter where she knows everyone and still practices medicine. When her daughter goes missing, a ransom is sent telling her to choose her daughter's life or someone else's. She has to kill one of her patients to get her daughter back and she cannot tell anyone about the situation. What will she do?

With many thriller mysteries, you often know early-on who the killer is. I thought I knew it for sure and that this would be a hokey mystery, but I did not! There were many twists and turns and I kept being surprised by the events. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you like psychological thrillers, mysteries, and to get your heart pumping!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. "Family Doctor" offers a compelling narrative that effectively keeps listeners engaged throughout its entirety. The story revolves around a family doctor in a small town who faces an incredibly challenging moral dilemma: she must decide whether to assist in ending a patient's life in order to save her daughter. This conflict is not just a matter of professional duty; it plunges her into a deep ethical quandary that explores the very essence of her oath to do no harm.

One of the strengths of this book is its ability to delve into the complexities of medical ethics and the personal sacrifices that healthcare professionals often face. The characters are well-developed, and their motivations are relatable, allowing readers to connect emotionally with their struggles. However, there are moments where the pacing could be improved; some scenes feel rushed while others linger longer than necessary, which can affect the overall tension and flow of the story.

The author does an excellent job of raising thought-provoking questions about morality, duty, and the weight of one's choices in the face of adversity. The emotional stakes are high, and the narrative encourages listeners to reflect on what they would do in a similar situation, making it a valuable read for anyone interested in the ethical implications of medical practice.

Overall, "Family Doctor" is an insightful and thought-provoking experience. It's a book that stays with you long after you've finished it. I would confidently rate it 4 out of 5 stars, and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy stories that challenge their thinking and touch on complex moral issues.

A little trite. I didn't figure out the ending but I've read plenty like this. A little too long for the storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and J.M. Dalgliesh for an Advanced Listener's Copy of this title!

"The Family Doctor" takes readers to a remote Scottish island and the rural family practice of Dr. Kelly, whose care for her patients and teenage daughter Lauren masks dark secrets she'd like to forget. Not all secrets stay buried, and someone on the island is determined to make Dr. Kelly suffer - Lauren is kidnapped, and in exchange for her life Dr. Kelly has three days to murder one of her own patients. Can Dr. Kelly stick to the rules and play god with the islanders, or is Lauren doomed to an island burial?

I will never not pick up a title that has anything to do with doctors, and this one did not disappoint. Told from the perspective of Dr. Kelly, we are quickly thrown into a high-stakes, life-for-life psychological thriller, interspersed with the tantalizing and horrifying details of Dr. Kelly's morbid secrets. I also thought the reality of being a rural doctor was explored decently here, and added a flair to the idea of a locked-house (locked-island?) thriller that comprised our tale.

The audiobook narrator also did an excellent job of making me feel like I was right in Dr. Kelly's head, and keeping the tension high - I listened to this book while walking my dog and I definitely gasped out loud a few times at some of the twists in this book!

Full of twists and turns (several that I did NOT see coming), fans of psychological thrillers and remote Scottish islands will love this book!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Family Doctor' by J M Dalgliesh

This is the first book I have read by this author but it most definitely won't be my last!!!

An absolutely epic read from the very talented J M Dalgliesh!!! Absolutely rammed full of twists, tension and turns!! Congratulations Dalgliesh on a fantastic and gripping page turner!!

This is an extremely well written book with vivid descriptions that will suck you straight into the storyline and captivated from beginning to end. The synopsis and cover worked perfectly with the storyline.

I had never read a book by Dalgliesh before this one but I am definitely hooked after and have already added all his books to my wish list. I was absolutely hooked throughout, a true page turner from beginning to end. Dalgliesh is one of those amazing authors who manages to write an epic book that when you are reading it you promise yourself one more chapter and then you'll go to sleep or get on with other work but each time he ends his chapters in a way that has you hooked so you have to read just one more, but then another and before you know it you have walked around all day with the book glued to your hands and have devoured it in one sitting!!! In this gripping page turner Dalgliesh transports the reader to the remote Island of Jura where we meet Doctor Kelly Murray. Kelly and her daughter Lorraine moved to Jura from Edinburgh after something that happened 2 years ago forced them to relocate. Kelly is the only Doctor on the Island and the community relies on her to keep them safe. However when Kelly receives a message stating that this person has kidnapped her daughter Lauren and that unless she does what they say they will kill her. They give her three rules to abide by which are Kelly has 72 hours (3 days) to murder one of her patients, she must not tell another soul and she must not be caught. Is this connected to what happened in her past? Can Kelly take another life to save her daughter's? Well, to find out you will just have to grab this book and I can promise that you will not regret it!! With a storyline ram packed with secrets, family, twists, threats, suspense, drama, lies and more what are you waiting for? Dalgliesh's fantastic and vivid writing skills and descriptions and Eilidh's emotive narrative skills really brings the Island of Jura, the characters, the emotions and the action to life throughout ensuring you can see, feel and hear everything that Kelly and the rest of the characters are seeing, feeling and hearing. I absolutely loved the twists which I didn't see coming at all so a huge well-done to Dalgliesh for that. I have read hundreds of crime and thriller books so it is getting harder and harder to surprise me but you managed it. The storyline was compelling and I was completely invested in it and the characters throughout. I loved the setting which was perfect in creating the isolated and tension packed atmosphere. I read this book in less than 24 hours and I'm looking forward to reading more books by this fantastic author. Dalgliesh does a brilliant job of weaving the multiple timelines together ensuring the reader gets a bigger picture of what is and did happen without giving away too much too soon. I hope your busy typing your next book up Dalgliesh as I cannot wait and until then I am off to get stuck into the rest of the books that you have written!!! This book would make an absolutely amazing and box selling movie that I would be first in line to see!!!

This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Eilidh Beaton who did a great job bringing this story to life. I would listen to it in the car and while walking at any opportunity and Eilidh did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices as well as accents!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by J M Dalgliesh but also to listening to more books narrated by Eilidh! I have previously listened to 'My Perfect Marriage' by AJ. Campbell which is also narrated by Eilidh and which I would also highly recommend.

I loved meeting all the characters who were all strong, well defined and unique. I become completely invested in Kelly along with all of the other characters. Dalgliesh's absolutely fantastic evocative writing skills and descriptions along with Eilidh's brilliant narrative made it feel like you were standing right next to Kelly throughout feeling everything that she is feeling and going through everything she is right along with her. Each of the characters had their own different quirks and personalities and although I wasn't a fan of them they will definitely stay with me for a long time as will this storyline!

An absolutely addictive, compelling and gripping true page turner!!!

Overall a unique captivating page turner that is compelling, chilling and addictive by an extremely talented author!!!

#FamilyDoctor #JMDalgliesh #EilidhBeaton #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous #HachetteUK

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