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The Silent Ones
He'll do whatever it takes to find his missing sister.
Darren Evans was only eleven when his beloved sister Carly and four other teenage girls disappeared, sparking a huge police investigation.
Eventually, a woman confessed to their murders. But although she admitted her guilt, Olivia Duvall refused to say what had happened to those five missing girls. Or where their bodies might lie.
Ten years later, Darren's family are still no closer to the truth. Desperate to alleviate his parents' heartbreak, Darren gets a job as a cleaner in the psychiatric hospital where Olivia was committed, hoping he can make her tell him his sister's fate once and for all.
But playing a killer is a very dangerous game . . .
Darren Evans was only eleven when his beloved sister Carly and four other teenage girls disappeared, sparking a huge police investigation.
Eventually, a woman confessed to their murders. But although she admitted her guilt, Olivia Duvall refused to say what had happened to those five missing girls. Or where their bodies might lie.
Ten years later, Darren's family are still no closer to the truth. Desperate to alleviate his parents' heartbreak, Darren gets a job as a cleaner in the psychiatric hospital where Olivia was committed, hoping he can make her tell him his sister's fate once and for all.
But playing a killer is a very dangerous game . . .
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 18, 2015
15 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
Ali Knight
12 books63 followersI'm the author of five psychological thriller novels. The latest, Before I Find You, is a 99p digital special offer. My other books are The Silent Ones, 'Eerie, smart and brutal,' said Heat; Wink Murder, named by The Independent as 'One of their best commercial reads of 2011'; The First Cut, 'One of the top ten crime books to take on holiday,' according to The Telegraph; and Until Death, 'A gripping read,' The Sunday Mirror.
I love reading and writing and getting feedback from readers. I live in London with my husband, kids and a psychotic cat. (Photo: Rankin Photography)
I love reading and writing and getting feedback from readers. I live in London with my husband, kids and a psychotic cat. (Photo: Rankin Photography)
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December 19, 2020
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It was OK.
I loved the premise of the book that’s what drew me in but, I couldn’t stay with it.
The author writes well enough and has a good book here but there’s something lacking.
Towards the finale is what bumped another star off for me as I had all this anticipation and ......boom....it was spoilt before the ending.
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It was OK.
I loved the premise of the book that’s what drew me in but, I couldn’t stay with it.
The author writes well enough and has a good book here but there’s something lacking.
Towards the finale is what bumped another star off for me as I had all this anticipation and ......boom....it was spoilt before the ending.
December 7, 2016
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.”
----Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Ali Knight, an English author, is back again with yet another enticing psychological thriller, The Silent Ones that revolves around the abduction of five teenage girls by a strange woman who confessed in the kidnappings and murders of those missing girls but never confessed in the whereabouts of their bodies or how she killed them, ten years down the line, the brother of one of the girl's launches his self investigation find out the truth behind her sister's disappearance.
Synopsis:
He'll do whatever it takes to find his missing sister.
Darren Evans was only eleven when his beloved sister Carly and four other teenage girls disappeared, sparking a huge police investigation.
Eventually, a woman confessed to their murders. But although she admitted her guilt, Olivia Duvall refused to say what had happened to those five missing girls. Or where their bodies might lie.
Ten years later, Darren's family are still no closer to the truth. Desperate to alleviate his parents' heartbreak, Darren gets a job as a cleaner in the psychiatric hospital where Olivia was committed, hoping he can make her tell him his sister's fate once and for all.
But playing a killer is a very dangerous game.
Darren Evans, a 21 year old fresh college graduate applies for a cleaner job on false identity in the Roehampton Hospital, a prison hospital for the mentally insane criminals, where Olivia Duvall, the woman who confessed to the crime of killing Darren's elder sister, Carly along with four other teenage girls, who disappeared ten years ago, but without the confession of the whereabouts about the deceased girls' bodies or about the knowledge on how she killed those girls, is doing her time. Darren needs to find out about his missing or presumed to be murdered sister, just for the sake of his ailing parents. And for that Darren needs to take a leap on to a dangerous road where he can become the next victim for getting so close to such a notorious killer like Olivia.
