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Whitecliff Bay mysteries #1
The One Who Fell
In the seaside town of Whitecliff, everyone looks out for each other. Everyone knows your name. And everyone knows your secrets…
Moonlight falls on the figure of the girl standing on the red-tiled roof. Her white dress and blonde hair flutter in the freezing night wind. And suddenly – she is gone.
Volunteering at the local nursing home is Millie Westlake’s one escape from the rumours that swirl around Whitecliff about her past. But speaking with elderly resident, Ingrid, as they play board games, Millie gets chills at her strange story about a young girl being pushed from a roof, somewhere across the valley…
Everybody thinks Ingrid is confused: but Millie knows how it feels to not be believed. Her parents died a year ago, and the residents of Whitecliff – such a quiet place, other than crashing waves and cawing seagulls – are convinced Millie killed them.
Desperately searching for evidence to find the girl Ingrid saw, a broken roof tile could prove Ingrid was telling the truth. But when strange footprints appear in Millie’s garden, she’s certain someone out there is watching.
Have Ingrid and Millie stumbled across something terribly dangerous? And with the town against her, will Millie have to face up to her own secrets to solve the mystery before it becomes deadly?
An utterly compelling, character-driven mystery by bestselling author Kerry Wilkinson, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Mary Burton and LJ Ross.
Moonlight falls on the figure of the girl standing on the red-tiled roof. Her white dress and blonde hair flutter in the freezing night wind. And suddenly – she is gone.
Volunteering at the local nursing home is Millie Westlake’s one escape from the rumours that swirl around Whitecliff about her past. But speaking with elderly resident, Ingrid, as they play board games, Millie gets chills at her strange story about a young girl being pushed from a roof, somewhere across the valley…
Everybody thinks Ingrid is confused: but Millie knows how it feels to not be believed. Her parents died a year ago, and the residents of Whitecliff – such a quiet place, other than crashing waves and cawing seagulls – are convinced Millie killed them.
Desperately searching for evidence to find the girl Ingrid saw, a broken roof tile could prove Ingrid was telling the truth. But when strange footprints appear in Millie’s garden, she’s certain someone out there is watching.
Have Ingrid and Millie stumbled across something terribly dangerous? And with the town against her, will Millie have to face up to her own secrets to solve the mystery before it becomes deadly?
An utterly compelling, character-driven mystery by bestselling author Kerry Wilkinson, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Mary Burton and LJ Ross.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2023
2070 people are currently reading
1168 people want to read
About the author
Kerry Wilkinson
71 books1,077 followersRecent and upcoming UK releases:
24 October 2023: The Night Of The Sleepover
15 December 2023: After The Sleepover
2024: The Girl On The Side Of The Road
2024: The Missing Body
Kerry Wilkinson has sold more than two million books - and had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.
As well as his Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written a trilogy featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, the Whitecliff series, the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.
Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.
When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.
Find out more at: http://kerrywilkinson.com or http://facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks
Find out more at: his website or Facebook
24 October 2023: The Night Of The Sleepover
15 December 2023: After The Sleepover
2024: The Girl On The Side Of The Road
2024: The Missing Body
Kerry Wilkinson has sold more than two million books - and had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.
As well as his Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written a trilogy featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, the Whitecliff series, the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.
Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.
When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.
Find out more at: http://kerrywilkinson.com or http://facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks
Find out more at: his website or Facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
June 7, 2023
I enjoyed prior Kerry Wilkinson's books and I was excited to start a new series by this author.
Millie Westlake volunteers at the nursing home where her friend Jack works. Millie lives in Whitecliff where everyone knows each other and gossip spreads faster than you can say hi. Millie is well known but not with affection but with recrimination. She has committed two crimes in the minds of the inhabitants. First, she cheated with a politician, broke her marriage, and lost the custody of her son when the affair was found out, The second crime is that they believed she killed her parents and she got away with it plus inherited their home after they passed. The only job Millie can have is being a dog groomer although the reviews left on the net are not as nice as she would like.
One day, after spending time with Ingrid, a nursing home patient, she is told by Ingrid that the night before she saw a woman being pushed off the roof of a home close by through her window. Millie can't let it go and decides to investigate. This decision will put a target on her back but she can't stop digging with the help of Guy, an ex-reporter now blogger.
I liked Millie, her story was intriguing and I wanted to know more about her affair, her parent's death, and of course, if a woman was truly pushed and why. The story grabbed me from the very beginning and I was happy with the way the novel unfolded. The narrator Helen Keeley did a great job of bringing the character to life.
I will read the next one in the series and hope to see more of the characters. Hopefully, she can get her son back.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Bookouture via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Millie Westlake volunteers at the nursing home where her friend Jack works. Millie lives in Whitecliff where everyone knows each other and gossip spreads faster than you can say hi. Millie is well known but not with affection but with recrimination. She has committed two crimes in the minds of the inhabitants. First, she cheated with a politician, broke her marriage, and lost the custody of her son when the affair was found out, The second crime is that they believed she killed her parents and she got away with it plus inherited their home after they passed. The only job Millie can have is being a dog groomer although the reviews left on the net are not as nice as she would like.
One day, after spending time with Ingrid, a nursing home patient, she is told by Ingrid that the night before she saw a woman being pushed off the roof of a home close by through her window. Millie can't let it go and decides to investigate. This decision will put a target on her back but she can't stop digging with the help of Guy, an ex-reporter now blogger.
I liked Millie, her story was intriguing and I wanted to know more about her affair, her parent's death, and of course, if a woman was truly pushed and why. The story grabbed me from the very beginning and I was happy with the way the novel unfolded. The narrator Helen Keeley did a great job of bringing the character to life.
I will read the next one in the series and hope to see more of the characters. Hopefully, she can get her son back.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Bookouture via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
May 16, 2023
3⭐
Genre ~ cozy mystery
Series ~ A Whitecliff Bay Mystery, #1
Publication date ~ April 17, 2023
Page Count ~ 302
Audio length ~ 7 hours 51 minutes
Narrator ~ Helen Keeley ~ a fine job
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ amateur sleuthing, suicide references, murder accusations
I can't say the book excited me, but it was a quick and easy cozy mystery that follows Millie as she investigates Ingrid's claim that she saw a girl being pushed off a roof. There's also the fact that there's a rumor floating around still a year later that Millie killed her own parents. Let's not leave out that there's been some black panther sightings to keep the book moving along. Although it was quick in time, it was quite slow in parts.
Overall, fine, but I'm not super big on cozy mysteries, so it's tbd if I'll continue on with the series.
*Thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Genre ~ cozy mystery
Series ~ A Whitecliff Bay Mystery, #1
Publication date ~ April 17, 2023
Page Count ~ 302
Audio length ~ 7 hours 51 minutes
Narrator ~ Helen Keeley ~ a fine job
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ amateur sleuthing, suicide references, murder accusations
I can't say the book excited me, but it was a quick and easy cozy mystery that follows Millie as she investigates Ingrid's claim that she saw a girl being pushed off a roof. There's also the fact that there's a rumor floating around still a year later that Millie killed her own parents. Let's not leave out that there's been some black panther sightings to keep the book moving along. Although it was quick in time, it was quite slow in parts.
Overall, fine, but I'm not super big on cozy mysteries, so it's tbd if I'll continue on with the series.
*Thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
January 25, 2024
The One Who Fell is the first book of the Whitecliff Bay Mystery series. I enjoyed meeting Millie, the main character, and all the other supporting characters. The plot begins with several unanswered questions. Is Millie a murderer of her parents? Did Ingrid, a resident of the nursing home where Millie volunteers, actually see a girl pushed from a roof or is she confused? What secret is Millie keeping about her broken marriage? Is Millie being watched by a stranger in the shadows or is the danger closer than she realizes? The array of questions is gradually answered as secrets are revealed and tragedies are exposed. I look forward to discovering more mysteries from the Whitecliff Bay series. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy.
April 14, 2023
For me, the name Kerry Wilkinson is synonymous with a psychological thriller. I’ve only read five of his books, but that’s all it’s taken for me to ignore the synopsis and auto-read his latest book. With the exception of one, they’ve all been five-star reads.
When I noticed he’d written a feel-good romance last year, I shook my head and passed. Ugh.
Then I noticed he’d started a new cozy mystery series and had the first three available at once. I almost passed on the opportunity, but then realized that despite his success in one genre he was still willing to try something new and different. I’m presuming he didn't want to be pigeonholed and suddenly I wanted to be a part of something new. I’m always in awe of someone who wants to push boundaries and test abilities. Knowing his affinity for mountain biking and enjoying the open horizons with unbounded possibilities, I could see that he was strengthening his competence in his literary craft. I needed to experience it.
I’m so glad Wilkinson stepped out of his comfort zone and was willing for an adventure. I loved this first installment and am looking forward to book two. One of the things I dislike about a series is waiting a year or more for the sequel; Wilkinson had taken away that excuse. While I’ll always prefer his signature psychological thrillers best, his new cozy mystery series is still one I’ll read and recommend.
I was in awe of his plotting. He reeled me in and kept my attention. I binge-read it in one sitting because I needed answers.
I’m making the phrase ‘a proper barney’ my own from today onwards! I’m also relying on Jack’s explanation of his eating habits to get me out of trouble when I’m caught out snacking after a meal! On a side note, I won’t be able to pass the cheese aisle without thinking of Millie.
Put your reservations aside. Trust Wilkinson’s ability. Take a chance. You won’t be disappointed.
I was gifted this book by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
When I noticed he’d written a feel-good romance last year, I shook my head and passed. Ugh.
Then I noticed he’d started a new cozy mystery series and had the first three available at once. I almost passed on the opportunity, but then realized that despite his success in one genre he was still willing to try something new and different. I’m presuming he didn't want to be pigeonholed and suddenly I wanted to be a part of something new. I’m always in awe of someone who wants to push boundaries and test abilities. Knowing his affinity for mountain biking and enjoying the open horizons with unbounded possibilities, I could see that he was strengthening his competence in his literary craft. I needed to experience it.
I’m so glad Wilkinson stepped out of his comfort zone and was willing for an adventure. I loved this first installment and am looking forward to book two. One of the things I dislike about a series is waiting a year or more for the sequel; Wilkinson had taken away that excuse. While I’ll always prefer his signature psychological thrillers best, his new cozy mystery series is still one I’ll read and recommend.
I was in awe of his plotting. He reeled me in and kept my attention. I binge-read it in one sitting because I needed answers.
I’m making the phrase ‘a proper barney’ my own from today onwards! I’m also relying on Jack’s explanation of his eating habits to get me out of trouble when I’m caught out snacking after a meal! On a side note, I won’t be able to pass the cheese aisle without thinking of Millie.
Put your reservations aside. Trust Wilkinson’s ability. Take a chance. You won’t be disappointed.
I was gifted this book by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
December 16, 2024
The book summary basically lays out the start of the story, where Millie starts snooping around a house that her friend, Ingrid, said she saw a girl get pushed off the roof. This is the primary storyline. There are secondary storylines around Millie and her past: a very public discovery of an affair that Millie had with a Parliamentary member as well as the deaths of Millie’s parents shortly thereafter. There are accusations that Millie killed her parents, even though the Coroner/ME ruled the deaths suicide. Subsequently, Millie lost her job, marriage, and custody of her son. There is also some secret around the demise of her marriage besides just the affair and from the get-go, I have a strong suspicion as to what this secret is. She also began a dog grooming and training business that also suffers tremendously with fake 1star ratings, from locals who don’t like her.
There is another storyline about Millie helping a neighbor, Guy, find a panther that has been seen roaming around the countryside. Guy isan unemployed journalist a local blogger that started rumors about Millie killing her parents with an article he wrote. One of the things I like about stories in England is the British vernacular, like the way they call being laid-off “redundant”. LMAO😂 Wow, that really drives home the sense of worthlessness and a lack of value. Anyway, suffice it to say, there’s a lot going on in this story.
It's well into the second half of the story, around the 75% mark, that the storylines begin to merge. However, it’s in the final 10% of the story that most of the storylines collide in a scary, yet quite daring, scene for Millie and others. It’s in the final chapter that the conclusion to the remaining storyline is revealed. My suspicions were correct, and it becomes clear why Millie has kept it to herself, even to her own detriment. I like Millie, even if she is a bit of a hot mess. She’s not the annoying, obnoxious kind of hot mess, but rather one of a sad and kind of dejected sort of mess.
There was also a chapter/lead-in for the next book, which I will definitely be reading. I also enjoyed the author’s notes and found the author amusing in a self-deprecating kind of way that he just assumed he would be getting a lot of 1star reviews. This was an audiobook and I enjoyed listening to the narrator, Helen Keeley, with her pleasant British accent. I also found her renditions of some of the male characters funny and entertaining. I like it when a story can make me laugh, but then again, hubby says I’m easily amused. I’m ok with that😊
I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @ BookoutureAudio @TheOneWhoFell
There is another storyline about Millie helping a neighbor, Guy, find a panther that has been seen roaming around the countryside. Guy is
It's well into the second half of the story, around the 75% mark, that the storylines begin to merge. However, it’s in the final 10% of the story that most of the storylines collide in a scary, yet quite daring, scene for Millie and others. It’s in the final chapter that the conclusion to the remaining storyline is revealed. My suspicions were correct, and it becomes clear why Millie has kept it to herself, even to her own detriment. I like Millie, even if she is a bit of a hot mess. She’s not the annoying, obnoxious kind of hot mess, but rather one of a sad and kind of dejected sort of mess.
There was also a chapter/lead-in for the next book, which I will definitely be reading. I also enjoyed the author’s notes and found the author amusing in a self-deprecating kind of way that he just assumed he would be getting a lot of 1star reviews. This was an audiobook and I enjoyed listening to the narrator, Helen Keeley, with her pleasant British accent. I also found her renditions of some of the male characters funny and entertaining. I like it when a story can make me laugh, but then again, hubby says I’m easily amused. I’m ok with that😊
I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @ BookoutureAudio @TheOneWhoFell
April 8, 2023
3.5 stars rounded down.
A Whitecliff Bay Mystery Book 1
In the seaside town of Whitecliff, everyone looks out for each other. everyone knows your name and everyone knows your secrets....
Moonlight falls on the figure of the girl standing on the red-tiled roof. Her white dress and her blonde hair flutter in the freezing night wind. And suddenly - she is gone. Volunteering at the local nursing home is Millie Westlake's one escape from the rumours that swirl around Whitecliff about her past. But speaking with an elderly resident, Ingrid, as they play board games, Millie gets chills at her strange story about a young girl being pushed from a roof, somewhere across the valley. Everyone thinks Ingrid is confused, but Millie knows how it feels not to be believed. Her parents died a year ago, and the residents of Whitecliff - such a quiet place, other than crashing waves and cawing seagulls - are convinced Millie killed them.
