The Puppet Master: A Psychological Thriller of Control, Lies, and Survival

by Abigail Osborne, Heather Fitt (Editor)

A gripping psychological thriller examining control, deception, and survival.

She thought she was hiding.

He thought he’d found her.

Neither of them saw him coming.

Billie is broken, trying to live a life under the radar. Invisible. She's hiding from the man who almost broke her.

When she meets Adam, everything changes. He offers her something she thought she’d lost forever, a chance at happiness.

But Adam has his own reasons for getting close.

He knows who Billie is.
And he knows what she has done.

Adam will do whatever it takes to expose her.

But when attraction builds and secrets begin to unravel, one thing becomes

They are both in danger.

Because behind every choice… every action… every moment – someone else has been pulling the strings.

And now he’s ready to take control again.

The Master will not lose his puppets.

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2026

Reviews

[Sara-Jane Keenan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book is a dark, emotional read. Told in Billie and Adam’s dual point of view, I enjoyed how it delved into both past and present.

The author has created an incredibly tense and unsettling atmosphere, filled with manipulation and deceit. It keeps you on edge, not knowing what is going to happen next, who you can trust or what you can actually believe.

I enjoyed the fast pace of the story and loved that it has short chapters. They keep you intrigued though out and have a great build up to the ending. It’s not an easy read due to the heavy nature of the subjects, so check your triggers before reading, but it was written very realistically.

Overall, it was a 4⭐️ read for me and I can’t wait to read more of the author’s work.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a reason I love this author's thriller books. The Puppet Master was dark and twisted. The sort of story that messes with your mind.

From the beginning I was invested in the story. Just enough information is given to hook you in and feel you need to read on and discover the true story.

The characters are very well developed. I immediately felt drawn to Billie and protective of her. Her traumatic past is hinted at but it's a slow burn thriller. The full details are slowly revealed as both the reader and journalist Adam piece together what really happened.

The slow pace is well worth the build up to the finale. Overall, the book was tense, creepy and hard to put down.

[Ney oh the thrill of it FN · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a heartbreaking yet pulse-racing read!

This and my last read have been heartbreakers and really uncomfortable reads. They are the dark stories that need to be told because although this a work of fiction it is not so far from the realm of possibilities.

People every day experience life in this way and face the horrors Billie had to endure. If nothing else, it raises some awareness for signs of abuse that are easily missed. It also highlights the charming side of abusers and makes you realise some people are just too good to be true.

I was absolutely invested in Billie's story and how over the course of the story the perspective changes. I was so upset for how she was let down.

I definitely had mixed feelings about Adam.
All I am going to say on Eric is what a vile human, honestly just the worst.

This story is told over 3 parts from multi pov with a shifting timeline. Sometimes this can be overwhelming but it was done incredibly well here. There isn't an excess of characters so it's easy to folow along.

The pacing was slower in the first part but it was needed to build the tension and set us up for the final 2 parts. When part 2 hit, boy did it fly! I was tense, I was stressed, but I couldn't put the book down. I just needed to know how it ended.

Although it's a difficult read, I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend. Reader discretion advised as some heavy subjects are discussed, such as abuse and suicide.

[Riette Beling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shattered me in so many ways.

I was not sure where this was going in the beginning, all I knew was Billy was a very damaged and scared girl and when Adam comes in the picture with his thoughts and trying to make her "pay" I wasn't sure what to think or what to believe.

But the when you go to Part 2, I bawled my eyes out!  As a person who has gone through this myself, I know exactly what she went through and that raw hurt came bubbling back up again. @abigailosborneauthor did such a fantastic job describing these emotions! That debilitating fear you feel, the dread of facing anyone you know because you know something is off and that fear of letting your family know thinking it is your fault, telling people and being told your a liar making yourself go deeper into your shell. Honestly this was done so well. I have never ever felt this connected to a book in my life. The atrocities that people do to others came through loud and clear and Abigail portraid this so well, thank you for that.

This was a very emotional pshycological thriller that will push every person that reads this. The manipulation and deceit was palpable, I felt so sorry for the characters that were involved.

Guys this was brilliant!! Just fabulous writing and a very complex plot, amazing work, well done!

[Kerry Garrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very difficult story to write, but this has been written brilliantly. Fast paced chapters and a range of emotions are felt.