Having read Knight's previous book, Until Death, I was pretty much certain that this time too I will feel that same subtle kind of rush or thrill that I got while reading her previous book. In fact, this time, the thrill is extreme right at the very start and it immediately manage to pull me into the heart of the story as a result, I could not afford to look away from the story even for a singly moment, but when the climax arrived, I felt like throwing the book hard against the wall. I mean the story traversed a downward spiral path to dullness and boredom yet I stuck on with hope that somewhere there will be a major twist to say that whatever I read in the climax is all wrong. But alas!
The writing style of the author is quite well structured and articulate, that instantly made me fall for such a clever plot. The narrative style is what got me hooked into the story, as it is challenging as well as mysterious. The mood that the author set in with her sentimental yet alluring prose was brilliantly dark, scary and in one word, exciting. Until the climax, I was left with a strong anticipating feeling as to what will happen and will Darren find his sister, then all of those feelings simply washes away from the mind. The plot builds up at a quicker pace till the climax and then it comes crumbling down like a house of cards.
The twists that the author created, are striking enough to fall for them and moreover, the way she delivered them into her story is really brilliant. And the more I tried to find out what happened with Carly and the rest of the missing girls, the more I got twisted up in knots and puddles of mystery. So the mystery part was pretty engaging. enough to keep the readers turning the page till the very pathetic climax.
The characters are partially well developed, the more the readers will try to steal a peek into the minds of the characters, the less they will get to know them by their deepest desires. The main character, Darren's demeanor felt a bit sombre and not to mention, the pain he felt, after the abduction and murder of his elder sister along with the immense grief that he suffered from which he never manged to pull himself out of it. Yet Darren is brave, quick witted and extremely clever who manages to lure himself into the killer's lair. Darren's quest for his sister is filled with lots of twisted puzzles that keeps getting more complex at each step of the his way. Olivia is a vague character, the readers will barely get to know the soul and mind of such a flawed and psychologically challenged character. It feels if a bit more depth has been portrayed in her mannerism, then she would have made a really interesting character. Rest of the characters are not worth remembering.
In a nutshell, this is an okayish thriller which falls out of line right near the climax and wipes out all the anticipation, excitement and the thrill from the hearts and the minds of its readers.
Verdict: I prefer reading her previous novels, rather than wasting time on this boring and pointless thriller.
----Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Ali Knight, an English author, is back again with yet another enticing psychological thriller, The Silent Ones that revolves around the abduction of five teenage girls by a strange woman who confessed in the kidnappings and murders of those missing girls but never confessed in the whereabouts of their bodies or how she killed them, ten years down the line, the brother of one of the girl's launches his self investigation find out the truth behind her sister's disappearance.
Synopsis:
He'll do whatever it takes to find his missing sister.
Darren Evans was only eleven when his beloved sister Carly and four other teenage girls disappeared, sparking a huge police investigation.
Eventually, a woman confessed to their murders. But although she admitted her guilt, Olivia Duvall refused to say what had happened to those five missing girls. Or where their bodies might lie.
Ten years later, Darren's family are still no closer to the truth. Desperate to alleviate his parents' heartbreak, Darren gets a job as a cleaner in the psychiatric hospital where Olivia was committed, hoping he can make her tell him his sister's fate once and for all.
But playing a killer is a very dangerous game.
Darren Evans, a 21 year old fresh college graduate applies for a cleaner job on false identity in the Roehampton Hospital, a prison hospital for the mentally insane criminals, where Olivia Duvall, the woman who confessed to the crime of killing Darren's elder sister, Carly along with four other teenage girls, who disappeared ten years ago, but without the confession of the whereabouts about the deceased girls' bodies or about the knowledge on how she killed those girls, is doing her time. Darren needs to find out about his missing or presumed to be murdered sister, just for the sake of his ailing parents. And for that Darren needs to take a leap on to a dangerous road where he can become the next victim for getting so close to such a notorious killer like Olivia.
Having read Knight's previous book, Until Death, I was pretty much certain that this time too I will feel that same subtle kind of rush or thrill that I got while reading her previous book. In fact, this time, the thrill is extreme right at the very start and it immediately manage to pull me into the heart of the story as a result, I could not afford to look away from the story even for a singly moment, but when the climax arrived, I felt like throwing the book hard against the wall. I mean the story traversed a downward spiral path to dullness and boredom yet I stuck on with hope that somewhere there will be a major twist to say that whatever I read in the climax is all wrong. But alas!