When one of the elderly residents tells Millie that she saw a girl jump off a roof, Millie doesn't know whether to believe her or not. She decides to look into it, and this begins the mystery about what really happened. The pace is on the slow side. The characters are well developed. There's plenty of twists and red herrings trying to keep us from the correct thread. This is a quick and easy book to read. The chapters are short. There's quite a lot going on in the book, but I was enjoying trying to decipher the outcome. I was asking myself so many questions, and not all of them were good ones but my main question was if someone did fall from the roof, why weren't the police or ambulance called? Now I'm off to read the next Whitecliff Bay mystery - The One Who Was Taken.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #Bookouture and the author #Kerrywilkinson for my ARC of #TheOneWhoFell in exchange for an honest review.
A Whitecliff Bay Mystery Book 1
In the seaside town of Whitecliff, everyone looks out for each other. everyone knows your name and everyone knows your secrets....
Moonlight falls on the figure of the girl standing on the red-tiled roof. Her white dress and her blonde hair flutter in the freezing night wind. And suddenly - she is gone. Volunteering at the local nursing home is Millie Westlake's one escape from the rumours that swirl around Whitecliff about her past. But speaking with an elderly resident, Ingrid, as they play board games, Millie gets chills at her strange story about a young girl being pushed from a roof, somewhere across the valley. Everyone thinks Ingrid is confused, but Millie knows how it feels not to be believed. Her parents died a year ago, and the residents of Whitecliff - such a quiet place, other than crashing waves and cawing seagulls - are convinced Millie killed them.
When one of the elderly residents tells Millie that she saw a girl jump off a roof, Millie doesn't know whether to believe her or not. She decides to look into it, and this begins the mystery about what really happened. The pace is on the slow side. The characters are well developed. There's plenty of twists and red herrings trying to keep us from the correct thread. This is a quick and easy book to read. The chapters are short. There's quite a lot going on in the book, but I was enjoying trying to decipher the outcome. I was asking myself so many questions, and not all of them were good ones but my main question was if someone did fall from the roof, why weren't the police or ambulance called? Now I'm off to read the next Whitecliff Bay mystery - The One Who Was Taken.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #Bookouture and the author #Kerrywilkinson for my ARC of #TheOneWhoFell in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2023
I first thought it was a psychological thriller, but it is actually a mystery.
This is the first book in the 4-part Whitecliff mysteries (don't know if there will be others)
Millie, Guy, Jack and Rishi were interesting characters. Can't say the same about Millie's ex, Alex and his Fiancée Rachel. I don't get why Millie did not confront Alex with his secret.
Millie is infamous because everyone in the town suspects her of killing her parents, thanks to the nosy reporter, Guy. She is angry with him, but he turns out to be a friend. They start sleuthing together to solve the mystery of the 'Girl who Fell', and succeed. There are other mysteries like the wild cat sighting and the mystery of her parents' death, which are not solved in this book. The next books might have the answers, so i did jump to the 2nd book immediately.
Recommended for those who like short mysteries. This is not taxing to the brain. So the rating is 3.5* +, as I was in the mood for a light mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and the Author for the ARC
This is the first book in the 4-part Whitecliff mysteries (don't know if there will be others)
Millie, Guy, Jack and Rishi were interesting characters. Can't say the same about Millie's ex, Alex and his Fiancée Rachel. I don't get why Millie did not confront Alex with his secret.
Millie is infamous because everyone in the town suspects her of killing her parents, thanks to the nosy reporter, Guy. She is angry with him, but he turns out to be a friend. They start sleuthing together to solve the mystery of the 'Girl who Fell', and succeed. There are other mysteries like the wild cat sighting and the mystery of her parents' death, which are not solved in this book. The next books might have the answers, so i did jump to the 2nd book immediately.
Recommended for those who like short mysteries. This is not taxing to the brain. So the rating is 3.5* +, as I was in the mood for a light mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and the Author for the ARC
dnf
April 9, 2023DNF at 10%.
I really don't like DNFing ARCs but there were a few errors that I couldn't get passed. The best example I can give is the FMC, Millie, tells her colleague, Jack, a story that she heard from an elderly woman, Ingrid, about a woman Ingrid saw on a roof out the window.
It's the first Jack is hearing of the story. Millie says to Jack: "Ingrid says she saw someone on that house's roof last night".
Jack replies "if someone was PUSHED off the roof..." (caps is my emphasis).
No one said to Jack she was pushed, or anything about her being pushed. Millie hadn't said that YET. Then the following dialogue makes it worse.
Millie replied: "... And she said the girl was pushed".
What?! This kind of error 6% in where the above capitalised PUSHED shouldn't be pushed (or if it should, then no good anyway). I just can't go on unfortunately. It seemed like the lead up to the main parts of the story... so kind of want it to read well.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I really don't like DNFing ARCs but there were a few errors that I couldn't get passed. The best example I can give is the FMC, Millie, tells her colleague, Jack, a story that she heard from an elderly woman, Ingrid, about a woman Ingrid saw on a roof out the window.
It's the first Jack is hearing of the story. Millie says to Jack: "Ingrid says she saw someone on that house's roof last night".
Jack replies "if someone was PUSHED off the roof..." (caps is my emphasis).
No one said to Jack she was pushed, or anything about her being pushed. Millie hadn't said that YET. Then the following dialogue makes it worse.
Millie replied: "... And she said the girl was pushed".
What?! This kind of error 6% in where the above capitalised PUSHED shouldn't be pushed (or if it should, then no good anyway). I just can't go on unfortunately. It seemed like the lead up to the main parts of the story... so kind of want it to read well.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 20, 2023
The One Who Fell was a mystery crime novel. I gave this a 4 ⭐️. Kerry Wilkinson is one of my favorite authors. This story was about relationships, secrets, second chances and mystery.
What happened to Millie? And what about her parents? I found the writing entertaining and enjoyable with great side characters.
I listened to the audiobook also and found the narrator perfect for this book.
Thanks Bookouture via NetGalley.
What happened to Millie? And what about her parents? I found the writing entertaining and enjoyable with great side characters.
I listened to the audiobook also and found the narrator perfect for this book.
Thanks Bookouture via NetGalley.
April 19, 2023
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The One Who Fell' by Kerry Wilkinson.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 17th April 2023.
This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Whitecliff Bay' series. I have previously read 'The Child Across The Street', 'The Party At Number 12' and 'The Child In The Photo', 'Truly, Madly Amy' and 'The Boyfriend' which I would also recommend reading.
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An utterly compelling, character-driven mystery by bestselling author Kerry Wilkinson, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Mary Burton and LJ Ross.' I am a huge fan of both Faith Martin and Mary Burton so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Kerry and if this is as good as 'The Child Across The Street', 'Truly, Madly, Amy', 'The Boyfriend', 'The Child In The Photo' and 'The Party At Number 12' it is sure to be an excellent read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 41 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Whitecliff, England, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited England on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Kerry has based the book on.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Millie Westlake. The benefits of third person perspective with are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
Well, well, well Wow!!! What an absolute cracker of a book!!! This book sucked me straight in from beginning to the explosive ending. It was very well written with excellent descriptions which put me straight into the storyline. The blog and the cover suited the book perfectly.
