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Keep Them Close
She trusted a stranger with her secrets. Now she's paying the price.
Frazzled mum, Emily, loves her four-year-old twin daughters. Amidst trying her best to be the perfect mum all while keeping her sanity intact, she finds solace in the anonymous internet forum MumsOnline during her darkest days.
But when a newfound friendship takes a dark turn, and her past is exposed, Emily's perfect life is threatened. Can she protect her family from a dangerous stalker?
Sophie is a Cotswolds-based psychological thriller author with an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes. Her debut novel All My Lies was hailed ´A real page-turner´ by Sophie Hannah.
Frazzled mum, Emily, loves her four-year-old twin daughters. Amidst trying her best to be the perfect mum all while keeping her sanity intact, she finds solace in the anonymous internet forum MumsOnline during her darkest days.
But when a newfound friendship takes a dark turn, and her past is exposed, Emily's perfect life is threatened. Can she protect her family from a dangerous stalker?
Sophie is a Cotswolds-based psychological thriller author with an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes. Her debut novel All My Lies was hailed ´A real page-turner´ by Sophie Hannah.
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First published July 7, 2022
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About the author
Sophie Flynn
11 books83 followersSophie is a Cotswolds based psychological thriller author with an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes. Her debut novel ALL MY LIES was published by Simon & Schuster in April 2021. She has since had more psychological thrillers published by Hera, including her latest release 'What Stays Unsaid' (May, 2024).
Alongside writing, Sophie is the Managing Director of Jericho Writers. After being awarded a place at Swanwick Writers’ Summer School on the TopWrite scheme for young writers in 2017, Sophie began writing short fiction. She has since had many stories published and placed in competitions with organisations such as Writing Magazine and The Cheltenham Literature Festival.
When not writing, Sophie can be mostly found on muddy walks with her husband and rescue dog or disappearing to Cornwall whenever possible.
Alongside writing, Sophie is the Managing Director of Jericho Writers. After being awarded a place at Swanwick Writers’ Summer School on the TopWrite scheme for young writers in 2017, Sophie began writing short fiction. She has since had many stories published and placed in competitions with organisations such as Writing Magazine and The Cheltenham Literature Festival.
When not writing, Sophie can be mostly found on muddy walks with her husband and rescue dog or disappearing to Cornwall whenever possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
October 17, 2022
It's my book so I would like to give it top marks for effort. Well done, book.
June 26, 2022
Emily loves her four year old twins, and feels blessed. However she's tired, and has had a really rough year. To cope, she reached out to a mums group online, and bonded with a person on there, someone who understood Emily. Emily told them her deepest secrets, the ones that would destroy her life if they came out. Now that same person has found out who Emily is, and they are determined to broadcast Emily's secrets.
This is one of those fantastic stories with the 'Internet posts' splitting the story up, so it makes it such an easy, flowing read. The story builds slowly to increase the impact, really making the reader desperate to find out the secrets. Emily doesn't really help herself within the story, some of her actions are definitely questionable.
Brilliant story that had me gripped the whole way through!
This is one of those fantastic stories with the 'Internet posts' splitting the story up, so it makes it such an easy, flowing read. The story builds slowly to increase the impact, really making the reader desperate to find out the secrets. Emily doesn't really help herself within the story, some of her actions are definitely questionable.
Brilliant story that had me gripped the whole way through!
July 11, 2022
Emily struggled after the birth of her twins - depressed, manic, loss of sleep, desperate to hold it all together, Emily found solace using an online moms group. Searching for someone to tell her she was normal - her desire for her family to disappear so she could just rest; irritation with her husband; stay at home mom robbing Emily of her identity.
As a mother - I can absolutely empathize. I have had dark days - very realistic portrayal of a mom's mental health.
Determined to cut her obsession, Emily unsubscribes to the online group. Starting a new job, feeling confident and healthy, Emily is ready to move on from her mental health struggles.
But TwoIsTrouble refuses to let go. Stalking her in real life, knowing her identity. Emily can't tell anyone - without confessing the nasty words shared at bleak moments.
I could have read this in a day, easy. I was hooked and truly enjoyed. Easy to figure out but def worth finishing!
As a mother - I can absolutely empathize. I have had dark days - very realistic portrayal of a mom's mental health.
Determined to cut her obsession, Emily unsubscribes to the online group. Starting a new job, feeling confident and healthy, Emily is ready to move on from her mental health struggles.
But TwoIsTrouble refuses to let go. Stalking her in real life, knowing her identity. Emily can't tell anyone - without confessing the nasty words shared at bleak moments.
I could have read this in a day, easy. I was hooked and truly enjoyed. Easy to figure out but def worth finishing!