The writing style of the author is quite well structured and articulate, that instantly made me fall for such a clever plot. The narrative style is what got me hooked into the story, as it is challenging as well as mysterious. The mood that the author set in with her sentimental yet alluring prose was brilliantly dark, scary and in one word, exciting. Until the climax, I was left with a strong anticipating feeling as to what will happen and will Darren find his sister, then all of those feelings simply washes away from the mind. The plot builds up at a quicker pace till the climax and then it comes crumbling down like a house of cards.
The twists that the author created, are striking enough to fall for them and moreover, the way she delivered them into her story is really brilliant. And the more I tried to find out what happened with Carly and the rest of the missing girls, the more I got twisted up in knots and puddles of mystery. So the mystery part was pretty engaging. enough to keep the readers turning the page till the very pathetic climax.
The characters are partially well developed, the more the readers will try to steal a peek into the minds of the characters, the less they will get to know them by their deepest desires. The main character, Darren's demeanor felt a bit sombre and not to mention, the pain he felt, after the abduction and murder of his elder sister along with the immense grief that he suffered from which he never manged to pull himself out of it. Yet Darren is brave, quick witted and extremely clever who manages to lure himself into the killer's lair. Darren's quest for his sister is filled with lots of twisted puzzles that keeps getting more complex at each step of the his way. Olivia is a vague character, the readers will barely get to know the soul and mind of such a flawed and psychologically challenged character. It feels if a bit more depth has been portrayed in her mannerism, then she would have made a really interesting character. Rest of the characters are not worth remembering.
In a nutshell, this is an okayish thriller which falls out of line right near the climax and wipes out all the anticipation, excitement and the thrill from the hearts and the minds of its readers.
Verdict: I prefer reading her previous novels, rather than wasting time on this boring and pointless thriller.
August 9, 2015
Ewwww this is a hard one to review. I really liked the premise. Darren’s sister Carly went missing 10 years ago and has never been found. Olivia Duvall claimed responsibility for her murder, and for four other murders of young girls, and is now in Roehampton Hospital – an establishment for the criminally insane. When Darren takes on a false identity and gets work as a cleaner at the hospital he is determined to find out once and for all what happened to his sister. It sounds like a really good, intriguing read and in some ways it is. It kept my interest right to the end with all the twists and turns, so it can’t be all that bad. But I did have issues with it. For starters, some of the dialogue is painful to read, doesn’t feel natural at all. It makes me wonder how many authors actually bother to read their dialogue out loud with someone. If they did, it might made a huge difference sometimes.
There are parts where our main character gets down and dirty. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a bit of between the sheets action (or over the desk or wherever) as long as it is well written, but in this case it isn’t. It felt very cold, sterile and a little how I would imagine my 16 year old son would write his fantasy sex scene. Just didn’t hit the spot and didn’t fit with the character of Darren at all.
The action on the whole is well paced and as I said, it did keep me interested. I wanted to know what had happened to Carly almost as much as Darren. When we eventually find out it is in a twist that just left me feeling extremely disappointed. No matter how many times I turn it over in my head, I just keep thinking “no”. Raising almost as many questions as it answers, it smacks of the desire to have a clever twist, at the expense of the story leading up to it. Many thanks to Netgalley for the review copy.
There are parts where our main character gets down and dirty. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a bit of between the sheets action (or over the desk or wherever) as long as it is well written, but in this case it isn’t. It felt very cold, sterile and a little how I would imagine my 16 year old son would write his fantasy sex scene. Just didn’t hit the spot and didn’t fit with the character of Darren at all.
The action on the whole is well paced and as I said, it did keep me interested. I wanted to know what had happened to Carly almost as much as Darren. When we eventually find out it is in a twist that just left me feeling extremely disappointed. No matter how many times I turn it over in my head, I just keep thinking “no”. Raising almost as many questions as it answers, it smacks of the desire to have a clever twist, at the expense of the story leading up to it. Many thanks to Netgalley for the review copy.
July 18, 2015
2.5 stars
This is a difficult one...all I can think to say about it in the end is that it's good enough for a few hours of reading time.
The characters are all ok, quite lightly portrayed with the exception of the 'baddie' Olivia. She was the only person I was genuinely interested in. Clever, cruel and keeping her secrets close.
Then came the twist that disappointed. For me, it just didn't fit.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a difficult one...all I can think to say about it in the end is that it's good enough for a few hours of reading time.
