What do you think?
Rate this book
Closer Than She Thinks
Louise never thought she'd be the sort of woman to have an affair. She's a good wife, a good mother and a good daughter - even if she is far from happy.
But everything changes when Louise crosses paths with Oscar, a man fifteen years her junior. She knows what they're doing is wrong, but she just can't stop...
When odd messages begin to arrive, it seems clear that someone has been watching Louise, and that they know her secret.
They don't just want Louise to stop her affair with Oscar though - they want much more.
And they will stop at nothing to get it.
But everything changes when Louise crosses paths with Oscar, a man fifteen years her junior. She knows what they're doing is wrong, but she just can't stop...
When odd messages begin to arrive, it seems clear that someone has been watching Louise, and that they know her secret.
They don't just want Louise to stop her affair with Oscar though - they want much more.
And they will stop at nothing to get it.
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2024
About the author
Zoe Lea
8 books59 followersZoe Lea lives in the Lake District with her husband, their two children, three dogs and peregrine falcons.
She has previously worked as a teacher, photographer and freelance journalist and is a writer in the day and a reader by night.
She has previously worked as a teacher, photographer and freelance journalist and is a writer in the day and a reader by night.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 2, 2025
herreguuuuud så skuff :( kjedelig og det som helt sikkert skulle være en plot twist var tydelig fra en mils avstand…
February 15, 2025
It was an ok book but I didnt feel like much happened during the story and I saw that end coming almost from the beginning. I also didnt connect much with any of the character, I think my favourite was Felix and he was barely in the story. Also even though he was a creep I enjoyed Handy Gary's story and how it was resolved!
Overall it was an interesting, fast paced and easy to read book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall it was an interesting, fast paced and easy to read book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2025
Louise is living on the edge. Married for over twenty years to a husband she now barely sees, she’s struggling to make ends meet and is concerned about the health of her mother. When she finds herself caught up in the heady throes of an affair with a much younger man she doesn’t recognise herself.
The book mainly focuses on establishing Louise’s circumstances at the start of the book. It’s a rather depressing life but probably very familiar. With endless calls from her mother’s neighbour about strange noises and events Louise is increasingly concerned about what to do to help her mother. Her husband wants them to rent out the house, but Louise is determined her mother should decide.
We go to and fro in their lives, seeing things get increasingly fraught. Louise becomes paranoid that someone close to her is keeping secrets.
By the end it didn’t come as that much of a surprise to see what had been going on. We don’t really know what happens with Louise’s relationship but she does make a step to do something for herself, and her mum seems to be coping just fine.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.
The book mainly focuses on establishing Louise’s circumstances at the start of the book. It’s a rather depressing life but probably very familiar. With endless calls from her mother’s neighbour about strange noises and events Louise is increasingly concerned about what to do to help her mother. Her husband wants them to rent out the house, but Louise is determined her mother should decide.
We go to and fro in their lives, seeing things get increasingly fraught. Louise becomes paranoid that someone close to her is keeping secrets.
By the end it didn’t come as that much of a surprise to see what had been going on. We don’t really know what happens with Louise’s relationship but she does make a step to do something for herself, and her mum seems to be coping just fine.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.
April 17, 2025
This is a great psychological thriller.
Louise is struggling to juggle her job and being there for her elderly Mum, and her husband Paul is not much help.
His business is under financial pressure so he’s working a lot and thinks the answer is to sell his mother in laws house, and put her in a home.
Louise is strongly opposed to this but with more and more incidents with her Mum, she needs to find a solution.
She bumps into Oscar at her Mum’s house and is immediately attracted to him. When he starts to do some odd jobs, things escalate quickly.
Then the messages start and her Mum says someone is watching her house at night.
This one certainly kept me guessing as to what was really going on, and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Little Brown Book Group for the opportunity to read this book.
Louise is struggling to juggle her job and being there for her elderly Mum, and her husband Paul is not much help.
His business is under financial pressure so he’s working a lot and thinks the answer is to sell his mother in laws house, and put her in a home.
Louise is strongly opposed to this but with more and more incidents with her Mum, she needs to find a solution.
She bumps into Oscar at her Mum’s house and is immediately attracted to him. When he starts to do some odd jobs, things escalate quickly.
Then the messages start and her Mum says someone is watching her house at night.
This one certainly kept me guessing as to what was really going on, and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Little Brown Book Group for the opportunity to read this book.