I really liked how we got Billie and Adam’s POV in the present. And then how the writing changed to their POVs in the past. Through this we start to piece together the connection between them.

Once the past caught up with the present we then went on a heart pounding journey with Billie and Adam and there were times where I really wasn’t sure what was going to happen to them.

This book has also portrayed that we can move forward from events in our lives.

A really brilliant read.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read! I really felt for our main character Billie, she is such a shell of a woman, has no friends, doesn’t go out unless it’s part of her strict routine, at first it’s not clear what’s happened to her and why she is like this.

We see Billie meet Adam who recognises her and vows to get close to get a confession. This leads to more intrigue as we don’t know what she has done. Adam struggles to get Billie to open up and ‘show her true colours’ she does however get close to him and despite his best efforts he falls for her.

When we get to the big reveal of what’s happened in the past and who was involved I couldn’t believe it! There were some very tense scenes towards the end that had me gripped and unable to put it down!

[Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5stars!

Welcome to a book where nightmares become reality! This pulled-out-of-the-dark book is impossible to stop reading with its ultimate take on manipulation and survival.

The story uses several POVs from Billie and Adam and intersperses diary entries to explain the tormentor's motivations and feelings behind his actions. Billie is a complex character. Her development is intense, having endured an unimaginable amount of abuse. If I ever met her, I would hug her to the point of bursting out of my arms and want to protect her fully. Her experience is gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and not so uncommon. Billie may seem weak, but her strength is amazing, as she made the best of her situation to survive. She could easily have shattered under pressure and grown into a completely different person, yet her determination shines through.

This is an emotional story, and it is handled with care. Adam is another character who forces you to question your ideas as you watch him change from back in the day till now. He starts as young and naive, but once he understands his reality, he finds the courage to stand up for his beliefs and do the right thing. People may judge him, but remember, the puppet master is always one step ahead, grooming unsuspecting victims from the start. Billie and Adam share different pasts and are connected by one common puppet master. They’ve both been raised with solid values, and ultimately, doing what’s right becomes the moral of their story.

Billie’s mother and grandmother are incredibly frustrating, refusing to support or even listen to Billie's accusations. It might be hard to believe, but this happens more often than you think! This story is important! I hope more readers will read it. It's a painful reality. The victim is alone initially, and the puppet master takes advantage of their vulnerability. My blood was practically boiling as I read because it was so relevant, and some of the moments were simply realistic and added to the discomfort.

This narrative isn’t what you might expect. You’ll identify the villain right away, but watching the story unfold and develop over time is captivating. The unique writing style allows you to glimpse into the mind of a predator and the lives of his victims, along with others he manipulates. This was a thoughtfully crafted story that pulls you in and refuses to let go until the very end. The lesson is plain as day: always consider both sides before you conclude. It applies to everything in life. Knowing just one side of the story can hurt, especially the ones you love most.

The story is dark and very hard to imagine. The author does a great job of making us feel the helplessness, the frustration, and the control of the puppet master over the victims. It’s a thought-provoking and eye-opening read. It makes us aware of how common this is, especially in families. I sincerely hope that this book reaches many people's hands. So, if we all pay more attention to our children, we can recognize such a devastating situation happening under our roofs. Kudos for writing such a powerful, gripping story that is hard to put down! Bravo!

Thank you, LoveBookTours and AcornAndInk, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sarah Winney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Puppet Master by Abigail Osborne
Bookstagram Tour: 25th May - 7th June
Genre: Thriller / Psychological Thriller
Pages: 314

This book is a fast paced dark twisty thriller with some elements of this story being uncomfortable to read.

The story is told through various timelines, different view points and perspectives throughout the book and it is not immediately obvious from the off as to which character is which but this adds to the draw of this book.

There is an underlying assumption in this story that Billie has done some terrible things which cause conflict with you the reader from the beginning as you encounter the present day Billie wondering how her complex past has brought her here. Is she a home wrecker, a liar and evil?!

As you draw to the conclusion of this book the storyline opens up and you understand the depth of the situation Billie has experienced throughout his life. I felt sorrow for Billie and Adam’s early childhood and all that they both endured. It makes for some tough reading and I was still longing for a happy ending for them both.