The characters are all ok, quite lightly portrayed with the exception of the 'baddie' Olivia. She was the only person I was genuinely interested in. Clever, cruel and keeping her secrets close.
Then came the twist that disappointed. For me, it just didn't fit.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2018
I totally loved every page of The Silent Ones. The story really clips readers briskly along.
Darren Evans was only eleven years-old when his beloved sister Carly and four other teenage girls disappeared. With Darren's mother ill and his sister has never been found he feels like his world had been slowly drained of all its colour. Darren will do whatever it takes to find his missing sister. He decides that the only way is to get near to the killer. He knows it's a very dangerous game, but he will go to any length to be near the killer in hope that she will tell him where the body of his sister is. The Silent Ones is a lively gritty thriller with cracking twists that will shock you all. A must buy must read!
Darren Evans was only eleven years-old when his beloved sister Carly and four other teenage girls disappeared. With Darren's mother ill and his sister has never been found he feels like his world had been slowly drained of all its colour. Darren will do whatever it takes to find his missing sister. He decides that the only way is to get near to the killer. He knows it's a very dangerous game, but he will go to any length to be near the killer in hope that she will tell him where the body of his sister is. The Silent Ones is a lively gritty thriller with cracking twists that will shock you all. A must buy must read!
March 30, 2018
“Love repaired the evil in the world”
I picked this book thinking it would be a crime thriller. Little did I know what The Silent Ones have in store for me! This is a story about the lengths someone will go to, to bring peace to their parents.
Darren’s sister vanished and the only person who knows what happened to her is Olivia, a sociopath in a psychiatric hospital. Darren lies his way into a job there to find out the truth.
The story is mainly told from Darren’s perspective with interludes from Olivia. Olivia plays games with Darren, after all she’s the one holding all the cards.
For me, this book is reminiscent of the Moors Murderers; a criminal found guilty for the murders of youngsters but still not sharing the whole truth. And oh what a truth Olivia is keeping to herself!! The climax was something I did not see coming!! This is quite a page turner of a book!
I’ll definitely be hunting out more of Ali Knight’s books.
I picked this book thinking it would be a crime thriller. Little did I know what The Silent Ones have in store for me! This is a story about the lengths someone will go to, to bring peace to their parents.
Darren’s sister vanished and the only person who knows what happened to her is Olivia, a sociopath in a psychiatric hospital. Darren lies his way into a job there to find out the truth.
The story is mainly told from Darren’s perspective with interludes from Olivia. Olivia plays games with Darren, after all she’s the one holding all the cards.
For me, this book is reminiscent of the Moors Murderers; a criminal found guilty for the murders of youngsters but still not sharing the whole truth. And oh what a truth Olivia is keeping to herself!! The climax was something I did not see coming!! This is quite a page turner of a book!
I’ll definitely be hunting out more of Ali Knight’s books.
March 20, 2017
I hate it when I fail to finish books, yet occasionally it happens. In fact, I’ve recently forced a new rule upon myself: if I’m not enjoying a book, if it’s taking me forever to work through it, I’m to just stop reading. Such is what happened with this book – this book was a victim of the new rule.
The premise of this story was wonderful. There was so much promise: mystery, action, and the general gritty way of such novels. However, once I got into reading it I found the story wasn’t giving me all that it was promising. Yes, there were glimmers of these things; however, nothing every really stood out. Things simply were, and nothing was really holding my attention. In all honesty, I think most of it came down to the way of storytelling: I just couldn’t get into the way of writing, if I’m completely honest. It wasn’t that the writing was bad; it simply jarred with this kind of story. It didn’t have the breakneck pace and suspense that such novels need. I found myself bored more often than not, skipping chunks of the book to see whether things would pick up.
I’m sure some will enjoy this, but it wasn’t for me.
The premise of this story was wonderful. There was so much promise: mystery, action, and the general gritty way of such novels. However, once I got into reading it I found the story wasn’t giving me all that it was promising. Yes, there were glimmers of these things; however, nothing every really stood out. Things simply were, and nothing was really holding my attention. In all honesty, I think most of it came down to the way of storytelling: I just couldn’t get into the way of writing, if I’m completely honest. It wasn’t that the writing was bad; it simply jarred with this kind of story. It didn’t have the breakneck pace and suspense that such novels need. I found myself bored more often than not, skipping chunks of the book to see whether things would pick up.
I’m sure some will enjoy this, but it wasn’t for me.