July 7, 2022
‘Keep Them Close’ is the story of Emily, a mum of twins under stress as her internet history has come back to haunt her. She turned to the mums forum for support after the birth of the twins and ended up befriending one woman and opened herself up to her, telling her secrets she hasn't even told her husband. Emily decides to deactivate her profile but now ‘Twois Trouble’ has found her on other social media and is determined to make her life hell!
I really enjoyed ‘Keep Them Close’ even though I couldn't relate to a lot of the problems as I don't have kids! I value my sleep too much 🤣 but Sophie managed to make all the topics relatable and authentic. It is an area that does need more publicity and it was clear that Sophie has done a lot of research on the topic. As someone who does suffer from anxiety and depression, I could emphasise with the main character and thought that aspect was done extremely well!
I loved the pacing of this one as it was broken up with Emily’s internet posts and this means the different branches of the narrative layered up very nicely indeed. I could see that the pacing and my speed of reading got more intense as Emily’s struggled more with her mental health. I flew through this book in one day and found it very engaging and engrossing. There are twists and turns aplenty and it will definitely keep you entertained!
Let me know if you pick it up!
I really enjoyed ‘Keep Them Close’ even though I couldn't relate to a lot of the problems as I don't have kids! I value my sleep too much 🤣 but Sophie managed to make all the topics relatable and authentic. It is an area that does need more publicity and it was clear that Sophie has done a lot of research on the topic. As someone who does suffer from anxiety and depression, I could emphasise with the main character and thought that aspect was done extremely well!
I loved the pacing of this one as it was broken up with Emily’s internet posts and this means the different branches of the narrative layered up very nicely indeed. I could see that the pacing and my speed of reading got more intense as Emily’s struggled more with her mental health. I flew through this book in one day and found it very engaging and engrossing. There are twists and turns aplenty and it will definitely keep you entertained!
Let me know if you pick it up!
July 7, 2022
I was lucky to be picked to read this story before the publication date - so many thanks to #lovebooktours and #sophieflynn for the incredible opportunity.
I was so intrigued when I read the synopsis of this story - a mother using an online forum for support with her new journey, to be then threatened and frightened about what was shared… I hoped for a suspense-fuelled experience and that is EXACTLY what I got. Oh my goodness. My brain was going haywire trying to figure out this plot!! This story is, not only focusing on a topic that needs more awareness, both mind boggling and heart stopping.
I’m not a mother, so I’d imagine reading this as a mother would put the sheer fear of God into you - but for someone who is not maternal, my heart was in my gob as the suspense of this story grew. Who was to be trusted? WHO KNOWS?! The storyline as a whole, for me, was brilliant - it had everything I need: super duper suspense, psychological mind duckery (if you know, you know), the whodunnit element, and the sheer lack of trust for any character in the whole story. A massive well done to Sophie Flynn, I’m looking forward to your next!!
I was so intrigued when I read the synopsis of this story - a mother using an online forum for support with her new journey, to be then threatened and frightened about what was shared… I hoped for a suspense-fuelled experience and that is EXACTLY what I got. Oh my goodness. My brain was going haywire trying to figure out this plot!! This story is, not only focusing on a topic that needs more awareness, both mind boggling and heart stopping.
I’m not a mother, so I’d imagine reading this as a mother would put the sheer fear of God into you - but for someone who is not maternal, my heart was in my gob as the suspense of this story grew. Who was to be trusted? WHO KNOWS?! The storyline as a whole, for me, was brilliant - it had everything I need: super duper suspense, psychological mind duckery (if you know, you know), the whodunnit element, and the sheer lack of trust for any character in the whole story. A massive well done to Sophie Flynn, I’m looking forward to your next!!
January 11, 2024
This book is all about social media and the influence it can have on your pysche. Told mainly by Emilys POV, I was constantly changing my mind who was doing this to her. The ending made the book for me as I didnt pick that as the suspect at all.
July 5, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley, Hera Books and Sophie Flynn for an e-arc of Keep Them Close.
Absolutely loved this book! I predicted one of the main mysteries but at other times I had no idea what's next. Very engrossing, detailed and realistic thriller - which makes it even scarier. Would recommend this to all thriller lovers, especially to fans of Colleen Hoover's Verity and Audrey Audrain's The Push.
Absolutely loved this book! I predicted one of the main mysteries but at other times I had no idea what's next. Very engrossing, detailed and realistic thriller - which makes it even scarier. Would recommend this to all thriller lovers, especially to fans of Colleen Hoover's Verity and Audrey Audrain's The Push.