An absolutely explosive start to a promising new series!!!
This is yet another absolutely fantastic page turner by the extremely talented Kerry. Between Kerry's evocative writing skills and Helen's fantastic narrative talented they really bring the story to life. I loved the seaside atmosphere of Whitecliff Bay where you can hear the waves crashing and feel the wind in your hair while turning the pages. Kerry describes life in a small community perfectly with everyone knowing who is who and who did what or who they think did what, living in a small village myself I see this all the time. Millie starts volunteering at her local care home where one of the elderly residents named Ingrid tells her she had seen someone falling off a roof. The way Ingrid tells Millie this story makes her believe it is true rather than senility so she sets out to do some investigating herself which puts her in danger. Millie tragically lost both of her parents and the rumours in the town put the blame at her feet but as well as suffering with the rumours and loss of her parents she has also recently divorced and hasn't got many friends. She ends up unexpectedly meeting the man that she believes is to blame for thr rumours that she had something to do with her parents death but events lead them to an unexpected truce. We never do find out what happened to Millie's parents so I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the next book to see if we find out more about her past. The storyline is addictive and filled with suspense, tension, mystery and everything you could ask for in a fantastic page turner!!
I loved all the twists and turns and throughout it kept me guessing what was going on and who was doing what. I would NEVER have guessed at the ending so a MASSIVE WELL DONE to Kerry . I have read many thrillers and it's getting harder and harder for me to be surprised so great job there. I loved the storyline and just loved everything about it. It was all done perfectly!! An absolutely addictive page turner that kept my heart in my throat on the edge of the seat and absolutely absorbed me. The fact there were so many different red herrings and so many possibilities that all would have worked perfectly I could not put this book down!!! I was so invested in the storyline that I was up until 2am!! I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie!!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to the next book in this series which is called 'The One Who Was Taken' and which I am off to read now so keep your eyes peeled for my review of it!!
WARNING ⚠ DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE CLEARED YOUR SCHEDULES AS THIS BOOK IS ADDICTIVE!!!!
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 Helen Keeley 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 Jasmine did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Leah but also to listening to more books narrated by Jasmine!
It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also any characters that may make repeat appearances during the series too.
THE characters were fantastic, solid and completely believable. The main protagonist is Millie who I really liked from the start. My heart went out to her with everything she was going through. She helps out by volunteering at her local care home and also does some dog grooming. I enjoyed getting to know some of her back story and meeting her friends, ex husband, ex lover and godfather and I am looking forward to getting to meet her again and learn more about her in the rest of this promising series. She is an intriguing and complex character and I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know her.
There was a great eclectic mix of characters from good to bad which always helps to liven the storyline up. They all had such different and strong personalities and all suited the storyline perfectly.. There were such a mix of personalities and its hard really to say too much about any of them without giving too much away!!! Regardless of whether you liked, loved or disliked any of the characters they all work perfectly together to bring this story to life. I cannot wait to meet Helen and more characters in the next book in this series which is called 'The One Who Was Taken' and which I am off to read now so keep your eyes peeled for my review of it!!
CONGRATULATIONS KERRY ON YET ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE PAGE TURNER!!!! AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC START TO A PROMISING NEW SERIES!! THIS IS EXACTLY WHY YOU ARE ONE OF MY TOP 5 MALE AUTHORS!!! HERE'S TO YOUR NEXT SUCCESS 🥂
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first two chapters of Kerry's 'The One Who Was Taken' which looks just as addictive as this book and Kerry's previous books, is the next book in this addictive series and I am actually off to read next so keep your eyes peeled for my review!!
Overall a compelling, addictive and fantastic start to what promises to be an explosive series!!
Genres covered in this novel include Murder Thriller, Psychological Suspense, Literature And Fiction, Murder Suspense, Teen & Young Adult, Suspense Thriller, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Lawyers & Criminals Humour, Murder, Psychological Thriller, Crime Thriller, English Crime, Noir Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena, Faith Martin, Mary Burton, LJ Ross. 'The Girl on the Train', 'I Am Watching You', C. L Taylor and anyone looking for a book with a twist they will never suspect!!!
304 pages/ 7 hours 51 minutes.
This book is FREE to purchase on kindle via Amazon, free on kindle unlimited, £8.99 in paperback and £16 for the audiobook (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
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Review for 'The One Who Fell' by Kerry Wilkinson.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 17th April 2023.
This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Whitecliff Bay' series. I have previously read 'The Child Across The Street', 'The Party At Number 12' and 'The Child In The Photo', 'Truly, Madly Amy' and 'The Boyfriend' which I would also recommend reading.
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An utterly compelling, character-driven mystery by bestselling author Kerry Wilkinson, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Mary Burton and LJ Ross.' I am a huge fan of both Faith Martin and Mary Burton so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Kerry and if this is as good as 'The Child Across The Street', 'Truly, Madly, Amy', 'The Boyfriend', 'The Child In The Photo' and 'The Party At Number 12' it is sure to be an excellent read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 41 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Whitecliff, England, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited England on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Kerry has based the book on.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Millie Westlake. The benefits of third person perspective with are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
Well, well, well Wow!!! What an absolute cracker of a book!!! This book sucked me straight in from beginning to the explosive ending. It was very well written with excellent descriptions which put me straight into the storyline. The blog and the cover suited the book perfectly.
An absolutely explosive start to a promising new series!!!
This is yet another absolutely fantastic page turner by the extremely talented Kerry. Between Kerry's evocative writing skills and Helen's fantastic narrative talented they really bring the story to life. I loved the seaside atmosphere of Whitecliff Bay where you can hear the waves crashing and feel the wind in your hair while turning the pages. Kerry describes life in a small community perfectly with everyone knowing who is who and who did what or who they think did what, living in a small village myself I see this all the time. Millie starts volunteering at her local care home where one of the elderly residents named Ingrid tells her she had seen someone falling off a roof. The way Ingrid tells Millie this story makes her believe it is true rather than senility so she sets out to do some investigating herself which puts her in danger. Millie tragically lost both of her parents and the rumours in the town put the blame at her feet but as well as suffering with the rumours and loss of her parents she has also recently divorced and hasn't got many friends. She ends up unexpectedly meeting the man that she believes is to blame for thr rumours that she had something to do with her parents death but events lead them to an unexpected truce. We never do find out what happened to Millie's parents so I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the next book to see if we find out more about her past. The storyline is addictive and filled with suspense, tension, mystery and everything you could ask for in a fantastic page turner!!
I loved all the twists and turns and throughout it kept me guessing what was going on and who was doing what. I would NEVER have guessed at the ending so a MASSIVE WELL DONE to Kerry . I have read many thrillers and it's getting harder and harder for me to be surprised so great job there. I loved the storyline and just loved everything about it. It was all done perfectly!! An absolutely addictive page turner that kept my heart in my throat on the edge of the seat and absolutely absorbed me. The fact there were so many different red herrings and so many possibilities that all would have worked perfectly I could not put this book down!!! I was so invested in the storyline that I was up until 2am!! I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie!!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to the next book in this series which is called 'The One Who Was Taken' and which I am off to read now so keep your eyes peeled for my review of it!!
WARNING ⚠ DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE CLEARED YOUR SCHEDULES AS THIS BOOK IS ADDICTIVE!!!!
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 Helen Keeley 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 Jasmine did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Leah but also to listening to more books narrated by Jasmine!
It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also any characters that may make repeat appearances during the series too.