August 17, 2015
"love was strong, stronger than life"
deeply eerie and interesting, I enjoyed this read.
deeply eerie and interesting, I enjoyed this read.
August 12, 2015
Olivia Duvall is locked up in a high security hospital for the disappearance and murder of five young girls. she won't speak of her crimes or the whereabouts of the girls leaving the families in turmoil. Darren is Carly Evans younger brother, Carly is one of the girls who went missing, ten years have passed and his mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer, the clock is ticking to find out about his sister so Darren assumes an alias and applies for a job as a cleaner at the hospital holding Olivia, but will be come close enough to this cold and calculating killer to actually get any information about Carly?
This crime thriller started off very well as I was intrigued by Olivia and just why she was as controlling as she appeared and although the book gave some insights into Olivia's life, I felt that the story lost focus from it's most intriguing character. The Story of the disappearance of the girls was compelling and it was hard to see how all the pieces of the puzzle fitted together, but although there was quite a twist the book didn't answer all the questions that arose and I assume that's because a sequel will be tackling the next phase in the story.
Overall quite a promising thriller and I hope the next instalment keeps the intrigue going.
This crime thriller started off very well as I was intrigued by Olivia and just why she was as controlling as she appeared and although the book gave some insights into Olivia's life, I felt that the story lost focus from it's most intriguing character. The Story of the disappearance of the girls was compelling and it was hard to see how all the pieces of the puzzle fitted together, but although there was quite a twist the book didn't answer all the questions that arose and I assume that's because a sequel will be tackling the next phase in the story.
Overall quite a promising thriller and I hope the next instalment keeps the intrigue going.
August 1, 2015
The Silent Ones was something of a mixed read for me - the feel of the novel and the initial plot development was brilliantly addictive, but then went off in a direction that I wasn't sure quite fitted with the set up.
The most interesting portion of The Silent Ones comes in the form of Olivia - the "bad guy" - in a secure unit for murder,hiding secrets and there was a great depth to her and a pull that kept me reading. When Darren, one of the relatives of a possible murder victim takes a job at the jail in order to confront her, this was potentially going to be an extremely compelling read.
Ultimately it both was and was not - the twist was kind of uninspiring but the book was still very intense in places, when the author was exploring the more psychological aspects it was very well done.
Ali Knight writes with an involving and very readable style - There was a lot about The Silent Ones that I truly thought was fabulous, I would definitely recommend it for fans of thrillers. For me though it didn't quite hit the mark on a purely emotional level, but that said an interesting and intriguing premise with some great writing throughout.
Happy Reading Folks!
The most interesting portion of The Silent Ones comes in the form of Olivia - the "bad guy" - in a secure unit for murder,hiding secrets and there was a great depth to her and a pull that kept me reading. When Darren, one of the relatives of a possible murder victim takes a job at the jail in order to confront her, this was potentially going to be an extremely compelling read.
Ultimately it both was and was not - the twist was kind of uninspiring but the book was still very intense in places, when the author was exploring the more psychological aspects it was very well done.
Ali Knight writes with an involving and very readable style - There was a lot about The Silent Ones that I truly thought was fabulous, I would definitely recommend it for fans of thrillers. For me though it didn't quite hit the mark on a purely emotional level, but that said an interesting and intriguing premise with some great writing throughout.
Happy Reading Folks!
August 21, 2017
Ok, so when I first picked this book up my expectations were low, but the premise for the book was really good and the antagonist really hooked me up until the 120 page point. After which the book reverted to exactly what I'd expected when I started reading it, which is unfortunate. The ending was somewhat of a disappointment too, but having said that, I may read another novel by Ali Knight, but not in the foreseeable future.
January 4, 2019
3 stars. My main issue with this book is that is extremely linear. First this happened, then this, then that. There was not a lot of character development, and overall not enough to the book to warrant anything more than 3/5.
October 21, 2019
So, when I picked this book up I thought "meh, sounds like a typical murder book" but I still read it anyway. During the first few chapters, I was so glad that I did because I felt like it was going to be one of those books I couldn't put down.
I was wrong. I put it down a lot and didn't go back to it for days because something just didn't connect. I couldn't understand why it had started off so amazing but fizzled into a disappointment. I thought the characters, especially Darren, would have more depth to them but I've seen deeper bird baths. There were scenes and scenarios that just didn't feel right, such as him and Chloe expressing they loved each other on their second date. The concept that it was written in, I can understand why Darren felt compelled to say it but the way she reacted was too fairytale like. No-one says love you that quick.