A gripping psychological thriller examining control, deception, and survival.
She thought she was hiding.
He thought he’d found her.
Neither of them saw him coming.
Billie is broken, trying to live a life under the radar. Invisible. She’s hiding from the man who almost broke her.
When she meets Adam, everything changes. He offers her something she thought she’d lost forever, a chance at happiness.
But Adam has his own reasons for getting close.
He knows who Billie is.
And he knows what she has done.
Adam will do whatever it takes to expose her.
But when attraction builds and secrets begin to unravel, one thing becomes clear:
They are both in danger.
Because behind every choice… every action… every moment – someone else has been pulling the strings.
And now he’s ready to take control again.
The Master will not lose his puppets.

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Puppet Master’ is an enticing, enthralling dark psychological thriller that was devilishly delicious to read. It deals with strong themes of abuse, emotional manipulation, and physical violence, but it is clear that the author has done a lot of research, as it was a highly believable and honest portrayal of a young woman’s situation.

Billie is alone in the world and is, in fact, hiding away from everything. She has a routine and follows it to the letter: work, home, and occasional trips to a bookshop. But whilst in the bookshop café, she happens to meet Adam, a young journalist, who may just tempt her into starting a life and having some joy. However, Adam recognises Billie as someone who destroyed his family and decides to befriend her to get her to admit the truth. Truth? But what is true and what is a lie?

Oh, I just wanted to hug Billie as I was reading this. Abigail did such a good job writing this character. Billie’s vulnerability and truth shone through the pages. This is one of the rawest portrayals of this type of abuse and its consequences that I have read recently. In particular, the showdown at the story’s end was spectacularly well written. The middle section of the book deals with Billie’s childhood, and it was a difficult and confronting read. But that only means the author has done a fabulous job.

This was a highly captivating read that hooked me from the start. The pacing was great, the story was complex and well-plotted. Please be aware that this has been republished.

Let me know if you pick this one up!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

📆 single, non-linear timeline.
👀 multi POV
🐢 -🐇 fast-paced

When I started reading, I immediatley took
Billie's "side" even though Adam had a less than positive opinion of her. I assumed that as a man Adam must be lying, which really made me think about the unconscious gender bias in action. So I told my brain that it was wrong to assume. I'm not going to tell you which was the correct thought as I don't want to spoil it.

I thought this book was a realistic, if difficult to read glimpse at what happens when families are forced to chose and the long lasting effects of childhood.

It was fast-paced with short chapters that
make every word count. It wasn't the easiest of reads and I'm going to pop my thoughts on that below as they border on being spoilers so you can chose to read them or not, depending on your preference.


***Potential spoiler***
I'm not sure how I feel about trigger warnings in books for the main. I think there's a fine line between warning and spoilers. But I feel like this book needed one as it deals with the difficult topic of CSA. I didn't realise this, so was shocked when it came up. Although I thought it was dealt with well and showed the reality that often happens when families are forced to chose.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one grips you with the cover and really pulls you in at the start. There is a lot of intrigue around the two main characters as we hear from both of them. I liked the short chapters and the different view points. The first part alludes to lots of different things and you just don’t fully know what to make of the characters.

I felt the middle was a hard read, there’s lots of disturbing details and very little hope or positivity. The last part really picks up the pace and keeps you hooked until the end, developing the characters and giving you a real sense of who they truly are.

Due to the nature of the story some of the characters are very hard to like but the more you get to know Billie and Adam the more you hope for a happy outcome for them.

The author is good at building and maintaining suspense. The story is tense and dark, but clearly well researched and sympathetic in its telling. Although some hard hitting topics are discussed, unfortunately, the themes are true to life and reflective of situations people encounter, showing life isn’t truly all about an easy journey and happy endings.

All in all a quick, gripping read, which will keep you thinking long after the story has finished.

[Ivona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t a comfortable read.
It’s tense, controlled, and quietly unsettling from the first page.
It gets in your head fast and stays there.

Billie is already on edge when the story begins. She’s paranoid, isolated, and clearly running from something. When Adam enters her life, it should feel like a shift toward safety. Instead, it makes everything feel worse. The tension sharpens. The doubt grows.

Nothing about their connection feels clean.

That’s where this book works best. It keeps you questioning. Who is telling the truth? Who is hiding something? And who is really in control?

