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Don’t Say A Word
Kate married Max for one reason to protect his sixteen-year-old daughter, Holly.
For the past year, while planning her escape with her stepdaughter, Kate has played the perfect wife to Max, a man twenty years older who's charming in public but cruel behind closed doors.
They are so close, literally days away from leaving, when Holly kills her father. Panicked, Kate hides Max's body in the garage freezer. Now all they have to do is stay calm until she can make it disappear.
But then Holly takes a friend's car for a joyride and hits the new neighbor. It might only be a sprained ankle, but Kate—with a husband in the freezer and a terrified teenager upstairs—can hardly refuse her the spare room.
Except Teri doesn't seem in any hurry to leave. She's relentlessly friendly. She asks too many questions about Max. Soon, Kate starts to wonder whether the accident was really an accident at all.
Incredibly, the body in the freezer isn't the problem.
The woman in the spare room is.
For the past year, while planning her escape with her stepdaughter, Kate has played the perfect wife to Max, a man twenty years older who's charming in public but cruel behind closed doors.
They are so close, literally days away from leaving, when Holly kills her father. Panicked, Kate hides Max's body in the garage freezer. Now all they have to do is stay calm until she can make it disappear.
But then Holly takes a friend's car for a joyride and hits the new neighbor. It might only be a sprained ankle, but Kate—with a husband in the freezer and a terrified teenager upstairs—can hardly refuse her the spare room.
Except Teri doesn't seem in any hurry to leave. She's relentlessly friendly. She asks too many questions about Max. Soon, Kate starts to wonder whether the accident was really an accident at all.
Incredibly, the body in the freezer isn't the problem.
The woman in the spare room is.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Nicola Sanders
5 books3,320 followersNicola Sanders writes psychological thrillers. She lives with her partner on the edge of a forest where she is regularly swooped by magpies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
June 6, 2026
This thriller had me so anxious the whole time! I found myself yelling at them to fix this problem! How could they not see what was really happening?! I love a story that pulls me in and keeps me guessing. Don’t Say a Word did all of that. While I had a good idea of the motivations of the characters, I had zero idea how it would end. The ending was perfect and twisty! There was a lot of repetitive dialogue and phrases throughout which is what kept it from being a 5 star read. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 21, 2026
4.25-4.5⭐️
This was highly recommended by a good book friend, so FOMO kicked in big time.
This is a car crash of a thriller, anything and everything that can go wrong does for our main character. Its themes are quite dark, but the tone is light, it’s not a comedy but there’s a few quips of humour.
Its focus is on entertainment, there’s the need to suspend an element of belief, for me it’s worth it to get something more original.
I was constantly wondering just how much more things could spin out of control, I was riveting reading to find out as it seemed never ending with the twists.
It’s fast paced, adrenaline fuelled, very twisty and entertaining.
I had this book for free
This was highly recommended by a good book friend, so FOMO kicked in big time.
This is a car crash of a thriller, anything and everything that can go wrong does for our main character. Its themes are quite dark, but the tone is light, it’s not a comedy but there’s a few quips of humour.
Its focus is on entertainment, there’s the need to suspend an element of belief, for me it’s worth it to get something more original.
I was constantly wondering just how much more things could spin out of control, I was riveting reading to find out as it seemed never ending with the twists.
It’s fast paced, adrenaline fuelled, very twisty and entertaining.
I had this book for free
June 23, 2026
NO NOTES. I devoured this book, its so good!!! Seriously, its a gripping and addictive thriller and the plot is really really interesting. I loved all the characters (except max) and i love nicola’s writing style, its like seriously it. Its as good, if not better than Dont Let Her Stay which is the other book ive read of hers, and seriously both are incredible. Nicola Sanders is such an underrated and incredible author… she deserves much more hype!! Shes literally in the same spot as freida mcfadden for me. My only complaint is the 67 mentions 😭😭😭.
June 24, 2026
omg what a fabulous author
Wow this book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I just couldn’t put it down love finding new authors for fans of Daniel hurst and freidah McFadden you will adore this author I need to find more by this author when u think u figured it out the twists didn’t disappoint
Wow this book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I just couldn’t put it down love finding new authors for fans of Daniel hurst and freidah McFadden you will adore this author I need to find more by this author when u think u figured it out the twists didn’t disappoint
June 25, 2026
Nicola Sanders is a master at manipulation when it comes to her books.