May 21, 2022
A very compelling look at the world of online forums and how candid people can be when they are allowed to be anonymous. The characters are very well drawn and the fears of a new mother accurately portrayed. The book also deals sensitively with mental health issues. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this and will look for other books written by Sophie.
July 11, 2022
"Keep Them Close" is about Emily, a mum of twins who suffers from postnatal depression and joins an online forum MumsOnLine and discovers other mums to whom she can relate. She starts to chat with another user TwinIsTrouble, soon Emily thinks she has found a true friend and chats in private, revealing secrets not even shared with her husband, secrets from her past that haunt Emily. But when she realises she has shared too much, she deletes her account thinking she has removed all her secrets but we all know what is posted on the net stays up there on the cloud, ready to haunt you.
I really enjoyed it, it was a riveting, suspenseful read, obviously, I couldn't relate as I'm male but I can understand postnatal depression is a serious condition that most of the time isn't properly diagnosed and it could even end in harming your child or yourself.
Also, chapters go back and forth with information about Emily's sister and mother which gives you valuable info and culminates in an explosive, emotional ending!!.
I strongly recommend it to everyone who enjoys a highly emotional/riveting story!!.
My thanks to Sophie for coming up with this fantastic read and to Kelly Lacey from lovebookstours for the opportunity to review it.
I really enjoyed it, it was a riveting, suspenseful read, obviously, I couldn't relate as I'm male but I can understand postnatal depression is a serious condition that most of the time isn't properly diagnosed and it could even end in harming your child or yourself.
Also, chapters go back and forth with information about Emily's sister and mother which gives you valuable info and culminates in an explosive, emotional ending!!.
I strongly recommend it to everyone who enjoys a highly emotional/riveting story!!.
My thanks to Sophie for coming up with this fantastic read and to Kelly Lacey from lovebookstours for the opportunity to review it.
December 11, 2024
4.4
I don't always like this genre of book, as I often get annoyed with the trope of the perfect woman (usually a mother) who has some evil bitch, usually with no kids, out to stalk her and ruin her life and take her husband and everything she has got. At its worst that sort of cliche can even be quite harmful. So I've often been put off reading these sort of 'psychological thrillers', but I really enjoyed this one.
I think this story worked well as an exploration of mental health issues, the characters were all done pretty well especially Emily and the writer didn't sugarcoat anything when it came to mental illness.
However, I thought the characterisation was great and there was a number of cringe-worthy moments such as the presentation in the office. I suffer from OCD and intrusive thoughts myself and this book was a pretty good portrayal of what it was like, as well as the after effects of abuse and childhood trauma.
I'd read another book from this author. It was really well written too.
I don't always like this genre of book, as I often get annoyed with the trope of the perfect woman (usually a mother) who has some evil bitch, usually with no kids, out to stalk her and ruin her life and take her husband and everything she has got. At its worst that sort of cliche can even be quite harmful. So I've often been put off reading these sort of 'psychological thrillers', but I really enjoyed this one.
I think this story worked well as an exploration of mental health issues, the characters were all done pretty well especially Emily and the writer didn't sugarcoat anything when it came to mental illness.
However, I thought the characterisation was great and there was a number of cringe-worthy moments such as the presentation in the office. I suffer from OCD and intrusive thoughts myself and this book was a pretty good portrayal of what it was like, as well as the after effects of abuse and childhood trauma.
I'd read another book from this author. It was really well written too.
July 6, 2022
Received as an eARC.
Well i know this was written well as the amount of frustration i felt for the main character Emily was out of this world. I had to put it down a couple of times to breathe through the overwhelming rage that overtook me when the other characters surrounding her did/said the things they did. It is very relatable!!
Emily is a mother and when becoming one joined an online forum to discuss the trials and tribulations with others like her. But it all takes a sinister turn.
I myself have children and was also part of a mum's online forum many years ago now. Ten years later i am still friends with people i met on there. This book was triggering because it made me think back to all the women who overshared.
Over all yes, give it a read for the twists and turns alone.
Well i know this was written well as the amount of frustration i felt for the main character Emily was out of this world. I had to put it down a couple of times to breathe through the overwhelming rage that overtook me when the other characters surrounding her did/said the things they did. It is very relatable!!
Emily is a mother and when becoming one joined an online forum to discuss the trials and tribulations with others like her. But it all takes a sinister turn.
I myself have children and was also part of a mum's online forum many years ago now. Ten years later i am still friends with people i met on there. This book was triggering because it made me think back to all the women who overshared.
Over all yes, give it a read for the twists and turns alone.
June 28, 2022
5 Stars
Wow what a gripping thriller.
It really highlighted the dangers of online forums and messaging people who you've never met in person, who in fact could be everyone. The way the book was written made me question everything and kept me guessing.