The story leans heavily into manipulation and psychological damage, and it does it well. The fear isn’t loud. It builds slowly through behaviour, silence, and small moments that don’t sit right. You feel the pressure tightening as the story moves forward.

The characters aren’t designed to be liked. They’re designed to feel real. Billie is fragile but not helpless. Adam is determined but hard to trust. Every interaction between them feels loaded.

And then there’s the presence behind it all. The one pulling the strings. It’s subtle, but it shapes everything.

This isn’t a single-twist thriller. It’s layered. Each reveal shifts your understanding of what came before. By the time it all comes together, the full picture is darker than it first appeared.

What stands out most is control. Not just in the plot, but in the writing itself. The pacing, the structure, the way information is revealed. It all feels deliberate.

A lot of thrillers rely on shock.
This one relies on tension.

And it works.

If you’re drawn to dark, character-driven stories where trust is fragile and nothing feels certain, this delivers.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great first read by this author and I was instantly intrigued by the title and front cover image. 

 

As we meet our main characters, it's easy to see that there's going to be some kind of last trauma - but we have to read on to discover the nature of this.

 

I loved that we have a multi pov format which allowed the story to unfold gradually - this also allows us to really get into each of the character's minds and hear their thoughts and feelings at each step too.

 

I liked the fact that although all the characters are at times seen as bad, these feelings keep changing through the book, both within the story and for us, the reader too.

 

This deals with some tough topics, especially with the last trauma, so do check out the content warnings before diving in, but the author writes this with sympathy and sensitivity throughout.

 

The writing style does a good job of setting the atmosphere and I was hooked from the start and on edge. I had to keep turning those pages as I needed to know how this would play out.

 

A great read and I can't wait to see more from this author soon.

[Dani (piggindani_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an emotional journey this book took me on. The moment I started reading, I knew Billie’s past was going to be break my heart.

It starts of slow, giving an insight into Billie’s daily life, making it so you question why she’s such a timid, solitary person and doing all she can to hideaway from the world. However, the more I learnt the more I feared I knew what was going to be revealed.

Then we have Adam. He is very complex and, initially, had me hating him. I was perplexed at what he “knew” about Billie and where that information came from. As the story unfolds I started to understand and my heart ached for Billie even more.

The diary entries threw me a little but, again, as the story progresses, the puzzle pieces start falling into place and the bigger picture becomes clearer.

This is a traumatic psychological thriller that will tear you apart but Billie’s courage and strength will give you hope and comfort.

Please, do check trigger warnings. It’s a hard read. There’s manipulation, coercion emotional, sexual and physical abuse.

[Courtney Kniffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Thriller / Psychological Thriller
Pages: 314
Publisher: Acorn and Ink Publishing
Rating: 5 s🌟t🌟a🌟r🌟s🌟

Yes! The Puppet Master was exactly as I wanted in a psychological thriller. It was twisted and disturbing, but addicting to read. I could not put this book down until I was finished reading it. The courage and determination to move on with her life after childhood trauma, Billie finds love in Adam. But Adam is just there for revenge. Only the revenge he seeks is based on false information. Not only was Billie played with as a puppet, but Adam quickly learns he was as well. The ending was lovely...until I got to the last chapter. The way my mouth dropped open at the mic drop. This was such a good thriller. I would rate it as definitely top 5 thriller list of my 2026 reads. 100% recommend to any fellow psych thrillers junkie like me. But, please check trigger warnings, as there are a few big ones that may make you uncomfortable.

[Julia Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing, five-star read.

Wow! This book was so good. It was gripping, unnerving and by the end, my nerves were shredded.

It's told from 2 character perspectives: Billie & Adam's.

Billie is a highly strung, secretive lady who is plagued by a traumatic past. Her life was governed by fear and sadness, but all that changes when she meets Adam and starts a tentative relationship with him. Adam is a journalist and at the start, he definitely gave me the shivers: what was going on with him? What was he up to? I had so many questions while reading this book. It kept me guessing and frantically turning the pages to try to work out what was happening. The author cleverly drip feeds information and keeps the tension sustained in a well written narrative and a plot that was clearly thought out and compelling.

This was an impressive psychological thriller and a fantastic debut. Definitely an author to look out for. Fabulous!!

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This psychological thriller begins with Billie living half a life, after suffering severe trauma in her early years. Readers are drawn in, as we don't find out her story straight away, only that it has given Adam reason to come after her and seek revenge.

Tension gradually builds as the author slowly unspools the story and leaves us wondering who to trust and who to fear.

This book made me feel uneasy throughout - no mean feat when this is my go-to genre, and I feel like it's getting more difficult to read something completely fresh!

Definitely a book to read if you're looking for a story to put you on edge and keep you there!

Thanks to the author, Acorn and Ink, and Love Books Tours for the eARC of this book.

[Kirsty Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️s

The Puppet Master is a psychological thriller that definitely comes with trigger warnings, so I’d recommend checking those before diving in. That said, it completely gripped me from the start.

For me, the mark of a great psychological thriller is when it makes you feel slightly uncomfortable while still being impossible to put down, and this book does exactly that. Throughout Part 1, I had no idea who to trust. Part 2 gradually peeled back the layers and began to reveal the truth, while Part 3 ramped up the pace and had me practically shouting at the characters.

Tense, unsettling, and packed with twists, this was a great read that I’d happily recommend to fans of psychological thrillers. Highly recommended!

[PrincessStitchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is utterly chilling and gripping!!

This book went a completely different way to I thought it would so please check you trigger warnings. I absolutely loved how there were 3 POVS Billie, Adam and Diary Entry!

But what a powerful, emotional and sometimes traumatic book. Billies past absolutely breaks your heart! Adam just adds a whole other level to the story!

At times parts of the story confused me but it was like a puzzle that pieced together at the end into a brilliant book! And what a fantastic ending you won't be disappointed.

I sure am adding more of Abigail Osbornes books to my TBR if this is anything to go by!

[Lauren Flewett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by Abigail Osborne and I really enjoyed it.

It is told from multiple points of views and we get to see Billie’s vulnerability with Adam’s changing thoughts as he gets more involved and the truth starts to unravel.

The book starts in the present where you can clearly see Billie has been through something traumatic but you are not told what. It then flips to the past and you start to work out what has happened.

Some very sensitive topics are dealt with in this book and I thought it was very well done by the author.

Do check the trigger warnings before reading.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow…just wow. What a gripping tale! Billie, who only connects with the world as much as she has to as she has been so traumatized. Adam, a journalist who desires to make Billie pay for what she allegedly did while also getting the story that makes his editor take notice. Both of them trying to figure out who is pulling the strings.

The story holds onto you, is twisty, creepy, and oh, so good. 5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Puppet Master by Abigail Osborne.
omg. what a read. I did wonder why Billie was so afraid. But as I read on. I could understand why. I wasn't sure how I felt about Adam. I really didn't like the Puppet Master at all. I loved the cover of this book. it was the reason I signed up. I didn't even look at the blurb. This was fast paced and I couldn't put it down. This is definitely a must read.

[Leanne (Queen_and_the_wolf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

R/v to follow on 29/5

[Louise Bookmac82 Mackin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the first part of the book very mysterious and slow building but the rest of the book makes the way the first part was written, make sense. Once I started part 2, I couldn't put it down. It was very compelling.
I found the storyline very hard to read at times. It was very dark and upsetting but unfortunately these things happen in real life and need to be written about.
I thought the story was realistic in the way the way that it very messy and not finished off in a nice neat bow as in real life it rarely would be either.
I loved the author's style of writing and the way the story was gradually revealed. I didn't guess where it was going at all. I'll definitely seek more books by this author out.

[Soft Ember Tales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know where to begin with this book.

The Puppet Master is one of those rare stories that stays with you long after you finish reading. It is heartbreaking, disturbing, and at times difficult to read, but not because it relies on shock value. It is difficult because it feels real.

This story explores grooming, manipulation, abuse, and trauma with honesty and compassion. Rather than sensationalizing these experiences, it focuses on the people behind them. Their fears, vulnerabilities, resilience, and courage.

It made me reflect on the reality behind the headlines and reminded me that every story like this represents a real person.

Abigail Osborne's writing is beautiful and emotionally powerful. I found myself thinking about this book days after I finished it, and that alone says a lot about the impact it had on me.

A difficult but important read that I won't be forgetting anytime soon.