THE characters were fantastic, solid and completely believable. The main protagonist is Millie who I really liked from the start. My heart went out to her with everything she was going through. She helps out by volunteering at her local care home and also does some dog grooming. I enjoyed getting to know some of her back story and meeting her friends, ex husband, ex lover and godfather and I am looking forward to getting to meet her again and learn more about her in the rest of this promising series. She is an intriguing and complex character and I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know her.
There was a great eclectic mix of characters from good to bad which always helps to liven the storyline up. They all had such different and strong personalities and all suited the storyline perfectly.. There were such a mix of personalities and its hard really to say too much about any of them without giving too much away!!! Regardless of whether you liked, loved or disliked any of the characters they all work perfectly together to bring this story to life. I cannot wait to meet Helen and more characters in the next book in this series which is called 'The One Who Was Taken' and which I am off to read now so keep your eyes peeled for my review of it!!
CONGRATULATIONS KERRY ON YET ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE PAGE TURNER!!!! AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC START TO A PROMISING NEW SERIES!! THIS IS EXACTLY WHY YOU ARE ONE OF MY TOP 5 MALE AUTHORS!!! HERE'S TO YOUR NEXT SUCCESS 🥂
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first two chapters of Kerry's 'The One Who Was Taken' which looks just as addictive as this book and Kerry's previous books, is the next book in this addictive series and I am actually off to read next so keep your eyes peeled for my review!!
Overall a compelling, addictive and fantastic start to what promises to be an explosive series!!
Genres covered in this novel include Murder Thriller, Psychological Suspense, Literature And Fiction, Murder Suspense, Teen & Young Adult, Suspense Thriller, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Lawyers & Criminals Humour, Murder, Psychological Thriller, Crime Thriller, English Crime, Noir Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena, Faith Martin, Mary Burton, LJ Ross. 'The Girl on the Train', 'I Am Watching You', C. L Taylor and anyone looking for a book with a twist they will never suspect!!!
304 pages/ 7 hours 51 minutes.
This book is FREE to purchase on kindle via Amazon, free on kindle unlimited, £8.99 in paperback and £16 for the audiobook (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
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March 25, 2023
Narrated by Helen Keeley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fantastic voice! I really hope Helen Keeley is narrating the whole series.
Story by Kerry Wilkinson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really enjoyed Millie's character. She came across as strong and determined women so for me (without giving too much away) the big confrontation with the ex husband didn't ring true to me and that section really let the book down. If she had continued to stand up to him it would have elevated this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fantastic voice! I really hope Helen Keeley is narrating the whole series.
Story by Kerry Wilkinson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really enjoyed Millie's character. She came across as strong and determined women so for me (without giving too much away) the big confrontation with the ex husband didn't ring true to me and that section really let the book down. If she had continued to stand up to him it would have elevated this book.
July 15, 2023
Thanks Netgalley & bookouture for this audiobook.
This book didn’t really wow me, but it was ok enough to keep me going.
It was a quick and easy cozy mystery.
The story follows Millie as she investigates Ingrid's claim that she saw a girl being pushed off a roof,
##Have Ingrid and Millie stumbled across something terribly dangerous? And with the town against her, will Millie have to face up to her own secrets to solve the mystery before it becomes deadly?
This book didn’t really wow me, but it was ok enough to keep me going.
It was a quick and easy cozy mystery.
The story follows Millie as she investigates Ingrid's claim that she saw a girl being pushed off a roof,
##Have Ingrid and Millie stumbled across something terribly dangerous? And with the town against her, will Millie have to face up to her own secrets to solve the mystery before it becomes deadly?
February 24, 2025
I enjoyed listening to this mystery story, where the main character is amateur sleuth Millie Westlake. She is working at a nursing home when Ingrid, one of the residents there, tells her a story about a young girl who was pushed from a roof, so Millie sets out to find out what happened to this girl. Will she be able to solve the case?
The audiobook narrator was great for this book, and I really liked her voice.
This is book 1 of a series of 4 books, so be sure to check them all out! Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author, narrator, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
The audiobook narrator was great for this book, and I really liked her voice.
This is book 1 of a series of 4 books, so be sure to check them all out! Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author, narrator, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
April 8, 2023
What's going on in the book?
An old nursing home resident sees a young woman being pushed from the roof of a pretty high house. She tells a volunteer about it, the latter asks the owner, who gives her the creeps by the way, and here we go!
The plot:
I would say it's a simple one, with predectible events and ending, still, the author did a great job building some kind of tension throughout the book.
The characters:
One of the things I liked are the realistic, very well developped characters, main or secondary. I usually don't like female amateur sleuths, especially when, and because it's always the case, they make very stupid, almost fatal decisions and Millie was no exception. But strange enough, it didn't bother me in this one. True, I wanted to slap her more than once, but she was an enjoyable company.
The pace:
I found it to be a bit slow, but the book being the first in a series, it's more of an introduction to the town, the people, the setting and an opportunity to know more about the character's background, so, as long I didn't get bored, it was fine for me.
The writing:
Fluid and alive, it sucked me up in the story and I had the impression of being a part of the amateur investigators (I'm not an amateur investigator, just to be clear 😂).
Verdict:
A good read, 3.5 stars rounded to 4, a story on the move, lots of layers we need to unrap in the next setting, so, a series to follow for sure.
PS : This was an audiobook, and the narrator did an amazing job bringing Millie's character to life!
Thanks Bookouture via Netgalley for the audio arc.
An old nursing home resident sees a young woman being pushed from the roof of a pretty high house. She tells a volunteer about it, the latter asks the owner, who gives her the creeps by the way, and here we go!
The plot:
I would say it's a simple one, with predectible events and ending, still, the author did a great job building some kind of tension throughout the book.
The characters:
One of the things I liked are the realistic, very well developped characters, main or secondary. I usually don't like female amateur sleuths, especially when, and because it's always the case, they make very stupid, almost fatal decisions and Millie was no exception. But strange enough, it didn't bother me in this one. True, I wanted to slap her more than once, but she was an enjoyable company.
The pace:
I found it to be a bit slow, but the book being the first in a series, it's more of an introduction to the town, the people, the setting and an opportunity to know more about the character's background, so, as long I didn't get bored, it was fine for me.
The writing:
Fluid and alive, it sucked me up in the story and I had the impression of being a part of the amateur investigators (I'm not an amateur investigator, just to be clear 😂).
Verdict:
A good read, 3.5 stars rounded to 4, a story on the move, lots of layers we need to unrap in the next setting, so, a series to follow for sure.
PS : This was an audiobook, and the narrator did an amazing job bringing Millie's character to life!
Thanks Bookouture via Netgalley for the audio arc.
April 23, 2023
It took me a good 20/30% to really get into this story. It was ok up till that point & I wasn’t sure if I would end up liking this. Then suddenly it became interesting. I liked the setting of this small town with its nosy inhabitants & the secrets that people were keeping. Most importantly, I came to like Millie. If I was her I’m not sure I could have been strong enough with all the scrutiny that surrounds her. Tough girl. I think I’m going to enjoy reading more about her & what goes on in Whitecliff Bay.
January 2, 2024
I listened to the ALC of this book in May and I have to admit that some of the details are now hazy but I did overall enjoy the book and the twist at the end was unexpected. Helen Keeley did a good job with the narration and I had no issues with following the story while listening to the audiobook. Since I am always on a look out for new mystery/police procedural series, I think I will reread this one again before continuing with the other books in the series.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture Audio and the author Kerry Wilkinson for the ALC.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture Audio and the author Kerry Wilkinson for the ALC.
