Smile For Me: A Dark and Twisty Psychological Horror

by K.J. Reed

My daughter is missing.
My patients are all suspects.
My family are all liars.

Josie has turned her childhood trauma into something good, working as a psychotherapist, she makes a living from helping those cast out by society. But when her daughter Penny is snatched from her back yard, whilst Josie and her husband Finn are just feet away, she must figure out which one of them is capable of taking her child, before it’s too late.

Wes isn’t like other young men his age. Whilst they all get drunk and party at bonfires, Wes is using his family’s motel as his own personal hunting ground, splitting guest’s faces ear to ear. Then he uncovers a secret that rocks him to the core, and no one is safe.

But is everyone who they claim to be?
And will anyone make it out alive?

450 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 30, 2024

About the author

KJ Reed is an English indie author who writes primarily dark, psychological fiction. Although she is an English author, KJ writes America-based fiction since her love for all things dark and twisty comes from growing up watching and reading American TV and fiction. She lives with her amazing husband and stereotypically nightmarish ginger cat, Milo and has loved writing since she could put pen to paper.

Reviews

[Karen B · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a thriller that’s kept me enthralled enough to read in a day…who cares about housework or dinner?! A psychotherapist encounters a traumatic event while working at a maximum security prison and then her daughter goes missing. The plot was fast paced, told in first person dual PoV from the protagonist and antagonist and full turns and surprising twists-everything I’m looking for in a dark psychological thriller…this one encroaching in the horror/gore territory that was an unexpected but welcome addition to my reading experience. I could totally see this as a made for tv mini series (like Criminal Minds vibes!). This is the second novel by the author and I’m looking forward to reading more from her, including her debut. I received an early copy from the author and voluntarily leaving a honest review. 4.5 stars

[Toni L · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
Reed always knows how to bring the twists and the family drama! Loved the more gruesome elements in this one, the unhinged nature and discussions around nature/nurture influence on psychological behaviour was great.

[Vicky Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisty, dark and very graphic on the gore scale so check your trigger warnings.
I enjoyed the story - very Bates motel/psycho vibes at times.
Huge thanks to the author for the arc ebook.

[Rosie Coyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a brilliant book!! This is a dark psychological thriller that follows Josie, our protagonist, as she goes through some really difficult things in both her work and personal life. She witnesses a horrifying act at work as a psychotherapist, and then her personal life is turned upside down after there is a suspicious death in her husband's family and her daughter is abducted.

Wes, the super creepy antagonist of this book, makes my skin crawl and was written incredibly well. His back story is fleshed out really well, and you can see exactly how he was influenced to become the evil person he is.

KJ Reed is brilliant at writing villains, and letting the readers see how their minds tick.

This is a fast paced story with lots of action and twists that I didn't expect, and I ended up reading it in less than 36 hours! So worth reading, I definitely recommend

[bewdley_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the first books I have read by this author, and I was not disappointed. I wasn't able to put this book down from start to finish!

The opening chapter had me hooked from the start even if I was grimacing a bit with the horror of it! But I wanted more.

Throughout the book, there are several twists that I didn't see coming, which then just made me want to read as quickly as I could so I could find out the why. The different things happening in the book gripped me all the way through, and even though there was a lot going on, it didn't deter from the main story, but wrapped it up well.

This has to be one of my favourite books I've read this year, plus the saying 'Smile For Me' is going to always have a different type of meaning for me now!

[Nyx Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy in return for my honest review.

This is a beautifully written sadistic thriller that had me on the edge of my seat with every turn of the page! The twists and turns were so surprising, they truly caught me off guard. If you're looking for a book that gives off Psycho vibes with tons of gore and horror, then I highly recommend you read this one. As always, please check your content & trigger warnings first!

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A genuinely sadistic and enthralling thriller. I'm hard-pressed to call it a psychological thriller as it has a lot of horror and gory elements but the twists were very well executed and took me by surprise.
Reminded me of Psycho/Norman Bates. A brilliant and in depth story that at times had me holding my breath.

[Gales Tales70 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This!!!!! Reeds most twisted, goriest, sadistic book yet!!! She sure knows how to put family drama together with plenty of twists and turns, you won’t be disappointed

[Brianna North · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good thriller/horror with serial killers - especially with the POV of a serial killer - and this one did not disappoint! Told in dual POVs, this story follows psychotherapist Josie and serial killer Wes as their lives clash when a dark secret is revealed. Then Josie's young daughter goes missing, and all hell breaks loose. It was really interesting to learn about Wes's backstory and why he turned out the way he did - it really added a lot of depth to the story and kept me wanting to read more. This is my second read from KJ Reed and I'll definitely be reading more!

[Rachel Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Brilliant storyline with some really good twists. I just kept wanting to read on.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I signed up for this ARC I didn't know what to expect besides that I loved the blurb. The story itself was even better than I expected. The first 30% of the book or so was a little slow for me, but once the action started it was unreal. It pulled me in and made me genuinely shocked when the twists and turns came in.

What started as a seemingly unrelated series of events came together to form a narrative with equal parts horror, disgust, grief, betrayal and love. I won't spoil anything, but there was a part towards the end of the book that made me feel so much tension and anticipation that I was actually holding my breath.

[Georgie Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dual PoV psychological thriller with spotlights on trauma and gore - check the trigger warnings.


I thought this book was brilliant. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing, and tense moments to keep me turning pages. It was a classic, 'just one more chapter' scenario for me!

Dual/multiple perspectives aren't usually my favourite, but I think the characters were so clearly defined within themselves that it was easy to switch back and forth.

I can't wait to read more from KJ. Reed - 5 stars from me!


I received an ARC eBook from the author in exchange for my honest review.

[Andi (ittybittybookmama) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie has turned her childhood trauma into something good, working as a psychotherapist, she makes a living from helping those cast out by society. But when her daughter Penny is snatched from her back yard, whilst Josie and her husband Finn are just feet away, she must figure out which one of them is capable of taking her child, before it’s too late.

Amid all of this a serial killer is lurking and killer secrets are revealed.

Is everyone who they claim to be?
And will anyone make it out alive?
——

Dark and twisty is an understatement as this thriller tiptoes on the line of horror. It keeps you on the edge of your seat with every turn of the page and holding your breath with every twist! I really enjoyed it!

Thank you so much to @kj.reed_author for the chance to read an advanced copy!

*Trigger warnings* this one is pretty graphic/gory throughout

[Kyreadsthrillers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smile for Me by KJ Reed is an unforgettable read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The characters are so real, and the plot mixes suspense and emotion in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat. With every twist, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough—this book is a must-read!