Eye Spy

by C.M. Ewan

Eye Spy is the chillingly intense brand-new thriller from C. M. Ewan, author of The House Hunt, The Interview and Strangers in the Car.

* * *

Waiting for the Eurostar in Paris, Mark’s four-year-old daughter alerts him to a ‘Bad Man’ during a game of 'Eye Spy'.

Things only get worse when Mark notices that the man is on their train with a suspicious-looking suitcase, and he’s sitting ominously close.

With secrets unravelling from the past, can Mark piece together the jigsaw of his life in order to save his family? Or will their journey come to a fatal end?

Set on a fast-moving train over three hours, this high-octane thriller combines emotional family survival with edge-of-your-seat suspense.

* * *

Praise for C.M.

‘Fantastic’ – Lee Child, author of The Jack Reacher series

‘C. M. Ewan never once drops the pace’ – Clare Mackintosh, author of Hostage

‘Totally brilliant’ – BA Paris, author of The Therapist

‘Nobody does heart-thumping, dry-mouth, claustrophobic thrillers like C.M. Ewan’ – Sharon Bolton, author of The Pact

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Espionage, Mystery

411 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2026

About the author

I write nerve-shredding thrillers about ordinary situations gone wrong -- the kind of thing that could happen to any of us!

My latest thriller THE INTERVIEW is about a seemingly normal job interview that turns out to be something very different and unexpected. It will be published in February 2022.

I'm also the author of A WINDOW BREAKS, a page-turning thriller that asks the question: what would you do if you woke up at 2 a.m. to hear somebody in your home?

I love to hear from readers and always respond to every email I receive.

You can contact me via:

my website www.chrisewan.com

on Twitter @chrisewan

on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chrisewanauthor

or on Instagram @c.m.ewan

Writing as Chris Ewan, I'm also the author of SAFE HOUSE, DARK TIDES, DEAD LINE and LONG TIME LOST, as well as the popular GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO ... series of mysteries about globetrotting crime writer and thief-for-hire, Charlie Howard.

THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO ... novels are warm, witty and perfect for fans of cosy mysteries. If you think you might like to try one, you can download your FREE copy of THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO MURDER, a novella set during the Cannes film festival, by visiting my website www.chrisewan.com and joining my email newsletter.

I was born in Taunton in 1976 and graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in American Studies with a minor in Canadian Literature, then later trained as a lawyer. After an eleven-year spell living on the Isle of Man, I now live in Somerset, England with my wife and two children, where I write full time.

Reviews

[suspenseisthrillingme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot damn! An additive, white-knuckle ride of hairpin turns and palpable tension, Eye Spy was the crème de la crème of psychological thrillers in no uncertain terms. You see, with an action movie-like vibe and short, punchy chapters, I was swept up in this adrenaline-fueled tale from beginning to end. Don’t get me wrong, despite the fact that this story was driven by anxiety-inducing dread and a very real sense of fear, the true-to-life relationships between these relatable characters came alive on the page. Heartbreaking, propulsive, and beyond original, it took intriguing family drama and ultra high stakes and melded them together into one unputdownable novel. An unforgettable one-sitting read, I could feel my blood pressure rising higher and higher the closer I got to that *mic drop* of a last page. After all, it left me with a gigantic, Cheshire Cat-like grin on my face.

So what else did I love about Ewan’s newest page-turning stunner? Well, considering that it was blindingly fast-paced and chock-full of surprises, I was somewhat shocked to find such on-point characterizations. I mean, not only was the plot both taut and intense, but the emotion behind the action was perfectly drawn. Even better? I wasn’t able to guess a single thing. You see, with each additional twist, the plot shifted just enough to keep me from predicting what on earth was going on. But it was how everything felt both ripped from the headlines and deliciously unhinged that made me a fan. Well, and that ending. I can’t say much more without potentially spoiling the nail-biting showdown, so just know that if you love locked-room thrillers with a slight Harlan Coben feel mixed with cat-and-mouse chase vibes, you’re going to love this one as well. Rating of 5+ stars.

What else I loved:
- Took place over only three hours
- Dual interconnected plot lines
- Multiple POVs
- Oodles of suspicious characters
- Perfect pacing
- A masterclass in suspense

SYNOPSIS:

Eye Spy is the chillingly intense original thriller from C. M. Ewan, author of The House Hunt, The Interview and Strangers in the Car. Set on a fast-moving train over three hours, this high-octane thriller combines emotional family survival with edge-of-your-seat suspense.

Waiting for the Eurostar in Paris, Mark’s four-year-old daughter alerts him to a ‘Bad Man’ during a game of 'Eye Spy'.

Things only get worse when Mark notices that the man is on their train with a suspicious-looking suitcase, and he’s sitting ominously close.

With secrets unravelling from the past, can Mark piece together the jigsaw of his life in order to save his family?

Or will their journey come to a fatal end?

Thank you C.M. Ewan and Pan Macmillan for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: March 26, 2026

Content warning: bombing, death of parents, violence, murder, kidnapping, confinement, gun violence, mention of: stalking

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ a little far fetched but it kept me hooked throughout

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who would have thought that a simple game of Eye Spy would lead to a terrifying journey on a Eurostar train.

Following a short break in Paris, the drama begins at check-in for the return journey to London and doesn’t let up. When the ‘Bad Man’ that four year old Molly spots is seated in the same carriage as Mark and his two daughters this turns into a mile a minute ride of unbelievable tension and suspense. Mark’s wife Claire is not with them, she has to work but insisted they go without her. However Claire has secrets of her own and as the story progressed, there is a foreboding that this train journey will not end well for anyone.

Mark has his own sad backstory which still haunts him, as does Claire – this is how they met. Mark isn’t a superhero – he’s just an normal dad, trying to get along with his moody and stroppy teenage stepdaughter Freya but from the situation he finds himself in on that train he has to dig deep and find every piece of courage and intuition to keep them safe. Seemingly outwitted at every turn by those who would suffer no guilt for the consequences of their actions, he must find a way to get his family off that train alive.

With chapters counting down the timeline to arrival in London, the suspense never lets up. There are aspects to this thriller to make it different from the norm and although I guessed some of where it was heading, there was an intake of breath at certain revelations and twists.

This was a cracking read and I thoroughly enjoyed it even if I didn’t have any fingernails left at the end! I’ve been on the Eurostar many times but thankfully, unlike Mark and his family, the only drama I’ve encountered is not putting my watch forward an hour on arrival in Paris 😳

A definite recommended read.

[S.M. Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite the ride! C.M EWAN is an exceptional author and I have thoroughly enjoyed most of his books. This one was no exception. In full transparency, I couldn’t fully get into the story for the first half of the book because of the pieces of the story that were missing… but once I got to the part where everything just clicked together and I fully understood what was happing - I enjoyed it a lot! The second half was pacy, edge of your seat and action packed! The twists were expertly crafted. Specifically the last quarter of the book was immensely good. C.M EWAN never lets me down and his writing is just impeccable. I truly can’t wait for his next. 4 🌟

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an advance copy from TheBookload.

A gripping read, told from multiple perspectives of one father’s quest to protect his family and get the answers he needs. Based on a journey from Paris to London on the Eurostar, it has a small cast of players, but will grip you with each chapter.

[Kim Snaith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure any book has ever made me feel as anxious as Eye Spy, and I mean that in the best way possible. Punchy, fast-paced, and with not a single moment to spare, C.M. Ewan has demonstrated his expertise in creating tense situations that you can't look away from, even if your heart is in your mouth from start to finish.

Eye Spy is the story of Mark who's on his way back from a trip to Paris with his young daughter, Molly, and teenage step-daughter, Freya. It's been an uneventful trip, and Mark expects an uneventful journey home, too. But when Molly points out a 'Bad Man' in baggage check in the station during a game of eye spy, the three-hour journey home to London spirals quickly into a nightmare.

I don't need to spoil any more of the plot, because the joy of Eye Spy is experiencing everything as it unravels. Short and sharp chapters, often just three pages long, hold your attention on a knife edge, and from one cliffhanger to another, you'll be furiously turning the pages, desperate to find out what's going to happen.

Ewan has such a fantastic writing style; accessible, relatable and human, while also being tense and heart-stopping. Not a word has been spared - everything on the page exists purely to either up the tension or make you care about these characters. An incredible novel, and undoubtedly one of the best thrillers of the year. Do not sleep on this one.