April 17, 2023
Millie Westlake lives in Whitecliff, the town where she grew up. She makes her living as a dog groomer & volunteers at the local nursing home. Her business is struggling due to some bad reviews related to her parents' deaths as, thanks to a newspaper article at the time, many people think Millie was responsible. Her marriage to ex-husband Alex broke down after she had an affair (there's a hint of a revelation to come about Alex but we don't find out until the last moment) & he has moved on with Rachel, & Millie is only allowed partial custody of their son.
Whilst she is at the nursing home one day playing a sedate game of Guess Who?, her opponent, Ingrid, suddenly announces that the night before she saw a young woman get pushed off the roof of one of the houses nearby. Millie is sceptical but wanting to put Ingrid's mind at rest, she noses around the outside of the house & speaks to the owner, Dean Parris, who says he is the only occupant. Outside Millie finds a loose roof tile on the floor of the alleyway but doesn't think too much of it, until it seems that Parris has started following her & she thinks she sees his van outside her home before he suddenly drives off when he thinks he has been spotted. Has Millie put herself in danger?
Millie has a nice friendship with Jack (who also works at the nursing home) & his partner Rishi, & it looks as if a bit of a double-act with Guy, a retired journalist who was close friends with her parents, may be in the offing. His contacts help Millie solve the mystery & he has a really cute dog named Barry. Cute dogs aside, I found this to be very slow-going & almost DNF'd it. I carried on as I was intrigued enough to want to find out what had happened but I can't say I'd be in a rush to read the next one. 2.5 stars (rounded up)
TWs: death of parents, infidelity.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Bookouture, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Whilst she is at the nursing home one day playing a sedate game of Guess Who?, her opponent, Ingrid, suddenly announces that the night before she saw a young woman get pushed off the roof of one of the houses nearby. Millie is sceptical but wanting to put Ingrid's mind at rest, she noses around the outside of the house & speaks to the owner, Dean Parris, who says he is the only occupant. Outside Millie finds a loose roof tile on the floor of the alleyway but doesn't think too much of it, until it seems that Parris has started following her & she thinks she sees his van outside her home before he suddenly drives off when he thinks he has been spotted. Has Millie put herself in danger?
Millie has a nice friendship with Jack (who also works at the nursing home) & his partner Rishi, & it looks as if a bit of a double-act with Guy, a retired journalist who was close friends with her parents, may be in the offing. His contacts help Millie solve the mystery & he has a really cute dog named Barry. Cute dogs aside, I found this to be very slow-going & almost DNF'd it. I carried on as I was intrigued enough to want to find out what had happened but I can't say I'd be in a rush to read the next one. 2.5 stars (rounded up)
TWs: death of parents, infidelity.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Bookouture, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
April 21, 2023
Finally another book finished! It took me a while to read again, but I'm in a flow again. This time it was The One Who Felly by Kerry Wilkinson and it was published on the 17th of April. I received it from Bookouture via Netgalley.
We follow Millie who volunteers at an age care home. One of the residents claims to have seen something from her window. Millie is rather curious and starts to look into this and that turns I to a full investigation with lots of people involved. And, of course, this all leads to a thrilling conclusion.
The characters were developed well and their backstories were just just briefly described to keep you interested in the character development. I guess this will be described in more detail in the other books. The story was also a fun one - the premise was interesting and an investigation carried out by a 'normal' (non police) person is always a fun idea. I found the pace of the story to be a bit slow at times and the descriptions sometimes a bit too much, too many details that weren't necessary.
All in all a decent 3/5⭐
We follow Millie who volunteers at an age care home. One of the residents claims to have seen something from her window. Millie is rather curious and starts to look into this and that turns I to a full investigation with lots of people involved. And, of course, this all leads to a thrilling conclusion.
The characters were developed well and their backstories were just just briefly described to keep you interested in the character development. I guess this will be described in more detail in the other books. The story was also a fun one - the premise was interesting and an investigation carried out by a 'normal' (non police) person is always a fun idea. I found the pace of the story to be a bit slow at times and the descriptions sometimes a bit too much, too many details that weren't necessary.
All in all a decent 3/5⭐
April 23, 2023
3.5
I’m going to start this by saying the narration, by Helen Keeley, was truly spectacular and I’d listen to this just for her skills! While this wasn’t a fast-paced nail-biter I did enjoy the methodical piecing together of the events. The chapters are short and the characters are well developed so this was a quick and pleasant read.
This story is very light on the violence and bloodshed and had some very moving moments, all of which I appreciated. It gave me some similar vibes to a show called Broad Church, which I loved!
This is the first of four books in a cozy mystery series, which I’ll definitely be continuing!
Thank you Bookotour for the #alc via Netgalley
I’m going to start this by saying the narration, by Helen Keeley, was truly spectacular and I’d listen to this just for her skills! While this wasn’t a fast-paced nail-biter I did enjoy the methodical piecing together of the events. The chapters are short and the characters are well developed so this was a quick and pleasant read.
This story is very light on the violence and bloodshed and had some very moving moments, all of which I appreciated. It gave me some similar vibes to a show called Broad Church, which I loved!
This is the first of four books in a cozy mystery series, which I’ll definitely be continuing!
Thank you Bookotour for the #alc via Netgalley
Read
April 10, 2023The One Who Fell by Kerry Wilkinson is a gripping mystery novel set in Whitecliff Bay and the first in the series. There is lots to keep the reader entertained with the disappearance of a young woman and also Millie, the main protagonist, own back ground. Had me hooked and can't wait to read more!
April 8, 2023
In the seaside town of Whitecliff, everyone looks out for each other. Everyone knows your name. And everyone knows your secrets...
Kerry Wilkinson has long been a favourite author of mine who I auto-request without even reading the description. When I learnt he was publishing a new series, with the first three books on the same day, I didn't think twice. But the Whitecliff mystery series is far removed from his usual psychological thrillers that I have come to know and love...but it still didn't disappoint. Despite its slow start I was pleasantly surprised at how adept Kerry is at trying his hand at a slightly different genre. Last year it was a rom-com; this year its a cosy mystery series. While the rom-com wasn't my thing it did highlight his skillful storytelling. And now THE ONE WHO FELL deftly moves into the cosy niche with its main character, Millie Westlake, at the forefront of the story.
Millie is a woman with a past and not an altogether happy one, if slightly colourful. A year ago she was outed as having an affair with a high profile Member of Parliament which thus was the end of her marriage and seeing her back in her childhood home with her parents, who did not hide their disappointment in her from her. But Millie had no time to make amends with her parents for she'd barely been back home when they were found dead and she was taken in for questioning. And Whitecliff being the small town (with small minds) that it is, gossip was rife. And despite her not being charged or even being a suspect, there are some folk in town who still think she murdered her parents.
And now, she lives in the house that was her childhood home which now belongs to her alone. Some people still think she killed her parents; others don't even care. But there are always those who are quick to frown and judge and point their fingers with a quick word to say. But Millie no longer cares what people think of her. All she cares about is moving on with her life, such as it is, and to spend as much time as she can with her seven year old son Eric...or rather when ex-husband Alex allows. When Millie had her affair, Alex was humiliated he says. But it seems what's good for the goose is not always what's also good for the gander. And that really stuck in my craw. The man is a two-faced lying hypocrite and I wanted to smack his condescension off his smirking face. Why Millie didn't is a mystery.