September 28, 2026
2,5 ⭐
Not great, not terrible. The best part about this easily digestible book is that it made me realize how important it is to save all the old books that have wonderful, masterful writing. Because this was just so modern and lazy. The thrill was just enough to make it somewhat of a fun read to distract from my silly little real life, so it definitely works as a distraction. I've read worse books.
But this will definitely not survive the test of time. Although it makes me wonder, are all books supposed to be great? Probably not. And that's okay.
Not great, not terrible. The best part about this easily digestible book is that it made me realize how important it is to save all the old books that have wonderful, masterful writing. Because this was just so modern and lazy. The thrill was just enough to make it somewhat of a fun read to distract from my silly little real life, so it definitely works as a distraction. I've read worse books.
But this will definitely not survive the test of time. Although it makes me wonder, are all books supposed to be great? Probably not. And that's okay.
September 30, 2025
Lettlest, men kjedelig storyline og lite som skjedde
December 29, 2024
I loved it.
Closer Than She Thinks is a taut, psychological thriller that expertly explores the consequences of infidelity, the secrets we keep, and the lengths some will go to in order to control others. The novel delves into the complexities of personal choices and the hidden darkness that can come with them, keeping readers on edge until the very last page.
Louise, a woman who prides herself on being a good wife, mother, and daughter, never imagined she would find herself caught in an affair. Yet, when she meets Oscar, a man fifteen years her junior, everything changes. What starts as a fleeting escape from her unsatisfying life becomes a dangerous obsession. Despite knowing that what she’s doing is wrong, Louise can't seem to stop herself from seeing Oscar.
Soon, however, Louise begins to receive unsettling messages that suggest someone is watching her. These anonymous threats reveal that her secret affair is no longer the only thing at stake — her safety is now in jeopardy. Whoever is behind the messages knows far more than Louise realizes, and their intentions go far beyond just exposing her affair. As the stakes rise, Louise is forced to face the chilling reality that someone will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Closer Than She Thinks is an engaging psychological thriller that skillfully explores the complexities of infidelity, secrecy, and the dangers of being watched. With a well-developed protagonist, plenty of twists, and a chilling atmosphere, Zoe Lea has crafted a gripping tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
A tightly wound thriller that offers a fresh take on the classic affair story, filled with suspense and unexpected twists. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy complex characters and high-stakes drama.
Closer Than She Thinks is a taut, psychological thriller that expertly explores the consequences of infidelity, the secrets we keep, and the lengths some will go to in order to control others. The novel delves into the complexities of personal choices and the hidden darkness that can come with them, keeping readers on edge until the very last page.
Louise, a woman who prides herself on being a good wife, mother, and daughter, never imagined she would find herself caught in an affair. Yet, when she meets Oscar, a man fifteen years her junior, everything changes. What starts as a fleeting escape from her unsatisfying life becomes a dangerous obsession. Despite knowing that what she’s doing is wrong, Louise can't seem to stop herself from seeing Oscar.
Soon, however, Louise begins to receive unsettling messages that suggest someone is watching her. These anonymous threats reveal that her secret affair is no longer the only thing at stake — her safety is now in jeopardy. Whoever is behind the messages knows far more than Louise realizes, and their intentions go far beyond just exposing her affair. As the stakes rise, Louise is forced to face the chilling reality that someone will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Closer Than She Thinks is an engaging psychological thriller that skillfully explores the complexities of infidelity, secrecy, and the dangers of being watched. With a well-developed protagonist, plenty of twists, and a chilling atmosphere, Zoe Lea has crafted a gripping tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
A tightly wound thriller that offers a fresh take on the classic affair story, filled with suspense and unexpected twists. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy complex characters and high-stakes drama.
June 9, 2025
Louise and her husband Paul appear to have a happy marriage, but money has long been an issue, she is a Spanish tutor and he owns his own taxi firm, working all hours to earn a living. Paul keeps badgering Louise to get her ageing mum to sell the family home and put her in a care home but Louise won't hear of it, that house holds too many memories and is also their son Felix's inheritance, but he keeps pushing and brings in Oscar to do some repairs on the house for a knock down price and some Spanish lessons with Louise. They are instantly drawn to each other, despite Oscar being fifteen years younger than her and they begin an affair, then Louise starts getting strange messages, someone knows her secret and warns her they will tell her husband, but they want much more than the affair to end, who is the mystery messenger and could they be closer than she thinks?