The main character Emily was easy to relate to in the beginning, with all the tales of her life as a working mum but the story got darker as it went on.
The story took several twists and turns and I developed several theories of how I thought things might turn out.
I shall definitely be reading Sophie Flynn's previous book and shall look out for any future ones as well.
Wow what a gripping thriller.
It really highlighted the dangers of online forums and messaging people who you've never met in person, who in fact could be everyone. The way the book was written made me question everything and kept me guessing.
The main character Emily was easy to relate to in the beginning, with all the tales of her life as a working mum but the story got darker as it went on.
The story took several twists and turns and I developed several theories of how I thought things might turn out.
I shall definitely be reading Sophie Flynn's previous book and shall look out for any future ones as well.
July 17, 2022
This book was such a crazy ride for me! I would think I'd figured out an element of the mystery and the author would throw in another twist. As much as I love feeling clever for figuring it out, I always love when a mystery can keep me guessing, and Keep Them Close did that.
Emily was such a complicated character. I completely felt for her, struggling to be a perfect mom in the age of Instagram and Mommy Bloggers, while also dealing with post partum depression. Her struggle felt so real and relatable in that aspect. I also really appreciated that while Emily clearly suffers from a mental illness, it's treated with care in the narrative, and was clearly researched, so that it wasn't just a plot device.
And the story itself. Whoa. There's Emily preparing to rejoin the workforce after a long maternity leave (scary in itself), Emily's personal history that we're trying to discover, and Emily trying to find and deal with her stalker. I liked how the three stories worked together to create an immense burden of stress on Emily, a character who is already stressed enough, and is more susceptible to stressors. I also liked that the story is interspersed with flashbacks, confessions of a sort from a mother who is struggling to cope with raising multiple children and keep up appearances. The "then" and "now" work together to build a mystery that had me flying through the pages!
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Emily was such a complicated character. I completely felt for her, struggling to be a perfect mom in the age of Instagram and Mommy Bloggers, while also dealing with post partum depression. Her struggle felt so real and relatable in that aspect. I also really appreciated that while Emily clearly suffers from a mental illness, it's treated with care in the narrative, and was clearly researched, so that it wasn't just a plot device.
And the story itself. Whoa. There's Emily preparing to rejoin the workforce after a long maternity leave (scary in itself), Emily's personal history that we're trying to discover, and Emily trying to find and deal with her stalker. I liked how the three stories worked together to create an immense burden of stress on Emily, a character who is already stressed enough, and is more susceptible to stressors. I also liked that the story is interspersed with flashbacks, confessions of a sort from a mother who is struggling to cope with raising multiple children and keep up appearances. The "then" and "now" work together to build a mystery that had me flying through the pages!
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2022
‘𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣.’
I found the motherhood aspects of this story really relatable - loved the loneliness and the allure of strangers who ‘understand’ on the internet aspects. The sleep deprived states of motherhood, the fluctuating hormones and the dire need for someone to empathise with you. But it also highlights the danger of our online culture and these personas people put out there to the world.
It was fast paced and I just didn’t want to put it down, the end of each chapter left me needing to know more. The now and then timelines worked flawlessly together and the certain parts I thought were something and ended up being something else entirely (trying to not give away any spoilers) - had me shook!!
The twists were plentiful and clever, each revealing a bit more of the plot and sending you in a spin to where things were going. Every time I managed to guess a bit, something else would happen to make my theory not quite right - and I loved it!! Can we also just mention that epilogue?! I need more!
I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it!! If you enjoy a twisty, domestic thriller - this is one for you! It’s my first read of Sophie Flynn’s but definitely won’t be my last!
~
Thank you to @netgalley @sophieflynnauthor & @hera_books for this ARC ❤️
~
#KeepThemClose #NetGalley #ARCReview #SophieFlynn #DomesticThriller
I found the motherhood aspects of this story really relatable - loved the loneliness and the allure of strangers who ‘understand’ on the internet aspects. The sleep deprived states of motherhood, the fluctuating hormones and the dire need for someone to empathise with you. But it also highlights the danger of our online culture and these personas people put out there to the world.
It was fast paced and I just didn’t want to put it down, the end of each chapter left me needing to know more. The now and then timelines worked flawlessly together and the certain parts I thought were something and ended up being something else entirely (trying to not give away any spoilers) - had me shook!!
The twists were plentiful and clever, each revealing a bit more of the plot and sending you in a spin to where things were going. Every time I managed to guess a bit, something else would happen to make my theory not quite right - and I loved it!! Can we also just mention that epilogue?! I need more!
I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it!! If you enjoy a twisty, domestic thriller - this is one for you! It’s my first read of Sophie Flynn’s but definitely won’t be my last!