Anyway, I digress...
Millie works as a dog groomer and obedience trainer (which Alex continually sneers at not being "a real job") and volunteers at the local nursing home. There she spends time with the old folk, talking with them, playing games and basically keeping them company. One day, one of the residents Ingrid tells her she saw a girl being pushed from a roof of a house outside her window a short distance away. Millie doesn't know whether to believe Ingrid or not because one day she's lucid and the next she's foggy. Though Ingrid was adamant in her assertion of what she saw. When someone else says they saw a woman fall from a roof on the same night, Millie knows that this is not a coincidence. Ingrid HAD seen something that night. And Millie set out to find out exactly what that was.
Her investigations lead her to Dean Parris, the owner of the house from which the girl was seen falling from. But he is not forthcoming. If anything he is intimidating and when Millie sees him outside her house, she begins to wonder if he is a threat. But why is he following her? What does he want from her?
Along the way, Millie teams up with retired reporter Guy Rushden who had been a long-friend of her father's. He has the contacts and the resources, not to mention the four decades of archives nestled about in his house that can help Millie get to the bottom of this mystery. Did a girl really fall from the rooftop? Or was she pushed? There was no sign of someone having fallen, no emergency services, ambulance or police...so was there even a girl at all? And what of Millie's parents? Did she kill them? Or did they really commit suicide? What is Alex's deep dark secret that, if made known, could ruin him? And what secrets is Millie hiding?
THE ONE WHO FELL is a compelling tale that, while it is did start of a little slow, it did pick up around 40% and I found myself swiping the pages to find out what really happened. I did figure it out as the pieces slowly came together...a lot quicker than Millie did, but maybe she'll be quicker on the uptake in the following books with Guy at her side. They make a great team and I hope to see more of Guy. I like his wit and his fatherly nature. I think they are the perfect crime fighting duo for this series.
I love that the chapters are fairly short and snappy. They kept the pace moving once it picked up. There aren't a whole lot of characters but the handful there are are a mixed bag of either loving or hating them. I look forward to the reading the next two subsequent installments and the fourth one publishing next month.
A compelling start to a new series, it is perfect for fans of cosy mysteries.
I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheOneWhoFell in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Kerry Wilkinson has long been a favourite author of mine who I auto-request without even reading the description. When I learnt he was publishing a new series, with the first three books on the same day, I didn't think twice. But the Whitecliff mystery series is far removed from his usual psychological thrillers that I have come to know and love...but it still didn't disappoint. Despite its slow start I was pleasantly surprised at how adept Kerry is at trying his hand at a slightly different genre. Last year it was a rom-com; this year its a cosy mystery series. While the rom-com wasn't my thing it did highlight his skillful storytelling. And now THE ONE WHO FELL deftly moves into the cosy niche with its main character, Millie Westlake, at the forefront of the story.
Millie is a woman with a past and not an altogether happy one, if slightly colourful. A year ago she was outed as having an affair with a high profile Member of Parliament which thus was the end of her marriage and seeing her back in her childhood home with her parents, who did not hide their disappointment in her from her. But Millie had no time to make amends with her parents for she'd barely been back home when they were found dead and she was taken in for questioning. And Whitecliff being the small town (with small minds) that it is, gossip was rife. And despite her not being charged or even being a suspect, there are some folk in town who still think she murdered her parents.
And now, she lives in the house that was her childhood home which now belongs to her alone. Some people still think she killed her parents; others don't even care. But there are always those who are quick to frown and judge and point their fingers with a quick word to say. But Millie no longer cares what people think of her. All she cares about is moving on with her life, such as it is, and to spend as much time as she can with her seven year old son Eric...or rather when ex-husband Alex allows. When Millie had her affair, Alex was humiliated he says. But it seems what's good for the goose is not always what's also good for the gander. And that really stuck in my craw. The man is a two-faced lying hypocrite and I wanted to smack his condescension off his smirking face. Why Millie didn't is a mystery.
Anyway, I digress...
Millie works as a dog groomer and obedience trainer (which Alex continually sneers at not being "a real job") and volunteers at the local nursing home. There she spends time with the old folk, talking with them, playing games and basically keeping them company. One day, one of the residents Ingrid tells her she saw a girl being pushed from a roof of a house outside her window a short distance away. Millie doesn't know whether to believe Ingrid or not because one day she's lucid and the next she's foggy. Though Ingrid was adamant in her assertion of what she saw. When someone else says they saw a woman fall from a roof on the same night, Millie knows that this is not a coincidence. Ingrid HAD seen something that night. And Millie set out to find out exactly what that was.
Her investigations lead her to Dean Parris, the owner of the house from which the girl was seen falling from. But he is not forthcoming. If anything he is intimidating and when Millie sees him outside her house, she begins to wonder if he is a threat. But why is he following her? What does he want from her?
Along the way, Millie teams up with retired reporter Guy Rushden who had been a long-friend of her father's. He has the contacts and the resources, not to mention the four decades of archives nestled about in his house that can help Millie get to the bottom of this mystery. Did a girl really fall from the rooftop? Or was she pushed? There was no sign of someone having fallen, no emergency services, ambulance or police...so was there even a girl at all? And what of Millie's parents? Did she kill them? Or did they really commit suicide? What is Alex's deep dark secret that, if made known, could ruin him? And what secrets is Millie hiding?
THE ONE WHO FELL is a compelling tale that, while it is did start of a little slow, it did pick up around 40% and I found myself swiping the pages to find out what really happened. I did figure it out as the pieces slowly came together...a lot quicker than Millie did, but maybe she'll be quicker on the uptake in the following books with Guy at her side. They make a great team and I hope to see more of Guy. I like his wit and his fatherly nature. I think they are the perfect crime fighting duo for this series.
I love that the chapters are fairly short and snappy. They kept the pace moving once it picked up. There aren't a whole lot of characters but the handful there are are a mixed bag of either loving or hating them. I look forward to the reading the next two subsequent installments and the fourth one publishing next month.
A compelling start to a new series, it is perfect for fans of cosy mysteries.
I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheOneWhoFell in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 20, 2025
A solid mystery but felt a little lackluster in some areas. A good start to a series. 3.5 ⭐
April 4, 2023
Reading Stuff 'n' Things
The description of this book pretty much sets the scene and paints a good picture of what this book is about so I won't repeat any of it here but what I will say is that the narrator made the book for me; she was brilliant and really brought to life the characters and the overriding sense of building tension.
The One Who Fell is the first in the series and a pretty good opener I think to a set of mystery books. The characters were really strong and believable and the plot was intriguing; the side story of the panther was a bit odd at first but was weaved into the main story pretty well at the end.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this audiobook; it was a little slow to begin with but as the tension built, the pace increased to a satisfying conclusion and thanks must go to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The One Who Fell.
The description of this book pretty much sets the scene and paints a good picture of what this book is about so I won't repeat any of it here but what I will say is that the narrator made the book for me; she was brilliant and really brought to life the characters and the overriding sense of building tension.
The One Who Fell is the first in the series and a pretty good opener I think to a set of mystery books. The characters were really strong and believable and the plot was intriguing; the side story of the panther was a bit odd at first but was weaved into the main story pretty well at the end.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this audiobook; it was a little slow to begin with but as the tension built, the pace increased to a satisfying conclusion and thanks must go to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The One Who Fell.