It was a different book to what I've read previously though. The twists and the turns are not something I've read of so it was unique but it just didn't work. The only other bit that really stood out was when Darren shaved his hair with his mother. I thought that scene was really touching.
It's worth a read if you're looking for something light and easily understood but if you're into complexity then avoid it. You'll find it rather boring otherwise.
I was wrong. I put it down a lot and didn't go back to it for days because something just didn't connect. I couldn't understand why it had started off so amazing but fizzled into a disappointment. I thought the characters, especially Darren, would have more depth to them but I've seen deeper bird baths. There were scenes and scenarios that just didn't feel right, such as him and Chloe expressing they loved each other on their second date. The concept that it was written in, I can understand why Darren felt compelled to say it but the way she reacted was too fairytale like. No-one says love you that quick.
It was a different book to what I've read previously though. The twists and the turns are not something I've read of so it was unique but it just didn't work. The only other bit that really stood out was when Darren shaved his hair with his mother. I thought that scene was really touching.
It's worth a read if you're looking for something light and easily understood but if you're into complexity then avoid it. You'll find it rather boring otherwise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2018
I found this to be an easy read and managed to read half of it in bed one night as it was very compelling and so I wanted to find out what secrets were being kept!
Darrens sister, Carly, was murdered 10 years ago by Olivia Duvall-the witch-who is now incarcerated in a top security facility. His mother has cancer and Carlys dog has just died leading to Darren getting a job at the prison with a fake identity. He is determined to get access to Olivia to find out where Carly is buried to bring her home.
The storyline for this book really enticed me in but although it was well written the plot didn't really develop the way I was expecting and didn't live up to early potential. I guessed "the twist" very early on. The character of Olivia was the most interesting part of this novel and I would have liked more insight into her life before and during her imprisonment. This is the first book I have read by this author and will certainly look at previous and future novels by her. This was an enjoyable read but didn't quite live up to my expectations.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Darrens sister, Carly, was murdered 10 years ago by Olivia Duvall-the witch-who is now incarcerated in a top security facility. His mother has cancer and Carlys dog has just died leading to Darren getting a job at the prison with a fake identity. He is determined to get access to Olivia to find out where Carly is buried to bring her home.
The storyline for this book really enticed me in but although it was well written the plot didn't really develop the way I was expecting and didn't live up to early potential. I guessed "the twist" very early on. The character of Olivia was the most interesting part of this novel and I would have liked more insight into her life before and during her imprisonment. This is the first book I have read by this author and will certainly look at previous and future novels by her. This was an enjoyable read but didn't quite live up to my expectations.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
March 12, 2016
This was a great read - Darren's sister Carly was one of the victims of self-confessed serial killer Olivia Duvall, who is now incarcerated in a mental institution. However, Olivia has never revealed the whereabouts of the bodies of her victims and, when his mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, he decides he must try to find out what happened to Carly. Breaking every rule under the sun, Darren fakes his identity and gets a job as a cleaner where Olivia is incarcerated, hoping to get the opportunity to quiz her over Carly's whereabouts. But his contact with her cause unexpected repercussions....There are several additional threads to the story which don't seem to be relevant and indeed some lead nowhere particularly but it certainly keeps you guessing. I thought I had worked something out about halfway through the book, only to be proved totally wrong and the final twist was totally unexpected. With the way the story is left, there is also scope for a follow-up although the book in itself is a very satisfying read, plenty of action and tension and good characters - 9.5/10
August 23, 2015
First book by this author. I really enjoyed this book. It involved two main characters, Darren who is searching for his sister and Olivia who may know something about her disappearance. Both these characters were well drawn and a big part of a story that keeps you reading. Like all good stories you have to suspend your disbelief. Then again the twists and turns in this story may be closer to the truth than we may want to admit. I will look out for more by this author and recommend her highly. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for ARC.
October 10, 2015
I really enjoyed this book, please don't be put off by the mixed reviews that can be found online! This book involves two main characters, Darren who is searching for his missing sister and Olivia who may know something about her disappearance. Like all good stories you have to think away from the norm, yes there are parts that are a bit far fetched but that's the joy of a good story and work of fiction. I will be looking for the authors next book, can see some real promise here.