~
Thank you to @netgalley @sophieflynnauthor & @hera_books for this ARC ❤️
~
#KeepThemClose #NetGalley #ARCReview #SophieFlynn #DomesticThriller
August 5, 2022
I found this book an enjoyable and interesting read, I enjoyed the writing style and found my attention gripped from the start.
I found the concept of confiding so much in anonymous people on forums very believable, you can get very drawn in with forums especially with those who appear to be going through similar difficulties to you and who appear to understand so it is a relatable issue and I liked how this was portrayed.
I did realise what was actually going on about half way through after one telling line, but I wont spoil the read by mentioning it! the different perceptions at the end worked well too!
a well written and well thought out storyline which I enjoyed reading.
I found the concept of confiding so much in anonymous people on forums very believable, you can get very drawn in with forums especially with those who appear to be going through similar difficulties to you and who appear to understand so it is a relatable issue and I liked how this was portrayed.
I did realise what was actually going on about half way through after one telling line, but I wont spoil the read by mentioning it! the different perceptions at the end worked well too!
a well written and well thought out storyline which I enjoyed reading.
April 8, 2023
I found the premise of this book easy to relate to as a Mum, the horror of someone sharing what you have said about your children in those moments when you're at the end of your tether and the guilt you feel about EVERYTHING. This was a quick and easy read though I did guess some of the big reveals.
I was touched by the author's note at the end in which she talked of her struggles to have her own family and I felt it was then particularly impressive that she showed such an empathetic attitude to Emily. I hope all goes well for Sophie.
I was touched by the author's note at the end in which she talked of her struggles to have her own family and I felt it was then particularly impressive that she showed such an empathetic attitude to Emily. I hope all goes well for Sophie.
October 27, 2025
OOOF. Trigger warnings for postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, psychosis, etc. This book was a whirlwind of emotions, kept me on my toes. It was a bit long winded in my opinion and made me pretty uneasy at times as a mother - but overall a good story line with twists and turns. Still feel on edge about it...
July 13, 2022
EASILY 5 STARS
This book is very bingeable and would be perfect to get you out of a reading slump, or to binge on the beach (unless you have kids, in which case the beach is not relaxing 😂😅) The plot switches between "now" and "then" and the "then" sections are snippets of blog posts, which helped with the fast pacing of the book.
This is just overall a great psychological thriller. Dare I compare her to the queen herself?! It gave me Verity vibes!
This book is very bingeable and would be perfect to get you out of a reading slump, or to binge on the beach (unless you have kids, in which case the beach is not relaxing 😂😅) The plot switches between "now" and "then" and the "then" sections are snippets of blog posts, which helped with the fast pacing of the book.
This is just overall a great psychological thriller. Dare I compare her to the queen herself?! It gave me Verity vibes!
February 1, 2023
Slightly confusing. Having two sets of twins, I thought D1 was Emily's elder daughter and have just had to re read some of the entries to see who was who. Sophie shows a good insight into the feelings of mothers and I wish her well in her journey.
March 26, 2024
eeeek this was so good
March 4, 2023
Slow start but a great twist
July 17, 2022
I was immediately drawn to this book when I read the blurb, as it sounded really enthralling. I was interested in the characters and the story from the beginning and the tension ebbed and flowed in just the right way throughout.
Being a mother myself and having suffered from postnatal depression I could really identify with some of the feelings that were expressed in the book, of helplessness, anger, frustration and confusion. It was quite uncomfortable to read at times when Emily knew she was right but nobody believed her. It was very thought provoking and challenging at first to work out what was true and whether there was gaslighting involved. There were many threads to keep track of and I must admit I was a little confused at times as it wasn’t initially clear that there were both diary entries and online forum entries, but I worked it out in the end! (It’s tricky to explain without spoilers!).
I did guess who Emily’s foe was fairly early on, but other ideas kept popping in and out of my head and the story kept me guessing. The twists and little clues helped to keep the tension and the pacing was perfect. I liked the way the story panned out and I enjoyed the ending.
The themes in the book were really interesting and relatable. Mental health and particularly maternal mental health was the main theme, alongside friendship, support and how much information we are willing to share with strangers when hiding behind the anonymity of an online alias. When I had my first child I clearly remember lying about how I felt in my own diary because I was terrified someone would read it and I would be exposed as an unfit mother. I have gone for many years not being able to express my feelings, so the idea of being anonymous and properly venting is appealing.
The characters were well-written but I was a little surprised by some of their choices and I didn’t really like the way Mark acted. I felt he could have been a lot more supportive and trusting of Emily. I think Emily was believable as a character and the struggles she faced were written really well. The author clearly did her research and it has made for a rich storyline. I really enjoyed the dual timeline aspect of the book and loved learning more about Emily’s family history.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a gripping read with an emotional content that makes you think, but please consider potential triggers. I will be seeking out more books by this author and would love to discuss the story with anyone who has read it!