I have enjoyed every single one of her books because I've hated every single character 🤣 I know that sounds crazy! But hear me out.
Her characters are written to be annoying. To make really stupid decisions. To make you question if they even have brains. And I think she pulls that off so well.
I have enjoyed every single one of her books because I've hated every single character 🤣 I know that sounds crazy! But hear me out.
Her characters are written to be annoying. To make really stupid decisions. To make you question if they even have brains. And I think she pulls that off so well.
June 27, 2026
3.5-3.75 stars. I sped through this and the first half was stressing me out, but my god I wanted to shake some of these dumb characters by the shoulders. Wish the villain had been less cartoonish and overall things were more believable, but was entertaining.
Review of advance copy
Don't Say A Word was my second book by Nicola Sanders, the first being Don't Let Her Stay, which I really enjoyed. Thankfully, this one delivered for me too. From the start, the premise hooked me: a dead body, a complicated mother-and-stepdaughter relationship, and a whole lot of secrets that desperately need to stay buried. Honestly, it had all the ingredients for the kind of tense domestic thriller I can fly through in a day.
What Sanders does so well is create characters that get under your skin. And just like in *Don't Let Her Stay*, there was one character in particular who tested my patience the entire time: Teri. I won’t dive into specifics because spoilers would ruin half the fun, but wow, Sanders really knows how to write characters that make you want to yell at the pages. Frustrating in the best possible way.
This book absolutely flew by for me. Her writing style is addictive, the chapters are short and punchy, and every time I thought I’d be done reading, I decided to continue on. And then there’s the ending. You think you’re getting the twist… and then Sanders comes back with a twist on top of the twist. A full twist-twist situation that genuinely caught me off guard.
Overall, this was another wildly entertaining thriller from Sanders, and she’s quickly becoming one of those authors whose books I’ll automatically pick up. If she keeps putting out fast-paced, drama-filled thrillers like this, I’ll happily keep reading every single one.
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What Sanders does so well is create characters that get under your skin. And just like in *Don't Let Her Stay*, there was one character in particular who tested my patience the entire time: Teri. I won’t dive into specifics because spoilers would ruin half the fun, but wow, Sanders really knows how to write characters that make you want to yell at the pages. Frustrating in the best possible way.
This book absolutely flew by for me. Her writing style is addictive, the chapters are short and punchy, and every time I thought I’d be done reading, I decided to continue on. And then there’s the ending. You think you’re getting the twist… and then Sanders comes back with a twist on top of the twist. A full twist-twist situation that genuinely caught me off guard.
Overall, this was another wildly entertaining thriller from Sanders, and she’s quickly becoming one of those authors whose books I’ll automatically pick up. If she keeps putting out fast-paced, drama-filled thrillers like this, I’ll happily keep reading every single one.
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Kate is secretly planning to escape her controlling husband Max with his teenage daughter Holly when everything spirals and Max ends up dead. As if hiding a body in the garage freezer wasn’t enough, an overly friendly new neighbour suddenly becomes a little too involved in their lives, asking far too many questions.
Don’t Say a Word had all the ingredients of a bingeable popcorn thriller: a straightforward premise, accessible writing, short chapters and fast pacing that made it easy to fly through.
Teri’s character is unsettling, and her presence adds to the overall unease. I kept wondering whether she was just overstaying her welcome or if there was something bigger going on. Alongside a cast of manipulative, unreliable and deeply flawed characters, I liked how the story keeps you second-guessing motives, even when things seem obvious.
Having said that, this definitely requires some suspension of disbelief, and the frustrating, mindless decisions had me internally screaming more than once.
The twists made sense for the story and, while they didn’t completely blow me away, there were a couple of late surprises that gave me an “oh… so that’s why” moment.
Not groundbreaking or especially memorable, but if you enjoy fast, messy domestic thrillers full of unlikeable characters and trainwreck chaos, this makes for a solid popcorn read.
I received a free copy of this book through BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Don’t Say a Word had all the ingredients of a bingeable popcorn thriller: a straightforward premise, accessible writing, short chapters and fast pacing that made it easy to fly through.
Teri’s character is unsettling, and her presence adds to the overall unease. I kept wondering whether she was just overstaying her welcome or if there was something bigger going on. Alongside a cast of manipulative, unreliable and deeply flawed characters, I liked how the story keeps you second-guessing motives, even when things seem obvious.
Having said that, this definitely requires some suspension of disbelief, and the frustrating, mindless decisions had me internally screaming more than once.