March 22, 2023
Kerry Wilkinson's The One Who Fell was really well written and the audio narrarator did a fantastic job of bringing Millie's story to life! I read/listened to this book in one day - I was so engrossed in the town, the people, and in Millie herself. This book is the first in the Whitecliff Bay Mystery Series and you can bet I will be buying the others as soon as they hit the shelves!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the Author for an ARC audio of this book for my honest review. You've got a winner here!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the Author for an ARC audio of this book for my honest review. You've got a winner here!
March 30, 2023
The One Who Fell (A Whitecliff Bay Mystery Book 1) by Kerry Wilkinson Millie and her story was slow paced and dragged in places. When finally got to the end there was only a partial conclusion of the mysteries. A pleasant enough read but did not like that the book had a “to be continued” ending on one of the major elements of the story.
Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
April 9, 2023
3.75 stars
This book was a wild adventure. It wasn’t my favourite in the genre, but it had some interesting twists and turns, and for the most part, I enjoyed it. It was a quick, intriguing little read.
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a wild adventure. It wasn’t my favourite in the genre, but it had some interesting twists and turns, and for the most part, I enjoyed it. It was a quick, intriguing little read.
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2023
Nothing much happened until the last 20 pages.
April 13, 2023
This is the first book in The Whitecliff Bay mysteries in in it we meet Millie Westlake she is a year out of being accused of murder in almost 2 years out of being caught having an affair with the local MP. The affair is how she lost custody of her son and only gets to see him every other weekend she lives in her family home by herself until recently has had a very lonely life with the exception of volunteering at the local home for senior citizens this is where she is when One of the residents Ingrid tells her about the woman she saw fall off the roof from her room at the care home because Ingrid is not always plugged in to modern day Millie doesn’t know if this is a memory or something she really saw the night before so she goes with Ingrid to her room and the elderly lady shows her the house where the woman fell intrigued in for reasons Millie cannot determine she decides to go and check the house out only to meet it’s creepy owner standing in the front yard it isn’t until that night when the man Millie blames for putting her name all over the newspaper shows up asking about a black panther and white Cliff Guy what’s the local reporter for the wipe cliff paper for over 40 years and at one time was her dad‘s best friend something Millie didn’t know until recently guy isn’t the only ghost from her past that’s going to creep up though not to mention year after being accused of her parents murders she has another run in with the police but is it because she is investigating the woman who fell? Between guy and her best friend Jack they worry about her and tell her to let it go but for so long Millie hasn’t had anything that excites her like solving this potential Crime does. I loved this book I love Jack and Richie I love the guy I love everything about this book I thought it was cleverly done I can’t wait to read the next one which I have any other ones that’s in the Siri‘s I find Millie so likable and the best thing about her is she is like a normal person without all the high born habits most characters have I love her and cannot wait to read more in the future. I received this book from NetGalley and Boldwood books but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
April 17, 2023
This was a good book. It wasn’t a story that will stick in my mind as a great book, but it was good. One important thing to know is that it is book one of a series and it ends in a way that doesn’t entirely clear things up so you will need to read the next book to find things out. I’m not a huge fan of that style. I prefer for a book to end with all issues completely cleared up. If I love the characters then I will be hooked and I will read the next books in the series. I don’t like to be left hanging and obligated to read the next book.
The book is very well written and had enough mystery to keep me interested until the end. The main character, Millie, was well developed and we get the story mainly from her point of view. I thought she was a likable character and I found myself rooting for her because she was the underdog. She was gossiped about all over town after having an affair with a politician and there was speculation that she killed her parents. (we don’t know if she killed her parents because you have to read book 2 to find out). I did find her morals and ethics confusing. Her dearest friend from work was gay and she didn’t have a problem with this. However, she justifies her affair because (SPOILER****) she catches her husband with another man and has an issue with him being Bi-sexual. If she had issue with him cheating she should have left rather than having an affair herself. (Reminds me of the saying that two wrongs don’t make a right) And she felt the affair was justified because he was with another man, not necessarily because he cheated. Throughout the entire book she hints that there is a terrible deep dark secret about her husband that caused her to cheat. Something so terrible that she couldn’t even talk about it in court and chose to lose custody of her son rather than discuss it. I was expecting the big reveal to be something really awful about him (he kicks Dogs or kills children) only to find out that it was just his sexual preference. I’m heterosexual and I was offended by that situation so I can only imagine how someone would feel if they were gay or Bi and read this book. I’m surprised an editor didn’t have this removed, it didn’t add to the story and was completely unnecessary.
The book is very well written and had enough mystery to keep me interested until the end. The main character, Millie, was well developed and we get the story mainly from her point of view. I thought she was a likable character and I found myself rooting for her because she was the underdog. She was gossiped about all over town after having an affair with a politician and there was speculation that she killed her parents. (we don’t know if she killed her parents because you have to read book 2 to find out). I did find her morals and ethics confusing. Her dearest friend from work was gay and she didn’t have a problem with this. However, she justifies her affair because (SPOILER****) she catches her husband with another man and has an issue with him being Bi-sexual. If she had issue with him cheating she should have left rather than having an affair herself. (Reminds me of the saying that two wrongs don’t make a right) And she felt the affair was justified because he was with another man, not necessarily because he cheated. Throughout the entire book she hints that there is a terrible deep dark secret about her husband that caused her to cheat. Something so terrible that she couldn’t even talk about it in court and chose to lose custody of her son rather than discuss it. I was expecting the big reveal to be something really awful about him (he kicks Dogs or kills children) only to find out that it was just his sexual preference. I’m heterosexual and I was offended by that situation so I can only imagine how someone would feel if they were gay or Bi and read this book. I’m surprised an editor didn’t have this removed, it didn’t add to the story and was completely unnecessary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2023
Read my full review on Rosepoint Publishing.
Starting a new series means getting the protagonist established, developed, the support characters introduced and the setting created in the mind of the reader. The process can be a slow one.
For me, it meant that this one is a sluggish read. The main character Millie is hiding in plain sight, volunteering at the local nursing home.
Ingrid relates witnessing from her upper story window a young girl being pushed from the roof a house or two away. Ingrid, of course, is known to get confused sometimes but Millie finds her story plausible and having a credibility gap herself, believes her.
Millie has an upward battle in finding an ear that will listen as her parents died suspiciously recently and she is suspected of providing their push into the hereafter.
I couldn’t warm up to Millie and the story wove in and out of my interest. Too many questions not resolved in Book 1 because it is so obviously intended to lead into Book 2.
No doubt there are Wilkinson fans who’ll enjoy picking through the breadcrumbs, but for me this is a one off.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.
Starting a new series means getting the protagonist established, developed, the support characters introduced and the setting created in the mind of the reader. The process can be a slow one.
For me, it meant that this one is a sluggish read. The main character Millie is hiding in plain sight, volunteering at the local nursing home.
Ingrid relates witnessing from her upper story window a young girl being pushed from the roof a house or two away. Ingrid, of course, is known to get confused sometimes but Millie finds her story plausible and having a credibility gap herself, believes her.
Millie has an upward battle in finding an ear that will listen as her parents died suspiciously recently and she is suspected of providing their push into the hereafter.
I couldn’t warm up to Millie and the story wove in and out of my interest. Too many questions not resolved in Book 1 because it is so obviously intended to lead into Book 2.
No doubt there are Wilkinson fans who’ll enjoy picking through the breadcrumbs, but for me this is a one off.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.
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