Closer Than She Thinks is a tense thriller by this author, a fast paced complex story with a great plot which grabbed me from the start, a couple dealing with the mundane issues of life until temptation turns Louise's head and she cheats on her husband, something she never would have dreamed of doing and wishes she hadn't when the backlash from it could ruin her whole life. There are some intriguing characters within these pages, some I liked and others I just didn't trust. Overall this is a great read with some interesting twists by a new to me author that I look forward to reading more of.
I'd like to thank Little Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
Closer Than She Thinks is a tense thriller by this author, a fast paced complex story with a great plot which grabbed me from the start, a couple dealing with the mundane issues of life until temptation turns Louise's head and she cheats on her husband, something she never would have dreamed of doing and wishes she hadn't when the backlash from it could ruin her whole life. There are some intriguing characters within these pages, some I liked and others I just didn't trust. Overall this is a great read with some interesting twists by a new to me author that I look forward to reading more of.
I'd like to thank Little Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
June 9, 2025
Louise is a good wife who tries her best despite struggling to care for her mother and the strain of financial issues. When she meets Oscar she finds herself having an affair even though she knows that it’s wrong. Soon odd messages start to arrive from someone who knows what she’s been up to. It seems that they want something and won’t stop until they get it.
This was my first book by this author so I was unsure what to expect and after finishing I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself invested in the story almost straight away, intrigued where it would go, I think this is due to the fact that I connected with Louise as a main character and was rooting for her. There were some characters I did not like so much but this made for entertaining reading.
I enjoyed trying to work out where the story was going and the misdirections a long the way and although I didn’t have any major surprises, I enjoyed the twists and turns once they came. This was a bit of a slow burn, which worked well at first but became a bit too slow by the midway point. Even so, this didn’t overly detract from my enjoyment of the story and I found this a solid, well written psychological thriller. I look forward to seeing what the author writes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
This was my first book by this author so I was unsure what to expect and after finishing I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself invested in the story almost straight away, intrigued where it would go, I think this is due to the fact that I connected with Louise as a main character and was rooting for her. There were some characters I did not like so much but this made for entertaining reading.
I enjoyed trying to work out where the story was going and the misdirections a long the way and although I didn’t have any major surprises, I enjoyed the twists and turns once they came. This was a bit of a slow burn, which worked well at first but became a bit too slow by the midway point. Even so, this didn’t overly detract from my enjoyment of the story and I found this a solid, well written psychological thriller. I look forward to seeing what the author writes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
May 26, 2025
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I've just finished Closer Than She Thinks by Zoe Lea and what a read! From the very first paragraph, I was absolutely hooked. Seriously, I picked this book up and practically inhaled it in two days flat.
I really connected with Louise, the main character. Her life just felt so relatable, and it was cool to read about places in the UK that felt familiar. It made the whole story feel even more real.
The plot itself was brilliant. I was absolutely flying through the pages, desperate to figure out who the culprit was. And while there's definitely some cheating going on in the story, I actually wasn't bothered by it at all. Mostly because I really couldn't stand Paul, Louise's husband, so it was fine by me! 😂
And the twist? Oh my goodness, I did NOT see it coming! But once it hit, everything just clicked into place and made perfect sense. It was one of those really satisfying "aha!" moments.
Overall, I'd say this was a super quick and enjoyable thriller. It wasn't as dark and twisty as I usually like, and honestly, I kinda wish it had been longer because I was having such a good time! But even so, I zipped through it, and that really speaks to Zoe Lea's writing style. I'm definitely a fan now and can't wait to read more from her!
I've just finished Closer Than She Thinks by Zoe Lea and what a read! From the very first paragraph, I was absolutely hooked. Seriously, I picked this book up and practically inhaled it in two days flat.
I really connected with Louise, the main character. Her life just felt so relatable, and it was cool to read about places in the UK that felt familiar. It made the whole story feel even more real.
The plot itself was brilliant. I was absolutely flying through the pages, desperate to figure out who the culprit was. And while there's definitely some cheating going on in the story, I actually wasn't bothered by it at all. Mostly because I really couldn't stand Paul, Louise's husband, so it was fine by me! 😂
And the twist? Oh my goodness, I did NOT see it coming! But once it hit, everything just clicked into place and made perfect sense. It was one of those really satisfying "aha!" moments.
Overall, I'd say this was a super quick and enjoyable thriller. It wasn't as dark and twisty as I usually like, and honestly, I kinda wish it had been longer because I was having such a good time! But even so, I zipped through it, and that really speaks to Zoe Lea's writing style. I'm definitely a fan now and can't wait to read more from her!