The twists made sense for the story and, while they didn’t completely blow me away, there were a couple of late surprises that gave me an “oh… so that’s why” moment.
Not groundbreaking or especially memorable, but if you enjoy fast, messy domestic thrillers full of unlikeable characters and trainwreck chaos, this makes for a solid popcorn read.
I received a free copy of this book through BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Review of advance copy
A psychological thriller about poor Kate, who married Max, a wealthy man widower with one daughter named Holly. There really was no love or affection between Kate and Max. In fact, he sounds like an awful man , but poor Holly would have been trapped with an abusive father if Kate left that marriage. Kate really cares about Holly and doesn’t want that to happen. She’s trying to come up with a plan to leave the house with Holly when one evening Max, as typical of him, lost his temper and attacked Kate and then Holly stabs and kills him! Now they have dead Max to contend with.
It becomes somewhat of a comedy of errors after that, because Kate puts Max in the freezer for keeping (?) until she can do something to make it look like something else happened. She can’t let poor Holly be charged with murder. When Teri, the new neighbor, happens to be in the street and is hit by the car Holly was trying to drive, and then Teri claims her ankle is sprained and she can’t climb her own stairs and needs to stay with Kate and Holly, everything has broken down and there really is no plan other than trying to keep Teri from knowing that Max’s body is in the freezer.
I really couldn’t figure out how this would be resolved without Kate and/or Holly going to prison, and it was definitely a mess. I enjoyed the book a lot and it held my interest.
Four stars!
I received a copy of the digital ARC via the publisher, the author, and BookSirens. My review is voluntary.
It becomes somewhat of a comedy of errors after that, because Kate puts Max in the freezer for keeping (?) until she can do something to make it look like something else happened. She can’t let poor Holly be charged with murder. When Teri, the new neighbor, happens to be in the street and is hit by the car Holly was trying to drive, and then Teri claims her ankle is sprained and she can’t climb her own stairs and needs to stay with Kate and Holly, everything has broken down and there really is no plan other than trying to keep Teri from knowing that Max’s body is in the freezer.
I really couldn’t figure out how this would be resolved without Kate and/or Holly going to prison, and it was definitely a mess. I enjoyed the book a lot and it held my interest.
Four stars!
I received a copy of the digital ARC via the publisher, the author, and BookSirens. My review is voluntary.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
WHAT. A. RIDE.
I couldn't read **Don't Say a Word** fast enough. From the very first chapters, I was completely hooked. Hook, line, and sinker. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was happening, the story twisted into something even crazier. Kate had me stressed from page one. Between hiding a body in a freezer, trying to protect Holly, and dealing with a neighbor who just would not leave, I felt like my heart rate was elevated for the entire book. I was literally yelling at the pages.
"GO KATE GO!"
"WATCH YOUR BACK!"
"WHAT IS GOING ON?!"
And somehow the book kept getting more unhinged. What I loved most was how the tension never let up. Just when I thought I'd figured out the real problem, another layer appeared. The synopsis gives you a wild setup, but trust me, things get so much crazier than I ever expected. Kate and Holly were easy to root for, and I became completely invested in whether they were going to make it out of this disaster alive. I was suspicious of everyone, trusting no one, and questioning everything.
This was my first book by Nicola Sanders, but it absolutely won't be my last. If all of her books are this addictive, I may have found a new auto-read author. An intense, twisty, edge-of-your-seat thriller that had me racing through the pages and thinking about it long after I finished. Easy 5 stars. I'll definitely be recommending this one to everyone.
I couldn't read **Don't Say a Word** fast enough. From the very first chapters, I was completely hooked. Hook, line, and sinker. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was happening, the story twisted into something even crazier. Kate had me stressed from page one. Between hiding a body in a freezer, trying to protect Holly, and dealing with a neighbor who just would not leave, I felt like my heart rate was elevated for the entire book. I was literally yelling at the pages.
"GO KATE GO!"
"WATCH YOUR BACK!"
"WHAT IS GOING ON?!"
And somehow the book kept getting more unhinged. What I loved most was how the tension never let up. Just when I thought I'd figured out the real problem, another layer appeared. The synopsis gives you a wild setup, but trust me, things get so much crazier than I ever expected. Kate and Holly were easy to root for, and I became completely invested in whether they were going to make it out of this disaster alive. I was suspicious of everyone, trusting no one, and questioning everything.