[Danielle Victor Hastings (Elleliterates) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review received via NetGalley

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

I sped through the last 40% of this book in 1 sitting- and I think that says it all!

This story follows Mark, step dad to Freya (15) and Dad to Molly (4) whilst on a return trip on the Eurostar between Paris and London. When Mark becomes suspicious of another passenger travelling on the train, the journey home quickly turns into a journey Mark or his family will never forget.

When I say this book gave me THE WORST anxiety, I cannot emphasise that enough. I think in part I just heavily related to Mark as I also have a 4 year old daughter and a 16 year old stepdaughter (the similarity was uncanny since, like Mark, I also met my stepdaughter when she was 9!!) but that said, it is clear that C.M. Ewan’s knows how to write high stakes and that kept me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time.

If you enjoy anxiety inducing, nerve wracking , high stakes and full of suspense thrillers, this one is for you!

A huge thank you to Pan Macmillan, C.M Ewan and NetGalley for access to this ARC.

[Rainbow Goth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐ rounded up.

This is my first book by C. M. Ewan and it was an absolute blast. The chapters are short and sharp, and the twists and turns begin almost immediately. It pulls you in quickly and doesn’t really give you a chance to catch your breath.

I can’t say I truly loved any of the characters, apart from adorable Molly, but they felt realistic, relatable and well developed. Even when they frustrated me, I was still rooting for them, which says a lot about how well they were written.

There’s a part of me that wants to say some of the storyline felt a little implausible. But honestly, given how unpredictable and chaotic the real world can be, especially right now, it didn’t feel as far fetched as it might have done a few years ago.

Overall, this was a fast paced, gripping thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC. This review is my own.

[Beth Reads Crime · Rating 5 out of 5]

'I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ... B and M.'
'Bad Man.'

Mark is travelling back from Paris with his four-year-old daughter, Molly, and fifteen-year-old step-daughter, Freya. His wife Claire had to drop out of the trip last minute due to work, so Mark has had his hands full.

They’re making their way through the Eurostar security line when Molly suddenly and very loudly, much to Mark's embarrassment, announces that she’s spotted a "bad man" during a game of I/Eye Spy. Merde!

Once they’re on board and settled, Mark tries to steal a moment to read, but that plan is quickly derailed as he notices the Bad Man taking a seat nearby. Mark’s train of thought turns back to Molly’s earlier observation. Why did she say it? What exactly does she see?

If this sounds like an interesting journey, you’re on the right track. Anyone who has read any C. M. Ewan before will know he takes everyday situations and then cranks them up to 11. With most of the story taking place on the train itself, the time frame of the short 2+ hour journey really adds to the pacing and tension.

One of my favourite parts of the book was actually the relationship between Mark and his daughters. As a step-mum myself, As a step-mum myself, I found the family’s dynamic believable and well written.

If you’re looking for a tense, fast-paced thriller, then you should get all aboard and choo-choose 'Eye Spy'.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Kris Eagling · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the premise of the book, I found it a tough read.
Mark to me seemed a very weak character, then while on the train journey with him, I felt half of each chapter was very over descriptive and not needed. It really took some of the pace out of the book.
I’m disappointed as soon as I saw this book I put it straight to the front of my TBR, but now wish I hadn’t bothered.

[Lu thrillskillsandchills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye spy with my little eye, something beginning with: you should absolutely add this to your TBR.

Okay, so maybe I’m not quite as good at playing the conventional game like Molly and her Dad Mark are, but after absolutely flying through this, I stand by it.

Set almost entirely aboard the Eurostar travelling from Paris to London, this was such a tense thriller to tear through. What starts as a simple game between Mark and his 4-year-old daughter Molly quickly spirals after she points out a “bad man” at the station, and from there the tension barely lets up.

The countdown towards arriving back in London added so much to the atmosphere for me. Combined with the claustrophobic train setting, there’s this constant sense that time is running out and things are only getting worse.

I also liked that alongside all the suspense and paranoia, there was more emotional depth woven through this with Mark’s past trauma and his desperation to keep his family safe.

Fast-paced, claustrophobic, and incredibly bingeable and I think this would make a fantastic movie!

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️💫 Waiting for the Eurostar in Paris, Mark’s four-year-old daughter alerts him to a ‘Bad Man’ during a game of 'Eye Spy'. Things only get worse when Mark notices that the man is on their train with a suspicious-looking suitcase, and he’s sitting ominously close. With secrets unravelling from the past, can Mark piece together the jigsaw of his life in order to save his family? Or will their journey come to a fatal end?

Wow, this is a book that grabs your attention right from the very first page!

I absolutely loved the format of this story being told in real-time, the clock counting down to the arrival of the Eurostar train in London after leaving Paris. The events that happen in this three hour period are tense & action-packed and honestly, I felt like I was a passenger on the train with Mark, Freya and Molly, living through every experience and emotion with them.

Chris’s writing is always gripping and intriguing and this latest title doesn’t deviate from this, giving you the feeling of your heart racing throughout, not allowing you to disembark from the tense journey until the ultimate mind-blowing conclusion.

The chapters giving Claire’s POV were perfectly balanced and inserted at just the right sections to increase the intrigue and suspicion, I honestly didn’t figure out the twists at all until each reveal moment. The fast pace makes this such an encapsulating read, I can also see it making a very good film too!

Another brilliant read from Chris, if you want a high octane twisty thriller then look no further, highly recommend!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com

I could not put this book down! Wow. Tense, utterly gripping and with a delicious sense of building dread, this family thriller set on the Eurostar had me on the literal edge of my seat. Mark and his family (four-year-old Molly and fifteen-year-old stepdaughter Freya) are heading home after a short break in Paris. Mark’s wife, Claire, had to stay behind due to a work emergency, but she insisted they go ahead with the break anyway. Mark is understandably exhausted, and the girls are anxious to see their mum. But going through security, Molly does what four-year-olds sometimes do. She makes an uncomfortable comment about one of their fellow passengers during a game of Eye Spy. But this is no ordinary, embarrassing comment. This is a whole new level of awkwardness. She calls the passenger a ‘Bad Man’. Mark is instantly mortified, but also on high alert. When the stranger boards the same train as Mark, but this time with a slightly different-looking suitcase, Mark’s concern grows exponentially. Stuck a few seats away from this ominous stranger and with his mind working overtime, cautious Mark knows he needs to act. Before it’s too late…..

Eye Spy is a high-stakes, full-on family thriller that I devoured with utter glee. The book starts with a shocking scene: a terrorist attack in Helsinki, which kills several bystanders, including Mark’s recently retired parents. Mark is on a video call with them when it happens, ensuring he suffers the kind of trauma no amount of time or therapy will ever erase. As a result, Mark is a cautious man. Always alert, always aware of what is going on in the background. The tragedy, however, does bring a note of happiness when he meets Claire, whose father was also killed in the same attack. They later marry and have a daughter, Molly. So when presented with a ‘Bad Man’ who is acting highly suspicious on the Eurostar, Mark’s instincts automatically kick in. But in truth, he doesn’t know the half of it. I really liked Mark. The situation he finds himself in is pretty concerning to start with. It then spirals into something utterly terrifying. Trapped in a metal tube under the English Channel with his two daughters to protect and very little help from elsewhere, I was gripped and unable to tear myself away from the story. And on the occasions I did have to ‘do normal life’, I was always excited to return to Eye Spy.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Eye Spy is a tense, taut and completely engaging thriller which I devoured with gusto. Perfectly paced with bucketfuls of intrigue, I loved every second I spent reading this brilliantly written book. I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again, WOW! I believed in the characters, I believed in their situation, and I couldn’t get enough of Mark’s journey to the truth (and what a truth it is!). Seriously good stuff! Chock-full of suspicion and mounting dread, utterly compelling from the get-go, this book hooked me in and didn’t let me go until I’d turned the final page. Just superb! I was kept guessing throughout. At no point was I able to predict where the story was going, which is always a bonus. I’ve read books by this author before and he never disappoints. I am officially a fan. All in all, Eye Spy is impossible to tear yourself away from. It’s a captivating, high-octane family-driven thriller with tonnes of suspense, suspicion and a superbly written cast of characters. Just when you think things can’t get any worse for Mark, they do. Tenfold. Bloody marvellous! Highly recommended.