May 26, 2025
If you’re looking for your next thriller pallette cleanser that ISNT a Frieda McFadden then check out this new book being released 12th June!
This is exactly the kind of book I needed, fast paced, just under 300 pages and a gripping story that keeps you turning the pages!
I felt the tension in this book, both good 😉 and the bad. I really enjoyed the sub plots of the affair & Louise’s mother whilst trying to work out who’s behind the threatening messages.
I loved how relatable Louise was. So many of us are living the same dreary days over and over again and it was nice to be reminded by Felix that “you can change anything you’re not happy with” 🥰
Thank you so much for sending me this ARC Zoe Lea & Little Brown Books/Piatkus. I would definitely recommend this to others!
This is exactly the kind of book I needed, fast paced, just under 300 pages and a gripping story that keeps you turning the pages!
I felt the tension in this book, both good 😉 and the bad. I really enjoyed the sub plots of the affair & Louise’s mother whilst trying to work out who’s behind the threatening messages.
I loved how relatable Louise was. So many of us are living the same dreary days over and over again and it was nice to be reminded by Felix that “you can change anything you’re not happy with” 🥰
Thank you so much for sending me this ARC Zoe Lea & Little Brown Books/Piatkus. I would definitely recommend this to others!
February 14, 2025
I enjoyed this book, it was a psychological thriller, which is my favourite genre.
Some thing(s) I liked:
✅The setting
✅The ending
✅Viv is adorable
✅Felt sorry for poor handy Gary
✅Lots of misdirection
Some thing(s), not so much much:
⭕Oscar is a creep, I know we're supposed to like him and he's all good etc but he's giving me stalker vibes (15%).
⭕You're clearly not happy with your gross husband. Leave him and move to Spain like you always wanted.
⭕Very little to no action, even the "crux" of the story was quite tame which might not be appealing to other fans of thrillers.
Some thing(s) I liked:
✅The setting
✅The ending
✅Viv is adorable
✅Felt sorry for poor handy Gary
✅Lots of misdirection
Some thing(s), not so much much:
⭕Oscar is a creep, I know we're supposed to like him and he's all good etc but he's giving me stalker vibes (15%).
⭕You're clearly not happy with your gross husband. Leave him and move to Spain like you always wanted.
⭕Very little to no action, even the "crux" of the story was quite tame which might not be appealing to other fans of thrillers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2025
CLOSER THAN SHE THINKS BY ZOE LEA.
Release date set for the 12th of June 2025.
This was an interesting book with very intriguing characters.
It was fast paced and I enjoyed the story.
I did guess the ending which sometimes I enjoy doing.
Very well written and a really good psychological thriller.
If anyone can take something from this book is DON'T CHEAT.
looking forward to picking up another book from this author.
#NetGalley
#LittleBrownBookGroupUK
#CloserThanYouThink
#ZoeLea
Release date set for the 12th of June 2025.
This was an interesting book with very intriguing characters.
It was fast paced and I enjoyed the story.
I did guess the ending which sometimes I enjoy doing.
Very well written and a really good psychological thriller.
If anyone can take something from this book is DON'T CHEAT.
looking forward to picking up another book from this author.
#NetGalley
#LittleBrownBookGroupUK
#CloserThanYouThink
#ZoeLea
June 2, 2025
Closer than she thinks is an easy to read crime/thriller. It touches on the themes of the consequences of infidelity and the secrets we keep. I enjoyed the setting, the ending and the character Viv who was sweet. Unfortunately I wasn't able to click with any of the other characters and felt that there wasn't much action/suspense so felt a tame read. overall is a good book if you are looking for a pallet cleanser or an easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2026
Closer Than She Thinks was a fairly easy read that touched on themes of the consequences of infidelity and the secrets we keep. The story was simple, easy to follow, and intriguing from the start. However, while I liked Louise's mother, Liv, I didn't really connect with any of the other characters. I just guessed the ending before it's reveal, and on the whole, it was a little lackluster in suspense and tension.
I liked this read, but I didn't love it.
If you take anything from this book is its simple message: Don't Cheat.
Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this read, but I didn't love it.
If you take anything from this book is its simple message: Don't Cheat.
Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2025
3.5 stars. A good easy read. Enough of a storyline to make me finish it but not one to rave about.
August 7, 2025
Loved it! Great and relatable characters with a brilliant twist.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews