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The Date
Listening Length: 10 hours
What would you do if your first date ended in murder?
A year ago, after a perfect date, Miles Deverill was charged with murder. The handsome young actor became front-page news when he was accused of killing Caira Kennedy, a social worker he had just met that night.
Now acquitted, Miles can’t escape the past. He tries to rebuild his life, but journalists won’t leave him alone. And then the threatening messages start—in Caira's own voice: This is not over. Is she still alive or is someone playing a twisted game?
Desperate to escape, Miles joins friends on a remote road trip. But deep in an isolated forest, one of their group is murdered. Someone close to Miles knows exactly what happened on his date—and this time he has to face the truth. Guilty or innocent, there is nowhere left to run…
What would you do if your first date ended in murder?
A year ago, after a perfect date, Miles Deverill was charged with murder. The handsome young actor became front-page news when he was accused of killing Caira Kennedy, a social worker he had just met that night.
Now acquitted, Miles can’t escape the past. He tries to rebuild his life, but journalists won’t leave him alone. And then the threatening messages start—in Caira's own voice: This is not over. Is she still alive or is someone playing a twisted game?
Desperate to escape, Miles joins friends on a remote road trip. But deep in an isolated forest, one of their group is murdered. Someone close to Miles knows exactly what happened on his date—and this time he has to face the truth. Guilty or innocent, there is nowhere left to run…
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 1, 2026
About the author
T.H. Murdock
3 books37 followersT.H. Murdock is a former journalist turned author of psychological thrillers. His debut novel, The Date, was published in July 2026.
Murdock was born in Redruth, Cornwall, and lives in Bristol with his wife and son. Before turning to fiction, he worked as a journalist for fifteen years in the UK and New Zealand.
Murdock was born in Redruth, Cornwall, and lives in Bristol with his wife and son. Before turning to fiction, he worked as a journalist for fifteen years in the UK and New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
June 12, 2026
This is Not Over...
THE DATE
by T.H. Murdock
2 1/2 stars. It took me 2 weeks to get 55% of this book read, then I decided to just stop. I'll rate the half that I did read 2 1/2 stars...
While the first chapter was a pretty good hook, the slow-moving rest was unbearable...
Miles Deverill and Ciara Kennedy met on a dating app. The date went well, but afterward, life didn't go so well...
That night, after the date...
Ciara was murdered, and Miles stood trial for the crime...
Much later...
Miles was found innocent by a jury. To celebrate, he and his friends Elis, George, Rubyn, and his sister Polly took a trip to New Zealand...
But...
On his first day back into civilization, someone posing as Ciara sent Miles a text message...
Now seemed like a good time to take that trip, and the sooner, the better...
Looks like Miles' trial is not over...
Looking back on my assessment of what I had read thus far, this seemed like it might be a good murder mystery. Trouble was, it took 50 plus percent of the book for the group to arrive in New Zealand and board their luxury motor home. My problem with this book is that I don't like reading a lot of fluff and filler to get to the meat of the plot. I honestly couldn't stay awake on this one.
This might have been a good mystery, but I didn't have the patience to get to the end.
THE DATE
by T.H. Murdock
2 1/2 stars. It took me 2 weeks to get 55% of this book read, then I decided to just stop. I'll rate the half that I did read 2 1/2 stars...
While the first chapter was a pretty good hook, the slow-moving rest was unbearable...
Miles Deverill and Ciara Kennedy met on a dating app. The date went well, but afterward, life didn't go so well...
That night, after the date...
Ciara was murdered, and Miles stood trial for the crime...
Much later...
Miles was found innocent by a jury. To celebrate, he and his friends Elis, George, Rubyn, and his sister Polly took a trip to New Zealand...
But...
On his first day back into civilization, someone posing as Ciara sent Miles a text message...
Now seemed like a good time to take that trip, and the sooner, the better...
Looks like Miles' trial is not over...
Looking back on my assessment of what I had read thus far, this seemed like it might be a good murder mystery. Trouble was, it took 50 plus percent of the book for the group to arrive in New Zealand and board their luxury motor home. My problem with this book is that I don't like reading a lot of fluff and filler to get to the meat of the plot. I honestly couldn't stay awake on this one.
This might have been a good mystery, but I didn't have the patience to get to the end.
August 19, 2026
To say this is a slow burn mystery is a grave understatement. It was extremely slow, and I never really engaged with the story. As I was listening to the audiobook, my mind would wander. I am bumping my rating from two stars to three because I appreciate the narration and how it did at times bring life to the story. Another reason I am bumping up my rating is that I didn’t predict the big reveal at the conclusion. Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for my audiobook.
July 14, 2026
Lackluster. Started out ok and then just creeped through the rest to find out who did it with chapters from all of the people. A lot of pointless exposition of their lives that had zero impact on the story being carried along. “Big reveal” was a bit flat because we spent so much time getting through all these chapters of nothing that I just didn’t really care. Nothing thrilling or suspenseful about it.
July 8, 2026
Thank you T.H. Murdock and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this novel.
First of all, I loved the setting for the story. It's not often I get to read a story from the wilderness of North Western New Zealand.
The story plays out as a whodoneit, everyone is suspicious at some point or another but man, the way they treat each other as "friends" is quite awful, which made them all kind of annoying and unlikeable.
There were a lot of parts I just felt were really unrealistic decisions made my the groupm I understand the narrative use of red herrings and what not but it just wasn't that believable.
I will say though that I did not guess the ending. I feel like I should have but I didn't. The very ending of the story was the best part and got a reaction out of me but I just wish more of the novel had that same feeling.
Okay read.
First of all, I loved the setting for the story. It's not often I get to read a story from the wilderness of North Western New Zealand.
The story plays out as a whodoneit, everyone is suspicious at some point or another but man, the way they treat each other as "friends" is quite awful, which made them all kind of annoying and unlikeable.
There were a lot of parts I just felt were really unrealistic decisions made my the groupm I understand the narrative use of red herrings and what not but it just wasn't that believable.
I will say though that I did not guess the ending. I feel like I should have but I didn't. The very ending of the story was the best part and got a reaction out of me but I just wish more of the novel had that same feeling.
Okay read.
June 5, 2026
Love love!! Totally recommend this thriller. Hidden gem 💎.
We added his future books to TBR 🙌
It’s a whodunnit trope and writing is exceptional.
Currently free with Amazon prime first reads
We added his future books to TBR 🙌
It’s a whodunnit trope and writing is exceptional.
Currently free with Amazon prime first reads
July 13, 2026
One of the dumbest books I’ve read in a long time. Intriguing setup introduced and dispensed with in the first 10% of the novel, followed by a pointless description of a bunch of rich assholes on vacation in New Zealand, ending with a final chapter telling us who the real killer is. Nothing but fake suspense along the way, as the characters are all so ill-defined that one couldn’t care less about who did anything or why. Baffling construction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2026
Twisty and unpredictable. I didn’t know who to trust and I loved the New Zealand setting. A brilliant debut not to miss!
April 10, 2026
I was gifted an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for this opportunity.
The Date is a well-written, expertly paced thriller from the start. Fans of multiple POV will love this one, as the author effortlessly weaves a varied cast of players together from chapter to chapter.
The book begins with a murder trial, the main character accused of murdering a woman he went on a single date with. After being acquitted, he embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New Zealand with his sister and a handful of friends, where tension begins to build between everyone for various reasons before the plane even leaves the ground.
This was a page-turner for me. I really enjoyed the way the author breadcrumbed details throughout, and it came to a satisfying conclusion. The twists weren’t obvious, but not so outlandish that they couldn’t be at least partially guessed. (It’s a pet peeve of mine when the reader doesn’t have enough information to be clued into the structure of a twist in any way.) I would definitely read another novel by this author!
The Date is a well-written, expertly paced thriller from the start. Fans of multiple POV will love this one, as the author effortlessly weaves a varied cast of players together from chapter to chapter.
The book begins with a murder trial, the main character accused of murdering a woman he went on a single date with. After being acquitted, he embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New Zealand with his sister and a handful of friends, where tension begins to build between everyone for various reasons before the plane even leaves the ground.
This was a page-turner for me. I really enjoyed the way the author breadcrumbed details throughout, and it came to a satisfying conclusion. The twists weren’t obvious, but not so outlandish that they couldn’t be at least partially guessed. (It’s a pet peeve of mine when the reader doesn’t have enough information to be clued into the structure of a twist in any way.) I would definitely read another novel by this author!