[Adam Hurt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely give up on a book, but Eye Spy by C. M. Ewan just didn’t hold my attention. The concept at the start had some promise and felt like it might develop into a tense, gripping thriller—but unfortunately, it never really got going.

The main issue for me was Mark. As the central character, I expected someone I could either root for or at least find compelling, but he came across as incredibly weak and difficult to believe. Instead of adding tension, his actions often felt frustrating and unrealistic, which pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me in.

Because the narrative relies so heavily on him, the whole plot started to feel flat and, at times, downright boring. I kept waiting for things to click into place or for the stakes to rise, but that moment never came.

In the end, I found it so unengaging and unconvincing that I couldn’t even bring myself to finish it—a rare DNF for me.

[Trina Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helsinki, 6 years previously Marks parents were killed in a terrorist attack. Since then, he suffers from paranoia and panic attacks so when his young daughter spots a "bad man" in a security queue before boarding the Eurostar from Paris to London his senses are heightened. Much of the story is based on the train where Mark's neurosis and paranoia becomes even greater. Unbeknown to him his wife Claire, who cancelled going on the trip to Paris, is meeting with a mystery man in a hotel.
I found this a fairly unique storyline, but my personal opinion is that it could have been condensed somewhat. I get that we're supposed to feel Mark's tension but for some reason I can't explain he annoyed me. Once the train approached London and we were on proper soil I found the book more suspenseful. A satisfying ending though

[Jing · Rating 1 out of 5]

Everyone seems unconvincing. Even Molly. 4 year olds just don’t talk like that I’m sorry.

[Jo_Scho_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark is about to board the Eurostar from Paris to London with his four year-old daughter Molly and his teenage step daughter Emily. Molly suddenly announces that she’s spotted a ‘bad man’, much to mark’s embarrassment. However this soon changes to concern when he realises the man is sitting very close to them on the train - and carrying a completely different suitcase. Should Mark speak up? Or stay quiet?

Whew, this is how you write a thriller! The short snappy chapters had me hooked from page one and I think I read the first hundred pages without even realising, I was that engrossed. It’s wonderfully written with relatable and endearing characters (I loved Molly so much) but also simmering with suspicious ones too. I honestly didn’t know who to trust!

I read a lot of thrillers, just like you lot do, so nothing much phases me these days. However Eye Spy is different. It really dud get my heart racing, it really was impossible to put down and I genuinely had no clue where the story was going.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I really think he’s a force to be reckoned with.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this and the setting was interesting as well, taking place mostly on a train.

I had guessed a couple of things before they were revealed but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book.

[Donne]

Reading the entirety of this book that takes place on a Eurostar train with my sister while we were also on a Eurostar train was incredibly fun! And it’s such a good book as well, I was invested and intruiged from beginning to end.

[Beth Boulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

🚆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🚆

Eye Spy with my little eye something beginning with BM…. Bad man 👁️

The anxiety that this book gave me! The short and snappy chapters kept me engaged - but this is a book that’ll get your heart racing, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Ellis Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Kept me guessing and was very fast paced. Highly recommend it!

[Caitlin Bunting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 4.5⭐️
Wow this one had me hooked from start to finish, I really enjoyed the short chapters and mixed media throughout. I read this one in one sitting as I could not put it down, so much suspense and tension and I loved it.

[AtomicBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a full on read from start to finish. The story moves as fast as the train it is set on. Honestly, this is a super fast paced book that moves the story on quickly with such energy but everything is relevant, every word, character and action helps make the story feel very real. The reactions and feelings of every character are written so well especially 4 year old Molly, she brings the story to life because she is an innocent character in every sense of the word. This story is brilliantly written and I will now work my way through the author’s back catalogue.

[Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced (the whole book is set over like 3 hours), supremely tense and refreshingly intelligent - I literally loved this book. One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time.

4.8 out of 5*

[Georgina Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so tense from the start, action all the way. I was fully immersed as soon as things took a turn. Mark and his 2 girls are on a city break in Paris and when they are getting the Eurostar back to England, a game of Eye Spy takes a bit of a weird and sinister turn when Molly’s go alerts Mark to a Bad man. From there, things just spiral and he must do everything the bad man says or he’ll never see Freya again.