Being a mother myself and having suffered from postnatal depression I could really identify with some of the feelings that were expressed in the book, of helplessness, anger, frustration and confusion. It was quite uncomfortable to read at times when Emily knew she was right but nobody believed her. It was very thought provoking and challenging at first to work out what was true and whether there was gaslighting involved. There were many threads to keep track of and I must admit I was a little confused at times as it wasn’t initially clear that there were both diary entries and online forum entries, but I worked it out in the end! (It’s tricky to explain without spoilers!).
I did guess who Emily’s foe was fairly early on, but other ideas kept popping in and out of my head and the story kept me guessing. The twists and little clues helped to keep the tension and the pacing was perfect. I liked the way the story panned out and I enjoyed the ending.
The themes in the book were really interesting and relatable. Mental health and particularly maternal mental health was the main theme, alongside friendship, support and how much information we are willing to share with strangers when hiding behind the anonymity of an online alias. When I had my first child I clearly remember lying about how I felt in my own diary because I was terrified someone would read it and I would be exposed as an unfit mother. I have gone for many years not being able to express my feelings, so the idea of being anonymous and properly venting is appealing.
The characters were well-written but I was a little surprised by some of their choices and I didn’t really like the way Mark acted. I felt he could have been a lot more supportive and trusting of Emily. I think Emily was believable as a character and the struggles she faced were written really well. The author clearly did her research and it has made for a rich storyline. I really enjoyed the dual timeline aspect of the book and loved learning more about Emily’s family history.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a gripping read with an emotional content that makes you think, but please consider potential triggers. I will be seeking out more books by this author and would love to discuss the story with anyone who has read it!
September 9, 2022
I was interesting and had a lot of twists but an underwhelming end. It seemed rushed and just clumped together, when that scene with Allie and Emily would have been a great time for Mark to rush in and have everything revealed then. I find it a bit weird how the police were so against Emily but then at the end believed her. Why didn't they do some more research before accusing her in the first place? Also, I think the secret Emily is being threatened with isn't that interesting, throughout the book it was made to sound like she was a cold blooded murderer but it was just underwhelming. It was an easy read though, but I did not really connect with any of the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2022
An enjoyable easy read thriller and I enjoyed Sophie Flynn’s writing style.
I really felt for Emily as a character and I think it is brilliant that Sophie Flynn has brought attention to the realities of motherhood and how it isn’t always sunshines and rainbows. The ‘awful’ things Emily wrote about her children on the blog were the raw and real thoughts potentially of someone suffering with post natal depression and it’s a taboo subject not many pieces of media touch on.
For me, the twist wasn’t very shocking and was quite predictable, but the epilogue made up for it a little bit.
I really felt for Emily as a character and I think it is brilliant that Sophie Flynn has brought attention to the realities of motherhood and how it isn’t always sunshines and rainbows. The ‘awful’ things Emily wrote about her children on the blog were the raw and real thoughts potentially of someone suffering with post natal depression and it’s a taboo subject not many pieces of media touch on.
For me, the twist wasn’t very shocking and was quite predictable, but the epilogue made up for it a little bit.
July 8, 2022
Today is my spot on the book tour for Keep Them Close, a psychological thriller that had me gripped right from the start! Delving into the world of online forums and the pitfalls of never truly knowing who you’re talking to online, we follow Emily as she grapples with being the ‘perfect’ mum, wife and employee, whilst also dealing with the realisation that someone out there is trying their hardest to use her own secrets to destroy her. Throw in some (very well written) mental health issues to confuse matters further and some haunting excerpts from an old diary, and Emily soon finds herself questioning everything and everyone - including herself.
The book is a rollercoaster of twists and turns; Sophie Flynn does an excellent job of flitting between ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, drawing the reader in and leading them to a conclusion before dropping another bomb that completely derails that conclusion and sends the reader in another direction entirely, and I am HERE. FOR. THAT!
As someone who has experienced the crippling uncertainty and perceived isolation of PND, I found Emily to be such a relatable character - while her reactions and thought processes towards events may seem odd to some, I think the author does an excellent job of depicting just how unsettling it can be to not trust your own mind.
No spoilers here, so I’ll just finish this by saying it’s definitely a book I’ll be recommending 👌🏻thank you @lovebookstours @hera_books and @sophieflynnauthor for my #gifted copy of Keep Them Close 😊
⭐️4/5⭐️
The book is a rollercoaster of twists and turns; Sophie Flynn does an excellent job of flitting between ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, drawing the reader in and leading them to a conclusion before dropping another bomb that completely derails that conclusion and sends the reader in another direction entirely, and I am HERE. FOR. THAT!