July 5, 2026
Caira is 40 and on the dating apps when she meets Miles. They go out, have a nice time, and she invites him in while her orders an Uber. Eleven months later he's charged with her murder! He gets out and later gets a video clip of her saying, "You might think this is over, but this is NOT over!" Now the police are looking for him again. It's a crazy, mixed-up story of jealousy, love, and greed. Loved it!
June 5, 2026
Super fun suspense story! This one really kept me on my mental toes. Every character became a suspect at one point or another, which is a hallmark of a good mystery. Lots of witty dialogue and unpredictable twists too. I can’t say that I was rooting for any particular character, as none were very endearing, but overall the book was a treat!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
There was so much written that wasn’t integral to the story
June 24, 2026
Lots of Empty Words
This is one of those novels wherein every chapter is dedicated to a different character or event. With so many different characters this got old fast. The plot was very slow paced and I wound up skipping entire chapters just trying to get to the point where something actually happened.
This is one of those novels wherein every chapter is dedicated to a different character or event. With so many different characters this got old fast. The plot was very slow paced and I wound up skipping entire chapters just trying to get to the point where something actually happened.
July 1, 2026
What a cracking debut and what an opener! I loved all the characters in this one and the alternating chapters kept it really interesting. This was the perfect read for this time of year and it’s a nice pacy read too. I really enjoyed this as I was second guessing everyone right up until the point of the big reveal. I felt invested in the story and the characters right from the start and enjoyed going along the journey with them all. I can’t wait to see what Tom writes next!
July 21, 2026
Awful. I can’t believe I read all the way through. I wanted to stop so many times. Just hated the storyline and the fact that a simple reveal got tied up in so much absolute nonsense. Narrator also annoyed me.
July 3, 2026
Loved this one
July 12, 2026
This book made no sense whatsoever the beginning was all about his friends and a case I couldn’t get into it
June 14, 2026
A year ago, after a perfect date, Miles Deverill was charged with murder. The handsome young actor became front-page news when he was accused of killing Caira Kennedy, a social worker he had just met that night. Now acquitted, Miles can’t escape the past. He tries to rebuild his life, but journalists won’t leave him alone. And then the threatening messages start—in Caira's own voice: this is not over. Is she still alive or is someone playing a twisted game? Desperate to escape, Miles joins friends on a remote road trip. But deep in an isolated forest, one of their group is murdered. Someone close to Miles knows exactly what happened on his date and this time he has to face the truth. Guilty or innocent, there is nowhere left to run…
I loved the sound of this from the moment I saw it online and I was extremely lucky to be sent a review copy by Tom ahead of release.
The pacing is steady throughout and the book progresses in a direction I definitely wasn’t expecting, the second half of the book ramping up the suspense and suspicions amongst the cast of characters.
Whilst I did figure out a few of the twists I wasn’t totally expecting that final reveal and that twist definitely made me gasp out loud. Whilst the plot in the second half led to some obvious expectations of something bad being about to happen, I was utterly gripped throughout, eager to find out more and if my suspicions were correct.
I have seen a few reviews mention about the title of the book not quite suiting the story and I have to admit I agree, the ‘date’ element was a fairly small part of the book overall, however this is just an opinion and in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the title whatsoever! Definitely keen to read more from Tom and have added his next book, The Best Man, to my wish list already!
I loved the sound of this from the moment I saw it online and I was extremely lucky to be sent a review copy by Tom ahead of release.
The pacing is steady throughout and the book progresses in a direction I definitely wasn’t expecting, the second half of the book ramping up the suspense and suspicions amongst the cast of characters.
Whilst I did figure out a few of the twists I wasn’t totally expecting that final reveal and that twist definitely made me gasp out loud. Whilst the plot in the second half led to some obvious expectations of something bad being about to happen, I was utterly gripped throughout, eager to find out more and if my suspicions were correct.
I have seen a few reviews mention about the title of the book not quite suiting the story and I have to admit I agree, the ‘date’ element was a fairly small part of the book overall, however this is just an opinion and in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the title whatsoever! Definitely keen to read more from Tom and have added his next book, The Best Man, to my wish list already!
July 5, 2026
I had a great time reading The Date!
One of my favourite things about this book was the multiple points of view, especially the chapters from Alex. Seeing the story unfold through so many different eyes kept me completely invested, and I loved trying to work out who was telling the truth and who wasn’t.
Once the characters became isolated, the tension really ramped up. Stranded with no signal, no power and no way of getting help, the whole story took on an almost horror-like feel, and I absolutely loved that. The atmosphere became so tense that I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next.
I also really enjoyed the constant “did he, didn’t he?” question running throughout the book. Every time I thought I’d worked it out, something else happened that made me doubt myself all over again. There were twists I spotted, plenty that I didn’t, and I loved being kept on my toes right until the end.
For a debut novel, this is a fantastic thriller. It’s tense, entertaining and full of suspense, with plenty to keep you guessing from beginning to end.
A huge congratulations on your debut, T. H. Murdock! 🥳 And thank you so much for reaching out and asking if I’d like to read and review The Date, and for so kindly sending me a signed copy of your debut novel. It was a real pleasure to read, and I’m so glad I got to discover your writing.
One of my favourite things about this book was the multiple points of view, especially the chapters from Alex. Seeing the story unfold through so many different eyes kept me completely invested, and I loved trying to work out who was telling the truth and who wasn’t.
Once the characters became isolated, the tension really ramped up. Stranded with no signal, no power and no way of getting help, the whole story took on an almost horror-like feel, and I absolutely loved that. The atmosphere became so tense that I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next.
I also really enjoyed the constant “did he, didn’t he?” question running throughout the book. Every time I thought I’d worked it out, something else happened that made me doubt myself all over again. There were twists I spotted, plenty that I didn’t, and I loved being kept on my toes right until the end.
For a debut novel, this is a fantastic thriller. It’s tense, entertaining and full of suspense, with plenty to keep you guessing from beginning to end.
A huge congratulations on your debut, T. H. Murdock! 🥳 And thank you so much for reaching out and asking if I’d like to read and review The Date, and for so kindly sending me a signed copy of your debut novel. It was a real pleasure to read, and I’m so glad I got to discover your writing.
July 12, 2026
There’s something so satisfying about picking up a debut novel with no expectations and coming away wondering how it’s someone’s first book. The Date is exactly that! Yet another incredible debut that had me completely hooked.
What begins with a seemingly perfect first date ending in murder soon becomes something far bigger, taking the story from England to the incredible landscapes of New Zealand. I loved the cross-continental feel of the novel, and the court case woven throughout the story added another layer of intrigue as more pieces gradually fell into place. Once the group headed into the remote wilderness, the tension ramped up beautifully. T.H. Murdock did such a fantastic job bringing New Zealand’s wilderness to life that I could vividly picture every scene unfolding.
The multiple POVs kept me constantly questioning everyone’s motives, and I genuinely didn’t see the twists coming. The isolated setting, constant paranoia, red herrings and steadily building suspense all came together for a thoroughly entertaining read. If psychological thrillers with plenty of suspects, shifting alliances and an atmospheric setting are your thing, this is absolutely one to add to your TBR.
4.5⭐️
What begins with a seemingly perfect first date ending in murder soon becomes something far bigger, taking the story from England to the incredible landscapes of New Zealand. I loved the cross-continental feel of the novel, and the court case woven throughout the story added another layer of intrigue as more pieces gradually fell into place. Once the group headed into the remote wilderness, the tension ramped up beautifully. T.H. Murdock did such a fantastic job bringing New Zealand’s wilderness to life that I could vividly picture every scene unfolding.
The multiple POVs kept me constantly questioning everyone’s motives, and I genuinely didn’t see the twists coming. The isolated setting, constant paranoia, red herrings and steadily building suspense all came together for a thoroughly entertaining read. If psychological thrillers with plenty of suspects, shifting alliances and an atmospheric setting are your thing, this is absolutely one to add to your TBR.
4.5⭐️
August 9, 2026
Okay wait... what?!
This book kept me hooked the entire time, and had so many surprising aspects in it. I didnt expect anything that happened in this book, which is a nice change for me.