September 9, 2015
this book started off good at the beginning, but i started to lose interest half way through. It just wasn't for me
February 28, 2016
An utterly appalling book with no redeeming factors whatsoever. So bad I considered throwing myself under the train on which I was reading it.
June 8, 2020
Ten years earlier, Darren's sister Carly goes missing along with four other girls. Olivia Duvall, a social worker, soon confesses to their murders but refuses to tell where their bodies lie.
When a job opportunity arises at the psychiatric hospital where Olivia was committed, Darren changes his name and applies to work there as a cleaner. He hopes to speak with Olivia to find out what happened to his sister all those years ago. "But playing a killer is a very dangerous game.."
This story was ok. It didnt grip me as much as I'd have liked and at times, Darren's adventures were incredibly unrealistic (..the escape from the general hospital- you'll know when you read it!)
I couldn't really connect with the characters and found them all to be a little dull. Except Olivia, who is your run-of-the-mill fictional serial killer.
This story didnt hit the mark for me.
When a job opportunity arises at the psychiatric hospital where Olivia was committed, Darren changes his name and applies to work there as a cleaner. He hopes to speak with Olivia to find out what happened to his sister all those years ago. "But playing a killer is a very dangerous game.."
This story was ok. It didnt grip me as much as I'd have liked and at times, Darren's adventures were incredibly unrealistic (..the escape from the general hospital- you'll know when you read it!)
I couldn't really connect with the characters and found them all to be a little dull. Except Olivia, who is your run-of-the-mill fictional serial killer.
This story didnt hit the mark for me.
December 4, 2023
When I picked up this book, I was expecting something utterly boring. I don't know why, it's just what I was expecting. While reading this book, I wasn't really focused, I would go in and out of reading it and I would start other books while not having finished this one. Today, I finished this book, and when I tell you I don't think I've ever cried so much, I mean it. This was a confusing but amazing book. It literally felt like a rollercoaster with all the emotions I was feeling and going through. Some people may not like this book, but I think Ali mixed the important message and emotions together perfectly. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone who lives murder mysteries and who feels strongly about the subject of rape,abused victims and women empowered. 10/10 book, thank you Ali Knight.
June 18, 2018
A fantastic brilliant book that I was unable or willing to put down. Just waiting to see what Darren would do next or if and when he would be discovered. I liked Darren and Olivia, even if she was an evil serial killer. I couldn’t give it 5 stars for the ending, it took an unexpected turn away from reality and went off somewhere else to a plot that was okay but a huge anticlimax really.
The fact it turned out that Olivia had a son and gave him up for adoption and Darren was adopted and is the same as her son, this would have made a fantastic twist. A real potential was here and it was just let go to nothing.
The fact it turned out that Olivia had a son and gave him up for adoption and Darren was adopted and is the same as her son, this would have made a fantastic twist. A real potential was here and it was just let go to nothing.
January 13, 2018
After finding the book hard to get into for the first 200ish pages I found the ending very good.
I didn’t really have a connection to the characters apart from Olivia (the killer) I found myself wanting to know more about her and why she was this way, I still want to know more about her.
I didn’t really have a connection to the characters apart from Olivia (the killer) I found myself wanting to know more about her and why she was this way, I still want to know more about her.
January 16, 2018
This book didn’t live up to its potential for me. I found the plot predictable and also too unrealistic at times. The ending was odd and the last few chapters seemed rushed. As a positive, I will say that the character of Olivia was very well written and I enjoyed reading about her.
May 13, 2021
I enjoyed most of the book. The mystery of what happened to the missing girls was interesting - but unfortunately the ending just felt a bit “far fetched” to me. Overall a nice read, but didn’t blow me away.
June 1, 2022
Very much liked this book, caught my attention and found it hard to put it down at first with the suspense, but then it kind of faded out. The outcome of the story wasn’t what I expected it to be and felt a bit let down.
July 29, 2024
What a pathetic twist. What a stupid, unbelievable ridiculous twist. The jokes on me for reading it. I'm supposed to believe (major spoiler).... that the kidnapping victim chose to stay and cause her family unbelievable pain to help 'save the world' from bad people. OMG. Rubbish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2017
This was an okay story although I never really warmed to Darren the protagonist.
February 9, 2018
I was with it right up until that stupid “twist”
May 11, 2018
good.
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