This was my first book by Nicola Sanders, but it absolutely won't be my last. If all of her books are this addictive, I may have found a new auto-read author. An intense, twisty, edge-of-your-seat thriller that had me racing through the pages and thinking about it long after I finished. Easy 5 stars. I'll definitely be recommending this one to everyone.
Review of advance copy
It’s not about the skeletons in the closet rather the husband’s body in the freezer…
Kate has secretly been planning to leave her cruel husband Max. She’s just days away from escaping with stepdaughter Holly, when Holly kills Max. In a panic Kate hides the corpse in the freezer, they just have to stay calm and act normal until she can dispose of the body.
If you’ve ever wanted to see everything that could possibly go wrong, everything that could apply more mental pressure, stress and anxiety onto an innocent, likeable main character then this is the thriller for you. It’s like a beautiful, chaotic meltdown on the page, dripping with adrenaline and cortisol. It’s very addictive reading.
Just impeccable, pace, flow, high anxiety, character development and extremely tight plotting. It might seem like a fast, easy read until you realise that every detail matters, hidden depths that drag you deeper. I read it nonstop cover-to-cover which is very rare for me these days.
Four books in and this is my favourite Nicola Sanders thriller so far. This is a book of the year. I know it’s the lazy, marketing hype phrase that lots of publishers use (usually without merit) but trust me when I say ‘Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden!’.
Read it as soon as you can. I’ll definitely be reading it again when I need to feel the buzz.
Thanks to Furphies Press
Kate has secretly been planning to leave her cruel husband Max. She’s just days away from escaping with stepdaughter Holly, when Holly kills Max. In a panic Kate hides the corpse in the freezer, they just have to stay calm and act normal until she can dispose of the body.
If you’ve ever wanted to see everything that could possibly go wrong, everything that could apply more mental pressure, stress and anxiety onto an innocent, likeable main character then this is the thriller for you. It’s like a beautiful, chaotic meltdown on the page, dripping with adrenaline and cortisol. It’s very addictive reading.
Just impeccable, pace, flow, high anxiety, character development and extremely tight plotting. It might seem like a fast, easy read until you realise that every detail matters, hidden depths that drag you deeper. I read it nonstop cover-to-cover which is very rare for me these days.
Four books in and this is my favourite Nicola Sanders thriller so far. This is a book of the year. I know it’s the lazy, marketing hype phrase that lots of publishers use (usually without merit) but trust me when I say ‘Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden!’.
Read it as soon as you can. I’ll definitely be reading it again when I need to feel the buzz.
Thanks to Furphies Press
June 23, 2026
In Sanders's latest book, we follow Kate, who has spent the past year secretly planning to leave her controlling husband, Max, and take his teenage daughter, Holly, with her. Just days before they are set to escape, Holly kills her father, leaving Kate to figure out how to hide a body while protecting the girl she's come to love. But when a new neighbor begins taking an interest in their lives, Kate realizes keeping their secret may not be as easy as she hoped.
Rating: 3.7⭐ I've read a few books by Nicola Sanders, so I was excited to pick up this new one. Her books are usually filled with messy characters and plenty of drama, and this one was no exception. I was hooked from the very first page and found myself flying through the book (read in 1 day), wanting to see how Kate and Holly were going to get out of the mess they had created. I did find some of the dialogue and certain phrases a little repetitive at times, and I wish there had been multiple POVs throughout the entire book (may have made the book stronger IMO). While the twists didn't completely surprise me, there were a few reveals that made me stop and think, "Oh, that's why she did X." Overall, this was an entertaining read and another page-turner from Sanders.
Rating: 3.7⭐ I've read a few books by Nicola Sanders, so I was excited to pick up this new one. Her books are usually filled with messy characters and plenty of drama, and this one was no exception. I was hooked from the very first page and found myself flying through the book (read in 1 day), wanting to see how Kate and Holly were going to get out of the mess they had created. I did find some of the dialogue and certain phrases a little repetitive at times, and I wish there had been multiple POVs throughout the entire book (may have made the book stronger IMO). While the twists didn't completely surprise me, there were a few reveals that made me stop and think, "Oh, that's why she did X." Overall, this was an entertaining read and another page-turner from Sanders.
Review of advance copy
This was a very suspenseful book where you weren't quite sure who to believe. I liked the element of a potentially unreliable narrator that made you question everything you were being told. It didn't take long for the action to start, and I was hooked from the beginning. The plot was perfectly paced with a lot of twists, and while some of the twists were predictable, others really shocked me.
The main character, Kate, was loyal and hardworking, but she made some exceptionally stupid choices. I don't love when miscommunication drives much of the tension, and it was incredibly frustrating that Kate didn't more strongly pursue a heart-to-heart with Holly. So many things could've been resolved from one conversation. Nonetheless, I enjoyed how the story ended. I hate when psychological thrillers have an ambiguous conclusion, but this novel delivered a surprising and satisfactory final chapter.
Overall, this was an exciting, thought-provoking thriller with a theme of found family. I highly recommend it. *I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
The main character, Kate, was loyal and hardworking, but she made some exceptionally stupid choices. I don't love when miscommunication drives much of the tension, and it was incredibly frustrating that Kate didn't more strongly pursue a heart-to-heart with Holly. So many things could've been resolved from one conversation. Nonetheless, I enjoyed how the story ended. I hate when psychological thrillers have an ambiguous conclusion, but this novel delivered a surprising and satisfactory final chapter.
Overall, this was an exciting, thought-provoking thriller with a theme of found family. I highly recommend it. *I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Review of advance copy
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Don’t Say A Word by Nicola Sanders is an intensely gripping, blood-boiling psychological thriller that masterfully pushes its readers to the absolute brink of frustration before delivering a spectacularly redeeming finale.
The story starts incredibly strong but quickly spirals into high-stress drama driven by the exceptionally poor choices of its main characters, Kate and Teri. While Kate is inherently loyal to Holly, her decisions are frequently infuriating, particularly because much of the plot's tension hinges on a frustrating lack of communication between her and Holly. However, Holly proves to be a surprisingly clever presence despite her initially spoiled demeanour.
What ultimately elevates this novel to a triumphant success is its magnificent ending. Sanders deploys a series of fantastic final twists that are so deeply satisfying they completely wash away the narrative's earlier exasperation. Proving that an author who can evoke such an extreme, visceral range of raw emotions possesses undeniable talent, this wildly entertaining roller coaster easily earns 5 frustratingly perfect stars.
Don’t Say A Word by Nicola Sanders is an intensely gripping, blood-boiling psychological thriller that masterfully pushes its readers to the absolute brink of frustration before delivering a spectacularly redeeming finale.
The story starts incredibly strong but quickly spirals into high-stress drama driven by the exceptionally poor choices of its main characters, Kate and Teri. While Kate is inherently loyal to Holly, her decisions are frequently infuriating, particularly because much of the plot's tension hinges on a frustrating lack of communication between her and Holly. However, Holly proves to be a surprisingly clever presence despite her initially spoiled demeanour.
What ultimately elevates this novel to a triumphant success is its magnificent ending. Sanders deploys a series of fantastic final twists that are so deeply satisfying they completely wash away the narrative's earlier exasperation. Proving that an author who can evoke such an extreme, visceral range of raw emotions possesses undeniable talent, this wildly entertaining roller coaster easily earns 5 frustratingly perfect stars.
Review of advance copy
I absolutely devoured Don’t Say a Word by Nicola Sanders. This was one of those rare books that hooks you from the very first page and refuses to let go. I finished it in just two days because every time I thought, “okay, just one more chapter,” the story would sink its teeth in even deeper.
The pacing was incredible, the suspense never let up, and the twists were perfectly timed. Just when I thought the biggest reveal had happened and the book was starting to wind down, Nicola Sanders completely body slammed me with an even bigger twist. And somehow, even after that, there was one final twist waiting at the end to completely seal the deal.
This book kept me guessing the entire time, and I genuinely did not see the ending coming. If you love psychological thrillers that keep escalating instead of fizzling out, this is absolutely worth the read. Easily one of those “I need to talk to someone about this immediately” kind of books.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The pacing was incredible, the suspense never let up, and the twists were perfectly timed. Just when I thought the biggest reveal had happened and the book was starting to wind down, Nicola Sanders completely body slammed me with an even bigger twist. And somehow, even after that, there was one final twist waiting at the end to completely seal the deal.
This book kept me guessing the entire time, and I genuinely did not see the ending coming. If you love psychological thrillers that keep escalating instead of fizzling out, this is absolutely worth the read. Easily one of those “I need to talk to someone about this immediately” kind of books.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC REVIEW: This was a very interesting thriller.
Don’t Say A Word is a domestic-ish thriller that follows FMC Kate Price, a young schoolteacher trapped in an abusive marriage to Max. Max is controlling & terrorizes both Kate and his daughter, Holly. Kate has been planning to escape with Holly once Max leaves on an upcoming trip, but everything goes up in flames.
The prose reads very smoothly and everybody in it is morally grey, which makes for a very fascinating experience. The book will definitely keep you on your toes as the threat of being discovered hangs over the main characters heads. The drama is messy and entertaining, and I caught myself flipping pages like crazy to find out what happens next. The ending, while extremely wrong morally, was fun and left my half-psycho brain very satisfied. Solid four star read. Liked this one.
Don’t Say A Word is a domestic-ish thriller that follows FMC Kate Price, a young schoolteacher trapped in an abusive marriage to Max. Max is controlling & terrorizes both Kate and his daughter, Holly. Kate has been planning to escape with Holly once Max leaves on an upcoming trip, but everything goes up in flames.
The prose reads very smoothly and everybody in it is morally grey, which makes for a very fascinating experience. The book will definitely keep you on your toes as the threat of being discovered hangs over the main characters heads. The drama is messy and entertaining, and I caught myself flipping pages like crazy to find out what happens next. The ending, while extremely wrong morally, was fun and left my half-psycho brain very satisfied. Solid four star read. Liked this one.
Review of advance copy
Y’all, Don’t Say A Word is a five-star stress fest in the absolute best way. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kate has spent a year secretly planning an escape from her controlling husband Max to protect his daughter Holly. Then, just two days before freedom, Holly kills him in self-defense. Hiding a body is hard enough, but when overly friendly neighbor Teri moves into their spare room and starts asking questions, the tension goes through the roof.
Kate and Holly are easy to root for, and Sanders keeps the suspense wound tighter than a jar lid your grandma sealed in 1987. The writing is sharp, the pacing is relentless, and every chapter left me muttering, “Oh no… what now?”
Twisty, addictive, and packed with nerve-shredding tension, this thriller had me hooked from page one.
Kate has spent a year secretly planning an escape from her controlling husband Max to protect his daughter Holly. Then, just two days before freedom, Holly kills him in self-defense. Hiding a body is hard enough, but when overly friendly neighbor Teri moves into their spare room and starts asking questions, the tension goes through the roof.
Kate and Holly are easy to root for, and Sanders keeps the suspense wound tighter than a jar lid your grandma sealed in 1987. The writing is sharp, the pacing is relentless, and every chapter left me muttering, “Oh no… what now?”
Twisty, addictive, and packed with nerve-shredding tension, this thriller had me hooked from page one.
June 16, 2026
Wowee! This book started super strong, and I LOVED it right off the bat. There are tense situations, awkward encounters, and lots of anxiety! And the ending is absolutely fabulous too - and not what I was expecting, but excellent! The middle was very good, but there is some bad, cringeworthy decision-making that had me thinking “What is wrong with these people?” Of course, that is part of what makes this book a great read. It also has a wonderful cast of characters. Some are nosy, gossips and overly intrusive. Others are way too nice and accommodating. And still others are just mean. Don’t Say A Word is a quick, enjoyable read. 4+ stars! Thank you to Book Sirens and Nicola Sanders for the digital ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
This is my fourth book by Nicola Sanders. I liked this one too!
This one is written from the POV of the main character, Kate. With short chapters and the author's addictive style of writing, one easily flies through the book! It's one of the 'one more chapter' kind of books. The characters are somewhat grey (with exception to Teri, she is pure evil!). Our protagonist Kate makes some questionable choices and I felt like yelling "what were you thinking" many times! Teri got on my nerves, she is so creepy! I think the portrayal of the characters by the author went really well! Every thing falls in place at the end though!
The end has a twist which is a signature style of the author!
This one is written from the POV of the main character, Kate. With short chapters and the author's addictive style of writing, one easily flies through the book! It's one of the 'one more chapter' kind of books. The characters are somewhat grey (with exception to Teri, she is pure evil!). Our protagonist Kate makes some questionable choices and I felt like yelling "what were you thinking" many times! Teri got on my nerves, she is so creepy! I think the portrayal of the characters by the author went really well! Every thing falls in place at the end though!
The end has a twist which is a signature style of the author!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from the very first page. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, another twist appeared. Kate and Holly’s situation is tense and emotional, and the suspense builds brilliantly throughout. The arrival of Teri adds a whole new layer of mystery, making it impossible to put down. Fast-paced, full of secrets, and packed with surprises, this is a fantastic read for anyone who enjoys domestic thrillers with plenty of twists. Highly recommended.