Id say this book was medium-paced; i did feel it lagging a bit at certain times, but overall it kept me engaged and interested.
This definitely helped me get out of my reading slump!
I enjoyed the characters and the way they interacted with each other, and I thought this story was different than most other psychological thrillers I have read.
I liked how the book got you hooked from the beginning with the story of the date and the murder trial, and then just kept you interested by going back to the trial throughout the book.
And the epilogue??! What the heck! I was not expecting that at all. That's what made this story so unique- I never expected all of the twists that happened throughout the book.
I will definitely recommend this to my friends.
This book kept me hooked the entire time, and had so many surprising aspects in it. I didnt expect anything that happened in this book, which is a nice change for me.
Id say this book was medium-paced; i did feel it lagging a bit at certain times, but overall it kept me engaged and interested.
This definitely helped me get out of my reading slump!
I enjoyed the characters and the way they interacted with each other, and I thought this story was different than most other psychological thrillers I have read.
I liked how the book got you hooked from the beginning with the story of the date and the murder trial, and then just kept you interested by going back to the trial throughout the book.
And the epilogue??! What the heck! I was not expecting that at all. That's what made this story so unique- I never expected all of the twists that happened throughout the book.
I will definitely recommend this to my friends.
August 9, 2026
Honestly, I enjoyed most of the action but didn't like the mystery and ending. It was great having the focus on getting away from a bad situation and heading out on a vacation with friends to get away from the false murder accusation and I liked the setting. The narrators were pretty different and I liked some better. I liked this enough to want to read more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this
June 7, 2026
Satisfyingly twisty mystery
Miles is falsely accused, tried, and acquitted of the murder of Ciara, an internet date he’d just met. He and his closest friends are treated to a getaway holiday in New Zealand after the trial, by Miles’ parents. One of the friends is a podcaster, hoping to grow his audience by making a video of a rare type of parrot, and the group takes off in a deluxe camper bus for a secluded forest where the birds live. Meanwhile, even away from the press scrutiny in the UK, Miles is being stalked and threatened by an anonymous vigilante who is convinced that he got away with murder. Many surprises are revealed during the sojourn in the remote forest, but the identity of the killer is the book’s last surprise. Unputdownable.
Miles is falsely accused, tried, and acquitted of the murder of Ciara, an internet date he’d just met. He and his closest friends are treated to a getaway holiday in New Zealand after the trial, by Miles’ parents. One of the friends is a podcaster, hoping to grow his audience by making a video of a rare type of parrot, and the group takes off in a deluxe camper bus for a secluded forest where the birds live. Meanwhile, even away from the press scrutiny in the UK, Miles is being stalked and threatened by an anonymous vigilante who is convinced that he got away with murder. Many surprises are revealed during the sojourn in the remote forest, but the identity of the killer is the book’s last surprise. Unputdownable.
July 1, 2026
I could NOT put this one down! Finished it in less than 24 hours. It kept me guessing right up until the end. Unexpected twists and turns, interesting characters, a great read. I’ll have to check out more of Murdock’s work.
July 8, 2026
Pretty darn good beach/summer/airplane read. Fast paced, twists you don’t see coming and some interesting characters and locations. Not exactly first rate literature, but not bad at all. Quick, fun read.
July 2, 2026
Loved the book and I was sooo hooked!! I predicted one part of it and not the over, lowkey loved the ending paragraph!!
July 9, 2026
i enjoyed this one but i still had no idea what the point was lmao. I enjoyed the writting style. I will read this author again. nothing too twisty but still fun.
July 16, 2026
In sum, this was a dull murder mystery involving a bunch of self-centered, generally unlikable characters built on stereotypes. The series of big reveals at the end were not even satisfying.
August 10, 2026
Bruh.
What the plot twist?! Yes. Absolutely yes. Read this one! I’m sitting here eating dinner with my mouth wide open saying “What? No. No. Really?”
What the plot twist?! Yes. Absolutely yes. Read this one! I’m sitting here eating dinner with my mouth wide open saying “What? No. No. Really?”
August 28, 2026
WOW! 4.5/5 ⭐️ I got this as a First Reads and I wasn’t sure what to expect but this exceeded my expectations. I can usually figure a book out, but this one had me stunned to the very end!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews