A tense domestic thriller that often reaches an intensity that makes it difficult to read. As the story progresses it becomes increasingly clear that there is far more being unsaid by the characters than is being said but that is the only thing becoming clear. The truth is unravelled slowly - from the perspective of each of the characters- right through to the last page

The Break In by Katherine Faulkner is an absolute page-turner!
From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The story kept me guessing the whole way through and delivered twist after twist. The suspense builds beautifully, and the pacing is spot on. The ending was especially satisfying with twists that just kept coming. An easy 5 stars from me—highly recommend if you love a gripping, twisty thriller!

The Break-In by Katherine Faulkner is a twisty slice of mum noir - a psychological thriller about a London mum whose life unravels after a terrifying break-in at her home.

I’d read The Other Mothers by the same author about a year ago, and between the two, I have to say I preferred The Other Mothers. Both books dig into the realities of motherhood, the loneliness, the comparison game, and the quiet pressures, but this one leans harder into the suspense and anxiety spiral.

It took a little while for The Break-In to really hook me, but once it did, I thought the author nailed the rising panic of Alice, the main character. You feel her confusion, her fear, her growing obsession. The anxiety is palpable.

Did I question pretty much all of Alice’s choices post-break-in? Yep. Would I have done the same? Hard to say. But the fact that her behaviour stayed juuust on the edge of believable really worked for me - it kept me invested without rolling my eyes.

Plot-wise, I figured out the key dynamics early on, which took away some of the mystery buzz, but this isn’t really a book that lives or dies by its twists. The real tension is psychological: watching one woman unravel under the weight of fear, doubt, and not knowing who to trust.

If you're into mum noir with slow-burn tension, domestic drama, and a healthy dose of bad decisions, this one fits the bill.

A rapidly moving story of deceit. I enjoyed the story but felt that it took a few chapters to develop. At the start i was struggling with the ineffectiveness of the main character. In fact I felt that she was a fairly weak character throughout. In spite of this I liked the book and was keen to pick it up again to continue the thread.
The last quarter of the book moved quickly with good quality twists and turns.
Recommended

Katherine Faulkner does it again with this terrific domestic thriller that begins with a punch, of a mother killing an intruder. But nothing is as it seems, and the readers are in for plenty of surprises!

Wow! An absolute rollercoaster of twists and turns!

I loved this book. The perfect domestic thriller!

The changes in timeline do require some thought and concentration but they’re executed really well and really kept me guessing.

So suspenseful and I loved the ending!

I’ve really enjoyed Katherine Faulkner’s previous books, so I was excited to get an early copy of The Break through NetGalley—and it definitely delivered. Told from multiple POVs, the story weaves together the perspectives of several characters in a way that keeps you second-guessing everything. Each voice felt distinct, and the layered storytelling added real depth and intrigue. There are plenty of twists throughout which kept me guessing right up to the final reveal!

The plot is well constructed and everything ties up nicely in the end, which I really appreciated. That said, it did feel like it could have been a little tighter in places—some sections dragged slightly and I found myself wishing the pace would pick up again. Still, Faulkner’s talent for building tension and creating complex, believable characters shines through.

Overall, a clever and compelling read that fans of psychological thrillers will definitely enjoy.

4.5 stars - I really enjoyed this! I have been meaning to try this author so when I saw her latest was on NetGalley I was thrilled to be accepted to review an advanced copy.

I always enjoy a book set in London as I lived there for 5 years, this one is set in Hackney in East London which I am fairly familiar with. There are also parts set in Rye and Camber Sands where we tend to go quite a lot for days trips at the moment so I was able to picture that well too!

This is a very easy to read domestic thriller that kept me hooked the whole way, I found I couldn’t put it down. Somehow the entire story was suspenseful rather than scene setting followed by a big twist. There were multiple twists along the way and things tended to unravel and unfold the whole story too.

Character development and the different POVs were also fab, not too many main characters but enough to be interesting and engaging. Would definitely recommend this one and I’m going to try some more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alice is hosting a playdate when a manic young man breaks in and grabs a knife from the kitchen. As he heads towards the children's room, she hits him with a stool killing him.

The book follows the various characters in this tableau and all is not as it seems.

My first Katherine Faulkner novel and I will try the others.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Raven Publishing for the chance to read and review this book

This is a satisfying domestic thriller, fast paced, with well-balanced shifts of POV and enough twists to keep you guessing, even if you do see some of them coming.

I enjoyed trying to guess which unnamed cafes the narrator coyly references, and will be visiting Violet's to see what all the fuss is about over their coconut macaroons!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have started and finished this book within a matter of days. I couldn’t seem to put it down for very long and was continuously thinking about it.
This is a very good thriller. You have to really think about it. The book goes back and forth in time as well as between a number of peoples perspective. It was confusing but in a good way. I really had to think about it when I was reading. This is the first kind of book I’ve read like this and it was brilliant. I would highly recommend but yes you just have to make sure you’re really into it. I did get confused at times but once i was about 100 pages in I think it was I understood I think it was just because it way the first book I’ve read like this.

Thank you for letting me review it.

I loved the Break In. It's a whip smart, twisty and tense domestic noir. I was completely engrossed and couldn't put it down.

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis - a play date gone wrong, a mother protecting her child and an intruder dead, but in the aftermath, not everything is as it seems.

The tension is cloying and parts had me curling my toes while inwardly screaming "noooo, what are you doing?!"

I enjoyed the way the story is told from various perspectives and timelines which adds to the mystery, because you don't know whose recollection is accurate. What is going on?! It's totally unpredictable and as the story unravels I felt more and more blindsided.

The ending is really satisfying and shocking. I thought I had it all figured out - but then all the little threads are very neatly tied up, and it makes perfect sense.

A brilliant read, highly recommended.

This is an excellent psychological thriller which centres around a burglar, who dies after being attacked by a homeowner.
I just loved how it all unravels. Nothing and no one is what they first seem. Completely unpredictable, I found it intriguing and compelling, with plenty of shocks and surprises. Absolutely brilliant and highly recommended.

Katherine Faulkner has done it again with *The Break In*, delivering a psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. The tension builds perfectly, blending secrets, paranoia, and a creeping sense that things are never quite as they appear.

What I really enjoy about this book is the shifting perspectives—it adds so much suspense to the story and makes it incredibly hard to put down. The characters are well-crafted with complicated relationships, which kept me second-guessing their every move. Faulkner's writing is sharp and engaging, skillfully mixing psychological depth with a fast-paced, gripping plot.

If I had to offer a small critique, it would be that at times the book felt a bit drawn out. Some parts could’ve been trimmed to keep that fast, sharp pace going. That said, the constant twists and turns kept me hooked, and the payoff was definitely worth it.

Overall, *The Break In* is a captivating, binge-worthy read, perfect for fans of slow-burn domestic thrillers. Highly recommend!

I mostly enjoyed the book. The first section was good but then it slowed down and dragged a bit. The last third was great and had a good twist at the end.

As an overall rating I'm giving this book 4 stars. It was interesting, had a lot of twists, and I liked the author's writing style.

For me personally I would give it 3 stars. I just found it too predictable (without spoiling anything the biggest twist that came at the end seemed obvious), and the pacing wasn't quite right for me. The story started off promising, but then until 55% of the way through I found it to be too slow. The last 30% brought the quality back up again. But as I've said previously I just found it too predictable. But this would be a great read for readers who enjoy a slower pace and enjoy exploring different theories

Katherine Faulkner is getting to be the go-to author for 'yummy mummy' domestic thrillers - this is her third, and each one gets better and better! Alice, an art restorer, lives a lovely middle-class life in Hackney with charity boss husband Jamie and beloved daughter Martha. They have a comfortable life, lovely home and friends, all is as it should be in their world. That is, until an intruder breaks in to their house and threatens them all. Teenager Ezra is brandishing a knife and threatening to go into the room where Martha and her friends are peacefully playing. Alice hits Ezra over the head with a stool, killing him immediately.
The repercussions ripple out immediately as police become involved, questioning everyone who was there. Alice can't forget what happened or overlook the impact on Ezra's own family. She knows she's crossing a line but she goes to Ezra's flat and meets his mum and twin sister, without letting on who she is.
Events spiral from bad to worse for all concerned until there's nowhere else to go.

I was hooked, as I have been with all of Katherine's books - the plot lines are believable and terrifying at the same time, and I couldnt wait to find out the truth behind it all. Bring on Book 4!

Alice and Daniel appear to have a happy marriage. They are both working, comfortably well off, have a lovely home, and Becca is the nanny for their young daughter, Martha. One evening, Alice has friends round, the children are playing in the next room, and suddenly a young man breaks into the house. He appears to be under the influence of drink or drugs, and Alice is fearful especially for the children. Alice hits the young man over the head, and the blow kills him.
Alice feels guilty, and obviously others feel she is guilty too as comments on social media appear to blame her, even after charges against her are dropped. Alice decides to try to find out more about the intruder, and wonders if it was a random break in, or were they targeted deliberately.
The more Alice finds out, the more the plot twists and turns, and Alice begins to wonder if there is anyone she can trust, including her husband and nanny.
I really enjoyed this book, this author is new to me, but I will be looking for more books by Katherine Faulkner.
A gripping psychological thriller.

Katherine Faulkner delivers yet another gripping psychological thriller with The Break-In, and I absolutely loved it! From the very first page, the tension is palpable, pulling you into a world where trust is fragile and secrets lurk.

The novel masterfully balances suspense with emotional depth, making it more than just a mystery - it’s an exploration of relationships, paranoia, and the unsettling feeling of being watched. Faulkner’s writing is sharp, her pacing perfect, and the twists? Completely unexpected. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, she threw in another curveball that left me reeling.

The characters feel real, especially the main character of Alice whose fears are relatable, and the atmosphere is thick with unease. Faulkner masterfully weaves her growing unease into a tense and atmospheric read, making you question everything along with Alice. I found myself racing through the chapters, desperate to know what would happen next. If you enjoy thrillers that keep you on edge while delivering well-crafted storytelling, The Break-In is a must-read.

Highly recommend!

Not a book to be missed. Alice the lead character is dragged into a bewildering situation in this intricately weaved plot which provides a magnificent story. Each descriptive setting allows the reader to see things from the characters perspective, who all need to get answers, yet the big problem was who to trust. A first class read!