As someone who has experienced the crippling uncertainty and perceived isolation of PND, I found Emily to be such a relatable character - while her reactions and thought processes towards events may seem odd to some, I think the author does an excellent job of depicting just how unsettling it can be to not trust your own mind.
No spoilers here, so I’ll just finish this by saying it’s definitely a book I’ll be recommending 👌🏻thank you @lovebookstours @hera_books and @sophieflynnauthor for my #gifted copy of Keep Them Close 😊
⭐️4/5⭐️
November 27, 2023
3.5*! Enjoyed the book overall :-) found it to be well-written and an easy read that I read over the span of 2 days.
My initial thoughts when reading were that it was a bit slow. It takes a little while to get going… there’s a lot of build up in the beginning that maybe could have been condensed. However, once the plot got going, and got ‘thicker’ it became more fast paced and a real page turner.
I did guess the identity of ‘TwoIsTrouble’ earlier than perhaps the author intends you to, (it became really fairly obvious it was someone she knew well) which made the reveal less shocking than it should have been. BUT I was surprised by the identity of the diary parts, I was convinced Emily had a third child whom had died, and I found it so very odd the husband never brought it up to her! I was definitely thrown when it turned out to be her mother. That really shifted my perspective on Emily; as due to the diary entries and her utter distain towards D1, I really didn’t feel sorry for her up until the reveal of who it really was!
It also dives heavily into the trials and tribulations of being a mother, the hardships that are often not spoken about enough and I thought this was done well in the book.
So overall, not 5* because it wasn’t my favourite story to read, a bit slow and identity of foe obvious, but a nice story and enjoyable. :-)
My initial thoughts when reading were that it was a bit slow. It takes a little while to get going… there’s a lot of build up in the beginning that maybe could have been condensed. However, once the plot got going, and got ‘thicker’ it became more fast paced and a real page turner.
I did guess the identity of ‘TwoIsTrouble’ earlier than perhaps the author intends you to, (it became really fairly obvious it was someone she knew well) which made the reveal less shocking than it should have been. BUT I was surprised by the identity of the diary parts, I was convinced Emily had a third child whom had died, and I found it so very odd the husband never brought it up to her! I was definitely thrown when it turned out to be her mother. That really shifted my perspective on Emily; as due to the diary entries and her utter distain towards D1, I really didn’t feel sorry for her up until the reveal of who it really was!
It also dives heavily into the trials and tribulations of being a mother, the hardships that are often not spoken about enough and I thought this was done well in the book.
So overall, not 5* because it wasn’t my favourite story to read, a bit slow and identity of foe obvious, but a nice story and enjoyable. :-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2022
This was actually a really good psychological thriller I have read!
Emily has recently given birth to twin girls, Ella and Lara. Just like any typical Moms, she is dealing with all the things that Moms are doing and soon she joins an online forum, for the Moms. There she meets a stranger with a user name Two Is Trouble and soon she gets involved in the forum. Soon, she realizes that after she shared a dark secret, someone was stalking her...
The story is told mainly from Emily's perspective, which in my opinion is an unreliable character--which is normally a good thing in nowadays psychological thrillers. As reader, do you trust Emily, do you believe her or do you think Emily is insane? So I like how the author created that scenario as well. We also see that someone is really out to ruin Emily's life and as a reader, we wonder, what that dark secret. The ending was what actually blew me away when the secret is finally unraveled and the ending itself was totally unexpected which completely blew my mind away.
If you like a psychological thriller that will put on the edge of the seat, then this book is one for you--worth five stars!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hera for ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
Emily has recently given birth to twin girls, Ella and Lara. Just like any typical Moms, she is dealing with all the things that Moms are doing and soon she joins an online forum, for the Moms. There she meets a stranger with a user name Two Is Trouble and soon she gets involved in the forum. Soon, she realizes that after she shared a dark secret, someone was stalking her...
The story is told mainly from Emily's perspective, which in my opinion is an unreliable character--which is normally a good thing in nowadays psychological thrillers. As reader, do you trust Emily, do you believe her or do you think Emily is insane? So I like how the author created that scenario as well. We also see that someone is really out to ruin Emily's life and as a reader, we wonder, what that dark secret. The ending was what actually blew me away when the secret is finally unraveled and the ending itself was totally unexpected which completely blew my mind away.