This was so well written, all go from the start and there were so many twists and secrets that just kept showing up. There were chapters from Claire, Marks’ wife, that didn’t make sense to begin with then revealed a horrid truth. A really great book and an author I’ll definitely read again.

[Carol Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed C M Ewan’s books in the past but this one fell a little bit short for me. I found Mark a weak and pathetic character who I thoroughly disliked from the start. The skipping from a terrorist attack in Helsinki six years previously, to now when Mark is on a Eurostar train from Paris to London with his teenage stepdaughter and his four year old daughter, to a London hotel bar where Mark’s wife is meeting an unknown man all should have served to be tension inducing but sadly the over descriptions of Mark’s train journey was like wading through treacle. I appreciate the plot was good on paper but I think it missed the mark for me.

[Bookstarreviews_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

AD-PR PRODUCT

A fast-paced, alarmingly good thriller! 😍

Brace yourself as you board this thrilling read with ascending tension and a plot that throttles with conviction. The chapters were short and snappy, the story was cleverly unwound and the book had some shocking twists.

I loved the instant wave of feeling as if something troubling to come is thrust upon you from the beginning and how this remained throughout the entire read. Ewan captures your attention with a game of Eye Spy which will never let you look at the game the same way again.

Ewan’s writing is skilful and slick and not once did my attention waver from this high-octane read. My heart was beating in parallel with the speed of the train as I grappled with the pages to steadfastly unravel the story.

I had mixed feelings about the protagonist Mark, as at times I wanted to shake him and tell him to do something about the situation, but at other times I really sympathised with the nightmare position he was in, especially with his children. Despite the book’s fast-paced nature, the train journey felt like a lifetime for Mark and I love how Ewan achieved this balance.

The book culminated very unexpectedly and I was really impressed as I didn’t know the direction it was heading in throughout. This read is a fantastically entertaining ride and the perfect book to binge.

A huge thank you @bookbreakuk @panmacmillan for this proof copy of Eye Spy which is publishing March 2026! 💛

You must check out this book! 😍

⚠️ Please check out the trigger warnings! ⚠️

[Erik Chin · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a massive fan of closed-circle mysteries, Eye Spy should have been right up my street. The fact that it is set in my own neighborhood should add a brilliant layer of local excitement. Unfortunately, neither the setting nor the genre could save a plot that completely failed to engage me.

​Ultimately, I couldn't even finish it. It wasn't strictly a pacing issue; rather, the story felt utterly stagnant. I found myself frequently skipping pages, only to realise the plot hadn't moved forward an inch. With every chapter, I found myself caring less and less about the characters and the outcome. To make matters worse, a significant portion of the narrative revolves around an incredibly annoying baby girl, which quickly became tedious.

​When the central revelation did finally come to light, it landed with a dull thud rather than a sharp twist. A great thriller needs an incisive, "wow" moment that recontextualises everything you've just read. Instead, this reveal felt flat and I could care less. There is nothing inherently wrong with the underlying premise, but the execution, style, and character dynamics just didn't come together for me.

[Saffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eye Spy started off as a really intriguing thriller and I was immediately drawn into the plot involving Mark, travelling home from Paris on the Eurostar with his daughter Mollie and step daughter Freya. The sense of unease begins early on when Mollie sees a ‘bad man’ at check in and Mark later discovers this man acting suspiciously on their train. The novel primarily takes place on the Eurostar journey as Mark becomes increasingly anxious and suspicious. I liked the fact that I had no idea where the plot was going and was intrigued by the link with a bombing in Helsinki in which Mark’s parents died. However, although this had all the ingredients of a good thriller, after about a third of the way through I found that it became slow and repetitive and lost the sense of tension and unease. A mixed read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was tense with a capital T, I was so freaked out by Molly’s observations, the setting being in a trapped environment really added to this.

I’m a massive fan of the author, his books are always a page turner and could easily be situations that occur (cross fingers not in my lifetime 🤣). This seemed a slower pace, but I felt this enabled me to feel Marks growing fear and paranoia as he struggled to find out what was happening as they sped on through the Eurostar.

This is full of secrets, anticipation and fear which all come together perfectly and each characters involvement is explained.