It is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from the very first page. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, another twist appeared. Kate and Holly’s situation is tense and emotional, and the suspense builds brilliantly throughout. The arrival of Teri adds a whole new layer of mystery, making it impossible to put down. Fast-paced, full of secrets, and packed with surprises, this is a fantastic read for anyone who enjoys domestic thrillers with plenty of twists. Highly recommended.
June 23, 2026
Kate was Holly's nanny before she married Max to protect 16 year old Holly from Max. Kate is secretly planning her and Holly's escape from Max while pretending to be the perfect wife to Max. Max is a psychopath and doesn't treat Holly and Kate well at all. Then a weird nosy neighbor, Teri, moved in next door. This book has lots of anxiety moments and tense situations and miscommunication upon Holly and Kate. This book is fast-paced and really good with some twists, some I guessed right away but still didn't ruin the book.
Thanks to Booksirens for sendin me an advanced readin copy to read and review.
Thanks to Booksirens for sendin me an advanced readin copy to read and review.
Review of advance copy
This book had me hooked from beginning to end! Kate has been planning to leave her abusive husband and run away with her 16 year old stepdaughter but everything goes sideways when Holly kills her father! Kate then decides to hide his body in the freezer until she can develop a plan. What could go wrong?
This book was juicy and addicting! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day. And everything that you could think would go wrong definitely does and it’s like watching a train wreck. This book was so much fun!
This book was juicy and addicting! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day. And everything that you could think would go wrong definitely does and it’s like watching a train wreck. This book was so much fun!
June 24, 2026
This book is the definition of a page turner. It had me in such a chokehold the entire time. It starts off right in the action.
The storyline was interesting and it had my brain turning constantly. I kept trying to think about how this book was going to end. Some of the twists I saw coming but more importantly, it was the ones that I didn’t that really made the difference.
This was my first read from this author but I’m planning to read her other books. Thank you so much to the author for a copy of this book via Book Sirens!
The storyline was interesting and it had my brain turning constantly. I kept trying to think about how this book was going to end. Some of the twists I saw coming but more importantly, it was the ones that I didn’t that really made the difference.
This was my first read from this author but I’m planning to read her other books. Thank you so much to the author for a copy of this book via Book Sirens!
June 5, 2026
This kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I highly recommend all of Nicola’s books. I’ve read them all and loved them!! Her writing thrills me and keeps me in total suspense. This book didn’t disappoint. I didn’t know what to expect next. I am already counting down to her next release!!!
Huge thanks to book sirens for this ARC!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 19, 2026
Don’t Say A Word is the first book I’ve read by this author but it most certainly won’t be my last. A gripping and tense domestic thriller that had me completely engrossed right from the start. This is one of those books that I honestly couldn’t put down and kept saying to myself ‘just one more chapter’ but unfortunately real life got in the way at times . A chilling read packed with twists that at times I never saw coming and the ending had me reeling.
Review of advance copy
Kate has been secretly planning to leave her abusive husband and run away with her stepdaughter Holly. Then Holly kills her father and Kate hides his body in the freezer! This is when it gets dicey. I was hooked from beginning to end. I was completely shocked by the ending and how it works out. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to BookSirens for this ARC from Nicola Sanders. I have enjoyed her other books, so was keen for this one too!
This was a fast paced, quick read. My only complaint would be that the premise is so unrealistic and so many of the decisions made by the characters were ridiculous! But I enjoyed riding this roller-coaster very much!
This was a fast paced, quick read. My only complaint would be that the premise is so unrealistic and so many of the decisions made by the characters were ridiculous! But I enjoyed riding this roller-coaster very much!
Review of advance copy
This is the third thriller I have read by Nicola Sanders and they have all been five-star reads. She is an auto- read author. This thriller is twisted, addictive, and will hook you immediately. It's fast-paced, wickedly clever, and unputdownable. I couldn't wait to find out what shocking thing would happen next. It’s suspenseful, intense, and highly entertaining. Thank you BookSirens for my ARC.
Review of advance copy
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was engaging and kept me wanting to read the next chapter. The characters were well written and likeable. I couldn't put this down. I loved the ending, it was unpredictable, and I thought a fantastic way to finish such a good book. I'd highly recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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