If you like a psychological thriller that will put on the edge of the seat, then this book is one for you--worth five stars!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hera for ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
July 19, 2022
Emily is the mum of twins and she's found motherhood hard to adapt to. So, like a lot of new mums she seeks out others who are feeling the same and becomes a regular on MumsOnline where she connects with another mum of twins. TwoisTrouble becomes a close confidante and as well as sharing baby tips and tales Emily overshares with other parts of her life. But when Emily decides to call it a day online and closes down her account online TwoisTrouble starts a creepy vendetta infiltrating Emily and her family's life.
This is a chilling domestic psychological thriller which is quite raw and emotional. I could empathise with Emily in parts, motherhood can take some getting used to and it does help to have people around who are going through the same experiences so I can see why she became so dependent on MumsOnline but quite terrifying how much she divulged online....really makes you think twice about posting on social media.
I really enjoyed how this was written with chapters flicking through time and the blog posts. The twists were exceptional and cleverly interweaved, my mind was going down a completely different track.
If you've read and enjoyed The Push this one is for you.
This is a chilling domestic psychological thriller which is quite raw and emotional. I could empathise with Emily in parts, motherhood can take some getting used to and it does help to have people around who are going through the same experiences so I can see why she became so dependent on MumsOnline but quite terrifying how much she divulged online....really makes you think twice about posting on social media.
I really enjoyed how this was written with chapters flicking through time and the blog posts. The twists were exceptional and cleverly interweaved, my mind was going down a completely different track.
If you've read and enjoyed The Push this one is for you.
July 27, 2022
I picked this one over the weekend and was spellbound by it.
Story is about Emily who is a mother trying to resume work and be more than a mother. She has three daughters (one from previous marriage) and twins from current. After the birth of twins Emily, find her way to an online forum Mumsonline to talk and share her concerns with fellow mums. She is about to go back to work when things starts toppling around, one of her "friend" from Mumsonline contacts her on social media and soon she founds herself crawling back to online forum.
With the social media's presence in our daily life, sometimes we forget what information to divulge and where to draw boundaries. Emily starts getting traumatized by a stranger who knows her past and now coming back to haunt her. With all the events, Emily starts speculating the events and people around her, people starts perceiving as paranoid.
With Emily's erratic behaviour Mark forces her to resume therapy.
Emily has secret which doesn't reveals untill the mid book. Emily is the narrator of the story, along with the narration she maintains her journal/diary.
A enticing and gripping thriller, absolutely unexpected ending.
Story is about Emily who is a mother trying to resume work and be more than a mother. She has three daughters (one from previous marriage) and twins from current. After the birth of twins Emily, find her way to an online forum Mumsonline to talk and share her concerns with fellow mums. She is about to go back to work when things starts toppling around, one of her "friend" from Mumsonline contacts her on social media and soon she founds herself crawling back to online forum.
With the social media's presence in our daily life, sometimes we forget what information to divulge and where to draw boundaries. Emily starts getting traumatized by a stranger who knows her past and now coming back to haunt her. With all the events, Emily starts speculating the events and people around her, people starts perceiving as paranoid.
With Emily's erratic behaviour Mark forces her to resume therapy.
Emily has secret which doesn't reveals untill the mid book. Emily is the narrator of the story, along with the narration she maintains her journal/diary.
A enticing and gripping thriller, absolutely unexpected ending.
July 31, 2022
Keep Them Close
by Sophie Flynn
Genre: Domestic Suspense Thriller
“‘There’s no one way to be a good mother, Emily. But you don’t have to be perfect, to never make any mistakes in your life, to be one.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
THOUGHTS:
The way the story progressed really threw me off. It was not what I was led to expect. Which was really impressive because I was feeling frustrated during the first few chapters.
It was written from a first person perspective and I remember feeling annoyed yet totally wrong footed because things just didn't add up. But the usage of first person storytelling was so marvelously executed that I would never look (and trust) first person narrative ever again.
The writer took a risk and it paid off and it was just amazing.
Character wise, I love the development of Emily’s character and the strength she displayed under the circumstances.
Really a fantastic read and highly recommended.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
by Sophie Flynn
Genre: Domestic Suspense Thriller
“‘There’s no one way to be a good mother, Emily. But you don’t have to be perfect, to never make any mistakes in your life, to be one.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
THOUGHTS:
The way the story progressed really threw me off. It was not what I was led to expect. Which was really impressive because I was feeling frustrated during the first few chapters.
It was written from a first person perspective and I remember feeling annoyed yet totally wrong footed because things just didn't add up. But the usage of first person storytelling was so marvelously executed that I would never look (and trust) first person narrative ever again.
The writer took a risk and it paid off and it was just amazing.
Character wise, I love the development of Emily’s character and the strength she displayed under the circumstances.
Really a fantastic read and highly recommended.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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